and asserted his right to it. Much of the Company's treasure was
unaccounted for, and Mrs. Gyfford had carried off the books. Midford sent
Sewell and Lapthorne under arrest to Bombay, where they were let off with
a scolding, and proceeded to restore order. The Rani and Venjamutta were
friendly, but told him he must take his own vengeance on the Nairs for
their inhuman action. So he commenced a series of raids into the
surrounding country, which reduced it to some sort of subjection. Soon
there came an order for most of his men to be sent back to Bombay, where
warlike measures against Angria were on foot. A cessation of arms was
patched up, and Midford installed himself as chief.

He proved to be no honester than his predecessors. He monopolized the
pepper trade on his own private account, making himself advances out of
the Company's treasury. In less than a year he was dead, but before his
death Alexander Orme,[11] then a private merchant on the coast, was sent
to Anjengo as chief of the factory, at the special request of the Rani.
Before long, Orme had to report to the Council that there were due to the
Company, from Gyfford's estate, 559,421 fanams, and that 140,260 gold
fanams had disappeared during Midford's chiefship which could not be
accounted for. Midford had also drawn pay for twenty European soldiers who
did not exist. The Council ascribed Midford's misdeeds to his
'unaccountable stupidity,' and the Directors answered that 'the charges
against Mr. Midford are very grievous ones.'

In September, 1722, the Council received from Orme a copy of the treaty he
had made with the Rani. The following were the chief provisions. The
ringleaders in the attack on Gyfford were to be punished and their estates
confiscated; all Christians living between Edawa and Brinjone were to be
brought under the Company's protection; the Rani was to reimburse the
Company for all expenses caused by the attack on Anjengo; the Company was
to have exclusive right to the pepper trade, and were empowered to build
factories in the Rani's dominions wherever they pleased; the Rani was to
return all arms taken in the late out-break, and to furnish timber to
rebuild the church that had been burned. The treaty was guaranteed by the
Rani's brother, the Rajah of Chinganatta. By the Directors it was received
with mixed feelings.

"Last years Letters took some notice about the Affair at Anjengo, We
had not then the Account of the Treaty Mr. Or