s to procure gold, not
to make breaches, unless breach of promise to us, which he can easily
do; for of late they have not performed any of their engagements, yet
will not this teach us to look to ourselves.

The greatest hurt done by the Portuguese to the Persians in the assault
on the castle, was by means of powder-pots, by which many of the
assailants were scorched and severely burned. To guard against this, the
Khan has now sent over many coats and jackets of leather, as not so
liable to catch fire as their calico coats, quilted or stuffed with
cotton wool. Yet, according to the English proverb, _The burnt child
dreads the fire;_ notwithstanding their leathern coats, none of them are
hardy enough to attempt this new breach, though much easier to enter
than the former, any farther than to pillage certain bales of _bastas_
and other stuffs which have fallen down from a barricade or breast-work,
thrown up by the Portuguese for defending the top of the breach from the
fire of the Persians.

On the 5th of April the Persian general had news that 100,000 maunds of
powder were arrived from Bahrein. On the 12th, a Portuguese came to the
Persian general, having escaped from the castle, and gave accounts of
the great wants and weaknesses of the garrison, insomuch, that six or
eight died daily of the flux, chiefly owing to their having nothing to
drink, but corrupted brackish water, of which even they have so little
as to be put on short allowance, so that several have died of thirst.
Their only food consists of rice and salt fish, both of which would
require a good allowance of drink. Notwithstanding all this, the Persian
general wastes his time in constructing new mines, of which he has no
less than three in hand at this time, as if he proposed to blow up the
wall all round about, before making any fresh assault. On the night of
the 12th, one of our frigates or barks, which belonged to the London,
being on guard alone, to prevent the escape of the Portuguese frigates,
was clapped on board by two of these at once, but beat them both off. I
know not what might be the loss of the Portuguese on this occasion, but
two of our men were slain, and seven wounded; yet, had not our black
rowers forsaken them, our people might easily have taken the assailants.

The 14th, the Persians sprung another mine, by which a very assailable
breach was made, yet no assault was attempted. On this occasion, the
mine had to be sprung before it was q