Page 99 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

ENGLISH CAPTIVES IN ARABIA 99

Mocha, but his successor not unworthily upheld his tradi­
tions. Immediately the English ships appeared the old
treacherous game began. A present sent by Middleton
to the governor brought in return a gift of “ two Barbary
sheep with broad rumps, and small tails, and some plan­
tains and other fruit.” Deceived by the “ fair words ”
of the officials Middleton decided to leave the Peppercorn
to trade at Aden while he went on to Mocha with the other
two ships, the Trade's Increase and the Darling. After
his departure it became speedily evident that the gover­
nor’s intentions were the reverse of amiable. When he
found that in accordance with instructions Middleton left
behind that no cargo was to be landed, he schemed to get
some of the Englishmen into his power.
Downton, who was now in charge, was asked to send
the merchants to him to discuss the question of trade.
Without any suspicion of what was at the back of the re­
quest the English commander despatched two factors to
the governor’s residence. They had no sooner reached
the house than they were made prisoners with the intima­
tion that they would be detained until an extortionate
demand in respect of anchorage dues had been satisfied.
Downton utterly declined to allow himself to be black­
mailed in this fashion. Nor was he intimidated by a threat
which reached him later that if the demand was not satis­
fied the factors would be hanged on the beach in full view
of the Peppercorn. But he found as the days slipped by
without any sign of the governor relenting that he would
either have to sacrifice the valuable lives of the captives or
submit to the extortion. Cargo to the value of the amount
demanded was accordingly landed under conditions which
secured the release of the Company’s representatives.