Page:History of India Vol 7.djvu/76

 48 THE STRUGGLE WITH THE PORTUGUESE 260 fighting men with 28 pieces of ordnance. Five others were of 700 to 400 tons. The " frigates " alone carried about 1200 soldiers in addition to the rowers. The total strength of the armada amounted to 2600 Europeans, whose duty it was to work 234 guns, besides the native crews to the number of 6000, who sailed the ships. Downton, with his four vessels, 400 men, and 80 guns of much inferior calibre, seemed caught in a trap, with the Moghul governor unfriendly on shore, the " frigates " guarding the shallow entrance to the river, and the great galleons and galleys cutting off retreat to sea. But Downton felt that on that fight depended " all hope of future times; " for if he were defeated, the Portuguese would make peace with the native gov- ernor and the English would be expelled from the coun- try for ever. What troubled him most was the unequal drudgery thrown on his men. The work of the Portuguese ships was done by slaves and " inferior sea-people/ ' while their soldiers remained fresh for battle. The English crews, on the other hand, before actual fighting could begin, " are first tired or half-spent with the labour of the ship, as heaving at capstern, and getting up our anchors. . . making them in hot countries both weary and faint." Downton poured out his heart in secret prayer, " ever as I could be solitary, or free from others, very earnestly craving aid and assistance from the Lord of Hosts." But he showed a bold face to his crews, and asked all the captains and some of the