'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.' [‎253] (294/562)

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this country, five hundred purfes of filver, each purfe containing five
hundred rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. or twenty-hve toman 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , and he is in a great meafure,
accountable for the conduft of h.s Tribes. The Armenian was palTW up
the river m a defencelefs conditron, at the time he was robbed, and it is
faid, his extraordinary care of his box, occafioned its being difcovered • and
that his wounds were owing to the refiftance he made in parting with fuch
valuable effefts. We paffed to-day four or five with lance!- thefe we
apprehend are fome of lh<t Banditti who infeft the banks of this great river
and ttrike fo much dread into the minds of travellers. A fingle^perlbn, or
a company of travellers unarmed, might (and I believe would) be in o-reat
danger from them; but we have nothing to apprehend, provided we keep a
good look-out. r
Our Trackers work much in the water, and are incelTantly murmunng; for
more provifion than we can afford them." At Bajfora we laid in fo much
rice and Ghee, as by the Turks about Mr. Shaw, was thought an ample (tore
to carry us to Hilla, but that has been a long time fince expended, and
more has been added from every place we have touched at, where there
was a poffibility ot purchafing; yet we are always in want. At Semava*
a ftock was put on board by the Sheick for twenty men, to which we
added a frail of dates, weighing one hundred pounds; thefe are now
greatly exhaulled, and we are apprehenfive of being in want. The truth
is, thefe poor tracking fellows come to us half ftarved, they work hard, and
can eat five times as much as they ufually get at home, or are allowed, when
they ferve a Turk, or one of their own countrymen i but, whilft they are
in the fervice of an European, of whole riches they entertain a mod extra
vagant idea, they are ever difcontented with a common portion, and even with
a double allowance, and in fpite of all his humanity and care, will crmmble
and give him diftuibance ; all travellers therefore who come this way, fliould
b^ careful to lay in a very plentiful ftock of provifions at their firit fettino-
out from Bajfora as they will find it a very difficult talk to get any quantity
afterwards. On the obferying or neglecfting of this particular, their future
eaie or difcjuietude will in great meafure depend. It is not poflible to
conceive, much lefs to delcribe, the horrid noile and difturbance, that is
made by thefe Arabian male-contents upon fuch occafions: a ftranser
to their language and cuftoms, could not but have his doubts, whether they
were not about to feize him by the collar, and cut his throat. Their gmtural
language, fierce and ghaftly looks, and threatening geftures, added to the
natural wildnefs of the country, muft needs fill him with conftant appre-
henfions of violence, and therefore cannot fail of making his whole palTa^e
painful and difpleafing to a great degree.
About two in the afternoon, a boat went by us from Baghdad, by which we
learned the Caravan was not gone. Soon afterwards a Turktjh galley alfo paffed
us with fome people of confequence; they faluted us with one gun, which
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