Apprehensive of a fresh attack after the monsoon, Angria opened delusive negotiations for a treaty of peace, through his feudal lord, Sahoojee.  Boone was regularly taken in, and announced with satisfaction, to the Directors, that a treaty had been made, under which Angria contracted to restore all ships and vessels he had taken, except the Success, which was hopelessly decayed, for which he was to pay Rs.10,000, or to restore goods to that amount.  In lieu of captured cargoes he was to pay Rs.50,000, or to give goods of equal value, and within two years he was to pay Rs.10,000 more, for which payment Sahoojee undertook to be surety.  Boone reported that he had captured from Angria prizes to the value of Rs.9785, which, together with the above payment, and a two-per-cent. war-tax on the people of Bombay, would go some way to recoup the Company for their losses and the cost of the expeditions.  Altogether, the prospects of increased trade were brighter, but, so long as Angria held Colaba, he considered there could be no permanent peace.  He was soon undeceived.  As soon as Angria saw that he was safe from attack for another season, he repudiated the treaty, and by the beginning of the new year his piratical doings were renewed.

[1] “Killed and wounded several of them, but all to no purpose.”—­Log of
    the Addison.

CHAPTER VII

EXPEDITION AGAINST GHERIAH

Trouble with the Portuguese—­Madagascar pirates again—­Loss of the Cassandra—­Captain Macrae’s brave defence—­The one-legged pirate—­Richard Lazenby—­Expedition against Gheriah—­Mr. Walter Brown—­His incompetency—­Gordon’s landing—­Insubordination and drunkenness—­Arrival of the Phram—­General attack—­Failure—­The Kempsant’s alliance—­Attack on Deoghur—­The Madagascar pirates, England and Taylor—­Ignominious flight—­Fate of the Phram—­Brown despatched south again—­The pirates at Cochin—­They take flight to Madagascar—­Their rage against Macrae and England—­England marooned—­Taylor takes Goa ship—­Rich prize—­Governor Macrae.

In addition to other embarrassments, Boone became involved, at this time, in a quarrel with the Portuguese.  The surrender of Bombay to the English had, from the first, been extremely distasteful to the Goa authorities, who understood the value of the place better than did the authorities in Lisbon; and they had so interpreted the treaty that gave Bombay to the English that, at the time of transfer, they had managed to retain everything except the island of Bombay.  The English had been obliged to renounce all claim to Salsette and other dependencies of Bombay, or to exclusive possession of the harbour, and to agree that the Portuguese residents should be exempted from the payment of customs, and have full liberty of trade with the Portuguese establishments in Salsette.  This last condition had been repudiated in England, but continued to be claimed by the Portuguese,