Indian Antiquary Vol 59

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

Page 245

NOVEMBER, 1930)
SIDI ALI SHELEBI IN INDIA, 1664-1658 A.D.
221
However, they seem to have put up a gallant fight till nightfall, when, according to our author, the Portuguese sailed off in the direction of Hormuz. The Portuguese account of this battle is very different, claiming a more or less complete victory, as in fact it must have been, as only nine out of fifteen Turkish ships escaped. A storm coming on, the Turkish fleet, which was close inshore, dragged their anchors and had to set sail and put out to sea. Instead of making Ras al Hadd, as they should have if they were to reach Egypt, they drifted across the Gulf of Oman towards the coast of the Kirman province, near Jask. Sailing on in an undecided manner, perhaps driven by the wind, they next approached the coast of Kij-Makrån. Driven out to sea once more, they were buffeted about and next touched at Shahbar (close to Tiz), where they fell in with a Muhammadan pirate ship, the captain of which guided them to Gwadar. Here a pilot was provided by the local ruler, and the fleet, of nine vessels, is said to have headed for Yemen. They had been at sea for several days and were approaching the Arabian coast (according to Diez, near Ras al-Hadd ; according to Vambéry, towards Zufår and Shahar) when a violent storm accompanied by torrential rain broke from the west and, raging continuously for ten days, blew the fleet right across the Arabian Sea to the vicinity of the gulf (or bay) of Jaked, by which is meant tbe Gulf of Kacch. Here they could see a Hindu (" idol ") temple on the coast. Continuing, they skirted the coast of Kathiawad, passing Miânî,8 Mangrol, Somanátha, 10 and Diu. Sidi
Ali naively mentions that while in the neighbourhood of Diu they took care to have no sails hoisted out of fear of the "infidels" (i.6., the Portuguese). The precaution was almost superfluous, as the storm was still so violent that no one could move about on the decks, and the ships were driven headlong towards the coast of Gujarat. Sidi 'Ali tells us that his vessel was caught in a whirlpool, sucked downwards and so nearly swamped that he and his crew stripped off all their clothing and seized hold of casks and other things, in case they were precipitated into the sea. In this crisis Sidi 'Ali freed all his slaves and vowed 100 ducats to the poor of Makka. When the sky cleared a little in the afternoon, they found they were about two miles from Daman. The storm-tossed and damaged ships bad to lie off Daman for five days more, owing to the wind and the continuous rain, the monsoon 11 being in full force. It would appear from our author's narrative that all nine ships that escaped from the fight noar Maskat had kept the same course a remarkable fact, having regard to the weather conditions-and reached the coast near Damân. Three ran ashore and were evidently completely wrecked, as their guns and equipment were made over to Malik Asad," the Governor of Daman." His own ship had sprung a very bad leak. We are not told to what extent the others had been damaged, but all were evidently in a bad way, as it took another five days to struggle on to Surat, whither they were invited by Imadu'l-zn ulk, the Vazir of Sultan Ahmad, so that they might be safe from attack by the Portuguese, Daman being then an "open port."
The story told by Sidi Ali of the adventures of this Turkish fleet differs materially from the accounts given by the Portuguese historians, which have been briefly presented in the following extract from The Portuguese in India by Mr. F. C. Danvers -
"The Grand Turk, on hearing that Moradobec had fared no better than the unfortunate Pirbec, gave the command of fifteen galleys to Alechelubij, who had boasted a great deal
The Tcheked of Diez; the Djugd of Vambéry ; the Râs Jaked of the Munit; the Punta de Jaqueto of the Portuguese; the Jigat of Alexander Hamilton. This is a name that appears in a great variety of spellings on old maps for the westernmost point of Kathfawad, near DvAraka.
7 The country of Djamher” according to Diez; the coast of Djamher" according to Vambéry, who adds in a note : "Rectius Djamkhor, & subdivision of Ahmed-nagar, in the Residency of Bombay!" The temple seen was that of Dvâraka, a well known landmark,
8 The Fourmian of Dioz; Formyan of Vambéry ; Furmian of the Muit; the Miano of the Portuguese.
9 Manghalor of Diez; Menglir of Vambêry, who adds & characteristic footnote : "Perhaps meant for Manglaus, Menglaur, in the District of Sahranpur (sic)."
10 Soumenat of Diez ; Somenat of Vambéry.
11 Vambéry translates the sentenco : "for we were now in the Badzad or rainy season of India," und in a footnote suggests the Persian bddrad, 'hurricane,' 'whirlwind '; but the word is obviously meant for bursát, the usual term (of Sanskritic origin) for the rainy season in India.