This seems unintelligible nonsense, from what follows, it
would appear that the order was to cut the cables in the hose, that
the ship might drift a-shore.
- E.]
On the return of the boats to Mokha, they reported that the ship was
taken, for which there were great rejoicings. The aga sent off the boats
again, with orders to bring the ship close to the shore; but on getting
out to where she rode, they found her under sail and standing off, on
which they returned, and told the aga that the ship had escaped and was
gone, and they now believed the Emir-al-bahar and his soldiers were
taken prisoners, which was no pleasing news to him. Before day, he sent
his interpreter to tell me that my small ship was taken, which I
believed. At day-break, I was sent for to come before the aga, and went
accordingly with my seven yoke-fellows, all fastened with me by the neck
to the same chain. With a frowning countenance, he asked how I durst be
so bold as to enter their port of Mokha, so near their holy city of
Mecca? I answered, that he already knew the reason of my coming, and
that I had not landed till earnestly entreated by him, with many
promises of kind usage. He then said it was not lawful for any Christian
to come so near their holy city, of which Mokha was as one of the gates,
and that the pacha had express orders from the Great Turk to captivate
all Christians who came into these seas, even if they had the imperial
pass. I told him the fault was his own, for not having told me so at
first, but deluding us with fair promises.
He now gave me a letter to read from Captain Downton, dated long before
at Aden, saying, that two of his merchants and his purser had been
detained on shore,[326] and that they could not get them released,
without landing merchandize, and paying 1500 Venetian chequins for
anchorage. After I had read the letter, the aga desired to know its
purport, which I told him. He then informed me that the ship, since the
writing of that letter, had been cast away on a rock, and all her goods
and men lost. He then commanded me to write a letter to the people in my
large ship to know how many Turks were detained in the small one. I said
that was needless, as he had already sent me word the small ship was
taken. To this he replied, that she was once taken, but the large ship
had rescued her. He then ordered me to write a letter, commanding all
the people of the large ship to come ashore, and to deliver the large
ship and her goods into his hands, when he would give us the small ship
to carry us home. I said it would be folly to write any such thing, as
those who were aboard and at liberty would not be such fools as to
forsake their ship and goods, and come ashore to be slaves, merely for
my writing them. He said he was sure if I wrote such a letter, they
durst not disobey me. When I told him plainly I would write no such
letter, he urged me again, threatening to cut off my head if I refused.
I bade him do so, in which he would give me pleasure, being weary of my
life. He then asked what money we had in the ship, and what store of
victuals and water? I said we had but little money, being only for
purchasing victuals, not merchandize, and that we had enough of victuals
and water for two years, which he would not believe.
[Footnote 326: Besides these, twenty more were treacherously betrayed at
Aden, having leave given them to go onshore for business. - Purch.]
I was now taken out of my chain and collar, having a large pair of
fetters put upon my legs, with manacles on my wrists; and being
separated from the rest of my company, I was bestowed all that day in a
dirty dog-kennel under a stair; but at night, at the entreaty of
Shermall, consul of the Banians, I was taken to a better room, and
allowed to have one of my men along with me who spoke Turkish; yet my
bed was the hard ground, a stone my pillow, and my company to keep me
awake were grief of heart and a multitude of rats. About midnight came
the lieutenant of the aga with the trugman,[327] entreating me to
write a letter on board to enquire how many Turks they had prisoners,
and what were their names; but in no case to write any thing of the loss
of our men, and the hard usage we had met with; but to say we were
detained in the aga's house till orders came from the pacha, and that we
wanted for nothing. This letter I wrote exactly as they wished; but
commanded them to look well to their ships and boats, and by no means to
let any of their men come ashore. Taking this letter with them, they
examined two or three of my men apart as to its meaning.
[Footnote 327: Or interpreter, now commonly called dragoman, druggeman,
or trucheman, all of which are corruptions from the Arabic
tarijman. - Astl. I. 366. a.]
They could not at first get any one who would venture on board, so that
my first letter was not sent. But at length a person, who was born at
Tunis, in Barbary, and spoke good Italian, undertook to carry a letter,
providing I would write to use him well. I wrote again as they desired,
which was taken on board and answered, saying, that all the Turks were
slain or drowned, save one, named Russwan, a common soldier; in this
answer they expressed their satisfaction to hear that I was alive; as
Russwan told them he believed I and all the rest were slain.
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