Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 61
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1932
Pardoes. Pardoa was a Portuguese term for & gold coin from the native mints of Western India. See Yule, Hobson-Jobson, for the derivation and history of the term.
The next document, a letter from the Madras owners of the Amity to William Aislabie, sent to Bombay by the Barrington, explains the purport of her voyage.
[33] To the Honble. William Aislabie Esqr.
Honble. Sir, When Messrs. Phipps and Scattergood went from hence for China in ship Amity we promised them to lodge directions with your Honour concerning our part in the said ship and stock; tis impossible for us to foresee what account the present voyage will render or whether there is a probability that a second undertaking will succeed, but if your Honour thinks there is sufficient encouragement when you have perused the accounts of the present voyage and seen what the cargo renders at Suratt, if you and the gentlemen now concerned on your side are willing to sett another voyage a foot, we will endeavour to do our parts here, but as silver is the cheif ingredient, the more you can send us the liklier we are to succeed.
There will be a necessity for valluing the ship on account of adjusting with such persons as will or cannot be concerned in a second voyage; this we leave to your Honour &ca. owners, if you think fitt, or else we will do it upon her arrivall here.
Wee cannot tell whether rosumalloes and the usuall druggs will turn to account for another voyage, but your Honour may venture to provide as much cotton as the ship oan conveniently carry, which never fails to yeild a profittable account. The supra cargoes, when they arrive, will be best judges if there is any thing else in your parts that will turn to better account then silver.
Wee desire our severall proportions of the dividend of this present voyage may be sent upon the ship in dollars, if att the usuall price or thereabouts, or otherwise in Suratt rupees. If the ship wants any thing to be done to her, it will be proper to do it before she comes here. We desire you will please to communicate this to the supra cargoes upon their arrivall, and are, Honble. Sir, Your most obliged servants,
E. HARRISON Fort St. George, 8th October 1713.
THOS. FREDERICKE
WM. JENNINGS Veria copia, attested by us
BERNARD BENYON DOUGLAS BURNISTON
WILLIAM WARRE W. STERLING
GEORGE LEWIS
The Amity, Captain Charles Berriman commander, sailed for China on 20 May 1713 (Fort St. George Diary), but Scattergood's promised letter to his wife from Malacca is not extant and we have no further news of him until after his arrival at Canton in August 1713. It was only after he had sailed from China, at the end of the year, that he sent an account of the voyage, together with details of the business transacted, to Governor Harrison.
