Indian Antiquary Vol 44

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

Page 32

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(FEBRUARY, 1915.
Again, on the 9th February 1679 Matthias Vincent wrote privately to Richard Edwards,81 * The sale of John Smith's ship [the Maldiva Merchant] will certainly ly at your door, it not being to be made firm without your concurrence and your Secureing Mr. Bugden's part without order or any thing of Consent from him demonstrates that you engaged you[r] selfe too much on Mr. Smiths Side... I fear you will be a great sufferer in your credit by John Smiths flight, it being in my opinion impossible but ere he went you knew of it or might though (sic) suspect it, in which case you ought to have discovered it."
The authorities at Fort St. George were also indignant at Smith's evasion, and directed the factors in Bengal to use the Companys orders" concerning him if he came within their power,"82
For some months no news was heard of the runaway. It was supposed that he had gone to Sumatra, but in June 1679 Edmund Bugden reported that his brother, John, and Clement Jordan, both free merchants trading at Achin, stated that Smith had not arrived there," so hope he made a good voyadge at Mallacca and so to Syam," where suppose he is gone."
A far different fate had, however, befallen the late chief of Dacca. The first news of his untimely end, at the hands of the captain of the Good Hope, reached Fort St. George in a letter from Clement Jordan dated at Queda the 29th August 1679, entitled "of Clement Jordan and John Bugden's seizure upon Mr. Smiths vessell, he being murthered." Jordan wrote as follows:83
"Honble. Streynsham Master etca. Councell: Wee having this opertunity Per the ship Adventure doe make bold to salute you with these few lines, for to acquaint your Honours etca, of our takeing Mr. John Smith's vessell in the road of Atchin, being we had intelligence from 6 Dutch, who were cast away upon the back of Sumatra, told us there was an English Ketch at Padam (Padang) and a Hamburgo the Pilott; and they had tooke in water and refreshing and were gone some few daies, when there came Mr. Coates and Grigory back to Padam in a small Pro prow], and complained there to the Dutch how they were served by the Hanburgo, namely George Johnson; and not long after there was news that the said George Johnson had murthered Mr. Smith and that he was run away with the vessell, which above 16 daies after came into the road of Atchin, and there vapoured with his Flagg at the topmast head, and in the night about eleven of the clock came up the river without the Queens chop (chhap, seal), which never used by any English soe to doe, and stole off a boat of water, which the country people tooke very ill, and askt us the reason of it. Our answear was, we would better sattisfie them to morrow, which accordingly made good our promise, being we tooke the said Ketch, and brought George Johnson ashoar and was made apear before the great men that he was a rogue and had murdered his Merchant, soe that they were well sattisfied and thanked us for what we had done. The next day brought him aboard and put him in Irons, and in them is like to continue till please God we come to Madrass, which as soon as the vessell is repair'd intend by God's Permission to proceed towards you the latter end of October, which is the subject of what offers, only our very humble service to your Honour etca, presented: take leave and remaine, Honourable Sir etca., Your most humble servants to Command. CLEMENT JORDAN JOHN BUGDEN.” 81 0. C. No. 4576.
20. C. No. 4581. * Factory Records, Fort St. George, Vol. 28, pp. 40-41,