"ملخّص يحتوي على معلومات بشأن الاتصال الأول لشركة الهند الشرقية مع الجزيرة العربية التركية، طالما أمكن تتبع ذلك من سجلات حكومة بومباي، بالإضافة إلى أسماء العديد من المقيمين البريطانيين والوكلاء السياسيين الذين عُينوا في بغداد والبصرة في الفترة بين ١٦٤٦ و ١٨٤٦ ميلادي، وبمرافقة معلومات أخرى" [ظ‎‎٤‎٣] (٢٢٦/٨٨)

56 PRECIS OF INFORMATION REGARDING CONNECTION OF E. I. COMPY.
iust after we last addressed you, which was the first of this month, the Agent and some
of Your Honor's servants retired to Belvoir, about four miles from Bussorah, and the
rest shut themselves up in the factory in town, hoping that in a short t ime the summer
setting in would put a stop to this calamity. In the meantime the Drake and Tiger
were stationed at Belvoir, and all communication was stopt with the countrypeople;
the disorder since that time has continued to rage with unrelenting rigour; one
thousand and upwards have been daily carried off by it, and contrary to our expecta
tion, and the opinions of several here, the heat instead of checking has rather in
creased it. In this calamitous situation the contagion spreading around us, even to
our very doors, the provisions which we had laid in for our subsistence beginning to
fall short, and no method of recruiting them without running the greatest risque at
the same time of receiving the contagion, our domestics too having all left us, we
have unanimously thought it the most prudent and eligible _ method, as well for the
preservation of our own lives as those oi the people belonging to the two vessels,
to leave the place and retire to Bombay, trom whence we can return at the opening of
the season in case we hear that the disorder has ceased. Our stay here could answer no
one good purpose, no business whatever can be transacted, nor would it be prudent at
any rate to have any communication with the countrypeople for these six months at
least; Your Honor's house no outstanding debts of any consequence, and as we have
recommended the care of your factory, after having seated up the godowns, &c., to
the Government here, and have besides appointed Coja Petrus and Coja Miriar, two
respectable Armenian merchants, your Vakeels, in our absence, we do not think your
effects will run the least risque. We have concealed from the people, however, our in
tention of going as far as Bombay, for whilst they are ignoiant when we shall return
they will be more on their guard. Your Honors may be assured we have maturely
considered this step, and that our regard to your interest, as well as to our own for
tunes, which on account of outstanding debts, &c., are left in a much more precarious
situation than your affairs, would prevent our adopting it without we were convinced
of the absolute necessity of it."
130. In conformity with the above Resolution, the Agent in
Council, consisting 1 of the gentlemen mentioned below,* left Bussorah
on the same day, the four former in the Hon'ble Company's vessel
Brake, and the two latter in the Tiger, The Brake arrived in the
Bombay harbour on the 14th of the following month, when she was
ordered to proceed to Butcher's Island to perform quarantine. Messrs.
Moore, Lewis, LaTouche, and Abraham accordingly remained on
Butcher's Island until the 17th June, when they were allowed to land in
Bombay.
131. The Tiger, however, having on board Messrs. Beaumont
and Green, was captured off the island of Ormus, in the Persian Gulf,
on the 26th April, by some Bunderick Gallivats, and both of those
gentlemen were taken prisoners to Shiraz, where, after being kept for
some time, they were removed to Bushire. Mr. Green was released on
the 2nd September 1774, and reached Bussorah on the 19th of the same
month. Mr. Beaumont was detained a prisoner at Bushire until the
22nd April 1775, when he was released after a captivity of nearly two
years.
132. In conformity with instructions from Government, Mr.
Moore left Bombay on the 28th October 1773, on his return to
Bussorah, for the purpose of resuming his duties as Agent, and was accom
panied by Mr. William Digges LaTouche, Mr. George Abraham, Mr.
James Collings, and Mr. Galley. These gentlemen arrived at Bussorah on
* 1 Mr. Moore.
2 „ Lewis,
3 „ W. D. LaTouche.
4
5
6
Mr. G. Abraham.
„ Beaumont.
„ Green.