smart action captured three of them, each carrying five guns. A month
later, the _Bombay_ and _Bengal_ galleys were attacked off Colaba by four
grabs and fifteen gallivats. There was a calm at the time: the hostile
grabs were towed under the galleys' stern and opened a heavy fire. The
galleys were only able to reply with small arm fire, and suffered severely.
Several attempts to board were repelled, when an unlucky shot exploded two
barrels of musket cartridges on board the _Bengal_. The quarter-deck was
blown up, and, in the confusion, the enemy boarded and carried the ship.
The first lieutenant, although wounded, jumped overboard and swam to the
_Bombay_, which was also in evil plight. A similar explosion had occurred,
killing the captain, the first lieutenant, and many of the crew. At this
juncture came a welcome breeze, bringing up the _Victory_ grab, which had
witnessed the fight without being able to take part in it, and the
Angrians drew off. No less than eighty Europeans were lost to the Company
in this action.

In January, 1732, the _Ockham_, East Indiaman, coming up the coast with a
light wind, was beset, off Dabul, by an Angrian squadron of five grabs and
three gallivats. At sunset they came within shot, and a little harmless
cannonading took place at long range, till dark. At one in the morning,
the moon having risen, they bore down again and attacked the _Ockham_ in
their favourite manner, astern. For some time the East Indiaman was
exposed to the fire of ten nine-pounders, to which it could only reply
with two stern-chasers. Captain Jobson, finding his rigging much cut up,
and seeing that the loss of a mast would probably entail the loss of his
ship, determined to entice them to close quarters, in the good breeze that
was springing up. The plan was explained to the crew, who were in good
heart, and encouraged by a promise of two months' pay. Every gun was
manned, while the fire of the two stern-chasers was allowed to slacken, as
if ammunition was running short. The bait took; the grabs drew up on the