"رحلة من إنجلترا إلى الهند في سنة ١٧٥٤ وسرد تاريخي لعمليات الأسطول والجيش في الهند، تحت قيادة الفريق واتسون والعقيد كلايف، في السنوات ١٧٥٥، ١٧٥٦، ١٧٥٧ ... ورحلة أيضًا من بلاد فارس إلى إنجلترا من طريق غير معتاد. مع ملحق يحتوي على تقرير عن الأمراض المتفشية في سرب الفريق واتسون، إلخ" [‎٧‎٤] (٥٦٢/١٠٣)

[ 74 ]
. r r Afrer dinner he returned Colonel Adlercrcn\ and
I755 . with the ^ P^P a an / t h r next day that of captain Uajluf When his
—' tne'nh and o^rlls returned 4m the fleet they gave hi m fo pleaf-
fn " an account, that he refolved to go on board h.mfelf ; and accord,ngly
hafin" Unified his defire to the admiral, the latter appointed the next
mornmg for attending him to the Kent.
The NaM accordingly came, and paffed through the fwell m the boat,
with the greateft unconcern, and after he got on board, heard the fh.p falute
Uim without any furprize or emotion at the nojfe. Admiral led
h m by the hand to every part of the veflel. He was very mqu.flt.ve
and made manv pertinent remarks on fo vaft, fo curious and wonderful
a machine- but above all other things, the lower deck battery which
confifted of 28 guns, carrying balls of 32 pounds ftruck him with alto-
nifhment: the admiral perceiving this, ordered the gunner to exerc.fe a
few of the cannon as in the time of an engagement. 1 he Aaioi appeared
oreatlv pleafed with this, and the other different montcuvres within the
Slip; and afterwards retiring to the great cabbin, the admiral told him, he
would now sive him a view of a man of war under fail, and accordingly
threw out the Tyrsrs fignal to chace to windward. Captain Latbaniy
havin^ had previous notice of the admiral's intention, immediately flipped
his cable, fet his fails, and worked to windward ; and as he pafled the
Kent's (tern, faluted the Nabob with his cannon. This^ added greatly to-
the fatisfaftion he had before felt, and he exprefled himfelf thoroughly
fcnfible of the honour that had been done him. After he had thus agree
ably fpent three or four hours on board the Kent^ he moved for going
afhore. Both the admirals accompanied him, and on his leaving the fhip^
the whole fquadron fired together. The yards were manned at the fame
time, and the failors gave three hearty cheers. This general acclamation
gave the Nabob a particular pleafure, and he ordered the interpreter ro
tell the admiral it was " truly war-like." The admirals waited upon the
Nabob to his tent, where they parted, after exchanging reciprocal profeflions
of friendfhip and efteem for each other *.
Upon the admirals being firft introduced to the Nabobs they were by
fome perfons given to underftand, that it would be expe6ted they fliould fend
in prefents, and pull off their (hoes at entering his tent. Both thefe are ftridly
and truly the cuftoms ofthe Eaji, and from the earlieft ages have prevailed
among the oriental nations; and the Indians always infill upon them ; but as.
Mr. JVatfon reprefented his Brit tannic majefty, neither of thefe humiliating
ceremonies was fubmitted to by him or his company. The prefent made
upon thefe complimentary occafions is a mere triBe, for an orange or lemoi*
never fails to gain admittance. Two or three Indian gentlemen coming
one day on board the Kent^ they, agreeable to this cuftom, prefeated everj^
* Soon after the exchange of thefe vlfits, the author wrote an account of them to a friend
ik. England •, an imperfeft copy of which foon appeared in one of the monthly magazines.
ofiker