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civility, never to attack them, but only to act on the defensive: the 
consequence is, that they only look at the stronger vessels, but 
take every one that has not the power of resistance. 
Independently of the real loss, which the native merchants suffer 
from the value of the captured cargoes, this mean submission 
ought to be ended, from the conviction of the degradation we 
suffer in the eye of Persia, by permitting it. A dignified independ- 
ence, a visible power of supporting the honour of our flag, of pro- 
tecting our friends, and punishing our enemies, are necessary for 
the acquirement of the confidence of an Eastern sovereign. Persia 
herself neither is, nor can be, a great naval power. Were we to 
protect her coast from the depredations of these pirates, who even 
extend their devastations to the villages on the sea shore, she would 
be gratefully attached to us, and would be bound by the strong 
tie of interest to protect the northern frontier of our dominion, 
by being prepared to enter the territories of the Abdalli, should h^ 
leave them unguarded to attack us. To ascertain the real value of 
a close connection with Persia is impossible ; but some idea may 
be entertained of it, by a reference to the splendour with which the 
barren island of Ormus shone forth under the Portuguese, when 
they monopolized the trade of the Gulf, and secured it from the 
attack of pirates by a marine, as pre-eminent in those days, as ours 
is now in every part of the globe, except in the Eastern seas. 
I had been so highly gratified by the pagoda at Garli, that I 
determined to visit others in the Island of Salsette, which, according 
to the accounts that I had received, were formed on a similar plan. 
Accordingly I set off early on the morning of the 2,2,d of November, 
accompanied by Mr. Salt, and some of the Governor's family. We 
