Page 200 - INDIANNAVYV1

I(i8 HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY.

extending from about three miles up the river, where the agent
had his country house, and at which, since the Englisli factory
was closed, the Vice-Consul has resided. On the morning of
the 8th of April, sixteen Persian galivats appeared in sight,
coming up the river in full sail, to attack the English ships,
which, however, did not wait for them. The ' Success and
'
' Eagle ' slipped their cables, and, with the Pasha's two ketches,
set sail to meet them ; upon which the Persians " up helm " and
made oft' with the assistance of their sweeps. Their fleet con-
sisted of a small brig of eight guns, called the ' Tiger,'* five
galivats of ten guns, and ten others, carrying from six to eight
guns each. Mr. Parsons speaks of the good effect produced by
the activity of the Marine ofiScers, and says that the Governor,
who was going his rounds, accompanied by several of his officers,
"seemed well pleased with the behaviour of our little Marine
force, and told the Agent that if he would keep the enemy from
approaching by water, we had nothing to fear, for that he and
his brave fellows would prevent them by land, which the Agent
promised to do." Meantime reinforcements of Arabs and Turkish
troops from Bagdad arrived, so that " the men on the walls
seemed quite cheerful." Before daylight on the 9th of April,
the Persians made an attempt to escalade the walls, but
were driven back with great slaughter; on the same night they
succeeded in setting fire to two of the boats on the Persian side
of the bridge of boats, but they only burnt to the water's edge
without sinking, so that their object was not attained. The
• Success,' and the two Pasha's galivats moored near that side,
opened fire and dispersed the people, also firing into the village,
which burned for many hours.
On tile following day the English squadron weighed anchor,
and worked down the river with the tide and a contrary wind,
the Company's Agent being desirous of proceeding to Bushire,
and the Commodore of attacking, en route, a fleet of twelve
* The ' Tiger' formerly belonged to the Company. In April, 1773, when the
plague desolated Bussorah, the Agent and his men quitted the city, and embarked
on board the ' Drake' and ' Tiger,' two of the Company's cruisers, with the intention
of proceeding to Bombay. Kurreem Khan, Shah of Persia, was on bad terms
with them because Mr. Morley, the Agent at Bushire, fearing ill-treatment, had,
about five years before, fled on board a Company's cruiser and proceeded to
Bombay, which drew all the English trade to the Turkish port of Bussorah. In
order to be revenged, the Shah directed some of his galivats to waylay the two
cruisers. The ' Tiger' was captured by a surprise, but they teared to attack the
' Drake,' a vessel carrying fourteen guns, on board which was the Agent and
several members of the factory. The ' Tiger,' with Messrs. Beaumont and Green
on board, was carried to Bunder Eeeg, and, by order of the Shah, these two
gentlemen were sent to him to Shiraz. They remained here a year, when they
were conducted to Bushire. Mr. Green had been permitted to proceed to
Bussorah, to which the English Agent had returned to settle his affairs, and was
here wlien the siege broke out. Soon alter this the Bombay Government
made proposals for the release of the prisoners and the re-establishment of the
English factory at Bushire.