7« WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



filled with devotees of the higheft rank, and feme of the firft 

 perfons of the court of Aurengzebe^ was taken in its pafTage, 

 in the latter end of the lall century, by the infamous pirate 

 Avery. Among the pafTengers was a lady faid to have been the 

 daughter of the emperor. Jt proved a prize invaluable, in 

 great funis of money, vefTels of gold and filver, jewels, and rich 

 habits ; for ufually they are as much laden with merchandize 

 upon account of the Moguls as upon thai of the pilgrims ; and 

 their returns are fo rich, that they make a part of the European 

 trade for the merchandize of Arabia Felix. Avery, after plun- 

 dering the fliip of its wealth, difmiffed it and all its pafTengers. 

 This piracy for a time embroiled iis with \.\\q Mogul', but th€ 

 affair being explained as the a<5l of a robber, he difmiffed his 

 anger againft the Englijh nation. In the beginning of the laft 

 century only one fliip, great and clumfy, was employed on this 

 religious-commercial bufinefs. It carried fourteen or fifteen 

 hundred tons, and the richnels of its lading, both in going out 

 and in returning, was immenfe *. This is the moft antient 

 fadlory we have in Hindoojiaji, and all our veffels made for 

 Swalley, or the road of Sural, for at one or other of thofe places 

 all our countrymen landed, who intended to penetrate into the 

 interior of the country. We find the illuftrious names of Roe, 

 Herbert, and Sbirly, among the firft of our cauntrymen who. 

 landed on thefe weftern Ihores. 



Sir 'Thomas Roe, foon after his arrival, took his journey to 

 the court of Jehangir, then at Azimere, as we have related at 

 p. 59. Some Very remarkable places occur in his route, in 



* Terry's Voy. p. 137, 



wliich 



