forces, taking the opportunity
of the tide.... We got them all on shore, and marched up the country,
without molestation; only now and then the castle would let fly a shot
or two, which did us small damage. We attempted to march the army down
to their shipping, and to set them on fire; but when we came within a
mile of the place the land was all swampy, and so very muddy by the
spring tides flowing over that we could not proceed. On our retreat
they galled us very much by firing from the castle, we being obliged
to come near the castle walls to take our forces off again. Here the
gallant Captain Gordon was slightly wounded again.... I question
whether there were a hundred men in the castle during the time of the
siege...."

"We drew off our forces on the 18th April, and went up to Bombay to
repair our frigates and take care of our wounded men, of whom we had a
considerable number."

In no way discouraged by the failure, Boone at once set to work to prepare
for a fresh attack on Angria. This time it was determined that Kennery,
within sight of Bombay harbour, should be the object of attack, and all
through the monsoon preparations were made.

[1] Galleywats, or gallivats, were large rowing-boats with two masts, of
forty to seventy tons, and carrying four to eight guns.

[2] In a letter, three years later, on the conduct of military officers,
it is stated that "Stanton was drunk the time he should have gone upon
action at Carwar."

[3] Bombay Consultations, 22nd January, 1718.

CHAPTER V

_THE COMPANY'S SERVANTS_

The Company's civil servants--Their comparison with English who went to
America--Their miserable salaries--The Company's military servants--
Regarded with distrust--Shaxton's mutiny--Captain Keigwin--Broken pledges
and ill-treatment--Directors' vacillating policy--Military grievances--
Keigwin seizes the administration of Bombay--His wise rule--Makes his
submission to the Crown--Low status of Company's military officers--Lord
Egmont's speech--Factors and writers as generals and colonels--Bad quality
of the common soldiers--Their bad treatment--Complaint against Midford--
Directors' parsimony.

It may be useful here to consider the difference in the men sent out, by
England, to the East and West Indies during the seventeenth and part of
the eighteenth centuries. To the West Indies went out representatives of
the landed gentry f