Great was the excitement in Bombay when the news of Mrs. Chown’s capture arrived.  The Governor was away at Surat, and all that could be done was to address Angria; so a letter was written to him ‘in English and Gentues,’ asking for the captives and all papers to be restored, and some medicine was sent for the wounded.  Just at this time also news was received of the Indiaman New George having been taken by the French near Don Mascharenas.[5] Sir John Gayer, who was on board, finished his troubled career in the East by being killed in the action.

After keeping them a month in captivity Angria sent back his prisoners, except the captains ransom.  In acknowledgment of kindness shown to the released prisoners by the Seedee, that chief was presented with a pair of Musquetoons, a fowling-piece, and five yards of ‘embost’ cloth.  But in the Governor’s absence the Council could do nothing about payment of ransom.  When he returned, negotiations went on through the European prisoners in Colaba.  Angria being sincerely anxious for peace with the English while he was in arms against his own chief, terms were arranged, and Lieutenant Mackintosh was despatched to Colaba with Rs.30,000 as ransom for the Europeans, and the sealed convention.  On the 22nd February (1713), he returned, bringing with him Mrs. Chown and the other captives, the captured goods, and the Anne ketch, but the yacht was too badly damaged to put to sea.  According to Downing, Mrs. Chown was in such a state that Mackintosh, ’was obliged to wrap his clothes about her to cover her nakedness.’  But her courage had never forsaken her; ’she most courageously withstood all Angria’s base usage, and endured his insults beyond expectation.’  Shortly afterwards she was delivered of a son.  Out of her first husband’s estate one thousand rupees were granted her for present necessities, with an allowance of one hundred xeraphims a month.

Very shortly afterwards we find her being married for the third time, to young William Gyfford, with the Governor’s approval.  According to the statute law of Bombay, no marriage was binding, except it had the Governor’s consent; Hamilton tells us how on one occasion a factor, Mr. Solomon Loyd, having married a young lady without the Governor’s consent, Sir John Gayer dissolved the marriage, and married the lady again to his own son.  In October, two years and a half after her first husband’s death, seven thousand four hundred and ninety-two rupees, being one-third of his estate, were paid over to her.  It is carefully recorded that neither of her deceased husbands had left wills, though the existence of Harvey’s will had been very precisely recorded by the Council, fifteen months before.  Young Gyfford, who was then twenty-five, appears to have been a favourite with the Governor, and had lately been given charge of the Bombay Market.  Eighteen months after his marriage, we find William Gyfford appointed supercargo of the Catherine, trading to Mocha.  The office was a most desirable one for a young factor.  It afforded him opportunities for private trade at first hand, instead of through agents, that in the mind of an adventurous young man quite outbalanced the perils of the sea.