DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.634#0145
120
A Dejcrifiion os Surat ,
Letter III. Oa this Pretence they begin to interrupt the Merchants on the
t-/"V"v^ Seas, seising their Vesiels, and furnishing themselves at cheaper
Rates.
Nor does their late Enterprize over the Tortugah make them less
formidable; so that if they he not checked by these Knights of
Lishoa, they will infect this Ocean, no Icss than the Moors of Algiers,
7««oand Tripoly,do the Narroiv Seas in the Mediterranean, cspechUy
the Gulf of Tersia, in whole Mouth tjiey are conveniently seated, and
villainously inclined; in which it concerns them to omit no Dili-
gence.
Lests*™*and Having slaidhere since the close of the Rains, all the Cold
SsiSj. Season, and beginning of the variable Winds, which are sent hither
to qualify the Heats before the fall of the Rains (they blowing very
high) I left the most frequented Port in India, and the only one
on this Coast the Mogul has.
It is a Corporation exempt from any Jurisdi&ion but the Empe-
ror's; though it be but the lecond City of the Province, and within
this last Century, by the concoursc of the Europeans, advanced from
aFishingTownto be so great an Empory.
RaNeal, a Mile beyond it on SwaSy side, was once before it, now
abandoned to Seamen and Washcrmcn : The Customers then paid
half to the Portugals, who ohce a-year came with their Provoes and.
received their Levies; since this is become of more note, it is better
looked after by the Mogul, than that was by the Emperor of
Cambaia.
It has for its Maintainance the Incomes of Thirty six Villages;
over which the Governor sometimes presidej, someiimes not, being
in the Jagqea or Diocess of another; who fail not once a-year to fend
to reap the Prosit, which is received by the Hands of the Desie or
Farmer, who squcezes the Countryman, as much as the Governor
does the Citizen : Corn being distributed among them sbrso mucli
Earth as they Till, which at the time of Harvest is not carried home,
before the Desie hath taken Three parts, leaving no more sor their
pains, and to sow the Land again, than One.
The Busincss of the Cnsloms, as we have already said, is ordered
by the Chief Customer, who has Cbeckiet in all Inland Parts to re-
ceive Toll, and is responsibie tonone, only the'Emperor.
biahmtd Emir ^*° govcrn &c Province, Mabmttd Emir Cam is entrusted, the Son
&iww. S'onos of Emir Jemla, who established Aurenzeeh in his Throne.
His Metropolis is at Amidavad, the- Chief City of Guzerat': Who
notwithstanding he has vast Forces, Wealth and Territories, is not
able to quell the Coolies from pilfring, SevdGi from plundring, and
the Outlawed Raspoots from dispoiling , where-cver they please to
descend in Companies from the Mountains, or Troops out of the
Desart of Sinda .- Though none of these, nor all joined together, can
cope with him in a pitched Field, but only by Thievery and Surprize r
Wherefore when any Capbala or Treasure partes, they hire Soldiers to
guard it, otherwisc they arc liable to be made a Prey.
Were these Disficulties remo"cd, Surat, as is Nature had designed
her both by Sea and Land the Seat of TrasKck, would have nothing
to hinder her srom being, the cc-mpieatcst Mistress thereos in the
whole
Emir Jaala,
Governor of
tlie Province,
A Dejcrifiion os Surat ,
Letter III. Oa this Pretence they begin to interrupt the Merchants on the
t-/"V"v^ Seas, seising their Vesiels, and furnishing themselves at cheaper
Rates.
Nor does their late Enterprize over the Tortugah make them less
formidable; so that if they he not checked by these Knights of
Lishoa, they will infect this Ocean, no Icss than the Moors of Algiers,
7««oand Tripoly,do the Narroiv Seas in the Mediterranean, cspechUy
the Gulf of Tersia, in whole Mouth tjiey are conveniently seated, and
villainously inclined; in which it concerns them to omit no Dili-
gence.
Lests*™*and Having slaidhere since the close of the Rains, all the Cold
SsiSj. Season, and beginning of the variable Winds, which are sent hither
to qualify the Heats before the fall of the Rains (they blowing very
high) I left the most frequented Port in India, and the only one
on this Coast the Mogul has.
It is a Corporation exempt from any Jurisdi&ion but the Empe-
ror's; though it be but the lecond City of the Province, and within
this last Century, by the concoursc of the Europeans, advanced from
aFishingTownto be so great an Empory.
RaNeal, a Mile beyond it on SwaSy side, was once before it, now
abandoned to Seamen and Washcrmcn : The Customers then paid
half to the Portugals, who ohce a-year came with their Provoes and.
received their Levies; since this is become of more note, it is better
looked after by the Mogul, than that was by the Emperor of
Cambaia.
It has for its Maintainance the Incomes of Thirty six Villages;
over which the Governor sometimes presidej, someiimes not, being
in the Jagqea or Diocess of another; who fail not once a-year to fend
to reap the Prosit, which is received by the Hands of the Desie or
Farmer, who squcezes the Countryman, as much as the Governor
does the Citizen : Corn being distributed among them sbrso mucli
Earth as they Till, which at the time of Harvest is not carried home,
before the Desie hath taken Three parts, leaving no more sor their
pains, and to sow the Land again, than One.
The Busincss of the Cnsloms, as we have already said, is ordered
by the Chief Customer, who has Cbeckiet in all Inland Parts to re-
ceive Toll, and is responsibie tonone, only the'Emperor.
biahmtd Emir ^*° govcrn &c Province, Mabmttd Emir Cam is entrusted, the Son
&iww. S'onos of Emir Jemla, who established Aurenzeeh in his Throne.
His Metropolis is at Amidavad, the- Chief City of Guzerat': Who
notwithstanding he has vast Forces, Wealth and Territories, is not
able to quell the Coolies from pilfring, SevdGi from plundring, and
the Outlawed Raspoots from dispoiling , where-cver they please to
descend in Companies from the Mountains, or Troops out of the
Desart of Sinda .- Though none of these, nor all joined together, can
cope with him in a pitched Field, but only by Thievery and Surprize r
Wherefore when any Capbala or Treasure partes, they hire Soldiers to
guard it, otherwisc they arc liable to be made a Prey.
Were these Disficulties remo"cd, Surat, as is Nature had designed
her both by Sea and Land the Seat of TrasKck, would have nothing
to hinder her srom being, the cc-mpieatcst Mistress thereos in the
whole
Emir Jaala,
Governor of
tlie Province,