'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.' [‎68] (97/562)

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[ 68 ]
1755. road, whilft a fourth builds a choltre, or perhaps a pagoda, Thefeftruc-
tures are ever afterwards looked upon as the property of the public, and
the founder of either of them is as much cried up in this country for hb
humanity and munificence, as any perfon in England is for ereding an
hofpital or an infirmary.
The method of travelling in this part of the world is very fingular, and
therefore worthy of notice.
As the roads are not furnifhed with inns, you are obliged to carry
mofl of your provifions with you, and all the implements to drefs it. Ta
your Cooleys or fervants, whom you hire for this purpofe, you pay fo
much by the day, and they find themfelves in viduals. Their chief food
is rice, and their drink toddy, both of which are eafily to be procured in
any part of the country, and at a reafonable price. The Gocleys are very
extraordinary fellows for bearing fatigue •, and are very little impatient either
of hunger or thirfL Their common rate of travelling is four miles an-,
hour, and I have known them walk four-and-twenty hours without once
breaking their faft. As people in this part of the world always travel in
large companies, it feldom happens that the whole caravan arrives at the
place of deftination at the fame time.") It is the cuftom therefore for thofe
who get in firft, to make the neceffary preparations for the reception of
fuch who are behind. The making a fire for drefling the victuals, is
always the firft thing done, for which purpofe fome are immediately ient
out to pick up Hicks, whilft others are as neceflarily employed in mixing
the ingredients for making punch, &V.
One of the greateft inconveniencies attending a traveller, is the difficulty
of his getting a draught of water from any of the natives, Ihould he chance
to go on fafter than the Cooleys who carry his utenfils. Among the higher
caftS) I have known their fuperftkion carried fo far in this refped, as to
infift on all Europeans lying upon their backs, while the water is poured
into their mouths, left they fhould defile the veflel by the touch of either
their hands or lips. Upon the whole, though the method of travelling
m India is not a little inconvenient to ftrangers ; yet it muft be owned,
that the many ridiculous fhifts they are necefiarily put to, and the feveral
laughable occurrences which happen upon fuch occafions, more than cc
penlate for the lois of better accommodations.
com-
After haying pafied a very merry evening at this choltre, every man be-
o im e to is palanquin as a bed, while all our attendants flept around
An ^ 'I m r lin: be confefled, that except when they have drank too-
i4. 0 r f 1? errnerite ^ toddy, or ftupified their brain with hang and heetel-
dlfturWe M 8 ^ ^ ^ Wil1 Wake with ™ife Or
■went on with ^ morm ng before fun-rife, we refumed our march, and
ou any impediment till we got to another branch of the
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