Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 59
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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DECEMBER, 1930 ] THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
seems natural that Scattergood, the second supercargo, should have also sailed in her. But among the Papers there are two documents, dated in Madras 4 July and 4 September, which imply that he was still at Fort St. George. The first is the copy of a letter in his own hand to John Russell (President of Bengal 1711-1713) and Charles Boone, with regard to money received of Mr. Foulkes with whom Scattergood had been associated in Persia (see p. 38 and note on p. 67). As Scattergood remarks that he has referred the matter to John Legg "Notray Publick," he must have been at Madras at the time he wrote the letter. The second document is a respondentia bond for 103 pagodas invested by Scattergood in the Good Fortune, signed by Abraham Bennett, master of the vessel. The Good Fortune was then bound on a trading voyage to Pegu and it is possible that the investment may have been conducted for Scattergood by his agents. But no record of any ship sailing from Madras for China in 1711 later than the Elizabeth (alias the Bussorah Merchant) in May of that year has been found, and as the Papers show Soattergood to have been in Canton in November, it seems pretty certain that he did accompany Jones. An explanation of the difficulty of reconciling tho dates may perhaps be that we should read 4 Jany, instead of 4 July. The following accounts give some idea of Scattergood's activities in Canton.
[8. JOHN SCATTERGOOD'S RECEIPT FOR GOLD, 30 NOVEMBER 1711.) Received of Edward Jones eight barrs of gold said to poiz tales seventy seven six mace six oandrines marked as per mergent and five peioes of black gelongs which I promies to deliver to Mr. Robert Jones in Madrass, the danger of the Seas &ca. excepted haveing signed to two receipts of this tennor and date, one being accomplished the other void. Witness my band in Canton November the 30th 1711.
J. SCATTERGOOD. [Endorsed] My receipt of 8 bars of Pardri: Jones gold.
[NOTES ON DOCUMENT No. 8.] Poix. Weighing, an abbreviation of avoirdupois, used in the seventeenth century for weight generally.
Tales, mace, candrines. The tale (tael, tâhil, táil), used for currency and weight in China, about 1oz. avoirdupois. In 1637 Mundy found " 16 Tayes" to contain "204 ounces nearest hand” (Travels of Peter Mundy, ed. Temple, III, 310). Mace (más, másha) a tenth of a tale. Candarine (Malay konduri, Dutch condorin), & tenth of a mace. See Mundy, op. cit., p. 309 f.n.; ante, vol. XXVI, 314, eto., XXVII, 33, etc.
Black gelongs. The 0. E. D. gives this term as obsolete, rare, and has only one example of its use, from the Merchant's Warehouse of 1696, where it is described as an Indian silk having "a few flowers up and down in it." Lockyer, however, Trade in India, 1771, p. 122, includes gelongs among goods procurable at Tonquin and Canton and says the material was a kind of silk crape, used by European Offioers for neckoloths and by the natives of India for turbans.
Robert Jones. One of the Company's chaplains at Fort St. George. He did not receive the goods consigned to him, as he died of dysentery on 12 November 1711 (Diary and Consul. tations at Fort St. George, 1711). 19. EDWARD JONES'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGARDING SCATTERGOOD'S COMMISSION
ON THE CHINA STOCK 6 DECEMBER 1711.] This acknowledges that Mr. John Soattergood has received no commission one the sixty thousand Pagodas worth of silver laden by Messrs. Thomas Frederick and Charles Boone on the Bussora Merchant, Capt. John Cookroft, bound to Canton, and was consigned to the said John Soattergood and Edward Jones. I do hereby promies to use the same maines to
