Page 292 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

292 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS
IN THE EAST
Patna. In this position he remained continuously for
sixteen years. He married a native wife and adopted
native modes of living. It was even whispered by his
enemies that he had become a pervert to Paganism and
sacrificed regularly at the Hindu shrines. The allegation
was probably false, but unquestionably Charnock had by
long residence in isolation at Patna become completely
immersed in Indian customs. Such a man was not ill-
qualified to conduct negotiations with native powers where
an intimate knowledge of the vernacular and of the native
habits of thought was all important. There was nothing,
however, in his previous history to warrant the supposition
that he would make a successful man of action. It might
even be imagined that his long life of comparative retire-
ment in India had warped those qualities which are most
put to the test in a physical struggle. But Charnock,
as the sequel will show, was no decadent Englishman with
fibres sapped by an enervating Orientalism. He played
his part on the great Indian stage with the best and most
energetic of his fellow pioneers.
When the crisis came in 1684 Charnock was at Hooghly,
whither he had escaped with difficulty from Patna, out
of the clutches of the Nabob who was intent on wringing
from him an amount unjustly claimed to be due from the
Company. The Agent, on entering into his own, at once
set about making his dispositions to meet the coming
storm. Before the year had expired three ships had come
out, large vessels, one of seventy, another of sixty-five
and the other of fifty guns, carrying some six hundred
seamen. There was in addition a number of small craft
including three frigates each equipped with twelve guns
and manned by twenty seamen. With the fleet arrived a