Chap. II. between the inhabitants of Great-Britairi, qgc. 919- 
In Anno 1709, the Factory drew a War on themfelves 
From the Nabob of CMckacul for one Mr, Simeon HaU 
comb , who had been Chief at Vazagapatam , had bor- 
rowed confiderable Sums of the Nabob, and affixed the 
Company’s Seals to the Bonds he gave for them. Mr. 
Holcomb dying, the Nabob demanded his Money from the 
fucceeding Chief, who would not pay him, alledging that 
Holcomb had borrowed it for his own private Ufe, and not 
for the Company’s, and that he mult get Payment out of 
Holcomb's private Eftate, if there was enough found to pay 
the Debt, otnerwife he might get his Money from fome 
Inland Rajahs, who flood indebted to Holcomb , by his 
Books of Accounts, in a greater Sunt than would pay his 
Principal and Intereft *, and that he being the Mogul’s Ge- 
neral, could compel thofe Rajahs to pay their juft Debts, 
which they would make over to him ; but the Nabob, not 
earing to enter into a War with his Countrymen on fuch a 
Foundation, lent Agents to acquaint the Governor and 
Council of Fort St. George with his Affairs at Vizagapa- 
tam ; they proved deaf to all the Agents Proportions 
and Arguments, and hardly treated him civilly •, fo he 
went back to his Mafter with the Account of his bad Suc- 
cefs •, upon which the Nabob came to a Garden, about 
half a League from Vizagapatam , accompanied with 500 
Horfe, and 3500 Foot, to demand his Money. 
I, fays Captain Hamilton , being accidentally there in a 
fmali Dutch-built Ship that I had bought from the French 
on my Credit at Fort St. George ; and the Fadlory being 
but ill mann’d, Mr. Hajvings , who was then Chief, and 
my Friend, defired the Affiftance of my Arms and Coun- 
cil in that Juncture of Affairs, which I very freely gave 
him j and being afked in Council what I thought about 
the Affair, I advifed him and his Council to compound the 
Matter as well as they could, and fpin out Time, that we 
might better fortify the Avenues to the Factory. My Ad- 
vice of compounding the Matter was rejected, but the 
other Part was followed ; fo, with feven Europeans that 
belonged to the Factory, and twelve that were with me, 
and twenty Topafes, and two hundred Natives, moft of 
them Fifhers, that lived under the Company’s Protection, 
we fortified fome Rocks that the Enemy were obliged to 
pafs within Piftol-Shot of, if they had a Mind to attack 
us. 
We threw up Breaft- works between the Rocks, and 
moored my Ship within Piftol-Shot of the Shore, and had 
eight Minion-Guns to fcour the Sands, if they had at- 
tempted to come that Way •, and for fix Weeks we conti- 
nued on our Guard, and were often alarmed in the Night, 
but finding us always ready to receive them, they did not 
think it proper to force an Entry into the Town. I had 
the Flonour to command all the Out-guards, and the 
chief with eight Europeans , and twenty Blacks, kept the 
Fort. Thus we continued in perpetual Watching and 
Alarms, till Reinforcements arrived from Fort St. George , 
and then I left them, and proceeded on a Voyage to Pegu. 
Both Parties being very bufy, one ftriving to get his Mo- 
ney by Compulfion, and the other to fave the Company’s 
Money on any Terms, right or wrong. The War being 
drawn to a greater Length than was imagined at firft, and 
Charges rifing higher than was expe&ed, inclined them to 
make all up amicably, which was at laft effected by the 
Company’s paying near the Sum that was at firft de- 
manded. 
The Nabob, whofe Name was Fakerly Cawn , would 
hear of no Peace without the Company’s Merchant, who 
was a Gentow , called Agapa, and a SubjeCt of the Mogul 
(who was very aCtive in the War, in encouraging the 
Town’s-people to defend themfelves and the Company’s 
Interefts, and who alfo had wrote to fome neighbouring 
Rajahs to embroil the Nabob’s Affairs in his Abfence, in 
order to divert him from purfuing his Demands on Viza- 
gapatam) fhould be delivered up to him, which at laft he 
was, and was put to a very cruel Death. He was fet in 
the hot fcorching Sun three Days, with his Hands faftened 
to a Stake over his Head, and one of his Legs tied up 
till his Heel touched his Buttock, and in the Night put 
into a Dungeon, with fome venomous Snakes to bear him 
Company 1 and this was repeated till the third Night he 
ended his miferable Life. But the Company’s Merchants, 
for the future, will be careful how they efponfe. the Com-) 
party’s Intereft again. There was . one Baity $ a Recruit, 
from Fort St. George , on fome Difcontent deferted the 
Company’s Service, and entered into the Nabob’s v but 
falling into an Ambufli, was taken Prifoner by our Men, and 
was fent to Fort St. George where, for his Defertion, he 
was defervedly whipped out of this World into the next*, 
and there I leave him* 
After the War was ended, and all was quiet, the Nabob 
returned to Chickacul , but could neither forget nor forgive 
his Treatment at Fort St. George and Vizagapatam ; but 
finding by Force he could not get the Factory into his own 
Hands, without a great Lofs of Men arid Money, he had 
Recourfe to Stratagem, for furprifing it : He came into the 
Town one Day with one hundred Horfe, and fome Foot, 
without advifing of his coming, as was ufual, at the Town- 
gate, and before the Chief could have Notice, he was got 
into the Factory, with twenty or thirty of his Attendants. 
The Alarm being given a refolute bold young Gentleman, a 
Fadlor in the Company’s Service, called Mr. Richard 
Harden , came running down Stairs with his Fuzee in his 
Hand, and Bayonet ferued on its Muzzel, and prefenting 
it to the Nabob’s Breaft, told him in the Gentow Language 
( which he was Mafter of) that if any of his Attendants 
offered the leaft Incivility, his Life fhould anfwer for it. 
The Nabob was furprifingly aftoniffied at the Refolution 
and Bravery of the young Gentleman, and fat down to 
confider a little, Mr. Harden keeping the Muzzel of his 
Piece ltill at his Breaft, and one of the Nabob’s Servants 
{landing all the while behind Mr. Harden with a Dagger’s 
Point clofe to his Back ; fo they had a Conference of half 
an Hour long in the above-mentioned PoPnire, and then 
the Nabob thought fit to be gone again, full of Wonder 
and Admiration at fo daring a Courage. 
The next Kingdom to Golconda , in which the Places we 
have been laft fpeaking of lie, is that of Orixd ; and pro- 
ceeding along its Coaft, we come to the Mouth of the Ri- 
ver of Ballafore , where there is a very dangerous Bar, 
fufficiently noted for the many Wrecks and Loffes made 
by it. Between Cunnaca and Ballafore Rivers there is 
one continued Tandy Bay, where prodigious Numbers of 
Sea-Tortoifes refort, to lay their Eggs, and a very delici- 
ous Fiffi, called the Pamplee, fome in Shells, and are fold 
for Two-pence a hundred ; two of them are fufficient to 
dine a moderate Man. The Town of Ballafore is but 
four Miles from the Sea by Land, but by the River twenty. 
The Country is fruitful to Admiration, producing Rice, 
Wheat, Gram, Doll, Callavances, feveral forts of Pulfe , 
Annis , Cummin, Coriander, and Carraway-Seeds, To- 
bacco, Butter, Oil, and Bee’s-Wax. Their Manufactures 
are of Cotton in Sanis, Caffes, Dimities, Mulmuls, Silk, 
and Silk and Cotton Romals, Gurrahs, and Lungies 5. 
and of Herba (a fort of tough Grafs) they make Ging- 
hams, Pinafco’s, and feveral other Goods for Exportation. 
The Englifh , French , and Dutch , have their refpeclive 
Factories here ; but at prefent are of little Confederation ; 
though, in former Times, before the Navigation of Hughly 
River was cultivated, they were the head Factories of the 
Gulph of Bengal. 
The Town of Ballafore drives a pretty good Trade to 
the Maldives. Thofe Hands have no Rice or other Grain- 
of their own Product ; fo that Ballafore fupplies them 
with all Neceffaries they want ; and in Return bring Cow- 
ries and Cayer, for the Service of Shipping. The Sea- 
lliore of Ballafore being very low, and the Depths of the 
Water very gradual from the Strand, make the Ships in 
Ballafore Road keep at a good Diftance from the Shore , 
for in four or five Fathoms they ride three Leagues off. 
From April to Oblober is the Seafon for Shipping to come 
into the Bay of Bengali Pilots lie ready at Ballafore to 
carry them up the River Hughly , which is a fmajg Branch 
of the famous Ganges . The European Companies before- 
mentioned, keep theirs always in Pay •; but when none of 
their own Shipping is there, their Pilots have the Liberty 
to ferve other Ships, which is no fmali Advantage to them. 
The Sides of the River are over-grown with Bullies, 
which give Shelter to many fierce and troublefome Tygers, 
which do much Mifchief. A good Author fays, he knew 
' an VEnglifhman that was in 'the ShipVboat laden with freffif 
Water 3 
