Page 248 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

248 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN THE EAST

some distance away. In spite of the odds against them 6
the two English ships held their position, and in the end, by
a well-sustained cannonade, inflicted such severe punish­
ment upon the enemy that they were put to flight. All
four English ships joined in the chase, which was continued -
well into the evening when, as the supply of ammunition
was running short, the order was given to return to Jask.
Honours decidedly rested with the English. A superior
Portuguese fleet had been driven ofi and the way had been
opened for English trade in circumstances which were calcu­
lated to impress the Persians with the superior fighting
qualities of the new aspirant for commercial favours in the
Shah’s dominions. The victory, however, had not been
won lightly. Amongst the wounded on the English side
was Shilling, who early in the action received a bullet
in the shoulder as he was directing operations from the
half deck. He lingered for some days and then expired,
to the great grief of his men, who recognized in him a skil­
ful and kindly leader. The dead commander was given an
imposing funeral at Jask. Thereafter the English fleet set
sail for Surat.
At the close of 1621 another English fleet of five ships,
under the joint command of Captains Blyth and Weddell,
was navigating the waters of the Gulf. In the interval
which had elapsed since the departure of Shilling’s fleet the
situation in Persia had markedly changed. The Persians,
encouraged by the success of the English operations, had
besieged Ormuz, and the Portuguese, in retaliation for Per­
sian hostility, had laid waste the coast and burnt all Persian
shipping that came in their way. On the whole the Portu­
guese, with their command of the sea, had, so far, a distinct
advantage in the struggle.