he other ship, which, seeing us stand with the great ship, struck
to leeward, thinking to escape in the darkness of the night, now
approaching. I took her for a ship of Diu; but, on getting up to her,
she proved to be from Kuts Nagone, laden with cotton-wool, some packs of
Indian cloth, with some butter and oil. Having got some of her principal
men aboard my ship, I made her edge with me into shoal water, on the
Arab coast, where I endeavoured, by means of lights, to discover five of
my men, whom I had left in the _Larree_ ship. We anchored at midnight in
twelve fathoms, four leagues within the _bab_, where the next two days
we took out of the _Larree_ ship sixty-six bundles of Indian cloth, but
which we returned again, as not needing it, and took only eight _corges_
of _bastas_, for which we paid to their content, and some butter and
oil. I now learned by a _jelba_, that Sir Henry Middleton had gone to
Assab roads, with eight or nine India ships, on which I made sail to
join him there, but the wind being unfavourable, had to come to anchor.

Next day, Giles Thornton, the master of the Trades-increase, came from
Sir Henry Middleton, to let me know that he had got possession of all
the Indian ships he desired. These were the _Rekemi_, of 1500 tons; the
_Hassany_, of 600; the _Mahmudi_ of Surat, of 150; the _Salamitae_, of
450; the _Cadree_, of 200; the _Azum Khani_, belonging to the
Shah-bandar of Mokha, all belonging to Diu; besides three Malabar ships,
the _Cadree_ of Dabul, of 400 tons, and a great ship of Cananore. Mr
Thornton told me, that before I could get into the road of Assab, Sir
Henry and Captain Saris, with all their people, would be gone ashore to
receive the King of _Rahayta_, who was come with his nobles and guards
to visit the two generals. The day being near spent, Sir Henry and
Captain Saris left the king in his tent, and went aboard the
Trades-increase to supper. I understood also of a contract entered into
with the Indian ships at the _bab_, by which it was agreed to exchange,
all our English goods for such Indian commodities as should be settled
by certain merchants on both sides. About this time likewise I was
informed, that the _Mammi_, or captain of the gallies, and others, had
come from the governor of Mokha to our general, to treat of peace, and
to enquire what sum he demanded in satisfaction of our damages. Sir
Henry, near the proportion of last year's demand, required the payment
of 100,000 do