famous islands and kingdoms in Asia, over which he gloriously triumphed.

These daring exploits of the early Portugueze navigators were certainly such as are usually expected from pirates; but, as the Indians were heathens, the Christians of those times concluded that they were properly authorized to use them as they pleased. After Albuquerque's death, the Portugueze persevered in their discoveries and conquests in India, performing such acts of conduct and bravery as intimidated the native princes, and hastened their submission to the warlike strangers.

HISTORICAL FRAGMENTS

OF THE

ENGLISH CONCERNS

IN

HINDOSTAN.

BY ROBERT ORME, ESQ. F. A. S.

MR. ORME has published a most accurate and interesting

history of the Mogul empire, of the Marattas, and

of the progress of the English in Hindostan. We cannot pretend, agreeably to our plan, to give even a sketch of this learned work; but we will endeavour to give an account of the origin of the English establishment in Hindostan, with a general idea of the government, and the genius of the people.

The Hindoos, or Gentoos, are such an ancient people that their origin is lost in the obscurity of time. Their customs, their laws, and their religion, continued it appears for ages, until the year 1000, when the Mahometans extended their conquests into India, and the influence of the Moguls was established by Timur, in 1398. After many rebellions, and much bloodshed, the Mogul empire, in 1605, submitted to the authority of Selim, who reigned 22 years.

It was in this reign, and in the year 1615, that sir Thomas Roe was sent as the first English ambassador to the emperor of Hindostan. Seven years previous to this, the Hector, 3 E

VOL. III.

an English ship, arrived at Surat, commanded by captain Hawkins. At this time the Portugueze marine predominated on the western seas of India, in so much that they made prize of all vessels which had not taken their pass; and the fear of their resentment on the ships which traded from Surat to the gulfs of Arabia and Persia, deterred the Mogul's officers from giving the encouragement they might wish, to the English strangers. They, however, permitted Hawkins to land his lead and iron, with some treasure; but obliged him to buy and sell with much delay and disadvantage. In September the northern armada of the Portugueze, consisting of 40 sail of grabs and gallivats, came into the road, threatening to burn the city and all its vessels, if the English ship, and all that belonged to her, were not sent away. Hawkins hastened her dispatch, but not equal to the impatience of the Portugueze, who seized his longboat, with goods to a considerable amount, and 27 men, whom they kept prisoners; but did not venture to attack the ship, which sailed a few days after, on the 5th of October, from Bantam.

Several other English vessels ventured into the Indian seas; but the Portugueze opposed them, both by force and intrigue. 'However, when the natives perceived that the Portugueze were unable to beat the English, they opposed the monopolizing demands of the former.

About the close of the year 1614, captain Downton arrived from England with four ships, and anchored at Swally, near Surat. The viceroy of Goa with 51 vessels, carrying 134 cannon, and manned by 8,600 men, Portugueze and natives, immediately sailed to attack him. The English had only 80 cannon of much inferior shot.

Captain Downton considered the success of this armament as the certain destruction of the English commerce in the Mogul's dominions; reasoning, that if his own ships should 'be driven from their stations, in the roads of Surat and Swally, the viceroy, by the devastation even of the city itself, would compel the nabob to refuse the English all future resort and intercourse; and, computing the loss of his ships as a detriment much inferior to such a consequence, he

resolved to perish with them, rather than recede; but did not despair that stratagem might avail to supply the defect of force.

The nabob, terrified by the appearance of the armament, sent his shabander, or custom-master, and several other principal men, to the viceroy, with a large present of provisions, and many promises, to obtain peace; which the viceroy refused, not doubting that he should destroy the English ships; after which he intended to exact much severer terms, or the full price of remission.

cove,

Early in the morning of the 20th of January, 1615, at low water, Downton sent the Hope, of 300 tons, to anchor at the south entrance of the channel, where the galleons would not have depth sufficient to come near her until the flood was high. The three other ships soon after came out to the but anchored again in the channel. These manœuvres produced the intended mistake, that the English ships had quitted Swally to put to sea and fly the coast. And the Hope had scarcely anchored, before the whole fleet of the Portugueze were under full sail, plying to stop the channel. The two smaller ships, with the pinnace, which were foremost, all at the same time grappled and boarded the Hope; in which, the attack being expected, was well resisted. Downton, with the three other ships, leaving their anchors, came down, and fired their shot on the enemy's ships entangled with the Hope; which thrice beat off the Portugueze who had entered, to find more danger of board their own; but the confusion of continual slaughter disabled them from cutting clear of the Hope, until in despair, they set fire to all the three, and took to the water; when a number of frigates, which had hitherto given no assistance, now risked themselves, and saved many, but many were drowned.

In the mean time the Hope had taken fire in her main and fore rigging, but nevertheless disengaged herself from the three ships in fiercer flames, which drove on the sands, and burnt until overwhelmed by the flood. All this while the galleons kept on the outside of the spit, across which they

cannonaded the English ships within the channel, which was answered; but with little detriment on either side.

After this affair, the Portugueze received a reinforcement, and repeatedly attacked the English; but the skill and bravery of captain Downton always predominated. He completed his cargoes, and sailed in safety.

Sir Thomas Roe's embassy, which followed, gave the English respectability in the eyes of the natives; and, notwithstanding the efforts of the Portugueze, the English concerns, in Hindostan, continued to gain ground.

In 1633, the Portugueze and Moguls quarrelled seriously, which ended in the complete expulsion of the former from Hoogley, on the Ganges. In 1712, a contest for the empire took place, which ended in the elevation of Feroksere, great grandson of Aurungzebe. It was in this reign that the English East India company obtained the famous Firman,' or grant, by which their goods of export and import were exempted from duties, or customs; and this was regarded as the company's Commercial Charter in India,' while they stood in need of protection from the princes of the country.

6

In 1738, Nadir Shah, the usurper of the Persian throne, entered Delhi, where he is said to have massacred 100,000 inhabitants, and to have collected 62,000,000l. of plunder. The Mogul empire now fell into pieces. The Deccan was established into an independent kingdom. Bengal shortly after followed the example. The Rohillas next claimed their independence: while the Marattas, in the emperor's name, plundered all their neighbours. Perhaps in the annals of the world, it has seldom happened that the bonds of government were so suddenly dissolved, over a portion of country containing at least 60,000,000 of inhabitants.

Upon the death of Nizam, in 1748, contests ensued for the throne of the Deccan, and occasioned the interference of the French and English, as auxiliaries, in the wars that happened in consequence of them, and that lasted till the year 1754. The result enabled the English to establish their security and