Indian Antiquary Vol 49

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

Page 21

FEBBUABY, 1920)
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS
17
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS, 1519 TO 1851.
BY 8. CHARLES HILL. (Continued from p. 10.)
XVII. FIGHT BETWEEN THE THANKFUL AND MARATHA PIRATES, 1697.
The fight between Captain Perrin and the “Seevajees " illustrates the purely business character of Indian Piracy. The Indian pirates were not broken men and outcasts like European pirates, though many such men found refuge in the towns along the coast, but were simply a sea-faring population, sometimes engaged in agriculture but making a living chiefly by trading, fishing and piracy on foreigners. When the Marathas made themselves masters of the west coast of the Indian Peninsula they made use of these men, nominally to protect trade, but really to attack that of other nations, in much the same way as Queen Elizabeth employed her seamen. Under the Maratha régime the English called these people " Seevajees" after the great Maratha leader Sivaji. In many documents the name is converted into the English word "Savages".
Declaration from Charles Perrin, Master of the ship Thankful, 24 December 1697.
"December the 6th. In sight of Batticola (Bhatkal] saw 12 sayle of Sevajees (Maratha) Grabs and boates, whom at 7 in the morning was close by us. One boat hailed us, we told them we were of Bombay. He went to the rest who presently fired a shott at us. We spread our colours, handed our small sailes and maingayle, they still fireing both great and small guns. We fired at them. The fight lasted till one in the afternoon, at which time they retreated about half an hour, and then it was calme. They sounded their trumpets and camo on againe, at which time I called to them againe, bid them send one boat on board, look on the ship and then if they thought they] could take her to fight againe. They came and demanded 2000 rupees, without which they would take the ship. I told them I knew of no wars between the English and the Sevajees, but if(there] was we were ready to fight againe, and would not fire againe at them before they came on board, They went with this answer to their Admiral and came againe and askt one hundred rupees and some rice. I told them I would give nothing. They had seen the ship; if they thought (they could take her, come away for we was ready. They rowed a little towards us and then went away to the Southward, which is all the remarkable hath been seen by
Your Honours humble Servt.
CHARLES PERRIN." Suratt, December 24th, 1697.
(India Office Records, 0. C. 6473.]
XVIII. A "MOOR” (MUHAMMADAN) SHIP MISTAKEN FOR A PIRATE, 1700.
The colours ordinarily used by the "Moors," i.e. Indian Muhammadans, were & plain red flag. Since all Europeans used the red or bloody flag as both a sigilah for attack
"We spread our colours and fired a gun to leeward, upon which they spread a Moores ensign all rod ko."-Log of the Charles the Second (Capt. John Dorrill), 3let Oot. 1697.