Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/418

410 this force consisted only of four grabs, two of which, however, mounted twenty guns, and six gallivats, it was deemed capable of nothing more than to protect the trade; and indeed it scarcely ever did any mischief to the enemy, who sailing much better than the Bombay fleet, never fought them longer than they thought proper: in the mean time, Angria seldom failed to take such ships as ventured to sail without company along his coast. About twenty-eight years ago they took the Darby, a ship belonging to the company, richly laden from England, and more lately a three mast grab of the Bombay fleet: they likewise took a forty gun ship belonging to the French company; and in February, 1754, they overpowered three Dutch ships, of 50, 36, and 18, guns, which were sailing together, burning the two largest, and taking the other. In 1722, commodore Matthews with a squadron of three ships of the line, in conjunction with a Portugueze army from Goa, attacked one of their forts called Coilabby, but by the cowardice of the Portugueze the attempt proved unsuccessful: and two years after that expedition, the Dutch with equal ill success attacked Gheria with seven ships, two bomb vessels, and a body of land forces. From this time his forts were deemed impregnable, as his fleet was with reason esteemed formidable. Elated by his constant good fortune, the pirate threw off his allegiance to the Morattoes: it is said that he cut off the noses of their ambassadors who came to demand the tribute he had agreed to pay to the Saha Rajah. The Morattoes who were in possession of the main land opposite to Bombay, had several times made proposals to the English government in the island, to attack this common enemy with their united forces, but it was not before the beginning of the present year that both parties happened to be ready at the same time to undertake such an expedition. The presidency then made a treaty with Rama-gee Punt, the Saha Rajah's general in these parts, and agreed to assist the Morattoes with their marine force in reducing Severndroog, Bancoote, and some others of Angria's forts, which lie near to Choul, a harbour and fortified city belonging to the Morattoes. Accordingly commodore James, the commander in chief of the company's marine force in India, sailed on the 22d of March in the Protector of 44 guns, with a ketch of 16 guns, and two bomb vessels; but such was the exaggerated