'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.' [‎33] (60/562)

[ 33 1
flSead, that every particular element fhould receive its own again* On the top 1754.
of Malabar-hill, in this o^ Bombay, are two round buildings, on purpofe -J
for receiving the dead bodies of the Per fees, which are placed and remain
there till the bones are clean picked by the birds f. A guard conftantly
Hands within a fmall diftance of the place, who is very much difpleafed if
you offer to approach the buildings; and for this reafon, left by your going
too near, you difturb the vultures in their preying upon the dead bodies J.
One afternoon however, I refolved to fatisfy my curiofity fo far as to peep
into one of thefe edifices. I perceived feveral dead bodies; but there was little
ficfh left upon the bonesand that little was fo parched up by the exceffivc
heat of the fun, that it did not emit thofe (linking effluvia which there was
reafon to exped. _ It was owing probably to the fame caufe, that the bones
were rendered quite black.—Upon the whole, this is a moft odious and abomi
nable cuftom, and the reafon they give for following it, is truly ridiculous.
The natural -produce of the ifland of Bombay, is chiefly the cocoa-nut tree:
from which they extract a liquor called Toddy, which is foft and mild when
drank immediately •, but if it ftands long, it gathers ftrength, and he who
ventures to take a good draught thereof dale, prefuming to find it pleafant and
.innocent as when frefh, will be miferably deceived ; efpecially if his head be
weak : and from hence, probably, arofe the term Toddy-headed. The fruit
or nut of the cocoa-tree has many excellent ufes. The kernel is rich, fweet,
and milky like a filbert; the fhell is not unprofitably made ufe of for cups
and ladles ; but above all, the rind is worked up into a kind of cloth, which
ferves the poorer fort of people for garments. It is alfo fpun as hemp, and
makes very durable cables.—Of the body of the tree and the leaves, the poor
people build their houfes. For each tree a tax of twenty (hillings a year is
paid to the company, which is appropriated towards maintaining the gar-
rifon, and Ihips of war.
Bombay is the moft convenient place among all our fettlements in the
Eafl Indies, for careening or heaving down large (hips; and for fmall ones
they have a very good dock. At the time we were there, they were making
* Dum facerdos ad com mod am dtflaatiam ftando, fepulturae officlum hoc modo recitat,
" Illa frater nofter dum in vivio, conflabat ex quatuor dementis: cum jam mortuus
quodvis elementum fuam partem capiat; terrea pars abeat in terram, aeria pars in aerem,
aquea parsinaquam, ignea pars in ignem." H yde de Religione ueterumPerjarum.
f Ad unum milliare ab urba diftat fepulchretum, quod eft ftruftura lapidea rotunda, tj
pedes alta,^ & 100 pedes in circumferentia habens. In medio muri eft oftium lapideum 6 pedi-
^bus a terra diftans, quod ad excipiendum cadaver aperiri folet. Hujus ftrudlurae area inferior
aa qua jacent cadavera, elevator quatuor pedes a terra, ab omni parte declivis verfus centrum,
vubi eft foramen feu cloaca ad excipiendum ianiem cadaverum. Hoc fepulchretum eft mi-
iernmum fpediaculum, &c. Ovi n gt o n us de Itimrario Suratenji.
1 'tyde gives another reafon for no one's chufing to approach thefe buildings. " Propter
nornbilem fcetorem & miferrimum fpedaculum, omnes abhorrent ilium locum adire; segre
ferentes ut ahquis chriftianus aut alius ilia conditoria videat." Ke afterwards adds, " £t
^srte nemo nifi fumma curiofuate duftus, ilium locum luftr^-e tentabit." Cap. 34.