Travels in India (Tavernier) 158.6

158.6

When we arrived there (for I was with the party) we were much surprised to find nothing on the trees, and only some remains of cabbages and radishes on the ground. We did not doubt that the crew of the vessel called the Encuse, which had arrived some days before us, had done all this damage, and our Vice-Admiral resolved to go on board to inquire into the matter. When we got there we found quantities of lemons and vegetables in the cabins of the captain and pilot, and all the sailors presented lemons, with which they were well provided, to our men. The captain of the vessel offered a present of some to the Vice-Admiral, which he refused to accept, saying that it was treason to all the fleet, and that all these refreshments must be collected and put together in one place until all the vessels had arrived, so that each poor invalid might have some of them. The sailors and soldiers who had filled their chests with them were very unwilling to consent ; but the Vice-Admiral, making use of his authority, said that if they did not bring all the lemons which were still remaining, he would hang a number of them, when the Admiral and the remainder of the fleet, which consisted of eleven vessels, arrived. The captain, fearing this threat, used so much compulsion with his crew that the whole were brought into his cabin and properly shut up until the fleet had arrived, so that each vessel had its share of this small refreshment.