'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.' [‎183] (220/562)

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UJh hiftory, to the periodical compilatio ns of the times; but rather, to the in- j 7 r 7
tended 2d volume of Mr. Orme\ incomparable hiftory of the military tranfac- ■_ r j
tions of the IZvitiJh nation in lYidoJiciyi i wmch will Toon make its appearance
to the public.
In confequence of the death of my good friend Admiral PFatfon, and of
my conftitution's being greatly impaired by the unwholefome climate of Ben^
gal, I came to a refolution of quitting the fervice; and having communi
cated my intentions to my friend Mr. Doidge the late admiral's fecretary,
and^ to Mr. Pye (ftorekeeper to the iquadron) I was happy to find both
thefe gentlemen in the fame way of thinking with myfelf. We refolved
therefore to throw up our feveral employments, and to return to England
by the way of Bajfora, and the great defert of Arabia. But before this
fcheme could pollibly be put in execution, it was abfolutely necef-
fary for us to get the confent of Rear-Admiral Pocock who 7 upon our.
making application to him, politely accepted of our refignation. We had
now a little time to look about us, and from political and warlike tranf-
adions, turn our thoughts to things, which though not fo important and
interefting, were pleaiing and entertaining.
In the evening excurfions which I made with Captain Martin Y Mr. Doidge T
Mr. Thomas 1 and other friends near Calcutta, we had often observed an ex
traordinary ipecies of birds, called by the natives A t gill, or Hurgill, a native
of Bengal. They would majeftically Italk along before us, and at firft we
took them fox Indians, naked. Upon difcovering however that they were
birds, we refolved to fnoot one, to fatisfy our curioiity relative to their
exad magnitude and fhape. For this, we frequently went out with fome
of our fufils loaded with ball, others with Brijtol drop ; but, though we.
had feveral good marks, our repeated efforts were fruitlefs. We had always,
been attended by the Bearers of our Palanquins, in whofe countenances we
could not but difcern the mofb evident marks of fatisfadion, on our want
of fuccefs •, at length one of them gravely told us, " That if we tried
eternity to kill thefe birds, we fliould never fucceed, for that the fouls
of the Brahmins poflelfed them." We at laft grew weary of the purfuit,
and gave it over. But one evening as I was returning from Calcutta, to.
a houfe which had been lent me in the neighbourhood, I obferved one fly
ing very flowly over my head, and afterwards to perch on a tree by which;
I was to pafs; I took not the leaft notice to my Bearers, until they were
within the diftance of 30 or 40 yards, when I ordered them to ftop, and"
having in my Palanquin a loaded fufil, L difcharged it at the Monfter, and.
brought him down..
The following are the exafl marks and dimenfions of this bird:
The wings extended 14 feet 10 inches. From the tip of the bill to the cx-r-
tr.emity of the claw, it meafured 7 feet 6 inches. The legs were naked,,
and
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