Page 293 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

JOB CHARNOCK FOUNDS CALCUTTA 293

military force of three or four hundred men formed into
companies on the model of the King’s troops. The
strength of the forces at Charnock’s disposal was com­
pleted by a number of Portuguese and Rajput soldiers,
the former of little accomit as fighters and the latter
lacking the necessary discipline to make them really ser­
viceable.
These preparations aroused the native officials to action.
Troops were hurried up from all quarters to overawe these
audacious Englishmen who had shown a disposition to
challenge the mighty Mogul authority. A battery of
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eleven guns was erected to command the anchorage, and
.
the settlement was placed in a condition of blockade by
the issue of an edict prohibiting the sale to its inhabitants
of any supplies.
It only needed a little incident to bring about a con­
dition of actual warfare. This was supplied one day to­
wards the end of October when three English soldiers on
proceeding to the market were beaten, bound and carried
off prisoners. Charnock sent out a company of infantry
to avenge the insult and bring back the prisoners. The
sally was expected and as soon as the men emerged
from the shelter of the settlement they were assailed on
all sides by large bodies of horse and foot soldiers.
They stood their ground for a time, but eventually had
to retreat with a loss of seven of their number killed or
wounded.
Encouraged by their success the natives set fire to the
hovels surrounding the settlement and commenced a
i vigorous bombardment of the ships at anchor. Charnock
ordered up a body of English troops stationed at Chan-
dernagar to strengthen his force for an emergency which

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