Storia do Mogor 345: XLIII. URDŪ-BEGĪ, OR WOMAN SUPERINTENDENT OF HAREM CAMP
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 345
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XLIII. URDŪ-BEGĪ, OR WOMAN SUPERINTENDENT OF HAREM CAMP
345.1
their village, but also to the friars in the parishes. Nor were these selected at the will of the inhabitants from the most wretched or oldest, but from the handsomest and youngest to be found in the village. The duty of the poorer ones was to sweep out the convent and the church every day; that of the richer and better clothed to clean the corridors, the friars' cells, the refectory, and the garden. I knew a soldier from Ceylon, a great friend of mine, called João Rodriguez da Silva. From having served a long time in India as a soldier, he had taken part in many fights, and told me of many incidents that had happened in them. This man once started from the city of Colombo on his return to Goa. [21] He arrived at a village in the dark about seven o'clock at night, and found his way to a convent, where dwelt a friar named Fra Agustinho da Santa Cruz, a very great miser and little given to charity. The soldier on reaching the door asked the sacristan as a favour to open the church that he might say his prayers. The sacristan sought the permission of the said father, who very grudgingly consented to the opening of the church. The soldier fell on his knees at the foot of the altar and made a great show of piety. Friar Agustinho, irritated at all this delay, and in a hurry to go to rest, fell into a rage and went into the church. He complained that soldiers should be so overbold as to come at the wrong times to offer up their prayers.
345.2
João Rodriguez da Silva, on perceiving that the friar had reached the church, began to beat his breast and kiss the ground; then, rising, he made a deep bow to the altar. Beholding all these gestures of silent contrition, the friar was much amazed. Meanwhile the soldier advanced towards the priest with much humility, and, saluting him courteously, said: 'As it seems to me, this church must have few worshippers, for I see it is very poor. I shall not fail, however, to present for its adornment a chandelier, candelabra, candles, and some cloths from China.' Hearing such good news, the friar led him politely into his convent, and treated him exceedingly [22] well. Before the repast, in conversing with the friar the soldier gave him to understand that he was the nephew of a woman of some wealth, a well-known widow living in the city, whose name was Senhora D. Maria de Guimar. Upon hearing such good tidings the monk went on treating him with more and more respect, and regaling him more magnificently. The soldier to encourage the friar indited a letter to the following effect : ' My respected Aunt,
345.3
' You will do me a favour by making over to the Reverend Father Friar Agustinho da Santa Cruz, who is the bearer of the present, the chandelier that I received from China, with the two pair of candlesticks, four dozen of candles, and four [pieces of] cloth from China, two boxes of tobacco, and a quire of paper with a dozen pens. The key of my room is already with the serving-girl, Luiza, and therefore I pray her to make over the things I have mentioned. When I have completed the business with which your Honour has entrusted me in connection with the general, I shall not delay my return. Further, I pray her to remember to send some one to demand the sword mountings that are at the goldsmith's, Diogo Fialho's, house, and God keep your Honour. ' Of your Honour ' The humble nephew and obedient son, 'João Rodriguez da Silva.' ' March 7, 1654.' When the letter was finished, he made it over to the friar, who, after reading it, was in a state of complete contentment and satisfaction. When supper was over, the friar found for the soldier a soft enough bed, and then politely said good-bye to him, as he proposed to start at four in the morning for the city. He gave orders to his serving-friar that next morning he must furnish the guest with everything that he wanted for breakfast, and comply with all his demands. Before day broke the good friar had started.
345.4
Upon getting up in the morning the soldier had a good meal, then sent for the head-man of the village, and gave him [24] orders to produce fifty load-carriers. Next he caused the room to be opened where the friar kept his provisions, and loaded the men with hams, large sausages (paios), black-puddings, olives, salted meat, wine, and the rest of the things taken out of the godown. Leaving behind many words of thanks to the reverend friar, to whom he was so much indebted, he started for camp, where he was received politely by his captain and all his company. When the friar reached the city, he discovered the deception, and ceasing to be merry, he came back in a rather melancholy mood. But he did not arrive in time to take any steps to redress the mistake.
345.5
What is known of a certainty is that the money mentioned as collected by force was so taken by the royal orders. For Amanetcam (Amãnat Khãn), governor of Surat, stopped the loading of goods on two French ships, and made a demand for money beyond all reason. The director, Monsu Depilavan (de Pilavoine), persisted in his refusal to pay the money demanded, and in spite of its being the property of his countrymen, he decided to set fire to the whole of the merchandise. Meanwhile he complained to the governor of his trying in this way to break the friendship and peace agreed upon with his nation. The governor, to prove that his own feelings of friendship had not changed, showed him the letter with the orders received from his Majesty (Aurangzeb). [25] These complaints were, nevertheless, of some benefit to the French, for the governor, recognising that the French were resolved rather to die than to pay the money, and that much loss would ensue to the town, allowed their merchandise to be put on board. This governor is the one who took by force from the hands of all the European nations bonds assuring all [native] ships sailing from that port. This was done by the king's order, as already stated (IV. 34). The very same order had been given to the prince, Sultãn 'Azim-ud-din, son of Shãh 'Alam, but he had declined to execute it.
345.6
Amãnat Khãn sent the said bonds to the court, and the king was as pleased with him as he was discontented with 'Azim-ud-din, to whom he wrote a letter full of censures. He pointed out to him the services done to the crown by Amãnat Khãn, and the little capacity he ('Azim-ud-din) appeared to possess, although a prince and powerful, in not having done the same with the European nations in his government of Bengal. The prince replied that it gave him quite sufficient occupation to deal with the disturbances raised by the Hindu princes in the province. If he had attempted to interfere with the Europeans also [26], as required by the royal orders, they would have taken part with the rebels, and the province of Bengal would have been lost. Upon receiving this answer, the king's mind was quieted, and he was satisfied.
345.7
After prince 'Azim-ud-din had answered his grandfather, he wrote a very bitter letter to Amãnat Khãn, accusing him of imprudence and stupidity in carrying out the royal orders as he had done. He had ignored the ruin that without a doubt must ensue. He told him he was certain he had only acted in that manner in order that for the rest of his life he might be remembered as the man who was praised for doing a service to the king which a prince of the blood-royal had not the spirit to undertake. He swore an oath that not many days would have gone by before he had secured satisfaction from him for such insulting vanity. The letter occasioned the governor so much grief and such profound melancholy that he died in a short time. It must be over forty years ago that I knew this lord's father. His name was Mirec Maiudinn (Mirak Mu'in-ud-din Ahmad); he was diwan first of the Kabul province and then of Lãhor, and, as it seems to me, I have spoken of him there (I. 103). This man, through his services to the crown, was raised to the dignity of Amãnat Khãn, and all his family entered the king's service on good pay. He was a great friend of mine, as, indeed, he was of all Christians, a most affable and kindly man, much devoted to alchemy, and always trying to make gold. Every year he wasted thirty thousand rupees, and yet never in all those years attained the desired result, although always busily occupied with retorts and stills, as is the habit of alchemists.
345.8
Many a time he invited me to join him in these researches, in the belief that I was experienced in such matters. But I always undeceived him, and told him he was spending uselessly both money and time, and could never conquer impossibilities. Yet these words of mine did not move him from his opinions, he pressed on with the undertaking then in hand, and constantly renewed his experiments. It was his habit to say to me that by this means one day or another he would recover the method of making gold, and that, should he not have found it, his son Miroseni (Mir Husain) would certainly do so. This is the son above spoken of. After his father's death this son obtained the title of Amãnat Khãn, and was appointed, as I have said, governor of Surat. It happened that after some years I met in the city of Aurangãbãd with the said elder Amãnat Khãn. The old man was still at work on his projects without ever having succeeded. In spite of that, he did not lose hope of attaining his desires, and still went on with new experiments.
345.9
While I was in his house one day he sent for a vicious black snake to show me. He placed it in a pot along with ten ounces of crude mercury, then luted the lid on skilfully with clay. Next the pot was placed on the fire, and a learned Arab was ordered to recite the Quran over it. Beholding this rash act with alarm, I departed. Observing this move, he sought the reason of my leaving the place. I replied that I did not think the spot was safe. At that moment the pot was overturned, the Quran fell from the Arab's hand, he was struck, and fell senseless on the floor. In spite of this accident he did not intermit the pursuit of the fancies he had in his head; on the contrary, he left as an inheritance to his son, Mir Husain, these methods of attempting to make gold. When the latter died at Sūrat there was found among his effects a large provision of retorts prepared for these purposes. This was attested by the Reverend Father Lorenzo of Angoulesme, who was present. It is a fact that this governor never discovered the way to manufacture gold; but, on the other hand, it is true that he found a mode, by his astuteness, [29] to force much money out of the hands of the merchants at that port (Surat). But by this action he was unable to profit, for when his life left him [so soon afterwards] the money was lost too.
345.10
[Here follows an account of the doings of the French fleet, beginning with July 11, 1704. It is omitted, it being substantially the same as the version in Part IV., fols. 223-226. There are a few additional statements which I have introduced into Part IV. within square brackets. I resume at folio 34, which seems an amplification of the narrative in Part IV., fol. 224, referring to the Dutch commissary.] [34] The said commissary [Phoosen] was received in Pondicherry with great civility; after fifteen days they released him, and made him a present of all his plate, and some cases of merchandise which he claimed as his private property. When he left he was escorted by fifty soldiers, the captain over whom called Monsieur Deligondes. They conducted the commissary as far as Cuddalore, and on reaching it he opened one of his boxes and took out from it a casket of valuable jewels, and wished to give the officer a valuable diamond ring, but the Frenchman declined to take it, though thanking him for his kind offer. Thus the commissary quitted Cuddalore [35] and went to Negapatam to take charge of his government, and remained ever afterwards on good terms with the French of Pondicherry. On February 20, 1705, the four French vessels set sail for France. The Phénix went to Bengal under the command of Monsieur Bono (Bouynot), and the vessel called Marchand des Indes, being old, was sold to an Armenian merchant named Mallegujas.