Travels in India (Tavernier) 32.2.4

32.2.4

du Belloy had done ill in returning to Goa, and did much worse in showing himself at Vengurla, where the Dutch, who had learnt that he had previously escaped from their service, by the advices which they had received from the Commander at Surat, seized him immediately, and placed him on a vessel which was going to Batavia. They said that they had sent him to the General of the Company to be disposed of as that officer should think proper. But I know on good authority that when the vessel was a short distance from land they put this poor gentleman into a sack and threw it into the sea. This, then, was the end of M. du Belloy, but that of M. des Marests had nothing tragical about it, as will be seen from his history, which I shall relate in a few words. M. des Marests was a gentleman of Dauphiné, from the neighbourhood of Loriol, who, having fought a duel, and having killed his man, fled into Poland, where he did some gallant acts, which secured for him the esteem and affection of the General of the Polish army. At this time the Grand Seigneur kept two Polish Princes as prisoners at Constantinople in the Castle of the Seven Towers, and this General, knowing the valour and skill of Des Marests, who was enterprising, and a good engineer into the bargain, proposed to him to go to Constantinople to see if by any means he could manage to get the Princes out of prison.