Page:Early English adventurers in the East (1917).djvu/101

Rh Turks and detaining them there as hostages for Sharpeigh and his associates in misfortune. Rejib Aga, when he heard how he had been outwitted, used "vile words" to Sharpeigh, but did not dare to make any further hostile move.

The strain after this relaxed to a certain extent and some trading transactions were carried through. But the main purpose of the visit, the establishment of a factory, was as far off realization as ever. It was, therefore, determined with Rejib Aga's consent to despatch Jourdain and a colleague named Glasscock overland to Mocha to make a personal application to the pasha for the requisite permission. The journey to-day is one which would be accompanied by considerable peril for Europeans, and at that time it must have been exceptionally dangerous, owing to the disturbed state of the country, which was in the throes of one of the periodic rebellions common to it. No incident of importance, however, marked the progress of the travellers. They arrived at Sana early in June, 1609, but only to discover that their expedition was fruitless, as the pasha resolutely declined to entertain the question of a factory. When they had exhausted their powers of persuasion they proceeded to Mocha, to find that the ships, with Sharpeigh at liberty and in command, had come on from Aden and had established themselves ashore with the friendly acquiescence of the local authorities. The extensive freedom which his countrymen permitted themselves in this enemy's territory astounded and alarmed Jourdain, who thought it very censurable in view of what had already happened. "But," he remarks with a shrewd insight into national character, "it is a general rule with the English that if they have but a parcel of fair words given them, (they think)