May

May 1.
Thursday! — We anchored at 4. P.M. in Surat Roads, about 8 miles from the Shore, and mouth of the Tapty River leading to the Town of Surat. — Capt. Wilson was immediately sent on shore to announce to the Chief of Surat the arrival of the Governor – and his intention to land the next morning. —

May 2.
Friday! — At 6,O'Clock this morning The Governor and Suite left the Frigate in the Ship's Barge. — But there being a very heavy swell, and the Wind blowing very fresh, we found ourselves extremely uncomfortable in the Barge. — We therefore shifted into one of the Baggage Batillas soon after leaving the Frigate, and in this large Boat we proceeded to the mouth of the Tapty River, across which there is a consider [sic] Bar. — Having crossed this Bar into the River, we were there met by Messrs. Galley and Ramsay two Gentlemen of the Civil Service at Surat who were sent down by the Chief with the Government Yacht and two Barges to receive the Governor and his Suite. — We accordingly quitted the Batilla and removed into these Boats at 9,O'Clock, proceeding up the River in them for about 7 or 8 miles to a place called Magdella, where we landed about Ten O'Clock. — From Magdella we proceeded the remainder of the way to Surat – distant 4 miles – and through a beautiful rich Country. —

The Governor was met at Magdella by the Chief Danl. Seton Esqr. and the other principal Civil Servants of Surat; — and about a mile from the City, by the Nabob's two eldest Sons, attended by the Old Buxshy with one of his own Sons, and an immense Swary [?] of Guards & attendants; all of whom accompanied the Governor into the Town and to the Chief's House.

The Troops were all under Arms, and lined the Streets from the Gate the Governor entered the City at, all the way to the Chief's House, where we arrived at 11,O'Clock. —

After the Ceremonial was gone through of the Governor's receiving the compliments of the Nabob's Sons and the old Buxshy, as well as those of all the Civil & Military Gentlemen present; we sat down to an elegant Breakfast and Cold Collation prepared by Mr. Seton for the Governor and Suite, and of which we partook with a most hearty appetite. — As soon as we had Breakfasted, The Governor attended by the Chief – and his own Suites proceeded to Winton Lodge, a large and commodious Garden House, within the City but close to the City Wall and about a mile from the River, which the Chief had hired for the residence of the Governor and his Family; and here we all took up our Quarters accordingly; an Officer's Guard being mounted over the Governor immediately. —

The Governor and Suite dined this day with the Chief Mr. Seton, who gave us a most magnificent Entertainment, at which he had the principal Civil & Military Gentlemen of the Settlement to meet us. —

In the Evening The Governor and Suite visited Mr. & Mrs. Cherry – and Colonel and Mrs. Jones; and supped at the House of the former, where were we very agreeably entertained. —

May 3.
Saturday! — The Nabob of Surat, attended by his two eldest Sons, the Bukhshy (Prime Minister as well as Paymr. Genl. of his Army) or Buxshy, and his Principal Officers, with an immense retinue of Guards & attendants, paid a Visit of Ceremony this day at 11,O'Clock to the Governor. —

The Governor and Family dined today with Colonel & Mrs. Jones. —

May 4.
Sunday! — The Governor attended by his Suite; the Chief and the principal Civil and Military Gentlemen of the Settlement, went to hear Divine Service performed in the Chapel, in the Old Castle of Surat, by the Revd. Mr. Wade. — After the Service was over, we all walked round the Castle to view both the upper and lower Works, which appear very ancient, and now in a very decayed State. — The River Tapty washes the foot of the Walls of this old Castle, from the top of which there is a fine prospect.

The Governor & Family dined at Home today for the first time; and in the Evening visited Mr. & Mrs. Wren, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Capt. & Mrs. Skelton; with which last Family we supped. —

May 5.
Monday! — I Breakfasted this morning with Mr. George Browne, on purpose to see the Mahometan Annual Ceremony of the Buckereed performed by the Nabob of Surat and his Great Officers of State, all mounted on large beautiful Elephants most elegantly dressed and decorated, and attended by an immense Retinue of horse and Foot. — The Procession was very grand and magnificent; commencing at the Nabob's own Palace (or Durbar), and passing through the principal streets of the City to the Grand Mosque, and from thence back again to the Durbar. — The Nabob is a very fine handsome looking man about 44 years of age – and was very richly dressed on this occasion. — He was very precious to the Populace, and as he passed along, he every now and then threw handfuls of small Pieces of Silver amongst them. — This perhaps and most probably is, the happiest day the Nabob will ever spend: – for alas! poor man, he yet little thinks of the fate that is hanging over him, or that he is about to be very soon Stripped of all his power & consequence as Nabob of Surat! —

I this day – as soon as I returned home, took the Oath of Secrecy as Military Secretary, and which was administered to me by the Honble. The Governor himself in presence of his Private Secretary Mr. Grant. —

We dined today at Mr. Cherry's, where there was a very large Party, and in the Evening a very good Concert. —

May 6.
Tuesday — I paid and returned a number of Visits this forenoon – Vizt – Mr. Seton, the Chief; Colonel Jones, the Commanding Officer of the Troops; Lt. Colonel Reynolds, the Surveyor General; Lt. Colonel Anderson, and Lt. Colonel Romney; Messrs. Galley, Ramsay and Soper. —

The Govr. & Family dined at Home. —

May 7.
Wednesday! — The Governor having expressed a wish that I should take a minute and particular view of the Outer Walls of the City of Surat, and report to him in writing the state I find them in, with my opinion of the number of Troops that would be necessary to defend them against an Enemy in case of a Siege; I accordingly got Colonel Jones to accompany me and to give me the names of the several Batteries, Block–Houses and Gates.

We set out on this Duty at Day–break, and walked along the Ramparts, making a complete circuit of the Outer–City Wall, which is about Five Miles in Circumference. —

At the Castle we were met by the Colonel's Carriage, in which we went home to his House, and Breakfasted with Mrs. Jones. —

On returning Home I drew up a written Report of the State &c. &c. of the Works of Surat, and presented it to the Governor, who was very well pleased with the clear and distinct account I had rendered him of them. —

The Old Buxshy paid a long Visit of Ceremony this afternoon to the Governor – with whom he had a long Conference on the affairs of Surat and present Government of it, as administered by the Nabob.

The Governor & Family dined at Home.

May 8.
Thursday! — By the desire of the Governor, I this morning accompanied Colonel Jones, Lt. Col: Reynolds, and the Engineer Officer, to examine and take a view of the Ground a little way without the City – and on the Banks of the River, intended for the Sepoy Cantonment; and we all agreed in opinion that it was a very proper and eligible Place for that purpose. —

The Governor entertained the Chief and a large Company at Home today for the first time since our arrival. —

May 9.
Friday! — I was desired by the Governor to take as near and accurate a view as possible of the Nabob's Palace and also of all his other Public Buildings where he has Guards Posted. — I rode out on a Horseback very early this morning for this purpose, riding quite round the Durbar (or Palace) – the Serai (or Arsenal), and all the Principal Buildings belonging to the Nabob; – of which I took down notes, specifying their extent, nature of access – and number of Guards mounted over each. — I gave the Governor a written Report of my observations with which he was highly pleased. —

I dined today with Mr. Seton, and spent the Evening at Mr. Cherry's. —

May 10.
Saturday! — The Governor attended by his Suite, paid Visits of Ceremony to the Dutch and Portuguese Residents at Surat. — The Governor & Family dine today with Lt. Coll. Reynolds, who gave us a most elegant Entertainment, and had the principal Ladies and Gentlemen of the Settlement to meet the Governor. —

May 11.
Sunday! — The Governor attended by Mr. Grant and myself Breakfasted this morning with Lt. Col: Reynolds to look at his most valuable Map of India, which he is constructing on an immense large Scale, with the greatest pains and assiduity to be correct, and which is now – after great labour and fatigue – nearly finished; and when it is, it certainly will be a very great acquisition to Eastern Geography, and the East India Company. —

The Chief – and the principal Ladies & Gentlemen of Surat dined this day with the Governor. —

May 12.
Monday! — The Nabob (or more properly Nawaub) attended by the Buxshy (or Buhkhshy) waited on the governor today at 11,O'Clock, and were closeted on business for several hours. —

The Governor & Family dined at Home today. — No Company. —

May 13.
Tuesday! — After much procrastination, and various objections to the measures proposed for the future government and Police of Surat, on the part of the Nawaub; he has at length, tho' with infinite regret and reluctance been prevailed upon to relinquish his sovereignty, and principal authority and controul [sic] in and over the city of Surat; on condition of his receiving a Pension from the Company, in lieu of all the Taxes, Tolls, & Customs, heretofore collected by his People within the said City; – and a Treaty having been drawn up to this effect by Governor Duncan, between the Nawaub and East India Company, the Nawaub came this morning at 9,O'Clock, with the old Buxshy and his usual Train to wait on the governor, when the Treaty was signed by both and mutually interchanged. — It was at same time agreed that he should retain all his former Titles, and that he should be the following day placed on the Musnud in all due form as Nabob of Surat, which ceremony had not taken place since the death of his elder Brother, whom he succeeded lately. —

The Governor had Company to Dinner at Home today, and was in high spirits on account of his having succeeded in thus amicably getting the poor Nawaub to sign the Treaty alluded to renouncing forever his Sovereign authority in Surat; and which the Governor had at first great reason to apprehend the Nawaub would not quietly yield or give up until Compelled to it by force of arms – and which last alternative the Governor was very unwilling to resort to; tho' he found it absolutely necessary to make arrangements to that effect in case the Nawaub had persisted in his first determination, as announced at their first interview and conference on this subject; – in which he said – that "He would only yield up his Sovereign authority with his life." — But he at length saw it was useless to resist. —

May 14.
Wednesday! — The Ceremony of Installing the Nawaub, Nuzier [?] Ud–deen Khan, and placing him on the Mûsnud, by the Honble The Governor, took place this forenoon at 11,O'Clock, at his own Durbar or Palace, with all the formality, Pomp and Splendour usually observed on these occasions in all Eastern Courts. — It was indeed a very grand Spectacle – and well worth seeing. —

All the British Troops, as well as those of the Nabob, were drawn out and lined the different Streets on this occasion leading from the Castle to the Durbar. — The Honble The Governor with his Suite, and attended by the Chief and all the civil and Military Gentlemen of the Settlement, went in state and formed a grand Procession from the Government House to the Durbar. — As soon as the Nawaub was placed on the Musnud, by a signal given, a Royal Salute was fired from the Castle and the Troops drawn out fired three vollies in honor of the occasion. —

The usual Compliments having then passed, the Ceremony concluded, and the Governor returned home in the same state he had come to the Durbar. —

I dined today with Capt. and Mrs. Skelton.

May 15.
Thursday! — The English Government was proclaimed throughout the City of Surat as the only one to be in force in the future; that of the Nawaub's being extinct by Treaty. — The Troops of the Nawaub were accordingly all withdrawn, at Ten O'clock this morning, from all the works and Gateways of the city Walls; and our own Troops took quiet Possession of them at 12,O'Clock at Noon. —

It was at same time announced that the Title of Chief was now, by late orders of the Governor General of India, abolished; and instead thereof that Mr. Seton, the late Chief, was now appointed Lieut. Governor of Surat, but with nearly much the same Powers as he formerly possessed as Chief. Mr. Seton took the usual Oath accordingly this day on his appointment.

The Governor and Family dined with the New made Lieut. Governor, who gave us a most pleasant Entertainment.

May 16.
Friday! — No Extraordinary occurrence. — The Govr. & Family dined at Home. —

May 17.
Saturday! — Do. — Do. —

May 18.
Sunday! — Do. — Do. — The Governor & Family dined with Mr. Galley.

May 19.
Monday! — At Day–break this morning, The Governor attended by Mr. Ramsay (now appointed Judge of the City of Surat) Colonel Jones, Lt. Col: Reynolds, Capt. Wilson, and myself, rode round the whole of the City Walls outside, and returned to the Government House to Breakfast. —

I dined today with Mr. Geo: Browne.

May 20.
Tuesday! — Nothing Extraordinary. The Govr. & Family dined at Home. —

May 21.
Wednesday! — Nothing Extraordinary. I dined with Col: Reynolds. —

May 22.
Thursday! — The Governor & Suite attended by the Lieut. Governor &c. &c., immediately after Breakfast, went in Procession to the New Court of Adawlut, to swear in Mr. Ramsay as Judge and Magistrate of the City and Mr. Galley as Collector of the same. —

This Ceremony was conducted with great decorum and Solemnity; the Troops lining the Streets as the Governor passed to and from the new Court House. —

The Governor afterwards Entertained Company at home. —

May 23.
Friday! — The Nawaub paid a Visit of Ceremony this day to the governor, being his first since his Installation; since which period he has never stirred out of his Palace – and has been in very low Spirits. —

May 24.
Saturday. — Nothing Extraordinary

May 25.
Sunday! — By this day's Tappal from Bombay I had the pleasure to receive some Europe Letters of a late date, with pleasing accounts of all my friends at Home. —

The Governor & Family dined today with the Lieut. Governor, who entertained a very large Company.

May 26.
Monday! — At 2,O'Clock today The Governor and Suite Visited the Great and beautiful Hydrooss Mosque, and the High Priest of it. — We had a most delightful view and Prospect of the City, the Taptee River, and the Adjoining Country from the top of the highest Minaret. —

The Governor & Family went afterwards to dine at Mr. Cherry's. —

May 27.
Tuesday! — The Governor and Suite dined today with Mr. Lolarro the Portuguese Resident. —

May 28.
Wednesday! — Nothing Extraordinary — The Govr. &c. dined at Home; no Company. —

May 29.
Thursday! — Nothing Extraordinary. I dined today at Mr. Cherry's. —

May 30.
Friday! — I dined at Mr. Soper's.

May 31.
Saturday! — Aga Mahomed was this day dispatched by the Governor on an important mission to the Guicawar Rajah at Baroda the Capital of that Prince in the Guzerat. —

I dined today with Mr. and Mrs. Wren: – a small snug Party. —

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No.4: 28 September 1799 – 11 September 1801.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A769 pp.23–48 [Microfilm Reel: CY299 Frames #549–562].