Indian Antiquary Vol 58

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 106

96
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(May, 1929
Khân, the new governor of Surat, desired Sir John Child and his Council to send one or two Englishmen to him in order that he might confer with them rogarding the best means to be pursued for effecting the business at Court. Accordingly Mr. Barker Hibbins and Mr. Stone were sent up to Surat in the Ruby frigate with a letter to I'timad Khân, who received them with all kindness. News of their arrival was immediately conveyed to the Mughal. They returned with a reply to Sir John's letter from the Governor, who also despatched a letter for the Great Mughal to be entrusted to Mr. Weldon at Kalyan.28
Weldon and Navarro resumed their journey again on the 10th of December, and hoped to reach the Mughai's Camp within ten days. During their journey they passed through " ruin'd and desolate " country. Information of their coming was conveyed to the Wazir Asad Khân through messengers. They had several disasters on their journey through the mountainous regions, and saw "two very strong Castles, that guard the passage (weh is very strong and narrow itself) called Sevaderu and Munrungun, the latter since its conquest the King hath new named Russool Gur, they were delivered up by composition, noe force being able to reduce them, there was two souldiers to guard the place woh requires at least a thousand; they told us what between the snakes in the Castle and the Tygars upon the Gaut noe body cared to live there."94 They continued their journey through the Deccan, and immediately on arriving at a town called Umra, received a message from the Wazir Asad Khân, informing them that the Emperor had ordered him to arrange for their accommodation near the Lashkar, 35 and that an audience would be granted them later on. After a few more days the party arrived at a little town called Chauckua containing " a large strong flort." There they learnt that the Emperor was marching to Peergoon on his way to Bijapore. This was not good news to them, and to make matters worse they learnt that most of the Umaras were with him. So the journey was continued thither. They reached the new camp on the afternoon of 19th December; but were so badly equipped that they had not even a tent in which to shelter themselves. They were, however, welcomed and entertained by one Sheik Ahmad, a friend of Mir Nazim. Having a large sum of money with them and being alarmed of the "robberies being very frequent in the army," they considered it unsafe to keep a large sum in their own hands, so their colleague Mîr Nâzim advised them to deposit it with a Shroff. They learnt that the Dutch Ambassador Bocherus was at Court and had done his business efficiently with the aid of large presents, and that he had a retinue of about 300 men. The envoys were well entertained by officials, but the courtesy was a mere pretence. After considerable difficulty on December 20th they were able to obtain an interview with the Wazîr Asad Khân 'and his assistant, Hakim Mahmûd Zaid, to each of whom presents were offered. The Wazîr received them “in a little place made up in his Tent Door, and discoursed us standing; he told us the King had been very angry with us, but now he had undertaken our businesse, wherefore we might sett our hearts at rest."26 They delivered to Asad Khân the letter of the Governor of Surat, together with Sir John Child's petition to the Emperor and then took their leave.
In this critical situation, when negotiatons at the Court were in progress, Sir John Child died suddenly of disappointment and grief at Bombay on February 27 4, 1689-90, leaving & large fortune.38 The Council at Bombay wisely withheld news of his death from the Mughal authorities until their business should be over. Child's death at that juncture was undoubt. edly a loss to the Company, and it is not easy to agree with Hamilton when he declares that the event "much facilitated their Affairs."29
23 See No. 5691 of O.C. 48, I.O.
34 See p. 3 of Sloane MS. 1910. 23 Camp.
26 P. 4 of Sloane MS. 1910, B.M. 27 Alexander Hamilton writes incorrectly that Child died in January. Soe vol. I, p. 225 of A New Account of the East Indier, Edinburgh. 1727. 28 At least £ 100,000.
25 A New Account of the East Indier, vol. I, p. 225,