'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.' [‎96] (133/562)

[ 9^ ]
effectual the admiral left it to Captain Martin's choice, either to bear away
for the ifland of Ceylon, or try to pufti on with the rett of the fquadton.
Captain Martin knowing that his (hip had been particularly fixed upon for
eoin^ up the Ganges, and that he had more than 200 ot the king sand
company's troops on board, thought his quitting the fquadron might be a
fort of check on the fuccefs of the whole expedition} he therefore refolved
to proceed, as long at leaft as he could do it with any degree of fafety to
the mens lives.
The monfoon this year was uncommonly tempeftuous, which made it a
long time before we got to the eaftern part of the bay •, at length however, by
great perfeverance and unwearied induitry, the whole fquadron reached one
of the mouths of the Ganges: but our arrival there being in the middle
of the night, we were obliged to come to an anchor, not knowing
exactly where we were-, and when the day came on, we had the mor
tification to find ourfelves off the Palmira, or Palm-tree point, and could
eafiJy difcern an immenfe fand-bank ftretching far to the northward
of u.s. Some of our fhips falling to leeward, had a very narrow efcape-,
the Cumberland, Admiral Pocock, ftruck the ground, but fortunately got
off again without receiving much damage. Two days after this, the Kent
and Tyger reached the road of Ballafore, but the other fhips could not
weather the point. Admiral Pocock, atter feveral fruitlefs efforts, and being
in want of provifions, was obliged to bear away for Vizagapatnam, and the
Salijbury, after being toffed about for fome time at fea, and her whole crew,
both officers and common men, put to an allowance of a purfer's quart of
water a day, was in great danger of perifhing for want of common necef-
faries ; but at laft, by the perfeverance of her captain, and a kind provi
dence, fhe got into Ballafore road, and afterwards proceeded over the lands
to join the Admiral at Fulta.
As foon as the 7^/arrived in Ballafore road, two Englifb pilots came on
board us, who gave the admiral a farther account of the miferable fitua-
tion ot affairs in Bengal-, as, that fince the redudion of Calcutta, almoft every
inhabitant who furvived the attack of the place, or the dreadful cataftrophe
oi the B'ack-hole prifon, had made their efcape to Fulta, a defpicable village
on the river's fide ; that fome families lived in rents on fhore, while others
continued on board the fame (hips and veffels in which they had efcaped
from Calcutta. In fhorr, they reprefented the deplorable ftate in which the
ladies as well as gentlemen were, in fo pathetic a manner, that the admiral
was greatly aftected with the relation, and determined to pufh on imme
diately to their relief. He was thoroughly fenfible indeed, that no time
was to be loll, becaufe he was informed that the Nabob An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. was then raifmg
feveral additional batteries on purpofe to obftrutft his paffage. Me
therefore conlulted the two pilots, whether the Kent and Tyger, at the
moil favourable time 01 the tide, could poffibly pais the Braces ; they