Indian Antiquary Vol 48

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

Page 201

NOVEMBER, 1919]
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS
197
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS, 1519 TO 1851.
BY 8. CHARLES HILL.
(Continued from p. 187.)
IX.
FIGHT BETWEEN H.M.S. PHOENIX AND A SANGANIAN PIRATE.
In the year 1685 Captain John Tyrrel of H.M.S. Phoenix of 42 guns, was cruising between Bombay and the Persian Gulf to protect trade, and ran across a Sanganian vessel of 150 tons, 120 men and 8 guns off Versova on the west of Salsette Island. The general account is that she attacked the Phoenix mistaking her for a merchantman, but in the first version of the engagement (by an eyewitness) it is stated that the Phoenix summoned her to submit to examination which she refused to do. Probably the real truth is that she.accepted the fight under the illusion stated and, having accepted it, her crew fought it out with the courage which is characteristic of the Indian Rajputs, for the Sanganians were of Rajpût descent and their traditions forbade them to surrender. The Lieutenant [George] Byng whose gallantry secured victory to the English was the father of Admiral John Byng who was shot in 1757 for his conduct in the Mediterranean. The Admiral and the great-grandfather of Sir Julian (now Lord) Byng, who has so greatly distinguished himself in the recent war, were brothers.
It is a curious fact that shortly after this date, when European pirates appe. in these waters, the native pirates seem to have taken a rest. One would have thought that they would have resisted any poaching on their preserves, and it is certain that if the Indian merchantmen had fought with anything like the same courage as these Sanganians, the European pirates would have left them alone.
"We set sail [from Bombay] the 11th [September 1685] in the morning with the wind at north-west a small gale and the 13th at 8 in the morning we, being off Cosseer 30 espied a ship in the offing at an anchor, having her main topmast and main yards down. We takt and stood toward her, haveing the wind at north-north-west, a fresh gale. At past Í she got under saile. We did perseve that she was a country ship by her proe. 31 We fired a gun and shot, but the shot did not come near her, we keeping of our Luf to get up with her, fireing guns to make her bear down to us [in order that we might examine her]. At length she fired at us. Her shot grazed on our bowe near us. Then we kept fireing, and at 11 her boat broak lose from her starne, haveing 2 men in her, and at 12 we was neare unto ler. We past a broadside into her. They fired several times at us with their guns and small arms. Our Captain was loth to board her, we passing several broadsides into her and vollies of small shot, in so much that we did judge that we had done them great damedges. They killed but one of our men, which was a passenger as I was. 33 At past
30 it will be seen that the dates given in the two accounts of the engagement do not agree. By Cosseer must be meart Agashê, through Gasht, Kaaf, on the coast just above b. ssein.-ED.
31 The native craft were built with long-beaked prows.
33 No doubt because of the large number of her crew, which would make such an attempt very costly as well as dangerous.
33 See, however, the Captain's Log, infra, which gives 3 killed and one died of wounds-ED.