Travels in India (Tavernier) 85.3.5

85.3.5

The captain of a vessel, a rich man, who troubled himself little about making court to the wives of the Chiefs of the Company, became a butt for their attacks, and was one day stung by some remarks made by Madame la Generale, who was talking to him at Batavia in the presence of many ladies, for which, without saying a word then, and well knowing all their intrigues, he resolved to avenge himself on the first occasion, which offered itself in this manner. When this captain was about to return from PULICAT to Batavia, the wife of the Governor of the former place, who was in league with Madame la Generale in some private trade, believing that the captain was one of her friends, begged him to ship secretly eight bales of very valuable goods, and to have particular care that they were not wetted, in order to take them to Batavia; this the captain promised to do, and he placed the bales in a separate place. Having arrived at Batavia, he went first, according to custom, to salute the General and to hand him the letters belonging to the Company. The General is in the habit of keeping the captains to dinner or to supper, according to the hour of their arrival. There are always present on these occasions some Councillors of India, to hear the news, who remain to dine with the General. At the close of the repast the General asked the captain what news he had from Pulicat, and if the Governor and his wife had not asked for anything to be done for them.