Indian Antiquary Vol 51

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

Page 10

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JANUARY, 1922
"9 (Saturday). We kept vigilantly on guard all night, as the uproar continued and thieves were prowling round the factory. However, all we could see in the moonlight were the miserable inhabitants fleeing before the flames. The Kowal's brother came out of the castle with 40 soldiers, and a trumpeter sent from the Captain to the Directeur, proposing that we should send out some of our men, as the English had done, to assist in driving away the marauders. Reply was made that we had no men to spare, that it was the Governor's busi. ness to clear the city, and that we were determined to remain on the defensive.
"About eleven o'clock came a rumour that the 'Bielpaars Raadja '13 and the Governor of Broach were marching to the relief of the city with a strong force. The conflagration was now very violent around us, and we gave up hope of our factory escaping destruction, concluding that our only course was to take refuge in one of our small vessels. We had collected our books and papers for this purpose, when God was pleased to send again a change of wind, which saved us.
"The English President being unable, owing to the smoke, to see from his house whether our flag was still flying, and fearing we were in extremities, sent his servant to the Directeur to offer assistance. We thanked him heartily, but said we hoped by God's help to save ourselves. All through the day and the night we watched vigilantly.
"10 (Sunday). In the morning it was reported that Swagie's forces, with their booty, had left the town and marched away. This was confirmed by a peon who was sent out to report, and also by some servants dispatched by the English President with his greetings to the Directeur, who returned a suitable reply.
“The goods from the Leerdam, which had been stored in a warehouse near the custom house and on which no duty had yet been paid were removed to our factory, with the intention of disputing the payment of any customs for them, seeing that the Governor had so shamefully failed to protect us. A letter from Signor Wagensvelt at Brotschia Broach), dated the 8th instant, apprised us that many fugitives had arrived there : that the Duke 'Suberdescham',14 with a large force, was marching to the relief of Surat: and that Mirfetta' [Mîr Fateh] was to follow. Had they started earlier, they might have prevented much of the destruction that has taken place.
"11 (Monday). It was now evident that Swagie had really departed, is for the inhabitants were coming out of their hiding places, only to find in most cases that their houses had been burnt to the ground. Half of this important city has been laid in ashes. Besides the English and Dutch factories, and the new sardi (in which some Armenian and Turkish merchants were lodging), there were not ten houses which offered any resistance and thus escaped spoliation.
"Had Hagia Sjasbeecq (Haji Zahid Beg) and Virgia Wora been willing to spend three or four thousand rupees on peons, they might have been able to save their dwellings and thus have avoided an immense loss. The house of the Company's broker, Kistendaes, with all its contents, was destroyed. The Ethiopian ambassador, who, according to report, was lodging in the old sardi and was about to start for Delhi. was taken prisoner and carried to Swagie, but was released on giving up the presents
he had brought for the Emperor, these being the only things of value he possessed." 18 In the Bombay Gazetteer (Vol. I, pt. I, p. 284), the Chief of Belpár is mentioned as one of those who marched to the relief of Surat. Belpar' appears to be Bhildpar, about 12 miles south of Baroda.
14 Sabed&r Khan Mahabat Khân, the Subadar of Gujarat, is evidently intended.
16 The Dagh-Register (loc. cit.) says that he left a rearguard of four to five hundred horse, who soon after departed as well.