Part 7 (1/2)
But the stolid air lay inert, refusing to lift. He would have to prepare the chest in suffocating misery. So be it.
Brus.h.i.+ng the hair back from his eyes, he unlocked a bronzed sea chest and began to extract one by one the articles entrusted to the Company by King James. First was the letter, in English with a formal copy in diplomatic Spanish, both scribed on parchment and sealed in a leather case secured with His Majesty's impression in red wax. The seal, set in London over seven months before, was soft in the heat now, pliant to his touch. He surveyed the room for a moment and then his eye hit on the pair of formal thigh- length stockings the Company had insisted he pack. Perfect. He bound his hose around the king's letter, knotted it protectively over the seal, and tossed the bundle into the smaller wooden chest he would take ash.o.r.e.
Then he began to transfer the royal presents: a brace of gold-plated pistols, a half dozen silver-handled swords, a small silver-trimmed saddle, a set of delicate Norwich crystal, jeweled rings, a leather- bound mirror, a silver whistle studded with emeralds, a large c.o.c.ked hat trimmed in silk, a miniature portrait of King James, and finally, a dozen bottles of fine English sack. He checked each item for damage and then packed them tightly into the small chest. Finally he inserted a tightly fitting false bottom and covered it with a coa.r.s.e woolen rug.
Then the second packing began. He started with more gifts, these for port officials, mainly silver-trimmed knives and rings set with small inexpensive pearls. He also enclosed several boxed sets of English gold sovereigns, which the Company had requested be distributed as widely as possible, in hopes they would begin to be accepted.
Finally he looked about the room for personal goods. First he folded in a new leather jerkin, then next to it packed a new pair of leather boots. He stared at the boots for a moment, and then removed them while he carefully wrapped two primed pistols and slid one deep into each hollow toe. Next to the boots he packed a case of Spanish brandy he had been saving, for personal use aland. Lastly he took his glistening English lute from its corner berth, held it for a moment, and tested the strings. He adjusted the tuning on one string, then wrapped the lute's melon-shaped body in a silk cloth, and nestled it next to the brandy.
As he secured the lock on the chest and pocketed the large bra.s.s key, he suddenly asked himself how he would get the chest into India without its being searched. I'm not a genuine amba.s.sador. I'm the captain of a merchantman, with no
diplomatic standing. The Company, for all its mercantile wisdom, neglected to consider that small difficulty.
So I'll just have to sound like an amba.s.sador. That shouldn't be so hard. Just be impressed with your own importance. And find nothing, food or lodgings, sufficiently extravagant.
Then he drew himself erect and unlocked the door of the Great Cabin.
Only one thing remained.
”Mackintos.h.!.+” The quartermaster was in the pinnace now, fitting the tiller, and he glanced up in irritation. ”Send the pilot to my cabin.”
Hawksworth had scarcely seated himself behind the great oak table before the tall chestnut-skinned man appeared in the doorway.
Hawksworth examined the face again, expressionless and secure, asking himself its years. Is he thirty; is he fifty? The features seemed cast from an ageless mold, hard and seamless, immune to time.
”May I be of service?”
”Repeat your name for me.” Hawksworth spoke in Turkish. ”And tell me again the business of your vessel.”
”My name is Karim Hasan Ali.” The reply came smoothly, but almost too rapidly for Hawksworth to follow. ”My s.h.i.+p was the Rahimi, a pilgrim vessel on her return voyage from Mecca, by way of Aden, to our northern port of Diu. We carry Muslim pilgrims outbound from India in the spring, and return after the monsoon. As you a.s.suredly must know, for a thousand years Mecca has been the shrine all followers of Islam must visit once in their life. Our cabins are always full.”
Hawksworth recalled the vessel, and his astonishment at her size. She had had five masts and was easily twelve hundred tons, over twice the burden of the _Discovery_ and greater than anything he had ever seen before, even the most ambitious Spanish carrack. But when they spotted her, tacking eastward across the Bay of Cambay, she was unarmed and hove to almost before they had fired across her bow. Why unarmed, he had asked himself then, and why strike so readily? Now he understood.
”And you were the pilot for the _Rahimi_?”
”I am called the _musallim_.” A note of formality entered the Indian's voice and he instinctively drew himself more erect.
”Is that the pilot?”
”Yes, but more. Perhaps it is like your first mate. But I am in full charge of navigation for the _nakuda_, the owner. To you he would be captain.”
”And what was your salary for the voyage?”
”I received two hundred rupees for the trip to Aden, and am allowed two extra cabins of goods for personal trade.”
Hawksworth smiled resignedly to himself, remembering he had unquestioningly delivered to the _nakuda _a bag of Spanish rials of eight equivalent to five hundred Indian rupees to buy out the pilot's contract. Then he spoke.
”Tonight, we go upriver to Surat. You're still in my service and you'll be pilot.”
”I had expected it. I know the river well.”
”Will there be any Portugal traders on the river?” Hawksworth searched his eyes hoping to monitor their truthfulness.