A new account of East-India and Persia, in eight letters being nine years travels begun 1672 and finished 1681 : containing observations made of the moral, natural and artifical estate of those countries ... / by John Fryer ... ; illustrated with maps, figures and useful tables.

CHAP. I.

Concerning our Shipping for Carwar; of the Factory there; the Unsetled Condition of the Place; and our coming to Goa.

SIR,

THE Pleasure you express on the Receipt of Mine, makes me continue your Invited Trouble, as truly not enjoy∣ing any thing till I know your Sentiments; and there∣fore is it, next the quieting your Concern for my Life in so unhealthy a Place, I let you know Bombaim is my Station no longer than the President resides there: From whence you may perceive I have had Opportunities to expatiate.

And now the Rains are over, and Friendship concluded as well between particular Factions, as the Dutch; the President esteemed no Enemies so formidable as still to exact his Presence on this Island; wherefore constituting Mr. Philip Gyffard in his Place, he took Ship∣ping in the Fleece, for Surat, accompanied by the Rainbow, New Lon∣don, and East-India Merchant, English Ships, the Bombaim Merchant, and other Country Ships.

After some time, Curiosity more than Business tempted me to go with the Chief of Carwar, that I might see Goa. In our Pas∣sage at Serapatan, to the South of Dan de Rajapore, a Strong Ca∣stle of Seva Gi's defended a deep Bay, where rode his Navy, consisting of 30 Small Ships and Vessels, the Admiral wearing a White Flag aloft.

Arriving at Carwar, and the Chief going ashore, he was met on the River by the Governor with two Barges; and landing, was wel∣comed by the Ordnance of the English House.

Carwar, what remains of it, is under the New Conquest of Seva Gi, being lately, with Anchola, Pundit, Cuderah and Semissar, brought under (though all of them very Strong Places): At which time the English were moulding a Fortification, or House of Defence, for their own safety, when by the Assistance of a Small Pink they defended themselves from all Hostile Mischances; and though their Town was wholly laid in Ashes, yet they built this their stately Mansion Four-square, guarded by Two Bulwarks at the Commanding Corners of the House: In the mean while Seva Gi made himself Master of Carwar Castle, together with the rest, the Inhabitants flying to the Woods and Hills for shelter: Thus it continues not without daily disturbance from these Sylvans and Mountaineers, the commiserated Subjects of Visiapour, who often make an Head and fall upon them; by which means the Government is unsetled, and the Governors shift from Place to Place.

Our House stands on a delicate Mead (on the Ground of **** Cutteen Esq a Cornish Gentleman, who had it by grant from the King of Visiapour, being impowered by a Claim of his Countrymen to the Right of Trading to the East Indies, but long since left off) Seated on an Arm of the River, surveying a pleasant Island stored with Game: The Castle is nearer the Hills, and higher up the Streams; about a League off the Sea the Hills guard the Plain till they make a Bank against the Ocean.

Seva in his Government imitates the Moors in this, appointing a distinct Governor here for Town and Castle, and over all these a Commander with a Flying Army, who is Superintendent: Into Places of Trust and Authority he puts only Brachmins, or their Sub∣stitutes, viz. Pundits, (a mean cast) for Physicians; Sfosdars or Cen∣turions▪ Subidars, Havaldars, Civil Governors, Generals or Fight∣ing Bishops; of whom truly may be said, Privata cuique stimulatio vile decus publicum. They are neither for Publick Good or Common Honesty, but their own private Interest only: They refuse no Base Offices for their own Commodity, inviting Merchants to come and trade among them, and then rob them, or else turmoil them on ac∣count of Customs; always in a Corner getting more for them∣selves than their Master, yet openly must seem mighty zealous for their Master's Dues: So that Trade is unlikely to settle where he hath any thing to do; notwithstanding his Country lies all along on the Sea-shore, and no Goods can be transported without his Permission; unless they go a great way about, as we are forced to do.

It is a General Calamity, and much to be deplored, to hear the Complaints of the poor People that remain, or are rather compelled to endure the Slavery of Seva Gi: The Desies have Land imposed up∣on them at double the former Rates, and if they refuse to accept it on these hard Conditions (if Monied Men) they are carried to Pri∣son, there they are famished almost to death; racked and tortured most inhumanly till they confess where it is: They have now in Limbo several Brachmins, whose Flesh they tear with Pincers heated

Red-hot, drub them on the Shoulders to extreme Anguish, (though according to their Law it is forbidden to strike a Brachmin.) This is the accustomed Sawce all India over, the Princes doing the same by the Governors, when removed from their Offices, to squeeze their ill-got Estates out of them; which when they have done, it may be they may be employ'd again: And after this fashion the De∣sies deal with the Combies; so that the Great Fish prey on the Little, as well by Land as by Sea, bringing not only them, but their Fa∣milies into Eternal Bondage.

However, under the King of Visiapour the Taxations were much milder, and they lived with far greater comfort; but since the Death of the late King, his Son being in Minority, and the King∣dom left to a Protector, the Nobles, who held their Provinces as Feu∣datories or rather Vassals of him, begin to withdraw their Duty; Bullul Caun, General under the Protector Cowis Caun, an Hobsy, or Arabian Coffery (they being preferred here to Chief Employ∣ments, which they enter on by the Name of Siddies) having but the other day set upon the Protector and assassinated him; who was so terrible to Seva Gi's Men, that to render him the more dreadful, they speak of his Hobsies after this manner, That with their Swords they are able to cut down Man and Horse: That greater Commoti∣ons than yet have happened, are to be expected in this Kingdom; not only Seva Gi, but the Mogul at this time bidding for the Kingdom.

Bullul Caun is a good Soldier, and a Patan; yet as much envied by the Duccan Princes, as Cowis Caun was by him; whereupon it be∣hoves him to be watchful of their Motions, to which Vigilancy adding Expedition, he yet keeps them from joining Forces: Where leaving him on his Guard, I will present you with a small Taste of the Condition of the People about us, which fell out the Day before I set out for Goa, being desirous to be present at the Natal.

Early in the Morning came Delvi's Men, 500 in Company; whereupon Seva Gi's Men being but 100 Foot, and 25 Horse, retired into the Castle; miserable Souls for Soldiers on both sides; they look'd like our old Britains, half naked, and as fierce, where all lies open before them: They had a loud Noise of Musick, and a tumultuous Throng of People, and thus they marched on without any Order, till they encamped near our House: Their Leader was a Man of a good Presence, but a Rogue, an Hindu by Birth, a Soldier by Education; making this his Maxim, Ibi Fas ubi maxima Merces: There is the greatest Right where is the best Pay.

At Noon, by the Hurly-burly of all Ranks of Men, Women, and Children, with what little Substance they had, flying under our Guns for Succour, we were given to understand Seva Gi's Men were in Motion (whom they dread more than the other); but on ap∣pearance of the Desy's Grob they retreated again: This Desy is one that was Rendero of all this Country, under the King of Visiapour, and had 1000 Men under him (of whom Delvi was Chief); but being entrapped by his Subtilties, whom he least suspected (being raised by him), he was forced to subscribe to the Power of Seva; of whom Delvi not having his Ends, he turns about, and does pro∣mise to set his former Master in Possession once more. At Night we

had Letters (for you must know both Parties Salam to us, being in so strong an House, else we should be liable to their Fury), That Seva Gi's Party of Horse, whilst Delvi had passed the River, seized his Baggage, which was left guarded by 60 Men, whereof he ha∣ving Notice, soon overtakes them, and causes them to surrender their Booty, driving them to the Castle, with the loss of two of their Horses, and one Cavaleiro slain: Under these Circumstances these Folks are left to struggle, without hope of Relief from Visia∣pour, they being all to pieces there.

The next Morning, in the Company's Baloon of 16 Oars, with seven Peons, two English Soldiers, two Factors, and my self, having a Competency of Arms and Ammunition, with a small Piece a-head, we set Sail for Goa. We had not gone far down the River, before we met two Boats full of Men for a Supply to Seva Gi. Near Sun-set we reached an Oyster-Rock, on which we landed, and fed plentifully, being in their prime this cold Season; our Bargemen would frequent∣ly dive 9 or 10 Minutes, and rise with great Lumps of Oysters clod∣ded together, as big as a Man could well carry. The next Morn we put into the River Sal, half way to Goa: At Three in the After∣noon we entred the Mouth of Goa River, where in convenient Pla∣ces stand four Forts and a Block-house, not only impassable by Wa∣ter, but impregnable by Land; as the Dutch proved them twelve Years together, having a Fleet riding constantly before them, and for that time, while the Monsoons permitted, making continual As∣saults, but with little Success: On the left, stored with Brass Pieces, stands the Agoada, or the King's Aquaduct, running from the Top of the highest Hill to the Water-side, where for a consierable Space is a Platform of their chiefest Ordnance; facing this is the Fort and Monastery of Nos Signior de Cabo, a pleasant as well as strong Cita∣del: Beyond this, in a wide but dangerous Bay (so that what Boats come in must pass the Channel under the Muzzles of the Guns) stands Marmagoun, defending that Island and Bay: By the Bar is Roys Magi on the Left, and Gasper de Dios on the Right: Before Sun-set we came to Captain Gary's House at Pangeim, over the Bar a Mile; a Seat by reason of the Healthiness of the Air chosen by the Fidalgoes, who have beautified it with their Summer-houses; the Viceroy ha∣ving a Palace here, where he retires in the Heats and time of Ship∣ping: Betu on the other side enjoys the same good Fortune.

The Eve to the Eve of the Natal, or Christmas, we came up the River, adorned all along with stately Churches and Palaces; the Wa∣ter circling with its Stream several Islets, and half-way up to the City passes under a Bridge of 36 Arches of Stone; and from thence runs a Causeway of Stone two Miles in length, admitting the Flood only by two Sluces, into Wears or Dams made for Fish and Salt, and ends with three Arches more: A little beyond which is depainted on a Church, a Story of a Ship brought from Cape Bon Esperanzo, hither in one Night, and fixed where the Church is now built, and by that means helping them with Timber for the Roof, and two Crosses set up as far off as the Ship was in length; whether true or false, I ask no questions, for fear of the Inquisition, which here is a terrible Tribunal. At Noon we came in view of Goa, not without

the sight of a many Baloons passing to and again very swiftly, it being the greatest Pastime they have to Row against one another; more bewitched with such outward Gallantry, than prompted on to more Benficial Charges; their Europe Ships lying here neglected till they rot for want of Cargo, Three great Carracks being ready to drop in Pieces; notwithstanding they have small Trading Ships in the River, and against the City, beside a Carrack under the Agoada, which they send home this Year.

Notes

• Chap. I.
• The President goes to Surat,
• I to Carwar. Seva Gi's Na∣val Power.
• Letter IV.
• His Arms have Con∣quer'd all round Carwar.
• The Ground our House stands on granted by the King.
• Seva governs by Brachmins.
• The hard Usage of Seva Gi's Sub∣jects.
• Distractions of the King∣dom of Visia∣pour.
• Miserable Condition of the Inhabi∣tants, betwixt the Desy and Seva Gi.
• Take Barge for Goa; where we found the Passes well guarded.
• The Gallantry of the Portu∣gals, and ne∣glect of their Carracks.
• Chap. II.