DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15172#0048
chap. I. OBSTACLES TO THE VOYAGE.
15
boarded by about fifty armed men, who wrenched
open every thing, and prosecuted the most rigorous
search for cannon and gunpowder. Mr. Leckie and
myself stood by in amazement, till it was at length
demanded that the box containing the large carriage
should be opened; for they pretended to view it as
the Greeks had looked on the wooden horse, and
believed that it would carry destruction into Sinde.
A sight of it disappointed their hopes ; and we must
be conjurors, it was asserted, to have come without
arms and ammunition.
When the search had been completed, I entered
into conversation with the head man of the party,
and had hoped to establish, by his means, a friendly
connection with the authorities ; but after a short
pause, this personage, who was a Reis of Lower
Sinde, intimated, that a report of the day's transac-
tions would be forthwith transmitted to Hydrabad ;
and that, in the mean while, it was incumbent on us
to await the decision of the Ameer, at the mouth of
the river. The request appeared reasonable ; and the
more so, since the party agreed to furnish us with
every supply while so situated. We therefore
weighed anchor, and dropped down the river ; but
here our civilities ended. By the way we were
met by several " dingies" full of armed men, and at
night were hailed by one of them, to know how
many troops we had on board. We replied, that
we had not even a musket. " The evil is done,"
rejoined a rude Belooche soldier, " you have seen
" our country; but we have four thousand men
15
boarded by about fifty armed men, who wrenched
open every thing, and prosecuted the most rigorous
search for cannon and gunpowder. Mr. Leckie and
myself stood by in amazement, till it was at length
demanded that the box containing the large carriage
should be opened; for they pretended to view it as
the Greeks had looked on the wooden horse, and
believed that it would carry destruction into Sinde.
A sight of it disappointed their hopes ; and we must
be conjurors, it was asserted, to have come without
arms and ammunition.
When the search had been completed, I entered
into conversation with the head man of the party,
and had hoped to establish, by his means, a friendly
connection with the authorities ; but after a short
pause, this personage, who was a Reis of Lower
Sinde, intimated, that a report of the day's transac-
tions would be forthwith transmitted to Hydrabad ;
and that, in the mean while, it was incumbent on us
to await the decision of the Ameer, at the mouth of
the river. The request appeared reasonable ; and the
more so, since the party agreed to furnish us with
every supply while so situated. We therefore
weighed anchor, and dropped down the river ; but
here our civilities ended. By the way we were
met by several " dingies" full of armed men, and at
night were hailed by one of them, to know how
many troops we had on board. We replied, that
we had not even a musket. " The evil is done,"
rejoined a rude Belooche soldier, " you have seen
" our country; but we have four thousand men