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40 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY,

On the 2ik1 of April, officers from the ships, acting as en-
gineers, exploded two other mines, forming a practicable
The
breach, but the Persians would not take advantage of it.
garrison Avere now getting short of provisions, and suffering
from sickness. On the 14th and 17th other mines were
exploded, when the besiegers assaulted with two thousand
soldiers. A few Portuguese held them in check, while a flank-
ing battery did great execution among the Persians, who
clustered on the breach like a flock of sheep, until, at length,
they made a rapid retreat. Another assault on the 18th was
also unsuccessful, but, on the 19th, the allies got possession
of the entire outer wall, forcing the Portuguese to retire further
within the castle. On this night a Portuguese frigate escaped
the blockading ships, as was supposed, richly freighted.
On the 21st of April the Portuguese made overtures to the
English, who received letters from the military commander
and the Admiral, requesting tlieir mediation with the Persian
general, and saying that " if forced to surrender, as they soon
must be, they would call upon the English for that purpose, as
it were not reasonable for us to capitulate with the infidels
when you are present." The English commanders guaranteed
that their lives should be saved, and obtained a truce for tw^o
days to draw up conditions. On the 23rd the Portuguese sur-
rendered themselves to the English on condition of being sent
to Muscat or India. This was agreed to, and English and Per-
sian officers were stationed at the gate to pass the garrison out
and see that they took nothing with them. But the Persians
escorted the King of Ormuz, together with all the Mahomedans
and their treasure, out of the castle by the breach, and, contrary
to the stipidations, whole bales of goods, with boxes and caskets
full of treasure to an unknown amount, were conveyed at the
same time over the trenches. On the 24th both English and
Persians began to pillage "in a shameful manner." In the
evening the Khan of Shiraz came over from Gombroon, and
made a triumphant entry into the castle, in which were found
three hundred pieces of brass and iron ordnance. The English
were employed protecting and embarking the garrison, who, to
the number of two thousand five hundred, left for Goa, on the
27th, in two ships the English gave for the purpose, being
probably some of the captured vessels. Before embarking,
these unfortunate men were ill-treated and stripped by the Per-
sians.*
* Sii- Thomas Herbert (the historian of a mission sent by the King of England
in the year 1626, under Sir Dodmore Cotton) writes as follows in his quaint work,
" Travels Persia," of the greatness and downfall of this celebrated
in city.
" Ormuz is an isle within the G-ulf, in old times known by the name of Geru,
and before that, Ogiris, ' but I dai'e not say from a famous Thebau of that name.'
Its circuit is fifteen miles, and it procreates nothing noteworthy, salt excepted,
of which the rocks are participant; and the silver shining sand exjjresseth
sulphiu'.