Page 99 - INDIANNAVYV1
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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.            C7 ;
     than half-an-lionr one  of the grabs,  called the  ' Dove,' was
     surrounded and obliged to strike, and the other only avoided this
     danger by keeping aloof, while the five trading vessels  set sail
     in retreat; so that the  ' Revenge' was left alone in the midst of
     the enemy.  She was commanded by Captain Minohin, having
     also on board Captain Keigwin, the commander of the garrison,
     both men of conspicuous gallantry.  After a determined and
     desperate figlit they beat o3' the enemy's galivats that attempted
     to board, and sunk five of them  ; on which the whole fleet, fifty
     vessels,  fled before  this single ship, and were pursued into
     shoal water to the bar of Negotan.  Several of their galivats,
     with recruits and stores, succeeded in getting into Kenery during
     the  fight.  Two days later the enemy's  fleet came out again
     from Negotan,  but, when the English advanced to meet them,
     returned into the river.
       At this time five thousand of Sevajee's troops, in expectation
     of better success from  their fleet, came down from Rairee to
     Gallian, and demanded, as once before, permission of the Portu-
     guese Government  at Bassein, to pass  at Tannah, in order
     to cross at Mahini into Bombay; but they were again refused.
     Nevertheless,  their  continuance  at  Gallian  created  much
     solicitude lest the Portuguese should change their mind, or they
     should succeed  in procuring boats and passing down from
     Gallian in the night, while so large a portion of the garrison
     was absent in the fleet.  Notwithstanding the increase of the
     English vessels watching Kenery, it  still continued impossible
     to prevent the enemy's boats from reaching  it in the night
     thus, twelve landed supplies on the 25th, and five a few nights
     after ; and, although not  so readily,  all got away  in safety.
     Cannon were now mounted on the   island, and  fired at the
     English vessels, but they inflicted  little loss  ; while several of
     the enemy's galivats were driven on shore near Negotan, at
     different times, by the Company's armed trading vessels.  The
     ' Hunter,' which  had come from  Surat,  and  brouglit  the
     President's guard of thirty-six Europeans to reinforce l>ombay,
     was now sent to reinforce the  fleet, which then quitted  their
     station near Kenery. and anchored to block up the river, called
     by Orme, Negotan  ; but, as they could not do this effectually,
     owing to  its having two outlets, the Commodore proposed  to
     enter, burn  the enemy's  fleet, and ravage the country.  The
     Council at Bombay, however, and, still more, the Presidency at
     Surat, were unwilling to risk provoking Sevajee's resentment.
     The Mogul Government at Surat were as much alarmed as
     either the English or Portuguese, at Sevajee's attempts to gain
     the command of the sea:  for, hitherto, they had only dreaded
     him on shore.  The Seedee, having obtained from the Govern-
     ment at Surat the necessary supplies, for the first time without
       mdge or
      rri      regret, proceeded to Bombay with his  fieet of two
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