an accommodation, as open force had proved useless. Things
having quieted down, Gyfford, 'flushed with the hopes of having Peace and
Pepper,' devoted himself to trade. He had at this time a brigantine called
the _Thomas_, commanded by his wife's brother, Thomas Cooke, doing his
private trade along the coast. The year 1720 passed quietly. Force having
proved unavailing, the Attinga people dissembled their anger, and waited
for an opportunity to revenge themselves. So well was the popular feeling
against the English concealed, that Cowse, with his long experience and
knowledge of the language, had no suspicions.

There had been an old custom, since the establishment of the factory, of
giving presents yearly to the Rani, in the name of the Company; but for
some years the practice had fallen into abeyance. Gyfford, wishing to
ingratiate himself with the authorities, resolved on reviving the custom,
and to do so in the most ceremonious way, by going himself with the
presents for seven years. Accordingly, on the 11th April, 1721,
accompanied by all the merchants and factors, and taking all his best men,
about one hundred and twenty in number, and the same number of coolies,
Gyfford started for Attinga, four miles up the river. Here they were
received by an enormous crowd of people, who gave them a friendly
reception. The details of what followed are imperfectly recorded, and much
is left to conjecture, but Gyfford's foolish over-confidence is
sufficiently apparent. In spite of their brave display, his men carried no
ammunition. Poola Venjamutta was not to be seen. They were told he was
drunk, and they must wait till he was fit to receive them. He was
apparently playing a double part, but the blame for what followed was
afterwards laid on his rival, Poola Cadamon Pillay. Cowse's suspicions
were aroused, and he advised an immediate return to Anjengo, but Gyfford
refused to take the advice. He is said to have struck Cowse, and to have
threatened with imprisonment. The Rani also sent a message, advising a
return to Anjengo. It was getting late, and to extricate himself from the
crowd, Gyfford allowed the whole party to be inveigled into a small
enclosure. To show his goodwill to the crowd, he ordered his men to fire a
salvo, and then he found that the ammunition carried by the coolies had
been secured, and they were defenceless. In this hopeless position, he
managed to entrust a letter addressed to the storekeeper at Anjengo, to