'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.' [‎6] (31/562)

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j 1 ca tions who have fettlements in Mia. They fend {hips hither on purpofe for
t^em, which they kill and fait upon the iHand. Thefe bullocks have all
a remarkable protuberance, or portion of fat, feated between the two
fhoulders, weighing about twenty pounds which in general is very much
efteemed, after having lain fome time in fait. For my own part however, I
could not join in the extravagant praifes given to this piece in particular, nor
indeed to any of the beef of this ifland ; for though the oxen are very large,
fat and fair to look upon, yet the herbage they eat, gives their flefh a
peculiar,- and to me a very difagreeable tafte. The natives have a very
dexterous method of bringing the ox to the (laughter. They throw a
rope, with a running knot, over the horns of that particular beaft, which
the purchafer hath chofen out of a great number, and with the fame rope
drag the vidim to a tree; around the trunk of which, they take a turn
with the rope, and draw the ox dole up to it, where it is eafily flaughtered
by the butcher. The iflanders themfelves never (trip off the hide, but feed
on that with as much pleafure as on any other part of the beaft. The (heep
of Madagafcar differ very little from the goats, being alike hairy, only their
heads are fomewhat larger. They have necks like a calf, and a tail that
weighs at leaft ten pounds.
We had no fooner come to an anchor at this iQand, but old Robin Hood,
and another of the king of Baba's people, whom they call purfers j Philibey,
the General i and Captains John Anderfon and Frederick Martin, came on
board the Kent: thefe were fome of the chiefs of the king's court, who
prided themfelves in being called by Englijh names. And the king's own
family likewife, in imitation of the court of England, is not without a
Prince of Wales, a Duke of Cumberland, a Prince Augujtus, and Pnncefles,
diftinguifhed by Englijh names.
All the great men abovementioned, came on board naked, except a
covering over their hips, and another over their fhoulders, made of a cer
tain grafs growing on the ifland, which they had ornamented with fmall glafs
beads, by way of border or fringe. Their hair was not altogether (b wool
ly as is the Africans on the coaft of Guinea, but rather refembling the long
black hair of the Indian • The Madagafcarian wives take great pains with
their hufbands hair: They fometimes put it in large and regular curls,
and at other times braid it in great order, making it to fhine with a par
ticular oil which the ifland produces. The men are rather tall than other-
wife, and (lightly made, yet ftrong •, they always carry in their hands a wooden
lance, headed with iron. This lance is in general made very neat, which
forty yards with great exaanefs, ftriking the fmalleft
mnfu#- i!- uV ,n !P lem !, nt of war . they are commonly mafters of a
tauflcet, which they get from Europeans in exchange for cattle ; and this they
hi irT r n ' Ceft order — 1 am fcrry to fay, that the Eng.
^ ,7 grea J t lnl P oritlons in this kind of traffic, by dif-
g of chea P and '"-tempered gun-barrels, among the poor inhabitants.
5 who