Page 522
An.1691
Pallacat, and Ponticheri.
meet 2 English Ships more, bound home from the Indies: for the War with the French having been proclaimed at Fort St. George, a little before Cap- tain Heath came from thence, he was willing to have company home, if he could.
A little before this War was proclaimed, there was an Engagement in the Road of Fort St. George between some French Men of War, and some Dutch and English Ships at anchor in the Road: which, because there is such a plausible story made of it in Monsieur Duquefne's late Voyage to the East Indies, I shall give a short account of, as I had it particu- larly related to me by the Gunners Mate of Capt. Heath's Ship, a very sensible Man, and several o- thers of his Men, who were in the Action. The Dutch have a Fort on the Coast of Coromandel, called Pallacat, about 20 leagues to the Northward of Fort St. George. Upon some occasion or other the Dutch sent some Ships thither to fetch away their effects, and transport them to Batavia. Acts of Hostility were already begun between the French and Dutch ; and the French had at this time a Squa- dron newly arrived in India, and lying at Ponticheri, a French Fort on the same Coast, Southward of Fort St. George. The Dutch in returning to Batavia, were obliged to coast it along by Fort St. George and Ponticheri, for the sake of the Wind: but when they came near this last, they saw the French Men of War lying at anchor there; and should they have proceeded along the shore, or stood out to Sea, expected to be pursued by them. They there- fore turn'd back again; for though their Ships were of a pretty good force, yet were they unfit for Fight, as having great Loads of Goods, and many Passengers, Women and Children, on board: so they put in at Fort St. George, and desiring the Go- vernours Protection, had leave to anchor in the Road, and to send their Goods and useless People ashore.