[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 187 # Storia do Mogor 187: Once more I take Flight and go to Gulkandah. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 187 - **Language:** English ### Once more I take Flight and go to Gulkandah. ### [187.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187.1) As I was already dissatisfied with all this marching, I continued to reflect on modes of retiring to Europe, there to enjoy the much or little that I had fairly earned by my labours. I therefore asked Shah 'Alam for leave to visit Surat on some business I had there. But as he knew by experience that my determination was to proceed still farther, he ordered his slaves to watch carefully that I did not take to flight. He refused to give any other answer. ### [187.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187.2) Seeing him to be thus positive, I adopted another plan, which was to write to Muhammad Ibrahim begging him to assist me in my escape. He wrote that he would most willingly do so. To this end he sent daily four thousand horse to patrol, as if they meant to make an attempt upon us ; and this caused some anxiety to Shah 'Alam. This went on for several days, until the day fixed for my escape arrived. I sent my books out of the camp by the hands of my spies, who moved about in safety. Then contenting myself with carrying off my hoard of gold coins and my case of instruments, I left my tent mounted on a horse followed by a palanquin, as if I were going out to take the air. I halted at the tent of one of my friends, an Englishman named Thomas Gudlet, and there I drank a cup or two, so as to mystify Shah 'Alam's spies. Then on the pretext that at night I had to give a dinner to some friends, I sent the spies to procure various dishes of food, some to one place, some to another. I also ordered my palanquin to be taken away, as I intended to ride home that evening. ### [187.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187.3) When I found myself free of these spies, I sent out two faithful servants to wait for me in a village across the river, near which were posted the four thousand horsemen of Muhammad Ibrahim. On arriving they were to display a small white flag as a signal that the horsemen were there, and that I might come safely. As soon as I got this warning, I rode out on my horse as if taking the air, but, in truth, I was on my way to escape. When I reached the river I moved most leisurely, as if I only meant to give my horse a drink. When the sentries saw I was crossing the river they began to shout and warn the horsemen that I was clearing out. But they were too late to catch me, for giving my steed the rein, I moved off in fine style. The horsemen of Shah 'Alam pursued me, describing a half-circle in the hope of surrounding me. But Muhammad Ibrahim's troopers at once rode up, lance in rest, and put Shah 'Alam's horsemen to flight. Thus delivered, I reached the village, and from the village the army, where I gave thanks to Muhammad Ibrahim for the favour he had done me. ### [187.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187.4) Nor must I omit to mention how some Christians in the service of the Gulkandah king, aware that I was seeking to escape from Shah 'Alam, came out to meet me and escort me, so as to take my side in case any of the Gulkandah troops attempted to interfere with me. Hardly had I reached the presence of Muhammad Ibrahim, when one of Shah 'Alam's spies also turned up. He delivered letters to the general, and informed him in private that I was much valued by Shah 'Alam, who would take it very ill should he assist a person that the prince had sent after several times, and had put sentries over to prevent his escape. The spy left, and also the other persons present, and I was alone with Muhammad Ibrahim. He already regretted having helped me in my flight, and as he had been planning to desert to the prince's side, he feared being badly treated by His Highness. This was why, after having congratulated me on my escape, he prayed me to remain with him a few days; he said he felt unwell, and wanted to purge himself. I quite understood the design of Muhammad Ibrahim; he meant to make me over once more to Shah 'Alam. Placing my hand on my dagger, I said to him that if he did not give me leave to go on to Gulkandah, I should without fail rip open my bowels in his presence, and would rather die than go back to the service of the prince, Shah 'Alam. ### [187.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187.5) He became alarmed at finding me thus resolute, and, retiring inside, told me to wait a little. He wrote me a passport for Gulkandah, and coming out again handed it to me, telling me privately to make all the haste I could. As this was all I was waiting for, I jumped on my horse at once, and travelled for three days, until I arrived at Gulkandah. There I repaired to the house of a friend, Monsieur Francisco Guety, and he conducted me to the mansion of Xarif Elmulq (Sharif-ul-mulk), brother-in-law of the Gulkandah king. He held several conversations with me; and the king's sister suffering from palpitation of the heart, I was able to alleviate her complaint a great deal. In this way I began to be talked about in Gulkandah \[231\]. ### [187.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187.6) Thus the king heard of my arrival. As his European physician, a Frenchman named Monsieur Destremon, was dead, the king sent for me to his presence. There, after some conversation, he directed me to go and bleed a woman in his harem, much cherished by him because she knew where the treasures of the King of Gulkandah, Cotobxa (Qutb Shah), were concealed. She was a Georgian, and so extremely stout, and the fat covered the veins so much, that blood could not be drawn from her except from the capillary veins. Her arms were covered with lancet marks. I felt for the vein, and after fixing the bandage, I took a measure twice the size I used for others; and I reached the vein with such dexterity that the blood gushed out with great force. Everyone was in admiration at seeing a thing that had never happened with this woman before. The king himself, who was standing behind looking on, became desirous of being bled also. But though they made me wait for that day, in the end he would not have it done. It may be that someone had frightened him that I might be an emissary from Shah 'Alam and Aurangzeb, sent to bleed him in such a way that he would never want to be bled again. In place of having himself bled, he made over to me for treatment one of his nephews who had an ulcerated leg, and for this purpose he presented to me seven hundred rupees for my expenses. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.187) · Pramāṇa