Page:Views in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Northamptonshire.djvu/83

 strongest forts, built upon a small rocky island which lies about eight miles to the north of Dabul, and within cannon-shot of the continent: here Conagee revolted against the Saha Rajah, or king of the Morattoes, and having seduced part of the fleet to follow his fortune, he with them took and destroyed the rest. The Saha Rajah endeavoured to reduce him to obedience by building three forts upon the main land, within point-blank shot of Severndroog; but Conagee took these forts likewise, and in a few years got possession of all the sea-coast, from Tamanah to Bancoote, extending 120 miles, together with the inland country as far back as the mountains, which in some places are thirty, in others twenty miles from the sea. His successors, who have all borne the name of Angria, strengthened themselves continually, insomuch that the Morattoes having no hopes of reducing them, agreed to a peace, on condition that Angria should acknowledge the sovereignty of the Saha Rajah, by paying him a small annual tribute.

"In the mean-time the piracies which Angria exercised upon ships of all nations indifferently, who did not purchase his passes, rendered him every day more and more powerful. There was not a creek, bay, harbour, or mouth of a river