'A voyage from England to India, in the year 1754, and an historical narrative of the operations of the squadron and army in India, under the command of Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, in the years 1755, 1756, 1757 ... Also a journey from Persia to England by an unusual route. With an appendix, containing an account of the diseases prevalent in Admiral Watson's squadron, etc.' [‎4] (29/562)

[ 4 ]
1754- T^ 1 ' 5 ^ ancJ Madehv is fubjed to the crown of Portugal-, fituated in a
fine climate, in the latitude of 32 0 27' north. The face of the country
is very mountainous, interfperfed with vineyards, which form a mod ro
mantic and delightful profped. The tops of the higheft of thefe moun
tains are always covered with fnow, fome of the gentlemen of our fquadron
ventured to fcale one of them, but found the air round the fummit of it fo
exceedingly cold, that they were glad to get down again as faft as poffible.
We have a conful always refiding here, and feveral confiderabie merchants
of our nation live at Fonchial, which is the only place of trade in the whole
ifland.
Whilft we continued at Madeira, we met with many difagreeable delays
in fupplying our fquadron with wine and other refrefliments, on account of
the Paflion-week, and the carnival that followed it ; at which feafon all
bufinefs there is at a ftand, and ftrangers are fure to be entertained with
much gaudy, fuperftitious mummery. The cuftom indeed of celebrating
this feftival with a great deal of religious pageantry, is obferved in all Popifh
countries, but probably no where carried to fo great an height as among
the Portuguefe, who are the moft bigotted to the fopperies of their religion
of any nation under the fun-
On the rpth of April, at 10 o'clock in the morning, we took our leave of
Madeira, and on the 23d faw the ifland of Palma, one of the Canaries, dis
tant from us four leagues. By the 25th, we were got into the trade winds;
and in a day or two afterwards were in fight of B&navifta, one of the Cape
deVerd iflands. About the middle of May, our fhip being too much crowded
with ftores and men,, and confequently very hot between decks; the crew
became fo fickly, that in fix days we buried feven men, and had 160 on the
fick 1HI, chiefly with putrid fevers. On the gd of June, at the very hour
Capt. had calculated, we difcovered the ifland Trinidada ; and the next
morning Martinvas was in fight. The latter is compofed of inacceflibl®
rocks; but the former, as I was informed, is well covered with woods, and
has a. fandy bay at the north-eaft end, where there is plenty of. frefh water.
In our whole run from Madeira to thefe laft mentioned iflands, we faw
nothing very remarkable; or only fuch objefts as are always to be met with
in thofe feas: fuch, as great flights of different forts of birds, near the
land; and vaft numbers of flying fifh. We caught alfo fome fliarks in
calm weather; to fome of which were fticking feveral black fifh from
eight inches to a foot long: the failors ; called them the fucking-fifh, but
they are really the Remora^ Some time in June the crews of the feveral fhins
of the fquadron, with baited hooks, caught fome Pint ado ; they are
about the bignefs of a pidgeon, and whe.n fwimming on the water, 'very
much refemble that bird. They are prettily mottled on the back and wines,
l^fhl t are , of , a da ^ k blu e colour, their bills are fharp and ftrong, their
tegs black, and their feet webbed. When caught, they cannot rife to fly
from