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22 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ;
The Portuiynese galleons, which had all this while continucil
at anchor to the northward, fell down the next day to the bar
of Snrat, where Captain Downton caused them to be watched,
suspecting the Viceroy might land and njarch on the city, in
which case he resolved to attack the galleons, deprived of their
fighting men ; but the Viceroy saw the danger, and only sent
the " frigates " into the river, to give moral force to the nego-
tiations which he renewed with the Nabob, who, however,
answered as before, that he could not abandon the English.
On the 13th, the Viceroy sailed away with all his fleet, except
twenty " frigates," a step which created various conjectures
concerning his future intentions. Notwithstanding the alarms
to which the English ships had been lately exposed, they had
continued landing their cargoes and receiving on board the
goods provided for England ; when all were shipped, as well
as the water and provisions, Captain Downton, deeming the
fair season too far spent to permit of the enemy's fleet attacking
the city, signified his intention of departing to the Nabob, who
entreated him to defer it for fifteen days ; and, after much
seeming objection, he consented to a delay of eight. The
Nabob now sent his tents and equipage to Swally, and arrived
there himself with a great train on the morning of the 24tb of
February. On hearing of his arrival, Captain Downton landed
with one hundred and twenty armed men, and proceeded to
the Nabob's tent, where he was received and entertained with
much courtesy. The Nabob returned the visit on board Captain
Downton's ship, which he examined with intelligent curiosit}',
and was escorted to the shore by the Captain ; two days after,
the Nabob's son and son-in-law came on board to take leave,
and, on the following day, several of the principal men of the
town.
On the 3rd of March, the English ships weighed from Swally,
and saw a fleet of " frigates " coming from the westward into
the river, most of which passed in shoal water, out of shot
but the ships fired on the nearest, to give the last testimony of
goodwill to their friends on shore. At daybreak, the Poi'tu-
guese fleet, which was discerned at anchor nearer the shore,
weighed and stood after the English ships throughout the day,
but lost ground by not anchoring, as they did, on the flood.*
The next day, the 5th of the month, both fleets stood on to
the south ; but the Portuguese did not gain, although the
'Hope' sailed so ill that the 'Hector' was obliged to take her
in tow. The succeeding day, Downton, thinking he had led
the enemy's fleet far enough from their own ports and Surat,
resolved to let them come up, and then, putting about suddenly,
to attack them unexpectedly. He, accordingly, went in his
* Vessels going from Suvat to tlie South, save their grouud hj anchoring ou
the flood, unless tlie wuid is rerv stitl'.