Indian Antiquary Vol 49

SR No.: 032541
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 252
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 34 MB

Page 46

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ MARCH, 1920
"They asked them after the fleet, believing they were in it, but the fellows told them they had not seen a ship or boat before that day since they left Gogo, and notwithstanding the poor fellows' pleading, they threw all their cargo overboard, tormenting them by squeezing their joints in the vice to make them confess of the fleet. They kept the boat with them all that night and part of the next day, but blowing fresh eventually they split the Gallevat's sail, so that they could not keep oompany with the ship. They then put the people into their boat, having nothing but a small try-tail, no provisions and about four gallons of water half salt, and then out of sight of the land.
"They then resolved on cruising southward. The next day were between Goa and Carwar. At noon heard guns fire at Carwar. They instantly came to an anchor, and at night sent their boat to discover what ships there was in the Road, who returned about two in the morning, giving an account of two Grabs at an anchor there. They then weighed and ran nearer to the Bay and anchored again at daylight. The Grabs having sight of them ran out to get under India Diva [Anjidiv] Castle, which they did with much difficulty. The pirates were so much displeased at it, wanting water, that they had a Council whether they should make a descent that night and take the island. They could not agree on it, so proceeded to the southward. The next morning see a small ship at an anchor in Onnore [Onore, Honåvar), which in the evening they took, having no one on board but a Dutchman and two Portuguese, the Captain and his officers being gone on shore. The next morning they sent on shore to acquaintthe Captain that if he would supply them with some water and fresh provisions he should have the ship again. At night he sent on board his mate, Frank Harmless, with a letter to them that if they would deliver the ship into his possession over the Bar he would supply them with what water and provisions they wanted and not before. They not liking his proposals the Mate said he would carry them where they should get what they wanted. They not liking to trust him being a stranger, resolved of seeking water at the Lacker Diva [Laccadive] Islands, which they put for directly, where they arrived in three days after. The same day of their arrival they took a small Monchew29 with the Governor of Carwar's pass on board, who gave them an account that there was no anchor ground among the islands.80 They then being near the Island of Melindra [? Amondivi) sent their boat on shore to see if there was any water or whether the island was inhabited. They returned giving an account of there being good water and abundance of houses, but that the inhabitants at the sight of the ships were fled off in boats to the adjacent islands, only abundance of women and children, which they found a day or two afterwards hid in the bushes, and forced them in barbarous manner to their lascivious inclinations, destroying their cocoa-trees and everything they met with, setting fire to several of their houses and churches. Had fresh gales of wind whilst there, which occasioned their losing three or four anchors there, the ground being so rocky, and lastly with a hard gale of wind were forced from the island where they left about 70 people, black and white, and most of their water casks. In about ten days they made shift to find the island again, where they filled their water, took their people on board. Provision being very scarce among them, they, now resolved of proceeding to Cochin and see what they could get from their good friends the Dutch, who, they said, they were confident would not fail of supplying any of their profession.
(To be continued.)
» A manchua, the Portuguese name for a cargo-boat on the West Coast of India. See Travels of Peter Mundy (Hak. Soc.), ed. Temple, III. Pt. I, p. 205 n.-ED.
30 Captain Biden, Master Attendant at Madras, stated in 1848 "Exoept on a small bank oft Minicoy there is no Anchorage amongst the Laccadives." -Low, Indian Navy, IT, 196.