38 
J. M. Foster — Note on Ghargion, Asam. 
[No. 1, 
“ In the mean time our two adventurers, and the English who belonged 
to the army, having observed all the signs of an approaching tempest, care- 
fully repaired their vessels. These precautions, however, were unavailing ; the 
vessel in which were our two adventurers, not having been properly ballasted, 
was overturned by the currents, and four Dutchmen and twenty-four Moors 
perished. Both our heroes, after swimming sevei'al hours towards land, had 
the good fortune to be assisted by an English vessel, which took them on board. 
The next morning they thanked their benefactors and went to the army, 
where they sought an occasion of admittance to the general. As soon as he 
heard of the loss of the vessel, he fell into a violent passion, and commanded 
them to withdraw and choose what other vessel they had a mind to. 
“ In two days after, their admiral sot sail in search of the enemy, atten- 
ded by the whole fleet. Although the wind was little favourable to them, 
the vessel which our adventurers entered, followed on the course, and three 
or four hours afterwards dashed against a rock, wlvich struck off their helm. 
Not long after, they discovered the enemy’s fleet, consisting of six hundred 
sail. As soon as the enemy perceived them, they advanced, and a smart en- 
counter ensued. They took three hundred of the enemy’s vessels, the least 
of which carried seventy men ; and of this whole number there did not escape 
above fifty. The three hundred vessels that escaped, unhappily east anchor 
at about a quarter of a league’s distance from the general, who advanced up 
the country with all possible expedition. Having brought near three hund- 
red pieces of cannon, he planted them against them, and sunk the greatest 
part of them ; the rest passed over to the other side of the river, and were 
pursued by the general’s vessels with success. 
“ After this pursuit, their admiral cast anchor before the city of Lokwa, 
situated about six leagues from Gueragon. They were obliged to stay here 
about three months in consequence of the flood : as soon as the waters were 
sufficiently fallen, they quitted their post. Having been fifteen months in 
the Great Mogul’s army, by the mediation of their consul, our adventurers 
at length obtained their discharge, and prepared for their departure. In 
fifteen days they came to Decka, and thence took shipping for Ongueli. 
Having sailed about one hundred and twenty leagues along the river, they 
made some stay at Cazimabahar [Qazimbazar, near Murshidabad], a place 
famous for silks. From thence they returned to Ongueli, where each betook 
himself to different employs, and it was not till 1673, that the last of our 
adventurers was enabled to return to his native country.” 
The palace of the Rajahs in Ghargaon is situated nearly in the centre of 
a large enclosed space about a mile from the Dik’ho river, and nine miles 
east of Sibsagar (Bangpur). The surrounding ‘bund’ is -some fifteen feet 
broad on the top, and about eight feet high, but considerably more on the 
outer face where an enormous ditch exists all around, some forty feet wide and 
