ng
our course for Sumatra. All the time we were here in Sinde, we had not
the smallest intimation of trade having been settled at Surat, for if we
had, we might have taken a different course.

We came to anchor in the road of Priaman on the 20th November, going in
between the two northermost little islands, and anchored close by the
northermost of these, in five fathoms. We immediately began to bargain
for pepper, the price of which we beat down from twenty-two dollars, as
first asked, to seventeen dollars the bahar, at which price we got two
bahars, which were brought to us on board: but the governor would not
allow us, although we made him a present of a musket, to hire a house,
or to buy pepper ashore, unless we would consent to bestow presents on
some twenty of the officers and merchants of the place. On the 22d, we
received a letter from Captain Christen, of the Hosiander, then at
Tecoo, earnestly advising us to come there immediately, as we could not
fail to get as much pepper as we wished at that place, and in a short
time; and, as we were not acquainted with the place, Captain Chrisen
sent Richard Hall, one of his master's mates, to pilot us through among
the dangerous shoals that lay about the roads of Tecoo. Accordingly we
went to that place, and anchored in four fathoms, Richard Hall returning
on board the Hosiander, where he died that same night, being ill of the
flux.

Before our arrival, the natives had offered their pepper to Captain
Christen at twelve and thirteen dollars the bahar, taking payment in
Surat commodities; but they now demanded twenty-two dollars in ready
money, refusing to barter with them any longer for goods. They also
demanded at this place as many presents as had been required at Priaman;
beside which, they insisted upon having seventy-two dollars for
anchorage duty. Being now in a worse situation than before, and having
no time to waste in delays, we determined to come to short terms with
them; wherefore we told them roundly, that we would on no account submit
to their unreasonable demands, even though we might not get a single
_cattee_ of pepper. For this purpose I drew out a letter from our
captain, which he signed and sealed, addressed to the head governor,
stating that he had not used our nation so well as we had reason to
expect, both in unreasonable demands of presents, which were not usually
given upon compulsion, but rather from good-will, or in reward of good
behaviour, and