Travels in India (Tavernier) 150.2

150.2

As for the General, he went to his office, where he asked me to accompany him. After some conversation on indifferent matters he asked me for what purpose I had come to Batavia, I told him that I had principally come to see so renowned a place; and having had an opportunity of doing service to the Company at the request of the Chief of the factory at Vengurla, I had been led to undertake the voyage, as he might see for himself by the letter which he had written to him. I told him, at the same time, as the Commander of Vengurla had requested me, of the discovery which had been made by a caravel of Portugal, which a storm had driven into a bay situated 30 leagues from the Cape of Good Hope, as I have related at length in the description of the town of Goa. The Commander thought that the General would be able to send a small vessel there from Batavia, and that by conveying the news I would do a service to the Company; and it was also with this in view that he offered me a passage in the vessel which was in the roads at Vengurla. After I had finished my account of the matter to the General, he thanked me somewhat coldly, as being a thing of small importance, although I have since learnt that he sent to seek for the bay, but the vessel was unable to find it.