Travels in India (Tavernier) 155.3

155.3

As soon as I had landed at Batavia one of the guards ran to the entry office to give notice that I had arrived with a cask of beer ; which, however, I landed from the barque and placed near the guard. The chief of the office having come to me, said that he could not give permission for the cask to be carried to my lodging ; that I must be aware of the order of Council ; and that it would be best to reship it on the barque, and send it back to Bantam. Seeing that there was no favour to be hoped for, and as there are close to the guard-house cannons, in position, for the defence of the port, and an abundance of cannon balls, I took one of these balls and with it stove in one end of the cask. That being done, I cried out to the soldiers and passers-by: — “Children, come to empty this cask, and drink the health of the King of France, my sovereign lord, and that of the Prince of Orange,” after which I mentioned the General and the members of the Council. As no one refused to drink, the cask was already half emptied when an officer on the part of the General came to tell me that I might carry my cask of beer to my lodging. Immediately I replaced the end (of the cask) and had it carried away, after which I filled a canteen of six bottles, which I sent as a present to the General, knowing well that it would be the first he had to drink that year, and with the rest I regaled my friends.