476 



APPENDIX III. 



tliem, it was of some importance to discover wiiicli party 

 was strongest and best able to protect and assist us in the 

 prosecution of our inquiries. But this was found imprac- 

 ticable ; several partisans of both factions were indeed on 

 board, but each endeavoured- to make it appear that his 

 own was the right and powerful Sooltan. Had the boat's 

 crew been able to tell whose hands ^dalliim Ali had fallen 

 into, it would have settled the matter as to the person, 

 whoever he might be, there must have been a necessity 

 to pay court ; but none of them could speak with certainty 

 respecting him. Disappointed in obtaining satisfactory 

 information concerning this point, it was nevertheless 

 determined to persevere in the resolution of visiting Patta. 

 Accordingly about 11 a.m. Captain Smee, in company 

 with Lieut. Hardy, myself, and the pilots, carrying with 

 with us a present (Note 9) for the Sooltan, left the ship in 

 the large cutter, manned with Europeans. It was judged 

 prudent to take Arabs (though, to prevent misunderstand- 

 ing, they remained concealed till compelled to produce them 

 in our own defence). AVe had scarcely got a mile from the 

 ship when we were met by a boat belonging to Sooltan Ham- 

 med with presents for Captain Smee ; but finding him on 

 his way to Patta he declined going any farther ; the chief 

 man and one of the Sepoys came into the cutter, and their 

 boat returned with us to town. This conduct appearing 

 very suspicious, determined us to act cautiously and avoid 

 particularly giving any pretence for violence. After two 

 hours' sail we arrived off Patta : it was then low water, 

 and the cutter could not approach nearer to the shore than 

 half a mile ; we were therefore obliged to go separately into 

 small canoes which the negroes pushed through the mud 

 to the beach. On landing nobody appeared to receive or 



