This Day I Called A
Council, And It Was Concluded To Go Down To The South, That We Might
Have A Broader Channel, Hoping That The Galleons Would Follow Us.
We
accordingly went down some six or seven leagues on the 2d, but they did
not follow us; wherefore on the 3d we stood up again, and anchored
fairly in sight of them.
We weighed again on the morning of the 4th, and
stood away before them, they following: But in the afternoon they gave
us over, and hauled in with the land, and at night we directed our
course for Diu. At night of the 5th, we anchored in fourteen fathoms
near the shore, four or five leagues eastwards of Diu.
The 9th we came to Madafaldebar[84] which is ten or eleven leagues E.
by N. from Diu, the coast between being very fair, and having no unseen
dangers. The depth near Diu is fifteen or sixteen fathoms, halfway to
Madafaldebar twelve fathoms, then ten and nine, but not less; and in
nine fathoms we anchored in a fine sandy bay, on the west side of which
is a river coming from a considerable distance inland. This place is
some five or six miles west from the isles of Mortie[85] The 15th we
set sail to explore the bay of Mohar,[86] having been reported by some
of the people who had belonged to the Ascension to be a good place for
wintering in, or waiting the return of the monsoon for sailing to the
southwards. We accordingly anchored that night in the bay, which is nine
or ten leagues E.N.E. from Madafaldebar, finding the coast and
navigation perfectly good, with ten fathoms all the way, and no danger
but what is seen. I sent my boat ashore, and got twenty excellent sheep
for three shillings each, the best we had seen in the whole voyage. We
found the ruins of a great town at this place, but very few inhabitants.
[Footnote 84: From the indications in the text, this must be Jaffrabat
on the coast of Guzerat, about thirty-one miles E. by N. from Diu. The
name used in the text must be taken from the native language, while that
of modern geography is the Persian, Mogul, or Arabic name of the
place. - E.]
[Footnote 85: Called Searbett in Arrowsmith's excellent map of
Hindostan, eight miles E.N.E. from Jaffrabat. - E.]
[Footnote 86: Called on the margin of the Pilgrims, Moha, Mona, or
Mea; and which from the context appears to be a bay immediately west
from Wagnagur. - E.]
There happened to be an army encamped in the neighbourhood of this
place, and on the 17th, the general sent four men to me, requesting a
conference. I landed on the 21st, and had much conversation with the
general, who greatly desired to have two pieces of ordnance from us,
making many fair promises of favour to our nation, and even presented me
with a horse and furniture and two Agra girdles or sashes; but I refused
him, having none to spare, and needing all we had for our defence.
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