to carry out his designs: while the efficiency of the ships was diminished
by their employment to carry cargoes along the coast.

In March, 1717, Bombay was stirred by the arrival of a private ship, the
_Morning Star_, which had escaped the Beyt pirates after a long and severe
encounter. The affair is described by Hamilton; but he modestly conceals
the fact that he was himself in command of the _Morning Star_, of which he
was chief owner. The ship was on its way from Gombroon to Surat, with a
valuable cargo, of which the pirates had intelligence; and two squadrons
were fitted out to waylay her. On the 20th March she was assailed by eight
pirate ships, the largest of which was of five hundred tons, three others
being of nearly three hundred tons each, and the rest galleys and shybars,
or half-galleys. Between them they carried about two thousand men. On
board the _Morning Star_ there were only six Europeans, a number of native
merchants, and about thirty-five or forty lascars, about half of whom were
trustworthy. The first attack was made by the largest of the pirate ships
alone, and was beaten off with loss to the assailants. In the fight,
Hamilton had his thigh pierced through with a lance. For the rest of that
day and the whole of the following no further attack was made; but the
pirates hung around planning another assault. On the 22nd it was delivered.
The two largest pirates ran the _Morning Star_ aboard, one on her bow and
one on her quarter, while three others poured their crews across the decks
of their comrades. For four hours a desperate combat ensued, the six
vessels being locked together. In the heat of the fight the native
merchants went on board the pirates to try and ransom themselves, and were
accompanied by half the lascars who deserted their commander; only the
Europeans and seventeen lascars remained to fight the ship. She caught
fire in three places, the poop and half-deck being burned through. The two
pirate ships likewise caught fire, which caused them to slacken their
efforts. In the confusion Hamilton managed to disengage his ship, and made