Page 127 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

ENGLISH AND PORTUGUESE RIVALRY 127

to accept it as decisive. As lie could not overcome the
English in direct conflict in the light of day he determined
to see what could be accomplished at night by strategy.
About a fortnight afterwards when darkness had fallen he
sent down the river with the tide a number of frigates with
two fireships. The latter fouled the Merchants' Hope's
hawser and would probably have set her on fire if those
on the ship had not seen the danger and taken measures
to remove the dangerous craft to a safe distance. The
next night another attempt of the same character was
made and was attended with a like result. Convinced at
length that the English fleet was not to be overcome Don
Jeronimo on the following morning set sail for the South,
leaving Downton to enjoy the fruits of his well-earned
victory. The most immediate of these was the bestowal
of the favour of the native authorities in a very practical
form. The governor sent on board the English ships
bountiful supplies, accompanied by flattering expressions
of gratitude, and lavish promises of future benefits. He
gave even more emphatic evidence of the impression that
the recent events had made on him by resolutely rejecting
overtures for peace which were tendered by the Portuguese.
For the time being fortune decidedly smiled on the English
at Surat.
Downton all this time was not without his pre-occupa­
tions. There had come down from Agra, whither he had
been sent by the Company to act as chaplain—the first
who filled that position in India—the Rev. Peter Rogers,
a turbulent cleric who was at cross purposes with most
of the staff at the Agra factory and who on arrival at Surat
promptly fell out with Downton. It is difficult to gather
what was the precise origin of the quarrel. From the