The losses of the native merchants were even more serious; trade was almost at a standstill, while three more pirate ships from New York appeared in the Gulf of Cambay, and captured country ships to the value of four lakhs of rupees.

Every letter along the coast at this date speaks of the doings of the rovers: every ship coming into harbour told of pirates, of chases and narrow escapes, and of reported captures.
"These pirates spare none but take all they meet, and take the Europe men into their own ships, with such goods as they like, and sink the ships, sending the lascars on rafts to find the shore." So bold were the marauders that they cruised in sight of Bombay harbour, and careened their ships in sight of factories along the coast.
To avenge their losses, the Muscat Arabs, in April, 1697, seized the _London_, belonging to Mr.Affleck, a private merchant.

The Arabs were engaged in hostilities with the Portuguese at the time, and forced the crew of the _London_ to fight for them.

Those who were unwilling were lashed to masts exposed to Portuguese fire, from which they did not escape scatheless.

In vain the commanders of two of the Company's vessels assured the Imaum that the _London_ was not a pirate.
"You have sent me a letter," he wrote, "about my people taking one of your ships.