A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 09: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 09: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
The chief places for trade on the river Sinde, or Indus, are Tatta,
_Diul-sinde_, Mooltan, and Lahore. The Expedition, on her former voyage,
had landed the Persian ambassador, Sir Robert Shirley, at _Diul-sinde_;
and of him I have thought it right to give the following particulars, as
an appendix to my former voyage, having learnt them from some of his
followers at Agra. Being weary of _Diul-sinde_, through the evil conduct
of the governor, and the attempts of the Portuguese to molest him, who
even used their endeavours to cut him off, for which purpose twelve of
them had gone there from Ormus, he asked leave to proceed to Tatta; but,
being refused permission, he went without leave, and having by the way
to pass a river where none durst ferry him over, because prohibited by
the governor on pain of death, he constructed a raft of timber and
boards, on which he and Nazerbeg embarked. They were no sooner shoved
off than twenty or thirty horse came from the governor in great haste to
detain them. And as Nazerbeg was unable to guide the raft against the
tide, some men swam to the raft and brought them back, on which occasion
they narrowly escaped being drowned. Some of his followers being
indignant at this rude dealing, one Mr John Ward shot off his pistol in
their faces, and was instantly slain by another shot, and all the rest
were carried back prisoners to _Diul-sinde_, being pillaged by the
soldiers on their way. After some time in prison, they were permitted to
proceed to Tatta, where they were kindly entertained by the governor of
that place, who was a Persian. Before leaving Diul-sinde, Sir Thomas
Powell and Mr Francis Bub died. Sir Robert Shirley remained at Tatta
till a fit opportunity offered of proceeding to Agra, where he went at
last, finding the way long and tedious, and much infested by thieves. He
went there however in safety, going in company with a great man who had
a strong escort, and for whom he had to wait two months.
In this time Lady Powell was delivered of a son, but both she and her
child died soon after, together with Mr Michael Powell, brother to Sir
Thomas, losing their lives in this tedious waiting in boats for the
great man. On his arrival at Agra, Sir Robert was favourably entertained
by the Great Mogul, who sent for the Banian governor of Diul-sinde to
answer at court to the complaint, and promised Sir Robert to have his
own revenge if he would stay; but he hasted away to Persia, after
receiving many presents from the Mogul, who gave him an escort, and all
necessaries for his journey, in which he had not a single English
attendant, as John Heriot died at Agra, and Mr Richard Barber, his
apothecary, returned to Surat. Of all his company, three only remained
with him, his lady and her female attendant, two Persians, the old
Arminian, and the Circassian. His Dutch jeweller came to Surat along
with Mr Edwards.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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