“This appears to have been the last transaction of Sir Thomas Roe in the East Indies.  In his voyage home he touched at Saldanha bay [Table bay] in May, 1619, where he met, and held a conference with the Dutch admiral Hoffman, who commanded the outward-bound fleet from Holland of that season.  From this officer he learned that the respective governments in Europe, alarmed at the commercial jealousies and animosities between their subjects in the East Indies, had appointed commissioners to take that subject into consideration.  It was therefore, with a becoming sense of duty, agreed between them that each should address a letter to the chiefs of their respective factories in India, recommending to them to abstain from any opposition or violence against each other, till each had received specific instructions from their superiors, or should be informed of the result of the conferences between the commissioners of the two nations in Europe.”

Sec.1. Journey from Surat to the Court of the Mogul, and Entertainment there, with some Account of the Customs of the Country.

I landed at Surat on the 26th September, 1615, and was received in an open tent by the chief officers of the town, well attended.  On this occasion I was accompanied by the general, and principal merchants, Captain Harris being sent to make me a court of guard with an hundred shot, and the ships, all dressed out to the best advantage, saluted me with their ordnance as I passed.  There was much controversy about searching my servants, but at length they passed free to the city, where we had a house provided for us.  We continued there to the 30th October, suffering much vexation from the governor, who forcibly caused search many of our chests and trunks, taking away what he thought fit.

The 30th October I departed from Surat, and that day travelled only four coss to Sumaria.[188] The 1st November I went eleven miles to a village.  The 2d, to Biarat, twenty-one miles, where there is a castle, this town being on the borders of the kingdom of Guzerat, subject to the Mogul, and belonging to Abraham Khan.  The 3d I entered the kingdom of Pardaff shah,[189] a pagan lord of the hills, who is subject to nobody; and at the end of fifteen miles we lodged in the fields, beside a city of note, called Mugher.  The 4th we travelled nine miles by a rocky way, and lay in the fields, beside a village called Narampore.  The 5th, fifteen miles, and lay in the fields.  The 6th, twenty miles, to a city called Nundabar, in the kingdom of Brampore, [Burhanpoor] which is subject to the Mogul.  At this place we first procured bread, after leaving Surat, as the Banians, who inhabit all the country through which we had travelled, make only cakes instead of bread.  The country peculiarly abounds in cattle, as the Banians never kill any, neither do they sell any for being slaughtered.  One day I met at least 10,000 bullocks loaded with grain, in one drove, and most other days I saw smaller parcels.