1918.] The Malda Diary and Consultations (1680-1682). 5 
than dwelling houses.” This house was within the town. In 
ember they decided to buy oe Rajaray Chowdry “a piece 
of his land lying on the other side the River about 2 little 
miles distant from Maulda.”’ Pa we have the origin of the 
present civil station of Malda—‘* English Bazar,’ or “ Engle- 
zavad”’ as the Factors called it. The Diary shows that the Fac- 
tors intended their home to be a place of defence. ere 
alas, the see td buildings of Gaur were made to sanebale 
bricks and pillars 
Even the expert student of Indian commercial history 
may, perhaps, find the frequent enumeration of piece-goods some- 
what wearisome, but the record is relieved by instances of the 
sally marvellous courage and patient fidelity on the part of 
the ancient factors. Such men are very different from “the 
trader meek and tame” with “‘timid foot’? whom Rudyard 
Kipling has sung of in his rane se “i unfortunate verses anent 
the foundation of Calcutta 
The references to the Dutch, who had preceded the English 
in this part of Bengal, as well as in most other parts, are most 
interesting. One would naturally expect to find between Euro- 
peans living close to each other in such circumstances a certain 
amount of almost boisterous conviviality mingled with the 
inevitable misgivings of commercial rivals in a warfare, which, 
on either side, must have been teghndid as a matter of success 
or extinction. 
The reader will trace throughout the Diary the mia 
of the storm which led to the flight of the English merchan 
from Bengal in 1686. Aurangzeb’ s public policy of indiotiag 
the jazia or poll-tax on “infidels”? comes gradually into view. 
Recalled from Malda in Aue 1682, Fytche Nedham died 
Governours hath little more than the name, and for the most part mgs 
the 
modityes, even as low as grass oe Faspa canes, firewood, sgt ote ’ 
doe complain 
Dacea, is palliated under the name and colour of the Nabobs 
interest ; and that the Nabobs ee ae may, without pe 9 drive the 
trade of the place, there is sent fro cca, or detained o the rents, 
twenty or forty thousanh Rupees yearly to be employed in 2 Meschaudies, 
which is distributed amongst the Hindu Merchants of the : tide — h 
in proportion, for which they agree to ati twenty-five per 
but are called upon at six or eight months end to make up pis ‘accompts 
and to pay the principall with advance of a yeare, by which means, 
calling in their ston “ein and wee toe so often, it woicieniiciln vapeeoe that 
the Merchants pay 50 per 100 to the Nabob and Governours per annum, 
draineing themselves Aad this am trade with him and his Minnisters 
of the whole advantage they make of their other Traffick. And yett, as 
