He
Rose Up At Our Entry To Meet Us, Causing Us To Sit Down By Him, And
Repeated All The Fair Promises Of Free Trade He Had Given The Day
Before, Declaring That He Would Deny Us Nothing That Was Reasonable.
He
then told us there was another governor shortly to succeed him, who was
as his brother, and honester even than himself, who would faithfully
perform every thing he had promised.
At our request, the governor
ordered the water-bailiff to furnish us at all times with boats, either
for our conveyance, or to carry water to the ship. From the governor, we
again went to visit the scrivano, who received us with much civility,
promising to come aboard to visit our ship, and compliment our captain.
After treating us with coffee, we took leave, and returned to the ship,
when the pledges were dismissed, acknowledging the good treatment they
had received, and were saluted on going ashore with five guns.
On the 17th, the scrivano, with our two pledges, our Jew friend, and
twenty other persons, came aboard, bringing a bullock, with bread,
quinces, and other fruits, a great round cake or pasty, like puff-paste,
in which were several fowls and chickens, well seasoned and baked, and
most excellent eating. We also, with a large quince pye, and many crabs,
together with sack and cordials, added our best welcome. The scrivano
was so well pleased with his reception, that he insisted upon becoming
the sworn brother of our captain, which was accordingly celebrated with
a cup of sack; and, after much mirth, and having taken a view of our
ship, he departed highly gratified.
We were well supplied with water by several poor people of Mokha, who
brought it off to the ship at a reasonable rate. Also, with the
concurrence of the governor and scrivano, we made every junk that
arrived anchor under our guns, and to ride in that situation till they
discharged their cargo; which indeed the governor wished us to do,
because some junks passed by that port to trade at others, to the injury
of Mokha At six in the evening of the 21st of April, we had a violent
storm of wind off the land, accompanied by much thunder and lightning,
but no rain, which continued for half an hour, all the rest of the night
being extremely hot. Although we rode above a league from the shore,
this tempest brought great quantities of dust, and even sand on board.
The 25th, we had a message from the scrivano, saying that the governor
and he had received letters from the pacha at Sinan, commanding them to
entertain us with all manner of kindness, and to give us free trade,
with liberty to reside among them in all quietness and security.
On the 27th the new governor arrived, when the ordnance of the town, and
of our ship and the several junks in the road, all fired to welcome his
arrival. He sent the former pledges on board to return thanks for our
salute, accompanied by a present of plantains, limes, mangoes, melons,
and bread, with one bullock, promising, in the name of the pacha, as
free trade as our nation had in Constantinople.
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