for our people in the ships.

The 27th, John Crowther came from Surat, to inform me he had been
appointed by the chief merchants at Surat to accompany Mr Steel into
Persia, and had therefore come to take leave of me, and to fetch away
his things from the ship. This day also Mr Edwards wrote to me, by
Edmund Espinol, to send him fifty elephants teeth, indifferently chosen
as to size, as a banian merchant was in treaty for them all, if they
could agree on terms. The 6th December, the nabob seemed ashamed that he
had not shewn me the smallest respect since my arrival, and, being
desirous to excuse himself, he this day entreated Mr Edwards to go on
board along with the great banian who had bought our ivory, and
Lacandas, the banian merchant of the junk belonging to the king of
_Cushan_.[127] He chose this last, on account of his former familiarity
with our people, and commissioned him to buy sword-blades, knives, and
mirrors. By them he sent me a present, consisting of two _corge_ of
coarse _bastas_, ten fine _bastas_, ten _top-seels_, ten _cuttonies_,
and three quilts, together with a message, certifying that the nabob
proposed to come down to visit me in a day or two at the most. At their
going ashore, I gave them a salute of five guns.

[Footnote 127: Kessem, on the coast of Arabia Felix, is probably here
meant.--E.]

They told me, that the nabob had certain intelligence from Goa, that the
viceroy was fitting out all the force he could muster to come against
us; and expressed a wish, on the part of the nabob, that I would convoy
one or two of his ships for two or three days sail from the coast, which
were bound for the Red Sea. To this I answered, that I could not do
this; as, if once off the coast, the wind was entirely adverse for our
return: But, if he would further our dispatch, so that we might be ready
in any convenient time, I would do any thing reasonable that he could
desire. The 9th, the nabob's son came to the shore, but would not
venture on board, wherefore I went ashore to him. He had a horse ready
for me on landing to fetch me, and desired me to sit down beside him,
which I did. He then commanded some horsemen, who accompanied him, to
amuse me, by shewing their warlike evolutions on the sands, chasing each
other after the fashion of the Deccan, whence they were; and at his
desire I caused eleven guns to be fired, to do him honour. Though he
refused to drink any wine at this interview, he sent for it after