“But we filled their places with some of the Portuguese who came crowding into the fort.  Two thousand of ’em, men, women, and children, filled the courtyard, sitting among their bundles of goods, so that we could scarce move for ’em.  The enemy was in the town; they had set light to the Great Bazaar, and were burning and plundering in the native parts.  We fired the bastis to the east and south, to deprive ’em of cover; and you may imagine the scene, Desmond—­the blazing sky, the tears and screams of the women, the din of guns.  We wrote to the French at Chandernagore begging ’em to lend us some ammunition, for the most of ours was useless; but they sent us a genteel reply saying they’d no more than sufficient for their own needs; yet the wretches made the Nawab a present of two hundred chests of powder, ’tis said.

“Next day we were besieged in earnest.  The Nawab had, we learned, nigh fifty thousand men, with one hundred and fifty elephants and camels, and two hundred and fifty Frenchmen working his artillery.  Against ’em we had about five hundred in all, only half of ’em Europeans.  What could so few do against so many?  Our officers were all brave enough, but they’ve had a slack time, and few of ’em are fit for the work.  Ensign Picard, sure, did wonders, and Lieutenant Smyth defended the north battery with exceeding skill; but we had not men enough to hold our positions, and step by step we were driven back.

“’Twas clear we could not hold out long, and on Friday night we held a council of war, and decided to send the women on board the ships in the river, to get ’em out of harm’s way.  Then by heaven!  Desmond, two of the Council shamed ’emselves for ever.  Mr. Manningham and Mr. Frankland, special friends of Mr. Drake, attended the ladies to the ship—­’twas the Dodalay, of which they are owners—­and they stayed on board with ’em—­the cowards, to set such an infamous example!  And well ’twas followed.  ’Tis scarce credible, but Captain Minchin, our gallant commander, and Mr. Drake, our noble president, went down to the ghat and had ’emselves rowed off to the shipping and deserted us:  good God! do they deserve the name of Englishmen?  One of our gentlemen standing on the steps was so enraged that he sent a bullet after the cravens; others did the same, and I would to heaven that one of their shots had took effect on the wretches!  We made Mr. Holwell governor in the Quaker’s place; and I tell you, Desmond, had we done so before, there would have been a different story to tell this day.

“Mr. Holwell saw ’twas impossible to withstand the Nawab’s hordes much longer, and spoke for an orderly retreat; but he was overrid by some of the military officers; and besides, retreat was cut off, for the ships that had lain in the river moved away, and though we hung out signals from the fort asking ’em to come back and take us off, they paid no heed; nay, they stood farther off, leaving us to our fate.  What could we do?  Mr. Holwell sent to Omichand in his prison and offered to release him if he would treat with the Nawab for us.  But the Gentoo refused.  All he would do was to write a letter to Manik Chand asking him to intercede for us.  Mr. Holwell threw the letter over the wall among the enemy, and by heaven!  Desmond, never did I suppose Englishmen would be reduced to such a point of humiliation.