THE RISE OF CONAJEE ANGRIA 75

sea. In 1697 some Beyt pirates landed and
plundered a village within sight of Broach.

But the losses occasioned by native pirates
were at first nearly lost sight of In the more
serious losses occasioned by European corsairs.

" As for those Sanganians and those Mallabars
and professed pirates," wrote the Directors In 1699,
"we see no cause why you should not wage an
offensive as well as a defensive war against them
when they fall In your way: but it is hardly
worth the while to keep small vessels to look after
them, for they are poor rogues and nothing to be
got of them to answer any charge."

In 1707, the year of Aurungzeeb's death, the
pirates of the Persian Gulf made a great haul
of plunder. A squadron of them made their
way to the Red Sea, waylaid the Mocha fleet,
and returned home laden with booty. In the
following year, a squadron of fourteen Arab
ships from the Gulf, carrying from thirty to fifty
guns, and with seven thousand men on board,
appeared on the Malabar coast and surprised
Honore, Mangalore, and Balasore (?); but the
people, having lately been plundered by the Seedee,
were ready with their arms, and beat them off with
the loss of four or five hundred men.