Indian Antiquary Vol 43

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 87

MAY, 1914.)
FIRST COMMERCIAL MISSION TO PATNA
. 83
Agra, the tyme spendinge so fast, and the waye betwene Puttanna and Agra somwhat teadious, it was thought requisite to dispeede Robert Hughes before and th' assistant to followe him upon advice of the necesitye. And havinge acorded upon a computent some of monnyes for some presant trialls, with bills of exchange importinge 4000 ruppes, hee departed Agra the 5th June, and after 29 dayes travell arived here in Puttanna the 3d July, where havinge procured acceptance of his exchanges, and made some inquisition into the hoped good here to bee efected, and upon good information beinge acirtayned that this place to good purpose might bee established a factory, hee fourth with advized Surrat and Agra therof, and intreted the sendinge his assistant and by him some English goods which in Agra laye unvendable, with more suplye of monyes, to proceede in provision of what goods might posiblye bee compased tymelye to be sent hence this yeare for Surrat and England ; of which advize and information the Agra factors approved, and in place of John Bangam, which was proceeded with Robert Younge for Lahore, theye sent hether John Parker, and by him the goods advized for, whoe came hether about the midst of September; before and since whose arivall what we have efected in our provisions, ette., we will preceed to give Your Worships notice. [Here follows a list of the goods provided at Patna for which see previous letters]. All which goods weare dispeeded hence for Agra the 4th October, exceedinge well packed and fenced with wrappers, cotton woll, waxcloth, und what elce requisite for theire preservation both by land and sea....
The severall stufes now sent you... if theye give Content and prove vendable in England, greate quantityes therof maye yearlye here bee provided, as likewise the quilts wrought with yellowe silke, fethers, and Lignom Alloes, which are all but for tryall; and therefore the two mayne propes which must uphould this a factory is Ambérty Callicoes and rawe silke, neither wherof are to be provided in anye quantityes without a continuall residence, for that theye requier great tyme, carre, and dilligence, th' one in the procuringe them whitted, and th other in it's wyndinge of, and maye not be efected to anye purpose under a yeares tyme, wherof wee have bine large to Surratt, and expect theire resolutions how to proceede....
The Portingalls of late yeares have had a trade here in Puttana, oominge up with theire friggitts from the bottom of Bengalla, where theye have two porttes, th' one called Gollye [Hûgli], and th' other Pieppullye [Pipli], and therin are licenced by this kinge to inhabitt. Gollye is theire cheefest porte, where theye are in greate multitudes, and have yearlye shippinge both from Mallacka and Cochine. The commodities theye usiallye bringe up hether is for the most part tyne, spices, and China wares, in lewe wherof theye transporte ambertye callicoes, carpets, and all sortes of thine cloth, which theye die into redds purposelye for saile to the sothwards. This cittye stands upon the river Ganges, whose swifte currant transportes theire friggitts with such dexteritye that in five or six dayes theye usiallye go hence to theire portes, but in repairinge up agayne spend thrice the tyme.9 . .
(To be continued.)
39 Factory Records, Patna, I. 16-18. Certain paragraphs of this letter have been omitted as they contain information previously given.