Storia do Mogor 42: CHAPTER XVII · OF OUR ARRIVAL IN THE PORT OF SINDY AND DEPARTURE FOR SURRATI

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Two days after the visit that the Englishmen had paid to the ambassador — that is to say, on the fifteenth of December of one thousand six hundred and fifty-two (1652) [should be 1655] — we went on board the said vessel. During the whole of our voyage the captain treated us with great politeness and civility. Setting sail, we arrived in twelve days, having favourable winds, at a port in the Great Mogul's territory called Sindi. There the vessel anchored, and we travelled upstream by the river for a whole night to an inhabited place, which stood twelve hours' journey from the sea. This river is a very large one, it being formed of seven rivers which flow down from the interior of the country, as I will relate hereafter (I. 222). Here we saw many Arabian and Persian vessels which import great quantities of dates, horses, seed-pearls, pearls, incense, gum-mastic, senna-leaves, and Jew's stones, which come from Mecca. In return they load up with white and black sugar, butter, olive oil, and cocos, which medical men call nos Indica (Indian nut). Of this product and its virtues I will make mention farther on (III. 232). They also export many kinds of white linen [? cotton cloth] and printed goods, which are manufactured in the same region.
In the town were three small factories, one English, another Dutch, and another Portuguese. A barefooted Carmelite father also dwelt there in his little hermitage, but nowadays [1698-1699] there are none of these Europeans there. The principal city of the country of Sind was at a distance of twelve leagues from this town, further in the interior ; it is called Tata (Tattah), and is the residence of a governor or viceroy, who rules over this country. When the business was finished that our captain had to do at this place, we left it, and returned to the vessel. Setting sail, we arrived in a few days at the port of Surat on the twelfth of January of one thousand six hundred and fifty-three (1653) [correctly 165^] .
As soon as we had anchored milord went ashore secretly, following the advice given to him by our captain and by a private trader to seek a refuge in the town. For the English were going to seize him and put him by force on board one or other of the English vessels, then in harbour and about to sail for England. It produced great astonishment in me to see how milord landed without breathing a word to me. But I heard the reason afterwards when I reached Surat, bringing all the baggage which was in my charge. There we found Mestre Jonh (Henry Young), who had left Persia a short time before us ; and my master announced that he had come as an ambassador from the king to the Great Mogul.
When the governor of Surat heard of the ambassador's arrival, he ordered his secretary to pay him a visit. The message thus brought was that rumour said he had come as ambassador, therefore he was requested to state whether this was true or not. It was necessary for him (the governor) to send a report to the emperor Xaaiahan (Shahjahan), then ruling over the empire of the Great Mogul. The ambassador replied that it was correct, that he could write in all confidence and announce his arrival. Before I say anything of our stay, I will state something about this port [38].