'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.' [‎381] (434/562)

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< My health continues to mend.—This evening the whole family took a I7r ^
ride to the conful s new plantation of mulberry and cotton trees, three ' -^ *
miles to the northward of Befnadci^ and mount Cafius appeared to be about Septemb.
20 miles diftant from it.
To the N. E. of Latichea, for fome miles, all the rocks near the fea
fhew the remains of ancient wbrkmanfhip. Large excavations are to be
feen in many of them, which Mr. Drummond very properly fuppofes to have
been chiefly Catacombs or tombs for the dead, though fome of them appeared
to nie, to have been- rather grottos for the living. The conful and his
company entertained us to -day with the Gereed. The figs are now ripe,
and in confequence we have great plenty of Becca-ficca birds and Ortolans.
They are about the fize of a bull-finch, exceedingly fat, and the tafte of
their flefii is generally efteemed as exquifitely good*
I had the mortification to hear to-day from the Patroon belonging to the Septemb. 161
confuFs boat, that by letters received from Smyrna of the 21ft ult. the
pfague then continued to rage there, and that it had made its way into the
neighbouring iflands. If this be true, how diftant yet are my hopes of
getting to England !
Letters received this day from Mr. Drummond bring no public news. He Septemb. 17.
fays, he writes in hade, and intends detaining the packet, till letters ar
rive from Conftantinople, which are daily expedted.
We went this day to Latichea, and there learned, that two Engliflx Monday,,
privateers were arrived at Cyprus-, and that two French merchant fhips Se P te mb. iB*
alio had put in there, only eleven days in their pafifage from Marfeilles. In
a letter received by Mr. Beaumefter from Mr. Conful Drummond, the conful
advifed, that he defigns being at Latichea in the beginning of Oftober, from
whence he intends going on board Captain T^rwr's fhip, and failing ink
under convoy to England. This circumftance gives me frefh hope of the
plague having cealed, and of the fpeedy failing of the Prefion man of war.
This evening at ten o'clock Mr. Prefion fet out for Aleppo. Mr. Free
had fent a fervant and horfes for him, and Mr. Jafper Cruter the Dra
goman^ accompanied him.
We took another ride to Latichea, where, to the furprize of the conful, Septemb 20.
he learnt, that his uncle Mr. Purnel (brother to the gentleman of that name
at Bajfora, and predecefifor as conful and merchant to his nephew here) was
juft arrived from England, but laft from Leghorn. He travelled through
France and Italy.
We flept laft night zrLatichea, where I found the air much warmer than Septemb. 21,
here at Befnada. Every body complained of it; but as it was not by any
means to be compared with what I had lately felt, I was not in the leaft in
commoded.
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