'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.' [‎332] (383/562)

[ 332 ]
and yet farther to the weft j upon the whole aboitt N. W. It brought us
about two in the morning, nearer to the Per ft an mountains than we have
been yet. We pafled over fome hills and vales, but" in general a fmoother
road than of late. The land by nature very fertile, though it now produces
only wild grafs, flowering flirubs and thirties, which are almoft all in the
feed. At feven we encamped upon a rifing ground, having at its foot a
run of good water, with an innumerable quantity of birds of the kind' I
mentioned yefterday : this fpot is called Sefaya.
The Caravan Bajhi here paid us a vifit, and before he left us whifpered
Francifco our fervant, that " it was cufiomary for gentlemen like us to make
him dprefent. The fervant gave him to underiland, he muft not expeft it,
at leaft until we fhould be on taking our-leave of xhz Caravan. He fmoked
his pipe, drank coffee with us, and parted. 'Turk we have yet had
to deal with, (except Aly Aga, and the governor of Hilla) has been rather
indelicate in regard to money matters. Even their greateft Bajha\ will be
fcandaloufly guilty of the loweft qieanneffes in this refped •, for which reafon
we have always cautioufly avoided making vifits to them, or their minifters
knowing it could not be done but at a very confiderable expence.
Our Aga told us, that the Caravan Bajhi behaved very unpolitely, in not
having waited upon us while we were in our tents before Moful\ and
therefore he defired, we would not think of making him any prefent without
his advice. He told us alfo, that the Aga, general of the foldiers efcorting
the Caravan, had begged of him to prevail upon us, particularly this night,
to keep together, and as near to the Takht Re vans as poffible ; as well
on account of the danger we were in of an attack from the Sanjacks, as to
prevent our being infulted by any of his own troops, who mi^ht do it
through miftake and ignorance. He added, that he hoped they would not
do it through wantqnnefs.
At nine in the evening we marched, went N. h. W. the firft four hours,
then N. W. W. for two more, afterwards about W. and W. b. S. upon
the whole a N. W. or N. W. h. W. courfe, over the fame kind of foil,
luxuriant in grafs and feedy flowering fhrubs ; all which are very thick, and
as high as the horfe's middle. The Courdijian mountains are in fight to the
right, the Sanjacks to the left j diftant from each other fometimes 12, 20
and 30 miles : the country between them a mixture of hills, dales, and plains'^
moft of the latter covered with a deep rich mould.
This night I obferved feveral of thofe curious infers, which fo abound
in India, and are by us called Fire-flies : they are not quite fo long as the
Spanijh fly, are ot a brown colour ? and carry under their bellies a luminous
hag which is opened and fhut by two aftive lips : by this, (their own light)
■they are guided in the evening and night, when like the owl they are always
bufyv In the Hajt Indies I very often faw the air almoft full of theft
iittk
1738.
J ul y u-
SgFAYA.