Page 290 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

CHAPTER XX
Job Charnock founds Calcutta

Expedition to Bengal to exact redress for wrongs inflicted upon the
English—Job Charnock assigned the post of honour—His
career—Charnock sacks Hooghly—Evacuation of Hooghly
and temporary occupation of Sutanuti the modem Calcutta—
Subsequent removal to Hijili—Attack by Mogul troops—
Gallant defence—Dire straits of garrison—Welcome reinforce­
ments—Peace concluded—Return of the English to Sutanuti—
Charnock in disgrace—New expedition under Heath—Its failure
—English retire to Madras—Are invited back to Bengal—
Calcutta founded—Chamock’s last days—His character
i N following Thomas Pitt’s career we have drifted some­
what from the main channel of the narrative which
before he was introduced upon the scene was flowing
irregularly through the plains of Bengal. When we return
to the course it is to find that little real progress had been
made by the Company in the way of the establishment of
a permanent settlement in that quarter. For years the
vain attempt had been made to conduct trade from fac­
tories which were mere glorified warehouses existing by
the goodwill of the native authorities. In the absence of
any proper status the Englishmen were treated with scant
courtesy at almost all times and not infrequently with
actual injustice. Protests made against oppressive ex­
actions of local officials were either disregarded altogether
or contemptuously dealt with. In fine, the Company
were at the mercy of every capricious wind that blew in
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