Travels in India (Tavernier) 151.1.2

151.1.2

I was much surprised on my return to Surat to find that he had left without giving orders to any of his friends, whether Dutch or English, to receive what I had for him, and send it to him by one of the vessels which go to England. Having remained at Surat about two months, and wishing to travel, in order not to risk what M. Constant had entrusted to me I placed the whole in the hands of Sir Francis Breton, who was the second person in the factory of the English Company at Surat, who, at M. Constant’s request, afterwards forwarded it to him in Holland. I had previously asked the Dutch Commander, named Arnebar, to be good enough to take charge of this parcel, he being a friend of M. Constant; but he excused himself altogether, telling me that if the General or Council at Batavia came to know that he had such a thing in his hands they would treat him as a receiver who had not declared, in other words, he would be deposed from his office and all his property confiscated. One day, then, while I was at Batavia, M. Faure, whom I have just mentioned, came to see me with three others, bringing a large bottle of Rheims wine and another of English beer. For my part I had contributed a collation, and as we began to drink they asked me if I had not heard the news of M. Constant which had come by land while I was at Surat; to which I replied that I had not received any, neither by sea nor land, since he had left Batavia.