Page 106 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

106 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN THE EAST
I ships at anchor and raided the local craft, if Middleton
had not strongly interdicted such procedure on the ground
that it would be perilous to him and his fellow-captives.
f: |t
For a time Downton acquiesced in the instructions, though
reluctantly. But when as the weeks slipped by the confi­
dent expectations of an early release were not realized, he
became restive in the presence of the re-iteratcd injunctions
of his superior to do nothing. He wrote strongly to
Middleton, telling him plainly that he must be the judge of
what was best to do and intimating that he could accept
no instructions which clashed with what he deemed to
be necessary.
Middleton took umbrage at this frankness and replied in 4
what Downton described as “ a very carping and most dis­
tasteful letter.” The relations between the two old friends
seemed to threaten a rupture, but happily the good sense
of each saved the situation. Downton, more in sorrow
than in anger, wrote saying how hurt he was at the tone of
Middleton’s missive and intimating that he would write no
more letters for mischief-makers to “ cant, construe and
cavil at.” To this Middleton replied with a “ very kind
letter,” asking Downton not to take the worst view of his
last “ melancholy letter,” which, he explained, was written
under circumstances of great mental depression. The
frank and manly acknowledgment of error went home to
the sensitive heart of Downton, who now cheerfully carried
out Middleton’s orders to take his ships to Assab Bay on
the opposite coast of the Red Sea, and have them careened
with a view to future eventualities.
About this time news reached Downton of the arrival
at Mocha of a number of small craft from Swes (Suez).
There are other references subsequently to this traffic down