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DECEMBER, 1905.]
SOME ANGLO-INDIAN WORTHIES.
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the end of 1672, Clavell was complaining bitterly to Port-St. George of the exactions of "Shasteh Xhan "18 and "Mellick Cossum."10
To turn from official to social life. Two letters from Walter Clavell to his friend Mr. Richard Edwards, "Merchant in Cassimbazar," dated from Balasor the 3rd and 17th June 1673, are very quaintly worded and are worth quoting: -
"Esteemed Friend I have received yours of the 3d May with two paire of Slippers doe exceed the measure of my foot a Little however rather then faile they will fit my foot most rarely, therefore pray goe on with the Investment and when you have shod mee so long till you find I am overbooted charge me with a bill and I shall pay it at sight, if as you say you have met with a shoemaker that keepes his word you are a happy man you were best make much of him you will hardly find his fellow in all this Countrey, if you can you have better skill at finding then the rest of your neighbours, wee bave no news my hearty respects tendered to you I rest Your Assured friend
Walter Olavell, Pray send me a bottle of Ink. W.0." The second letter is also on the subject of slippers : -
“Mr. Richard Edwards I have yours of the last of May with the two pairs of Slippers which as the former are a Little too big that being amended I cannot have too many of them, when you find I have run pretty well may credit out then bee sure to charge mee home, wee have no news from the Coast ner of Late from England else you should receive it from Your assured friend to serve you
Walter Clavell." Frem 1672 to 1676, Clavell was quarreiling with Joseph Hall, factor at Kasimbazar, who, if half liis accusations were true, must have suffered mnch at the hands of the Chief and the Second (Matthias Vincent) at the Bay. Hall was very bitter in his attacks, and wrote long letters of complaint both to Fort St. George and to certain of the Directors in London. He accused Clavell of appropriating the effects of Mr. Marsh, a Company's servant who died in Balasor ; be declared that the Governor of Hugli was disgusted at the non-residence of the English Chief in that place; he further stated that neither of the clergy would administer the Sacrament to Clavell and his friends, who had desired it rather for a cloak to their knavery then ior the Good of their Soules." Hall complained that Olavell ordered a "Pallace" to be built for himself at Balasor, and that, in 1675, he was in that town for seventeen days "Leaving his Wife to bee Governesse at Hugly." The discontented factor declared that it was due to his own energy that the "Phirwanna" was obtained from the nawāb of Cuttack, and that, without his intervention, the privileges would have been lost through Clavell's negligence. A more serious accusation brought by Hall against Clavell was that the English Chief "sided with the Dutch Directore” in 1672, and, by omitting to visit the Governor of Balasor cost the Company 4000 rupees. This charge was repeated by Herne, another malcontent. It is difficult to ascertain whether Hall was really the injured person he represented himself to be. He certainly appears to have received but scant courtesy at the hands of Messrs. Clavell and Vincent, nor did he fare better when the dispute was referred to the decision of the Supervisor, Streynsham Master.
The complaints of Clavell's enemies were not without effect for, in February 1676, in the * Memorandum" given to Major Puckle, who was about to make a tour to all the factories subordinate to Fort St. George, in order to red ress any grievances, we find: - "Mr. Clavell (now Chief at the Bay) for overrateing the Companys Goods 40 Pr Cent great private Tradeing &c and keeping the Generall Books himself contrary to the Companys Order." Clavell was at Fort St. George at the time, and apparently managed to make out a good case for himself, for we hear no more of the enquiry. In a further charge brought against him by Valentine Nurse, another uneasy spirit at that period, Major Puckle decided in Clavell's favour.
No doubt these various statements were somewhat exaggerated, and the position of "the Chief at the Bay" never seems to have been seriously imperilled by them. His sudden death too, may have saved him from falling into disgrace with the Directors at home. That they were not altogether pleased with Clavell in 1676 is evident from their letter to Fort St. George, wherein they remarked 16 Shāyista Khan, Nawab of Bengal
18 Malik Qami, Governor of Hagli.
