Page 70 - INDIANNAVYV1

38 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

Eoads, an open roadstead on the Persian coast near jMinab,
Ormuz being in sight, about ten leagues, W.N.W. The English
factors at .Task informed the captains that the Portuguese had
erected a fort at the town of Kishm*— whence they drew their
supplies of water in seasons of drought—to which the Persians
had laid siege ineffectually, and had lost a great many men.
The Persian general had received orders from the Shah to take
Ormuz at any cost, " wherefore the Prince of Shiraz had
demanded the aid of our ships against the common enemy, the
Portuguese," threatening otherwise, says the account from
which we are quoting, to detain all the goods and money
belonging to the Company in Persia.
In a consultation on board the ' Jonas,' articles of agreement
were drawn up and signed by the captains, for giving aid to
the Persians, and sent to the Khan of Shiraz, then on his way
towards Minab. The English consented to act under fear of
an embargo being laid on their goods, and also because the}''
considered it would be " for the public benefit, and the securing
a peaceable and profitable trade." The agreement was ratified
by the Persian governor, subject to some points reserved for
the Shah's decision. A new difficulty, however, arose, for we
are told " when news of this agreement became known among
the ships' companies, they refused to take any share in the
business, but after much pains, the}^ were reconciled to
it."
On the 19th of January, 1622, the fleet anchored before the
town of Ormuz, expecting that the enemy's armada would come
out to fight. In this they were disappointed ; but, as they
learned that Ruy Frere de Andrada was in a fort in the neigh-
bouring island of Kishm, which the Portuguese had constructed
in the preceding year, the fleet sailed to that place, where it
arrived on the folloAving day. The Portuguese were soon
reduced to extremities, and surrendered the fort to the English
on the 1st of February. Among the killed on board the
Company's ships, was the famous Arctic navigator, William
Baffin, who acted as pilot. Seventeen guns and about one
thousand prisoners, including the Portuguese Admiral, were
taken in the castle. On the 4th of February the fleet pro-
ceeded to Gombroon, whence Ruy Frere was sent to Surat, in
the ' Lion,' escorted by two pinnaces, so that only four ships
and two pinnaces were left for the attack on Ormuz.
On the 9th of February the squadron arrived at Ormuz,

* Kishm, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, was oallecl bv the Portuguese
" Quexome," " Kish" by El-ldrisy, and by Arrian, iu his Voyage of Nearclius,
" Oarakta." The Eev. Gr. P. Badger, in his " Introduction and Analysis " to his
translation of the " History of the Imiuns and Seyyids of Ormuz," makes the
mistake of confounding the island of Kaish, which is a small islet generally known
as Kenn, with the larger island of Kishm near Ormuz. (See his notes to pages
three and four of his " Introduction and Analysis.")