Storia do Mogor 292.4
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 292.4
- Language
- English
292.4.1
While I was speaking the governor arrived, accompanied by a large number of officials and servants. I told him (Pitt) he must embrace Da,ud Khan, who by this time had dismounted with all his retinue. This embrace was given, and then the chief minister and the bakhshi were received in the same fashion. Then we entered the fort, where the governor paid him innumerable tokens of respect and friendship, and conducted him to his rooms. These were magnificently furnished. The bed in his room was covered with a quilt of [blank]. He admired it in a way to show that he had never seen one like it before, and he begged me to ask the governor if he could give him a pattern of that coverlet, and this I did in a low voice. The latter (Pitt), readier even to give than the other to ask, made him a present of two others. He even offered to give him the whole bed. Da,ud Khan would not accept this, contenting himself with the two bed-covers, these being of a wonderful, extraordinary, and strange workmanship. Upon entering the room, the governor presented to him a ball of ambergris mounted in gold, with a rich chain of the same metal. After this was done they sat down, and the conversation turned on various subjects with offers of service. When the talk was finished, the governor sent for wine, and drank to the health of King Aurangzeb to a salute of thirty-one guns. Da,ud Khan responded to this politeness by drinking the health of the King of England, to the sound of as many cannon as before.
292.4.2
Then they drank the health of the chief minister (wazir), Asad Khan, who is nowadays Mirolo Morao (Amir-ul-umara)—that is, 'Noble of Nobles.' This title was borne by Aurangzeb's uncle and father-in-law [i.e., Shaistah Khan, died 1695]. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired. This was followed by a toast to Zu,lfiqar Khan, and one to Da,ud Khan himself, each with the same number of cannon. To end with, they drank to the Diwan, the chief minister of this general, and to his bakhshi, each time to the sound of fifteen cannon. He was astonished at the rapidity and dexterity with which everything was carried out, and was highly gratified by it all. While these ceremonies were taking place, they made him a present of several cases of liqueurs, spirits, and wines of Europe of different sorts. All these he greatly prized. Next he was led into a large hall adorned with all kinds of arms. There he found a magnificent dinner prepared in European and in Indian fashion. He admired the variety of the arms, for which, however, he had no envy, unless for the spears. Having asked the governor for one, two were given to him.
292.4.3
He then went to seek repose for an hour, and after that took his leave. The governor accompanied him as far as the fort gateway, the general protesting against his coming any farther. There they reiterated their compliments and polite speeches, and Mr. Pitt wished him a pleasant journey. On his side the general put forward many offers of service, and assured him of a perpetual peace, wishing him every success in his enterprises and trading: and said he would ever remain his friend and protector so long as he ruled the province. The governor did not withdraw until Da,ud Khan had mounted his horse — nay, wanted to hold the stirrup for him, but this Da,ud Khan would not allow. But to me he said in a low voice that he would like to be saluted with some salvoes of artillery as he was leaving the town. This desire was carried out, the musketeers also accompanying him to the boundary of San Thome. I went with him half-way there, when he said that as it was already late I might go back to Madras. All this he said with many compliments and a thousand expressions of civility, ending by saying that he hoped to pass still two or three days in my house at the Big Mount, and rest himself there. I consented with the greatest pleasure, as may be imagined. I went there to see him before he started for Arkat, when he gave me a valuable set of robes, and repeated his offer of serving me just as he was used to do on previous occasions.
292.4.4
The above is the mode in which things happened, and an arrangement was arrived at; the Mahomedans making profuse protestations to the English of service and friendship. We shall see next how these perfidious men acquitted themselves of such promises. At the end of December, 1701, I was at Pondicherry on business connected with the Tanjor persecutions, of which I have spoken already (IV. 43-81). At the end of January in the next year [1702] I had trustworthy information that Da,ud Khan and the diwan with their whole army were about to leave Arkat again for Madras. This fact I learnt from different sources through various friends and officials known to me, some of whom sent a warning to me that during this march some harm was intended to Madras. He had received peremptory orders from the court to deal rigorously with the English. This news forced me to forsake the pleasant company of the French, in order to return with all possible haste to Madras. I arrived there on February 2 of the same year [1702]. On my taking leave of them the governor, Francois Martin, and the other officials of the Royal Company, strongly enjoined me to let them know what happened between the English and the Mahomedans, sending off immediately express messengers (pions). This requisition I executed without fail.
292.4.5
A few days afterwards I warned Governor Pitt of Da,ud Khan's approach. In fact, he arrived at San Thome two days afterwards. On my advice they sent to him a Mahomedan servant of and trader under the Company, named Coja Ammad (Khwajah Ahmad), as also another merchant of the town named Narapa. But the second man fell ill, and only the first-named went ; I went also. There I found the general, the diwan, the bakhshi, and all the officers assembled. They received me most cordially, showing many signs of joy and embracing me. They sent without delay [99] for Khwajah Ahmad, who appeared at once. They directed him to inform the governor of Madras that they desired his presence at San Thome. They had important matters to communicate to him. If he could not come himself, would he send the second and third in council [February 4 or 15]. Then Da,ud Khan and the diwan turned towards me, and said I must confirm to those gentlemen (the English) whatever Khwajah Ahmad had been ordered to report to them. Then, taking me aside privately, they told me to be sure and tell the said governor to come himself without fail, or send the two others of his council. They said we must both of us return to San Thome, showing thereby that they had no confidence in Khwajah Ahmad, and had no belief in his truthfulness.
292.4.6
When we arrived at Madras we went together to see the governor, and told him what the Mahomedans had charged us to say to him. To this he replied that he neither meant to go himself nor send any of his council. He declined to do so on several grounds, principally because neither the second nor the third, nor anyone else, could speak 'Maure' [the language spoken by Mahomedans]. But he urged me earnestly to return to the general [Da,ud Khan] along with Khwajah Ahmad, and explain the reasons which hindered him from complying with his request. If he had any negotiations to make with him and his council, he could conduct them safely through Khwajah Ahmad as their qualified procurator. The real reason why the governor declined to send anyone is that he feared the Mahomedans might oblige them by force to execute some writing, by which they undertook to be responsible for all piracies throughout the seas and on all the coasts of India. This is what they (the Mahomedans) had done at Surat to the other directors of the companies of France, Holland, and England. Or he feared they might be seized and constrained to pay considerable sums to recover their liberty. This was a customary enough act among the Mahomedans, and yet it would greatly injure their Company.
292.4.7
However, Khwajah Ahmad and I returned to San Thome. I repeated to Da,ud Khan and the diwan all that the governor had said to me. As I was about to leave I perceived that things were approaching a rupture, whereupon I humbly besought them not to employ me in such thorny affairs. The intention of the two Mahomedans was to make use of me as mediator between the two parties. They had great faith in me because I spoke the language fairly well, and they imagined that without harming much the one or the other, I should deal with things to their advantage, and that in some degree I should adopt their side rather than the other.