The first group of South Asians to migrate in notable numbers, in the 18th century, were "lascars" (sailors) recruited from the Indian subcontinent (largely from the Bengal region) to work for the British East India Company, with some choosing to settle down in Britain after either being abandoned by their captains or choosing to desert from their positions of employment. Many were unable to find jobs and were described in letters as "miserable objects", who were often "shivering and starving in the streets". Letters to newspapers in 1785 talked of "the number of miserable objects, Lascars, … shivering and starving in the streets". Some lascars took British wives, and some converted to Anglican Christianity (at least nominally) in order to marry, possibly due to a lack of South Asian women in Britain at the time. Most Indians during this period would visit or reside in Britain temporarily, returning to India after months or several years, bringing back knowledge about Britain in the process. 38 lascars were reported arriving in British ports in 1760.