away our goods, for fear of the frigates, neither could we have any
intercourse with our friends ashore, to know what passed; I therefore
set sail for Swally roads, where I arrived next day, having very little
wind.

On the 14th January, 1614, we heard of many frigates being arrived,
which rode at the bar of Surat all next day till night; and, leaving
that place after dark, they came and rode within shot of us till next
morning, when they weighed and stood back to the southwards. While they
remained at anchor, supposing they might be the Mallabars, which the
nabob had formerly promised to send me, I put forth a flag of truce, and
sent Mr Spooner, one of our master's mates, towards them, directing him
to keep a watchful eye to our signals, which we should make if we saw
any reason of suspicion. Seeing our gallivat draw near, and no sign of
friendship in answer to ours, I hoisted my flag and fired a shot to
recall our boat, which immediately came back. At this time, our sentinel
at the mast-head descried another fleet of frigates, which afterwards
assembled at the bar of Surat, and went all into the river. By this I
was satisfied they were all Portuguese, and was glad our men and boat
had escaped their hands. Thinking these frigates were forerunners of a
greater force, I ordered the decks to be cleared, all our guns thrown
loose, and every thing to be in readiness for action, both for the great
guns and small arms, and to fit up barricades for close quarters. In the
night of the 17th, all the frigates came out of the river, and in the
morning were all at the point of the bar.

The 18th, Maugie, the banian captain formerly mentioned, accompanied by
another great man, who was son to _Clych Khan_, came to the water side
to speak with me, to whom I went ashore. Not long after, word was
brought from on board, that they had descried a fleet of ships far off,
which looked very big, but which we could not see from the shore, owing
to its being very low. Taking leave of my visitors, I returned aboard,
and made every thing be put in readiness, which was done immediately.
Towards night, we made them out to be six galleons, with three smaller
ships, besides the sixty frigates which were here before. Two gallies
belonging to this armament were not yet come up. The tide being spent,
they came to anchor till next day. The 19th, they plied up to the
entrance of our new channel, where they came to anchor, and where they
were joined by