Storia do Mogor 89.4

89.4

To all these arguments Aurangzeb turned a deaf ear (as he persisted in his desire to have a fleet), and then issued an order to have a ship constructed. He wanted to have ocular demonstration of the difficulties raised by Ja'far Khan. This order was taken to my fellow-countryman Ortencio Bronzoni, a lapidary, of whom I have already spoken, who made a small ship with its sails and rigging, guns and flags. When it was ready, it was launched on a great tank. The king and all the court assembled to behold a kind of machine which could not travel by land. Here the European artillerymen, accustomed to navigation, went aboard the vessel, and caused it to move in all directions by adjusting the sails and working the helm with great dexterity and cleverness. Then, as if engaging some other man-of-war, they discharged the cannon, turning in all directions. On seeing all this, after reflecting on the construction of the boat and the dexterity required in handling it, Aurangzeb concluded that to sail over and fight on the ocean were not things for the people of Hindustan, but only suited to European alertness and boldness. Thus at last he abandoned the project entertained with such obstinacy.