Riding About With This View, I Came To A Great
Tank Or Pool, Which Was Guarded For A Khan, To Whom The King Had Granted
Its Use.
I sent to acquaint him of my needs, and asked leave to draw
water at his tank, when he was pleased to allow me to have four loads
daily.
This satisfied me in some sort; and, by selling off some of the
goods that had been sent me from Surat, and putting away some of my
cattle, I had hope of being able to live; for which purpose I sent two
of my carriages, with their servants and cattle, to remain out of town,
and thus relieved myself from this public calamity. There was not a
misery or inconvenience that I was not subjected to, in thus following
the court of the Mogul, owing to the want of good management in the
government, and the intemperature of the climate.
[Footnote 210: It is almost certain that the lions of these early
voyages and travels, at least in India, were tigers. - E.]
Sec.7. A New-Year's Gift. - Suspicions entertained of the English. - Trade
of Dabul. - Dissatisfaction of the Persian Ambassador. - English Ships of
War in the Indian Seas.
On the 12th March, 1617, I carried, as a new-year's gift to the king, a
pair of very handsome knives belonging to myself, and six glasses
belonging to the Company, making an apology for the smallness of the
present, which was well received, and the king used me very graciously,
saying, that whatever came from my hands he looked on as a sufficient
present, and as a proof of my love, and that it was now his part to give
me. He gave orders to an officer to send for Mr Bidulph, to pay him his
demands to his satisfaction, and all others who were indebted to us were
ordered by name to pay what they owed to the Company. The king said
likewise, that he would write to the prince in our favour. But I found
him unwilling to part with any of our things, of which the best sweet
bag then lay before him. I replied, that I was very unwilling to go
empty-handed. The king then commanded that I should come up and stand
beside him on the steps of the throne, where stood on one side the
Persian ambassador, and the old king of Candahar on the other, with whom
I ranked. As soon as I had taken my place, the king asked me for a
knife, which I sent him next day. The king then called the Persian to
stand before him, to whom he gave a jewel and a young elephant, for
which he kneeled and saluted the ground with his head.
On this occasion the same throne and furniture were used as last year,
the upper end of the hall being adorned with the pictures of the king my
master, the queen, the princess Elizabeth, Sir Thomas Smith, and some
others, with two pieces of beautiful Persian tapestry hung below them.
The throne was of gold, bespangled all over with rubies, emeralds, and
turquoises.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 285 of 474
Words from 148544 to 149071
of 247546
