The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c14.54

c14.54

The rest of the story may very well be told in the language of the Deputy Governor of Bombay. He wrote on 21 November 1670: ‘The General and the Admirall of the fleete which consists of 160 small vessels counted by my owne servant (who I sent as a spie) is one Ventgee Sarungee commonly called Durrea Sarungee with whom I having had a correspondence these 7 or 8 years, and always found him reall and oblidgeing, I was resolved to try if I could get out anything of his designe, soe wrote him a civill letter, wishing him good success in his voyage; and promising what assistance lay in my power; in lading three of his owne shipps, that are here to take in salt; desiring him if he could without prejudice to himselfe, advise me where he was bound to which he assured, that though his designe was carried very privately yett if I would send a trusty person, he would by word of mouth give me notice, soe I sent the Moodys son to him who arrived the next with orders from Sevagee (at the place of his rendevouzes) he tooke him aside and swore him his master was marching to Surat, with 10,000 horse and 20,000 foote and that he with 3000 souldiers and a great number of pioneers were to meet him then, the Bramanys have told him, that the 29th day of this month, Surat Castle should be delivered him; which if he carried, he would then to Broach, he likewise bid me keepe good watch and trust noebody and that I should doe well to lett noe vessel enter unsearched.’ In a postscript it is added: ‘The Sarungee likewise told him that if the Christians did not attempt to hinder his designe, his master would not meddle with them.’¹ The Bombay authorities, as they themselves write, did not trust the Admiral and were on their guard; the English President at Surat suggested that the three Christian powers should make a defensive and offensive compact to oppose Shivaji, but their fears and anxieties were soon laid at rest. The expedition came to naught. A week later another letter from Bombay informed them: ‘Sevagees fleet was to the northward a Thursday morning from Nagaum a towne hard by Tull and Friday past by here, and Saturday past by Mahim, soe wee concluded them bound according to the Generalls information (to the Deputy Governor) for Surat, but a Saturday morning at 8 o’clocke by Sevagees order, there was two frigatts well man’d with oars sent out after them, with 2 malldars,² who have order to bringe the fleete back againe; Sevagee himselfe being returned back againe after he had gone three days march.’³ On 17 December the Bombay Council wrote that they had certain intelligence of the return of the Maratha fleet to Dabhol. The expedition, whatever its destination, had failed but the fleet had not returned unscathed. The Maratha fleet had met and captured a Portuguese ship near Daman and the Portuguese soon retaliated. They encountered twelve Maratha ships, captured them all, triumphantly carried them to Bassein⁴ and then went out to seek the rest of the grand armada. It was probably of this engagement that Father Naverette heard while he was at Surat in January, 1671.⁵