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 Chap. I.]

PROCEEDINGS IN THE RED SEA.

2ol

Turkish firman.

US — wee to take their indicoes and other goods of theirs as they were worth, ad. icu. and they to take ours in lieu thereof." The latter proposal, though carrying injustice and spoliation on the very face of it, was unanimously preferred by the violent

proceedings.

council; and the ships of a Company, invested by the crown with exclusive privileges for the purpose of carrying on a legitimate trade, deliberately set out on a marauding expedition which virtually made every man connected with it a pirate.

While Sir Henry Middleton was thus detaining and rifling all the vessels from India which were so unfortunate as to fall into his hands, other three vessels — the Clove, Hector, and Thomas — fitted out under the auspices of the Company, sailed from England on the 18th of April, 1611, under the command of Captain John Saris. Like those which Sir Henry commanded, their first destination was the Red Sea. As a means of securing a favourable reception at the different ports with which trade might be attem})ted, a firman or pass had Captain been obtained from the sultan at Constantinople, by the intervention of the witim English ambassador there. In this document, addressed to all the " great vice- roys and beglerbegs who are on the way (both by sea and land), from my most happy and imperial throne, to the confines of the East Indies," they are strictly enjoined " kindly and courteously to entertain and receive the merchants and subjects of Great Britain, coming or passing through or by any of our dominions, with a view to trade to the territories of Yemen, Aden, and Mocha, and the parts adjoining, by assisting and relieving them with all things necessary for them- selves, their men, and ships ;" and, in general, by yielding unto them " such offices of benevolence and

humanity as shall be -^^^ir.y^L-

meet and convenient to be yielded unto honest men and stran- gers undertaking so long and painful a voyage."

Foitified with this recommendation, Cap- tain Saris had antici- pated little difficulty in opening a traffic with the subjects of the sultan in the Red

Sea, and was therefore mortified when, on arriving at the island of Socotra, he niBdiBaii- received a letter which had been left by Sir Henry Middleton, acquainting him ^IT l^^',*' with his proceedings and warning him against Turkish treachery. Though his ^g^,f "^' hopes of peaceful trade were now faint, he determined to test the efficacy of his

— « -iti _^;»-

^1^

Mocha, from the North.— From Capt. C. F. Head's Eastern and Egyptian Scenery.