He now gave me a letter to read from Captain Downton, dated long before at Aden, saying, that two of his merchants and his purser had been detained on shore,[326] and that they could not get them released, without landing merchandize, and paying 1500 Venetian chequins for anchorage.  After I had read the letter, the aga desired to know its purport, which I told him.  He then informed me that the ship, since the writing of that letter, had been cast away on a rock, and all her goods and men lost.  He then commanded me to write a letter to the people in my large ship to know how many Turks were detained in the small one.  I said that was needless, as he had already sent me word the small ship was taken.  To this he replied, that she was once taken, but the large ship had rescued her.  He then ordered me to write a letter, commanding all the people of the large ship to come ashore, and to deliver the large ship and her goods into his hands, when he would give us the small ship to carry us home.  I said it would be folly to write any such thing, as those who were aboard and at liberty would not be such fools as to forsake their ship and goods, and come ashore to be slaves, merely for my writing them.  He said he was sure if I wrote such a letter, they durst not disobey me.  When I told him plainly I would write no such letter, he urged me again, threatening to cut off my head if I refused.  I bade him do so, in which he would give me pleasure, being weary of my life.  He then asked what money we had in the ship, and what store of victuals and water?  I said we had but little money, being only for purchasing victuals, not merchandize, and that we had enough of victuals and water for two years, which he would not believe.

[Footnote 326:  Besides these, twenty more were treacherously betrayed at Aden, having leave given them to go onshore for business.—­Purch.]

I was now taken out of my chain and collar, having a large pair of fetters put upon my legs, with manacles on my wrists; and being separated from the rest of my company, I was bestowed all that day in a dirty dog-kennel under a stair; but at night, at the entreaty of Shermall, consul of the Banians, I was taken to a better room, and allowed to have one of my men along with me who spoke Turkish; yet my bed was the hard ground, a stone my pillow, and my company to keep me awake were grief of heart and a multitude of rats.  About midnight came the lieutenant of the aga with the trugman,[327] entreating me to write a letter on board to enquire how many Turks they had prisoners, and what were their names; but in no case to write any thing of the loss of our men, and the hard usage we had met with; but to say we were detained in the aga’s house till orders came from the pacha, and that we wanted for nothing.  This letter I wrote exactly as they wished; but commanded them to look well to their ships and boats, and by no means to let any of their men come ashore.  Taking this letter with them, they examined two or three of my men apart as to its meaning.