History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP, IL] GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. 55

mercial enterprise he resigned the service and took to trading on his own account. He went to Burmah and made arrangements for opening up a trade with that country. Banaji was not only an enterprising merchant but a man of large-hearted benevolence. When he came to Bombay he had been obliged to take service, but his later commercial ventures proved so successful and brought him so much wealth that he was able to turn it to good use. He built an “adaran” or fire-temple in the Fort, which still exists. The well-known Framji Kavasji of later years, and of whose high character and sterling worth some notice will be found in other pages of this chapter, was a descendant of Banaji.

Banaji’s grandson Dadabhai Beramji was the first Parsi who went to Calcutta for trading purposes. His talents and high character soon secured for him the notice and friendship of Mr. Cartier, the Governor of Bengal, after whom he named one of his trading ships.

Jijibhai Jamshedji Modi was the founder of the Modi family of Bombay. He amassed a good fortune through his contracts (1738) with the English Government for the supply of provisions and other articles to the troops in the garrison. After his death his son carried on his business. These contracts, owing to the want of competition in those days, were highly remunerative, but, owing to the difficulties in obtaim-

ing the necessary supplies, much depended upon the