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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1922
Directeur dispatched the junior merchant Vollert to the customhouse, with orders to reship in the Haarlem the goods not yet brought to the factory and to bring up two small guns from that vessel. He also considered it advisable
to ask permission from the Governor to send his wife and children on board for * Bafety; but on going to the house of that functionary, accompanied by the Benior merchant Abraham Hartman, he found him absent, engaged in placing scouts round the city, breaking down bridges (though the water channels were mostly dry), and placing cannon in various places ; Bo the message was entrusted to the broker Kissendas [Kisun Dâs]. Meanwhile the Directeur visited the house of the [English] President, where he found everyone busily engaged in putting the place in a condition for defence.
"On his return Kissendas communicated to him the Governor's answer, which was similar to that given to the English President, except that the Governor had said in a desponding manner that we and the English ought to assist him in this extremity. Since it was his duty to protect both his own people and strangers, his reasons for refusing so moderate a request seemed trivial. As the danger appeared to be increasing, we engaged from 50 to 60 Moor soldiers to assist in the defence of the Company's property. We were lucky to be able to secure these, though at more than the usual rates. With the ordinary house servants they made up a body of about 80 men, well armed with bows and arrows, swords, and pikes. For greater security an express was sent to Conraedt Roermondt, directing him to furnish from the Leerdam 15 seamen, with cutlasses and muskets. Eight free Europeans offered their services; and, with these we mustered about 40 Europeans.
"As the day wore on, the enemy drew nearer and the number of fugitives increased. The Directeur decided, in spite of the Governor's prohibition, to send all the women on board the Macassar, which, with the little Amsterdam, had embarked the goods, and had gone, together with the Haarlem, to lie off the castle landing stairs. This was effected before dark, and the Captain, Pieter Willemsz, was ordered to lie in the middle of the river and watch for signals from the factory, to direct his departure for Swally. The Directeur now divided his force into three watches, and dispatched letters to Amada bath acquainting the Dutch there with what had occurred.
“6 (Wednesday). In the early morning the mate of the Leerdam arrived to report that his boat with 15 sailors was in the river. News came that Siewagie and his army were approaching Oudena (Udhna), about 41 Dutch miles from Surat. We understood that the Governor, Enajetchan, had sent one of his chief servants thither to demand of the stranger, since he gave out that he was a servant of the Emperor and had been summoned by Mobetchan [Mahabat Khan) to put down a rising in Pattan, 10 but had been delayed on the way, that he should not approach any nearer to Surat, as suspicion of his intentions had already dispeopled the city. This message so irritated the rebel that he sent no reply, but kept the
bringer of it a prisoner. Two servants of the Dutch, sent to glean intelligence, 10 In the Dagh-Register (ut supra) the rising is stated to have been headed by Prince Supper Socour,' .., Sipihr Shikoh, son of Dars Shikoh. Professor Jadunath Sarkar, in his History of Aurangtib (Vol. III, P. 28), say that a false Dara Shukoh appeared in Gujrat in August, 1663': but the Dutch story is the more probable, soping that Dara was known to be dead, whilst his son was still alive, although prisoner.
