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September, before which the Merchants cannot vend them again, besides, those
who do not reside here retire to Schiras, &ca., the beginning of June and return
when August is over, to avoid the excessive heat at this place.
Some days after the landing of the Woolens by the Grab, the Merchants as­
sembled at the Factory and talked of purchasing, but we could plainly perceive
by their discourse that they had combined together to give no more than the prices.
Woolens formerly sold for here, that they had then no intention of buying at any
rate, but came and made us those offers to prepare us against September when
they hope we shall be forced to accept them. Notwithstanding this we flatter our­
selves that during the cold Months we shall have it in our power to clear the greatest
part of the Remains to better advantage especially if it be true as we are informed,
that some Merchants from Chorassan and other interior parts of Persia where
Woolens are in demand who formly used to visit Bushire annually, understanding
the resettlement of the Factory here, are then to come down to purchase Cloth ;
should this fortunately happen as we expect, we shall be particularly careful of
immediately advising Your Honour, &ca of it, otherwise as a quantity of the Cloth
lately sold at Busora, for the usual price as we are informed has been brought here,
we are under apprehensions that we shall have some difficulty in settling for the
prices of last year, and perhaps be obliged to lower them or dispose of the Perpets
Separately, however, Your Honour, &ca., may depend on our utmost assiduty being
exerted for the benefit of our Employers.
Shaik Nassir returned hither with his Galivats the 30th June, as have all the
other Shaiks with their fleets to their respective. bunders, who were at Bussora
assisting the Persians. And Masoon Caum of Genowa and Me^rally of the Bunder-
ick were lately here on a visit to Shaikh Nassir.
The Gallivats of Shaikh Abdallah of Ormuze have taken a daw belonging to
his own people but richly laden with goods from Muscat to Bareen and this place,
and two Trankeys which came in here some days ago were chased by them almost
to Congoon. It is confidently reported that he has the Yackeel’s orders to seize on
all Muscat Property to cut off the Communication with that place and this Gulph
and MeerAlly told the Resident he had also a Phirmaund for this service but had
declined it.
The foregoing part of this address was prepared on a supposition that the
Grab would sail from Bussora on the 20th of July. The 5th Instant the Merchants
accompanied by Shaik Nassir came again to the Factory and proposed taking all
the Perpets for ready money and giving silk for the whole remains of Cloth, which
we could not agree to being unacquainted with your late orders on this Kind of
barter—they then offered to take ten thousands (10,000) Rupees worth of Cloth pro­
vided we would also let them have double that value in Perpets, but opon sounding
them on the prices and .finding that the Shaikh took their part in endeavouring to
Lower them to the old Standard, we could come to no agreement. We are sorry
to acquaint Your Honour & council that Shaikh Nassir is too much of a Merchant
himself for us to expect any assistance from him in regard to the prices we sell for,
for as he takes a third part of whatever Goods are brought from the Factory, it is
evidently his interest to join the Merchants for getting them as cheap, as possible,
which he plainly convinced us of in the last Conference and proves a great check to
single Merchant’s from purchasing of us, however, we do not intend keeping the
Woolens beyond the approaching Season, but shall then sell them for the most we
can.

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