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104 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY.
lead their men on, and so the da}' after consultation, they went
to attack the Dutch, who were three times stronger than we,
and they met with the same kind reception we gave them ; but
they had a warehouse within pistol-shot of their factory, with
goods to the amount of =£20,000 sterling, in it, which the
Ballowches broke into and plundered. The Dutch lost twelve
men, and had eight or ten wounded, so finding our factories
were not to be taken without the danger of much bloodshed,
they went plundering the town for eight or nine days, and
carried away in money and goods, above ^£200,000, besides
fourteen thousand captives, and as many beasts of carriage, and
so went oft' about five or six miles from the town, which they
laid in ashes before they left it. They continued in our neigh-
bourhood, with their plunder, about a month, I suppose till
they received new orders how to dispose of themselves."
The failures to coerce Angria tended generally to increase his
power. No trading vessels dared to pass down the coast with-
out an escort of ships of war, and the name of this pirate chief
was as much dreaded as was ever that of the Algerines in the
Mediterranean. Emboldened by his success, Angria now openly
attacked English vessels, and, in 1627, captured a richly-laden
ship, belonging to the Company, which, together with other
prizes, was taken to his fortified harbours. " These," says Grant
DulF, "were considered impregnable," and off^ered from their
number and position, peculiar facilities for piratical operations.
Although Kanhojee Angria had, in 1728, made a proposition
for a peaceful settlement of disputes, he captured the Company's
galley, ' King William,' in the following year, and took Captain
McNeale, prisoner. This unfortunate officer, having made
a fruitless attempt to escape, was loaded with irons, and so
severely beaten that his life was despaired of. Only after many
years he was released with some other European prisoners, on
paying a ransom of 500 rupees, Avhich, however, were repaid
him by Government, in consideration of his severe sufferings.
In 1730 a hope was indulged that, by an alliance with the
Bhonslaysof Sawunt Waree, the common enemy, Angria, might
be effectually punished ; but this proved visionary, although a
treaty was actually made and ratified. Soon after this event,
the death of Kanhojee Angria must have occurred.*
Kanhojee left two legitimate sons, between whom his
territories were divided. Sukhojee^ the elder, obtaining Colaba
as his share, and the southern coasT falling to Sambhajee, the
* Consultation Book of the Bombaj Government, the 10th of Febniary, 1728,
1729, and April, 1735. The Treaty is dated the 12th of January, 1730. Grant
Dull' surmised that Kanhojee Angria died in 1728, but added in a note, " I am
not certain of this date, as I have not observed it in the English Records."
Kanhojee is mentioned in the treaty with the Bhonslay, as still alive, and there-
fore this surmise must be incorrect. Grote also says, in his " Travels in the In-
dies," '•' Angria died about 1731, being about sixty."