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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1926
colours and with English merchants on board), both of which belonged to the Company's native merchants, Girdar of Bombay and Verdaman of Calicut. "They used the Crannys for Pursers) very barbarously to make them confess they had more than what was in the ship. After[Wards) they set the Master of one of them ashore at Aden to sell the two prizes, but he not returning they burned them both" (Bomb. Gaz., XXVI, i, 117). It was very common at this time for country ships to carry not only Earopean commanders but also European petty officers and surgeons (see para. 455 below). One of the two ships just mentioned had an English surgeon, a Mr. Watson, who reported that on the 14th and 15th August 1696, Captain Hore took two ships, the Ruparel (John Sawbridge Master) and the Calicut Merchant (Thomas Halling Master) both bound for Bombay. Saw bridge proposed to Hore to take them to Aden for ransom (Ind. Off., 0. C. 6309; Home Misc. XXXVI, p. 275). He did so, but the Governor refused to allow any ransom to be paid, thinking rightly that to do so would expose him to suspicion of having some understanding with the pirates and so make traders hesitate to come near his port. In revenge the pirates burned first the Calicut Merchant and then the Ruparel, which sank with the English flag flying at their mast heads in full sight of the people of Aden (Letter from Bombay, 15th October 1696). Hamilton says (I. 43) that Sawbridge carried a cargo of horses and that the poor creatures were burned alive in the Ruparel. Sawbridge himself, overwhelmed by this second (see para. 423 above) disaster, could not restrain his feelings and the pirates, enraged at his incessant reproaches, sewed up his lips to enforce his silence. He was put ashore a few days after, but his sufferings and grief quickly put an end to his life. Captain Halling was more patient under affliction and, at his own suggestion, piloted the pirates to Cong, which they would have plundered but for the appearance of the Portuguese fleet (Gombroon to Bombay, 21st November 1696). According to the Deposition of a lascar of the Fateh Muhammad (the "Moor" ship belonging to Abdu'l Ghafar), dated 15th December 1696, a French pirate of 23 guns and 138 men assisted in the capture made by Hore and Chivers. (Ind. off, 0. C. 6325). This lascar mentions an earthen fort at a place called Cummeer (? Comoro Islands), the chief of which was & Captain Bodley. I have found no further mention of this French pirate-ship nor of Captain Bodley. Possibly the supposed French ship was the Charming Mary (see next para.)
438. A letter from Bombay to Surat of the 29th October 1696 reports that a pirate of about 100 tons, flying English colours, had under pretence of being a friend, induced an Arab ship to start for Mocha and had then attacked her off Rajapore and after killing 18 to 20 men and wounding several others taken her. She had set most of the crew ashore and carried off the ship, which was about 400 candies (or 100 tons) burden and 14 guns. The pirate was Aupposed to be Babbington or some other Mocha pirate. (Bombay Factory Records, vol. XII). Babbington we know (see para. 408 above) was in command of the Charming Mary,84 but all that is known definitely about him is that he was taken prisoner "at Cape Jasques in Persia, where he and several others landed to plunder for provisions, but the Persians fought them and killed three and took him. He is an Irishman and says his father was a Dutchman and his mother was an Englishwoman. Confesses that they are of all sorts [? nations] in the ship, but says that she comes from the King of England's dominions (meaning New England) so that the Persians say that the English are the only robbers. The English Factors sent to the Government to desire him to be brought to the Factory to be examined, and if he was an Englishman should be sent to Bombay to answer for his late roguery in burning the two ships in the Gulf of Mocho," but the Government preferred to deal with Babbington themselves. He was sent up country and so disappears Letter from Gombroon; 16th January 1696-7).
84 Evidently this is the Mary (130 tons, 22 guns, 90 men. Captain Philip Babington) which on the 30th July 1697, arrived at Tellicherry, and under threat of using force, was freely supplied with provisions. (Surat to Cours, 12 Jan. 1697-8).
