Description of Quilon, Aiwike, Kully Quilon, Porcād, Cranganoor, Paliport, Chetwa—Dutch fortresses in Malabar—Narrative of the late war—Cananore, Anjengo, and Tellicherry belonging to the English—Eddawa, formerly a possession of the Danes, but not abandoned.
YOUR laborious but honorable office being connected with military affairs, it seems fitting, in writing to you, to blow the trumpet of war, and I shall therefore proceed to relate the history of the last which occurred in Malabar. I will give you also a description of the forts situated in that country, that you may conceive a clearer idea of the whole.
About 30 leagues south of the town of Cochin, is the Fortress of Quilon,* which was conquered by the Company from the Portuguese. It was formerly a town, but is now only a petty fort, and as the sea washes, and has even undermined, a portion of the walls, it has now been resolved to reduce it on that side, so that some of the inhabitants will be forced to break up their houses, and take up their abode outside the walls. This fort is of use in vesting the power of the Rajahs of Travancore and of Signati, in whose domains it is situated; and as an outpost against the foreigners, especially the English, whose fort at Anjengo is at no great distance. The Fortress of Quilon commands the bay of the same name: tolls are levied from the native traders, and licenses (passen) issued to them. It possesses little territory inland, besides the plain: on the sea side the boundary is marked by a gate with four stone pillars. There are certain stations in this province, such as Tengapatnam in the south near C. Comorin, which serve principally as places for the despatch of letters, and for cutting millstones and other stones used in the service of the East India Company. A good deal of linen also is woven here, though the trade belongs to Tutacorin. North of Quilon are some other factories, among which are the great and little Aiwike, situated at the mouths of rivers, where the Company stations corporals with some coloured soldiers to prevent the smuggling trade in pepper.
The factory of Kully Quilon is especially noteworthy, being the first which the East India Company possessed in Malabar. The Rajah of Kully Quilon was the first sovereign who admitted the Company into his territories, though he would not grant them permission to erect a fort. About 400,000 lbs. of pepper are annually purchased by the Company in this place.
Porcād is a second factory, situated nearer to Cochin. This also bears the name of the kingdom in which it is situated. A considerable quantity of rice is produced here owing to the fertility of the low lands. The Company obtain the same amount of pepper here as in Kully Quilon.
There are three forts belonging to the Company to the North of Cochin, where more danger is to be apprehended from hostile powers. Cranganoor is about 15 miles from Cochin in this direction, situated at a bend of the river of the same name. It was once, as the Portuguese travellers tell us, a considerable town, but is now merely a small, though strong, fortress, and it formerly served as a restraint upon the power of the Zamorin; but this object has ceased to exist since that prince has withdrawn from the neighbourhood, and the Company’s territories have been extended, particularly during the late war. The fort serves now as an outpost against the Rajah of Cranganoor, a very feeble potentate, and yet more against the Rajah of Porcād, whose territories lie on the opposite side of the river. It is also of use as a preventive station against the smuggling trade, and the transit of prohibited goods; as well as in levying certain tolls for the East India Company. The station of Paliport is in the same province; it is situated at the mouth of the river Cranganoor, which falls into the sea three miles from the town of the same name, and takes its name from a strong quay which was formerly garrisoned, but is now abandoned, as there is no enemy to be feared in the neighbourhood; and the place is only tenanted by a corporal and a few black soldiers. Like other forts it is used as a preventive station.
Chetwa is another fort about 12 leagues from Cochin, serving partly to protect commerce, and partly as a defence against the Zamorin, whose dominions lie contiguous. It stands at the mouth of the river, and, is at the present moment, the strongest fortress in Malabar. Its erection 7 or 8 years ago cost us a severe war which lasted several years, and the history of which is worth relating.
The East India Company having resolved to build a new fort* gave orders to B. Ketel, the Commandant of Malabar, to finish it as speedily as possible. This alarmed the Zamorin, who knew it was intended to curb his power on this coast. He accordingly left no means untried to impede its progress; and not succeeding by fair methods, he determined to try force. The fort was now almost completed; and he saw that the time for his attempt was come. He was encouraged by learning that the garrison, consisting of 48 men, were lodged outside the half finished fortress, and that none of the requisites had been provided for its defence. This shewed the greatest want of foresight in the Commandant, who had received intelligence of the intended attack, and ought therefore to have increased his garrison, to have made convenient places for artillery, and ordered his men to keep within the walls, and be on the alert. The Zamorin perceiving his advantage, crossed the river at night with 600 men, who were soon followed by more: and all was effected so quietly, that about 4 o’clock in the morning of Jan. 22nd, 1715, they surprised the soldiers who were sleeping in their huts before the fort. They took to flight in great alarm, and the Zamorin obtained possession of the place without striking a blow. Near the fort was a pagger† of the East India Company built of palm trees, the interstices filled with earth and rubbish so as to make a breastwork to which the fugitives hastened announcing their misfortune. Ensign Stock, who was in command of the place, received the tidings with consternation, and having but a very weak garrison, while the enemy’s force was continually increasing, he made no attempt to expel them. For this neglect capital sentence was pronounced against him by the Council of Justice sitting at Ceylon, God knows with what right, and he was shot, only a few weeks after he had been elevated to the rank of lieutenant. When the tidings of this disaster reached Cochin, it caused a universal panic among the Dutch, and gave rise to a spirit of indolence among the natives, who thought that we were ruined. Commandant Ketel resolved to march out of the city with three companies, which formed the greater portion of the garrison, leaving orders that the artificers, sailors and scribes should man the walls. He advanced rapidly, taking with him three pieces of artillery, and two mortars, and hastened to Chetwā. Mangatatya, the Zamorin’s general, stationed himself with his troops to obstruct his passage, but as soon as they felt the power of our cannons and musketry, they took to their heels; many were cut down, others drowned in the river, and others took refuge in the fort at Chetwā, where their defeat caused a great panic; and there is no doubt that if the Commandant had followed up his victory by attacking the fort, the enemy would then have abandoned it in alarm. But instead of this, he marched with his troops into our neighbouring pagger, and thus gave time to the enemy, who were totally unprovided, to supply themselves with necessaries by aid of the English at Calicut, and to barricade the entrances to the fort; proving themselves in this last measure wiser than our people, who had left the gateways unprovided with doors. At length on the 1st Feby. the Commandant resolved to assault the place, and scale the walls; but oh folly! when the troops reached the walls, they found that they had neglected to bring scaling ladders, and were consequently forced to retire foiled, with the loss of 80 men. The Zamorin took advantage of this opportunity, to build a fort called Paponetti, between Chetwā and Cranganoor, which he fortified with three trenches, and manned with a troop of soldiers, among whom were some Portuguese deserters, and even some English officers.
Towards the end of 1715, three Captains arrived from Batavia with a reinforcement; they attacked this building on the 11th January, 1716, but, owing partly to some misunder-standing among the officers, and partly to the faint-heartedness of Captain Pluis, the second in command, who trembled at the sound of cannon, the attempt failed. For when the besieged beheld our men advancing, they were so terrified at their numbers that they rushed out of the fort on the opposite side; and those of our troops who were stationed there, mistaking the cause of the sally, and imagining it was an assault upon themselves, were seized with a sudden panic, and fled in disorder. The enemy, beholding this unexpected diversion, mustered courage and returned to the forsaken fortress; and there is no doubt that had they understood how to follow up their advantage, they might have completely routed our army, by cutting off their passage and obstructing their retreat, as there is no beaten road or path through the forest which surrounds the fort. This fruitless result of the expedition created universal consternation, which was increased by the rumours which began to fly about, mostly originating in an apprehension that the allied princes were about to desert us; the Rajah of Parve in particular, who, it was reported, was about to attack the fort of Cranganoor. Hearing this, the Commandant resolved to abandon our pagger at Chetwa, in order that the garrison might not be cut off, and to remove it in order to assist in strengthening Cranganoor.
Things remained in this state till the end of the year 1716, when William Bakker Jacobz was despatched from Batavia as Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. He had served in his youth as Lieutenant in the Navy, and had never been engaged in any other campaign. With him were associated Major Hans Frederic Berkman, who was experienced in the military affairs of Malabar, having passed many years here; and Commander Johannes Hertenberg, who was to supersede Ketel in the management of mercantile affairs. They brought with them a splendid army composed of Europeans, Javanese, Balinese and others, to whom were joined the troops of the Rajah of Cochin, so that they were well prepared to carry on a campaign. Their first attempt was upon the stronghold of Paponetti. When they reached the anchorage up the river called Caro, about a quarter of a league distant from the enemy’s pagger, the General gave notice of his approach by discharging three pieces of artillery. This was answered by three shots from the enemy within the fort, who meant by this to shew that they were prepared to await the attack of the General and his army. The latter advanced as soon as it was morning, resolving to attack the pagger on three points at once; which was achieved with such good effect that before 10 o’clock the enemy displayed a flag of truce. Owing either to the state of intoxication into which most of the principal officers (except the Major) were plunged, or to some other cause, no regard was paid to this signal; and as our army had by this time made itself master of the two first trenches, the enemy perceiving that their flag of truce was disregarded, retreated within the third entrenchment, which was very strong, and now well supplied with men. Here they defended themselves with great courage, inflicting considerable loss upon our troops; and when at length they again hoisted the flag of truce, it met with more attention, and a treaty was concluded by which they agreed to evacuate the fort with arms in their hands. But an unfortunate accident occurred, caused, it was said, by the Europeans who were within the fort. The powder magazine was set on fire, that it might not fall into the hands of our army, whilst the Zamorin’s troops were in the act of leaving the fort; many were burnt, and several others rushed so violently on our ladders in order to escape, that some of our soldiers were pushed off and fell to the ground, which infuriated them so that they struck at the heathen multitude with the butt ends of their fire-arms; and the more the poor wretches attempted to defend themselves the more violent they became, and they cut down such numbers, that according to one reckoning three thousand of the enemy were killed within and without the fort—others say one thousand. The fort was afterwards destroyed, and completely razed to the ground. The bones of the dead remained for many years in the surrounding fields, a memorial of this great defeat.
The heathens received a great shock by the result of this battle. In order to follow it up, some of our vessels were sent to attack Chetwa by sea. On arriving there, no enemy was to be found. At first it was supposed that they were in concealment, and we did not venture to approach too near, lest they should fall upon us; but at length on receiving certain intelligence that they had deserted the fort, our men entered and found not a soul there. Our General afterwards captured several Paggers, Mapowvane, Towtamburi, Avatorti, and Ourganoore in the land of the Paliat; and gained a decisive victory over the Zamorin’s army near Ourganoore. The Balinese pikemen did him great service in this battle rushing furiously on the foe, and terrifying them so much that they dreaded them more than the Europeans, as men from whom no quarter was to be expected. If the General had chosen to advance his victorious banners, he could no doubt have made himself master of the Zamorin’s Court at Ponany, and of Calicut itself; but whether private reasons of his own induced him not to do this, and therefore not to conclude peace that year (which he might have done on advantageous terms, and thus have spared the Company costly preparations for the ensuing campaign), or whether other considerations weighed with him, we will not now pause to enquire. Nothing was done in the rainy season, (which is not adapted for carrying on warlike operations): but at the close of the year, Patricotti was taken, and a noble pagoda of the Poenetoar Namboori was pillaged by the Balinese and other coloured soldiers, although the General, for reasons of his own, had issued a strict prohibition. The Javanese soldiers, attracted by the booty, broke this prohibition, and obtained a quantity of gold and silver articles and precious stones, which the Europeans, not daring to disobey, could not share. I have obtained many heathen idols from these spoils which I keep as relics. Shortly after this followed the peace concluded in 1717, so that the reinforcements sent from Batavia were not wanted.
In conclusion I shall add that thirty-six leagues to the north in the kingdom of Colastri is the fort of Cananore, which on one side is washed by the sea, and consequently could not be easily blockaded.* This fort serves as a bulwark not only against the power of the native monarch, but also against the Moors, who have a prince there called Ali Rajah. The latter has up to this time been a good friend of the Company, transacting business with them, and supplying them with cardamoms and turmeric.
From all this history, you can form a good idea of the power and means of the East India Company in Malabar. Other European nations have great possessions here. The English have a fort called Anjengo,* south of Quilon; it is tolerably strong, as it has need to be; for there are many enemies in the neighbourhood, and it has often been attacked. In the north they have a fort called Tellicherry, between Calicut and Cananore, which of late years they have considerably strengthened.
The poor Danes have also a residence in Malabar, called Eddawa, resembling a miserable hut, rather than the dwelling of a commercial officer. It is situated three leagues south of Quilon. This nation has fallen quite into obscurity in these parts, from its want of money and influence; so that the natives last year (1722) refused them lodging, there; upon which their Superintendent repaired to Quilon to dwell for a time under our protection, and in the sequel to Tranquebar a factory of theirs on the Coromandel Coast.
Here then you have a sketch of the European settlements in Malabar, together with an account of the late war. I hope you will not take it amiss that I have related all the circumstances without keeping back anything, and without sparing the managers of the war; for it seems to me that the whole truth of such things should be related without disguise, though this rule is but little regarded by historians of the present age.