i6gs-] ENGLISH SHIPS. 183 



if lie had had any, he should have been dispatch'd long ago. 

 Since I am engag'd in these little Digressions, I must tell 

 you, that 'twas ail that the Governor and some of his Friends 

 and Attendants could do, to save themselves in their Shirts. 

 They ow'd the saving of their Lives to a Prisoner, who lying- 

 in Irons in the Guard Eoom perceiv^l the fire first ; what 

 was best in the Magazine was likewise sav'd. 



Much about this time there came into the Eoad of the 

 North-West Haven,^ two English Ship^,"^ but as that place was 

 distant from our Rock above twelve Leagues, we had no 

 knowledge of them till afterwards. Besides, the Governor 

 forbid our Purveyors under severe Penalties to acquaint us 

 with it, rightly judging, that if we knew it, we would use our 

 utmost efforts to get to them. 



We were told afterwards, that one of the Captains of those 

 Ships understanding our Confinement, was going to send for 

 us, as well because he pity'd our Condition, as that he 

 wanted Men. His Boat was certainly hoisted out, and arm'd 

 with several small pieces of Canon, in order to carry us off, 

 but ill Weather interven'd, and hinder'd his charitable 

 Purpose. 



I now come to speak further of the design of the Sieur 



sheriffs, who arrested criminals, but liad no power of trying or judging 

 them ; it was necessary to send up criminals to the Council of Justice 

 to be examined and punished. (Wilcocke, op. cit., p. 571.) 



1 Port Louis ; vide ante, p. 146 ; also Appendix. 



2 "The English", writes le Sieur Luillier. in 1701, "send several 

 ships yearly into India, the number of them not fix'd, and drive a 

 considerable trade, yet much inferior to the Dutch, for they receive 

 little more in return than the value of the plate they send over from 

 Europe, the profit of the commerce from place to place in the country, 

 going to defray the charges of their Officers, Forts and Factories; wliereof 

 if anything remains it makes up the lading of their ships. There is not 

 so regular a method observ'd in the English as in the Dutch service, 

 for every man returns when he pleases, and may stay in India as long 

 as he wills ; and I have observ'd they are not so zealous in the service." 

 (Translation by Symson, op. cit., p. 323.) 



