History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. 11.] ACCUMULATED MISFORTUNES. 85

Mussulman passengers, stating that such was the order of the owners. Captain Grant contended that he carried passengers for Rs.400 a head from Bombay to China, and that as these people were robbed, there ought to be some concession made. But the commander was inexorable. I argued that as we did not want to sit at the table, nor ask for liquor or wine, why such an exorbitant sum as eight hundred dollars was demanded? Captain Grant persuaded us to accept the offer, as no other vessel would be available during the year; and if one was at our service, the passage money would not be a jot less. Even if we remained the scarcity of food was so great that starvation stared us in the face. There was only sheep's meat obtainable, and during the captain’s absence we would be neglected. I implored Captain Grant to conclude the bargain one way or the other. Eventually it was arranged that I should give a bill of exchange on myself for eight hundred sika rupees, payable in Calcutta, the whole passage money for all of us being Rs.1,600.

“At False Bay we requested Captain Grant to get one bag of rice from the admiral, and the latter officer gave a note for my things, but the French captain flung it away. On the 21st September we sailed from False Bay with one hundred pounds of rice purchased with thirty dollars, and half a bag clandestinely taken by me. Before proceeding to St.