'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.' [‎238] (279/562)

[ 238 ]
Pelicans, fwimmlng majeftically along the river-, Mr. Alms fired a ball
among them, of which they took but little notice: we were then golZ
to dilcharge one of the fmall cannon loaded with (lugs, but our CbL'r-f*
telling us it would be a fin, we delifted. At eight o'clock we pafTed
by two slrab villages, and loon afterwards a large camp of Arabs. At twelve
at noon, the latitude by obfervation was 31 0 go ' north. At three we
ohsuRET. to^an anchor abreaft of Monfuret, zn Arab village, in order to change our
Our Chocarda and we have not well agreed to day. We fufpea; that he
intends to impofe on us, flarting difficulties only to make a merit of gettino-
us out ol: them again. He wanted us to falute the Sheick of this village 5
which we would not comply with ; this offended him, and he talks
taking himfelf on board the luggage-boat. We appear indifferent about ir
as we know he will never leave the good wines and other liquors which he
finds with us, and which he feems fo much to like, merely for indulging a
petulant humour At fix o'clock, finding our Chocarda had not fucceeded
in getting a new let ot 'Trackers^ we weighed and flood over to the villao-e
where we found him in high difpute. The. chief of the hamlet happeV
ing to be abfent, an old man who called himfelf Sheick for the time
prefent, offered to fupply our officer with men, but infilled on bein«
paid for them belore-hand; on this head, the difpute arofe. We
thought it bell to accommodate matters, by ordering the payment of the
money, and eight Marmoodas were accordingly depofited : no fooner how
ever was the money paid, than new difficulties arofe from another, a younger
perion, who infilled that he was the chief, and not the man who had
received the Marmoodas and while our Chocarda was conteftina; it with this
new Pretender, the firll endeavoured to make his efcape. Our officer twice
took bdd of h. m and at length, by violence forced him on board the
yacht. on this, the young fellows of the village fcreamed out Allah and
multitudes ran towards the veflel, demanding the prifoner, who after Vome
altercation was delivered up to fhem. In about three quarters of an hour
after his enlargement, they brought down twelve who feemed to
come on board with great reludance. Their chief, upon delivering them!
recover The^ T T ^ glVen him as a P rerent . ^ h? was to
recovei the Marmoodas from the other perfon in the beft manner he could.
From this in (lance it plainly appears, what little regard is paid to the
an'ord -r f om rhe ' ' ' ir0r notw " : hftan(lmg we had obtained
n ord.r tiom the governor of BnJJ to the chiefs of the villages to funnly
woTourr ^dT 1 ftage tl ?- ftage ' the y tri,W - here for above
be had T r nnnr Tr ^ mere cilnt of bribing that a frefli fet of men could
ment ouahr m h k ^ Ve ^ Up0n this that no kind of pay-
cmain ilm -iHn H d , eman ^ d from us-, for as thefe
them befides ■ m Y ' lem • rorn t government, whatever we paid
inem ueiiaesj was a mere impofiuon.
1 A*