VOYAGE 
 
 IN THE 
 
 INDIAN OCEAN AND TO BENGAL, 
 
 Undertaken in the Year 1 790 : 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE SECHELLES-ISLANDS 
 AND TRINCOMALE; 
 
 The Charaéler and Arts of the People of India; 
 
 WITH SOME REMARKABLE RELIGIOUS RITES 
 
 OF THE INHABITANTS OF BENGAL. 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, 
 
 A VOYAGE IN THE RED SEA; 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 A DESCRIPTION OF MOCHA, 
 
 AND OF THE TRADE OF THE ARABS OF YEMEN.j 
 
 With some particulars of their Manners, Customs, &c. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF 
 
 L. DE*èRANDPRK 
 
 An Officer in the French Army. 
 
 PRINTED BY DAVID CARLISLE, 
 For W,.PELHAM, and W. P. Gf L. BLAKE. 
 
 
u-^ 
 
 
VOYAGE 
 
 IN THS 
 
 INDIAN OCEAN, ^c. 
 
 IWAS at the Ifîe of France in the year 1793, 
 with a veflel too large and too iharp for the 
 country. Not being able to difpofe of her, I refolv- 
 ed on a trip to Bengal, where I hoped to find a good 
 price and a ready market, though her conftruftion 
 was ill adapted to the navigation of the Ganges. 
 But appearances being in her favour, this defeél Î 
 truftcd would be overlooked, and I was not mif- 
 taken. 
 
 I accordingly prepared for my departure, and was 
 foon ready for fea. Several motives, and economy 
 among the reft, determined me to difcharge ail my 
 Europeans, and work the (hip with black Indians, 
 known by the name of Lafcars ; but, finding it im- 
 pofTible to procure them, I was under the neceflity of 
 putting up with thirty Maniliefe, whofe pufiUanim- 
 ity and want of fkiii rendered the paiTage extremely 
 difficult. 
 
 The firft vexation I experienced was their cauf- 
 ing me to mifs the harbour of the lile of Bourbon, 
 where I intended to have taken in frefli provifions. 
 I was therefore obliged to (teer for the Sechelles- 
 Illands, and I confidered it as an inftance of good 
 fortune, that I arrived there in fafety, after traverf- 
 ing a dangerous archipelago, in which navigation is 
 
4 VOYAGE 
 
 fubjeél to a number of manœuvres, that recjuireatr 
 experienced erew. 
 
 After four days of anxiety and labour, I arrived 
 upon the Sechelles* bank. Thofe who are defirous 
 of having a correcl idea of this clufter of illands and 
 rocks, may be fully gratified by the chart of the 
 chevalier Grenier. My approach to the bank was 
 announced by the lead, and the Ijle aux Frégates^ 
 being in fight confirmed my fituation. At fix, 
 o'clock in the evening I made that fmall ifland, and 
 directed my courfe for Mahé, the capital of thefe ef- 
 tablilhments, which the diftance yet prevented me^ 
 from perceiving. I was then in thirty fathom wa- 
 ter. _. . 
 
 The night was extremely tempeftuous, and the 
 Bext day, about eight in the morning, I difcovered 
 Mahé, where I came to anchor at three in the after* 
 noon. The governor was an officer of engineers de- 
 tached from the Ifle of France, and I received from 
 him all the attention and affiftance I could defire. 
 
 The Sechelles form a fmall and diftinâ: archipe- 
 lago in the midit of the large one to the north of the 
 ïile of France. They are elevated above a bank of 
 fand, which entirely furrounds them. Their name 
 is a compliment paid to M. de Sechelles \ and the 
 principal port derives its appellation in like manner 
 from M. Mahé de la Bourdonnaie, the governor, to 
 whom the colony of the lile of France is indebted 
 for its beginning fplendour. 
 
 It is fingular, that iflands fhould have foundings, 
 as thefe have, at a great diftance from fliore ; and 
 it is a circumflance at the fame tim.e extremely ad- 
 vantageous to mariners, who, when in fearch of 
 them-, can neither well mifs them., nor come upon 
 them unexpectedly, fo as to endanger their vefiel. 
 
 Among this group of iflands fome are nothing 
 more than barren rocks \ but four of themj Mahé,^ 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 5 
 
 St. Anne, Praflin, iand Frégates, contain water, and 
 are capable of cultiyâtiori. MaKé is the principal 
 and largeft, and^ is about five leagues in circumfer- 
 ence. It is of a fecondary Height, that is to fay, up» 
 wards of a thoufand feet, as Ï guefled at leaft, for Ï 
 had no time to make exa£t obfervations. The 
 whole ifland is a continued mountain, having fever- 
 al peaks without any confiderable vallies between 
 them. It is primitive or granitic, and the bare fides 
 of the peaks, rifing perpendicularly, difcover, in ma- 
 ny places, granite in its purity. 
 
 This mountain, as well as thofe the tops of 
 which compofe the other iflands, have undoubtedly 
 ferved as a refting-place, againlt which the ocean, 
 gradually depofiting its fediments, has formed the 
 bank that furrounds them ; and they will therefore^ 
 in a courfe of time, be united, in all probability, in- 
 to one ifiand. 
 
 Let us for a moment attend here to the phyfical 
 changes of the globe, and the gradual organization 
 of banks and mafies from materials which the iea 
 heaps together in her bofom. The form of the Sech- 
 elles' bank appears to furnifn matter for reiledlion 
 on the fubjeit. If we remark, that the currents in 
 the track of the general winds always follow the im- 
 pulfe of thofe winds, that is, here, always run to the 
 north- weft, we fhail eafily conceive, that thefe peaks 
 of granite, uniting together at the bafe at a certain 
 depth, have colleâed, for a long fucceffion of ages, 
 all the loofe matter and extraneous bodies which 
 the waves and tides liJive thrown in their way : 
 driven againft the fouth-Vv^ell points of thefe peaks, 
 thefe materials have been flopped there, and have 
 formed the bank above which the Sechelles-Iflands 
 rife. 
 
 To this it will perhaps be objefted, that fome ifl- 
 ^tidshave their anchorage to leeward, as, for inftance, 
 A 2 
 
6 VOYAGE 
 
 the liles of France and Bourbon, and thofe of St. 
 Helena and Afcenfion, where no foundings are 
 found to windward, and which have all afmall bank 
 on the jfide oppofite to the carrent. The anfwer ia 
 plain : thefe illands are volcanic. The Ille of France 
 bears fuch evident veftiges of an eruption, that lava is 
 found at every flep. That of Bourbon is burning 
 at prefent 5 the peak of Saiazes is a volcano ; and 
 St. Helena ftill exhibits the traces of flames on her 
 mountains. As to Afcenfion, its conflagration is fo 
 recent that its foil is nothing but alhes ; it has not 
 yet had time to recover its fprings, and accordingly 
 a drop of water is not to be found through the 
 vv'hole ifland. ., 
 
 Whether thefe iflands are the wreck of a mutilat- 
 ed continent, or have been thrown up by a fubma- 
 vlne explolion, which I fliould rather admit, their 
 formation has been accompanied by accidents that 
 have given caufe for the accumulation of the banks 
 in queilion, which have no relation whatever to thofe. 
 gradually organized by the fea. Thefe iflands are 
 too new for the ocean to have had time to throw 
 up againd them the materials, which form fhelves 
 znd rnafles accumulated in the filence of ages. 
 
 The bank which furrounds the Sechelles extends 
 a confiderable diflance to leeward ; but nothing can- 
 thsnce be concluded againft what I have advan-ced. 
 F;>rth:3 fact to fubvert my theoi-y, it v/ould be nec- 
 efl^ary that the ifle of Mahé ihould be alone ; whereas 
 it is comprifed in an archipelago fituated in the midft 
 .of two others ftill more extenfive, and at no great dif- 
 tance apart. It is evident, that at various depths, nev- 
 er very confiderable, thefe iflands are all joined to- 
 gether at the bafe,from the northern extremity of the 
 Laccadives even to the Ifles of France and Bourbon. 
 The mountains of this continent form the iflands 
 that are perceptible and known to us ; and many 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 7 
 
 others muft exift, that, from their want of elevation, 
 are condemned to remain fubmerged. The ifle of 
 Mahé is furrounded by tops of this kind, which, un- 
 able to rife above the waves, have only intercepted 
 the materials dragged on by the ocean in its courfe ; 
 they are now covered, and form the bank, the figure 
 of which anfwers to their fituation. It is probable, 
 that the leeward part of the Sechelles' bank will not 
 be left dry till long after that to windward ; becaufe 
 the currents, having now no obftacle oppofed to 
 them, carry off with them into the immenfity of the 
 deep the extraneous bodies which cfcapc from the 
 iflands of this archipelago ; while, on the contrary, 
 the ille of Mahé and the reft, oppofing a barrier to 
 the tides, force them to depofit the fediments they 
 contain on the point of refi (lance. This hypothefis 
 is proved almoft to evidence ; for the bank of the 
 Sechelles is elevated confiderably to windward, fo 
 that we find only a very fmall depth of water in the 
 dire£l line of the tides, that is to fay, to the fouth- 
 eaft, and this depth muft necefiarily diminilli daily. 
 In fhort, if any thing can give weight to my conjec- 
 ture, it is, that the harbour of the Sechelles very 
 fenfibly becomes (hallower, as does that alfo of the 
 Ifle of France : which demonftrates, not only that 
 the ocean coile£ls in thofe places the extraneous 
 bodies by which they are organized, but alfo, that 
 its eafy and gradual retreat takes place in thefe cli- 
 mates in the fame uniform manner as our philofo- 
 phers have remarked in other parts of the globe. 
 
 As to the form of mountains^ I fhall obferve, that, 
 in general, v/hen we meet with any of which the 
 fides are perpendicular, we need not hefitate in pro- 
 nouncing them to be either primitive or volcanic ; 
 for that fhape denotes either an expiofion or a 
 ftrong commotion. The fecondary mountains, on 
 the contrary, formed gradually by the ocean of ma- 
 
t to Y AGE 
 
 t€Yiàh încêflantly colIe£led by it, are oblique, linlefs 
 they have been heaped on a fteep rock ; in which 
 cafe, or if they have ferved, after their formation, 
 as a bed for a current, they may have been hollow- 
 ed by the water, or cut perpendicularly : but fuch 
 examples are rare. 
 
 Since the period when the mountains of thefe ill- 
 ands were projedled, in one of the great revolu- 
 tions of the globe, nature has had time to gather up- 
 on them fo great a quantity of vegetable fubftance, 
 that, except in places where their form would not 
 admit of it, they are every where covered by a 
 bed of very thick earth ; and, as they have only 
 been frequented fmce the prefent century, they pro- 
 duce an extremely vigorous vegetation. The ifle 
 of Mahé has but a fingle clufter of trees proper for 
 fhip' building, and of thefe a great many have been 
 deftroyed in the eredlion of houfes '; but the gov- 
 ernment of the Mauritius has taken this objedt into 
 confideration, and iiTued decrees for its prefervation, 
 particularly the tatamaka wood, which affords the 
 fme Curved pieces ufed in the conftruftion of (hips. 
 
 The ifle of Mahé fupports three fmalliflands near- 
 ly adjoining. The fpace comprifed between the 
 former and one of the latter, called St. Anne, forms 
 a fine bay, ferving as a harbour, Vv'hich affords an 
 excellent anchorage. Thefe ifiands are furrounded 
 by an immenfe quantity of coral ', probably the o- 
 riginal matter of which the fragments heaped to- 
 gether by the ocean gradually form the banks and 
 ifîands which the fea organizes. 
 
 The coral here forms fhelves of great extent; 
 they rife to the very furface of the fea j but at the 
 bottom of the bay, oppofite Mahé nature has made 
 a narrow channel, proceeding in a ferpentine direc- 
 tion to the fhore, and admitting a great depth of 
 water. This place is commonly called Barachouae, . 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 9 
 
 and, m cafe of neceflity, might be made an harbour. 
 The paffage is very well adapted for that purpofe, 
 having perpendicular banks of coral on each fide, 
 vtrhich form a quay even v/ith the water's edge ; fo 
 that the channel is never expofed to the roughriefs \ 
 of the fea. -^ 
 
 Veflels vi^ifhing to enter there carry a grapnel to 
 the coral banks, and' thus moor without the trou- 
 ble of dropping the anchor. 
 
 The pofleffion of thefe iflands is of the greatefh 
 importance to France ; and fhe took care therefore 
 to fecure them, as foon as the colony of the Mauri- 
 tius had acquired a degree of profperity. The port 
 and road of the Sechelles are at fo fmall a diftance 
 from it, as to be able to annoy its trad«, and cut off 
 its communication with India : fo that, fuppofing 
 they were of no other ufe, it muft ever be of impor- 
 tance to the French government to prevent their fall- 
 ing into the hands of its enemies j but they are val- 
 uable on other accounts. 
 
 When the French fucceeded in pilfering fpices • 
 from the Dutch, the plants were conveyed to the 
 îfle of France, and carefully cultivated in the king's 
 garden : a few profperous years, with Ikilful and 
 expenfive management, gave reafon to hope they 
 might be naturalized there, and government had 
 even begun to diftribute the young plants among 
 th.' inhabitants, and teach them how they were to 
 be reared ; but the hurricanes foon put an end to 
 fo flattering a profpeft : the fettler grew weary of 
 the expenfe and extreme care necelTary to the fup- 
 port of an object of which the profit, while it was uti- 
 certain, was alfo at lead far diftant ; and the refults, 
 even in the king's garden, were by no means fo fat- 
 isfadlory as was expe£led. The cinnamon produc- 
 ed only a light bark, triflingly und^uous, and very, 
 inferior in quality to that of the Moluccas. The 
 
ïo VOYAGE 
 
 clove-trees dwindled ; and though the plant itfetf 
 appeared healthy, its fruit did not anfwer th«e ex- 
 pe6lation of government. In a word, this bufinefs 
 was nothing more, properly fpeaking, than an ob- 
 je£l of curiofity : like thofe orange-trees in Raffia, 
 or in the North of Germany, which produce fruk 
 by dint of attention, but the fruit is degenerate, has 
 no tafte, no flavour, and fcarcely even any fmell. 
 
 The Sechelles, being in a latitude fimilar to the 
 Moluccas, and prefenting fome probability in fa- 
 vour of this fpecies of cultivation, now attradled the 
 attention of adminiftration. Plants were conveyed 
 thither with the utmoft fecrecy ; and as the negro- 
 fhips generally put in at the lile of Mahé, to procure 
 water and turtle, care was taken to choofe a place on 
 the other fide of the iiland, to prevent its being 
 known, and they were depofited near the royal creek, 
 and abandoned to nature. 
 
 Their fuccefs furpalTed every hope j the cinna- 
 mon-trees, particularly, fpread with fuch rapidity, 
 that the canton wherever the lofty trees would 
 permit them to grow, was (hortly covered with 
 them. The cloves and nutmegs fucceeded alfo, 
 but did not increafe in the fame proportion. 
 
 Things were in this (late when war was declar- 
 ed, in 1778, between France and England. Vif- 
 count de Souillac, governor of the Illes of France 
 and Bourbon, with their dependencies, animated^^by 
 a pure and well-dire£led patriotifm, took every pre- 
 caution to prevent the enemies of the ftate from 
 feizing on the precious refult of fo much labour, 
 patience, and expenfe ; but the perfon charged with 
 the execution of his orders was deficient in the 
 judgment necefTary for the execution of fo impor- 
 tant a commiffion. Government had generally 
 maintained a military poft on this ifland ; but from 
 ihe fear of its being furprifed, it was diicontinuecl 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 1 
 
 at the commencement of the war, and an overfecr 
 only left there with a few blacks, whofe orders were, 
 to take the moft efFe£tual means of deftroying the 
 cinnamon-trees the moment the enemy (ho aid at- 
 tempt to take poflefiion of the ifland. Unfortunate- 
 ly, a large French (hip from Madagafcar put in to 
 water at Mahé j and the overfeer, miftaking her 
 for an enemy, believing he fhould be attacked, and 
 fearful of not having time to execute his inftruc- 
 tions, immediately fet fire to the fpice-trees, and de- 
 ftroyed them all. 
 
 Thus periflied the hopes of the French govern- 
 ment. The birds, however, which in general are 
 fond of the fruit of the cinnamon-tree, had carried 
 off a great number of berries, of which fome had 
 dropped accidentally in the woods of the interior 
 of the iflands, where they produced new plants, 
 which were found there at the peace of 1783. Of 
 thefe great care was taken j and when I vifited the 
 iiland, the cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg-trees were 
 in good condition, though not very numerous. 
 There is no doubt that every kind of fpice might be 
 cultivated in the Sechelles-Iflands ; and France, not- 
 v/ithftanding their little extent, derive from them 
 a fufHcient quantity for the confumption of the re- 
 public. No climate can be more favourable ; and 
 the inftances I have cited inconteilibly prove, that 
 the fuccefs would be complete. But, fince the tri- 
 als which have been made at Cayenne, it would ap- 
 pear that government has loft fight of the projedl 
 of naturalizing them on thefe iflands. 
 
 In 1 790 grants of land were offered to any in- 
 habitant of the Ifle of France who wifhed to fettle 
 at Mahè, and foon the whole ifland was difpofed of; 
 but no perfon at that time had fixed his refidencc 
 either on the ifle of Praflin or that of Frégates : and 
 as to St. Anae*s, government had united it to the 
 
12 VOYAGE 
 
 royal domains, to leave it for the ufe of (hips re- 
 forting to the port, who had liberty to land their 
 crews for the benefit of their health, without the 
 leaft apprehenfion as to the other iflands, with 
 which, in cafe of contagion, all communication is 
 cut off. 
 
 Thefe fettlers finding it difiicult to live, much 
 more to enjoy themfelves, have neglected the fpice- 
 trees, and even deftroyed them, that they might de- 
 vote themfelves to the cultivation of rice, maize, 
 manioc, cocoa-trees, and to fifhing for turtle. This 
 laft article prefented fo alluring a bait to their indus- 
 try, by the profit it afibrded, that they purfued it 
 with an avidity which threatened in a (hort time 
 the deftru£l:ion of the fpecieç. Government there- 
 fore interfered, and the fifhing is now fubjeâ: to 
 refl:ri£iions. As thefe iflands had been long unin- 
 habited, the turtle came there in abundance to lay 
 their eggs ; but now, dlilurbed by the inhabitants, 
 they raanifeftly become every day more fcarce. 
 Government preferves the females in an inclofurc 
 on the beach, where any one may be fupplied for 
 his own confumption, but not for trade. This is 
 an excellent refource to veflels whofe crews are at- 
 tacked by the fcurvy. The males that are taken are 
 always fet at liberty. 
 
 Thefe iflands produce alfo a kind of cocoa pecu- 
 liar to themfelves, called fea or twin cocoa ; which is 
 in requeft through all Afia, on accountof its fcarce- 
 nefs. 
 
 The foil of the Sechelles is new, and confequent- 
 ly extremely fertile : indigo is indigenous there \ 
 all the plants profper j horned cattle hnguilh ; but 
 goats and pigs thrive ; and poultry do well and be- 
 come fat in a fhort time. The rice has attrafled 
 the attention of cultivators, by its fuperiority over 
 any other in the world. Yet, notwithftanding ali 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. t>3 
 
 this, the colony, in its prefent ftate, is of no value ; 
 and, though it holds out great advantages, is reduc- 
 ed to a mere provifion-warehoufe for the fmall num- ^ 
 ber of veffels that vifit it : nor can it be confidered 
 in any other light till a wife adminiftration fhali 
 think proper to reftore it to its firft diftination. 
 
 I made fome remarks on turtle at thefe illands, 
 which may perhaps give birth to conje<ftures on a 
 fad that has not yet fixed the attention of natural- 
 ifts. 
 
 Does the land-turtle, or tortoife, ever fwim or 
 undertake long paflages by fea ? To throw light 
 upon this queftion, it may be ufeful perhaps to ob- 
 ferve,that the Sechelles-Ifiands abound in this fpecies 
 of tortoife. How did they come there? Moreo- 
 ver, tortoifes taken at the ifle of Praflin, depofited 
 in the inclofure of that place, and marked on the 
 back with a circle made by a cooper's fcreeving iron, 
 have been re-taken three leagues off on another 
 ifland called /' IJle aux Cerfs, near the barachouas of 
 Mahé. Others, put into the inclofure of the lile 
 aux Cerfs, and marked in a particular manner, have 
 been retaken at Mahé, from which it is feparated 
 i^y the bay and harbour, making at leaft the diftancc 
 of a league. This fact may be relied on : I mention 
 it becaufe I never heard that thefe tortoifes under- 
 took fuch long excurfions by fea. The obfervation 
 appears to me to be new, and I am anxious to com- 
 municate it to naturaiifls. 
 
 During my flay at the Sechelles I had nearly 
 ioft my boat and thofe of my crew who were in it. 
 They iuffered themfelves to be driven on the coafE 
 by a light breeze, which their pufillanimity rendered 
 them unable to counteract. I feared they were carri- 
 ed out to fea, where they would inevitably have per- 
 ifhed j but, fortunately, they were brought back the 
 -next day. They had run aground near the plan- 
 B 
 
ï4 VOYAGE 
 
 tation of an inhabitant who cultivated cocoa, which 
 they pillaged without mercy, carrying ofF three 
 thoufand nuts, with which they laded the boat. 
 The planter, whom I begged to fet a value upon his 
 lofs, was fatished with thirty Spanifh dollars, which 
 I paid without hefitation. 
 
 Every thing being ready for my departure, I 
 weighed anchor and ftood to the north, keeping that 
 courfe till I came within nine degrees north lati- 
 tude, in order to pafs between the Laccadives and 
 the Maldives. The day on which I reached the 
 palTage was marked by the lofs of a failor, a Man- 
 illefe, who feil into the fea while he was employed 
 in bending a new fore-fail. The poor fellow fwam 
 hke a fiih, and at firft diverted himfelf by calling 
 to each of the crew by name, inviting them to jump 
 in and bathe with him. It was then abouc four 
 o'clock in the afternoon, the wind began to frefhen, 
 and the (hip was going at the rate of little more 
 than three miles an hour. The officer who had 
 the watch put about in an inftant ; a hen-coop, 
 fome buoys and other things, were thrown over- 
 board to affiii: him, but he iefiingly difdained them, 
 hoping by dint of ikill to come up with the veflel. 
 At lalt a calk was hove out, with a lead-line fail- 
 ened to it of two hundred fathoms, to which I add- 
 ed upwards of four hundred fathams of rope of dif- 
 ferent fizes, but all to no purpofs : he could not 
 get hold of itj the wind and current driving the 
 veirel fairer than he couM fv.dm. As foon as he 
 perceived the affair to be growing ferious, he was 
 feen to extrc all his force, and every now and then 
 to lift up his arms to iho-.v himfelf. 
 
 "Wilhing to negledt no means of faving him, I 
 had given orders for the boat to be hoifted out .: 
 but, as It was extremely J.icavy, we iound it iaipot- 
 fiUe to do it foon enough. The Blacks of Manilla, 
 
m THE INDIAN OCEAN. i ^ 
 
 inftead of lending a hand, remained upon the gang- 
 ways gazing at their ihip-mate, and calling to him 
 in their langnage^ which I did not underfland , and 
 neither blows nor exhortations could induce them 
 to remain at the capftan, to put about the iliip. 
 
 A heavy fea ftriking us upon the beam made the 
 veiiel roll fo exceffiveiy, that all our efforts were 
 fcarcely fuliicient to fecure the boat and prevent 
 accidents ; at length, about feven in the evening, 
 when we were on the point of attaining our objeél, 
 it became dark. We had now loll fight of the un- 
 fortunate fwimmer for more than an hour and a 
 half J and with fuch miferable failors 1 gave up the 
 hope of recovering him, perluaded that if I were 
 to lower my boat in the night in fo heavy a fea 
 to put to windward, I (hould endanger the whole 
 of its crew, particularly at a feafon when we were 
 every moment expofed to a hurricane. Befides, the 
 experience I had had of the inad^ivity of the Blacks, 
 in what they had done off the Ifle of Bourbon and 
 at the Sechelles, convinced me, that their efforts 
 would be of no avail ; I therefore continued my 
 courfe, leaving the unhappy wretch, who 1 had no 
 doubt was by this, time drowned, to his fate. 
 
 The tides during the fouth-weft nionfoon are fo 
 violent between the Maldive-Illands and the Lac- 
 cadives, that we are fubje£l to lofe our reckoning, 
 efpecially if we are not able to make obfervations of 
 longitude. To prevent grofs errors, and that a vef- 
 fel may not fall in unespe^f^edly with the land, which 
 might be dangerous in the night, there is one re- 
 mark to be made, which is rather of a (ingular na- 
 ture. 
 
 After pafhng the meridian of the Maldives, and 
 when we are between them and the coafl of Mala- 
 bar, there is feen on the i^urface of the water a sreat 
 number of living ferpents, floating without move- 
 
îh5 toy age 
 
 ment, their bodies rolled up, the head qycu, and the 
 look fledfaft. They begin to appear as foon as we 
 get within the Maldives ; but they are not very nu- 
 merous till we arrive at about eight or ten leagues 
 from the coaft, and their numbers increafe as we 
 approach. It is fuppofed, that they are forced 
 down the rivers of the coaft of Malabar, which are 
 fwelled by the abundant rains that prevail at that 
 feafon^ and which carry off with them whatever 
 they meet in their paffage. Thefe floods are fonie- 
 times fo confiderable, that the fea is tinged by thei^i 
 fix or feven leagues from the fliore. 
 
 Two days after lofing the Manillefe I have men- 
 tioned, I difcovered land about fix in the evening. 
 The weather was thick and cloudy, with rain 
 and light airs at intervals. I found myfelf too 
 near the coaft and hauled my wind to ftand off. 
 I was borne by the currents with aftonifhing rapid- 
 ity J in the evening the rain increafed, and the 
 wind fell quite calm. As, however, there was a 
 vety heavy fwell, the fhip rolled coniiderably, and 
 the v/et fails, by beating againft the mafls, were 
 foon rent to pieces. It became neceffary to un- 
 bend the topfails, and thus for a while to remain 
 under bare poles, expofed to whatever Heaven 
 might pleafe to ordain. While frefh fails were 
 bending, I ordered the lead to be hove coaftantly 5 
 and I faw with pleafure, that the tide carried me 
 on the courfe I v/iihed to go as accurately as if I 
 had been able to manage the (hip. 
 ■ About eleven o'clock the fwell became lefs, and 
 in the courfe of a few minutes was completely gone : 
 then the fea feemed on a fudden to be on fire. This 
 phenomenon has been obferved by feveral naviga- 
 tors, who have defcribed it, I find it irnpoffible to 
 give an idea of its appearance : the light does not re- 
 femble that produced by the track of a veffei and 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 17 
 
 ûûï in piiofphoric feas ; it is abfolutely fire, or at 
 leaft appears to «be fo, and it extends to the utmoft 
 . limits of the horizon, fo that the (hip feems to fwim 
 on a burning ocean. The fea was gentiy agitated, 
 and each undulation foamed like the waves of a riv- 
 er when the wind fets againft the ftream. It was 
 this foam that fparkied, each fmall furge refembling 
 a body of fire. 
 
 The crew was very much terrified, and even the 
 officers were alarmed. I explained the wonder, and 
 told them, that it was by no means novel. I repeat- 
 ed what captain Cook had faid on the fubje£l, and 
 obferved to them, that this phenomenon was partic- 
 ularly mentioned by navigators as common near the 
 Maldives. Wifliing to prove to them dill more 
 fatisfa£lorily that their fears were abfurd, and that 
 they had not the leaft danger to apprehend, the fire 
 which they faw being nothing more, according to 
 report, than a fmall phofphoric animal, I ordered a 
 bucket of water to be drawn up and preferved till 
 the next day, intending to examine it with them at- 
 tentively. The fea appeared thus inflamed for the 
 fpac^ of half an hour, when it wholly difappeared. 
 The next day I inquired for the bucket of water, 
 bat it was not to be found , curiofity had fled with 
 the fear of danger, and they preferred relying on my 
 explanation, to giving themfelves the trouble of ex- 
 amining what could have caufed the phenomenon. 
 To my great regret I thus loft an opportunity of 
 making remarks on an objed, which has juftly ex- 
 cited the curio Gty of the learned, and on which 
 nothing fatisfaftory has yet been advanced. All 
 that I was able to obferve was, that as foon as the 
 water was in the bucket it loft its brilliancy, and dif- 
 fered in no refpeâ; from its ordinary appearance. 
 
 I continued my courfe, ftanding for the fouthern 
 point of Ceylon , and, coafting round that ifland, ar-- ■ 
 B 2 
 
ï8 VOYAGE 
 
 rived at Pondicherrj'' nineteen days after my depar- 
 ture from the îlle of France. I had the misfortune,- 
 in mooring fhip, to caft my anchor on the wreck of 
 a vefiel, which had been fo long under water, that 
 no one was acquainted with the circumftance. The 
 refult was, that I loft it ; and in endeavouring to get 
 it up, I broke an entirely new fifteen-inch cable. 
 M. de Rozili, commander of the frigates La Me- 
 d'.ife and La Station, gave me another to fupply its 
 place : he attempted alfo to recover mine ; but by 
 the effjrt he madehe broke his tackle, and increaf- 
 ed a leak in the fore part of his fhip, that admitted, 
 two inches of water in an hour. 
 
 At the time of my landing at Pondicherry, that 
 place, formerly the bulwark of the French in India, 
 had been juft evacuated by Mr. Conway : for which 
 lie vv'as very much reproached. I am inclined to 
 l^elieve, that he did not merit it ; but it is the fate, 
 which every foreigner, who has the chief command 
 in a nation in a ftate of rivality with that in which 
 he was born, ought to expeft. Mr. Conway was 
 ^ an Iriihman \ the evacuation of Pondicherry left the 
 EngUfh mailers of India without oppofition : it is 
 therefore not furpriiing that fufpicion iliould have 
 fallen upon him. 
 
 The garrifon confided only of two hundred Eu- 
 ropean infantry,, a company of artillery, part of 
 which were CaiFr<:s, and a battalion of black Spahis 
 or Cipahis. The park of artillery was evacuated, 
 and all the ammunition fent to the lile of France. 
 It may be proper here to take a rapid glance at the 
 policy of the French in India. 
 
 Tne power of the French company in Afia was, 
 once equal tp that of the Engliin company. Mad- 
 ras fubrnitted to its arms under the command of La> 
 Ejcurdonnale •, and the genius of governor Dupleix. 
 fs-ultrated all the attempts of its enemies on Pondi-. 
 
IlSr THE IN DI AN 0€E AN. pp. 
 
 cîierry : but from that time the power of France in 
 India has continued to decline. 
 
 That able' governor was well aware, that for any 
 fpreign nation to pretend to maintain itfelf in India 
 as a military power, without being ably fupported 
 in the interior, either by allies, or by a fovereignty 
 over countries fufficiently extenfive to raife refpe^la- 
 ble forces, was a vain chimera. He had already 
 been elevated to the dignity of a nabob ; and if his- 
 recall to Europe had not arrelled the courfe of his- 
 proceedings, it is im.poflible to calculate the confe- 
 quences that might have refulted, favourable to his- 
 own country, and injurious to its enemies. After 
 his departure, the vail plans he had formed were 
 given up, and every thing was concentred at the 
 Ifle of France, where a place of arms was erefled,. 
 and whence it was imagined, that, in cafe of necef- 
 fity, the requifite forces and fupplies might be fent 
 to India, to maintain a footing of equality. 
 
 This fyftem was defe£live, as the event proved, 
 Pondicherry was often taken : and the fuccours 
 fent from th^ lile of France were always either in- 
 fufficient, or elfe arrived too late. But in Europe 
 the blame was conftantly thrown on thofe charged 
 with the operations, without its being felt, that^. 
 when a£ling upon ill-concerted plans, the refults 
 of courfe muft be ever unpropitious. 
 
 In the war of 1778 the Mauritius again failed in 
 endeavouring to fave Pondicherry : notwithftand- 
 ing the vigorous defence of M. de Bellecombe, it 
 was obliged to capitulate. After v/ards, when the 
 forces under the command of M. de BuiTy arrived 
 in India, the idea, was relinquifhed of re-eltablifhing 
 that place, which it had been found impra£licable 
 to retain. He took pofleffion only of Goudelours 
 and fort St. David, where the French eftablifhed. 
 thenu^dves, leaving Pondicherry open, and without. 
 
2^ TOY AGE 
 
 defence, a prey to the firft that fhould think proper 
 to enter it. 
 
 That unfortunate town was deftined to become 
 a fchool of fortification j for the Dutch andEnglifh 
 have never failed, when they got pclTeiîîon of it, to 
 raze every thing at all conne£led with military de- 
 fence -, fo that, when ceded to France after a war, 
 it was always to be rebuilt. M. de la Bourdonnaie 
 had given them an example of greater moderation 
 when he took fort St. George at Madras. It is not 
 my wifh to reproach any nation unjuftly : but it is 
 certain, that the Englifh have never taken but t® 
 deftroy ; and their conquefts may be eafily traced by 
 the ruins fcattered on the (bores of India. They 
 could not even fpare the French lodge at Yanaon, a 
 fimple building, which they pulled down as far as 
 the windows of the ground-fioor, leaving the ruins 
 to atteft their deftrudlive difpofition. Atluated 
 by the fame principles, after the laft fiege of Pondi- 
 cherry, they not only razed the fortifications, but 
 even the barracks for the troops. The French gov- 
 ernment had formerly given them fome umbrage, 
 and they now revenged themfelves upon the itones. 
 
 When the French company, exhaufted by loffes, 
 gave up its privelege, the royal adminiflration took 
 it into their ov^n hands. It then appeared, that 
 government v^^as convinced of the neceffity of op- 
 pofing a counter-balance to the Englifh power, 
 which threatened to become what it is at prefent j 
 and they endeavoured to open a negotiation with the 
 republic of Mahrattas, the only power that could 
 afford efFe£^ual fupport. But petty means only 
 were employed for this purpofe : the company had 
 ruined itfelf by profufion, and now avarice became 
 its fubftitute ; no one dared to enter into engage- 
 ments, and the agents of England, laviili of their 
 gold, promifing much, threatening more, and makr- 
 
ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN, ar 
 
 ihg themfelves refpeéled by a force already become 
 formidable, foon gained the afcendaney. Again the 
 Mauritius was reforted to ; and it was. determined 
 to make that place the centre of the French force to 
 the eaftward of the Cape of Capd Hope. 
 
 At length, a deferter from the i)lack troops * in 
 the garrifon of Pondicherry having "made a large 
 fortune, and laid the foundations of a Confiderable 
 power, government feemed defirous of refuming 
 the proje(Sl: of an alliance in the interior of the pen- 
 infula. The attachment of this man to France, 
 and his irreconcilable hatred to England, who could 
 never pardon his ufurpation, aflured to the French 
 the fupport of the kingdom of Myfore. In the war 
 of 1778, fome judicious fteps were taken : a French 
 battalion, under the orders of M. de Cofhgny, fec- 
 onded his fon Tippoo Saib, who greatly diftinguifh- 
 ed himfelf, from the hope of an irrevocable attach- 
 ment to France. But all was to no purpofe : Hy-^ 
 der Aly died ; and his fon, at the peace of 1783,, 
 was unmercifully abandoned. 
 
 Never was there a treaty fo badly concerted ; for 
 the vi6lories juft gained by M. de Suffrein might 
 have been turned to advantage, in obtaining an 
 increafe of territory and fome places of impor^ 
 tance ; in a word, pofleffions that would have yield» 
 ed a revenue. The Englifli company at that time 
 was not in a ftate to refufe a few facrifices ; but, 
 inftead of their being demanded, matters were re*- 
 piaced on the fame footing as before the war, the 
 poireiTion of a fmall territory in the environs of 
 Karikal excepted ; government had even the indif- 
 cretion to give up Goudelours and fort St. David, 
 thereby placing an enemy's fortrefs between the 
 two French pofleffions. In fiiort, France feemed 
 to have no other objeâ: in viev/ than to obtain the 
 *^Hyder AÎ7. 
 
2t TOY AGE 
 
 independence of the Englilh celeries in Americâj 
 and, fatisfied on that fcore, entirely negleéled her 
 cftablifhments in India. On the coaft of Malabar 
 fhe obtained nothing ; Mahé M'as reftored to her,- 
 with the fame territory as fhe had poffefTed previ- 
 ouiîy to the war. In Bengal, Chaiidernagore and 
 its territory was alfo reftorecl, without any thing 
 being added ; and it was even flipulated, that a 
 ditch (hculd be funk to drain off the water. It is 
 remarkable, that this ftipulation is to be found in the 
 former treaty of peace. Alfo the ruins of the cita- 
 del of this town, of which the vidlories of France 
 ought to have obtained a renovation, were once 
 more condemned to remain as they were, difperfed 
 over the deferted country. The French were al- 
 lowed indeed lodges for commerce ; and they fup- 
 pofed themfelves to have made a mafter-flroke of 
 policy in flipulating for the enjoyment of an unlim- 
 ited trade in India. Thus, laying afide the dignity 
 of a great ftate, they fubmitted to play an inferior 
 part, under the empire of Englifli pride. They 
 pretended not to feel how ufelefs was the condi- 
 tion of an unlimited trade, without a fuihcient pow- 
 er to enforce the treaty, which the enemy might at 
 any time elude and {hackle by vexations a\id delays. 
 
 The event has proved how little dependence 
 ought to have been placed on an engagement of 
 this nature j for, a year after the peace, vifcount 
 de Souillac, who was governor-general of the French 
 eftablifhments, was conftrained to ûgn a feparate 
 treaty with the Englifh governors, by which the 
 fait trade, the mod lucrative in Bengal, was reduc- 
 ed to eight hundred thoufand maunds* — A maund 
 is feventy-five pounds. 
 
 As to Tippoo Sultan, he was not fo much as 
 mentioned in the treatv» but was abandoned in Ci- 
 lence to the refentment of -the Englifh : and the 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 123 
 
 eompany would inftantly have cruflied him, but 
 that it was deemed more advifabie to wait till the 
 French army fhould have quitted India, as it was 
 not likely that lo conilderable a force would be 
 kept on (o fmall a territory. This calculation ap- 
 peared in the fequel to be juft. 
 
 Surprifed at fo difadvantageous a peace, and a- 
 larmed at the fmall degree of power retained by his 
 allies in India, and the riik he fhouid run if they 
 were entirely to evacuate the country, that prince 
 folicited fome time after the fupport of France by 
 a folemn embaiTy, which he fent to Verfailles -, but 
 it was too late. The French government had come 
 to a refolution to have only fa(!flors in India ; the 
 Ille of France was again the place of arms, where 
 all the forces were to be concentrated, and every 
 where elfe the French were to appear only on the 
 footing of merchants. This fyftem was fupported 
 with fpecious arguments. The Englilh, it was faid, 
 will be on the lofing fide , they will be charged 
 with the defence of the country and all the expenfes 
 of adminiftration, while the French will have a 
 trade without expenfe : they will have the trouble, 
 and we the profit. In this manner did they deceive 
 themfeives : no argument could convince them, 
 that this difadvantage was fufficient to caufe the 
 French to be excluded from a country, where their 
 pov/er was annihilated, by a nation fenfible of her 
 means, knowing how to turn them to profit, and 
 determined never to recede a ftep when fuccefs or 
 power attends her. The embaiTy of Tippoo had ne 
 other effect than that of caufjng England to de- 
 mand a categorical anfwer from France, as to the 
 intention of fuch a proceeding. To avoid difpute, 
 the latter played a double part, and leaned to both 
 fides, promiiing nothing certain to Tippoo, and or- 
 dering (hortly after the evacuation of Pondicherry. 
 
24 VOYAGE 
 
 It was at this period that the firft troubles broke 
 out in Holland. France forefeeing hoftilities be» 
 tween the powers of Europe, and fearful of having 
 a part in them, ordered Mr. Conway to take poflef- 
 iion of Trincomale, a port which infures the fuperi- 
 ority of India to whatever power polTefTes it. That 
 general had an army fully fufficient for the expedi* 
 tion : the place was guarded by a French regiment 
 in the fervice of the Dutch company (the legion of 
 Luxembourg) j of this corps he was fure : yet fuch 
 was the ill defign or injudicious condu£l of the 
 general, that he totally failed, and, having done 
 nothing, returned to Pondicherry, which he evac- 
 uated fome time after. 
 
 During this expedition Pondicherry was left open 
 and defencelefs. The chevalier de Frefne, however, 
 a very a£live and able officer, animated with fenti- 
 ments of honour, and attachment to the glory of 
 his country, being commandant of the place, exert- 
 ed himfelf fo efFedually, that in a fhort time he 
 covered the town on the northern fide, and extend- 
 ed the fortifications to the gate of Vilnour, com- 
 prifing two-thirds of its circumference. 
 
 The general, returning from his fruitlefs cruife, 
 to his aitonilhment found the town in a flate capa- 
 ble of making fome defence. This circumftance^ 
 certainly, was no reafon for abandoning it ; but, 
 whatever were his motives, he took this oppor- 
 tunity of putting the orders he had before received 
 into execution, and departed for the Ifle of France, 
 followed by his forces and flores. Such precipita- 
 tion raifed the greater outcry againft him, as he had 
 been indifcreet enough to take a journey to Madras 
 to fee one of his old friends — a circumflance which 
 malevolence did not fail to interpret to his difad- 
 vantage. Every thing, in facl, confpired to put the 
 Englifh company in pofTeihon ofPondicherry. The 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 25 
 
 évacuation was fo badly contrived, that this unfor- 
 tunate colony was left without even a poffibility of 
 making ufe of the fmall means of defence that re- 
 mained : a few pieces of cannon were ftill in its 
 polTeffion ; but the balls left behind were of a differ- 
 ent caliber. The refolution, however, of the chev- 
 alier de Frefne triumphed over every obftacle : 
 he obtained a reinforcement of two hundred infan- 
 try, formed and difciplined a battalion of Sepoys^ 
 and fucceeded in guarding the town. 
 
 Pondicherry has been always ill fortified ; that is 
 to fay, defended on a bad fyftem : the objedl has 
 conftantly been to ftielter the whole town, inftead 
 of building a ftrong citadel, and making merely a 
 fimple curtain to put the town out of danger of 
 an attack with cavalry. Madras is fortified in this 
 manner, and the Englifh have found the benefit of 
 it. M. de Lalli's attempts on it were fruitlefs j the 
 capture of the town did not advance him an inch 
 towards the citadel, of which he wa« obliged toraife 
 the fiege. . 
 
 Pondicherry is built in a circular form, on the 
 borders of the fea, the coafts defcribing a chord, 01 
 which the ramparts were the fedlor. The radius is 
 very confiderable, as the fector was dodecagon, giv- 
 ing thirteen baftions and twelve ravelins, without 
 reckoning the fhore. A place like this requires a 
 garrifon of thirteen thoufand men, according toM, 
 de Vauban's fcaîe of proportion, allowing five hun- 
 dred men to each piece : and though the fjtuation of 
 the town, by facilitating its defence, may allow this 
 number of troops to be in fome degree diminifiied, 
 it muft be obferved, that I omit the fea-fliore, 
 which, if fortified, ought to be made able to acï 
 againft a fieet, which would require an additional 
 number of men : fo that, every allowance made, a 
 garrifon of twelve thoufand rnen would at leait be 
 
 C 
 
26 VOYAGE 
 
 neceflary to defend Pondicherry, according to the 
 rules of art, againft an enemy who might attack it 
 methodically, with the fame means as are employed 
 in Europe. On the contrary, had a good pentagon, 
 or even a fort royal, been conftruflcd, fifteen hun- 
 dred men would have been fufficient ; the expenfe 
 of conft:ru£lion too would have been diminiftied ; 
 and it would have required a lefs quantity of artil- 
 lery and ftores. 
 
 Pondicherry is advantagebufly fituated. Cover- 
 ed on the fouth by the river Coupang, called in the 
 Portuguefe language Arian-Coupang, it would be 
 difficult to attack it regularly on that fide. To 
 the weft ward it is defended by an inundation, 
 which v/ould prevent the works necefiary for an at- 
 tack from being carried on, without infinite pains ; 
 and it would be difficult alfo to keep the water out 
 of the trenches. Between this water and the Ari- 
 an-Coupang are the road to Vilnour, and about three 
 hundred toifes of land ; and here an attack might 
 be made : but the vulnerable point of Pondicherry 
 is to the north, as the country in that quarter is 
 favourable for the necefiary operations. An attack 
 towards the gate of Vilnour mufl always be a feign- 
 ed one, to engage or diftraft the attention : the 
 true one muft be to the north ; and it is this point 
 therefore which fhould be principally fecured. If 
 the fame fyftem of defence which has conftantiy 
 been adopted be Rill perfifted in, if it be wifiied to 
 fortify the whole town, as has been hitherto the 
 pradl:ice, I conceive that Cormontaigne's method 
 could alone effedually defend it. M. de Frefne, 
 deprived of the means of conftrudling regular for- 
 tifications, having no tools, no Hones, no bricks, no 
 wood to burn the latter, and no money, confined 
 himfelf to works of earth, which he threw up ac- 
 cording to the. ûvSt method of Vauban, without 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 27 
 
 tenailles, but with a ravelin before each curtain j 
 and as the earth in this country is apt to fly out, he 
 gave to his ramparts a very great Hope, and left at 
 the foot of them a large berme to receive the earth 
 that might fall down, and prevent it from filling up 
 the ditch. The enemy having fucceeded in drain- 
 ing the ditch during the fiege which M. de Belle- 
 combe fuftained, attempts were^, made to guard 
 againft the inconvenience, by digging deep enough 
 to attain a level lower than the river Arian-Cou- 
 pang and the fheet of water ; and fecurity was thus 
 obtained on that fide. But though the ditch was 
 deep and broad, the earth taken out v/as infufficient 
 to conftru£l the rampart as could have been wifhed. 
 The baftions were not filled : they were accordingly 
 lefs fpacious, and did not afford to the party in poP 
 feffion the means of entrenching themfelves. 
 
 At the time of my arrival in this town, the fouth 
 fide was juft finifhed, but no covered way could be 
 made, nor glacis that was tolerable : neither were 
 there any palifades -, for though they had cut and 
 bought fome at Trincomale, they had neglecled to 
 bring them ; and if I except the place of arms of 
 the ravelin c©vering the gate of Vilnour, and a few 
 re-entering angles on the north front, there was 
 not a fingle palifade in the whole circuit of the 
 town. Two gates were ftili uncovered^ without 
 even a barrier ; and the caufeways acrofs the ditch, 
 leading from thefe gates, Were mafllve, with no 
 draw-bridge, nor any thing capable of defending 
 them. The quarter towards the fea was open, and 
 could oppofe no other refiflance, in cafe of attack, 
 than a fmall battery, à harhetti^ ufed for falutes, ex- 
 cept towards the north, where there was a front in 
 which they had contrived a gate, covered by a mif- 
 erable ravelin. It was in this ftate when the Eng- 
 iifh attacked it the laft time ; and how it could 
 
ai TOY AGE 
 
 Bave held out thirteen days after the opening of 
 the trenches is aftonifhing. No revetment was any 
 where to be feen : by filling the ditch w^ith fafcines, 
 k might have been taken by ftorm at the firft onfet; 
 while, by advancing methodically, the mining might 
 have been carried on to the glacis in a fingle day. 
 The earth of that country is too light for mines to 
 be effefted without the affiftance of mafons ; for 
 they v/ouid not anfwer in wood, and no time had 
 been given for their conftru£lion : the Englifh knew 
 very well that there were none there, and it is al- 
 mofl incredible that they fhould have taken fo much 
 precaution in their approach, and have been obliged 
 to make two attacks. The French at prefent would 
 take a place like this in. twelve hours. 
 
 As the king had ordered Pondicherry to be aban- 
 doned, the town would probably have been convert- 
 ed into a factory, if the talents of a fingle individual 
 had not prefsrved it as a military place. Thefitu- 
 ation of the French in India was at that moment 
 yçry precarious; Pondicherry was their chief eftab- 
 liihment ; arui its government extended over its 
 ^wn te3:^iiory and that of Karikal, independently of 
 other ç^l;abliniments, whicli v/e (hall proceed to 
 defcriue. 
 
 The two pofl'efiions of Pondicherry and Karikal, 
 together, might bring in a revenue of a lack and a 
 half of rupees, which is a very infignificant fum. 
 A rupee is nearly fifty fols 5 a lack is an hundred 
 thoufand rupees : fo that a lack and a half make a- 
 bout three hundred and feventy-five thoufand livres. 
 This revenue was intended to fuffice for the expenfc 
 not only of thofe two eftabiiihments, but for that of 
 ^^thers alfo that might require fupporf. 
 
 To the northward, at Mafulipatam, a lodge waa^ 
 eftablilhed, and an agent appointed, to facilitate the. 
 commerce of handkerchiefs. As this article is fiif- 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 2^ 
 
 ficiently known, I fliall not enlarge upon the fub- 
 je£t : — fo much for the coaft of Coromandel. 
 
 Karikal furnifhed rice and fome piece goods, fuch 
 as perculles, chittaras, &c. Pondicherry fuppiied 
 Bengal with fait, and carried on a tolerable trade in 
 blue dye. It was there that the white cloth fent 
 from the north was dyed blue, and which then took 
 the name of guinea-cloth. There alfo were paint- 
 ed chittaras and handkerchiefs h vignette of all kinds 
 and on every fort of cloth. Moreover, what ar« 
 caHed cambays, or white and blue linen, of differ- 
 ent patterns were fabricated there, fuch as chaiTe- 
 lees, bajutapoes, neganepoes, tapfeils, fotes, corots, 
 handkerchiefs, brawles, coflelees, coupis, and other 
 articles proper for trading with the Blacks, as well 
 as a great quantity of white cloths known by the 
 names of perculles and platilles. The dimities 
 were procured at Goudelours. Thefe objects unit- 
 ed might raife, on an average, annually, about 
 twelve or fifteen hundred thoufand livres ; fo that 
 the trade was contained within very circumfcribed 
 limits. 
 
 On the coaft of Galconda, France pofleiTed z 
 confiderable aidée called Yanaon, fituate on the riv- 
 er Godwarin, where' ihe eftabliflied a chief, feveral 
 fa^ories, and a regular police. This aidée was 
 very populous, being the principal mart of the 
 French commerce in that country. It contained 
 fix extremely rich commercial houfes, without in- 
 cluding the refident, who was almoll always a civil 
 or military ofRcer. Here the contrails were made 
 for the white linen cloth fabricated in the neigh- 
 bourhood, which was brought in a raw ftate to Ya- 
 naon, where being bleached and packed up in bales, 
 it was fent down the fmall river of Coringui, to the 
 bay of the fame name, where the (hips received it. 
 
 From this aidée were obtained the linens called' 
 C % 
 
30 VOYAGE 
 
 four-threads, white and raw, and thofe called con- 
 jons. Conjon is an affemblage of an hundred and 
 twenty threads : as the width of the cloth never va- 
 ries, the greater number of conjons there are in a 
 piece, the finer the linens muft be. They begin 
 counting at fourteen \ at twenty-lix the cloth may 
 be called fine 5 thirty makes very beautiful fhirting ; 
 it becomes fuperb at thirty-fix,and at fifty it amounts 
 to the tie plus ultray beyond which they no longer 
 count by conjons. The linen is then called baftard, 
 and is of a moft admirable texture and finenefs. 
 
 The linen of twenty-fix conjons is the moft falea- 
 ble \ it is worth, on an average, thirteen rupees a 
 piece ; but the baftard cloth ought to fell for ten 
 * pagodas. 
 
 To underftand thefe Indian coins, it may be nee- 
 efTary to obferve, that an hundred ftar-pagodas, in 
 the ordinary courfe of exchange, are worth from 
 three hundred and fifty-four to three hundred and 
 -fixty rupees of Pondicherry -^ the three-figured pa- 
 goda fetches two per cent, more, while that of 
 Porta-Nova, the leaft valuable of all, is fometimes 
 reduced to three hundred. The current value of 
 the pagoda is nine livres. 
 
 The rupee of Pondicherry is not die higheft in 
 value, but it poifeiTes the advantage of never vary- 
 ing. France has had the liberty of coining money 
 / fince the period when M, Dupleix was invefted with 
 the tide of nabob. The money was royal, and its 
 ftandard fixed by the ordinances of the king : the 
 courfe of exchange was two hundred and thirteen 
 rupees and a half for one hundred Spaniih dollars- 
 The rupee of Pondicherry is known by a crefcent 
 over a mooriih legend on one fide. The ficca ru- 
 pee is the moft valuable, and is known by a palm- 
 tree j in general, two hundred of thefe are equal 
 to a hundred dollars. The arcot rupee is an arti- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 31 
 
 cîe of traffic, and varies according to the demand 
 for it. 
 
 Yanaon was certainly the place where France 
 commercially had moft to do. All her veflels were 
 configned to Yanaon, and the brifknefs of trade nat- 
 urally produced a great degree of affluence. It was 
 the moft confiderable aidée of the north. The fums 
 laid out there in linen might amount, one year with 
 another, in French and Engliftv commiflions togeth- 
 er, to twenty lacks of rupees, making nearly five 
 millions of livres : to fuch a ftatc was the com- 
 merce of the bay of Bengal reduced. 
 
 The government of Pondicherry extended alfo 0- 
 ver the fmall town of Mahé, fituated on the coaft 
 of Malabar. This town, formerly (Irong, populous, 
 commercial, and the chief eftablifliment of the 
 French on that coaft, is now reduced to nothing ; 
 it has experienced the fame fate as every other place 
 conquered by the Englifh, namely, that of feeing its 
 walls razed to their foundations. France has nev- 
 er thought of rebuilding them, and has confequent- 
 ly kept no military force there : the town has re- 
 mained in a ftate of dulinefs and ina£tivity, in- 
 creafed by the vicinity of fort Talichery, whence 
 the Engliih^^ihtinualîy menace it, and by means of 
 which they may be confidered as maftcrs of it. 
 
 The trade of Mahé confifts of pepper and beetle- 
 nuts. It alfo produces a light kind of earth which 
 ferves to filter water ; and which the natives have 
 the art of making fo thin and fine, that many o£ 
 them, particularly women, in the habit of thus re- 
 galing themfelves, do not hefitate to eat it. This 
 earth is extremely fpongy, and readily abfcrbs any 
 liquid, without lofing its confiftency ; and it often 
 happens, after preferves have been ferved up on 
 plates made of it, that the fyrup remains imbibed, 
 and the ladies eat tiiem. 
 
32 ¥ O Y A G E 
 
 The beetle-nut is in great requeft throughout In=> 
 dia : it refcmbles a nutmeg, in fize as well as con- 
 texture and fliape, without poflefling either its taftc 
 or fragrance. The infide is of a lively red colour, 
 and has an agreeable flavour ; the Indians in gen- 
 eral confume a great quantity of thefe nuts. 
 
 The town of Chandenagore and the lodges of 
 Bengal, fuch as thofe of BalafFore, Patna, Dacca, 
 and Chatigam, are alfo dependent on Pondicherry ; 
 and thefe places, with the large villages of Mahé and 
 Karikal, the aidée or village of Yanaon, the houfes? 
 of Mafulipatam, with a revenue of about four hun- 
 dred and twenty thoufand livres, of which three 
 hundred and feventy-five thoufand arofe from land, 
 conftituted the whole of the French power on the 
 two coafts of India and in the province of Bengal, 
 
 To fuch a flat e was the nation reduced which 
 formerly in this part of the globe vied v/ith England 
 in fplendour ; whilfl her rival faw her flag hoifted 
 on three principal fortreflies, that fecured to her the 
 peaceable poflelTion of the provinces fhe had acquir-^ 
 ed, and in which (he fupported, in 1791, including 
 Blacks and Europeans, a force oftwenty-five thou- 
 fand men. 
 
 Having thus defcribed the fituation of the Frencb 
 in India, anterior to the prefent war, I fhall add a 
 fev/ details on their coaft ellablilhments, before Î 
 fpeak of Bengal. 
 
 Though Trincomale does not belong to France, 
 is on the coaft of Ceylon^ and not on that of India, 
 yet as it is fituated in the bay of Bengal, as the French 
 flag was flying there for fome time, as- it is become 
 famous by the efforts of admirals Saflrein and Hu- 
 gues, and as it is bcfides of extreme importance in 
 time of war, the fuperiority in India depending on 
 the pofl^eflion of it, I fliall begin with that town. 
 
 Trincomale, or Trinkenomale, belongs to the 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAÎf. 33 
 
 Dutch, or at lead was theirs before the prefent war^ 
 that nation, by a treaty with the king of Ceylon, be- 
 ing in pofleffion of the whole coail of that ifland. ^ 
 It was alternately taken and retaken during the war 
 of 1 778rand at laft remained with the French, who 
 faithfully refigned it to the Dutch company at the 
 peace of 1783. 
 
 The reputation of this town is certainly above its 
 real value. The fort, properly fpeaking, conflits 
 but of a front fortification on the method of Maro- 
 lois ; it is in fa6t nothing more than a horn-work, 
 whofe two branches terminate on a mountain, at 
 the foot of which it is fituated, and by which it is 
 defended behind ; fo that Trincomale can only be 
 attacked on one fide. The two branches of the 
 horn-work are defended by the fea ; or, to make 
 myfelf better underftood, the mountain of Trin- 
 comale is a large peninfula feparated from the 
 main land by an iflhmus not exceeding two hun- 
 dred toifes in width, and which is barred by a 
 front forrifi cation. And this is the place that 
 has made fo much noife. Behind the fortification^ 
 at the foot of the mountain, is what is called the 
 town, confiding of three fmallrows of houfes, which 
 form two ftreets. Near the foot of the mountain 
 is alfo a well of very good water, the more valuable 
 as there is no other truly drinkable to be found in 
 t'he country. From the fituation of this fortrefs, it 
 wouldonly be necefiaryto difembark a body of troops 
 ftronger than the garrifon, and appear before the 
 place, to blockade and flarve it out. Its fole advan- 
 tage is the being built on a rock, fo that it can nev- 
 er be approached by mining, which mufi: terminate 
 about fifty toifes from the foot of the rampart. 
 When M. de Suflrein took it, there v/ere no ad- 
 vanced v/orks» except indeed a fhspclcfs heap of 
 tarth, incapable of concealin-g in every part.the bofc» 
 
34 VOYAGE 
 
 torn of the wall ; fo that the battering cannon, once 
 mounted, might have been dire£led advantageoufly, 
 without the trouble of a regular approach. The 
 enemy did not wait for this, but furrendered in good 
 time. 
 
 The Dutch major Von-baur has fmce remedied 
 this inconvenience. That intelligent officer, with 
 infinite patience, procured earth from other parts, 
 and formed therewith a counterfcarp and a good 
 ditch. He conftrucled a ravelin, of neceffity very 
 fmall, as the line of defence is extremely fhort. 
 The whole is furrounded by a good covered way, 
 well pallifaded, and a glacis, by means of which it 
 would be more eafily defended againft a fudden 
 aflault. The chief defe^: of the place is its fituation. 
 
 Trincomale prefents one of thofe ftriking traits 
 which charaderife the genius of a nation. In the 
 hands of an a6l;ive and energetic government, it 
 would have become an impregnable fortrefs. It 
 might have fecured to its mafters the poiTeffion of 
 the whole coaft of Coromandel, from which it is 
 diftant only twenty-four hours fail ; it would have 
 ferved as a rallying point, both againft the powers 
 of India and thofe of Europe ; it would have been 
 an arfenal whence they might have derived every 
 means of attack and defence in the peninfula ; and 
 its harbours and road would have admitted of a for- 
 midable naval eftablifhment : in a word, Trinco- 
 male, in the poiTeffion of an enterprifing nation, 
 might have become the capital of India. Calcutta, 
 which now enjoys that pre-eminence, is fituated 
 much lefs favourably for war. 
 
 Inftead of feeling thefe advantages, the Dutch 
 contented themfelves with making it a fmall poft 
 juft capable of defending them from any flight at- 
 tack. Nature held out to them the means of ren. 
 dering it a fécond Gibraltar -, for by building a large 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 35 
 
 citadel on the top of the mountain it would have 
 been rendered inacceflible. This mountain is fo 
 fteep as to be nearly perpendicular on every fide 5 
 it is formed like a tortoife, and would admit of a 
 very extenfive town. By digging wells in the rock, 
 water would have been found in abundance ; it 
 might have contained magazines of provifions for 
 the fervice of a year or more ; from its height it 
 would have been ftieltered from the ricochet and en- 
 filade ; and, in fhort, would have protected fo ef- 
 fedlually the back bay, that it might have blown to 
 atoms any fleet daring enough to call anchor in it. 
 Inftead of adopting a plan like this, the firft fettlers, 
 ftruck with the facility of barring the ifthmus of 
 which I have fpoken, and of entrenching themfelves 
 at the foot of the mountain againft the natives of 
 the country, imagined they could do nothing bet- 
 ter than conftru£l in hafte a front fortification ; 
 and even in doing this they followed a defective 
 method, then in vogue, and which was merely fuf- 
 ficient to defend them againft the Blacks of Candy, 
 This work, very folidly built of ftone, muft have 
 coft a confiderable fum of money ; and when the 
 Europeans at length became rivals in the feas of In- 
 dia, and had a mutual wiih to difpoflefs each other, 
 the Dutch company, actuated by petty mercantile 
 views, adhered to it from avarice. If they were to 
 alter the fyftem of defence, and eftablifh themfelves 
 on the mountain, what had already been expended 
 would be wholly loft ; and they facrificed every 
 thing to fo trifling a confideration. They contin- 
 ued, as well as they could, to meliorate their a6lual 
 fituation, and were far from wifhing to form an ex- 
 penfive eftablifliment, whilft the one in queftion 
 was not only already completed, but alfo required, 
 from the nature of the fortification, only very fmail 
 means for its. defence and fupport. Such a iy^Qra 
 
j6 VOYAGE 
 
 of economy was clear gain in the eyes of a people, 
 who, extending their views no further than the 
 mechanifm of trade, confider details merely witliout 
 looking to important refults. Hence, notwithltand- 
 ing all that nature had done to render it celebrated, 
 the port of Trincomale was condemned, from the in- 
 fenfibility of its matters, to remain in obfcurity. 
 
 When we take a view of the illand of Ceylon, 
 and refle£^ on the fituation of the Dutch eftablifli- 
 ments there, we are unable to guefs for what rea- 
 fon they fhould fix their principal refidence at Co- 
 lombo, and why fo wretched a port fhould have 
 been made the capital of the ifland, inftead of Trin- 
 comale. Is it poffible they could have been induced 
 to fuch a meafure by the pearl-fifhery in the gulf of 
 Manar ? That fiftiery is now fo much reduced, 
 that they might eafily have judged how very defec- 
 tive fuch views would have been. If the cultiva- 
 tion of fugar in that neighbourhood was .their rea- 
 fon, they might have obtained the fame advantage 
 at Trincomale. How could they negle^l to fix the 
 centre of their power in this portj by which they 
 might have preferved their colonies of Palliacata 
 and Sadras, and efpecially that of Negapatam, 
 which they have feen transferred to the hands of 
 their enemies? That they have kept the two firft is 
 fimply owing to their poffeffions, in the ftate to 
 which they are reduced, having become of no con- 
 fequence. Palliacata, too near Madras, has feen 
 its commerce fwallowed up by the latter, even to 
 its beautiful manufacture of handkerchiefs ; and 
 Sadras is now nothing more than a village moul- 
 dering behind the ruins of a fortrefs,the ramparts 
 of which, diHocated by mines, ftill exhibit theii" 
 former ftrength. The dwellings of the interior, 
 unroofed and dripped, have the appearance of houf- 
 e-s deftroyed by fire j a fpeélacle common enooigk 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 37 
 
 in places conquered by the Englifh, and to which 
 the traveller who vifits the country muft accullom 
 himfelf. 
 
 The fort of Trincomale not being lai^e enough 
 to contain all thofc who might have wiftied to fet- 
 tle there if the eftabliihment had been profperous, 
 and fcarcely affording fufficient room for the garri- 
 fon, a piece of land was marked out for building a 
 town on the outfide, on the plain which fepar- 
 ates the back bay from the harbour. But, with 
 the exception of an extenfive row of trees, ufed for 
 the bazar or market-place of the Blacks, the town 
 has remained imaginary ; for I cannot call by that 
 name a few gardens for the cultivation of tobacco, 
 and three houfes, with about thirty huts. This is 
 a natural;- efFeâ of the monopoly of the Dutch com- 
 pany, which not only refufed to encourage com- 
 merce themfelves, but even prevented induftrious 
 men from fettling in their eftablifhments. 
 
 At the end of the war of 1778, the French had 
 begun, in fome meafure, to enliven trade at Trin-= 
 comale. Cinnamon was eafily procured there. 
 Now that port has nothing to offer for fale ; and 
 when I put in there, on my return, with the Um- 
 ted Friends y a fhip which I commanded in 1792, Ï 
 could not procure the leaft refrefhment, though I 
 had many articles which the commandant was 
 anxious to obtain, and though the adminidration 
 was in the greateft want of opium for the Malays 
 Kving there*. As the country afforded no article 
 
 * The natives of the peninfula -of Malacca are in tlie lta"bît of 
 eating a great quantity of opium, of which they are very fond : the 
 eïFeél it produces on them is a furious .drunkennefs. Thofe who 
 take too large a dofe fall into a paroxyfm of rage, from which death 
 alone can relieve tham : for this reafon the government keep men 
 in pay at Malacca, whofe employment is to patrole the ftreets oa 
 leftivals, and Who are always within call,fhould aman intoxicated 
 witij opium appear in the ikeeti: if any one be feea in this fitua- 
 
 D 
 
3« T O Y A G E 
 
 of exchange except fome bad tobacco cultivated in 
 the neighbourhood, I could do no bufinefs. Money 
 befides was not known among them, and they had 
 nothing to offer me in payment but the company's 
 notes, which I could not poffibly accept. 
 
 Notwithftanding this ftate of penury, the eftab- 
 lifhment at th€ time I was there had an appearanc-e 
 of vigour. The king of Candy having refufed to 
 fulfil his treaty for cinnamon, and having deftroyed 
 befides from diflatisfaélion a great number of trees, 
 which were too contiguous to the Dutch eftabFifh- 
 ments, the company had refolved to march an 
 
 tion, they purfue and kill him without mercy. But for this pre- 
 cautioH, tliefe madmen would commit the mofl terrible excelTes, 
 and though the utmoft aâivity is ufed, it is often impoflible to 
 prevent accidents. They ,are generally armed with a poniard which 
 they call kriji or krjckytht blade of which is half an inch broad and 
 about eight inches long ; it is made in a ferpentine form, and leaves 
 a wound at Igaft two inches wide, which it is hardly prafticabie 
 to probe, on account of the fuiuolities occaiioned by the inftrument. 
 This weapon is the more terrible from being poifoned. Its blade 
 is always covered with greafe, in which it is fuppofed they boil the 
 green wood of the mancendier. The eiFeél of this poifon is fo 
 fure, that it is impofTible to' efcape ; a wound made with it is cer- 
 tain death. They carry this hrift in a wooden (heath, the blade 
 being fecured fo as to avoid all friction, and prefervc the poifon 
 with which it is covered, and' which time, the general deftroyer, 
 feems to im.prove ; at leall the older it grows, the more rapidly 
 it aéls. 
 
 To form an idea of the rage and fury with which this opium in- 
 fpires them, we fhouidfee them, in their combats on board pirate 
 veffels, receive a lance through their bodies,, and not being able lo 
 draw it out, take hold of it, and plunge it further in, to be able to 
 get at their enemy, and llab him with their krift ; _ a fpecies of 
 .^rocity that obliges ihips in danger of falling in with them to pro- 
 vide themfelves with lances that have a guard through the middle 
 of the ihaft, by means of which they keep them off and fuifer them 
 to die at the end of the weapon without daring to draw it out till 
 thefe furious beings have breathed their lall. 
 
 The Dutch, by arming them with muficets, have rendered them 
 tolerable foldiers, and fubftitute them inflead of Sepoys : they are 
 Rationed at aimoft all their eUabiiiliments ; and it is feldom that 
 Trkiîomak is without fome companies of th«in. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 29 
 
 army againft him, and the governor-general of the 
 illand had in confequenee fent a remforcement from 
 Colombo. The number of white troops amounted 
 nearly to a thoufand men, which gave to the pkc€ 
 a confiderabie appearance of life and activity j but 
 as to the road, my (hip was the only one to be feen 
 at anchor there. 
 
 Independently of the fort of Trincomaie, the 
 Dutch have built another for the defence of the 
 port. This is on a mountain ; and if they had tak- 
 en half the pains with the firfl:, which they have 
 beftowedj at clear lofs^ on the fécond, they would 
 have fucceeded in making it a place capable of re- 
 finance. This fort is called Ollembourg, from the 
 name of the mountain on which it is built : it is 
 (imply an oval, without angles or any thing what- 
 ever to flank. The battery is intended to cover the 
 harbour , and the fituation in reality is well chof- 
 en for the purpofe, and, had it been differently 
 conftrufled, might have been of very great fervice, 
 tboughj on account of its elevation, the (hot thrown 
 from it mud lofe the advantage of rifing again when 
 they touch the water, and aifo that of raking the 
 enemy, which is very much againft it. But, by a 
 moil aftoni filing want o£ judgment in a nation 
 known to be confiderate, the only mountain not 
 accefl'ible is that on which they have neglected to 
 build ; Vv'hile they have conitruéled a defedlive 
 fort, at a great expenfe, on an eminence to which 
 it is praclicable to climb, and on which artillery 
 may be mounted out of reach of their guns. They 
 have not even cleared away the woods, under fhel- 
 ter of which it is eafy to advance within ten toifes 
 of the rampart. The engineer (I humbly beg par- 
 don for calling him fo) who fortified Ollembourg 
 feemed neverthelefs to have had an idea that it 
 might be attacked on the mountain fide ; for, in- 
 
^ VOYAGE 
 
 ftead of terminating his fort circularly on that (idc^ 
 as in every other part, he formed a lirait line, which 
 barred the whole breadth of the mountain. Had 
 he underftood what he was about, he might have 
 reaped great advantages from its fituation j in re- 
 ality he (hould have cleared away all the wood 
 within cannon- iliot, have formed an efplanade with 
 it, and then, throwing up entrenchments and pal- 
 ifading them, have oppofed a regular front to an 
 attack. It had the advantage of not being able to 
 be turned, and of defiling the faces of the baftionâ, 
 which could never have been attacked but in front. 
 But it was never fuppofed that it would enter .the 
 imagination of an enemy to approach this place by 
 land, and nothing was thought of but eredling a 
 battery £o¥ the harbour. M. de Suffrein, however, 
 i>roved that an attack on the fide of the mountain 
 was pradlicable, for it was on that fide that he 
 took it. 
 
 Whatever be the defe£l:s of this fort, it coft in 
 the conftru£ltion a great deal of money. A num- 
 ber of ufelefs works were creeled, and among the 
 reft an enormous ciftern ; whereas, with the eighth. 
 part of the expenfe, a well might have been funk 
 in the mountain, which is only compofed of foffe 
 rough ftone, and water would have been found at a 
 very little depth, as it is met v/ith in fome places 
 half v/ay up the declivity. 
 
 The mountain of Oftembourg is one of thofe vaft 
 calcareous maffes rifing in this canton, between 
 which the ocean has left paflages and openings, 
 which at prefcnt form magnificent bays and an ex- 
 cellent harbour. It is of an oblong form, fteep at 
 one extremity, and at the other gradually Hoping off 
 towards the plain ; it proje£ls into the grand bafon 
 which forms the harbour, and divides it into two 
 parts, Nicholfon-bay being on one fide, and Oftem- 
 bourg-road on the other. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 4 » 
 
 The paflage for entering the harbour is towards 
 the fteep extremity, at the foot of which, near the 
 edge of the water, is ere£led a raking battery, which 
 would have an excellent effe£l if it could be fhel- 
 tered from the fplinters which the enemy's ftot 
 would fever from the mountain. This battery how- 
 ever, the fort of Oflembourg, and that of Trinco- 
 male, having no cornmunication with each other, 
 and no intermediate pofts, can render no mutual 
 fupport ; they are belides without defiles into the 
 interior of the country, by which to obtain fubfift- 
 ence after the enemy has made good his landing. 
 They ftand therefore ifolated and apart, and mu^; 
 defend themfelves feparately as well as they can. 
 
 The harbour of Trincomale is certainly very fu- 
 perb; and to judge of it from the accounts that 
 have been given, it would feem to require nothing 
 to render it perfeâ: ; there are, hov/ever, inconven- 
 iences belonging to it which it is proper ihould be 
 made known. 
 
 The principal bay is immenfe ; but it has no 
 anchorage, and is fcarcely navigable. To enter the 
 port, a fhip mud work acrofs it ; which is in fome 
 meafure dangerous, as there are many rocks, fome 
 of which are eight or ten feet only below the fur- 
 face of the water, which renders it necffeary to have 
 a pilot J to obtain whom you firft come to anchor 
 in what is called the Back-bay, under the fort of 
 Trincomale, where there is very good ground. Of all 
 the creeks and bays of the eltablidiments, this would 
 be the beft, if there was any (belter in the bad fea- 
 fon during the north-eaft monfoon ; but it is then 
 not tenable, and you muft get into poi't. 
 
 During the fouth-weft monfoon it is the only 
 
 place frequented by fhips, becaufe there is anchor» 
 
 age on each tackj and when they wifli to depart, 
 
 they maybe out at fea in an inftant without difH^ 
 
 D 2 
 
42 ¥0 Y AGE 
 
 Gulty. Neverthelefs, as this little bay is not ftieî- 
 tered, there is aVways a great fwell in it, which 
 makes the vefleis roll, and renders it impoflible to 
 eareen them. 
 
 The inner part of the great bay afFords an an- 
 chorage near the river Cotiar ; but there is this in- 
 convenience attending it, that frequently, during 
 the fouth-weft monfoon, a vtiTel may beat a whole 
 day without getting in fo far : in which cafe, as 
 there is no anchorage any where elfe, it is obliged 
 to return to the Back-bay to recommence on the 
 siorrow its attempts. An equal difficulty is found 
 during the norih-eaft monfoon in getting out j and 
 this is the more to be dreaded^ as, after a whole 
 iay fpent in the attempt, night may bring on a 
 iiorm, and expofe the veflel to the danger of 
 perifhing on the coaft, from which it may not have 
 been able to make a fufficient offing. 
 
 When we have fucceeded in getting to the fur- 
 ther end of the bay, we put about for the harbour^ 
 and come to anchor at Oftembourg-point. The 
 Éiore of that mountain is fo bold, that a boat run- 
 aground at the head will have fourteen fathom wa- 
 ter at the rudder : at half a cable's length there will- 
 be thirty-three fathom. 
 
 This bafon is very improperly called the harbour : 
 it is rather an immenfe bay, where (hips are moor- 
 ed acrofs, and where there is a heavy fwell, though 
 it 13 landlocked on every fide ; but the bay is fo ex^- 
 tenfîve, that the leeward fide is always very much- 
 agitar';;d. The middle of the bay has a foft clay, 
 bottom, in which anchors link fo deep a-s to render 
 it impoirible to recover them. Further on, towards 
 the inmoft partof the harbour, is a rock of no fmall 
 axtent 5 but the bay is fo large and fo little frequent- 
 ed, that there is more than fufficient room for fucK 
 veifels as v/ifh to enter it. The inconvenience o£ 
 
ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 43, 
 
 not being able to get in without beating to wind- 
 ward mud be extremely difagreeable to a veflel in- 
 any kind o£ diftrefs. Should (he be leaky, with on- 
 ly a few hands, exhaufted by fatigue, the inconven- 
 ience mud be confiderably increafed by being oblig- 
 ed to fpend a day or more in tacking to arrive at 
 the careening-place ; and if the rigging be bad, 
 this becomes impoffible : fhe muft then of necefli^ 
 ty bring up in a great depth of water in the Back-- 
 bay,till affiftance arrives, by which (he may be ena- 
 bled to enter the harbour 5 which muft greatly re- 
 tard her operations. 
 
 There is the fame difadvantage for a fhip of war 
 after an engagement. If totally difmafted, it is 
 impoffible for her to get in under jury-mafts j and 
 if the hull alfo be impaired, fhe cannot obtain the 
 fmalleft relief ; for in the Back-bay, the only place 
 where fhe could be moored,, there would be no pof- 
 fibility of her refitting. In addition to thefe incon- 
 veniences the vaftnefs of the harbour muft be con- 
 fidered. During the fouth-weft rtonfoon veflels 
 are careened at the greater iiiand -, but if a breeze 
 fpring up in the offing or in the north-eaft, their po» 
 fition muft be inftantiy altered, for the fea fwells fo 
 fuddenly, that they would be in confiderable danger. 
 During the other monfoon the careening is done in 
 Nicholfon's-bay, but that is no better ffieltered ^ 
 and in PAfife des Cours, where there is alfo anchor- 
 age, there is the fame difadvantage. Thefe differ- 
 ent places, befides, are above three miles diftant 
 from each other, and fix from the fort of Trinco- 
 male. How difficult, or at leaft expenfive, it would 
 be, provided they could mutually affift one another, 
 to form eftabliihments in each, may eafily be con- 
 ceived. Some miferable ftorehoufes, indeed, have- 
 been conftrucled at the foot of the mountain of 
 Qilembourg, and, fuppofing an eftabliOiment were. 
 
44 VOYAGE 
 
 formed there, fufEcient for the operations of a coiî- 
 fiderable port, the difficulty would remain to find a 
 place where (hips might be built and launched. 
 For the reft, the principal difadvantage of this port 
 is the want of good water : except a fmall fpring at 
 the foot of the mountain of Oftembourg, towards 
 NicholfonVbay, there is none fcarcely to be found. 
 The other fprings afford but little, and are drained 
 by the natives. During the war of 1778 we were 
 obliged to fupply ourfelves from the river Cotiar, 
 which is nine miles diftant, as all the wells about 
 Trincomale were brackifh and unwholefome. Not- 
 withftanding all this, the harbour is an ineflimable 
 benefit ; for there is no other in this part of India, 
 and the poffeffion of it is of the higheft importance. 
 
 The environs of Trincomale are uncultivated. 
 About fifteen miles from the fort is a fountain of 
 warm water. It jets out in two places. One of 
 the fources is too hot to be borne ; the other is of 
 a moderate heat ; and twenty feet from the latter 
 rifes a fpring of cold water. 
 
 The woods with which this country is covered 
 are near the town. It would be imprudent to en- 
 ter them unarmed, as they abound in buffaloes, el- 
 ephants, and tigers, to which Buffon gives the name 
 of ounce : there are alfo a great number of monkeys 
 there. The river Cotiar is near a lake, where the 
 wild elephants frequently refort to bathe. Our 
 friilors often had fkirmifhes with them. 
 
 The fouthern coaft of the great bay is terminated ? 
 by Sale-point j it abounds in peacocks and quails, but 
 there is very little fhooting, on account of the wild 
 beafts, which there is danger of falling in with. Mr. 
 Sonnerat found there what is called the primitive 
 cock, and which BufFon maintains to be the goldeiï' 
 pheafant. I faw one of them in Mr. Cafencve's gar- 
 den at Pondicherry. Mr. Sonnerat fliewed me.anoth. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCE AN. 45 
 
 cr (luffed, a mod beautiful bird, the feathers of 
 which were all covered with gold-coloured fpots» 
 He has given a defcription ^of it that is accurate, to 
 which the reader may refer. 
 
 On a fmali rock called the Chapel are oyfters, and 
 it is the only place where they are to be found. Cat- 
 tle are fo fcarce at Trincomale, that a fmall piece of 
 beef is a diûi of the greateft value. While the 
 French were mafters of it, they introduced a fpecies 
 of goats, called maroon dogs, which at that time 
 formed the chief fupply of the kitchen. But thefe 
 flocks are infenfibly exhaufted ; and when I return- 
 ed there, nothing was to be had but fifh and cheefe. 
 The commandant having done me the honour of in- 
 viting me to dinner, gave me nothing elfe, and for 
 drink all he had to offer his guefts was grog made of 
 arrack and water. At the deflert indeed there were 
 ferved up, as a dainty, a bottle of brandy and anoth- 
 er of gin, accompanied with the fame demonftrations 
 as are ufed at Paris in offering a glafs of hermitage 
 or tokay. In a word, fuch v/as the miferyof the 
 country, that even a candle was a luxury, and there 
 was nothing but oil of cocoa to fubflitute in its (lead. 
 
 Ceylon may in a manner be confldered as the coun- 
 try of cocoa nuts, the ifland being almoft covered 
 with the trees : it alfo produces very excellent rice, 
 and towards the fouthern part, in the neighbourhood 
 of Punio Gallo and Colombo, the Dutch cultivate 
 fugar. Thefe three articles together produce a con- 
 fiderable trade ; they ferve to make arrack, of which 
 a great quantity is exported to different parts of In- 
 dia, and cocoa-hair, which is ufed in forming ca- 
 bles for (hips. 
 
 The manners of this canton being nearly the fame 
 as thofe of the coaft of India, I fhall pafs on to Pon- 
 dkherry, taking a flight glance at the village of Ka- 
 rl ka^k 
 
46 TO Y AGE 
 
 This pofîefiion is a fmall aidée to ''the fouth o-f 
 the Danifh fettlement at Trinkebar. The French 
 government keeps a military commandant there, 
 with a detachment of troops of colour. Its princi- 
 pal product is nelji 2l name given to rice when it is 
 fimply threfhed, without being diferigaged from its 
 outer fkin. This nely ferves for the confumption 
 of Pondicherry. The eftablifhment of Karikal, in 
 common with other parts of the coaft, makes fait, 
 which the French carry to Bengal. The govern- 
 ment of Pondicherry gives hns, or permits, every 
 year, to tranfport it into that province, to the a- 
 mount, in quantity, of eight hundred thoufand 
 maunds, or fixty millions weight : it mud be deliv- 
 ered to the Enghfh company, who engage to take it 
 at a certain price before agreed on, and pay in 
 ready money : if any be fent without fuch permit, 
 it is confifcaied -, or if more than eight hundred 
 thoufand maunds, the quantity ftipulated by the 
 contract, be fent, it is alfo feized : any perfons at- 
 tempting to introduce fait into Bengal, and felling 
 it to the natives, are punifhed as defrauders. Thefe 
 permits form a part of the riches of the French 
 government, in addition to its territorial revenue. 
 A portion of them is fet apart for the fupport of 
 widows, orphans, and the poor. The reft are fold 
 to individuals, and the produce goes into the coffers 
 of government. 
 
 From the fouthern point of the coaPc of Coro- 
 mandei to the Palm-tree Point, which terminates 
 the bay of Balafîbre, it is impolTible to make good a 
 landing in European boats. The ocean, which, for 
 a long continuity of ages has fucceffively retired, 
 both from the mountains of the Gauts, and the 
 plain on which they are elevated, is daily raifing^ 
 the coaft, which it infeniibiy abandons -, it is con- 
 tinually amafiing fand and wrecks of marine pro« 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 47 
 
 4u<flions over its whole extent, of which it gradu- 
 ally forms a bank, de{tine<l at fome future day to 
 become the coaft, againft which it will again throw 
 up other banks. Thefe fands form what is called 
 the bar ^ againft which the fea is almoft conftant- 
 ly beating with great fury. The extremities of the 
 waves which pafs over the bank lodge between it 
 and the {bore, where they form new waves. The 
 alternate movement of the furge, which tends to 
 undermine the (hore, and the retrograde movement 
 of thefe waves, feeking to re-unite themfelves^with 
 the mafs of the fea, occafion an excavation between 
 the bank and the coaft. This fpace, about piftol- 
 {hot wide, makes what is called the rejfac of the 
 bar. As it is only the top of the wave which pafTes 
 over the bank forming the bar, the depth of water 
 is not more than a foot, and is often lefs. The 
 furge fometimes rifes confiderably above it, and 
 breaks with violence. An European boar, attempt- 
 ing this paffage, would run the rifle of touching on 
 the bank, and of being fwallowed up by the waves. 
 To prevent this, flat-bottomed boats called chelin- 
 guesy are conftruéled, without beams, and which 
 have the planks fewed together, inftead of being 
 nailed. This formation gives them more elafticity, 
 allows them to bend when they are ftruck by the 
 furge, and prevents them from being fo eafily ftove 
 as other boats : they are fo flat, that they do not 
 draw when loaded above fix inches water, and fome 
 not even fo much ; they are extremely high at the 
 fides, feldom lefs than four feet, fo that when the 
 furf overtakes them, as it cannot reach over the 
 fide, they are in lefs danger of being filled. They 
 are generally manned with nine Blacks, and when 
 the fea runs high with eleven. The perfon who 
 fleers ftands up abaft, and is furniflied with an ex- 
 tremely large oar, with which he endeavours to 
 
48 VOYAGE 
 
 keep tîic end of the boat always towards the wave. 
 Long experience points out to them that all wav^s 
 are not of equal ftrength, and that after three heavy- 
 ones there will at lead fucceed one lefs violent. 
 They watch their opportunity and are feldom de- 
 ceived. Floating along on that which they deem 
 to be the moft manageable, they follow it up, with 
 the foam conïlantly a-head of their chelingue. The 
 reft of the wave, ftill fwelling, affords them fuffi- 
 cient water to clear the bank, and they arrive thus 
 in perfeâ fafety, purfued by another wave, which 
 breaks behind them upon the bar, but unable to 
 overtake them, is no impediment to their attaining 
 the landing-place. Great, however, as their ikill 
 may be, they do not always fucceed j fometimes 
 they are deceived in the fwell, or they fteer badly, 
 or elfe are not in good trim ; and they are then fur- 
 prifed by the furf, upfet, and every thing contained 
 in the chelingue is tumbled into the fea. As they 
 are all excellent fwimmers, they lay hold of the Eu- 
 ropeans, and fave them, but the goods are in dan- 
 ger of being loft. 
 
 To guard again ft a misfortune like this, when 
 large fums of money are confided to them, or other 
 articles of value, they tie a rope to thenv, and fix at 
 the end of it a buoy, by which they know where 
 the effects are, and are able to recover them. 
 
 When the fea runs fo high that they are apprehen- 
 five of an accideiit, they add to thefe precautionj 
 that of providing a catimaron to accompany their 
 chelingue. This is a bundle of three pieces of wood 
 tied together with cords. Their width prevents 
 them from upfetting, and, as they have no interior 
 capacioufnefs, they cannot fink. The Blacks feat 
 themfelves on this fort of raft, with their legs 
 bent under them, fometimes relieving themfelves 
 from fo tirefome *n sttitwde by letting ihçm han^ 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN, 49 
 
 ©vcr in the water. There have been inftances of 
 ftiarks carrying ofFfome of thefe men from the reef 
 when in their general attitude, whether on their 
 knees or fitting down 5 the fea wafhes thenv to the 
 middle of their bodies j the only dry part is the 
 head, on which therefore they carry the papers that 
 are confided to them, in a cap made for the purpofe. 
 
 On vefleis of this frail defcription the natives of 
 India, and particularly the iflanders of the Anda- 
 mans and the Straits, undertake long voyages. 
 They put a maft to this wretched catimaron, and 
 fix to it a weight, which ferves to counterbalance 
 an enormous fail, and prevent their upfetting ; thus 
 equipped, they make way with aftoniihing celerity. 
 If any accident happens, they have recourfe to 
 fwimming, and, like ib many fifhcs, as if the ele- 
 ment was natural to them, put their machine t® 
 rights, on which they feat themfelvcs again, and 
 continue their voyage. 
 
 When we arrive on the coaft of India, the ûrk 
 objc£ls we difcern are the flags of the town we ap- 
 proach : they are feen floating on the fea, as though 
 they had emerged from its bofom. The coaft is 
 low, that it is not perceptible till we are near it, the 
 mountains being too diftant from the • fhore to be 
 feen out at fêa. 
 
 This plain, which extends from the borders of 
 the fea to the Gauts, is fo flat, that the rivers have 
 fcarcely any current, and even at their mouths are 
 fo little rapid, that the fea throws up a bar in the 
 fame manner as in other parts ; thus clofing the 
 rivers, and leaving the water to filter through the 
 fand. In the rainy feafons they fwell, rile above 
 the bank by which they are clofed., and open for 
 themfelves a paflage, which the fea again nils up 
 as foon as the body of water is run off, Î fpeak, as 
 
5© TOY AGE 
 
 may be fuppofed, of fmall rivers only, and not of 
 thofe which are deep enough to admit {hips. 
 
 This want of elevation in the coafts but ill agrees 
 with the fuppofed antiquity of the country. The 
 number of rivers, the lakes by which they are fup- 
 plied, rhe foil, that in many places is nothing but 
 fand, all feem to indicate, that, at no very remote 
 period^ it was covered by the ocean. Not the leaft 
 elevation can be difcovered till we arrive at Pondi- 
 cherry, and thence, to the north of Sadras, only a 
 few hills are perceptible, which muft have been 
 iflands when the ocean covered the plain. 
 
 If we confider the fhailownefs of the gulf 
 which feparates Ceylon from the coaft, and the 
 «hain of rocks that re-unites them, over which noth- 
 ing but pirogues can now pafs, we may venture 
 to affirm, without temerity, that in the courfe of 
 twelve centuries, Ceylon will be no longer an ifland, 
 allowing to this part of the world the fame progreff- 
 ive diminution as we have obferved in the Baltic, 
 namely, forty-five inches to a century. The calcu- 
 lation would be jufl ; for there is only nine fathom 
 water in the deepeft part of the gulf. By ad- 
 mitting a fimilar anterior diminution in the ocean, 
 it would follow, that India is not now as it was in 
 the time of Alexander, and that the plain on which 
 Pondicherry and Madras are built was then under 
 water. 
 
 There arc monuments of men exifting in this 
 country, however, v%'-hich bear marks of great antiq- 
 uity. I here anticipate my excurfion, in order to 
 prefent fatSls at variance with the fyilem, that a 
 juiler opinion may be formed. 
 
 In afceiiding the Godwarin, about nine miles 
 above Yanaon, we meet with a fmaîl Indian ^town 
 called Cota, the refidence of a raja, fience direct- 
 in<f our courfe a little to the eaftward, v/e arrive at 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 5 1 
 
 a confiderable Moorifh aidée named Datcharom. 
 The fituation of this place is not elevated ; on the 
 contrary it is furrounded with water, and confe- 
 quently could not have been freed from the empire 
 of the ocean till fome ages after the prefent coaft : 
 yet in this aidée we find a very beautiful pagoda, 
 which mufl formerly have been a ftrong place ; it is 
 defended by a wide and deep ditch, the degraded 
 fides of which, notwithftanding their Hope, exhibit 
 proofs of antiquity. We arrive at the edifice by 
 two bridges. The pagoda, like all others, is built 
 in the centre of a vaft court, the circuit of which 
 ftruck me with aflionifhment. The wall is fo an- 
 cient, that it ha[s three times undergone a thorough 
 repair ; the difference of the mafon work cannot ef- 
 cape the eye of an attentive and experienced obferv-. 
 er -, as a neceffary confequence of the injuries of 
 time, it has now fallen into ruins. The two upper 
 parts of the mafonry have nothing remarkable in 
 them but their antique appearance j they are cora- 
 pofed of brick. That which fupports them is alfo 
 of brick, but in better condition ; and the Malabar 
 ftyle is difcernible in two mouldings which time 
 has fpared : the v,^hole refts on a foundation ef 
 granite of the greatefl beauty, of which the level 
 has not given way a fingle inch. All the founda- 
 tion of the weftern front, as well as that of the 
 fouthern, is completely preferved ; the architecture 
 is vifibly Greek, for the plinth, the fwell above it, 
 and the aftragal, are as correâly difplayed as if 
 done by an architect of the prefent day ; the whole 
 rs completely laid out by line, and calculated to en- 
 gage the attention of a fpeftator. When we com- 
 pare this monument with the pagodas of Chalam- 
 barum and Jagrenaut, both conftruded in the Mal- 
 abar tafte, and paffing for antiquities, it is diiHcuIt 
 to account for a piece of Greek arx;hitedure thus 
 
52 VOYAGE 
 
 appearing in the midft of a country where no other 
 trace of.it is to be found, except in European eftab- 
 lifhments, and there even no work of granite of this 
 kind exifts. I have feen in this country many chau" 
 der'ies and other buildings conftrufted of a fimilar 
 ftone, but they were all of the Malabar or Indian 
 architefture, without the fmalleft Greek veftige pre- 
 fenting itfelf. The Moors of Datcharom have the 
 higheft idea of the antiquity of this pagoda \ it exift- 
 €d, they fay, long before they fettled on this fpot, 
 and they have fufFered it to remain for the ufe of 
 the Hindoos living with them in the village. Their 
 traditron informs them of the ere<£lion of the two 
 fup^rior pieces of mafonry j but they are ignorant 
 of the date of the third, and have no idea of the 
 age of tlîe foundation on which the whole llands. 
 
 Whoever was the archite£l that built this monu- 
 ment, he mull have taken every poffible precaution 
 to do it with folidity, confidering that he had to 
 work in the midft of water ; and he fucceeded, for 
 the building has remained to this day. It is fair to 
 prefume, that it was eredled in times anterior to In- 
 dian architecture, as it would otherwife have been 
 conformable to the manner of the country. At the 
 time of the firft repair the Malabar architeiflure was 
 known, for it is done in the Indian ftyle. 
 
 If this v/as a Greek edifice, as it appears to be, 
 how are we to reconcile the remote period of .its 
 foundation with the recent one, when the fea is 
 fuppofed to have quitted thefe fhores ? The country 
 in general is fo low, that a tempeft is fufficient to 
 lay it under water ; and inftances of it are not want- 
 ing. In the year 1789 all the country of Coringui 
 and the neighbouring parts were deluged by three 
 waves, which a ftorm raifed above the common lev- 
 el : the water reached even as far as Yanaon. The 
 fea rofe above its ordinary limits, and carried a vef^ 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 53 
 
 fel * into the plains within three miles of Coringui^ 
 When thefe three waves had fpent their force, the 
 fea returned to its bed, and the waters ran off. Ah 
 event like this proves beyond difpute the trifling el- 
 evation of the country, and confequently its late 
 cxiftence : how then can it happen, that at Datch- 
 arom, in the neighbourhood of Coringui, a monu- 
 ment fhould be found bearing every mark of the re- 
 moteft antiquity ? 
 
 If we admit with fome geographers, that in the 
 early ages of the world the peninfula of India was 
 an ifland, which I am far from denying, it mud 
 follow, that the plain, extending from the fea-coall 
 to the foot of the Gauts, was ftill under water at 
 that epoch, as it is much lower than the country 
 which formed the ftrait between the then ifland and 
 what at the prefent day forms the Mogul, properly 
 fo called. On this hypothefis would not the Gauts 
 have been the cradle of the Bramins ? It appears 
 to me that the afRrmative is probable. Thefe moun- 
 tains muft have exifted from the flrft ages of the 
 world : they are primitive, that is to fay, granitic : 
 they inconteflibiy form one of the ramifications of 
 the chain which conftitutes, fo to fpeak, the timber- 
 work of the earth : they would feem to end at Cape 
 Comorin. But I am not afraid of being taxed with 
 exaggeration by thofe who have made this part of 
 the globe their (tudy, when I affirm, that to me 
 they do not appear to terminate till they reach the 
 ifland of St. Paul to the fouthward of the Mauritius 
 and the Ifle of Bourbon ; and the only reafon why 
 we do not fee them rife again between the ifland of 
 St. Paul and the Pole, is, that the ice has prevent- 
 ed us from penetrating fo far, or that the mountains 
 ■ which continue this chain are not fufHciently ele- 
 ■vated to appear above the furface of the fea» It i§ 
 * The Greyhound J captain Eourdé Delaviikubert. 
 
14 VOYAGE 
 
 this fame chain which, plunging under the waves, 
 îe-appears at intervalsj and ihows the peaks of its 
 mountains, of which the fummits form the illes of 
 France, Bourbon, Rodrigues, and the vaft archipe- 
 lago, hitherto fo little explored, which covers the 
 fca between thofe iflands and the Maldives. The 
 Maldives, the Laccadives, and even Ceylon, aie alfo 
 a continuation of this chain : of Ceylon, however, 
 I fpeak from conjecture only, as I have not obferv- 
 cd it. The mountains of the coaft which I have 
 vifited are all calcareous ; but I conceive that the 
 middle chain of the ifland is granitic. In ihort, 
 if we admit the principle, now confidered as indif- 
 putable, of the fucceffive retreat of the ocean, we 
 muft necelTarily infer, that in the courfe of a con- 
 fiderable number of ages the Mauritius and the Ifle 
 of Bourbon will terminate Afia to the fouthward. 
 
 This opinion is very far from being hypothetical. 
 Thefe two iflands are already nearly joined to the 
 continent. Their archipelago and that of the Mala- 
 dives are nothing more than a continued mafs of 
 mountains connected together under the water at 
 no great depth, between which the fea ftill preferves 
 ks channels. In a word, to the eye of a philofo- 
 pher, this continent is already expofed to view ; the 
 p^lains alone remain fubmerged j and even thefe 
 perhaps wait only for the epoch, when the flow 
 and gradual retiieat of the fluid element fhall leave 
 them dry, to rife from the bofom of the ocean ; or 
 they may be indebted for their exifl:ence to fome 
 volcanic explofion. So great a fpace cannot be en- 
 tirely without pyrites : the ifle of Bourbon burns a-l- 
 ready -, and it is to be prefumed, that the water, ef- , 
 feeling at lad a paflage to thofe contained in the 
 bowels of the earth that ftill fupports the yoke of 
 the ocean, fome explofion will refult, and produce 
 either the wreck of the exifting iflands or the for- 
 mation of new countries : we ought rather to incline. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 55 
 
 to the latter hypothefis, as the exifting mountains 
 form together fuch a mafs of granite, that the explo- 
 fion would more eafily throw up the bottom of the 
 fea to its furface, than {hake and f wallow up fo 
 great a body, the refiftance of whi^h Is augmented 
 by its adhefion to what is near it, and by the union 
 of all the parts of which it is conftituted. 
 
 But to return to my voyage. 
 
 On arriving before Pondicherry the eye is fhock- 
 cd with the ruins that prefent themfelves. The 
 church and the capuchia convent, deftroyed during 
 the liege of M. de Bellcombe, have not been repair- 
 ed ; many other houfes on the fcafliore, to the eaft- 
 ward, in like manner deftroyed, are a heap of ruins ; 
 and the whole exhibits a mournful and iickening 
 fpedlacle. But when we are landed the fcene chang- 
 es. As we enter the place of arms we are ftruck 
 with its grandeur 5 the governor's palace adds to its 
 beauty, and gives it a noble appearance ; and if eve- 
 ry thing correfponded with this beginning, Pondit- 
 cherry would be the fineft town in India. 
 
 It is divided into two parts, the Black Town and 
 the White Town : the latter fpreads along the fea- 
 coaft, and is again divided into two parts, the north 
 and fouth. The tower bearing the flag-ftafF is in 
 the middle, and feparates the two quarters. 
 
 The Black Town is feparated from the White by 
 a ditch running through the whole extent of Pon- 
 dicherry. It reaches to the ramparts, and contains 
 a population of nearly eighty thoufand fouls, and 
 a cathedral belonging to a convent of French jefuitSj 
 the bifhop of which belongs to that fociety. This 
 church, newly built in the modern tafte, is the on- 
 ly one in India that is tolerable. 
 
 The White town is very inconfider able. Its length 
 comprehends the whole front of the place on the fea- 
 jQiore J but it« width from the ihorc to the ditch. 
 
56 T O Y A G E 
 
 which feparates it from the Black Town, is not 
 more than three hundred toifes. This fpace is fill- 
 ed with handfome houfes, but few of them are more 
 than one ftory high : it contains a parifh-church, 
 the duty of jvhich is done by the capuchins of the 
 French miffion. 
 
 The ftrects, as in every other part of India, are 
 without pavement, and are molt of them nothing 
 but fand. As the houfes are all white-waflied, it 
 is extremely difagreeable to walk there during the 
 heat of the day, on account of the reverberation. 
 To remedy this inconvenience, it is cuftomary to 
 be carried ; and the pay of fervants is fo little, that 
 almoft every perfon has the means of hiring a palan- 
 quin and carriers. So many travellers have writ- 
 ten on this fubje^l, that I (hall not enter into par- 
 ticulars : the reader may confult Sonnerat, Niebuhr, 
 and others. The fhort details I (hall give are thofe 
 of which the authors who have preceded me have 
 not deigned to fpeak. 
 
 A captain or traveller finds, immediately on land- 
 ing, if he has money, every thing neceflary for his 
 accommodation in the country, without any other 
 trouble than that of «hoofing. This is all comprif- 
 ed in the perfon of a dobachi. The crowd of thefe 
 people is prodigious : they are followed by a num- 
 ber of boySj and form a rabble which it is difficult 
 to get rid of. The moment you land from the chel- 
 ingue they befet you on all fides. Some feize up- 
 on your luggage, others prefent you with certifi- 
 cates of faithful fervices to captains or individuals 
 in private Ctuations, who have employed them, and 
 each feems to claim a right to the poffeffion ef the 
 new-comer, to the exclufion of the reft : thofe who 
 have the articles of luggage make a parade of them, 
 and range themielves near the ilranger with an air 
 of fatisfactiojs. if he feems to diitinguilh any one 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 57 
 
 in particular, a difpute inflantly takes place, and an 
 uproar is raifed, which the beating of the fea againft 
 the bar tends to augment. A traveller, landing on 
 the coaft of India for the firft time, is at a lofs how 
 to a<fl. At every ftep he takes, to proceed towards the 
 town, an hundred arms are ftretched forth with cer- 
 tificates to oblige him to choofe. In proportion as 
 
 ^is embarraflrnent increafes, the Blacks, who per- 
 ceive he is a novice, become importunate : at length, 
 quite tired out, he makes a choice, and inflantly the 
 mob difperfe. The dobachi chofen is generally the 
 
 *^rft domeftic of a rich man : fent by his mafter, 
 he immediately falls upon the multitude with his 
 cane, feizes, in the mo brutal manner, on the ef- 
 fedls which the traveller has landed, places feme 
 fubaltern fervants to clear the way through the 
 crowd, brings the ftranger to a palanquin, and takes 
 him oiF as his prey to any inn he may think proper. 
 The dobachi in chief then comes to pay his refpe6ls j 
 and, in the courfê of the day, the new comer is fur- 
 nifhed with a houfe, goods, fervants of every de- 
 fcription, and a well-fupplied kitchen ; in a word, 
 every thing is provided without giving him the trou- 
 ble even to cxprefs a wifli ; for often he is ignorant 
 of the cuftoms to which it is neceflary to conform. 
 The dobachi takes poiTeffion of the money, mer- 
 chandife, and every thing belonging to his mailer's 
 affairs : the former is put into the hands of a cafh- 
 ier called 2,feraff. The profit which the dobachi 
 derives from this money enables him to defray his 
 mailer's expenfes ; it is alfo cuflomary, if you do 
 a great deal of bufinefs, for him to make all pay- 
 ments during your flay in the country. 
 
 There are fervants for every purpofe. The four 
 principal calls of India are fubdivided into many 
 fmall ones ; and thefe different fub-divifions arc 
 governed by prejudices that will not permit them 
 
St VOYAGE 
 
 to engage aiike in ignoble occupations. All their 
 fervices have different {hades ; and the gradation of 
 thofe who have to perform them is very diftinft. 
 The lowed calls are the fcavengers and the fweep- 
 crs, called talig&rchi. The fhoemakers follow next, 
 and are extremely abafed by opinion 5 then the do- 
 meftics, placed near the mafter for his perfonal 
 wants, fuch as wafhing his feet and buckling his 
 fhoes, the carriers, and thofe who hold the parafol ; 
 and next the barber, the nofe and ear cleaner, and 
 the nail-cutter. Thefe people refine on every thing 
 capable of producing agreeable fenfations. I never 
 found any thing more pleafant than having my ears 
 cleaned by a Black of Pondicherry ; they finifh the 
 operation by introducing a fmall piece of flee], 
 which they caufe to vibrate by a gentle movement 
 of the fingers, the fonorous noife occafioned by 
 which, produces a delicious tremor. After this 
 fervant comes the hair-drefTer, then the ffmfiy. 
 Mailing is alfo a fenfation which thefe people know 
 how to produce. 
 
 After living fome time in the climate of India, 
 we are exhaulled by perfpiration ; the great heat 
 occaffions laffitude, we are fcarcely able to move 
 about, the humours have no circulation, and the 
 blood becomes thick ; we feel heavy, are opprelTed 
 with an inclination to fleep, and fall into a ftate of 
 apathy, which terminates in fome malady, and of- 
 ten in ulcers. The baths are not always fufficient 
 to rellore the benumbed fibres to their wonted 
 tone : but all thefe accidents are prevented by un- 
 dergoing the operation of maffing. We accuftom 
 ourfelves to it by degrees, beginning gently at firll: 
 but after five or fix months it is ufed more vigor- 
 oully. The perfon on whom the operation is per- 
 formed lies on a bed ; a fervant kneads him all over 
 like a piece of foft dough, taking care to dwell par- 
 ticularly on themufcles of the arms, legs, &c. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. sg 
 
 The ufe of this ceremony is to make the blood 
 and humours circulate freely ; it produces an a- 
 greeable ileep •, after which we rife a£live and nim- 
 ble, without inconvenience, pain, numbnefs, or 
 headaçh. 
 
 Next to the mafler comes the valet-de^chambre^ 
 and then the perfon who has the care of the clothes, 
 linen, &c. When a valet-de-chambre gives his 
 mafler a fliirt, the writer gravely fets it down in the 
 account, fhuts the trunk, takes the key of it with 
 great importance, and adds it to a bunch which he 
 proudly carries on one ftioulder : the larger is the 
 fize of this bunch of keys, of fo much the greater 
 importance does the fervant think himfelf. 
 
 After him comes the hoska-badar^ who prepares 
 the hooka, and prefents it to his mafter when he 
 wifhes to fmoke. A defcription of this inftrument 
 has been given in the works of almoft all travellers 
 in this country. The grand merit of an hooka-ba- 
 dar is to aflift his mafter when he fmokes in his pa- 
 lanquin or on horfe-back ; for which purpofe he 
 muft carry the bottle and a chafing-difh, while his 
 çciafter holds the end of the ferpentine tube. In 
 this manner he keeps up with the bearers of the pa- 
 lanquin, or the horfe, without the leaft inconven- 
 ience : the fire, the tobacco, the water, are all car- 
 ried with fo much precaution, that a perfon fmokes 
 as commodioufly as in an apartment. 
 
 After the hooka-badar comes the pton or foldier. 
 This perfonage is of the Moorifh caft, and is fome- 
 times valiant, oftea quarrelfome, and always proud 
 of his poft. He wears a bandoleer or (houlder-belt, 
 with a plate of filver,on which are engraved the arms 
 or ciphers of the perfon in whofe fervice he is. His 
 employment is to execute little commiffions, and 
 accompany his mafter when he goes out ; he is 
 armed either with a fabre or pike, and runs before 
 
êo TOYACE 
 
 the palanquin, driving away the crowd, and crying 
 inceflantly, in the Moorifh tongue, to clear the road. 
 The number of pions is increafed according to 
 the luxury intended to be difplayed. A tradefman 
 has ufually two ; while thofe who in any way be- 
 long to government have four or five. A tradef- 
 man, borne rapidly along in his palanquin, preced- 
 ed by his pions and four carriers in relay, accom- 
 panied by his hooka-badar and umbrella-holder, fol- 
 lowed by waiters and writers who never quit him, 
 making a great noife and upfetting the crowd on 
 their paflage, has no longer the appearance, in the 
 eyes of a new comer, of a perfon in this ftation of 
 life, but would be rather taken for fome rich and 
 powerful nobleman. 
 
 The next mod important perfonage is the porter. 
 This man thinks himfelf invefted with a great 
 charge : it is true he guards the door with fo Scru- 
 pulous an attention, that he frequently Hops th^ 
 fervants of the houfe when they are going out wijh 
 a parcel, unlefs they give him the counterfign to let 
 them pafs. 
 
 To thefe mufl be added the coo^ and his affift- 
 ants ; the compradorey whofe bufinefs is to purchafe 
 |)rovifions ; the butler and fteward, and the perfon 
 who waits at table, which complete the crowd oi 
 domeftics attached to the immediate fervice of a 
 man moderately rich. 
 
 After a hoft like this one would imagine the lift 
 muft be finiftied : but no j there are befides, the 
 dobachi in chief, and three or four upper fervant%= 
 as many fubaltern writers, and a multitude of young 
 Indians belonging to him, to learn the trade, and 
 who form together a very confiderable retinue. 
 The dobachi enters alone into the chamber or cJofet 
 of the mafter, followed by a writer to take orders, 
 make notes, or prefent accounts. As this man has 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. ^ i 
 
 the management of every thing, an European mer- 
 chant has only to infpect his proceedings and make 
 known his wifties. Thislittle morning audience over, 
 he is.difmilTed, and the houfe remains crowded with 
 his fuite : they take poiTeffion of every corner, andj 
 fitting on the ground, are employed in writing, ob- 
 ferving all the while fo profound a filence, that the 
 mailer, to be heard, has only to clap his hands foft- 
 ly in his apartment, and inftantly the whole troop 
 ■is in motion. In paying a morning-vifit, it become» 
 a ftudy how to be able to make way in the anti- 
 chamber, or hall, through the midft of all thefe writ- 
 ers, furrounded with their papers, without tread- 
 ing fome of them under foot. The Indians begin 
 to write on lilk paper, which they procure from 
 China. In general, it fucks up a great deal of ink : 
 but they have not yet adopted the cuftom of mak- 
 ing their books of this paper. They commonly 
 write on the fan-palm leaf, uflng for the purpofc 
 an iron bocjkin, which they move with the right 
 hand, and conduél with the thumb-nail of the leftj 
 holding the leaf in the hand without refting it. 
 When they wifh to make a book, they cut a num- 
 ber of leaves of the fame length, make holes in them 
 at each end, and file them : to the cords two thin 
 boards, wider and longer than the leaves, are failen- 
 ed, and which ferve to preferve, them. They fhut 
 the book, and faften it by drawing the cords tight : 
 there are books of this kind extremely voluminous. 
 
 The Moors and Malabars have different charac- 
 
 ^ ters. The Moorifh language is derived from the 
 
 Persan, of which it has taken the alphabet. This 
 
 language is much ufed in every part of Afia, China 
 
 excepted. The foldicrs and failors all fpeak it. 
 
 The Malabar language is that of the country ; it 
 has its particular chara£lers. The ftudy of it is by 
 ao means difa^reeable 5 and -it has Hterarv woiks 
 F 
 
,02 TOY AGE 
 
 . «umcrous enough to afford any one, who is defir- 
 ous of inftru£ling himfelf, fufficient reading. 
 
 But again, for every thing relating to the lan- 
 guages, cuitoms, and religion of India, I refer to 
 Sonnerat. It is difficult after this author to fay 
 any thing new. All that can be done is to indicate 
 the fa£ts, in order to put the reader in the right 
 road. 
 
 I fhall not treat of the different cads, that objeft 
 being fo well known as to render it unneceiTary ; 
 but to thofe with which we are acquainted, there 
 is a new one to be added, that increafes confidera- 
 bly, and perhaps will end one day in over-running 
 , all the ^ft, the Bramins excepted. 
 
 ■ This is the caft produced by the alliance of Eu- 
 ropeans with the natives of every other caft. The 
 firft unions of this kind were formed by the Portu- 
 guefe at the time of their brilliant conquefts. The 
 race has taken their name, and is known by it. 
 This Portuguefe filiation has not always continued 
 white ; fome branches are again become black, 
 while others have fo nearly approached the Euro- 
 pean complexion, as at firit fight not to be known ; 
 which is the lefs furprifing, as the Indians, with the 
 exception of colour, have nothing in their features 
 to diftinguifh them from Europeans. I fliall take 
 this opportunity to fay a few words oil the different 
 people I have feen on the globe, 
 
 AH men are iadifputably of one fpecies, as they 
 can ail procreate together ; but the races are vifi- 
 . biy different. I have obferved four di(tin£l: ones, 
 which fubdivide into feveral branches. The firft 
 race is that of Europe and Afia : it appears to be 
 demonftr^ted that the origin is the fame, whatever 
 be the colour which varies it. 
 
 This colour becomes deeper in propor<-ion ^s it 
 approaches the equator, which to me is a proof, 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 63^ 
 
 that it is owing to the climate. I will admit the 
 black net-work found by anatomifts between the 
 fkin and the epidermis of a negro ; I will even ad- 
 mit, that the fame particularity is alio met with in 
 a Black of Afia, that is, in an Indian cf the low caft ; 
 for it cannot belong to the race of the Bramins, 
 whofe colour is a pale yellow, a little lefs dark than 
 that of the Mulattoes, and Of a frefher hue. 
 
 But even allowing, that this net- work is found 
 in an Indian, I (hould not the lefs be inclined t© 
 conclude, that the climate had alone produced it, 
 and that by a higher latitude it would be difperfed 
 in a few generations, even without intercourfe with 
 the whites. The Blacks, moreover, I mean thofe 
 that are abfolutely fo, are not very numerous in A- 
 fia. Few are found except in the peninfula of In- 
 dia, at Pegu, and in the iflands ; for as foon as we 
 reach the latitude of twenty degrees, the fpecies be- 
 gins to affume a clearer teint. In other refpeifts, 
 the features are the fame as ours. The leading 
 ones are moderately thick lips, protuberant nofe, 
 long eyeS; foft long hair, and a beard. 
 
 This race in Europe takes three very diftin£l 
 fhades, that of the eafb, that of the weft, and the 
 Laplanders. The firft have preferved fomething of 
 the Greek countenance, "which is not fo much alter- 
 ed but it may be recognized. In Afia, the princi- 
 pal fhades are thofe of the Whites, the Bramins '' 
 and the copper-coloured, the Blacks and the Chi-' 
 nefe. The moft ftriking features of the latter are, 
 the nofe lefs protuberant, the eyesfmall and placed 
 obliquely. All thefe fub-divifions are, in my opin- 
 ion, of one common origin 5 the climate alone has 
 imprinted on them, the difference by which they are 
 ehara6lerized. 
 
 The fécond race is that of Africa. This is per- 
 lt€i\y diftinfl, and rauft have had a different ori- 
 
ê4 VOYAGE 
 
 gin. Its principal charaéiers are generally a blaefe 
 complexion without polifli, the nofe flat and 
 broad, with little projeÔion, round eyes, thick lips, 
 and curling woolly hair and beard. There has been 
 only one fub-divifion of this race hitherto difcover- 
 ed, which is that of the Hottentots, who are of a 
 colour lefs deep, and who have individuals among 
 them inclining in fome degree to a copper-colour ; 
 butin other refpecffcs the chara£l;eriftics are the fame. 
 The curly wool, in particular, appears to be the 
 principal attribute of the African race. A cele- 
 brated writer of our own time has aflerted, that the 
 cradle of the human race was in the flat part of 
 Tartary. I fhall not conteft this origin of the Eu- 
 rope ai*3 and Afiatics, for I am perfuaded they have 
 fprung from a common flock ; but I cannot fo 
 readily believe, that Africa owes its population to 
 the fame fource. The Ifthmus of Suez has vifibly 
 ferved as a bed for the fca, in times when Africa 
 could not have been unpeopled. That great ifland 
 mufl have had a race peculiar to itfelf in ages when 
 navigation was too little known for us to fuppofe, 
 that men could have been difperfed over the globe 
 by means of their fhips. We will admit, with fome 
 authors, that the primitive inhabitants were enabled 
 to defcend from Caucafus, and fpread themfelves o- 
 ver the plains in proportion as they were left dry. 
 But we have no reafon to refufe a fimilar means of 
 population to Africa, who might alfo have had her 
 Caucafus, whence the fource of the African race 
 derived its birth. We are not fufficiently acquaint- 
 ed with that part of the world to form folid conjec- 
 tures refpedling it, but are obliged to confine our 
 cbfervations to the race of men that inhabit it. 
 This race is certainly different from ours. The or- 
 igin cannot pofTibly be the fame ; to prove it fo, it 
 would be nccefcy that an African family, tranf- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. €$ 
 
 ported into Europe, fhould afTume, without mix- 
 ing with the race of Europe, European features^ 
 that the hair fhould become ftrarght, &c. -, and fo 
 of a European family tranfported into Africa» 
 
 "We do not find, however, that the hair of the 
 Creoles of the Cape of Good Hope, whofe families 
 have lived three or four generations in the country, 
 becomes changed into wool. This wool is fo 
 itrongly imprefled on the African race, that even 
 when they intermix with Europeans, it is the la ft 
 charafteriftic that difappears. It clings fo clofely 
 to the race, it diftinguifhes them fo perfeélly from 
 all others, that even in thirty-four degrees of lati- 
 tude it lofes nothing of its force ; it is ftill the fame 
 wool. This peculiarity fo ciompletely belongs to 
 Africa, that it confines itfelf within her limits, and 
 does not pafs beyond them. The Spaniards, fep- 
 arated by a ftrait of only one-and-twenty miles, 
 have long fhining hair. The Arabs too, who bor- 
 der on Africa, who are merely divided by the ftraits 
 of Babelmandel, have in like manner all long hair. 
 When the marks are fo diftincb, how is it poffible 
 2iot to acknowledge that the origin is different* ? 
 
 * 1 know that Mr. Bruce fays, Vol. I. page 17 a, that the Ken= - 
 lOufs, a people inhabiting the banks of the Nile, beyond the féc- 
 ond cataraét of Nubia, have lïair, not wool ; but he did not in- 
 quire, whether thé colony is indigenous, or whether it came froni 
 Afia. All the country, as we know, is over-run with Arabs ; and 
 there is no reafon for refufing to believe that the Kennoufs are oi - 
 Arabian origin; fo that this" faél, which the author's reputation 
 does not permit us to doubt, proves nothing againfl our fyftem. 
 
 The fame traveller aiTures us, page 342, that the inhabitants to 
 the fcuthward of Cape Heli, between Yemen and the ftates of the 
 fcherif of Mecca, have weol inltead of hair.- This alfo does not 
 fubvert what I have advanced : to overcome my opinion, individ- 
 uals with woolly hair muft be found all over the earth, intermin- 
 gled with others that have long hair ; but while I fee them con- 
 Êned to a fmall diftinél colony, I confider the circumftance as a 
 aew proof in my favour, and infer, that they have a different or- 
 igin from the inhabitants of the country in the midft of whom ■ 
 
iû T O Y A G 1 
 
 The third race is princlpaily found towards Ca-- 
 rien, but its individuals are much lefs numerous. 
 Thefe are the Albinos, who are chiefly diftinguifh- 
 cd by the dead whitenefs of their fkin, by flax in- 
 ftead of Jiair on their heads, and by little round eyes 
 incapable of fupporting the light of day. 
 
 ! It would not be eafy to decide on the origin of 
 thefe miferable beings, to whom nature has refuf- 
 ed fo much. She has endowed them, it is true, 
 with the faculty of thinking and fpeaking ; but the 
 latter quality is fo imperfeS: among them, that it 
 rather refembles a murmur than an articulation : 
 even at a (hort diftance the movement of their lips 
 is all that can be perceived : .no found reaches the 
 car, unlefs we are near enough to touch them. 
 
 As to their faculty of thinking, if we may judge, 
 from their indolent mode of life, refulting perhaps^ 
 from a fenfe of their weaknefs, it is by no means 
 profound : indeed, refle£ling on fuch aftions of; 
 theirs with which we are acquainted, we are forced 
 to admit J that they have no more reafon than is 
 barely fuiiicient to enable them to avoid what is in-, 
 jurions. 
 
 This unhappy race, weak and defenceîefs, no 
 longer corifiiis, but of a few fcattered individuals, 
 efcaped from v.'ild beads and men, by whom they 
 have been hunted. Some of them have arrived 
 
 «Key are encompr'.fred. On the coail of Arabia wemeet with Abyf- 
 iiniaris at every Çif^ . Is the ineftimabie author I have mention- 
 ed ^ire. that tlîe csnton of Cape Heli may not have given an afy-- 
 httti to an emigration from AbyfTiaia, either during th« wars for 
 tile eitab!i£amt nt cf Alahonaetanifm, or before that period ? His 
 obfervatioiii, though generally admirable, require perhaps feme» 
 lirrcs to be examined <:lnfeiy ; for it is pofiibk he may have relied on 
 a bud compiler, for the care of putting his notes iji crder. Ought we 
 not, for inicance. to phce in the rank of doubtful obfervation^ that 
 v.'hich leads him to give 2,4° 45'' north as the latitude of Syenne, 
 >v%idi is dofe tw the ipot where Pliny and Strabo fay the well was 
 '^E^- direétiy under the tropic I 
 
'> 
 
 ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 67 
 
 among us j and, if we were ralli enough to fprm a 
 judgment of nature by fuch fpecimens, we muft 
 fuppofe, that (he had only thrown a few of this race 
 vagu&ly on the globe, without permitting them tQ,. 
 form a colony of their own : at lealt, the utmoft 
 endeavours of travellers have never been able to dif-"^. 
 cover one. A. few of thefe wretched beings, o.C 
 both fexes, have been met with on the coaft, where 
 they appeared to live on fifh, and have been fuppùÇr . 
 cd, unjuftly perhaps, to poflefs fcarcely more intel-^^ 
 left than the oyfters which they tear from the rocks. 
 
 .If this race of men was ever numerous, it has al-,_ 
 moft entirely difappeared ; for there now exifts no. 
 more inftances than is juft fufficient to preferve the, 
 remembrance of it : itis, befidcs, too little known 
 for it to be determined, whether it has any fub-di- 
 vifions, or even for us to fay any thing pofitive re- 
 fpe6lingit. 
 
 ^ It has been imagined, that the phyfical and mor- 
 al ftate of thefe beings was occafioned by ficknefs ; 
 ibme have even thought, that it was the appearance 
 of the difor(^»!r itfelf : but thefe are merely conjec- 
 tures ', and we ought to confider them as a diftinâ; 
 race, till we have acquired information that may do 
 away all doubt on the fubjedl. 
 
 The fourth race is that of America. A people, 
 fpreading under a (ky fo varied as to comprehend 
 all the zones, mull be fuppofed to have numerous 
 fub-divifions ; and in reality they extend almoft to 
 infinity : but, with the exception of a few hordes of 
 lavages to the northward, they are principally dif- 
 tinguifhed by having no beard. 
 
 This mark is as ftriking and indelible as the wool 
 of the Africans ; and it appears to me as incontefta- 
 bly to prove, that their origin is different from ours. 
 
 ., The newnefs qf this continent does not feem to 
 
 me an undeniable proof, that its inhabitants came 
 
#B TO Y AGE 
 
 fïom what is called the old world : the plains alone 
 have the appearance of being recently freed from 
 the waters of the océan ; but there is nothing to in- 
 duce us to believe, that the mountains (hould have 
 been fubmerged when ours were dry. If the Pi- 
 chincha and the Chimbora'zo bear evident marks of 
 the refidence of the ocean on their mofl elevated 
 peaks, our Alps prefent the fame teftimonials ; and 
 to me it feems reafonable to believe, that the moun- 
 tains of America were the fecret refidence of the firft 
 individuals of the American race ; as Caucafus, per- 
 haps Atlas,and other mountains, have been the birth- 
 place of the different races which now people Europe 
 and Africa. In a word, the hair and beard are, in my 
 opinion, marks by which Nature has feparated the 
 three grand divifions of the inhabitants of the earth 
 (for the Albinos are fo few in number, that I can 
 hardly conGder them with the others) ; the livery 
 which fhe has ordained them to wear is not to be 
 effaced ; it has fubfifted from their origin, and will 
 be an eternal monument to attefl the difference of 
 the fturces whence they have derived their exift= 
 cnce. 
 
 From the fyflem of which I have drawn t?ie out- 
 lines, if is not furprifing that the Portuguefe race, 
 by intermarriages, (hould be fo perfectly affimilatcd ' 
 with tha't of India, as, in the courfe of feveral gen- 
 erations, to be no longer dillinguifned. 
 
 Among the ladies of Pondicherry, there are few ' 
 that can boafl: of a white origin without mixture. 
 If the filiation v/ere in all ioftances tranfmitted by 
 the whites, each branch of a family being of the 
 fame degree of fairnefs, the inccnvenience would' 
 be fmali. But it v/ill happen, that of two fillers, 
 one will have married a Portuguefe or fome other' 
 White, and the other a Negro ; and the fécond 
 couûnsmaythus be fome very white and others: 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 6^ 
 
 very black. The Whites may arrive at a confider- 
 able fortune, and the others remain in a ftate of 
 fervitude. This happens every day ; and, as an ex- 
 ample of it, I {hall mention a perfon in office, a 
 man of eftimable chara£ler, who, having efpoufed 
 a woman of equal rank, but whofe father was of 
 the party-coloured tribe, was the firft to jeft upon 
 the fubjeifl:'; and he did it fo freely that it was a fre- 
 quent caufe of domeftic quarrel. One of his pïeaf- 
 antries was, that he was fearful of correfling his 
 fervants, when they committed a fault, and that he 
 always (poke to them civilly, from the idea, that 
 among them might be fome coufin-german of his 
 wife. 
 
 I knew but two families at Pondicherry of per- 
 fectly pure blood ; the children of the one were 
 two fons who had married women of the country ^ 
 the other had daughters only, who cannot perpetu- 
 ate their name ; fo that in twenty years Pondicher- 
 ry can boafl: but of a fingle family whofe European 
 filiation can be proved without mixture. Thefe al- 
 liances are become fo common, the portion of in- 
 habitants knov/n by the name of the Portuguefe caft 
 is at prefent fo considerable, and continues to in- 
 creafe with fuch rapidity, that,^ by aid of the mif- 
 fionaries, it will eventually terminate, to all appear* 
 ance, in over-running the other calls, with the ex- 
 ception of the Bramins, who are fcrupuloufly at- 
 tentive not only to prevent alliances with ftrangers, 
 but alfo to avoid communication with them ; and 
 fo far do they carry this, as even to break the vafes, 
 in which, by the laws of hofpitality, they have giv- 
 en them to drink, when occafion has demanded it. 
 
 Ever remember, they fay to their children from 
 their infancy, that you are born to command other 
 men. This leflbn is repeated every day, and con- 
 taributcs perhaps as much as any thing elfe to gen- 
 
70 VOYAGE 
 
 crate in them the idea they entertain of their fu- 
 periority over every other caft. 
 
 Be this as it may, the Bramins are in pLofleffion 
 of eminent employments, great wealth, and un- 
 bounded eftéem. They were probably indebted 
 for. this afcendency at firft to their phyfical powers 
 and their arms, and they preferved it by their vir- 
 tues and underftanding. The confideration they 
 ftill enjoy refts on a fimilar foundation, the knowl- 
 edge they poiîèfs. It is certainly from the opinion 
 which is formed of their virtue and fagacity, that 
 they are placed in the firft rank ; but this is a matter 
 of opinion only, and the firft revolution in princi- 
 ples may do away the fupremacy. They have al- 
 ready loft their phyfical fuperiority : their caft, like 
 all the human race, is fallen off from the vigour 
 which the firft men muft have polTefled j the con- 
 fideration refulting from arms has gone from them 
 to the Moors^ by whom they have been conquered. 
 If any thing can maintain them in their prefent el- 
 evated rank, it is their fecret as to their primitive 
 language, their myfteries, the books of their religion, 
 the knowledge derived from them, and m.orethan all, 
 perhaps, the privilege of being immediately charg- 
 ed with the ceremonies of worftiip, the altars, and 
 the gods. 
 
 Thcfe altars are contained in fmall temples, call- 
 ed pagodas. Some of thefe edifices are very con- 
 fiderable, and cover a great extent of ground ; but 
 is is by means of the adjacent buildings, the towers 
 conftru£led over the gates, and the furrounding ob- 
 jects of the court, that the temples have fo grand 
 an appearance. The pagoda itfelf is a fmall edi- 
 fice not capable of containing more than an hun- 
 dred perfons : it is generally fituated in the middle 
 of the court : the idol is placed on a little pedeftal, 
 ornamented with flowers, expofed to the veneration 
 
IN THE ÏNPÏ AN OCEAN. 7 1 
 
 of the people. They burn before the image of the 
 god a great quantity of cocoa-oil in a multitude of 
 fmall lamps ; they prefent it with o5^erings of fruits, 
 milk, grain, oil, and flowers ; at each offering a 
 number of little bells, faftened to a machine of wood 
 in the form of a triangle, are rung | this noife is 
 agreeable both to the god and to the multitude ; 
 and whoever by his prefent has merited the favour 
 of the bells, pays for it a fum of money for the ben- 
 efit of the Bramins. 
 
 On this fubje6\: no one has written with more 
 accuracy than Sonnerat ; Î have traverfed the coun- 
 try with his book in my hand, and have verified his 
 accounts, Î Tnall therefore avoid entering deeply 
 into this futjecl after him, but fhall refer thofe who 
 wi(h for details on what relates to religion, the im- 
 ages that are adored, and the different emblems by 
 which the different incarnations of Brama and the 
 other divinities are reprefented, to the work itfelf. 
 
 Wifdom is worfhipped under the im.age of a cow : 
 we find this image in all the pagodas, placed on a 
 large pedeftal in the middle of the court ; we meet 
 with it alfo on the highways, where feveral roads 
 meet, in a fmall nook cut in one of the extremities. 
 The Indians pay particular devotion to this goddef», 
 whofe excrement they hold in great veneration': it 
 has the property of keeping off infects ; and thofe, 
 therefore, who obferve the rites by which the ani- 
 mal is adored, wafh the interior of their houfes with 
 an infufion of cow-dung. They alfo plafler the walls 
 on the outfide with it, fo that the Malabar houfes 
 in general are agreeable neither to the fight nor the 
 fmeU. 
 
 Of their religious principles I fhall mention one 
 only, which is intereiting to travellers. 
 
 Hofpitality is a virtue which their religion par- 
 ticularly recommends » and, on that account, a j^ex^ 
 
92 VOYAGE 
 
 fon on a journey is confidered by them as a facred 
 objeâ:. There are indeed inftanccs of individuals 
 having been murdered for the fake of plunder : but 
 that is not the fault of the dogma. In every part 
 of the world men are to be found daring enough 
 to defpife all precepts ; and though a few robbers 
 here have violated this law of hofpitality, it is in 
 general ftridtly obferved. A traveller is not only 
 received with kindnefs, but his wants on the road 
 are anticipated. Chauderies, which are places near- 
 ly fimilar to caravanfaries, are built, in which he may 
 enter freely, lodge, drefs his provifions, if he has any, 
 and depart without paying any thing. The hofpi- 
 tality would certainly be greater if the poor travel- 
 ler could find alfo fomething to eat j but a gratui- 
 tous afylum, in a country where the chief want is 
 fhelter from the inclemency of the climate, is at 
 leaft a confiderable accommodation. 
 
 Thefe chauderies are fometimes very large ; they 
 are attended by a man whofe bufinefsit is to fweep 
 and keep them clean. A traveller arrives, and with- 
 out ceremony takes pofleffion of the houle j for 
 the moment it in a manner belongs to him. Anoth- 
 er comes, the firft makes room for him, and the 
 new-comer, without faying a word, fixes himfelf 
 wherever he pleafes. The fame rule is obferved 
 till the chauderie is full. When the heat has fub- 
 fided, they proceed on their way, and gain the next 
 halting-place. In the evening each lies down to 
 fleep, the Indians without order or diftindlion : if 
 an European be prefent, they have the compiaifancc 
 to leave him a little corner to himfelf. Though 
 hofpitality be a point of religion among them, yet, 
 to avoid the inconvenience it might occafion, partic- 
 ularly on commercial roads, they ere£t chauderies 
 in their aidées or villages, and by that means arc 
 free from the vifits of travellers, who never think 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 75 
 
 of addreffing themfelves to the inhabitants when 
 they can find a public-houfe ; it is even poflible, if 
 they were to do fo, they would in that cafe not be 
 received. Independently of thefe chauderies in the 
 villages or near them, there are others at regular 
 diftances on the roads in the country, far from any 
 Other habitation» The traveller, parched by an ar- 
 dent fun, or aiïaiîed by a ftorm in the midfl: of an 
 immenfe plain, anddeprived of every other refource, 
 thus finds, through the country he has to pafs, a 
 gratuitous flielter from the injuries of the weather 
 and climate. If water fhould not be abundant in 
 the neighbourhood, they are careful to dig large 
 ponds, in which men and animals may bathe and 
 quench their third. 
 
 The eftablifhment of thefe chauderies is not only 
 a principle of religion, but is even a mode of atone- 
 ment for fins. The rich are all anxious to have 
 them built wherever they fuppofe them to be nee- 
 eflary. A concuffionaire^ or placeman, who has 
 made an ill ufe of his authority, and acquired great 
 riches -by illicit means, expects, h^ building fuch 
 eftablifhments, to obtain forgivenefs. To do good 
 to travellers is to render himfelf agreeable to the 
 Divinity -, and a man like this, loaded with crimes, 
 will die in tranquillity, perfuaded that he fhall en- 
 joy eternal felicity in the bofom of Brama, if he has 
 ere£led two or three chauderies. A very confid- 
 erabîe number of thefe buildings is found in the 
 neighbourhood of great towns, divided into apart- 
 ments or cells, in which every traveller may be 
 lodged feparately ; and fome even have an adjoin- 
 ing houfe, better arranged, for the accommodation 
 of perfons of diftin£l:ion \ but in the country they 
 are nothing more in general than paved fquares, 
 furrounded by walls on three fides, the front remain- 
 ing open : when Xhe building i« large, the fionr n 
 G 
 
74 VOYAGE 
 
 ornamented with two or three columns to fupport 
 the top. 
 
 Thefe fmall chauderies have a ftrange peculiari- 
 ty, refpe6iing the motive of which I could never 
 obtain the lead ijtiformation. The infide of all of 
 them, or at ieaft of nearly all, is lined with bafs-re- 
 liefs from top to bottom ; the walls, roof, column 
 and pavement, are covered with rude pieces of 
 fculpture, reprefenting the mod obfcene objects, 
 and forming piâ;ures of the moft-difgufting lewd- 
 nefs. If building fuch edifices be a precept of their 
 religion, it is difficult to believe that it prcfcribes fo 
 indecent a decoration. 
 
 The dogma of Brama is not without diflentients. 
 Some worfhip Chiven, or the bad principle ; but 
 whatever be the fe£l they follow, they have only 
 one manner of rendering homage to the Divinity. 
 
 The worfliipper proftrates himfelf, and makes 
 his offering in filence ; the priefts receive it ; and 
 when he pays generoufiy, they apply to his arms 
 and forehead a powder of either a red, white, black, 
 or yellow colour, and fometimes all four. The 
 manner of applying them varies according to the 
 feu. : thofe of the ritual of Chiven have three up- 
 right flreaks in the form of a trident, to others they 
 are applied crofs-ways, without {hape,and at random, 
 while many have only a patch of this.maltich, ftuck 
 on wich cocoa-oil, with which the ikin has been 
 previouily rubbed. Thus, however white may be 
 his robe, and whatever pains he may take to keep 
 himfelf clean, it is impoffible not to feel difgufted 
 when we fee a Mahbar newly daubed at his pagoda 
 with this madich, which looks as if he had firft 
 grinded it between his teeth, and had then fmeared 
 his face all over with it. To give a finifliing ftroke 
 to the picture, let us figure to ourfelves a mouth 
 Ruffed with beet- root, which, every time it opens. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 75 
 
 appears as if vomiting blood : fuch is the fight, ttu- 
 ly hideous, I have been defcribing. 
 
 If their private devotion be filent, their folemni- 
 ties are extremely noify. Almoft every people have 
 introduced finging among their religious ceremo- 
 nies ; fome have adopted dancing. The Chriftians 
 of the primitive church danced on holidays ; and 
 the biihops themfelves condu6led the performance. 
 The Jews danced before the ark ; they had danced 
 alfo before the golden calf. Whether dancing was 
 a peculiarity of their worftiip, which they brought 
 from Egypt, or whether this petty nation, of fo lit- 
 tle confequence as to have no cuftoms of her own, 
 borrowed it from her conquerors in the time of her 
 captivity, it is certain, that at very remote periods, 
 dancing was introduced into the religious ceremo- 
 nies of feveral people of Afia. 
 
 This cuftom has not been loft in India, but con- 
 tinues to this day. The dancers, which the Portu- 
 guefe have named halliaderes^ are kept at the expenfe 
 of the pagoda for the purpofe of dancing at the fdl 
 lemnities : they adminifter alfo to the pleafures of 
 the chiefs of the fe£t, who difpofe of them as they 
 pleafe. Thefe women have obtained great reputa- 
 tion by the accounts that have been given of them 
 by travellers ; but they appeared to me far beneath 
 what has been faid in their praife. Some of them, 
 it muft be acknowledged, are tolerably handfomc : 
 but their dance is by no means fo engaging and vo- 
 luptuous as has been defcribed ; and their manner 
 Â ornamenting themfelves, which has made io 
 much noife, has nothing captivating in it, except 
 the cuflom of painting a large black circle round 
 the eyes. Hov/ever ridiculous this may appear^ it 
 has certainly a very good effedl on their figure, and 
 gives to their look an incredible vivacity. Their 
 head-drefs is an ourgandiy commonly of rofe-colourj, 
 
j0 VOYAGE 
 
 blu€ or brown, and frequently embroidered with 
 goid fprigs. Their clothing is rich, but without tafte ; 
 and though they are fometimes alluringly dreffed, 
 they are never graceful. Their heads are covered 
 with gold trinkets j the nofe has a large ring, which 
 tliey are obliged to lay afide when they eat -, and 
 their ears sre frightfully loaded with an incredibk 
 number of rings of every defcription. This iaftdcc» 
 ovation is not jpeculiar, but belongs to them in com- 
 mon v/ith all the Indian women. Their ears are 
 p'^rced when young with a punch, and a fpring is 
 placed in the hole, ferving gradually to enlarge it. 
 The cartilage at length is fo much dilated, that it is 
 by no means uncommon to fee a wooden fpring, 
 in (liape like the fpring of a watch, and of the di- 
 ameter of a crown-piece, in the ears of a female. 
 When they wi(h to be full dreffed, they take out 
 the fpring, and put in its place as many trinkets 
 as the aperture will admit. I have feen the ear fo 
 l^rodigioufly loaded, that I was aftonifhed the cartil- 
 age did npt break, and am ftill at a lofs to conceive 
 how it could bear fo confiderable a weight. 
 
 The balliaderes enjoy a fort of confideration and 
 fpme honours among the multitude. As to the prec- 
 edence they obtain, it is only in the interior of the 
 pagoda, from their office placing them near the idol, 
 before which they dance. 
 
 There have been fome among them, who, not- 
 withftanding the difficulty of gaining accefs to them, 
 have ftrongly excited the paffions of certain Europe- 
 ans; and hence has arifen their reputation for beauty. 
 For myfelf, I hefitate not to place them far beneath 
 the female Braniins, who are of a much whiter col- 
 our (for fome of the balliaderes are completely 
 black), of a better look, more frefh, more plump ; 
 in a word, thefe were in my eyes defirable objects, 
 while the balliaderes never made the leaft impref- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 77 
 
 ûon on my fenfes, even when aided by the illunoii 
 of dancing. By the by, as every thing coming from 
 afar is apt to appear wonderful to the imagination, 
 it may not be amifs to inform the reader, that though 
 the word dancing is applied alike to the mounte- 
 banks of India, and the nymphs of the opera at Paris, 
 diey are neverthclefs very far from refembling each 
 other, not only as to grace and talent in general, but 
 even as to the particular fpecies of talent belonging 
 to the profeffion. 
 
 The dance of thefe women is a cadenced move- 
 ment, executed to the found of a drum, which a 
 Black beats with his fingers, and which he accom- 
 panies with a fong, that, to ears of the lead delica- 
 cy, would feem barbarous. The mode of beating 
 time is with a fmall bell or cymbal, which the danc- 
 ing-mafter or perfon that conduits this fpecies of 
 ballet holds in his hand. This bell or cymbal he 
 beats againft the edge of another of the fame kind, 
 which produces a briflc vibratin«g found, that ani- 
 mat'Ss the dancers, and gives precifion to their move- 
 ments. They difplay, however, no elegant attitudes, 
 perform no particular fteps, but are full of geilicu- 
 lation, and the motion of the arms feems to occupy 
 their v/hole care and attention. Sometimes, during 
 the dance, they play with Moorifh poniards ; an ex- 
 ercifc at which they appeared to bs expert. One of 
 them, who was confidered as eminently dextrous, 
 was fent for one evening to the houfe of the Mala- 
 bar chief, to dance in my prcfence. Seemingly 
 fome one had given her a hint ; for fhe took infin- 
 ite pieafure in frightening me with her poniards, 
 the points of whidi (he prefented to me fuddenîy, 
 turning quickly round every time fiie palTed near 
 me, but ftopping v/ith great precifion within a fin- 
 ger's breadth- of my breaft. This movement was 
 diïeûed and timed by a ftroke of the fmall cymbal 
 G 2 
 
fS VOYAGE 
 
 which the dancing-ma fter ftruck unawares at my 
 ear, and which never failed to make me ftart, to the 
 great amufement of die crowd, which this exhibi- 
 tion generally draws together. 
 
 The principal fedivals on which the balliaderes 
 publicly dance are, the hunting-day of the gods, the 
 feftival of the chariot, and that of the elephant. 
 For a detail of thefe feftivals confult Sonnerat. I 
 fhall merely obferve, that the hunt of the gods is 
 not celebrated at prefent with fo much pomp as it 
 was formerly, while the feftival of the chariot has 
 loft as yet nothing of its fplendour. We may re- 
 mark, neverthelefs, whatever be the fpirit of the rev- 
 olution which feems to over-run the globe and un- 
 dermine received opinions, that it appears to a£l up- 
 on the fanaticifm of the Indians. Formerly all the 
 chariot feftivals were diftinguilhcd by the death of 
 fome individual who thought, that by getting him- 
 felf crufhed to pieces or lamed by the wheels or 
 (harp inftruments with which the chariots are arm- 
 ed, he fhould render himfelf worthy of heaven ; â 
 a refpec^able opinion, becaufe it partakes of religion. 
 But now, though they are ftill equally convinced 
 of the happinefs enjoyed in another world by thofe 
 who devote themfelves to this kind of death, the 
 number of vie^ims is notwithftanding confiderably 
 iliminiihed \ few are to be found who wiih to pur- 
 chafe future felicity at fo dear a rate j and, if we 
 except the pagoda of Jagernaut, the moft celebrated 
 in India, where at moft fcarcely one bigot perifhes 
 in this manner in a year, they are no longer îe^n 
 throwing themfelves down before the chariot in the 
 pîoceiTion ; cr, if any one (hould do fo,- he takes 
 Çîvre to avoid the fatal v.'heel, and comes off ÏQlÏç 
 and foundj or, at the worft, with only a flight in- 
 jury. 
 
 We find howeveî in India as great a number o-f 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 7^ 
 
 faquirs as formerly ; thefe people ftill devote them- 
 felvesto mifery ; but happinefs in the other world 
 is not their motive, and they would probably be 
 much lefs numerous, if they did not find here a rec- 
 ompence for the punifhments tkey impofe on them- 
 felves, in the extraordinary confideration they enjoy, 
 and the refpedl which is laviflied on them. He who 
 devotes himfelf to death, and feeks the confumma- 
 tion of his wifhes under the whcelè of the facred 
 chariot, has the full reward of his pain to expe£l 
 hereafter -, during this life he does not receive the 
 leaft portion of it. This charm is not fo forcible 
 as that of the faquirs. Faith in Brama alone may 
 make martyrs of the chariot ; pride governs the oth- 
 ers, and fupports them in the pains they endure. 
 To enable them to bear the tortures to which they 
 fubjedl themfelves, this pride muft be great, and 
 muft have an aftonifhing empire over the human 
 hejart. 
 
 Of the inftances of this kind which ftruck me, 
 that of keeping the hand conftantly clofed was the 
 one that inipired me with the deepeft fentiment of 
 horror and pity for the unhappy being who was the 
 obje£t of it. The fa-quir who devoted himfelf to 
 ^is fpecies of punifhment, had his hand pierced by 
 his nails, which, continuing to grow notwithftand- 
 ing that pofture, had cut through the metacarpus, 
 and came out again between the mufcles by which 
 the fingers are moved. Conceive what muft be the 
 duration of a pain like this, and the conftancy of 
 him who endured it. 
 
 The priefts, however, are very great jugglers, and 
 poiîèfs the art of impofing wonderfully on the peo- 
 ple. I faw an inftance of it in the neighbourhood 
 of Pondicherry, at the feltival of iire. A woman, 
 with an infant at her breaft pafled barefoot twice 
 «yer a red-hot pan of the kngth of twenty feet,. 
 
g® VOYAGE 
 
 without the fmalleft indication of pain. She walk- 
 ed flowly ; and what invincibly proves to me the 
 juggling of the priefts, is, thai her feet, which I had 
 the curiofity to examine, bore not the flighteft mark 
 of being burnt. I could obtain no proof that the 
 woman participated in the craft of the prieft ; it is 
 pofliWe, that, taking advantage of her confidence, 
 fimplicity and credulity, he might have applied, 
 without her knowledge, fome greafy fub (lance to 
 her feet, the virtue of which was to prevent the 
 action of the fire : but whether fhe was privy to it 
 or not, fome fuch means rnuft certainly have been 
 employed. Among the multitude, however, there 
 was not an individual, my dobachi excepted, who 
 was reputed a man of underftanding, that was not 
 perfuaded that the power of the Divinity alone had 
 preferved her from the effects of the fire. I am 
 ignorant whether the chemifts in Europe hav€ the 
 fecret of rendering the fkin fire-proof; but I know 
 that it is not confined to the frontiers of India ; for 
 I have found it on the coaft of Africa, in the fiery 
 ordeals which the Negroes of Congo are made to 
 undergo, when accufed of a crime they are obliged 
 to expiate. The Gangas conduâ this ceremony, 
 and dtftroy or acquit the accufed according to their 
 pleafure. 
 
 The prieils are far from being the only jugglers^; 
 and I do not even think them the moft expert. 
 Their tricks, prepared by time, and aided by fuper- 
 ftition, have a great advantage over thofe of other 
 men, and are more likely to fucceed. But nothing 
 can furpafs the dexterity of their rivals, from whom 
 our beft llight-of-hand men might receive leflbns; 
 
 In deceptive tricks, fuch as vomiting fire, pieces 
 of flaming hemp and ilax, a confiderable quantity 
 of thorns, and appearing to drav/ away the whole 
 of their inteftines by the mouxh, and fw allow them. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 11 
 
 again, with other facetioUx«> performances of a fim- 
 ilar kind, they fucceed by main force, and carry 
 the art to aftonifhing perfection. In thefe feats of 
 llrength, there is no delufion, no ilight-of-hand, no 
 deception : what we fee is precifely what we think 
 we fee. One of thefe performances is of a nature 
 to contradiû all the laws of anatomy, and which no 
 furgeon could believe till he had witnefled it. I 
 have known fome who v/ere even incredulous after 
 they had feen it, and who refufed to truil the evi- 
 dence of their eyes. 
 
 An Indian, naked like his fellows, with no muflin 
 round him, nor any clothing whatever to ferve as 
 a cloak and facilitate deception, takes a fwerd, the 
 edge and point of which are rounded off and blunt- 
 ed, and putting it into his mouth, buries it com- 
 pletely, all but ûie haft, in his throat and inteftines. 
 
 I have obferved fome of thefe men from whom 
 the momentary irritation caufed by the infertion of 
 this (Irange body has forced tears j others to whom 
 it gave an inclination to cough, which, as they were 
 not able to fatisfy it, obliged them to withdraw the 
 blade inftantly, to prevent fuffbcation. In fine, 
 when the fword has entered as far as it can, to the 
 depth of more than two feet, they fix a fmall pe- 
 tard to the hilt, fet fire to it, and bear its explofion ; 
 they then draw out the fword, which is covered 
 with the humidity of the inteftines. 
 
 I know that a faft of fuch defcription will be re- 
 garded by readers in general as a fable, to which 
 they conceive they fhould give no credit. At this 
 I fhall not be furprifed : till I had feen it I refufed 
 myfelf to believe it ; but I was under the ncceflity at 
 laft of yielding to the force of evidence ; and the 
 exhibition of it is now fo common at Pondicherry, 
 that among the travellers who have vifited that town, 
 thçre h not one, perhaps, who has not witnefled it. 
 
U VOYAGE* 
 
 Independently of thefe people, there are aîfo 
 rope-dancers, who perform dangerous leaps, which 
 thofe in Europe could not imitate. But of all their 
 jugglers the moft amufing are thofe who are 
 thought to have the virtue of enchanting ferpents, 
 and they have at lead the art. 
 
 India abounds in reptiles of every dcfcription, and 
 particularly in ferpents. 
 
 Travellers who are not fufficient naturaîifts to 
 clafs them, diilinguifii three principal forts : Firft, 
 the minute-ferpent, which is a fmall black fort, 
 with yellow rings, found frequently in pafturcs. 
 The corrofive matter contained in the veficles of 
 this animal is fo iharp and violent, that it caufcs al- 
 moft inftant death. The general opinion of old 
 women and the multitude is, that a perfon may 
 live juft as many minutes after being bit as the rep- 
 tile has rings round its body : and hence the name 
 that is given k, of minute-ferpent. It is certain, 
 that the ravages caufed by its poifon are fo fudden 
 that the beft alkali applied to the wound, at the very 
 moment of the bite, can fcarcely counteract it fo 
 effeâually as to preferve life, and never prevents 
 the part from being affected with marafm, languor 
 and palfy. 
 
 The bezoar-ftone is not of fufficient efficacy a^ 
 gainft the venom of this ferpent, and is not even ca- 
 pable of protraOing life. It is true, that the great- 
 er part of thofe which are purchafed in this coun- 
 try are not genuine, or at leaft are very bad. The 
 Indians have the talent of fabricating them, fo as to 
 refemble perfe£lly the good ones, and the greateft 
 Ikill is necelTary not to be miftaken. The bezoar- 
 dealers generally bring them to Pondicherry and 
 Madras, and have at the fame time large fcorpions, 
 by which to try the efficacy of the ftone. The bell 
 are without contradif^ion thofe which are found ia 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 83 
 
 the bladder of the antelope ; the dealers fay they 
 arc all derived from that animal. Thefe men fuf- 
 fer themfeîves to be itung in the finger by an enor- 
 mous black fcorpion, which they irritate by ftriking 
 it on the back. The wounded part is then made 
 to bleed by preffing it, and they immediately apply 
 the bezoar, making all kinds of contortions as they 
 do it, to perfuade the fpe£lators that they feel a great 
 deal of pain. After a few minutes they pull away 
 iht ftone, notwithftanding its clofe adhefion to the 
 wound, which is now flopped from bleeding, has 
 no fweliing or appearance of irritation, and is per- 
 feftly cured. If the bezoar thus made ufe of be 
 feized immediately by the intended purchafer, there 
 is no doubt of his obtaining a good one ; but it of- 
 ten happens, that, under pretence of waftiing it, it 
 is dextroufly conveyed away, and a factitious cal- 
 culus without virtue fubftituted in its Head. 
 
 The fécond defcription of ferpent is that called 
 by the Portuguefe capelle^ from capella^ a cloak. It 
 is dillinguiihed by a membrane on each fide of the 
 head, which are in general not perceived \ but 
 whenever the animal is irritated, they rife up and 
 form a kind of head-drefs, that gives it a very beau- 
 tiful appearance. This ferpent is very dangerous and 
 extremely irafcible \ but alkali radically cures its 
 bite. 
 
 The third fpecies is the houfe-ferpent, which is 
 îîot in the fmallcft degree either dangerous or iraf- 
 cible. It glides into the cradle of infants, without 
 occafioning the leafi; accident. Yet we nsfturally 
 feel an emotion of horror, when we find them in 
 our dwellings ; particularly, as we are not fure at 
 firil fight of what kind they may be. As foon, there- 
 fore, as one of thefe reptiles is difcovered, care is 
 taken to deftroy it ; and if it is not to be caught, 
 die enchanter is fent for. 
 
S4 VOYAGE 
 
 This man arrives loaded with bafltets, in which 
 are fnakes and ferpents of every kind. His legs are 
 furnifhed with a defcription of rings, which dangle 
 at liberty on the ankle. Thefe rings are cut in two 
 breadthwife, and the two parts hollowed, fo that at 
 each motion of the charlatan's foot, the two fides 
 ftrike againft each other and produce a very fhrili 
 noife, refembling the found of a brafs bafon when 
 ftruck with a hammer. Another inftrument is aifo 
 employed, called a drone bagpipe, of which the bag 
 is preffed under the arm. The noife of this inftru- 
 ment is fo great, that the ferpent, ftuniied and o- 
 ver come by it, is eafily taken. 
 
 The conjuror begins by making the ferpents in 
 the balkets dance ; but he does not expofe them till 
 he has played fome time to ftupefy them a little : 
 yet in fpite of this precaution, as foon as the bafkets 
 are opened, the capelles in particular feem inclined 
 to be angry rather than to dance, and, by provok- 
 ing them, they rife up, and aflume a threatening 
 pofture. 
 
 The man keeps near them, and ftrikes occafion- 
 ally with his foot to ftupefy them quickly. When 
 the right eiFe<^ is produced, a giddinefs takes place, 
 the eye lofes its luftre, and the ferpent, by attempt- 
 ing to balance itfelf, exhibits the appearance of 
 dancing. 
 
 The reptile that is to be caught, attraéled by the 
 noife, is fure to leave its retreat, and the fight of 
 its fellow-creatures appears to decide the affair ; 
 for it readily joins them, follows their example, and 
 foon partakes of their fupinenefs. 
 
 The conjuror then puts a bafket over its head, 
 and fhutting it up in it carries it oiF with the reft, 
 amongft which it figures in its turn, and equals 
 them in docility. The enchanter aiks no other re- 
 ward for his trouble than the animal he has thtis 
 caught* 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. Bs 
 
 In every' country, thofe who live on the creduli- 
 ty of others feldom fail to givetotheir adlions anap» 
 pearance of the marvellous, thereby the more fure- 
 ly to impofe on the multitude. It is with this view 
 that the enchanters of ferpents perfuade the fpetla- 
 tors, that a few grains of rice will deftroy the en- 
 chantment which they pretend to operate on the 
 reptile, will expofe their perfons to the greateft 
 danger, and render their inftrument mute.^ Eu- 
 ropeans feldom fail to throw a fmall quantity at 
 them, and they are generally alert in feizing the 
 moment when this is done. The inftant they per- 
 ceive the rice, they pretend t-o be no longer able to 
 draw tones from their bagpipes, and they fall into 
 tits. The ferpents, hearing no noife, recover from 
 their delirium, and endeavour to efcape. Fear m- 
 flantly difperfes the crowd, the moft intrepid a- 
 mongft which endeavour to bring the conjuror to 
 himfelf 5 who, when he fees his reptiles beginning 
 to crawl off, is one of the firft to recover his fenfes. 
 When rice is thrown without their knowledge, this 
 farce does not take place ; an evident proof that it 
 is all d^eption and trick. 
 
 The Indians ufe no pomatum for the hair, but, 
 beheving as we do^ that a fat fubftance contributes 
 to its prefervation,they fubftitute cocoa-oil inftead of 
 it. The Malabars ufe but little of this oil, but the 
 Portuguefe cafi: employ it in profufion. When the 
 oil is frefli, there is nothing difagreeable in ihe 
 fmell Î but as no powder is worn, it (bon becomes 
 rancid, and acquires a flench, to which the people 
 of the country are accuftomed, but that is extreme- 
 ly difagreeable to a ftranger. Ladies of the moft 
 elegant appearance have often occafioned me a nau- 
 fea, in fpite of their preren fions to beauty, and the 
 high opinion tFiey entertained of their charms. 
 Good breeding requires that this difguil fliould be 
 ii 
 
86 VOYAGE 
 
 concealed, but I have often abridged my vifits to 
 cfcape the cruel odour that purfued me in every 
 company. Another cuflom, no lefs difagreeable 
 to ftrangers, and vihich habit has made abfolutely 
 necefîary to Indians of all cafts and both fexes, is> 
 that of chewing betel. 
 
 Betel is a fmall Ihrab bearing a leaf fimilar in 
 lize and fhape to that of the mulberry, and nearly 
 of the fame contexture as an ivy-leaf. Like the 
 latter, it is fmooth and of a deep green on one fide. 
 Its fmell is ftrong, aromatic, and pungent, and its 
 tafte fo fharp and violent that it cannot be borne by 
 itfelf. To render it milder, arec-nut and a little 
 lime arc taken with it, which are rolled up in tjbc 
 leaf before they begin to chew it. The betel ex- 
 cites fuch a prodigious quantity of faliva, that the. 
 inhabitants of the country are obliged to keep dilh- 
 cs conftantly near them to fpit in ; in fome houfes 
 they are even placed on the table. The lime drips 
 the teeth, deftroyingboth them and -the gums, while 
 the arec dies the mouth of a colour refembling, 
 blood, and which is frightful to behold. Accord- 
 ingly, nothing, can be more difgulling than the 
 mouth of theie Indians. The black teeth, bare to 
 the very roots, corroded and covered by a red tar- 
 tar, give them an appearance the mor^ ihocking, as 
 they feem every moment to fpit blood. Arec ilains .- 
 a^fo of that colour every thing about them, audi 
 their handkerchiefs in particular are dreadfully. dif- 
 agreeable to (Irangers. It requires a long re fi dene e 
 in the country to become habituated to this prac- 
 tice. 
 
 Mechanifm and the arts ate i1 ill ia -their infaiiçy-i 
 throughout India.. The natives have no machines^; 
 no iniiruments out of the common way, nor the i 
 leaft knovrledge of hydraulics .: they^ have fcarcely - 
 even the neccilary uteniils for. the works theiytmw 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 87 
 
 dertake. Neither their carpenters nor joitiers have 
 benches, but work fitting on the ground, employ- 
 ing their great toe to keep firm whatever they are 
 working at, which they perfevere with great pa- 
 fitrïCG in faihioning. They make little ufe of the 
 axe, as it obliges them to work {landing ; but they 
 do not fear attacking any thing, however large, with 
 the chifel, which they can ufe fitting. The whole 
 of a joiner's tools in this country confias of a mif- 
 erable line, a chifel, a mallet, and a faw. With 
 thefe inftruments alone, affifted by patience, they 
 sccompUih any work of which a paitern is given 
 them. 
 
 Th'e galdfrniths are no better furni(hecl. You 
 fend for a workman eitheir m gold or filver wlien* 
 ever jqu have (Kxmcm for one^ ^nâ he places Mm" 
 icM in a €€fsiî€7 of the coarr with hh imvhmmn^, 
 confining of 3 fjamroer, 3Df sïïvil,, an màïûsraiî ûîe^ 
 * portable forge, îiifïcl a 'crtsdble. With ikeïe k€ 
 tror4s 3 whole day to* ma'ke a riwg, gtnd will fiK^'^^é 
 m fabricating other Eîtklfes th^t r^^pke 00 grt'M fij- 
 mention. There aye (oiffe^ howtyçr^ ihzt they wîU 
 not ancknake, Oisr beft Eiwopcais jf^refgfiïâtïOîB 
 are above tbeif ability 5 bist ihey ïBske lïofwIlE» 
 ^S'Uding, ill their way, s rerj eoBScfe'obîsr iraîîsty. 
 
 Smiths îsre ©qïially behiiné lïâml, ami yet fine! no 
 inconvenience in fotglng: every thiiirg, Tl^ey placg 
 ïhemfeJ'/es they isaye rjo£ wheiie> m^k^ 3 frnsîî Me 
 m the, ground^ and kiBcfle s fire m iîy To the fire 
 they apply a pair of bello'yr's made *sf ïwô Ûic^p^ 
 ikins well lewed together, tetîtsin^ting io a ïsbe 3f 
 oner end to coadt^ the air, b»t operi at ffee mkner^ 
 and nailed îo' two pieces of Xi^ooé feirv iog as Isandle^v 
 The fmith, féateé before hh ûvSy works thsfè leî*' 
 iows with his. hssids^ while hh f'sct m^e ^nivlùfsé m 
 liolding or taming his iron m the fire j whsu h h 
 hot^ hf crafe* hhmf^^ an4 M^ smril hsiug a^er, h& 
 
.m VOYAGE 
 
 forges whatever he wifhes without rifîng. If the 
 piece he would heat be too large for one pair of 
 bellows, he employs two, and eould even ufe three 
 without any other inconvenience than having two 
 children to aflifl in working them. Thus, a ham- 
 mer, an anvil, and two fheep-flcins, are every thing 
 he ftands in need of. With thefe he will fabricate 
 €very article of iron-work neceflary in building a 
 ho life. 
 
 Their fculptors have no better implements than: 
 their joiners, and there cannot be a greater curiolky 
 than to fee with what addrefs they fafhion the 
 blocks under foot. 
 
 Except for linen cloths, they have no painters» 
 They ilretch the cloth in their court-yard, and fit 
 down to work on it ; iot here, as in every other 
 trade, they are ignorant how to do any thing Hand- 
 ing. Their tools confift of a brufh or two of bam- 
 boo-wood, of which the ends are beaten foft, and 
 converted into threads of no great finenefs. With 
 thefe wretched inflruments dipped in colour, which 
 they keep in a kind of wooden box, they defign and 
 paint the beautiful Indian goods, which we find it 
 difRcult to imitate in Europe. They hold the bruih 
 between the firft and fécond fingers, in the fame 
 manner as they hold the pen when they write ; but 
 they have no great need of patience in this talent, 
 as they defign with admirable celerity. 
 
 Of all their tools or machines, that ufed in weav- 
 ing approaches the neareft to ours. In Pondicher- 
 ry, there are fome formed exa^ily on the fame mod- 
 el ; but in the villages they are much more fimple. 
 In other refpecls, with the exception of the work- 
 man's convenience, and the excellence of the dif- 
 ferent parts, their looms are very much like ours» 
 and produce the fame efFeds. Nothing can be 
 more portable than they are : when a family move» 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 89 
 
 to frefti quarters, or fets out on a journey, a child 
 will bear the whole machine in its arms, when tak- 
 en to pieces, and thus carry the fortune of the whole 
 houfe. 
 
 The inftrument ufcd by carders of cotton is the 
 only one which feemed to me to be ingeniouv'?. 
 Cotton is the fource of their wealth ; and it is there- 
 fore not furpriiing, that they fhould have bellowed 
 on a machine that prepares it for fpinning fome ad- 
 ditional pains. It is large, with a head nearly re- 
 fembling the handle of a violin. On this inftru- 
 ment a large gut is ftretched, which they pinch 
 with the cotton, and the vibration, tofling it in the 
 air, feparates and cleans it perfeélly. 
 
 Their fpinning- wheels are exactly like the large 
 whsel which our peafants ufe in fpinning wool. 
 The finenefs of the thread depends on the ikill of 
 the workman. 
 
 Their architecture, relatively fpeaking, is not at 
 all fuperior to their other arts. Its proportions are 
 confiderably abbreviated : without having examin- 
 ed this fubje£l minutely, it appears to me that they 
 have two orders ; one fliort and heavy, with mould-» 
 ings fimilar to the Tufcan ; the other longer, light, 
 and flender, terminating in a head like a cabbage, 
 different from that of the Corinthian order, yet 
 ferving as a fubftitute for it, without partaking of 
 its elegance. 
 
 The manner in which they build large edifices is 
 rather extraordinary. Their houfes are of brick', 
 and in ereâ:ing thefe they proceed in the ordinary 
 way : but when they have pagodas or chauderies 
 to conftrufl, and great weights to lift to a confider- 
 able heightj they a6l upon a very different plan. 
 As they have neither palankas, mafts, cranes, nor 
 any other other inftrument for the accumulation of 
 force, they introduce a very ingenious fubllitute. 
 H 2 
 
.9® VOYAGE 
 
 The foundations arc laid as afuaîy and the firft t^w 
 of ftones being raifed above the furfaccj they tferow 
 up earth againfl it, and âope it down on the Oîit- 
 fide. In laying the fécond row, they roUît^e ftones 
 on by means of this flope, and thus^ get them to 
 their place without the ieaft inconvemence '^ then? 
 bringing more earth,^ they increafe the flope:, an<$ 
 lay every row of ftones in the* fame manner till the 
 whole is complete ; fo th^ when the femlding m 
 îiniihe<l it is perfc(^ly buTEe^ and is ïm> bad re&m- 
 blance of a fmall moantain floped regularly on alî 
 fidcs^ The earth is afterwards carried awayr^ and 
 the building remains eratire. 
 
 The interior of the houfes of the opulent is plas- 
 tered with a kind of maftic, which they eal ftucco; 
 This compofition exaftly refembles marble ; and 
 when it is well made, it becomes fb hard, and ac- 
 quires fo beautiful a poli§i, that,, if not expofeé to» 
 the injuries of the air, it will hM upwards of Swe®^ 
 ty years. It is compo^d of fifted lime, whern no 
 plafler can be got^ mixed with fugar> oi4 aiid the 
 white of eggs. 
 
 Shoe-makers; arc the beft furnifexl with toolsv 
 feut they do not few their leather a?3 we do, but have 
 a finaii infhument like that nhà by embroiderers 
 in Europe ; the thread is therefore paiTed double 
 through the fole, asnd another thread run through 
 the loops, which afe drawn tight upon it. This 
 method of fewiîîg. takes very little time, and indeed 
 f reat expedition is ufed through the whole bufinefs^ 
 A workman takes meafurefor a pair of ^oes in the 
 morv.ïnfTf kills a^ goat, takes off its flciu, tans it for 
 the leather of v/hich they are to be made, and after 
 «iinner brings them home to all' appearance hand- 
 j&)me and good. This quick mode of tanning miift 
 oi couric be very defe£live, the procefs being ex- 
 ^clXvvely alifingent , but the hide,, without except- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN, ^ 
 
 Ing even the colour, is not unlike o^r green leather» 
 They take meafure by fpannmg the foot^ and by 
 merely touching k will make a ftioe fit weli y but 
 the materials of which the fhoe i* maëe are wretch- 
 ed. The principal inconvenienee arifes from the 
 Ikins being fa recently drefliêd. When the Ihoe ig 
 firft tried on, the leather is humid and flexible, biit 
 it fbon becomes as hard as p^chment. I am 
 fjpeaking of ihoes for fale. The fécond inconv^i- 
 cnce arifes from its being fewed with cotton ^ for 
 if, by accident, you put yovsr foot into water, the: 
 thread gives way, and the fhoe comes to pieces % 
 and even if you have the good fortune to keep clear 
 of water, and the cotton be good enough to laft a 
 day or two, the firft falfe ftep will burft the upper- 
 leather. With fuch fhoes it is impoflible to dance 
 long, and aceordirsgjy if you attend a 1^11, and 
 hafvc no European ihoes, it is neceflary to have 
 two or three pair that are fewed with filk. To rem- 
 edy this ineonvenience, the inhabitants of Pondi- 
 eherry have thread from Europe, which is ufed ii>- 
 âead of cotton, and the Ihoes, if carefully ntade^ 
 wiii! îafl a much longer time. 
 
 The principal obje<fl of cultivation in India is rice. 
 Very little wheat is grown, and that little is intend- 
 ed for the ufe of Europeans. The Indiana, con»- 
 prehending even the Portuguefe caft, live alonoil 
 entirely upoti rice, fo that having fcarcely anycorrs 
 tO' grind, they are in rio want of mills. It would 
 be eafy to* tre^ wind-mills, but they are for- 
 tunate in being able to do without them, as cairns 
 and hurricanes would render them ufelefe dur- 
 ing a great part of the year; and as to water-mills^,, 
 the country is fo level, that no ftreams are to bé 
 found of fuiEcient force to put the wheels m mo-- 
 tioiL They reduce their grain m flour, not with- 
 _ilanding,,by the. ufe of hand-imUs^ The populatioKi 
 
^2 VOYAGE 
 
 is fo confiderable, the means of induftry fo fcarce, 
 and manual labour of courfe fo cheap, that no in- 
 convenience is felt from the want of machinery. 
 It is true, they can never apply any confiderable 
 force ; but I have feen them adopt in lieu of it, in 
 their (hipping, fome very ingenious means, and as 
 little complicated as that which I before mentioned 
 in building their houfes. 
 
 They ufe ia kind of mill to extrzCt oil from cocoa, 
 which, though very imperfect, yields them the 
 fame advantages as a better. Several Europeans 
 would have furnifhed them with models. Mr. 
 Beggle even conftrudied a large mill at Madras, that 
 was worked by oxen. It confifted of feveral wheels, 
 gained prodigioufly in point of expedition over the 
 mills of the country, and anfwered in every refpeft 
 much better. The Blacks examined and admired 
 it, but perfifted in the ufe of their own, for reafons 
 which appeared to me judicious. To ere£l fuch a 
 mill a great number of materials were neceffary, 
 a«d a confiderable expenfe would be incurred. An 
 Indian could not afford this, and the machine re- 
 quired befides too many oxen and hands to work it. 
 The rich, in whofe power it was to fpecu^Jate in 
 this way, confidered it as beneath them, and were 
 unwilling to turn their views further than the 
 cloth-trade and ftock-jobbing. A perfon of the low- 
 er clafs, who devotes himfelf to this fort of work, 
 has but two oxen, and frequently only one. His 
 mill confifts of a large vafe, in which a pivot, fixed 
 to a beam and worked by his oxen, prefles the co- 
 coa, and extracts the oil. This machine is eredled 
 in the open air, and requires neither houfe nor fer- 
 vants. Himfelf alone, between his two beads, reg- 
 ulates their pace, and works juft as much as fufiices 
 for his fubfiftence. The extraction of cocoaroil is 
 the only procefs that requires a mill. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. p^ 
 
 The Indians have neither barn nor thre (hi ng- floor 
 for their rice. A man, fquat on his heels, takes a 
 handful of the draw in his left hand, places it on a 
 block of wood tfeat is before him, and beats it with 
 a kind of mallet which he holds in the other hand. 
 However great the quantity they have to threlh, this 
 is the only method th-ey employ, increafing the 
 number of hands in proportion to the work. Whtn 
 the grain is cleared from its outward covering, and 
 they wifh to cook it, they throw a portion into a 
 large mortar, made of the trunk of a tree, hollow- 
 ed in the (hape of a reverfed cone, and which will 
 hold about twenty pounds. In this veflel they ftir 
 and pound it with a large flick for feveral hours» 
 As this m^fl be done ftanding, it fatigues them 
 greatly. The rice by the friction is fo well clear- 
 ed as to be ready to winnow and wafii for ufe. 
 
 Their land is cultivated by the plough. That 
 which has a fpring of water near it is appropriated 
 to the growth of rice, fhat it may be laid under wa- 
 ter at pleafure. The fields are divided into fmall 
 compartments, fimiîar to a falt-pit in Europe. The 
 banks are raifed about a foot above the furface to 
 retain the water upon the land. It is well known 
 that humidity, combined with heat, produces vege- 
 tation, and it appears that rice,^to make it thrive well, 
 requires a great deal of water. I am aware that 
 there is a kind of mountain-rice : but it is probable,, 
 that to the acceleration of the growth of this kind of 
 rice, water is not effentially neceffary ; and it is 
 thought befides to be unwholefome, and to occafion 
 dyfenteries. The low-land rice, to grow faft, ought 
 to be con dandy covered with fix inches of water. 
 The land is never drained till the grain is nearly ripe. 
 In watering it, the genius of the Indians is particu- 
 larly manifefted. Having no hydraulic machines, 
 ©r the means of applying great mechanical force» 
 
^4 Voyage 
 
 éitj employ an inftrument which they call a fkoiey 
 «f St left which Europeans have fo named for them. 
 
 The foil in the plains of the peninfula of India is 
 not yet entirely drained, its furface alone being free 
 from the element which formerly overwhelmed it. 
 This foil does not reft on a folid foundation, and ^ 
 =4ug to any depth, the water, which has not beeii 
 able to run off in the few ages that have elapfed fince 
 its retreat from the furface, is inftantly found. From 
 3ts filtering through the earth, afEfted by the fup- 
 ply it receives from the rain and torrents that^pour 
 Irom the mountains in the rainy feafons, the faline 
 and bituminous quaSties it contained are in a great 
 sraeafure loft, and it is become in many places drink» 
 able, while in others it hhrzckîûî. The cultivators, 
 theieforey have only to dig m a comer of a fieJd, 
 to have a well lit for watering it. Near this welt 
 they {et up a pole about fifteen c«r eighteen feet 
 high, which ferres as a refting-^point to a ftror/ig^ 
 lever, a fourth part longer than the pole, placed 0a 
 an axis ihorter thzn the pole by about three-foimii»» 
 The large end, by which it is moved «p ^nd down, s® 
 loaded with a fufficient weight to anfweï that pior- 
 pofe. To the fmalJ end tîiey hang a pole eqmî m 
 lengtiî to the' depih &§ the well, and they fnAcn I© 
 it a kettk, that will hold about a" half a barrel of 1?^- 
 ler, more or lefs. A Black at the brink of the well 
 £nks this kind of bucket^ and when it is filled an- 
 other Black mounts upon the lever, walks towards 
 the heavy end, and his weight, added îo that already 
 affixed to it, raifes the water to the edge of the well,, 
 where the Black, ftationed for the purpofe, empties 
 k into the canal deftined to receive k, and it is thia» 
 conveyed into the different compartments çf the 
 field. 
 
 This work they perform with great agility every 
 morning and evening to the tune of a fong ealcs- 
 lated îa chayra= its^ irlcfemeRef* ma fatigue* A pir 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN pGEAN. ^, 
 
 cole, when the Blacks exert themfelves well, will' 
 draw up five barrels in a minute ; there are few 
 jnachines that would draw as much, at fo little ex- 
 penfe and with no more hands. 
 
 The Indians are in general fober and lazy ; little 
 fuffices for their wants, and that little obtained no 
 motive will induce them to work for more. When 
 a perfon of the lower clafs therefore has earned a 
 couple of rupees, he can purchafe a fack of rice and' 
 while this lafts he would remain in idlenefs -, but 
 the tax-gatherers take good care to leave him fcarce- 
 ly any means of indulging his natural propenfity. 
 
 Their exactions furpafs any thing that can be 
 faid of them. The wretched inhabitants cam with 
 difficulty fcrapc together three or four rupees with- 
 out its coming to the knowledge of thefe men, by 
 whom they are inftantiy extorted- 
 
 The Indians cultivate alfo cotton asd indigo : the 
 former is the fmail cottoja of the Antilles, which 
 they cultivate and gather as in other places ; but 
 their manner of macerating and precipitating indigo 
 is different from that of any other country. We fee 
 none of thofe large eltabliûimcnts which are to be 
 met with in our illands ; nor have they any tubs to 
 beat and macerate a great number of herbs at a 
 time. A workman who is in want of a fmall quan- 
 tity of indigo, macerates and beats it in a pot. 
 This procefs is fo flow as to require all his patience, 
 and would not anfwer for a manufactory of any ex- 
 tent. They /requentiy leave it to precipitate of- 
 itfelf ;^and as, if the water be not fufficientiy ftirred 
 to detach the particles of indigOj it becomes diffi- 
 cult to precipitate, they accelerate it with lime. 
 This praélice is common in Cayenne, whence it has' 
 pafled to the Ifle of France. 
 
 To the cultures before mentioned the Indians 
 a<id that of cocoa-treej.' I have obierved in anotiier' 
 
ç6 VOYAGE 
 
 part of this work, that this tree is the mofl: valuable 
 prefent which man has received from the hands of 
 nature. I fhall not enter here into an explanation 
 of the numerous advantages derived from it, or to 
 what ufes the fruit, hair, leaves, and wood, are ap- 
 plied : I Aiall merely obferve, that thefe trees never 
 fail to make the fortune of thofe who poflefs any 
 quantity of them in the neighbourhood of the towns 
 of India. A perfon having a fmall garden contain- 
 ing three hundred cocoa-plants, which require no 
 great fpace on account of the fmall diftance at which 
 they are planted from each other, will derive from 
 it a fufficient income for his fupport without any- 
 other refource. Of thefe plants a hundred will in 
 this cafe be appropriated to the production oï calou 
 or palm-wine, while the reft bear fruit, from which 
 they extract oil, and afterwards fell the hair for the 
 ufe of the (hipping. Such an eftate at Pondicher- 
 ry would be worth a thoufand rupees a year : an e- 
 normous fum for an Indian. Some idea may be 
 formed of the price of living in that town by what 
 is charged at irwis and boarding-houfes. In the 
 latter, for thirty rupees a month, you live luxuri- 
 oufly : and the terms have been confiderably raifed 
 to make it amount to that price, for before the war 
 they were much lower. It is eafy to conceive, that 
 a private family has many advantages over fuch 
 houfes. 
 
 Their calou, or palm-wine, is exirafled in the 
 fam.e way as on the coaft of Africa, the liquor be- 
 ing drawn from an incifion made in one of the 
 principal branches *, but their method of climbing 
 the tree is very different. The Black employed in 
 this work puts his feet into a rope-ring about fix 
 inches long, which keeps them from feparating, 
 and enables him to find fure footing on the rough 
 trunk of the tree, on which he climbs, by clafping 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 
 
 97 
 
 it with his arms and rifing about fix inches at a 
 ftretch. 
 
 The common fruits of India are the banana, pi- 
 fang, fweet and bitter orange, citron, fhaddockj 
 ananas, mango, particularly a fpecies of extraordi- 
 nary delicacy growing at Velour, cinnamon apples, 
 otherwife called atte, jam rofa, letchi, mangofteen 
 and farangoHieen ; and at MadrafS the bread-fruit 
 begins to appear. Thefe are all too well known 
 for any of them to require a defcription. 
 
 European vegetables fucceed there tolerably well. 
 Of thofe which are natural to the climate, the 
 principal are brette and ignam. Brette refcmbles 
 fpinage, and is cooked in the fame way : it is very 
 bitter, and requires feafoning. The Indians efteem 
 it highly in a difh called cari. Ignam is a farina- 
 ctovis root of a high flavour, and is eaten like bread. 
 
 I iliall fay nothing of the ornithology of India, 
 Sonnerat having perfedlly exhaufted the fubje£l j 
 but I ihall venture to affirm, as to quadrupeds, that 
 the elephant is not yet thoroughly known in 'Eu^ 
 rope. With all the refpedt I entertain for Buffon, 
 1 cannot afcribe it to modefty that this animal does 
 not multiply in captivity. It is in this ftate by no 
 means difmclined to love, but feeks the female^ 
 though not in feafon, and greatly carefles her. It 
 is feidom indeed that this animal propagates in 
 confinement} but there are certainly inftances of it. 
 Î faw myfelf a young one at Bengal born fo latdr 
 that it was necefîary to put boiled rice into its 
 mouth, as, unlefs fed in this manner, it was incapa- 
 ble of eating. Though v/hat I have advanced uposi 
 this fubjeèl may be at variance with the obferva- 
 'dons that have been made in Europe, where the 
 male and female elephant have been kept together, 
 I ought not to be hafl.ily condemned j for the man- 
 ners of an animal, (liut up with its mate in a 
 I 
 
p8 VOYAXÏE 
 
 cage, are certainly different from thofe which it 
 would aflume in its cwn country, where it enjoys, 
 in the extensive parks in which it is kept among a 
 number of its fellows, fuch liberty, that it feems 
 fcarcely to have any fenfeof its confinement. 
 
 The elephant is not fo heavy in its motions as 
 many have fuppofed, and is capable of acquiring 
 by exereife confidcrable agility : I have feen it fKip 
 and leap with eafe and lightnefs. All that has been 
 faid of its fagacity appears to me to be perfectly 
 true: I fliall not enumerate the inftanccs, already 
 well known, that have been cited in proof of it. 
 
 The ufe of this animal is become very common 
 in India. Though it bears a high price, and its 
 maintenance is cxpenfive, there are few perfons of 
 any wealth who have not feveral. They are em- 
 ployed in carry hig burdens, for taking the air, for 
 hunting and for war. Thofe employed in war are 
 extremely courageous, and often difplay more 
 bravery than many men. Thofe trained to the 
 ehafe are ufed only againil tigers. — I fhall refume 
 this fubjetSl: when I come to the article of Bengal. 
 
 Among the diforders wliich greatly prevail here, 
 of a depurative nature, and which, with proper 
 treatment, would produce falutary effeéls, is the 
 itch ; but it is attended with one difagreeable cir- 
 cumftance, that of making itfeif apparent. The 
 inhabitants have ?. common faying, " that love and 
 the itch cannot be concealed ;" and they prefer to 
 this complaint the gonorrhoea, which befides, by 
 ferving them as a fort of iffiie perpetually open, is 
 of material benefit to their health. For this latter 
 complaint the root called curanelli proves efficacious 
 In the mofh obfiiinate cafes. 
 
 Pondicherry, at the timeof my being there, con» 
 tained only from four hundred and fifty to five hun- 
 dred Europeans at ïxlù^^. As it was not likely that 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 99 
 
 fo inconfiderable a population could produce much 
 diverfity, or at leaft much contrariety, of interefts, 
 it might have been hoped, that this colony would 
 efcape the eiFe6î:s of the commotions which were 
 overthrowing the governments of Europe. It was 
 vifited, however, by the revolutionary mania, which 
 difplayed all the fympioms of e'itravagance that 
 characlerized the Jacobins of France, and it is only 
 to, be afcribed to the firmnefs of the chevalier De- 
 Frefne, the governor, that the explofion did not prove 
 fatal to half the inhabitants. The detachment of 
 which the garrifon was compofed was ftill retained 
 in the ftricleft difcipline ; and the indefatigable zeal 
 of this ofEcer would probably have averted all the 
 troubles by which the colony has been fince agitated, 
 had there not been fent from France, for the pur- 
 pofe of (Irengthening the place, a battalion of infan- 
 try, which v/as foon followed by commifTaries. Not- 
 withftanding the pacific endeavours of one of thefe, 
 the commifTary of the marine, he was unable to pre- 
 vent theeftabliflimentof revolutionary forms in the 
 garrifon, which at laft obliged the governor to retire j 
 and his departure configned the place to the fate 
 which afterwards befel it. 
 
 By the celebrated peace which lord GornwalHs 
 had fome time before concluded with Tippoo, the 
 Englifh company obtained half of that princess terri- 
 tory. Tranquil in the midft of its pofleffions, it 
 now faw its rivals enfeebling themfelves, and enjoy- 
 ed, without the profpedl of danger, the fruit of its 
 conquefts. 
 
 Its real fituation was neverthelefs on the mouth 
 of a volcano, the explofion of which depended upon 
 the conduél of its enemies. The treaty that was 
 ultimately to overthrow its powers was even pro- 
 jected and arranged ; but fubfequent events did 
 not permit it to be carried into execution, and fate 
 
mo VOYAGE 
 
 feemed reiblved to perpetuate the triumph of the 
 Englifh. 
 
 The intelligence of the French revolution had 
 reached the court of Tippoo, who judged, that the 
 eilablifliment of a new order of things in France 
 might produce a change of fentiment in his favour, 
 and reanimate the allies who had abandoned him. 
 Upon this prefumption he founded thofe refolu- 
 tiens, which have fines, in' their confequences, in- 
 Yolved his total ruin. 
 
 In one of his military movements, prior to the 
 period when lord Cornwallis marched with an ar- 
 my from Bengal for the purpofe of giving him bat- 
 tle, Tippoo advanced towards Pondicherry, and en- 
 camped upon the neighbouring hill. The rules of 
 policy not permitting the French governor to violate 
 his neutrality by admitting him into the town, Tip- 
 poo requefted, that Mr. L — , the intendant of the 
 place, might be fent to him. This officer, who was 
 commiiTary of marine, had by a long application 
 to the Moorifh language, acquired fo intimate a 
 knowledge of it, that he could undcrftand the ful- 
 tan without an interpreter. At this interview Tip- 
 poo explained his intentions to him with confidence j 
 and it was in confequence of the plan which was at 
 this time formed, that Mr. L — embarked for 
 France two months afterwards, in the Thetis frig- 
 ate, to folicit from the government a clofer alliance 
 with Tippoo, and fuch aid as might enable him to 
 make an efFe(Slual refiftance to the arms of the Eng- 
 lilh company. 
 
 Elated with the importance of his million, and am- 
 bitious of returning to the fultan in the chara6>er of 
 plenipotentiary, the commiiTary could fee no obftacie 
 to the execution of the projeft, and perfuaded him- 
 felf of the certainty of its fuccefs. 
 
 He had little difficulty in infpiring an unfortu- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. loi 
 
 aate and unaffiited prince with all the hope which 
 he himfelf entertained. It was from this fatal con- 
 fidence that Tippoo confented to the facrifices which 
 he made by the peace with lord Cornwallis, being 
 fure, as he thought, when his expe£led treaty with 
 France fhoald be ratified, of recovering what he ced- 
 ed. That country however, which was at this 
 time too much occupied with its more immediate 
 and preffing concerns, to afford any fhare of its con- 
 fideration to thofe of India, deferred for the prefent 
 the alliance ; and it was not till the fuccefs of its 
 arms againft its external enemies allowed it to turn 
 its attention to the interefts of the fultan, that the 
 directory, having fallen upon the {ketch of the trea- 
 ty projected in the camp before Pondicherry, gave 
 him thofe afTurances which led this ill-fated nabob 
 to point at laft the cannon that was to ihatter his 
 throne to atoms. 
 
 Had the ftate of Europe, inftead of preventing 
 the clofe alliance which Tippoo folicited, allowed 
 France to fend a body of troops to Pondicherry, the 
 fall of that prince would probably not have taken 
 place ; and the French would (till have poiTefTed an 
 ally, and have kept a footing in India, by which, 
 in times of greater tranquillity» to re-cilabJifli their 
 commerce. The death therefore of Tippoo, and 
 the expulGon of his family from the ttgrone whick 
 bis father had acquired, are to be added to the long 
 lift of calamities, which it has fallen to the lot of 
 France to experience. 
 
 The abolition of the monarchy in France having 
 involved the new government in a v/ar with Eng- 
 land, all the French fettiemenfs in India fell into the 
 hands of the latter nation. Pondicherry was the 
 only place that made any refiftance : but colonel 
 Braithwaite obliged it to furrender, though not till 
 the trenches had been open before it ~ thirteen days. 
 Ï2 
 
S02 VOYAGE 
 
 The garrifon confifted chiefly of a battalion of Eu- 
 ropean troops, called the battalion of India, which 
 was compofed of about two hundred men, the rem - 
 nant of the troops which had been left at the evac- 
 uation of the place ; two hundred who had arriv- 
 ed iince in the veflel the Bienvenue^ and who might 
 probably be reduced to a hundred and fifty ; and 
 four hundred recruits from L'Orient, in the fliip,^ 
 the Cliancellor of Brabant, which difcharged upon-- 
 the ihore af India, with thefe new foldiers, every 
 principle of diforder and infubo'rdination. The re^ 
 of the garrifon confifted of a battalion of Sepoys^ 
 of about the fame number | fuch of the inhabitants 
 who could bear arms, amounting at moft to two 
 hundred, and equipped as cavalry ; and a detach- 
 ment of artillery, of about fixty men, including the 
 Caffres who were attached to it^ Thus the whole 
 force of the befieçed did not exceed fixteen hundred 
 and fixty men, of whom half were native troops § 
 yet with no other fortification than a ditch and 
 banks of crumbling earth, the garrifon held out for- 
 thirteen days, and repulfed two affaults of an ar*- 
 my provided with every requifite to enfure fucccfs- 
 Though Pondicherry was trie only place that de- 
 fended itfelf (and it was the only one that had the 
 means), Yanaon would at leaft fhow a defire of do- 
 ing the fame. . M. Sonnerat, the eftimablc author 
 ©f the v/ork on the religions of India, commanded 
 in this place for the king. The troubles of the rev- 
 Qlution bad not fpared even this obfcure fpot of 
 ground \ and fix commercial houfes, which com- 
 pofed tlie whole European population of the vil- 
 hge> were feen with aftonilhment negle£ling their 
 private affairs, to attend to difputes, and the bufi- 
 nefs of depcBng the commandant. M. Sonnerat 
 liowever recovered his authority, and the governor 
 f^f Pondicherry having thought proper to fend hine*- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. i®3 
 
 a reinforcement of fix foldiers of colour, he purchaf- 
 cd two marine guns, by the help of which he re« 
 folved to oppofe any holtile attack. Defirous of 
 entwining a branch of the laurel with the wreath 
 which he had already merited by his excellent fci» 
 entific obfervations as a naturalift, he made prepar- 
 ations for defending himfelf with this fmall force. 
 Though the idea of fuch an attempt was ludicrous», 
 it deceived the Englifh commander in that part of 
 India, Yeates, who granted him a capitulatioiî. 
 Accordingly M. Sonnerat did not furrender this in- 
 fignificant village without obtaining the honours of 
 war, and the merchants fettled there were indebted 
 to him for conditions, which enfured to them their 
 property and their trad-e. 
 
 Thus fell this fair ftruélure, which, reared upon 
 the foundations laid by Dupleix and Labaurdon- 
 naye, appeared at firft to afford the profpedl of af- 
 piring to the clouds. Alas, it had fcarcely rifen 
 £ro.m the earth, when this cartaitrophe laid it low^ 
 perhaps for ever ! 
 
 Not fatisfied with the total expulfion of the French^ 
 from the continent of India, the Englifh company- 
 thought its tafk unfinifhed till it fhould alfo make 
 itfelf mafter of the Ifles of France and Bourbon, the 
 only polfeffions of its rivals to the eaft of the Cape 
 ©f Good Hope, but which mJght be a fource of per- 
 petual annoyance and alarm. 
 
 For this enterprife a force of ten thoufand men- 
 was allotted, who were on the point of embarking 
 when war was fuddenly declared between the ni- 
 zam of Golconda and the ftates of the Mahrattas. 
 Tippoo,, feeing his frontiers thus expofed to the ef- 
 fects of thefe hoftilities, took up arms as a meafure- 
 of caution y and the EngHfh government not think- 
 ing it prudent to employ fo great a force in a for- 
 «ign expedition,, when its neighbours at home wers^- 
 
104 VOYAGE 
 
 in this pofture, the troops received counter orders, 
 and the undertaking was for the prefent abandon- 
 ed. 
 
 A fault committed hj the government of Madras 
 at this time, has fince put thefe iflands in fecurity 
 againit any future attempt. Towards the clofe of 
 his reign, Louis XVI. had turned his thoughts to 
 the affairs of India ; and the daily changes in the 
 miniflry having at laft brought into office fome in- 
 dividual who fixed his attention on the means of 
 preferving Pondicherry, and re-eflablifliing it as a 
 military poft, the king ordered lieutenant-colonel 
 de Feline, an olHcer of talents, to be fent out, for 
 the purpofe of preparing a fyflem of defence, and 
 of acquiring a knowledge of the country in which 
 he would have himfelf to carry on a war. This 
 officer, however, being provided neither with men 
 nor money, could effedl nothing, and was taken 
 with the place which he was fent to defend. Be- 
 ing a prifoner, he requefted his liberty, on condi- 
 tion of not lerving again during the war, and it was 
 granted him. This was a flagrant error on the 
 part of the Englifli ; and they added to it, that of 
 fufFering him to proceed to the Ifle of France. 
 There his reputation had preceded him, and on his 
 arrival, an EngliQi officer of equal rank, wlio hap- 
 pened to be a prifoner, was immediately releafed. 
 This exchange freeing him from his parole, he was 
 charged to put thecolony into a flate of defence; and 
 he fucceeded fo v/ell m this objeél, that the Eng- 
 lifh company have not thought proper to rifk againfl 
 it any attempt. 
 
 Thus was preferved to the French an important 
 fettle ment, that may ferve, at fome future period, 
 as a point on which to afTemble their forces, with 
 the view of recovering their former pofTeffions in 
 India 3 an undertaking, however, of great difficul- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 05 
 
 ty, if at all poffible, in the prefent ftate of their af- 
 fairs, with no allies, nor a fingle port to fupport 
 them on their landing. The Englifh company is a 
 huge coloflus, rendered by its (ize and weight not 
 cafy to be fhaken ; but this vaft flruélure is raifed 
 upon ruins, and whoever builds upon fuch founda- 
 tions fhould count that his fabric will eventually 
 fall. Still, in the relative ficuation of the two na- 
 tions, it may be expected, at leafh for fome time, to 
 triumph over all the efforts of France. Formida- 
 ble by its forces, with no enemies and no rivals, 
 poiTefllng the fovereignty of all India, enriched by 
 an immenfe commerce, but incloiing in its very bof- 
 om a radical defecffc, in a foreign population, this 
 company will continue to advance, till, enfeebled 
 by its fplendour, and too unv/ieldy for its bafis, it 
 will be no longer able to fupport its profperity, and 
 will fiiik under its own v^^eight. It will be the 
 vi^ifdom of France to coni^^nt herfelf with fowing 
 the fet:ds of divifion and independence among the 
 tributary ftates of India, without attempting to ufe 
 open force in the dellruclion of this empire. This 
 is perhaps the only meihod by which fhe can fuc- 
 ceed in refcuing this part of the world from the do- 
 minion of her rival. She will reap indeed no imme- 
 diate benefit from the change ; but it is a maxim 
 in politics, that every lofs we occafion our enemy 
 is 10 much çain to ourfelves. 
 
 I have interrupted the narrative of my voyage, 
 that I might place before the reader at once a reg- 
 ular view of the caufes which produced the fall of 
 the French power in India. I return to my orig- 
 inal fubje£l. 
 
 I had promifed an account of the French poflef- 
 fions on the coalts of the peninfula. I have men- 
 tioned Mahé, Karikal, and Pondicherry ; the re- 
 mainder are the factories of Mazulipatam, and Ya- 
 ]%aon. 
 
io6 VOYAGE 
 
 The former of thefe is a confiderable town, in 
 ■which the Englifh coinpany have a council under 
 the prefidency of Madras, the authority of which 
 extends northward to the frontiers of the Four Sir- 
 cars. The French government had retained, for 
 the purpofes of commerce, a houfe, on which it was 
 allowed the empty privilege of difplaying its iiag ; 
 but even this right was foon ciifputed, and finally 
 abolifhed. Mazulipatarn contains fome manufac- 
 tories of handkerchiefs which were formerly of im- 
 portance, till thofe of Palliacata were removed to 
 Madras, and eftabliihed v/ithin the walls of that me- 
 tropolis. They are, however, ftill in requeft for 
 the excellence of their colouring. The neighbour- 
 ing villages alfo, particularly Narpily, produce fome 
 which are held in eftimation. The French partici- 
 pated in this branch of trade, by means of the com- 
 mercial refidence mentioned above •, and the pref- 
 ence of an agent prevented a part of thofe obftacles 
 and vexations to be expe£led by foreigners reiiding 
 among rivals who are jealous of them. 
 
 Further northward, Yanaon, a fmall fettlement 
 within the limits of the Englifh territory, was the 
 centre, as I before obferved, of the French com- 
 merce on the coaft of India. This was the laft 
 remnant of the acquifitions of the marquis de Buf- 
 fy : this illuftrious adventurer having in his youth 
 undertaken on his own account the conq^uefl of the 
 empire of the Four Sircars, provinces of the king- 
 dom of Golconda, did homage for it to the crown 
 of France. This country, undergoing the fate of 
 the reft of the French fettlements, paiTed into the 
 hands of the Englifli, who from the ramparts of 
 Vifigapatam had command of it, and reduced to in- 
 activity the Dutch colony of Biblipatam, which 
 lies contiguous to it. Yanaon and its territory, 
 fituated near the fouthern extremity af thefe prov- 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 107 
 
 inces, was all that France could fave at the peace ; 
 and even here the conquerors, before they left it, 
 deflroyed every thing that might hereafter offend 
 their pride ; and, in their ufual fpirit of vandaUfm, 
 pulied down the houfe which had formerly belong- 
 ed to the French company, becaufe it excelled in 
 magnificence that of the governor of Ingeram, the 
 adjacent Englifh fettlement. 
 
 With refpecl to the marquis of Buffy, he return- 
 ed to Europe, where he lived forgotten amidil the 
 honours which had been bellowed upon him, till 
 the v/arof 1778, occafioning the want of a gener- 
 al to command in India, all eyes were fudcenly 
 turned upon him. The remembrance of the con- 
 quers of his earlier years was revived, his name 
 alone was deemed to be a tower of ftrength, and he 
 was eagerly fent to the fcene of his former glory, 
 again to difplay himfelf. But he was now unfor- 
 tunately of an age ill fuited to a renewal of fuch ex- 
 ploits. Arriving in India in the chara6ler of gener- 
 ahffimo of the French forces, his conduct had no 
 other effe£l than to paralyfe the exertions of troops, 
 that, under a more aâive commander, would 
 fcarcely have waited patiently for the enemy with- 
 in their entrenchments at Goudelours ; and he ter- 
 minated his career by a peaceable death at Pondi- 
 cherry, leaving the brilliant achievements of his 
 youth contracted by the inertnefs of his old age. 
 His countrymen erected a monument to his mem- 
 ory in the church of the Capuchins in that town, 
 which ftill attracts the veneration of thofe Indians 
 ■who witnefTed his earîv fuccefs. 
 
 Yanaon is advantageouily lituated at the. conflu- 
 ence of the fmall river Coringui with the Godwa- 
 rin. The mouth of the latter is ob{lru£ted by fand- 
 banks, over which the fea never flows above fix or 
 feven feet even at the higheft tides, and therefore 
 
îoS VOYAGE 
 
 cannot be entered by veflels drawing a greater depth 
 OÏ water ; but by the affiftance of an experienced 
 pilot, a tolerably deep paflage may be found among 
 the numerous fmall channels by which the fand- 
 banks are interfered. This river is deep within 
 the bar, and is navigable to a great diflance, though 
 little frequented by velîeîs. Its borders are pleaf- 
 ant ; and its courfe renders the profpe£l very pi£lur- 
 efque. The ftream is broad and rapid ; at Yana- 
 on it is ftronger than that of the Garonne at Bour- 
 deaux. I afcended it even beyond Cota -, and the 
 further I advanced, the wider and deeper I found 
 it. Its interior navigation is^. trifling, as the Indians 
 are too lazy to profecute any thing that requires 
 a^^ivity. 
 
 The Coringui is merely a rivulet formed by the 
 Godwarin, and may be regarded as a mouth of it. 
 It proceeds out of the Godwarin at Yanaon, and 
 empties itfelf into the fea at a fmall place called Co-» 
 ringui, at the diflance of about three leagues. It 
 is augmented in its courfe by the v^aters of the dif- 
 trifk through which it paiTes. This country, which 
 is fcarcely above the level of the fea, is interfered 
 by fo many deep canals as to be wholly impaflable. 
 In defcending the Coringui, the land to the left is 
 a vaft marfh, which, draining itfelf into the river, 
 renders it of fufficient depth near its mouth to ad» 
 mit veflels of conliderable burden. The Englifh, 
 who are mailers of both banks, have quitted the left, 
 to fettle upon the right ; and a great part of the 
 natives having followed them, the old town confiils 
 now of three or four huts only, round a pagoda 
 that ftill preferves its ancient reputation. Differ- 
 ent treaties have infured to the inhabitants of Ya- 
 naon the free navigation of this river, affording a 
 communication with the road at its mouth. This 
 is a great advantage ia the conveyance of merchan- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. i op- 
 
 ^ize, which muft otherwife have been fent by the 
 Godwarin, with much danger and îofs of time. 
 
 The village of Yanaon, with the territory be« 
 longing to it, and a fmali ifland fituated to the 
 fouth, forms a fpace of about a league and a half 
 fquare. This fpace contains a population of ilx 
 thoufand Indians, and is the laft of the French pof- 
 fefïions on this coaft. We have now taken a fur- 
 vey of them, all : the lift is not long ; and it may 
 readily be feen how greatly the power and influence 
 of that nation are reduced in this part of the globe. 
 This is the refult of a bad fyftem, and of obftinacy 
 in the purfuit of ill- conceived plans. The grand 
 projecSls of Dupleix would have led to glory and to 
 fortune -, but thefe were negle£led and defpifed, 
 while the fovereign was led into error by the igno- 
 rance and infatuation of thofe of his court who 
 were intrufted with the management of the affairs 
 of India. So little were the interefts of France iu 
 Alia an ôbjeél: of attention at Verfailles, that in the 
 framing the treaty of peace of 1783, no perfon v/as 
 corifulted who was acquainted with our poiTeffions 
 in that quarter. This is evident from the treaty 
 itfeif, which contains precifely the fame condition 
 with regard to India, and nearly in the fame words, 
 as that of the preceding peace ; though the fuperi- 
 ority which M. de Suffrein had acquired gave us- 
 the power of recovering all our former lolfes. A 
 glaring proof of the ignorance of the authors of 
 this treaty, on the part of France, refpe£ling even 
 the geography of the country, on the deftiny of 
 which they were to decide, is, that they confound- 
 ed the village of Vilnour with that of Valadour. 
 The one has a very confiderable, the other a very 
 narrow, territory, and, while intending to retain the 
 greater, they ftipulated for the lefs. This miilake, 
 which has deprived us of an extent of land equal 
 
 K 
 
ïi® VOYAGE 
 
 to all that we now retain on the coaft, is one of 
 the leaft errors committed on that occafion. We 
 might have infifted upon the whole country to the 
 fouth of the peninfula, as far as Pondicherry, that is 
 to fay, all the places which the Englifh poffefs there, 
 and which would have given us the fame influence 
 over the princes of thofe fmall ftates, as is now ex- 
 ercifed by them ; whereas we fcarcely acquired in 
 the whole, a diftridl of twelve leagues fquare. All 
 our meafurcs on this fubje6l have been ill chofen ; 
 while England, on the contrary, taking advantage 
 of our errors, adopting the wife and prudent fyf- 
 tem which we abandoned, and oppofmg patience 
 and perfeverancc to the petulance of the conductors 
 of our affairs, who were eager to reap the harveft 
 when the feed was fcarcely fown, has carried the 
 fplendour of its Indian colonies to a height unexam- 
 pled in the hiftory of the world. 
 
 I have thus given a fummary account of the de- 
 cline of the French power in the peninfula of India, 
 without concealing the caufes which led to that 
 event. Unhappily, this is not the laft reverfe of 
 our fortunes which my pen will have to retrace : 
 I fhall have occafion hereafter to take a view of 
 Bengal, where it will be feen, that the interefts of 
 France were managed neither with more ability, 
 nor more fuccefs. 
 
 Having finifhed my bufinefs at Pondicherry, I 
 left that place for Bengal. As I had broken one 
 cable at the Sechelles, and another at Pondicherry, 
 it \v2LS neceffary to provide myfelf with a new one, 
 to encounter the tides of the Ganges. I could find, 
 however, at this laft place neither cable, nor the 
 materials for making one, nor workmen. Madras 
 was the neareft port at which I could furnifti my- 
 felf, and I accordingly determined to take that place 
 i «* my way, for the purpofe. 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 1 1 
 
 « 
 
 This town is one of the three capitals of the Eng- 
 lifh in India. The authority of the council eftab- 
 lilhed there c;?ctends over all the pofTeffions of the 
 company on the peninfula, eaftward of the Gauts j 
 but it is fubordinate to that of Calcutta, the refidence 
 of the governor-general. 
 
 Madras, properly fo called, is a very large town, 
 furrounded by a ditch, and a fort of wall, falling in 
 fome places into ruins, but fufficient to refill a fur- 
 prife, or a fudden attack of cavalry, which is no 
 iinall advantage ; for in war the light cavalry of the 
 natives, called louti, are the moft audacious free- 
 booters in the world, burning and plundering indif- 
 criminately every place that falls in their way. Ma- 
 dras is thus protected from their attacks ; arid, in 
 cafe of fiege, every thing of value is removed into 
 the citade], called Fort St. George. 
 
 This fortrefs, which I examined but very imper- 
 fe£ily, is feparated from the town by an efplanade 
 outfide the glacis : it (lands on the fea-ihore, and 
 prefents fix fronts towards the land, as well as I 
 can recolle£l, for my notes do not mention this 
 particular. The fort, having been built at feveral 
 times, is of a very irregular conftrué^ion ; not in re- 
 gard to the polygon, but in the plan of the fronts, 
 which are almoft all different from each other. 
 That towards the north-eall is on the Italian model 
 of Sardi. Its oppofite, on the fouth-wefl, is accord- 
 ing to the plan of the chevalier De Ville. Some of 
 the baftions have retired flanks, and others not : 
 the flanks of the northern baftions are cafemated. 
 This fide is defended by a ftrong counter-guard % 
 the ditches are excellent, with a cunette in the 
 middle ;. the counter-way is good, and is counter- 
 mined, but I do not know whether the chambers of 
 the mines extend beyond the fummit of the glacis, 
 «or how far the galleries are carried ; and in the 
 
112 VOYAGE 
 
 ditches there are neither caponiers nor tenailles. 
 All the works are well-faced with brick, and in 
 complete repair ; the covered way is palifaded, and 
 carefully provided with traverfes ; the barriers and 
 palifadoes are well clofed and kept in good condi- 
 tion ; the depots of arms are fpacious ; and the cit- 
 adel of Madras, with a good garrifon, might hold out 
 m Europe againft an army of 30,000 men, for 
 twenty days after the trenches were opened. As 
 this fortrefs is intended, in cafe of ilege, for the re- 
 treat of all the fervants of the company, it is necef- 
 farily filled with houfes '^ whic^ gives it a dark and 
 unpleafant appearance. On this account the Eng- 
 Hfh do not refide in it ; even the governor lives in 
 the country, and the reft of the Englifh follow his 
 fexample. They repair in the morning to the fort 
 for the traufaàion of bufinefs, and remain there 
 till three o'clock in the afternoon,. when they return, 
 and the place feems defèrted. Even the theatre is 
 in the country ; fo that the ground to a confidera- 
 ,ble diftance round Madras prefents to the view a 
 miiltitude of gardens, fpread over an extent fo great, 
 as to prevent perfons who refide at the oppofite ex- 
 tremities from vifiting each other, unlefs on horfe- 
 back or in carriages ; thepalanquins in many inflanc- 
 €s would be infufficient for the purpofe. Some of 
 thefe gardens are extremely beautiful, and the houf- 
 es are in general elegant. 
 
 The pofition af Fort St. George is equally for- 
 tunate with that of Pondicherry, and is in like 
 manner ftrengthened on the fouth fide by a river, 
 that vvafhes the extremity of the glacis. O^^er this 
 river is a handfome bridge of bricks. The weft; 
 fide is protected by an inundation, which the fort 
 can at any time command, by means of a fluice fit- 
 uated at the beginning of the glacis, and defended 
 by the covered way. The northern fide, as at Pon» 
 cherry, is the only fide open to an attack. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN/ 1 1 3 
 
 The power of the Englifh in this country, how- 
 ever, was not always fupported by fo formidable a 
 bulwark. The prefent fortrefs indeed is impreg- 
 nable to the- Indians ; but the fight of the old fort 
 will give an idea of the feeblenefs of the firft eftab- 
 lifliments on the coafl, and of the flender beginnings 
 from which the EngUfli rofe to their prefent great- 
 «efs. 
 
 This was a fquare building, whicli is now in the 
 middle of the fort, and in point of fize is not equal 
 even to the prefent depot of arms. It has been 
 converted into a houfe, in which the different of- 
 fices of the company are eftabliftied. Fort St. 
 George contains a church of the Englifh perfua- 
 fiôn : no other religion, indeed is tolerated in the 
 citadel. And elegant flrufture too has lately been 
 created, intended for an exchange. The great 
 hall, decorated with portraits of lord Cornwallîs 
 ajid general Meadows, is worthy the attention of 
 travellers. Madras is already numbered in the lift 
 of places celebrated for the fumptuoufnefs cf their 
 pubi*c eftablifhments. The pofts for the convey- 
 ance of letters, called tapaU are Vv^ell managed ; 
 "While two newfpapers, a national lottery, a theatre, 
 and a ball-room, raife it to a rivalry with thofe 
 towns, which are the fcenes of luxury and refine- 
 ment. 
 
 The Black Town is what is properly called Ma- 
 dras, and even the Indians flill give it the name of 
 Madras-Patnam. This addition of patnam or pa- 
 tam is applicable only to capital towns, though 
 fome of very inferior rank ftill retain it : which is 
 owing to fuch places having declined from their 
 ancient fplendour, or to the name having been ap- 
 plied by the Indians at a time when they were ac- 
 cuftomed to behold nothing fuperior. The Black 
 Town exhibits only a fpeâacle of filth and dirt 5 
 K2 
 
ii4 VOYAGE 
 
 none of the ffcreets are either paved, or even cover- 
 ed with fand, but have a foil of black earth, which, 
 mixing with the water, forms large colle(ftions of 
 ftinking mud, that engender infedion, and allow a 
 free paflage only to carriages. 
 
 The Indians have a vehicle of this kind that is 
 peculiar to themfelves, and which, in my account 
 of their machines, I forgot to mention. Much 
 praife indeed is not due for the invention : it ex- 
 hibits a whimfical and awkward appearance ; the 
 wheels are extremely low, and upon the axle-tree 
 are laid two beams, forming a fmall crofs, to the ex- 
 tremities of which are fixed four upright polls, fup- 
 porting an extravagantly large head or canopy. 
 This little nook, as it may be called, is entirely op- 
 en on three of the fides, and inclofed behind only 
 with a piece of cloth : it will fcarcely admit two 
 perfons, but one may be tolerably at eafe, by the 
 help of cufhions, upon which he is obliged to fit 
 with his legs bent under him. The carriage is 
 drawn by two oxen abreaft, and has a number of 
 fmall bells faftened to it. It is feldom ufed in 
 towns •, but the rich and fuperior clafs of the na- 
 tives employ it in their journeys to different parts 
 of the country. 
 
 The black population of Madras is very confider- 
 £n)le, exceeding even that of Pondicherry. There 
 are feveral pagodas in the town, fome mofques, an' 
 Armeman church, and a Portuguefe one, of which^ 
 the fervice is performed by Capuchins. Thefe 
 monks are fubje6l to the ecclefiailical jurifdi£lion 
 ©f the bilhop of St. Thomas, a fmall village at the 
 diltance of a league fouthward of Fort St. George |, 
 and. both this prelate and the hifhop of Pondicher- 
 ry, who belongs to the miffion of the French Jefuits,.. 
 are fuffragans of the biihop of Goa. The prefent 
 biibop- of St. Thomas is a negro, or at leall is de*- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 1 5 
 
 fcended from an Indian family allied to aPortu- 
 guefe ; he was born in the country, and is of a mu- 
 latto colour. 
 
 The preference which the metropolitan bifhop 
 of Goa, who is himfelf a Portugusfe, thus exclufive- 
 ly {hows to the priefts of every defcription who are 
 connecSled with his own countrymen, has had the 
 efFe£l of introducing into the religious rites of that 
 miffion all the mummery of the Indian idolatry. 
 It is only among the French Jefuits, and in the pa- 
 rochial church of Pondicherry, that the catholic re- 
 ligion is praclifed with the decorum due to it ; the 
 other churches exhibit only a fpecies of burlefque 
 entertainments. This has perhaps arifen from an 
 idea of making religious impreilions upon the In- 
 dians through the medium of external obj^fls 5 but 
 I did not obferve that the Jefuits, who have not de- 
 parted from the firaplicity and decency obferved in 
 the European worfhip, are lefs fuccefsful in making 
 profelytes, than thofe who have moft eagerly given 
 into thefe extravagancies. I happened to be at Ma- 
 dras in paflion-week, and was difgufted at feeing 
 the majeftic and awful folemnities prefcribed on 
 this occafion, degraded by ridiculous farces. The 
 tragedy of the death of Jefus Chrift, and his defcent 
 from the crofs, was performed in the church. The 
 latter incident was reprefented by men in the Turk- 
 iih drefs, who afcendedladders, and brought down 
 the figure of a corpfe, well executed in point of 
 fculpture, and of which the joints being moveable, 
 and their bend natural, the effe6t was fo (tronp- up- 
 
 1 1 r or 
 
 on the women who were prêtent, that I perceived 
 fome of them to faint. The Blacks then accom- 
 panied the corpfe to the grave, amidft the noife of 
 the iame infti uments as the Indians ufe at their pa- 
 godas and in their proceffions ; thus reducing the 
 ceremonies of our holy religion to a level with the 
 abfurdlties of idolators. 
 
tie V^OYAGË 
 
 Though the number of Englifh inhabitants in the 
 prefidency of Madras be great, they are all includ- 
 ed in three clafles ; the military, the merchants, , 
 and thofe in civil employments under the company ;. 
 but the bulk of the population confifts of Blacks : 
 there are no European labourers. An individual 
 of the profeffion of the law, endowed with an a(fl- 
 ive and enterprifing mind, a diligence not to be dif- 
 couraged, and a perfeverance that might be miftak- 
 en for abftinacy ; a man, in fhort, formed for the 
 accomplifhment of great undertakings, if prop», 
 crly fupported — the late Mr. Popham -, is the firft, 
 and hitherto the only perfon, who has attempted 
 the eftablilhment of a plantation in this country. 
 Of all the produ£lions of the foil, the cultivation of 
 cotton appeared to him beft fuited to the natural in- 
 dolence of the Indians, the labour it exafts requir- 
 ing more attention than vigour. With thefe views> 
 he formed, with much trouble and expenfe, a con- 
 fiderable plantation two leagues to the north of 
 Madras : but with all his arrangements, and the 
 pains he employed to provide a fupply of water for 
 the foil, his eftablifhment in the year 1794 had not 
 repaid him even the fums which he had laid out 
 upon it. Should his example, however, be follow-, 
 ed, his fuccclTors, avoiding his faults, and finding 
 the Blacks a little more habituated to labour, may 
 embark in a fimilar fpeculation with lefs expenfe, and; 
 make it turn to better account; Whether it arofe 
 from any defect in the methods purfued by Mr. 
 Popham, or from the nature of the ground he had 
 chofen, lam unable to fay -, but his plants were 
 weak, and the cotton meagre and (hort. It is not 
 probable, however, that in a proje£l like this he 
 will meet with imitators, thofe who have money 
 finding it more profitable and lefs troublefome to 
 employ it in the manufadures of the country. It; 
 
m THE INDIAN OCEAN. 117 
 
 would likewife be expofed to a ferrous difadvantage 
 from a competition with the Blacks, who, obtain- 
 ing their cotton with infinitely lefs trouble, leaving 
 it to the fpontaneous operation of nature, and being 
 freed befides by their habits from fuperfluous wants, 
 and having made no advances for which they look 
 for return, would always be able to fell it at an in- 
 ferior price. There was another defeat in the cot- 
 ton produced in this way, which was not only fhort 
 in itfelf, but rendered more fo by cleaning it in the 
 mill. As labour is fo cheap in this country, it would 
 be much more advifeable to have the cotton picked 
 by the hand, as it would thus not be broken by the 
 action of the cylinder, and would be confequently 
 in better condition for fpinning. 
 
 The fkill of the Indians in the article of fpinning 
 is well known ; the delicate textures with which 
 they fumifti us are a proof of it. Some cotton is 
 fpun fo exquifitely fine, that the force of the air a- 
 lone is fufficient to break it ; in this cafe it i^ 
 worked ov€r the fteam of boiling water, which, by 
 moiftening the cotton, renders it more duéïile, and 
 lefs liable to break, than when it is dry. 
 
 Struck with admiration of their dexterity in thefe 
 arts, M. de SufFrein conceived and executed the de- 
 fign of removing feveral families of them to Malta^ 
 to form a colony which might inftrufl: the natives 
 of that ifland in the manufactures of India, This 
 enterprife, however, did not anfwer the end that 
 was expciHied ; the unhappy fubjects of it, finding 
 themfelves in a foreign land, among a people with 
 whofe manners and cuftoms they were wholly un- 
 acquainted, loft every thought but that of returning 
 to their country, and left in their new fettlement 
 fcarcely a veilige of their tranfitory abode. 
 
 At Madras very handfome handkerchiefs of a 
 large checked pattern, excellent in the coJ-ouring, 
 
ïiS VOYAGE 
 
 and of a peculiar finenefs, are fabricated. Manu- 
 faélories for this article v.ere originally eflabh^'hed 
 by the Dutch, at a fmall fettle ment which they pof- 
 fefs four leagues further northward, called Palliaca- 
 ta. Tile beauty of thefe handkerchiefs foon bring- 
 ing them into repute, and rendering thern obje£ls of 
 general requeft, the Engliflî ere£ted finiilar manufac- 
 tories at Madras ; but the former retained their fupe- 
 riority, and were univerfally preferred. Impatient of 
 a rival in any undertaking, theEnglifli fpared neither 
 pains nor expenfe in this competition, and by dint of 
 their exertions were able at laft to give to their 
 handkerchiefs a degree cf beauty and excellence 
 fcarcely inferior to thofe of Palliacata. Not fatisfi- 
 ed with attaining this point, they refolved on the 
 deftru<SHon of the original manufaclories ; and, in 
 the means they employed for the accomplifhment 
 of their end, the pre-eminence of their commercial 
 genius was manifcd. AVith an unanimity, the refult 
 of a refined policy, and underftanding the art of in- 
 curring a temporary lofs, that would be attended 
 with an indemnification in the fequel, they fudden- 
 ly lowered the price of their handkerchiefs twenty 
 per cent. This meafure immediately turned the bal- 
 ance of trade in their favour. The Dutch, fuppof- 
 ing their rivals to make this redu£lion in confe- 
 quence of improvements or economy in the mode 
 of manufa6luring the article, or by an eftablifliment 
 on a greater fcale, or perhaps by obtaining on bet- 
 ter terms the raw materials, made every effort to do 
 the fame ; but they found a lofs where they fuppof- 
 ed their rivals to have a profit, and were obliged at 
 lall to abandon the attempt altogether, without fo 
 much as fufpecling the artifice by which they had 
 been duped. The workmen, who were thus thrown 
 out of employ, were immediately engaged by thefuc- 
 cefsful party at Madras, who no fooner found them- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 119 
 
 felves the fole mafters of this valuable branch of 
 commerce, than they gradually raifed the price of 
 the handkerchiefs, fo as liberally to repay them for 
 the momentary lofs to which they had fubmitted. 
 
 Since this reverfe of fortune, Palliacata, which 
 had acquired a degree of animation, has been reduc- 
 ed to a ftate of complete inadlivity : a fingle vef- 
 fel only goes there once a year for fome bales of 
 merchandize, which the Dutch company orders to 
 be provided, and which conftitutes the whole com- 
 merce of thediftri£l. 
 
 The approaches to Madras are uncommonly 
 magnificent, particularly the great road to the weft 
 of Fort St. George : the avenues, planted with four 
 rows of trees, majeftically announce the refidence 
 of no inferior power. A Itranger, in entering by 
 this road, conceives the moft exalted ideas of the 
 place ; but they are foon changed when he arrives 
 at his inn, if this name may be given to two mifer- 
 able huts in the Black Town, and a houfe fcarcely 
 fuperior to them in the fort. Thefe inns can fur- 
 nifh no better accommodation than a vile bed plac- 
 ed upon a couch or a form in a large room, in 
 which the guefts are obliged to lie indifcriminately 
 together, after the table is removed on which they 
 have fupped. 
 
 The trade of Madras is ftill more completely in 
 the hands of the Blacks than that of Pondicherry, 
 the concerns being more extenfive and more lucra- 
 tive, and the fales more brifk. The European 
 merchant entirely negle£l:s the minute details, and 
 looks only at the ab{lra<5t of the accounts give» 
 him by his dobachi : a negligence perfectly fuited 
 to the manner in which he lives, a'c a diflance frora 
 the fpot where his affairs are conducted, which he 
 vifits only once a-day, and that not regularly, to be- 
 ftow upon them two or three hours' attention. 
 
Î20 VOYAGE 
 
 The Englifh company calls itfelf the ally and 
 protestor of the nabob of the Carnatic. It has 
 built for him a magnificent palace at a fhort diftance 
 from Fort St. George, where it retains him in its 
 power, and didlates to him its will, concealing the 
 gilt fetters in which he is held by the honour with 
 which it invefts him. The femblance of authority 
 is ftill preferved to this prince, the laws which the 
 company impofes upon his fubjeifls being promul- 
 gated in his name j while his real weaknefs is fuch 
 as renders it impoffible to free himfelf from the 
 yoke under which he bends. Like another Mon- 
 tezuma, obliged to kifs the hand that opprelTes him, 
 he is merely an inftrument to ferve the purpofe of 
 the company as to the Indians, whom a fentiment 
 of refpeât for the perfon of their prince retains in 
 their allegiance. The Englifh are the real mon- 
 archs, and reign in the room of the nabob, whom 
 they compenfate for this ftate of degradation, with 
 the vain exterior of a mock fovereignty, which he 
 difplays at Madras in an Englifh equipage : a lux- 
 ury new in an Aûatic prince, and which he has 
 bought at the expenfe of his crown. 
 
 The navigation of the Indians is ftill very defect- 
 ive. That their (hips are bad is not from the 
 want of excellent materials. The teak wood grows 
 in abundance, and is equal to the oak of Europe. 
 Their veflels are awkward in their form, and are 
 put together with little folidity : they are fcarcely 
 ever caulked ; and if they were not coated with a 
 compofition made for this purpofe, fome of them 
 would not be able to float. This fubftance is a 
 mixture of lime and fifh-oil j it adheres fo clofely 
 to the planks of the fliip, that it fills all the crevices, 
 and effeflually prevents the water from penetrat- 
 ing. It is called by the Indians galgat. 
 
 They have another preparation, cûXtàfarangotifth 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. îit 
 
 which they fpread over the heads of the nails and 
 joints of the timbers. It is made of dry pitch and 
 fiih-oil, which are beaten together till the mixture 
 affumes the confiftency of a foft pafte -, in this ftate 
 it is applied, and- it gives fuch extraordinary hard- 
 nefs as to turn the edge of the beft tempered in- 
 ftruments. Thefe two compofitions cannot be too 
 ftrongly recommended to European mariners. 
 
 The Indian veffels are called parias. If their hull 
 be defective, the manner of rigging them is not 
 lefs fo. The mafts are of teak, and are extremely 
 heavy ; the ropes are of cocoa-hair, which they call 
 Jkairf ; and they have few blocks and fails. Ac- 
 cordingly, though fome of the veflels are fo large 
 as to amount even to fix hundred tons, they are 
 only adapted for fhort voyages, which they accom- 
 pliih with the aid of the monfoons. They are fuf- 
 ficiently numerous to perform the whole carrying 
 bufinefs between the coaft and Bengal. Their ufu- 
 al cargo is fait and rice. The greater navigation, 
 from coaft to coaft, is made by veflels of European 
 conftruftion. 
 
 Exclufively of the maritime trade between the 
 coafts of India and that to China, the Engii(h mer- 
 chants engage in fmuggling adventures to the Mo- 
 luccas. The profit of this trade is immenfe, and 
 is proportioned to the dangers that are riflced. The 
 ihips employed in the voyage muft be able to con- 
 tend with a Dutch floop of eighteen guns, ftationed 
 as a guard-ftiip ofFtbofe iilands. On approaching 
 the coaft, the inhabitants, who are accuftorrted to 
 this traffic, bring by ftealth to the veflels under fail 
 the fpices which they have to difpofe of, and which 
 they barter at a very low rate. As no fatisfaâ:ion 
 could be obtained for any outrage they might at- 
 tempt, and no application could be madt to the 
 Dutch company for redrefs tlie crews of the vef- 
 L 
 
122 VOYAGE 
 
 feîs employed in this trade never treat with the na- 
 tives without being armed. 
 
 The geography of the peninfula experiences fo 
 many variations, from the fucceffive conquelts and 
 ufurpations M^hich are continually altering the 
 boundaries of the different Itates, that it cannot be 
 determined vi^ith any certainty ; a corre^îl account 
 of it now would no longer be fo a year lience. We 
 may venture^ howeverj to divide the country into 
 provinces ; of which the chief arc Trevancore, the 
 Deccan, the Carnatic with Arcot, Madura, Tanjore, 
 MyforCj Golconda, Bifnagar, the Four Sircars, and 
 the territory of the Mahrattas. All thefe provinces 
 were formerly dependent governments under the 
 'Mogul Empire, each having its nabob, and fubah. 
 But thefe viceroys, infpired with prefumption and 
 the afTurance of impunity from the want of energy 
 in the court of Delhi, conceived the projecfl of ren- 
 dering themfeives independent. The imbecility of 
 the reigning emperor completed their fuccefs. 
 îvlany of them,kbecome fovereigns, difdained the ti- 
 tle of nabob, and aiTuined that of fultan or king, 
 which was more flattering to their pride. The 
 governor of Golconda alone has retained his for- 
 mer title of nizam. Hyder Ally at firft contented 
 himfelf with that of khan -, his fon Tippoo, when 
 he met his deltru^lion, had that of fultan ; the 
 heads of the provinces of Trevancore and Tanjore 
 have taken the title of king. The Mogul emperor 
 however ftill preferves an ideal dominion over thefe 
 princes, but it confifts merely in fome exterior 
 marks of refpetl: which they pay to him, and fomc 
 warrants which they occafionaliy folicit, to fanéticn 
 their fucceffive ufurpations, in the fame manner as 
 the European powers were ufed to apply to the fee 
 of Rome for bulls, to convey to them an invefti- 
 ture of new poOeiTions. The emperor, who has 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 123 
 
 loft all his real authority, never reje^fls fuch op- 
 portunities of performing an acl of fovereignty, 
 and always cocapii-es with their will. 
 
 Among the provinces which thus threw off the 
 yoke of this monarch, the Mahrattas are the only 
 people who, ailing upon principles of independ- 
 ence, have ahjured the authority of a mafter. They 
 have accordingly eftablifhed in the northweft quar- 
 ter of the peninfula a formidable republic. They 
 have a numerous cavalry, and their influence in the 
 affairs of India, fince one of their chiefs, a man of 
 high reputation, filled the poft of prime minifter to 
 the emperor, has greatly increafed. This oincer is 
 known by the name of Sa?idjahi which he has ren- 
 dered famous. His credit at the court of Delhi 
 was the greater, from the extreme incapacity of the 
 emperor. The power of the fovereign was equalled 
 by that of the minifter, who, conftant in his attach- 
 ment to his country, forwarded its interefts with 
 his mafter, and brought him to approve of its revolt. 
 The alliance of this republic is of the greateft impor- 
 tance in the political fyftem of India ; and theEnglifli 
 accordingly fpare no efforts or facrifices to obtain it. 
 It is to the faithful attachment of the Mahrattas, who 
 joined their forces to thofe of the company, that lord 
 Cornwallis is indebted for his victories over Tippoo. 
 That prince, believing himfelf fufhciently powerful 
 to conquer alone, difdained to alk for their affift- 
 ance j not forefeeing that fuch a negledl would give, 
 him one more enemy to contend with. The junc- 
 tion of theMahratta army lurned the tide of conqueft 
 to the fide of the Engliih, who had before been re- 
 pulfed from Seringapatam with lofs, and induced 
 the neceffity of that difadvantageous peace, which 
 was the prelude to the total ruin of Tippoo. 
 
 After ftaying fome days at Madras, I failed for 
 Bengal. In the bay of Bafore, I was oppofed by 
 
Ï24 VOYAGE 
 
 milts and rain, accompanied with a calm, wMeb 
 forced me to anchor in twelve-fathom water. A& 
 the coaft is extremely low, the bottom rifes fo grad- 
 ually, that a depth of ten or twelve fathom in 
 the bay is at lead twelve leagues from the en- 
 trance of the river ; between which and the begin- 
 ning of the flats, it rifes but three fathom. The 
 pilots go no further out than to the depth of t^n 
 fathom, as beyond this there is no danger. They 
 were dill therefore at a great diftance from me ; andj^ 
 though I fired repeated lignais, none of them came. 
 On the fécond day, the weather having cleared up 
 3 little, Ï bent my fails, and fteered to the north- 
 ward, bat not without great anxiety refpe£ling the 
 fcals, with which the mouth of this river abounds, 
 ^mi v/ith the fituation of which I was fo little ac- 
 q:uainted3 that, long before I was near them, I was 
 every in (tant apprehenfiye of ftriking. Î at laft 
 found the pilots at the beginning of the (hallows, 
 about half a league from the firft buoy. Thefe 
 fh?^lows are formed by'fand-banks, which project 
 from the mouth of the river to a great diftance in- 
 to the fea. They are the more dangerous, as there 
 is nothing to indicate their approach, and no land 
 in fight to afford any obfervations foravoidingihera : 
 H is necelfary to found carefully every half-minute, 
 and even this would be infufficient in failing with a 
 favourable wind and tide, as the veflel would be a- 
 ground before the line could announce the danger. 
 To prevent accidents of this fort, buoys are placed 
 at regular diftances in the track of the channels, 
 which the rapid flream of the Ganges has formed 
 in thefe banks : the buoys mark the courfe which 
 jhe pilots (hould keep. The fame expedient is a- 
 dopted in the river Elbe in Germany, the mouth of 
 which prefents nearly the fame difficulties. 
 
 The river, upon the banks of which the Europe» 
 an fettlements in Bengal are lltuated, is not the 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 125 
 
 Ganges, and is therefore very improperly called hf 
 that name ; it is the river Hoogly, fo denominated 
 from the fmall Indian village which firft contribut- 
 ed to render it important. It takes its rife in the 
 Ganges, and may thus be ftri<flly coniidered as an 
 inferior branch of that river, the principal bed of 
 which runs to the eaftward of the Hoogly, and 
 empties itfelf into the fea by numerous mouths near 
 Chaligam, 
 
 The Hoogly is extremely wide at its entrance : in 
 afcending it, the land is not feen till we have ad- 
 vanced a confiderable diftance j the banks of the 
 river firft appear in fight at Cadjery. The diftance 
 between them at the end of the (hallows is very 
 great : indeed, when we arrive at this point, we are 
 ftill in the main, and the pilots, who are Rationed 
 there to take charge of the (hips that arrive, are 
 provided with veflels capable of encountering the 
 violence of a temped and a heavy fweli : they are 
 ftout brigs, and are calculated for every fort of ma- 
 noeuvre. The Englifh company had fix of thefe 
 fiiips on an old conftruiSlion, and has added fix oth- 
 ers, built at Bombay; Thefe laft are Hoops of fix« 
 teen gunsjî and are capable of ferving on occafions 
 a_s Piips cf war. Thus the Engliili have twelve pi- 
 lot-veflels i and, before the war, the French and 
 Dutch had one each. Thefe veflels lie at anchor at 
 the outer extremity of the flrallows. As foon as 
 they are perceived, the fhip that arrives fires a gun, 
 and hangs out a fi^tg at the head of her foretop-gal- 
 lant-maft, when one of them gets under way to 
 meet her. Tf (he proves to be only a fmall veiTeJ;, 
 Avhofe draught of water is not fo confiderable as to 
 require much fkill'in bringin^îT her in, one of the of- 
 ficers'of the pilct-br;g takes cLarge of her, and the 
 fuperior returns to his dation. But if it is a iliip 
 of fach burden as to deman'i the attcfition of tli"^ 
 
né VOYAGE 
 
 mafter-pilot, he goes on board of her himfelf, hi& 
 brig failing before to point out the track and com» 
 municate the foundings» which is done in th^ day- 
 time by flags, and in the night by lights. Thefe 
 precautions sre all indifpenfable, and, though a mul- 
 titude of accidents are prevented j they are not always 
 fufficient wholly to guard againft them. The tides- 
 of the Ganges are prodigiouHy rapid. The chan- 
 nels, which the ftream of this river has formed in 
 the fand-banks at its mouth, are in fome places not 
 more than half a league wide. In entering them» 
 during the fouth-weft monfoon, the force of the 
 wind and tide together will carry a vefel st the 
 rate of fix leagues an hour ; in this ftate 2 finglc 
 faîfe droke of the helm will throw her too much ta 
 ene fîde,3nd,bylofing the exact dire(5lion of the chan- 
 iielj expofe her to the greatelî danger, often to the in- 
 evitable fate of being wrecked. With the north- 
 eaft monfcoîî, on the other hand, the entrance of 
 the river is more tedious and more laborious, but 
 kfs dangerous. As the wind in this cafe is always- 
 contrary, it is necefiary in thefe channels to tack 
 continually 5 of confequence, veflels failing acroi^ 
 can make but little way, and the tide carries thens. 
 to their deRihation. în executing this éianceuvre 
 little ikili is required in the pilot ; k is merely nee- 
 effary to put about, whenever the lead announces 
 four fathom and a half of water. The depth of 
 leven fathom denotes the middle of the channelî 
 By continuing this method from fide to fide, the 
 ^DJct\ is finaiiy attained without much rilk. 
 
 Dur approach to Cadjery, which is on the left 
 bank of the river, may be known by a houfc, ftand— 
 ing on an eminence, belonging to the EngHfh com- 
 pany, v/hich keeps a refident there. From this 
 place is fee n the point called, from the nature of it©^ 
 ihore^ Alud-pointy on the oppofite bank. This points 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN, 1 27 
 
 forms the fouthern extremity of tlie woods of Son- 
 dry, famous for the enormous fize of the tigers 
 which are found there, and with which they are 
 filled. This fpecies is the royal, tiger, or tiger properly 
 fo called^ of BufFon. Thefe animals are extremely 
 formidable by their ftrength and activity. Some of 
 them are as large as oxen. Their coat is variegat- 
 ed with ftripes of reddifh yellow and black, and is 
 whitifti under the belly. They are fo eager and fe- 
 :çocious in purfuit of their prey, that they have been 
 known to throw themfelves into the water, and fvvim 
 to attack boats on the river. 
 
 It is cuftomary in paffing Gadjery to hire boat© 
 with oars to facilitate the principal manoeuvres nee- 
 cflary in proceeding up àe river. Mine being a 
 a heavy fliip, I employed twelve of thefe, which ac-- 
 €ompamed me as far as the roadftcad oppofite thefe 
 woods ; where, while I was at anchor, they faften- 
 ed themfelves to my veflel behind, as if, in the :fea 
 phrafe, they were in tow. So many boats prefent- 
 ing a confiderable refiftance to the tide, and acting 
 with violence upon my cable, the pilot ordered 
 them to leave me, and to range themfelves along 
 the fide of the river, till, the current being abated, 
 he (hould call them. 
 
 When they had repaired to this new pofîtîos^ 
 they unfortunately perceived on the ihore a quan- 
 tity of dry wood, confiding of branches of dead 
 trees. As this is an article of faîe at Calcutta, they 
 landed to cut fome of it and load their boats. They 
 were at the diftance of about three hundred yards 
 ftom the veflTel, and had fcarcely begun their work 
 when we faw them running to the water-fide with 
 the ftrongeft marks of terror. This was not with- 
 out caufe, they were purfued by a tiger, of the fize 
 of a common calf : we faw it rufh out of the wood, 
 suadfeize upon the hindmofl; of . thefe men, whom 
 
128 VOYAGE 
 
 it carried ofF in an inftant, without meeting witFi 
 the flighted oppofition from the unfortunate being 
 himfelf, or his companions. The brother alone of 
 the vi(flim appeared affliiled at the event, and did 
 not again leave his boat ; but the reft immediately 
 returned to their employment on {hore, perfuaded 
 that the tiger was fatisficd, and that there was now 
 no danger : this is their general belief. 
 
 Notwithftanding the fupcriority which thefe 
 creatures polîefs over human beings by their 
 ftrength, ferocity, and the arms with which nature 
 has fupplied them, a certain inftinci feems to telî 
 them, that men by their intellectual faculties are 
 ftill more formidable than they : hence they avoid^ 
 inhabited and cultivated places ; or if they fomc- 
 times yifit them, it is only when compelled by hun- 
 ger. In afcending the river Hoogly, the village of 
 Coulpy is the laft fettlement of the Indians on the 
 right bank, and the tigers feldom appear fo far up. 
 But between this place and the Clive-Iflands they 
 are fo numerous, that they are fometimes feen in 
 troops on the banks. Thefe iilands have been late- 
 ly brought into a ftate of improvement for the cul- 
 tivation of fugar. The clearing of the ground was 
 attended with the lofs of a great number of Indians, 
 who were deftroyed by thefe ferocious animals ;. 
 for, in cutting down the wood with which the face 
 of the country was covered, they were difturbed in 
 their retreats,' and rufhed upon the labourers. 
 "What will appear extraordinary, thefe men never 
 attempted to defend i.hemfelves, though their num- 
 l>er forreci'^oes amounted to five hundred. They 
 believed, that the tiger would be fatisfied with car- 
 rying off one, and wou.d then ceafe to appear : of 
 confequencCs whene-er they perceived one ap- 
 proaching, ihey ran off in diforder, every one mak- 
 ing tliebeft of hiâ'way, and truiling to the fwift^»- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. k29 
 
 ocfs of his flight, leaving the flowed to be feized 
 and carried ciF-, after whic-h they returned to their 
 work. This fcene was repeated ev^^ry day without 
 incrcaflng the courage of the Blacks j, and thefe 
 continual ravages would not have been attended 
 with the deftru£tion of one of thefe monfters, if 
 they had not at laft been oppofed: by a few Europe- 
 ans, who fuperintended the works, and were well 
 armed. They have now wholly deferted thefe ifl- 
 ands, which no longer afford them a retreat, and 
 have fettled on the continent, and augmented the 
 number of thofe which infeft the wood's of Sondry. 
 Continuing to afcend the river, we arrive at Coul- 
 py, or Port-Diamond, as it is called by the Engliih, 
 who have provided here cormors for their (hips ; 
 thefe are large anchors fixed in the ground, to which 
 their veflels are faftencd with more fecurity than 
 by their proper moorings. 
 
 The Englifti government has ip this place port- 
 plEcers, a large bakehoufe, a (hambles, and hofpi- 
 tals for its marine. A market is held here, in which 
 the crews of veflels may find in abundance every 
 refrefhment which the country produces. 
 
 Above this port the bed of the river turns to the 
 left, leaving to the right a very dangerous fand-bank. 
 At a fhort diftance further is the mouth of a large 
 river, improperly called the Old Ganges. It is not 
 till we pafs the confluence of thefe waters, that the 
 borders of the Hoogly begin to be pi£lurefque. Its 
 immenfe width is here reduced to that of an ordina^ 
 ry large river, and affords the pleafant profpe£^ of 
 both banks. 
 
 — .-A little higher on the right is Fulta, a Dutch pofp- 
 feflion, accuftomed formerly, in the profperoUs days 
 of that company, to receive fhips of confiderable 
 burden -, but reduced now to fo low a ftate, as to 
 fee on>y a Tingle galliot, fent annually to take ii^ 
 
13© VOYAGE 
 
 fome bales of goods, prepared in the fettlement of 
 Chinfura. This galliot is fometimes accompanied 
 by a fmaller veiTel ; and this forms at prefent the 
 whole extent of the Dutch commerce in Bengal. 
 
 The eftabiiftiment on ihore confifts of two houf- 
 cs -, of which one is an inn, built partly of bricks, 
 and the other the refidence of the commandant. 
 This officer is a negro charged by the company with 
 the care of difplaying their ilag on a tree, in the 
 manner of a maft. This houfe is ftill lefs fplendid. 
 than the inn, for it is conftrufted entirely of ftraw. 
 The Indian town however is very confiderable, and* 
 has a bazar, which is well fupplied. This fmall fet- 
 tlement refembles, in one point, all the colonies be- 
 longing to the Dutch on the Ganges ; that of being 
 the fcene of the moft unreftrained debauchery. 
 This perfeélly fuits the difpofition of the failors, 
 who here" recruit the number of unhappy females 
 that go to Port-Diamond to adminifter to the pleaf- 
 ure of the Englifh crews, which are numerous, to 
 contribute to fill their hofpitals, and often to leave 
 their lovers fad tokens of remembrance during their 
 life. 
 
 My pilot having anchored near this village, I was 
 defirous of going on (hore to take a walk ; but, as 
 the current was too ftrong for me to reach the town, 
 I landed in an adjacent meadow. The firft thing 
 that met my view was a pangolin, which I purfued 
 to the entrance of its retreat, when I made a llrokc 
 at it with my fword which broke between two of 
 the fcales. 
 
 I then proceeded towards the village, paffing 
 through a very thick wood, acrofs which was a path 
 about three feet wide. I was preceded by a pion, 
 and followed by two boys, whom the fircar of one 
 of my friends, who had expe<ll:ed my arrival, had 
 fent to meet me. To my furprife the pion fudden- 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 3 1 
 
 ly made a long leap, and ran ofF a'^- fad as he could ; 
 I advanced to learn the caufc, and was equally ter- 
 rified myfeif 051 feeing an enormous ferpent, that 
 lay ftretched acrofs the path in which I was walk- 
 ing. Its length* was fo immenfe, that I could fee 
 neither its head nor its tail, which were concealed 
 in the buOies. Its colour was brown ; it crept very 
 flowly along, and appeared to be of the fize of an 
 cighteen-inch cable ; that is to fay, as nearly as I 
 could judge, about eighteen inchesin circumference. 
 I followed the example of my foldier, and without 
 afFeûing a courage, which would have been the 
 more ill-timed, as my fword, at bed but a forry 
 weapon in fuch extremity, was already broken, 
 jumped over this monfler, and proceeded with a 
 little more alertnefs than the ufual pace. The two 
 boys behind me, alarmed at feeing a pion fly, and 
 cvtn an European follow him with tolerable quick- 
 nefs, ran back, and did not rejoin me till the next 
 day on board my veffel. 
 
 After afcending fome leagues higher on the riv- 
 er, we find on the right bank the anchoring ground 
 of Mayapour. This place was formerly to the 
 French, what Fulta was to the Dutch : it wa^ the 
 road where fuch veflels of the French company 
 flopped, that were unable to proceed to Chander- 
 nagore for want of the necelfary depth of water. 
 This place alfo has undergone the fame fate as 
 Fulta, in proportion as the affairs of France have 
 declined in this quarter. It is at prefent even in a 
 worfe condition than that village 5 for it has now no 
 European houfes, and no flag ; a few huts and a 
 miferable bazar fcarcely bear teftimony to its for- 
 mer exiftence. No traces recal the idea of th€ 
 commerce of this place during the fpîendourof the 
 French company : a ftriking example of the vicifli- 
 tudes of human inftitutions ! Mayapoar was a port 
 
Î32 VOYAGE 
 
 of extenfive trade ; and vcflels of fifteen hundred 
 tons burden frequented its road in great numbers, 
 difpenfing abundance and luxury, when Port-Dia- 
 mond did not as yet exift. At prefent, the latter 
 is flourifhing, while the former is deferted, and of- 
 fers nothing but its name to remind the traveller of 
 its ancient opulence : the common deftiny of all 
 the French eftabhfhments, which a confiant fuccef- 
 fion of adverfe events has condemned to oblivion. 
 
 At laft, after proceeding a few leagues above 
 Mayapour, the gardens and fumptuous palaces, 
 which meet the eye, announce our approach to the 
 capital of the Eaft, the metropolis of the Englifh 
 empire in Afia, and the fineft colony in the world. 
 The magnificence of the edifices, the luxury which 
 has converted the banks of the river into delightful 
 gardens, and the coftlinefs and elegance of their 
 decorations, all denote the opulence and power of 
 the conquerors of India and the mafters of the 
 Ganges. 
 
 The windings of this river conceal in fome degree 
 the town of Calcutta, whicK we do not perceive till 
 we are within a (liort diftance of it. Fort- William, 
 the fineft fortrefs that exifts out of Europe, prefents 
 itfelf immediately to the fight, which it aftoniflies 
 by its grandeur and the fplendour of the buildings, 
 that are feen above its ramparts. The houfes, 
 which form the fir ft front of the tower to the end 
 of the glacis, are fo many magnificent palaces, fpme 
 of them having a periftyle of four-and-twenty pil- 
 lars. All thefe ftruOures, difpofed in an irregular 
 line through a fpace of more than a league, form an 
 inconceivably ftriking profpe61, and give to the towa 
 a moft noble and majcftic appearance. 
 
 Calcutta is the only European fettlement of any 
 importance on this bank of the Ganges : the other 
 nations have fixed upon the left fide, while the Eng^- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 133 
 
 lifti alone have preferred the right. Whatever 
 were the caufes of this preference, the fîtuatîon is 
 ill-chofen. The ground is not fufficiently raifed 
 above the level of the river, and frequently, in the 
 high tides, the -efplanade which feparates the cita- 
 del from the town, if not totally inundated, is at 
 leafl covered with water in different parts fo as to be 
 impafTable. 
 
 The air of Calcutta is by no means healthy, its 
 pofition between the river and a large lake in its 
 rear fubjeûing it to the influence of unwholefome 
 exhalations : but the European inhabitants remedy 
 this defeat by living in the country. There is 
 however one inconvenience that cannotbe remedied, 
 which is the fituation of its port. This Hands ex- 
 aâly at the turn of two points, which augment the 
 violence of the current in every ftate of the tide. 
 The bar is frequently here of fufhcient ftrength to 
 drive the vefTels from their moorings. The cur- 
 rents being extremely violent, particularly in July 
 and Auguft, the time of the melting of the fnow 
 on the mountains in the interior parts of the coun- 
 try, the firft effe£l of the flood-tide at thefe periods 
 is, not only to Hop the courfe of the river, but to 
 furmount it with fo much force as to require a rap- 
 id courfe of its own. Bengal lies fo low, that vi^en 
 the fea, increafed by thefe torrents, ruihes in this 
 manner into the bed of the river, its violence is ir~ 
 refiftible. The ebb current, meeting a fimilar ob- 
 flacle, has at firft a tendency to raife itfelf, but the 
 flood being impelled with a fuperior force, gains 
 the afcendency and paflTes over it. From this fhock 
 refults a very heavy and foaming furge, which the 
 tide pufhes before it with a prodigious rapidity, to 
 the imminent danger of every boat that is not pru- 
 dent enough to keep out of its way. 
 
 This bar has never its full eiFe<S, but on one fide 
 M 
 
134 VOYAGE 
 
 of the river at a time ; and the mifchief it occafions 
 may be avoided by taking the fide on which it is 
 weakeft, which may eafily be perceived. Every 
 falient angle in the windings of the river, prefent- 
 ing an obftacle to its progrefs, throws it towards 
 the contrary bank, and it continues thus till repel- 
 led by another projection, which turns it again. 
 The Indians flock to the borders of the river, impa- 
 tient to wet themfelves with the water, which they 
 believe to be falutary, and which they fprinkle over 
 their bodies with devotion, uttering as they do it 
 exclamations of joy. 
 
 Calcutta is fituated fb as to receive the whole 
 force of the bar, which fometimes, and efpecially 
 in the fpring-tides, is very great. To render this 
 anchorage as wretched as poffible, it is interfperfed 
 with numerous fand-banks, even oppofite to the 
 fort and the town. The neceflary operations of 
 the port are thus checked ; and when the depth of 
 the river is reduced by the ebb, its courfe, obftrudied 
 by thefe impediments, increafes in rapidity, and oc- 
 cafions innumerable accidents, fuch as deltrudlipn 
 of boats, damage of veiTels, lofs of anchors, &c. 
 
 I was witnefs to an inftance of this fort, which 
 put the whole anchorage into confufion. The pa- 
 rias, which are generally numerous, moor them- 
 felves above the European fliips, oppofite the Black 
 Town. They are ufually faftened together, and 
 thus prefent to the current along line of veflels, of 
 which the cables a6l together. This pradlice is not 
 unaccompanied with rifle, but it prevents the vefl^els 
 from yawing, that is, fwinging from one fide to the 
 other, tracing an arc of a circle, of which the an- 
 chor is the centre, and the cable the radius. This 
 motion renders the drain upon the cable unequal, 
 often drags the anchor, and is the occafion, when 
 any other vefTel is within the extent of the arc thus 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 135 
 
 dcfcribed, of very ferious mifchief. In this view 
 therefore the pradlice of faftening thefe veflels to- 
 gether is of advantage. But unfortunately, at the 
 time of which I fpeak, the cable of one of the pa- 
 rias, at the extremity of the line, parted, and the 
 veiTel immediately fell athwart the hawfe of the 
 next. Their cables are generally good, but their 
 anchors are abominable : that of the fécond pa- 
 ria gave way, rud two were thus adrift. The reft 
 followed in fucceffion, and in a quarter of an hour 
 they were all in diforder, to the number of a hun- 
 dred and fifty at leaft. In this condition they could 
 make no efFed:ual refiflance to the current, and 
 were driven forcibly againft the nearelt European 
 (hips at anchor behind them. The crews of thefe 
 (hips encountered them with hatchets, cutting and 
 damaging in every way fuch as faflened on them : 
 the r ..mber however was too great , the'tide threw 
 them athwart the hawfe of thofe that were moored, 
 ihus carrying away their bowfprits, while the an- 
 chors and cables, unequal to fuch an exertion, alfo 
 gave way. The whole was now a fcene of difor- 
 der : the fhips mixed with the parias^ and nothing 
 vyas heard but the noife of mafts and yards break- 
 ing. Some had the precaution to run aground, 
 others continued to increafe the confuHon, from 
 which few fucceeded in efcaping entirely. The di- 
 re<^ion of the tide exempted fuch only as were out 
 of the ftream ; all the reft fhared in the danger. 
 Let the reader figure to himfelf nearly three hun- 
 dred vefîels turned fuddenly adrift, endeavouring to 
 grapple with each other, and carried away at the 
 fame time by the current with a rapidity that was 
 fure to be the deftru^lion of all fuch as fhould 
 ftrike upon the fand-banks ; let him add to this, 
 the cries, oaths, imprecations, and blafphemies of 
 the crews of fo many nations, fpeaking different 
 
Î36 VOYAGE 
 
 languages, without underftanding each other, and 
 he will have a faint idea of the fcene that was then 
 before me. Had the velTels that were driven from 
 their moorings thrown out the anchors which they 
 h*d Itili on board, they would all inevitably have 
 been loft ; but they had the wifdom to retain them 
 tiii they were clear of their companions ; and, as 
 foon as they found themfelves free, they anchored 
 wherever they could till the return of the tide, or 
 affiflance fhould be fent from the port. I happen- 
 ed 1 3 be on board my veflel at the beginning of 
 the confufion. I was at anchor in the middle of the 
 river, and nearly in the centre of the harbour, in a 
 fitiiation in which Ï could not poffibly have avoided 
 the general fate, had not a circumftance luckily de- 
 termined me upon taking meafures to withdraw 
 from the peril, which Î perceived approaching. A 
 large Englilh fhip, removing from the crowds com- 
 pelled me to the onîy ftep that could poffibly have 
 faved me ; for it came towards me with fo much 
 rapidity, that I had fcarcely time to cut mv cable 
 with an axe, to prevent a rencontre that might have 
 proved fatal to us both. I fuiFered my veffel to 
 drift, without anchoring agî^hi till I got below the 
 citadel, to a diftance of a mile and a half. Here Î 
 moored with two anchors, and remained in fafety 
 till order was re-eftabliihed at Calcutta, when î re- 
 turned to my flation. 
 
 An accident of this kind is the moil fortunate 
 event that can happen for the officers of the port. 
 They firft fell, either of themfelves, or by means of 
 their Blacks^the anchors, that may be wanted, and 
 then take a declaration from each captain, fpecify- 
 ing thofe which he has loft, their weight and marks» 
 a defcription of the ends of the cables which are 
 faftened to them, the fpot near which they may be 
 «xpeded to be fouiid, and in (hort every particular 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 137 
 
 ^hat may afllft in their recovery. This declaration 
 is formally regiftered, and the captains hear no 
 more of the matter. 
 
 I loft five in the courfe of three weeks ; and I did 
 not fail, as to the firft two, to make the declarations 
 which were required. Each time I had no doubt, 
 when I left the office, that the anchor in queftion 
 was as fafe as if on board my velTel, and that I 
 fhould certainly have it the moment I claimed it. 
 After lofing two, I thought I had a right to demand 
 one, and I requefted that the firft might be raifed, 
 oiFering at the fame time to pay the expenfes. 
 
 The perfon to whom I addrefled myfelf was an 
 ingenuous fort of perfonage, who plundered upon 
 principle : he believed, that to regulate his con- 
 du£l by honour or honefty v/as merely to be a dupe, 
 injuring himfelf without benefit to any one,- for 
 that others would continue to cheat if he did 
 not. He accordingly laughed at my fimplicity, 
 and politely advifed me to think no more of my an- 
 chors. As the lofs however was of importance to 
 me, and it would require a large fum to replace 
 them, I was loath to take this advice, and I redoub- 
 led my inquiries and complaints. I had to apply 
 to the port-captain T***, whofe honefty was pro- 
 verbial : he had amalTed in this way a confiderable 
 fortune, and had fince been feized v/ith fcruples 
 as to the irregular proceedings of the officers 
 of the port. His confeience did not urge him 
 to the reftitution of what he had acquired, but 
 he wiftied to prevent ethers from doing the fame. 
 This was by no means agreeable to his colleagues, 
 who, jealous of all interference in their concerns, 
 paid little regard to the commands of an aged cap- 
 tain, whofe phyfical and moral adlivity v/as very un- 
 equal to the talk of watching over them ; and thus, 
 
1^5 VOYAGE 
 
 with all the honefty of their chief, the fubaltenit? 
 were knaves. 
 
 Mr. T**^*, in the Englifh manner, damning his 
 eyes undjouly fwore that my anchors Jhould he found 
 and returned to me. The fir ft part of his oath was 
 accompli{hc\l ; but the fécond was difperfed by the 
 winds, for I never faw my anchors again. He very 
 obligingly gave me an order to be fupplied with a 
 floop, divers Blacks, and a marine officer, to enable 
 me to raife them myfelf. With this I returned in 
 high fpirits to the office of the port, where, after 
 waiting half an hour, a perfon came to fpeak to me, 
 who read the order twice over, and then carried it 
 to a fécond, who alfo read it and fent it to a third, 
 who was bufy, and anfwered very well. It was 
 liot till an hour more, that, feeing me refolved to 
 wait, this lad took off his fpe£tacles, and, ap- 
 proaching me, inquired my bufinefs. I told him 
 that I had brought an order from Mr. T***, which 
 would inform him. Very well, faid he j and tak- 
 ing up the order, he put on his fpe£tacles, after 
 wiping them, for fome time, read the paper twice, 
 returned it to its place, repeated his very welly and 
 turned his back upon me. 
 
 I begged him to give directions on the fubjedl, 
 and iiîform me when I fhauld be furnilhed with the 
 sviticles mentioned in the paper j adding, that it 
 was a matter of urgency, as my veffel was lying at 
 (ingle anchor, and that I had not another on board. 
 The fatal very luell was all the anfwer I could ol>- 
 ti'.in. The perfon to whom I had originally appli- 
 ed, and who had advifed me to think no more of my 
 anchors» now came in, and took up the order ; af- 
 ter alking permiffion of the other, who replied by 
 a flight inclination of the head and the two words 
 he had ufed with me : it feemed indeed as if he 
 knew no other. At laft I was diredled to call a- 
 gain the next day. 
 
 / 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 3^ 
 
 I immediately provided myfelY with new anchors 
 to infure the fafety of my velFel : and, on the mor- 
 row, faithful to my appointment, I waited on Mr. 
 Very-ivelly who at this time did not utter a word. 
 An apprenticed pilot told me, that he was fent to 
 attend me. I left the office without delay, and 
 haftened to the floop that was alloted me, with a 
 diver and twenty Blacks. In paffing my veflel, I 
 took alfo ten of the beft of my crew, and two boats 
 of the country, which were then in my employ, 
 which I manned with my own people, placing an 
 officer in each. Arrived at the fpot where I had 
 loft my anchor, I endeavoured in vain by the affift- 
 ance of the men belonging to the port to find them. 
 Their awkwardnefs was fo great, and appeared fo 
 unnatural, that I fufpefled fome trick. I therefore 
 ordered my officers in the boats to drag, pointing 
 to the place near which I fuppofed one of the an- 
 chors to be funk, and they found it at the firft at- 
 tempt. The diver was then fent to examine its fit- 
 joation, and faften to it a rope with a Aiding knot 5 
 but he had fearcely reached the bottom, when the 
 iog-line which I had* employed to drag with loft its 
 hold. I now faw, that it had been privately order- 
 -cd, that I (hould not fucceed. My men dragged 
 again, and again found the an^^hor : but while I 
 was preparing the ffip.knot, the pilot, on pretence 
 of affifting me, drew the log-line againft the fide of 
 the floop, a-nd it broke. We were thus obliged a 
 third time to recommence the attempt, and the div- 
 er made another fruitlefs trial to faften the rope *, 
 at laft he pretended that the anchor was funk too 
 deep in the mud, and faid, that he was too much 
 ' fatigued to dive any more. During thefe opera- 
 tions the flood-tide had been increnfing, and it was 
 now fo ftrong, that it was neceflary to fufpend our 
 efforts. The pilot agreed to leave the flAjp ut au> 
 
^4© V O Y A G E 
 
 ehor on the fpot, to ferve as a mark in refummg 
 our attempts on the morrow : to which I confent- 
 ed. At day-break however I looked in vain for 
 the floop ; it was no longer there. I haftened to 
 the port-officers, and was told, that they were whol- 
 ly ignorant what was become of it, and they pre- 
 tended to fend in every direction to make inquir- 
 ies : a trouble they might have faved themfelves, 
 for they knew perfeftly well where it was. On 
 the third day, they informed me, that the floop was 
 found, and they added to this information an ac- 
 count of the expenfes which had been incurred, and 
 which mull immediately be paid ; fo much a day 
 for the floop, fo much for the pilot for fo many days, 
 fo much for the ^Çafcars dittoy fo much for the diver 
 diitOy fo much for port-charges,^ fo much for the 
 furniture of the floop, fo much for the cable, which 
 broke, fo much for the anchor, v/hich was loft in 
 confequence, fo much for the Blacks who recover- 
 ed the veflel, fo much for thofe who brought it 
 back to the port, fo much for repairing the damages 
 it had fuftained ; in fhort, there was no end to the 
 items, of v/hich the fum total amounted to five hun- 
 dred and fixty-feven ficca rupees. It was ufelefs to 
 difpute thefe charges 5 the bufinefs muft be «nded 
 and the money paid. When I returned to the of- 
 ficer for the purpofe, one of the clerks pointed with 
 his pen to Mr. Very-well , who took it without fay- 
 ing a word, caft his eye over the bill, counted the 
 rupees, faiuted me with a ijery n.velî^ and difmifl^ed 
 me ; determined in my heart never to attempt the 
 recovery of another anchor, though I fhould lofe 
 them by dozens. This inftance was enough : I 
 had loft in expenfes more than the value of the an- 
 chor, which I had dragged for to no purpofe, and 
 v^as unable to recover any of the others. 
 
 I complained loudly of this impofition -, but was 
 
ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 141 
 
 anfwered only by a fhrug of the flioulders, and the 
 cold confolation, « It is a fad thing for you, but 
 every body muft live." In reality, foreign vefîels 
 never recover any thing which is loft in this an- 
 chorage. Some Englilh captains, indeed, who are 
 favoured, may occafionally experience a better treat- 
 ment ; but thefe exceptions are few. The officers 
 of the port feize the opportunity of low water to 
 raife the anchors that have been loft, and they fell 
 them without fcruple to whoever may want them. 
 
 I hope to be excufed this flight fally of refent- 
 ment, which the recolle£l:ion of the mjuftice of 
 which I have been the fpe£lator and the vidlim has 
 torn from me : I could not refift the impulfe, nor 
 abftain from the difclofute of fuch odious practices, 
 though at the rifk o'f offending certain individuals 
 whom I have avoided naming. It is the laft time, 
 however, that I fliail cite any one before the tribu- 
 nal of the reader j hereafter I fhall leave to that of 
 their own conlcience thofe who, renouncing. every 
 fentimeiv*- of honour and hofpitality, can employ 
 the portion of authority with v/hich they are in- 
 trufted, in robbing at the diftance of five thoufand 
 leagues from their country, the people whom they 
 ought to prote£l:. At the extremity of Afia all Eu- 
 ropeans are countrymen, or at leaft fhould confider 
 themfelves as fuch. 
 
 The citadel of Calcutta is an o£l:agonj on the firft 
 plan of Vauban. Five of the faces are regular, 
 while the forms of the other three, which front the 
 river, are according to the fancy of the engineer, by 
 whom the fortrefs was built. As no approach is 
 to be feared on this fide, and the citadel can only 
 be attacked by water, the river coming up to the 
 glacis, it was merely neceflary to prefent to veiTels 
 making fuch attempt a fuperiority of fire, and to 
 provide the means of difcovering them at a diftance. 
 
141 VOYAGE 
 
 in order to difable them the moment they fhould 
 arrive within cannon-fiiot. Thefe purpofes have 
 been attained by giving the citadel towards the wa- 
 ter the form of a large falient angle, the faces of 
 which enfilade the courfe of the river. From thefc 
 faces the guns continue to bear upon the object, 
 lill it approaches very near the capital : but then 
 they are flanked on each ficfc by a front parallel to 
 the bordet of the river> which would fire with great 
 effeCi on veflels lying with the»ir broadfides oppofite 
 to ir. This part is like wife defended by adjoining 
 baftions and a counter-guard that covers them. The 
 five regular fronts are on the land-fide ; the baf- 
 tions have all very falient orillons, behind which 
 are retired circular flanks extremely fpacious, and 
 an inverfe double flank at the height of the berme, 
 in the fame fituation as the tenaille of Belidor. 
 This double flank would be an excellent defence, 
 and would the better ferve to retard the paflage of 
 the ditch, as from its form it cannot be enfiladed. 
 The orillon preferves it from the efFe£t of ricochet- 
 fhot, and it is not lobe feen from any parallel. The 
 aflfailants muft gain poflTefllon of the covered way, 
 make ftrong lodgments there, and conftrucl batter- 
 ies of a fuperior force, before they can filence it, 
 for it can only be cannonaded from the counter- 
 fcarp. The berme oppofite the curtain ferves as a 
 road to it, and contributes to the defence of the 
 ditch, like a faufl^e-braie. The ditch is dry, with a 
 cunette in the middle, which receives the water of 
 the Ganges by means of two fluices, that are com- 
 jmanded by the fort : the counterfcarp and covered 
 way are excellent. From fome air-holes which I 
 faw in the ramparts, I fuppofe the mafter-gallery 
 to have been confi^rufted behind the courUer-forts of 
 the revêtement. The glacis are mined, ifl may judge 
 kom the gates or entrances to the galleries which 1 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 143 
 
 faw at the re-entering angles of the covered way, 
 on the fide towards the country : every curtain is 
 covered with a large half-moon, without flanks or 
 bonnet, or redoubt ; but the faces mount thirteen 
 pieces of artillery each, thus giving to the defence of 
 thefe ravelins a fire of fix-and-twenty guns. The 
 demi-baftions, which terminate the five regular 
 fronts on each fide, are covered by a counter-guard, 
 of which the faces, like the half-moons, are pierced 
 with thirteen embrafures. Thefe counter-guards 
 are connected with two redoubts, conftru6led in 
 the place of arms of the adjacent re-entering an- 
 gles : the whole is faced and palifadoed with care, 
 is kept in admirable condition, and can make a vig- 
 orous defence againft any army however formida- 
 , ble. The advanced works are executed on an ex- 
 ten five fcale, and the angles of the half-moons, be- 
 ing extremely acute, projefl a great way into the 
 country, fo as to be in view of each other beyond 
 the flanked angle of the polygon, and take the 
 trenches in the rear at an early period of the ap- 
 proach. 
 
 The name of this citadel is Fort "William. It is 
 larger and capable of a more regular and fcientific 
 defence than that of Fort St. George at Madras. It 
 is not, like Fort St. George^ filled with houfes, 
 but contains only the buildings that are neceflTary, 
 fuch as the refidence of the governor, quarters for 
 the officers and troops, and arfenals. Exclufively 
 of thefe, the interior of the fort is perfedly open, 
 and off^ers nothing to the fight but fuperb grafs-plots, 
 gravel walks planted occafionally with trees, balls, 
 bombs, cannons, and whatever can give to the place 
 a grand, noble, and military appearance. Each 
 gate has a houfe over it deftined for the refidence 
 of a major. 
 
 Thefe houfes, like every other in the fort, are Cb 
 
t44 VOYAGE 
 
 many magnificent palaces. At the period of my 
 laft voyage, the governor was colonel Morgan, who 
 filled the ftation with honour, and behaved to ftrang- 
 ers with great politenefs. One day, on leaving 
 table, we accompanied him to his clofet where was 
 preferved with extraordinary care a fuperb full- 
 length portrait of Lewis XV. in complete armour : 
 it had been taken at Pondicherry, and had thence 
 been removed to Bengal. The colonel was eager 
 to draw my attention to it. I was pleafed with the 
 refpe<Sl: that was paid to it, but felt at the fame time 
 a fentiment of regret at feeing it in the hands of 
 our enemies : it feemed as if his majelly was a prif- 
 oner of war. This idea re-called ftrongly to my 
 memory the feries of our defeats in Afia, and forc- 
 ed from me a ligh, which did not efcape the gov- 
 ernor 5 but his delicate and confiant politenefs foon 
 diffipated the melancholy impreflion which thefe re- 
 flections wrought upon my mind. 
 
 The governor-general of the Englilh fettlements, 
 eaft of the Cape of Good Hope, refides at Calcutta. 
 As there is no palace yet buiic for him, he lives in 
 a houfe on the efplanade oppofite the citadel. The 
 houfe is handfome, but by no means equal to what 
 it ought to be for a perfonage of fo much impor- 
 tance. Many private individuals in the town have 
 houfes as good ; and if the governor were difpofed 
 to any extraordinary luxury, he muft curb his inclin- 
 ation for want of the neceflary accommodation of 
 room. The houfe of the governor at Pondicherry is 
 much more magnificent. 
 
 As we enter the town, a very extenfive fquarc 
 opens before us, with a large piece of water in the 
 middle, for the public ufe. The pond has a grafs- 
 plot round it, and the whole is inclofed by a wall 
 breafl-high, with a railing on the top. The fides of 
 this inclofure are each nearly five hundred yards in 
 
m THE INDIAN OCEAN. 145 
 
 length. The fquare itfelf is compofed of magnifi- 
 cent houfes, which render Calcutta not only the 
 handibmelt town in Afia, but one of the fineft in 
 the world. One fide of the fquare confifts of a 
 range of buildings occupied by perfons in civil em- 
 ployments under the company, fucli as writers in 
 the public oiEces. Part of the fide towards the river 
 is taken up by the old forr, which was the firfl 
 citadel built by the Englifh after their eftablilhraent 
 in Bengal. It is an indifferent fquare, with ex- 
 tremely fmall badions, that can mount at mod 
 but one gun, though the fides are pierced for two. 
 The fort is without a ditch, and is no longer ufed 
 for a fortification : the ramparts are converted into 
 gardens, and on the badions and in the infide of the 
 fort, houfes have been built for perfons in the fervice 
 of the government, particularly the officers of the 
 cuftom-houfe, who tranfa£l their bufinefs there. 
 Thefe fortifications are fo much reduced from the 
 fcale on which they were originally conftru£ted, that 
 the line of defence is now only a hundred and forty 
 or a hundred and fifty yards in length, and the front 
 not more than two hundred. Though this fmall 
 fort was much fuperior to that which the Englifh 
 had built at firfl at Madras, it could not protect: them 
 from the refentment of the nabob of Bengal, Suraja 
 Dowla, with whom they were at war : it was taken, 
 and fuch of the Englifh troops as efcaped fisd for 
 fafety to Cadjery, where aifo they were befiegecl. 
 The conquerer, when he got pofTeilion of the fort 
 at Calcutta, had the prifoners which he took ther? 
 thrufl one upon another into a hole, outfide the fort, 
 from Vi^hich chofe only were fortunate.enough to 
 come out alive who happened to be uppermofl in the 
 heap ; the red were all fufïbcated. In remem- 
 brance of fo flagrant aa aâ: of barbarity, the Engliih, 
 v/ho were conquerers in their turn, erected a men- 
 
 N .. 
 
146 VOYAGE 
 
 ument between the old fort and the right wing of 
 the building occupied by the civil officers of the com- 
 pany, on the very fpot where the deed was commit- 
 ted. It is a pyramid, truncated at the top, and 
 {landing upon a fquare pedeftal, having a defign in 
 fculpture on each of its fides, and an infcription in 
 the Englifh and Moorifh languages, defcribing the 
 occafion on which it was erefted. It is furrounded 
 with an iron railing to prevent accefs to it, has fhrubs 
 planted about it, and exhibits a mournful appear- 
 ance, not unfuitable to the event which it is intend- 
 ed to commemorate. 
 
 Clofe to the old fort is the theatre, which does 
 not accord in appearance with the general beauty 
 of the town, and in which there are feldom dramat- 
 ic reprefentations for want of performers. 
 
 There are two churches of the Englifh eftablifh- 
 ment at Calcutta, one of which is built in a fupurb 
 and regular flyle of architecture, with a circular 
 range of pillars in front, of the doric order, and 
 beautiful in tlieir proportion ; the cornice and 
 architrave, ornamented with the triglyphs, are in 
 the fame excellent tafle, and the edifice altogether 
 is a model of grandeur and elegance. 
 
 There are alfo, befides thefe regular ellablifh- 
 ments, a catholic church belonging to the Portu- 
 guefe miiTion, another of the Greek perfuafion, in 
 which the fervice is performed by monks of the or- 
 der of St. Bahl, an Armenian conventicle, a fyna- 
 gogue, feveral mofques, and a great number of pa- 
 . godas : fo that nearly all the religions in the world 
 are adembled in this capital. 
 
 The Black Town is to the north of Calcutta, and 
 contiguous to it : it is extremely large ; and its 
 population, at the time of my laft voyage, was 
 comDUted at fix hundred tlioufand Indians, women 
 and children included. 
 
 So confiderable a town ought to poflefs a vigi- 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 147 
 
 lant police ; but in this refpecl it is very defeâiive. 
 Thofe who difturb the public tranquillity are indeed 
 apprehended, but the condition of the town itfelf 
 is difguftingly unclean. Mod of the ftreets have 
 a fmall canal on each fide, ferving as a drain both 
 for them and the houfes, that could not otherwife 
 be inhabited, on account of their dampnefs -, for 
 the Ganges, in the great fwells, rlfes to the level 
 of many of the ftreets, fo that it is impoffible to 
 dig any where without finding water. Thefe canals, 
 which are a foot and half, and in fome places two 
 feet wide, and not more than three deep, are refer- 
 voirs of filth, that emit the moft unv/holefome ex- 
 halations. Such animals as die in the ftreets or iii 
 the houfes are thrown into them, and they lie there 
 and putrify. From wantj ficknefs, or accident, 
 many a poor wretch of the human fpecies alfo ex- 
 pires in the ftreets : I have feen an inftance of this, 
 where the body has remained two days without be- 
 ing taken away by the police. Y/hen this happens, 
 the remains are thrown in like maimer into the 
 canals, and thus add to the putrefaction. The na- 
 tives are fufficiently cleanly as to their perfons and 
 houfes J but, having removed from the latter every 
 thing which would occafion filth, they conceive 
 themfelves to have done all that is necefiary. They 
 leave even their ordure at the door or in the ftrect, 
 and, though they complain of the ftench, will not 
 give themfelves the trouble to remove it. 
 
 Thefe remains of men and animals, engendering 
 putrefaflion in the mid ft of the living, would even- 
 tually produce the plague, if the jackals, who fome- 
 times traverfe the ftreets by throngs in the night, 
 howling dreadfully and devouring every thing in 
 their way, did not prevent it. I have feen the 
 body of a poor creature ly^ng dead at my door {the 
 one I have juft fpoken of) ferve two nights for 
 
4B VOYAGE 
 
 "t 
 
 food to fomc of iheie hungry animals. The firft 
 night they carried away the head and other parts 
 of it. The body, without limbs, was rolling in 
 the duft all the next day, and trodden upon indif- 
 criminately by the men and beafts that palled, with- 
 out any perfon having the humanity to remove it : 
 the fécond night it was either entirely devoured 
 or carried away, and I was relieved from fo difguft- 
 jng H fpeflacle. 
 
 What is not confumed in this manner by the 
 jackals remains for the ravens and eagles, with 
 which the town abounds. They are feen on the 
 houfes, watching for every thing that is thrown into 
 the ftrects, and they will drop without fear into 
 the middle of a crowd to feize their prey. Great 
 care is taken not to deftroy them, as they contrib- 
 ute to the cleahlinefs of the town, and in that 
 view are extremely ufeful. They are in general 
 daring and voracious. I have feen a raven, in the 
 bazar called territa, feize upon a filli in the hands 
 of an old negro woman who had juft purchafed it. 
 I lived oppofite this market-place, the neighbour- 
 hood of which was the refovt of an immenfe number 
 of eagles, attra6ted thither by the fmell which arofe 
 from the place. One day my cook, coming acrofs 
 the yard with a roaded fowl, brought nothing to 
 table but the difl:i ; the fowl was in the talons of 
 an eagle, that, having robbed him of it, flew with 
 it to the top of the houfe and tranquilly feafted 
 upon it before our eyes. 
 
 All the houfes in India have argamajfe roofs, that 
 is to fay, are flat, with a balufl:rade round them. 
 It is there that the inhabitants in the morning and 
 evening take the air. Some are ornamented with a 
 circular range of pillars on the firlt ftory, making a 
 fort of gallery, to which they retire when the heat 
 ©f the day is over. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 149 
 
 With refpeft to living, the fare is but indifferent 
 at Calcutta. Provifions for the table are confined 
 to butcher's meat, a fowl now and then, but little or 
 no game, and fcareely a greater quantity of fifh. 
 Mutton is almoft univerfally the preferable and 
 {landing difh. 
 
 In the fummer a fwarm of flies of every kind 
 prevails, and is extremely tormenting. The muf- 
 kitoes befet one fo obftinately, are fo eafily provok- 
 ed and fc? extremely infatiable, that too many pre- 
 cautions cannot be taken againft them. To be fe- 
 cure from their attacks, it is the cuftom to wear 
 within doors, if one flays any time, whether for 
 meals or any other purpofe, pafteboard round the 
 legs. The mofl eager after flefli is the large blue 
 fly, which fettles upon the diihes and infects the 
 meatj that is obliged on that account to be covered : 
 it will contend with the guefts for tlie vi£lualsthey 
 are eating, and will follow the morfels as they con- 
 vey them to their mouths. It is equally remarka- 
 ble for thirit, and will throw itfelf in^o a goblet the 
 moment any kind of liquor is poured into it : to 
 prevent this the goblet is covered with a filver lid 
 made for the purpofe. In fhoi-t, thefe infedls are 
 infupportabie , they realize every thing which Vir- 
 gil has faid of the harpies, and twenty times, by 
 their perfecution, have they driven me from the ta- 
 ble. ' 
 
 To chafe away the flies, and occafion a freer cir- 
 culation of the air, many houfes have a large fan 
 hanging from the ceiling over the eating table, of a 
 fquare form, and balanced on an axle fitted to the 
 ^ upper part of it. A fervant, ftanding at one end of 
 the room, puts it in motion by means of a cord which. 
 is faftened to it, in the fame manner as he v/ould 
 ring a bell. Befides this, there is a fervant behind 
 the chair of each individual with r.nother kind of fan, 
 N 7. 
 
150 VOYAGE 
 
 made of a branch of the palm-tree. The ftalk ferves 
 for a handle, and the leaves, faftened together and 
 cut into a round or fquare (hape, give it the ap- 
 pearance of a flag. By thefe contrivances a little 
 frefh air is procured. 
 
 It is chiefly in Bengal, where fmoking after meals 
 is cuftamary, that the hooka is in ufe. Every hooka' 
 badar prepares feparately that of his mailer in an 
 adjoining apartment, and, entering all together with 
 the deflTert, they range them round the table. For 
 half an hour there is a continued clamour, and noth- 
 ing is diftinÊlIy heard but the cry of filence, till the 
 noife fubfides and the converfation afliimes its ufu- 
 al tone. It is fcarcely poffible to fee through the 
 cloud of fmoke which fills the apartment. The ef- 
 fecl produced by thefe circumftances is whimfical 
 enough to a (Iranger, and if he has not his hooka he 
 will find himfelf in an awkward and unpleafant fit- 
 uation. The rage of fmoking extends even to the 
 ladies ; and the higheit compliment they can pay 
 a man is to ^ive him preference by fmoking his 
 hooka. In this cafe it is a point of politenefs to 
 take off the mouth-piece he is ufing, and fubfl:itute 
 a frefh one, which he prefents to the lady with his 
 hookaj who foon returns it. This compliment is 
 î)ot always of trivial importance ; it fometimes fig- 
 «ifies a great deal to a friend, and often ftill more to 
 a liufband. Tobacco forms but a fmall part of the 
 ingredients that are burnt in this inftrum ent i 
 dried fruits, fugar, and other things are made ufe of, 
 which, added to the rofe- water with which the tube 
 of the inftrument is wetted, give a tafte and fra- 
 grance to the fraoke that are extremely agreeable ; 
 the fmoke too, by pafling through the water before 
 it reaches the mouih, acquires a- coolnefs that rea- 
 «-lers it Çt\\\ more pleafant. 
 
 Conveyance by. the palanquin is in ufe at Bengal, 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. i s i 
 
 as on the coaft of the peninfula -, but Calcutta, ex- 
 clufivcly of this mode, abounds with all forts of car- 
 riages, chariots, whifkies, and phaetons, which oc- 
 cafion in the evening as great a buftle as in one of 
 the principal towns of Europe. There are alfo a 
 gjreat number of faddle-horfes, fome of the Perfian 
 breed, of exquifite beauty, but no Arabians, except 
 a fmall fort called poom.i which are very much in 
 vogue for phaetons. All thefe animals are faulty ; 
 many of them vicious ; for they are trufted to Moor- 
 ifh grooms, who know indeed how to feed and fat- 
 ten them, but who teach them at the fame time the 
 mod incorrigible habits. A friend of mine having 
 given me the free ufe of his ftud,his Moorifli grooms, 
 after following me one day to the public walk, as 
 was ufual, were fo difpleafed with the quicknefs of 
 my pace, that they determined not to be expofed to 
 it again. I know not what they did to the horfes, 
 but I could never, fubfequently to this period, make 
 any of them go fader than a walk. Having a defire 
 a few days afterwards to take a ride, Ï was fcarcely 
 out of the ftable, and had the reins in my hand, 
 when my horfe began his capers. I applied the 
 fpur, and he was ftiil more reftive. I patted and 
 coaxed him -, it was of no ufe. I difmounted ; I 
 examined the bridle, the bit, and the curb ; I even 
 took it off, and replaced it myfelf : I removed the. 
 faddle, to fee that nothing improper had been put 
 underneath ; I infpeél:ed his tail and his fhoes : every 
 thing was right, and asit ought tobej and all this time 
 the animal wasperfe^lly quiet. I mounted him again, 
 and he readily fet off walking without waiting to be 
 told ; but the moment I attempted to make him trot, 
 he inftantly recommenced his tricks. I then appli- 
 ed the fpur unfparingly to his fide ; upon which, 
 without advancing a ftep, he played fuch an ries, that 
 I thought he would have killed me. Yet this was 
 
152 VOYAGE 
 
 the fame horfe I had rode two days before, and whicb 
 had then fhown in every refpe£l the utmoft gen- 
 tlenefs and obedience. I refigned him to the Moor, 
 who immediately led him in a canter to the fiable. 
 I fhall make no comment on this fingular incident, 
 and fhould in vain be afked to explain it. I relate 
 precifely what I faw, and no more. A fimilar cir- 
 cumftance occurred to me at Yanaon with a horfe 
 of Mr. Demars. 
 
 The Englifh have begun to improve the breed of 
 the Bengal horfes : they have crofled the Perfian 
 mares with Englifh ftallions, and, to excite emula- 
 tion, have eflablifhed races fimilar to thofc of New- 
 market and Epfom. In 1794, I faw a horfe that 
 had been brought from England contend on the 
 courfe with a moft noble animal of the Perfian breed ; 
 but the Englifh one conquered, and won, in two 
 fuccefTive heats cu^ery bet that was made, to the great 
 joy of its countrymen, who cried in tranfport, " Old 
 England for ever !" It fhould be obferved, that this 
 was only a week after the horfe had been landed. 
 Notwitliftanding its confinement on board, and the 
 fatigue of fo long a voyage, it was flill able to con- 
 tend fuccefsfully with a frefli and well trained Ara- 
 bian : a proof that the Englifh breed furpafTes that 
 of every other country in ileetnefs. 
 
 Though carriages are fo numerous at Calcutta,, 
 thej are never ufed for travelling. Almoft all 
 journeys are made by w;«ter. Bengal is fo inter- 
 fe£led with rivers and canals, that you can go to 
 any part of it in a boat. For this purpofe the rich- 
 er ciafs of people make ufe of a conveyance called 
 /^azaras. Nothing can exceed the elegance and 
 convenience of thefe little veffels. They have com- 
 modious apartments, like a houfe, and are followed 
 by a large boat containing a kitchen and its furni- 
 ture, fo that a perfon may travel in thia country 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 153 
 
 more pleafantly than in any other part of the 
 world, and without experiencing greater fatigue, 
 than if he were all the. time in his own houfe. 
 
 A great many fhips are built at Calcutta, and in 
 the yards are feveral ftocks well filled ; bat thefe 
 veflels are very expenfive. They are extremely fol- 
 id, and are made of teak wood, .vhîchhùs the qual- 
 ity of rotting much more flowly than oak. VelTels 
 which are built of it will accordingly laft a very 
 long time, if kept from runiing aground ; for the 
 wood is oily, which prevents it from decaying ; but 
 being free from knots, it fplits fo eafiiv, that a fin- 
 gle ftroke of an axe upon one end of a beam a foot 
 thick will divide it quite ihroagh io the other end. 
 Oak on the contrary is full of knots, '.yhich add to 
 its power of refiftance j but it is by no means fo 
 durable as teak. 
 
 The privilege of the company is fo great as to 
 prevent any individual from trading to any part of 
 Europe, or at lead to England j but from one place 
 to another in India the trade is free, and is very 
 confiderable both to China and elfewhere. The 
 river Hoogly is in confequence covered with vei- 
 fcls, which add to the opulence and i-nduftry of 
 Calcutta. The wealth of this place ts indeed ex- 
 traordinary j filver money they will fcarcely deign 
 to mention ; they reckon only by the gulmohur, a 
 piece of gold of the value of fixteen rupees, or forty- 
 two livres, eftimating the piece-of-eight at five li- 
 vres five fous. The Indians have the practice of 
 dipping the coin, Hke the Jews in Europe, fo that, 
 on receiving a fum of money, it is neceiTary to be 
 provided with zferraff^ who weighs and values the 
 different pieces. 
 
 The money of the people is the cowries of the 
 Maldive-Iflands. The trade of Bengal is in the 
 hands of thtftnarsy who are there what the dobiches 
 
154 VOYAGE 
 
 î^re on the coaft. Thefç fircars are Bramins, wKo 
 lofe no part of their dignity or importance by be- 
 coming merchants. They are known by a firing 
 of cotton, of feven threads, which they wear next 
 their ikin, in the manner of a fcarf, from right to 
 left, and arc affifted by clerks, who have the priv- 
 ilege of compofmg a feparate caft, and look upon 
 themfelves as a divifion of that of the Bramins, 
 fubordinate indeed to them, but fuperior to all oth- 
 er cads. 
 
 Bengal is at prefent the true country ofthe Bra- 
 mins. Their names terminate almoft always in 
 ram ; a diftinâion of honour anfwering nearly to 
 the French de, the German vs/j, or the don of the 
 Spaniards, with this difference, that it follows the 
 name inllead of preceding it. The name of my 
 fircar was ChifTou ; but, adding the final fyllable 
 of etiquette, he was called Chifiburam. He was 
 intelligent, honeft, and, what is a very rare quality 
 in a fircar, but little greedy after gain. 
 
 The eafe with which thefe people learn any thing 
 is wonderful : they all both fpeak and write the 
 French) Englifh, Portuguefe, Moorifh, Malabar, and 
 their own facred language -, which laft no one un- 
 derftands that does not belong to their caft. Some 
 modern authors, and particularly the EngliOi, have 
 made us acquainted with paiTages of their facred 
 books, their Veidam and their Ezourveidam ; and in 
 the national library at Paris is a tranflation of the 
 Cormovedam. I refpevll; the profound knowledge of 
 thefe authors ; I pretend not to call their honour in 
 queftion j but would rather believe, fince they af- 
 firm it, that the tranilations they give us are au- 
 thentic, or at leaft that they think io themfelves. I 
 fiiall only remark, how much k is to be wifhed, 
 that this facred language of the Bramins were pub- 
 licly known, that we may all be enabled to profit 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 155 
 
 by the light which mufl; refult from an acquaintance 
 with the annals of fo ancient and fo learned a peo- 
 ple. I am far from wifhing to throw doubts upon 
 fuch fuppofed books of- theirs as have been made 
 known to us : my opinion, befides, would have but 
 little weight againft authorities fo great -, yet it ap- 
 pears to me, that whoever has been perfonally ac- 
 quainted with the Bramins, and has ftudied their 
 character and prejudices, muft be ftruck with the 
 unufual marks of confidence which the communi- 
 cation of fuch pafTages implies, and the inferences 
 to which fuch confidence would lead. If a perfon 
 thus acquainted with them were difpofed to make 
 objedions as to thefe paflages, he might fay, " The 
 Bramins are by no means communicative j it is a 
 point of their religion even, to conceal from all the 
 world the knowledge of their language and their 
 books. We muft therefore fuppofe, that fome of 
 their chiefs, for they alone have the cuftody of the 
 îiiooks and the law, have conquered the averfion 
 they naturally entertained for foreign cafts : have 
 loft all remorfe at fo flagrant a renunciation of their 
 precepts ; and have chofen to rilk their being ex- 
 communicated from their call, v/hich they value 
 above life itfelf, rather than difoblige a ftranger, 
 who might have afked them for fo important com- 
 munications." 
 
 I am aware, that thefe writings are now matters 
 of general notoriety ; that the moft celebrated au- 
 thors are eager to propagate them : fragments of 
 thefe facred books are printed in almofl: every pub- 
 lication ; travellers have even profefled to have ac- 
 quired a perfect knowledge of the fanfcrit language 
 at Bengal. All this is fo common, that I ought to 
 believe it» and I do fo, though thefe Bramins are 
 greatly under the influence of their religion, which 
 impofes a law upon them to conceal from us what 
 
ïS6 VOYAGE 
 
 we thus pretend to know *, though a much lighter 
 fault will fubjedl them to the lofs of their caft, a 
 calamity which they will facrifice every thing to, a- 
 void, or, when this has happened, to regain the 
 privilege -, though even when loft irrecoverably, 
 the perfon fo fituated ftill remains invariably at- 
 tached to it, and does not on that account the lefs 
 completely defpife all other cafts ; confequently, 
 never endeavours to avenge himfelf by betraying 
 his own : in (hort, though it were poffible to be- 
 lieve, that, to get rid of the importunities of thofe 
 who folicited them, they had entered into an agree- 
 ment among themfelves, to communicate merely 
 indifferent circumftances, with the hope of being 
 left quiet as to other matters, or had even invented 
 what has been told us, for the cxprefs purpofe of 
 putting an end to the inquiries of Europeans, by 
 pretending to fatisfy us, and thus-conceal more ef- 
 fe£lually all knowledge of their real myfteries, — in 
 fpite of all this, can I do other than believe what 
 has been told us by fo many rei"pe£^able authors ? 
 But let me be fuffered once more to remark, that 
 if the communications which the Bramins have 
 made to us be true, they muft have trangrelTed the 
 laws of their religion ; that they have fo far betray- 
 ed their truft, they muft have loft that inviolable at- 
 tachment to it, v/hich for fo' many ages has main- 
 tained in them the moft profound fecrefy -upon the 
 fubje£l J. that if the fpirit of exclufiort towards 
 ftrangers be deftroyed in them, the line of demar- 
 cation by which they were feparated from the reft 
 of the world muft be deftroyed ; and, that if the 
 fecrets of their caft are unveiled, the refpeél which 
 it has hitherto infpired will foon be loft and annihi- 
 lated. Nothing is ever reverenced by the people 
 but what is myfterious and concealed ; and this is 
 the fqundation of the facred opinion which is en- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 5 7 
 
 tertaincd of the Bramins : the moment they fliail 
 be known, tlie fentiment by which that opinion is 
 maintained will be obliterated. This caft then, 
 which mocks the efforts of hiltory to trace its ori- 
 gin, muft <juickly difappear : and the genius of rev- 
 olution, which has lately changed the face of Eu- 
 rope, would feem dcftined to extend his influence 
 through the univerfe, to dellroy opinions regarded 
 as facred in the moft diftant parts of the globe, 
 and to unveil a fecret preferved inviolable through 
 a fucceffion of ages too great for the calculations of 
 our chronology to reach. 
 
 The Bramins ftill purfue their ftudies at Benares, 
 a town which maintains its celebrity on account of 
 the learned who live there. The nabob of this 
 country has entirely loft his power, and is now 
 merely tlie humble fervant of the Englifli company. 
 But even were Benares to be laid low by fome con- 
 quering arm, the Bramins, amidft rfie din of war, 
 which they have abjured, would not abandon their 
 ftudies. During all the revolutions which the 
 Mogul Empire experienced, all the convulfions by 
 which Bengal was diftra£led when invaded by ma- 
 hometanifm, thefe people, unchanged in their pur- 
 fuits, their virtues, the mildnefs of their manners, 
 and the fecrefy of their dc^trines, (ledfaft in the 
 peruiafion of the fuperiority of their morals and their 
 defcent, never failed to obtain the admiration even 
 of their vid:orious enemies, who, fubmitting to the 
 univerfal veneration which they faw paid to them, 
 have acknowledged their own inferiority. Thus in 
 a manner fuperior to the accidents of the world and 
 the revolutions of ftates, they have maintained a fu- 
 premacy over the mîn^ô of every nation. Without 
 the empire gained by arms, they poffefs that of o-* 
 pinion j ^nd, ifolated in the middle of the world, 
 they have triumphed overtime itlèlf. And yet^ witk 
 O 
 
i5«r VOYAGE 
 
 fo high a degree of glory, the refult of fo much pa« 
 tience and virtue, we muft fuppofe they would fac- 
 rifice this to fatisfy the importunate curiofity of a few 
 travellers, totally unknown to them, who had come 
 from the remote ft regions of the earth to inquire in- 
 to their myfteries ; that, in dire£l violation of the 
 effential precepts of their religion, they would dif- 
 card, in favour of thefe foreigners, a filence render- 
 ed facred by a feries of ages, and reveal fecrets 
 which were the foundation of a fuperiority preferv- 
 ed and tranfmitted by their anceftors from the ear- 
 lieft periods of the world. What an inftance of the 
 initability of human affairs ! 
 
 To conclude, if I have taken the liberty to haz- 
 ard conjectures refpedling the facred volumes of the 
 Bramins, let me repeat, that it is no part of my in- 
 tention to raife doubts as to the authenticity of 
 fuch tranllations as we polTefs. I have no proofs 
 againft them. If I had, the reputation of the au- 
 thors would not deter me from faying to the world, 
 <« Do not give credit to thofe books ; they are falfe." 
 In the prefent cafe, I am fo far from attempting to 
 weaken the refpe6l which is paid to them, that I 
 have confined myfelf to reflexions on the general 
 character of the Bramins, and the ineonfittency 
 which their communications of this nature mani- 
 feft : my conclufions evidently are lefs againft the 
 books themfelves than againft the caft. 
 
 The trade of Calcutta is very extenfive. It is 
 through this channel that the company obtains the 
 faltpetre, and all the muflins which we fee in Eu- 
 Tope ; while it exports to this part Spanifh coins, 
 gold thread, copper, lead, iron in bars and wrought, 
 Engiilh manufactures of diit'erent forts for the'ufe 
 of the Europeans there, wine and brandy, fea-falt, 
 and marine ftores of every kind. Individuals there 
 Qbtain pepper and arrac from the coaft of Malabar ; 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 59 
 
 rawfilks, nankeens, porcelain, and tea from China, 
 to which place they fend in return the cotton of the 
 Malabar coaft. The grain of Bengal they export 
 to every part of India, receive fiiks from Surat, 
 fend muflins and European commodities to Macao 
 and the Phillippine iflands, and give circulation to 
 all thefe articles in the whole interior of Afia. A 
 commerce which extends to fuch a variety of branch- 
 es cannot fail to enrich thofe who cultivate it, and 
 accordingly Calcutta is the richeft town in India. 
 Private merchants, however, are not the molt 
 wealthy clafs of thofe who refide there ; the com- 
 pany's fervants are much richer, and become fo 
 much more rapjdly. 
 
 A young man who comes from London in the 
 capacity of writer, without a fmgle rupee in his 
 pocket when he arrives, finds himfelf in four-and- 
 twenty hours fwimming in wealth. Ke is no foon- 
 er landed than the fircars offer him their purfes, 
 which he is not tardy in accepting, and immediately 
 he has his palanquin, his horfes, his fervants, his 
 cooks, and every accommodation. Thefe Bramins 
 are well aware that the ftranger will foon be in pof- 
 feflion of a good place, and in the courfe of a year 
 or two (they will wait longer if neceflary) will be 
 able to repay them liberally. They urge him to 
 expenfe, knowing that the deeper he is in their debt 
 the more tradtable they fhall find him. It is true, 
 they rifk the chance of his dying j but fhould he live 
 they will be amply remunerated. In the courfe of 
 a twelve-month the young man will be fent into the 
 country, be inverted with fome office, fuch as affiliant 
 colle£lor, and be intruded with the receipt of a dif- 
 tri^l:. This is what the fircar was waiting for ; he 
 will follow his mafter in the exercife of his office, 
 will procure without difficulty the management of 
 the collection, and there is then no fort of extortion 
 
jôm VOYAGE 
 
 which he will fcruple. "Whatever place the young 
 man' may obtain, the fsrcsr will contrive to be his 
 agentj and to raife an immenfe fortune by the exac- 
 tions that are in his power. But to conceal rhcfe 
 difgracefui practices, which, if dei:e^<*d, might fub- 
 jeo. them to lofe their caft, the Bramins pr'^cend, 
 rhat they are (imply repaid, out of the l^lary of 
 their mader, the fums they have advanc<^d ; and 
 this falary lie refigns to them, rc/erving rncTeîv a fiif- 
 ficieîîcy for his houfehold expenfes. This game 
 continues till the fircar is fatisfied with the fortune 
 he has amafTed, when he takes leave of his mafter j 
 or till the latter fees into the treachery of his con- 
 ûùS:, is difgufted with it, and turris him away. 
 The mafter then reforts himfelf to the fame means, 
 and thus completes his own fortune in two or three 
 years -, fo tlvat the people experience a change only 
 of oppreflbrs, without being relieved from the op- 
 preffion. It iliould be obferved, that the fircars of 
 whom we are fpcaking form but a fmall part of the 
 Bramins, and that the fame charadler muft not be 
 fuppofed to extend to the learned, whofe virtues 
 arc equal to their talents, and who would blulh, even 
 in their retirement, at the idea, not of a fair and 
 hone ft courfe of trade, but of any practices in the 
 f™alleft degree refembling thofe we have defcribed. 
 Yet, notwithftanding the corruption and knavery of 
 tliefe iircars, they are not the lefs unchangeably 
 convinced of their own fuperiority to all other men, 
 Vvhom they accordingly look upon with fovereign 
 contempt. 
 
 Of the different defcriptions of perfons who ac- 
 quire fortunes in the fervice of the company, the 
 moft numerous are the military ; but they arrive at 
 opulence much more flowly, and in a degree great- 
 ly inferior to the civil officers. The habit of living 
 in the country, the cuftoms to which they muil fiab- 
 
IK THE INDIAN OCEAN. i6i 
 
 mît, the manners they acquire, and other circumr 
 ftances, render it neceflary for them to fettle them- 
 felves. Such as are called by their duty to ilations 
 at a great diftance in the interior part of the coun- 
 try, and have no opportunity of enriching them- 
 felves, ally themfelves by marriage to Indian women 
 of the Moorifti caft. As the children from thefe al- 
 liances have often no fortune, that of their father 
 confining merely of his commiffion, which is but a 
 precarious inheritance, they are fupportcd in that 
 cafe by the Englifli company, which has provided 
 for the purpofe an eftablifliment at Calcutta that is 
 honourable to human nature, where the legitimate 
 ilTue, both male and female, of any of its fervanls, 
 receive a fuitable education, and are taught all the 
 ufeful accomplifhments : the boys are afterwards 
 provided with fituations according to their abilities 
 and geniusj and the girls fettled in life, and fomç- 
 times even fent to Europe at the expenfe of the 
 company, to finifh their education. The good or- 
 der and decency of this inflitution have obtained 
 it the praife of all who have attended to it. The 
 military officers ftaiioned at Calcutta, or in the neigh* 
 bourhood, fometimcs intermarry with thefe girls, 
 whofe fathers it frequently happens they have been 
 acquainted with. Such marrixiges are by no means 
 uncommon ; all who have acquired any fortune, 
 whether civil officers or others, finding the necef- 
 fity of afemale companion tobanifh from their minds 
 the rerrienibrance of their country. 
 
 From a kno-vledge of this general predilection in 
 favour of matrimony in India, the Engiifh, who are 
 inclined to every fort of fpeciîlation^ ff;nd thither an- 
 nually W'bole cargoes of fernaks, who are tolerably 
 hantifjme, and are feidorn fix months in the coun- 
 try without getting hufbauds, Thefs cargoes are 
 impatiently expected by fuch as, not liking the or- 
 
 O 2 
 
r62 VOYAGE 
 
 phans, are tired of celibacy, and the look-out for the 
 arrival of the fhips is as eager, as it is in other plac- 
 es for a freight of merchandize to make purchafes 
 of goods. What is more extraordinary, thefe mar- 
 riages are in general happy. The women, removed 
 from Europe from a fituation of mediocrity, often 
 of unhappinefs, to a diftant country, where they 
 pafs fuddenly into a (late of opulence, feel as they 
 ought the fentiments of gratitude due to the men, 
 who (hare with them their fortunes. They become 
 both good wives and good mothers, and are there- 
 fore generally preferred to the natives, who are con- 
 tinually wifhing for the luxuries in which they were 
 brought up. Thefe matrimonial ventures afford the 
 means of keeping up the white race at Bengal, and 
 prevent the Portuguefe caft from increafing fo faft 
 as on the coaft. ' This caft is called here topas^ from 
 the word topi^ which fignifies in the Portuguefe lan- 
 guage a hat. The name is given to fuch Indians as 
 change their own for the European drefs, and wear 
 a hat inftead of a turban. 
 
 The children that are the offspring of the Englifli 
 alliances with the women of India, are of no par- 
 ticular religion, though moft inclined to that of Eng- 
 iand. Indeed they confider themfelves a» Englifli 
 altogether, and confequently as greatly fuperior in 
 blood to the Portuguefe race. They are employed 
 V.y the government in fituations in the interior part 
 of the country, at a diltance from the capital, where 
 they marry women of colour, and their children 
 again become black, with an Englifli family-name. 
 This is true policy on the parr of the company, 
 which, conicious that a population' that is foreign 
 to It mud contain the feeds of its deltru^liu^n, en- 
 «leavours to people the country with a race of it& 
 ©\vn. The power of the company depends for it& 
 fupport on-a force which is not Englifn , the cone- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 16$ 
 
 pany is fenfible of this, but it is an evil which can- 
 not be avoided ; the hand of time can alone gradu- 
 ally furnifh the remedy, by deftroying the averlioa 
 of Europeans to marriages with women of colour. 
 Thcfe marriages fhould be encouraged, as a gener- 
 ation would thereby be produced, which, dcfcend- 
 ing from Englifli blood, would feel towards England 
 a national attachment. 
 
 Meanwhile, till this revolution takes place, the 
 company is obliged to truft its fafety to mercenary 
 auxiliaries, and to put into their hands weapons, 
 which, on the firft difcontent, they may turn againft 
 their mafters. Fortunately for the company, the 
 foldiers thus employed are of the Moorifli <:aft ; a 
 call that invaded and conquered the country fliort- 
 ly after the death of Mahomet, and has 11 nee enter- 
 tained a perfedl contempt for the natives who yield- 
 ed to them, while thefe have retained on their part 
 an inveterate hatred of their conquerors. The gov- 
 ernment turns this difagreement Ikilfully to its ad- 
 vantage, and endeavours to heighten it, for the pur- 
 pofe of governing and keeping the two parties in or- 
 der, by the aid of each other. The Bramins alone 
 would form a clafs, which, by having the good o- 
 pinion of both, might be troublefome ; but thefe 
 have long forfaken their theocratical eftablifhrnent, 
 and are folely intent on extending among their owji 
 members the fciences, which they have incefiantly 
 cultivated, and the virtues by which they are dif- 
 tinguifhed. 
 
 England thus rules the country without oppoG- 
 tion : but were the Indians and Moors to unite in a 
 jingle point only, that of averfion to foreigners, her 
 power would foon be at an end. Reduced in that 
 cafe to a dependence on her European forces, the 
 conteft {he would have to fuftain would be too un- 
 cq^ual for any alternative to be expeded, but that of 
 
i^ VOYAGE 
 
 defeat and fubmifFion. Such a cataftrophe can nev- 
 er be brought about but by a hoftile nation, pofleflv 
 ing the neceffary policy to plan the defign, Ae pa- 
 tience and means to forward it in fecrecy, and the 
 power at the explofion to fécond and fupport it ; 
 and even that nation muft entertain no hops of ad- 
 vantage to itfelf, fincei being equally foreign, it 
 would probably be included in the very profcrip- 
 tion which it had contributed to foment. 
 
 If fuch a revolution, howe\'cr, be praticable, the 
 prefent government is at leaft doing every thing in 
 its power to deftroy the germ of it, by procuring a 
 population of Englifh origin, and thus diminifh the 
 poffibility by augmenting its ftrength. Madras 
 and Bombay command the whoife of the peninfula> 
 and the death of Tippoo has lately relieved the Eng- 
 lifh from the only adequate check upon their influ- 
 ence. The king of Tre vancour and the nizam of Gol- 
 Conda,in complete fubmiflion to their will, guarantee 
 their authority from Cape Comorin to the frontier 
 of the itate of the Mahratias, a nation that has al- 
 ways been their faithful ally, and afliiled them with 
 its arms. Fort William puts the whole province 
 of Bengal at their difpofal ; and the nabob of the 
 adjoining provinces, Mouxoudabad, Benares, and 
 Lucknow, bow to the fceptre of the merchants of 
 JLondon. The troops of thefe princes are command- 
 ed by Englilh officers, which infures the"»" fidelity 
 to the jcompany \ and the Mogul emperor has even 
 offered his arms for the chains -^^ jth which he will 
 foon be loaded. Already an Englifh detachment 
 is ftationed at Delhi, where it refides with its ofH- 
 cer in the very palace of the emperor, and keepS; 
 guard over his peifon^ •> trending to do fo for his^ 
 îafety, and to ferve him as a guavd of honour y 
 while in facl: it is a ?uard of fpies, placed ihsxe. to 
 m^ateh ail his aâ:ions> to giv^ an account of themj, 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 6$ 
 
 and eventually it will not fail to reduce him to the 
 fame ftate of infignificance to which the other princ- 
 es, his vaflals, who have fubmitted to flie afcciidan- 
 cy of European power, are fabjei^ed. 
 
 The Englifh coiDpany has fovereign authority, 
 and holds >n its hands the reins of government. It 
 nominates to all ofBces, impoies taxes, receives 
 tributes, declares war and makes peace in its own 
 name, and keeps up a land and fea force diftin^ 
 from that of the king. Its navy confifts of a couple 
 of frigates, and two or three floops, which are fta- 
 tioned at Bombay. The company has belides two 
 or three merchant fhips, which regularly make voy- 
 ages to Europe like thofe which it freights ; for the 
 fhips in general which the company employs in its 
 trade do not belong to it, but are hired of private 
 individuals. There is no privilege or exemption 
 in this bufinefs, every one who has {hips fit for the 
 purpofe being at liberty to QfFer them. Thofe 
 which arc taken up for a flngle voyage only are 
 called extra-{hïps, to diftinguiih them from fuch as 
 are conftantly employed, and which are called reg- 
 ular br*;oms. Thefe velTels are commanded by 
 captains who take an oath of fidelity to the company, 
 and who wear a blue uniform, with black velvet 
 facings, embroidered with gold. A command of 
 this nature is very expenGve ; to obtain it, as to ^ 
 regular (hip, three things are neceflary -, the con- 
 fent of the company, that of the owner of the fhip, 
 and the refignation of the individual who had the 
 previous command. The firft two require only a 
 compliance with the eftablilhed forms, but the laffc 
 Js an affair of purchafe. A captain is not remove- 
 able : to cafhier him he muft have committted fome 
 fault, and have been brought regularly to trial ; 
 and even then the accuftomed price muft be paid 
 feim by his fucceiTor, which is generally about three 
 
i66 TO Y AGE 
 
 thoufand pounds. When a fhip becomes old and 
 unfit for fervice, the captain obliges the owners to 
 build him a new one immediately, that he may be 
 freighted in his turn. The fame is done when a 
 veiTel is wrecked or taken by an enemy. 
 
 Thefe fhips are all built on nearly fir ilar models, 
 and fhould be pierced to carry at leaft fix-and-twen- 
 ty twelve-pounders on the gun-deck. Many arc 
 ftronger, and in cafe of neceffity can a£l oiFenfively, 
 and fer-e as frigates in the Indian feas ; but their 
 guns are too low to be of the fame ufe in wider 
 oceans. When the govenor-general wants them 
 for any extraordinary fervice, he freights thera for 
 the time neceflary j this is a diftindl: bufinefs, and 
 is paid for feparately from their common voyage. 
 
 Thefe refources not being fufficient, they are 
 augmented by fomeland and fea forces of the king 
 of England. A part of the royal navy is always 
 ftationed in India, that of the company ferving on^ 
 ly for the narrow feas and againft the pirates of the 
 coaft of Malabar. Five or fix regiments of the 
 royal troops are in like manner kept in the different 
 fetlements : thefe add to the number of European 
 forces in the pay of the company ; for the king's 
 troops in their fervice receive from them the fame 
 pay as their own. Befides this garrifon, the king 
 maintains a right of fovereignty over the territory 
 of the company. The perfons who refide there are 
 amenable, as Englifli fubjeéls, to the tribunals of 
 his majefty, and juftice is adminiftered in his name. 
 All other a6ts of fovereignty are in the hands of 
 the governor-general, affifted by his council ; and 
 it is from this fupreme court that all orders relative 
 to operations of government emanate. The orders 
 from Europe, in every thing that belongs to com-* 
 mercial affairs, proceed from the court of dire^ors j 
 hut points touching the fovereign government are 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 167 
 
 under the direction of a board of control, the pref- 
 ident of which is one of the king's minifters ; fo. 
 that by means of this boaid, his troops, and the 
 loca^ •dminittration of judice, the king is the true 
 fovereign of India. The united compc-ny of mer- 
 chants trading thither have only the title to flatter 
 their vanity ; the elïence of the authority refides in 
 his majefty, who allows them to difpofe of their 
 funds as they think proper, under certain reftric- 
 tions however ; for the opulence of this company 
 affecting the public credit of the nation, it is necef- 
 fary that its financial concerns ihould be fubjeift to 
 examination. 
 
 The government of Bengal either farms out its 
 taxes, or puts them into fome other train of man- * 
 sgement, as it thinks proper. They are collefted 
 in its name, and it appoints the judges for the in- 
 terior parts of the country ; a mealure which is 
 extremely obnoxious to the natives, who are there- 
 by compelled to have recourfe to foreigners for 
 juftice. In this department the greateft difficulty 
 is to decide with equity between a European and 
 an Indian, when the laws of the two nations differ. 
 Each party profeiTes himfelf ignorant of the laws of 
 the other, and the judge is fare to give offence to 
 one of them, who complains accordingly, and ex- 
 cites a clamour againfh him. 
 
 In publifliing my Voyage in the Indian Ocean 
 and to Bengal, I have been defirous of exhibiting a 
 picture of the true flate of the Europeans in that 
 part of the world, rather than of writing a courie of 
 botany, ornithology, or mineralogy. INIy intention 
 was to furnifh materials for hiftorians, not for 
 naturalifts ; I fhall therefore give no nomenclature 
 either of aiiimals, birds, or the produftions of the 
 country ; on thofe fubjefts there are already writers 
 enough. I fhall merely obfervc with regard t» 
 
i6$ VOYAGE ' 
 
 animals, that there arc two forts of oxen in India, 
 the large and the fmalL The former refemble th«fe 
 in Europe 5 but there is another fort lower in ftat- 
 ure, and which bear the fame proportion to oxen 
 in generalj'as the fmall Hungarian horfes do to the 
 large Englifli ones. Among this fmall kind there 
 are fome in particular that are accounted facred, 
 and are caMed Bramin- oxen. I know not whether 
 they are indebted for their form to the particular 
 care that is taken of them, to a more delicate food, 
 or to the eafy life which they lead ; but they have 
 by no means the heavy fluggifh air that chara£ler- 
 ifes other animals of their fpecies. On the con- 
 trary, they are lightj flender, active, and have fome- 
 ' thing graceful both in their (hape and motions. 
 They are a fort of apis y :• d are fuffered to go at 
 large among the people in the ftreets and market- 
 places, and to take freely whatever they like. Any 
 perfon in the bazar, from whom one of thefe oxen 
 ihall take a cabbage or other vegetable, will con- 
 fider it as an inftance of extraordinary good for- 
 tune, and all his family will rejoice witk him at 
 the event. 
 
 The flieep are in every refpect like thofe in 
 France, and do not at all refemble the African 
 breed, which is a fpecies that I have no where elfe 
 met with in any part of the world. 
 
 Elephants are common ail over this province, and 
 are trained to every fort of employment, even to 
 hunting the tiger. It is cuftomary to fallen on the 
 back of this huge animal a pavilion, large enough 
 to hold five or fix peifons, who afcend to it by a 
 ladder, which is afterwards fufpended to the 
 crupper. 
 
 When a tiger is to be hunted, the perfon s who 
 engage in the amufement get into this pavilion, 
 and bave feveral well-trained dogs that beat the 
 
ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN. i6^ 
 
 country before them. The elephant follows the 
 dogs till he gets fcent of the tiger, which he does 
 generally at a great diftance, for his fenfes are ex- 
 tremely acute. Immediately he raifes his trunk in- 
 to the air like the mail of a fhip, and feems anxious 
 to keep it from being laid hold of by his enemy» 
 On this fignal the hunters prepare to fire^ if it 
 fhould be neceiTary. 
 
 The dogs in the mean time prefs upon the tiger, 
 who no foqner perceives the elephant than he (lands 
 immovable, his mouth open and claws extended, 
 roaring dreadfully, and watching every motion of 
 the elephant with the greateft attention. The lat- 
 ter approaches within the length of his trunk, 
 W'hich he ftill keeps erecft and out of danger : the 
 two animals for a moment look at each other, and 
 this is the time when the hunters ufually fire. The 
 {hot makes the tiger flart, on which the elephant 
 ' feizes him, and dextroufly lifting him up with his 
 trunk, and letting him fall again, crufhes him to 
 death by treading upon him, and farces his entrails 
 through the wounds. Whenever a tiger makes his 
 appearance near any place that is inhabited, he is 
 hunted in this manner 5 and .the amufement is at- 
 tended with fo little danger, that ladies are often 
 of the party. 
 
 There are many ipecies of monkeys at Bengal, 
 but no orang-outang. 
 
 Among rhe birds of this province are the vul- 
 ture and the eagle. This laft is the fmall or 
 fpeckled eagle, but the vulture is t|ie large fort. 
 There is alfo a great variety of paroquets, and one 
 fpecies in particular that is difiicult to be kept ; a 
 circumftance to be lamented from the extraordinary 
 beauty of its plumage. Its head is fuperbj being 
 fliaded with rofe colour, gold, and azure ; the 
 beak tools of rofe colour, and the reft of the hoàf 
 F 
 
*7» , VOYAGE 
 
 green*. There is alfo a charming little bird call- 
 ed bengali, with grey and red plumage mixed with 
 white fpots ; and a large grey fparrow that can 
 dive into the water and fetch its prey from the 
 bottom, if the depth be not more than a foot : this 
 is the more extraordinary, as nature does not ap- 
 pear to have deftined this bird to fwim, for it is 
 not web-footed, and its feathers readily imbibe 
 water. 
 
 The productions of B.engalj taken generally, may 
 be clalTed under two headsj thofe of the foil and 
 tliofe of induftry. 
 
 In the number of the former is faltpetre, with 
 which the land of this country is (trongly impreg- 
 nated. This does not require repeated v/afhing to 
 yield any quantity ; a lingle operation is fufficient 
 to obtain as much as the Indians want. Their 
 lazinefs could not endure the frequent repetitions 
 of that procefs which are necefiary in Europe. 
 Cotton is another produdtion of the foil, from which 
 thofe fine muilins are made which are brought to 
 Europe. 
 
 Wheat is very fparingly cultivated here, but the 
 country abounds in rice, which conilitutes the prin- 
 cipal nourifnment of the people : the ground is un- 
 commonly fruitful r, there is no fuch thir^ known 
 as a bad crop. As the country is low and flat, it 
 is interfed:ed and watered by a multitude of canals, 
 which are fupplied by the Ganges, and contribute 
 greatly to the fertiiity of the foil. This river over- 
 flows in the higher countries, and leaves, like the 
 Nile, a fediment behind it, which the heat of the 
 fun modifies and renders very productive. Bengal 
 is the granary of rice to all India. 
 
 Vegetables of every fort thrive well, but fruiciii 
 
 * The name given to tkjs bird by Edwards is tlie / ofe- headed 
 ring paroquet, T, 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 171 
 
 general is good for nothing. With much pains 
 fome European fruit-trees are made to grow, but 
 the fig is thé only fruit that profpers, and even that is 
 fcarce. As to the fruits of the torrid zone, the lati- 
 tude of the climate is too high, and the heat too 
 moderate, to bring them to any perfe<ftion j the 
 anana in particular is very bad. 
 
 The Englifn have introduced into this province 
 a new fpecies of agriculture, in the cultivation of 
 the fugar-cane. When I left Bengal in 1794, this 
 undertaking had jufl begun to be tried, and it al- 
 ready afforded a fair profpetl of fuccefs. MelTrs. 
 Lambert and Rofs were the firft who engaged in 
 the fpeculation, I vifited their plantation, and had 
 the pieafure of feeing that their fields looked well, 
 were in good order, and the canes promifing, though 
 fmaller than thofe of the iîntilles -, this difadvan- 
 tage however is compenfated by the quantity of 
 juice they yield, which is owing to the peculiar 
 quality of the foil in which they are planted. The 
 only thing that diiiatisfied me M'-as, that a mlfplaced 
 economy feemed to have prefided in the'eftablifh- 
 ment of the manufactories. The buildings were 
 good, the coppers extenfive, and the mill well ex- 
 ecuted, but it was worked by oxen, which have 
 neither the ftrength nor the perfeverance of the 
 mules in the Weft Indies. Thefe oxen are a de- 
 generate kind of buffalo, and it is not without great 
 trouble they can be rendered in any degree ufeful : 
 the bufinefs of driving and whipping them is the 
 hardeft employment in the whole manufactory. 
 This mode of working a mill appears to me a very 
 ineligible contrivance ; a water-mill certainly would 
 be much more fimpie and preferable, and the Gan^ 
 ges is rapid enough to afford a fail of water that 
 would fet any wheel in motion. 
 
 At the period of which I fpeak, the natives were 
 
vrt VOYAGE 
 
 too little acauainted with a bulinefs of this kind t^ 
 be capable of condu£ling it, and workmen were ac- 
 cordingly brought from China for the purpofe : it 
 is to be hoped however, that the Indians will learn 
 in time to do without thefe men, and will no long* 
 cr have rccourfe to foreigners, who are not to be 
 ©btained but at an expenfe that enhances the price 
 of the fifgar, which will prove of little ultimate ad- 
 vantage, unlefs- it can be brought m price to bear 
 ïomt proportion in Europe to that of the Weil 
 Indies. 
 
 In Tome provinces indigo is cultivated with con- 
 fiderable fuccefs j but though the plants are fine, 
 all the indigo I faw was of a very indiiFcrent quali- 
 ty. This is owing perhaps to the manner of prep- 
 aration ; however, be the caufe what it may, cer- 
 tainly that of the Ifle of France is greatly fuperior. 
 1 faw at Calcutta the common blue indigo only, 
 hut none of the copncr, or the flower, or the in- 
 flammable fort. 
 
 Among the productions of induftry, ought prin- 
 cipally to be mentioned the different kinds of muf- 
 lins, fome plain, others ftriped, and others again, 
 worked with gold, filver, and cotton, of which the 
 fineft are made at Dacca, a town in the northern 
 part of the province, where there are many manu- 
 îadories -, to thefe mult be added the doreas and 
 terrindams, ihe different forts of linen under the 
 names of coffaes, nainfooks, gurrahs, ballafores, the 
 chintzes of Patna, the carpets of Barampour, hand- 
 kerchiefs and pieces of filk and of cotton. 
 
 The EngliOi have eftabliflied manufa6lories for 
 printed linens in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, 
 that in no long time will totally ruin thofe manu-^ 
 facStured by the natives of Patna, which are greatly 
 inferior, and are befides lefs eafily difpofed of, on 
 account of the di dance of Patna from the capital. 
 
m THE INDIAN OCEAN. 173 
 
 At Sirampoor, a Danifh colony, of which I fhall 
 fpeak hereafter, there was an excellent manufa£lo- 
 ry of this kind, belonging to Mr. Hamilton. 
 
 The Ganges, difpenfing fertility in its progrefsj 
 navigable throughout, and thus affording the means 
 of commercial intercourfe, has obtained the adora- 
 tion of the inhabitants of its banks, from the innu- 
 merable benefits it continually beftows upon them, 
 and has been worfhipped as a divinity iince the pe- 
 riod when, according to tradition, madam Dourga 
 plunged into it and difappeared. They relate, that 
 this woman was their legiflator, that in her old age 
 (he defcended to the bottom of the Ganges, and 
 that Ihe ftill lives there. Accordingly the greateft 
 happinefs of life is that of bathing in this river and 
 drinking its waters, which have the vivtue of puri- 
 fying both body and foul. 
 
 Amidft the abfurdities of this ftory, the wifdom 
 of the legiflator may be clearly perceived, who in- 
 tended by the invention to enforce upon the natives 
 the praflice of frequent bathing, fo necefTary in a 
 climate hke this, to prevent cutaneous diforders 
 and the various evils refulting from uncleanlinefs. 
 It is. in the fame fpirit that they are enjoined by a 
 precept to abftain from animal food, and to live 
 wholly upon vegetable diet'; a precaution equally 
 ufeful for the prevention of thofe putrid diforders, 
 which would otberwife be inevitable, from the noi- 
 forae vapours that prevail in a country almoil whol- 
 ly under water during a part of the year. 
 
 The ftory of madam Dourga has given rifs to a 
 fuperftition, to which many a poor creature has fall- 
 en a victim. It is believed that every one who is 
 drowned in the Ganges is deftined to enjoy with 
 this fair perfonage eternal happinefs, and that it is 
 by her contrivance and interpofition that accidents 
 of this kind happen. When a man therefore is in 
 P2 
 
S74 VOYAGE 
 
 danger of drowningj inftead of endeavouring tb ex- 
 tricate him, the byeftanders wifti him every kind of 
 pîeafure, recommend themfelves to his favour, and 
 even, if neceflary, forward the cataftrophe, or at 
 lead are afraid of incurring the difpleafure of their 
 fair divinity by aflifting him to get into a boat or 
 reach the ihore. 
 
 It is feldom, however, that they have occafion to 
 carry fo far their inhuman zeal towards any of their 
 countrym.en ; for a native, who fhould fall into the 
 water, perfuading himfelf that he is going to the 
 abode of eternal felicity, has no defire to cfcape 
 from it by any exertions to fave his life. It fome- 
 times happens, that, in fpite of themfelves, the tide 
 will drift them afhore ; in this cafe they fuppofc 
 the foul not deemed by madam Dourga fufEciently 
 pure to be admitted into her prcfence. The Eu- 
 ropeans, however, who are little ambitious of the 
 honour of vifiting this lady, when by accident they 
 fall into the river, endeavour to fave themfelves ; 
 and it is well they do, for the natives, exerting all 
 their fpeed, fly inftantly from the fpot ; and if the 
 unfortunate being is unable to fwim, it is all over 
 Tvith him -, he can expert no affiftance unlefs one 
 ©f his countrymen fhould chance to be at hand. 
 
 The Indians bathe at lead once a day, as the pre- 
 cept commands them. I have pafled whole days 
 in looking at them •, men, women, and children 
 bathe together without the fmallefl indecency. 
 They leave their (hoes on the bank, and fprinkic 
 themfelves z's they go into the river ; when they 
 are up to the middle in water, they take off their 
 apron (pagne) and waili it, perform the ablutions 
 diretled by their religion, put on their apron again, 
 and come out. Often fome Bramins come to bathe, 
 bringing with them a fmall brafs vefTel of the fliape 
 of a cenfer, in wl\ich are forae grains about^the fizc. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 17^ 
 
 of a pea : thefe they throw one at a time into the 
 river, uttering, in a low tone of voice, a prayer or 
 two. They then fprinkle themfelves (lightly on the 
 back, touch their temples with the firft joint of their 
 thumb, wafh their apron, and retire. It is to be 
 remarked that the ceremony of wafhing the apron 
 is obferved by every individual ; a proof that the 
 precept was given for the purpofe of cleanlinefs. 
 
 As to the ceremonies of the Bramins, fuch as 
 throwing the grain into the river, the pra6lice of 
 enchantment to prevent the tigers from deftroying 
 the natives, the worfhip of madam Dourga, and 
 other abfurdities, thefe are points which we muft not 
 too haftily condemn. They are feemingly neceffa- 
 ry to maintain among the people the prevailing fu- 
 perftition, while the more learned of the Bramins 
 are fuperior to fuch mummery, and arrive, both iii 
 morals and mathematics, to the highell attainments* 
 Befides, wkere is the religion that does not include 
 fome form, purpofely contrived to impofe on the 
 multitude ? Even we, who are happily inflrufied 
 in the pureft of all *, have we not our holy water, 
 which is confecrated by breathing upon it and 
 throwing in fait ? Yèt would it not be unjuil to 
 form an opinion of the religion itfelf from this in- 
 llance of its practice ? This, however, is the fide 
 on which it is attacked by thofe who would deftroy 
 it ; and perhaps the natives of Bengal, at fome fac- 
 ture time, might employ the fame means to over*» 
 turn theirs, by ridiculing its forms, without attend- 
 ing to its fubftance, were not inflru6lion wholly 
 confined to the call of the Bramins, and the reft of 
 the nation in fuch deplorable ignorance as to be in- 
 capable of reflefting upon the reafonablenefs or ab- 
 furdity of what they are dire6led to believe. 
 
 * The author being a Frenchman, was confequently a catV 
 ékc» T^ 
 

 l^6 VOYAGE 
 
 It frequently happens, that the aged, when at the^ 
 point of death, caufe thcmfelves to be brought to 
 the edge of the river at the time of low water, and, 
 being covered over with the mud by their friends^ 
 are left in this ftate to be overwhelmed by the tide 
 when it returns, to the great edification of the peo- 
 ple, who are perfuaded, that they are about to be 
 received into the manfions of the bleflcd. 
 
 Befides the ceremony of bathing, the Indians pay 
 regular worfhip to the Ganges. They make of- 
 erings to it of oil, cocoa, and flowers» which they 
 expofe on its banks, to be wafhed away by the 
 itrean^ When they have a friend at fea, and would' 
 offer vows for his return, they light in the evening 
 fome fmall lamps, filkd with oil of cocoa, and 
 placing them in earthen dilhes, which they adorn 
 with garlands, they commit them in the fame man- 
 ner to the ftream : the river is fometimes covered 
 with thefe lights. If the dilh fmks fpeedily, it is a 
 bad omen for the obje£i; of their vows ; but they 
 abandon themfelves to the moil pleafing hopes, if 
 they can obferve their lamp (hining at a diftance, 
 and if it goes fo far as to be at length out of fight ^ 
 without any accident happening to extinguifh it, it 
 is a fure token, that their friend will return in 
 fafety-. 
 
 This madam Dourga, who h*s deified the Gan- 
 ges, is held in great ven'^ration : her feilival is cele- 
 brated every year in the month of Oclober, and 
 while it lafls no'.hing is known but rejoicing ; the 
 natives vifit each other, and on three fucceflive 
 evenings ailemble togetlrer for the adoration of 
 their divinity. Her ftatue is placed in a fmall niche 
 of clay, M'hich is gilt and adorned with flowers, 
 pieces of îinfel, and other fimilar ornaments. The. 
 Ilatue itfelf is drelFed in the mod magnificent attire 
 they can procure, is about a foot high, and the nich€- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 177 
 
 with its appendages about three feet and half. All 
 the rich celebrate a feftival of this kind in their 
 own hoirfeSj and are ambitious of difplaying the 
 greatefl luxury, lighting up their apartfnents in the 
 mod fplendid manner. Such as cannot afford to 
 obfervethis folemnity at their own houfc, go to that 
 of fome neighbour : there is one of thcfe célébra- 
 tions at lea ft in every quarter of the town, fo that 
 all the inhabitants have an opportunity of payings 
 their devotion?. 
 
 The room is furniflied with feats for the guefts, 
 and the ftatue is placed on a fmall ftage concealed 
 by a curtain, as in our public theatres. The cur- 
 tain beiag drawn up by the fervants, a concert be- 
 gins, in which the principal inftrument is a fort of 
 bag-pipe. The reed of tliis not being iexiblc, and. 
 the performer beirg wholly ignorant how to modu- 
 late its tone, nothing can be iefs mufical than the 
 fonnd it produce*, unlefs it be the tunes that are 
 played upon it : the moft vile and difcordant clarion- 
 et is melodv itfelf comnared with this inftrument, 
 which would literally fplit the ears of any other au- 
 dience. In the midfl of this concert the pantomime 
 is introduced, in which the perfonages of the fcene, 
 uncouthly drefled, and infupportably difgufting, 
 from the rancid odour of the oil of cocoa, exhibit 
 fome ridiculous tricks, calculated to amufe the hon- 
 eft Indians, who laugh heartily and give themfeîves 
 up to the moft extravagant joy. For two .days every 
 kind of refpet\ and adoration is paid to the idol j 
 but on the third appearances alter. They abufe it, 
 call it a whore, (how their pofteriors to it, and load 
 It with curfes and execrations : this dene, they take 
 it upon their flioulders and carry it to the banks of 
 the Ganges, followed by the horrid din of the bag- 
 pipe^ where, reiterating their curfes^ they throw i^ 
 
178 VOYAGE 
 
 into the water, amidft the moft frightful cries and 
 howling, and leave it to its fate *. 
 
 It is not eafy to difcover the drift of this ceremo- 
 ny. The Bramin, who was my fircar, tqld me, that 
 the fefiival of madam Dourga was inftituted to per- 
 petuate and honour her memory, retain the people 
 in a devotion, which had for its object to give a char- 
 ^fter of facrednefs to the Ganges, and thus enforce 
 • the precept, which enjoin-ed the falutary pra£lices 
 of frequent ablution and bathing: but this lady not 
 being the fupreme deity, it was not amifs, he added, 
 to conclude the ceremony with a£ls of infult, which 
 would convince the people, that Brama alone was 
 entitled to the unmixed and nevsr-ceafing adoration 
 of mankind. This explanation, though by no means 
 fatisfa«Story, was all the light Î could obtain on fo lin- 
 gular a practice. This is the only worihip I ever 
 knew that pail'ed in its ceremonies from adoration 
 to contempt dxià infult. 
 
 The Moors celebrate alfo an annual fefiival, which 
 they call Jamfe^. I did not obtain any accurate in- 
 formation as to the nature of this ceremony, but it 
 appeared to mic to be of the m.oiirnful kind. A fort 
 of funeral exhibition is carried through the ftreets, 
 accompanied with banners refembling ftandards. 
 There was a great concourfe of people, and every 
 individual had a fcick in his hand, with a fmall flag 
 at the end of it. Thev walked in ranks on the dif- 
 ferent fides of the i'treet with great regularity. In 
 the middle of the prcceffion were fome who per- 
 formed feats of itrength, and {howed their a6iivity 
 by the moil hazrirdous leaps, bawling cut all the 
 time as loud as they were aljle. As neither the pe- 
 riod of this feilival, nor that of madam Dourga, is 
 
 * There are further details of this feftival in StaVorinus, of which 
 foltne are fo humiliating to man, as to fi;artle our belief. See Jus 
 Voyages, tranllated by S. H. Wilcocke, Vol. I, page 418. T. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 79 
 
 determined by aftronomical returns, they vary, and 
 fometimes happen together : in that cafe, the gov- 
 ernment is obliged to ufe the utmoll vigilance and 
 precaution, to prevent the mod ferio^js accidents. 
 Whenever the procelTions meet, neither of them will 
 give way to the other, and the ancient enmity of the 
 two calls revives in all its rancour : the parties at- 
 tack each other like furies j the remembrance of the 
 ancient viâ:ories of the Mahometans roufes a cour- 
 age and infpli^es a confidence on one fide, v/hich 011 
 the part of the Indians are e.*gually fupplied by en- 
 thuiiafm, and they both fight with the mofc inveter- 
 ate malice. Jamfey and madam Dourga are broken 
 to pieces in the confufion, while their foUov/ers mur- 
 der one another on their remains, and the battle is 
 only terminated by the deilruttion or rout of one of 
 the parties. A Ipirit of revenge produces a repeti- 
 tion of thefe battles on the following days, and it is 
 impoffible to forefee the length to which the 
 maflacres will extend, if the government does n<)t 
 pofTefs an armed force fufficient to reilrain the com- 
 batants. 
 
 The inhuman cuflom of women burning them- 
 felves to death on the corofe of their hufbands is not 
 yet annihilated in India ; but it is confined to th« 
 caft of the Bramins. When an individual-^oY Thi« 
 caft dies^ one of his wives is bound to exhibit this 
 dreadful proof of her aiFe£lion. This lamentable 
 facrifice is not impofed upon them by law, for they 
 may refufe to make it ; but in that cafe they 
 lofe their chara£ler, are held in difhonour, and ar© 
 deprived of their call, a misfortune fo' intolerable, 
 that they prefer to it the alternative of being burnt 
 alive. Nature however revohs in fome of thefe wid- 
 ows, and it is probable, if left to themfelves, that 
 they would never confent to fo cruel a facrifice ; 
 but the old women and priefts are inceiTantly impor- 
 
i8o VOYAGE 
 
 tuning them, and reprefenting, that after death the 
 moft exquifite happinefs is their lot : as they are 
 commonly young, it is no difhcult matter to triumph 
 over their weaknefs and irrefolution ; they accord- 
 ingly fubmit to the cuftom, and the prejudice which 
 ordains it keeps its ground. 
 
 The manner in which this facrifice is performed 
 is different in different places. As pradifed at Ben- 
 gal it is horrible. The funeral pile of the hufband 
 is ere£led near a wall, with jufh fpace enough be- 
 tween for a fingle perfon to pafs, that the widow 
 may walk, as is the cuftom, three times round it. 
 A hole is made in the wall at the height of the pile, 
 in which a beam, upwards of twenty feet long is 
 placed, with a rope faftened to the end of it, and 
 hanging to the ground, for the purpofe of making it 
 ofculate. 
 
 When the widow has performed her ambulations, 
 and taken off her jewels, which (lie diftributes among 
 her companions, ffie afcends the pik, and lies down, 
 embracing the corpfe of her hufband. The beam 
 is then put into motion, and falls upon her fo heav- 
 ily as to break her loins, or deprive her at leaft of 
 the power of moving, the pile is now fet on fire, 
 and the mufic ftriking up, contributes, with the 
 fhouts of the people, to drown the noife of her 
 groaris, and flic is thus, in the full fenfe of the ex- 
 preffion, burnt alive. 
 
 My fervanr, a very brave fellow, who had been 
 difchargedr from the military fervice for the lofs of 
 a finger, and who difliked the Bramins, informed 
 me one day, that a woman was going to be burnt 
 at a place which he pointed out to me, on the left 
 fide of the river,between Fultaand Mayapour. Hav- 
 ing enquired into the circumllance, I learned, that 
 flie was both young and handfome, that fhe had al- 
 ready twice put off the ceremony, but that the day 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. lU 
 
 being a third time fixed, nothing could longer de- 
 fer it. I conceived, that a woman who had twice 
 hefitated, would find at lead no great pleafure in 
 fubmitting, and conje6luring, that ftie might not 
 be forry to efcape altogether, I formed the refolu- 
 tion of endeavouring to fave her. I afked my man 
 if he would aflift me, which he readily agreed to, 
 adding, that he had told it me with the hope of en- 
 gaging me in the enterprife. He requelted that 
 one of his comrades might be of the party, who was 
 a bold fellow and would be of great ufe to me ; I 
 commended his zeal, and accepted the proffered fer- 
 vices of his friend. 
 
 I took with me twenty good European failors, 
 ■whom I put on board my Hoop, in the bow of which 
 I mounted a fwivel : I provided alfo a dozen muf- 
 quets, eight piftols, and a fcore of fabres. Two of- 
 ficers accompanied me, who were refolved to aid 
 me to the utmoft of their power. I encouraged the 
 failors by promifing them the fixth part of the val- 
 ue of whatever jewels the woman fhould have about 
 her, intending to leave the remainder for herfelf, if 
 {lie did not choofe to flay with me. My fervant 
 and his companion were without arms, as it vms 
 not my intention^to employ them in fighting. I dif- 
 pofed my forces into three bodies, in the following 
 manner. One of the oflicers and eight men were 
 to guard the boat. The other officer and fix men 
 were to follow me at a fliort dil'tance with piflols,^ 
 but to referve their fire till I gave orders. Six of 
 the molt refolute I fele£led to attend me in the bufi- 
 nef? ; four of them armed with inufquets, and two, 
 who were to keep themfelves clofe at my fide, with 
 pillols. The party who were left to guard the boat 
 had mufquets, and were to be injeadinefs to cover 
 my retreat : bifides his fire arms, every man had a 
 ùhï^f and no one v/as to fire vv'ithout exprefs leave. 
 Q 
 
i82 VOYAGE 
 
 Such was the arrangement of my force, and I had 
 no doubt from the valour of my people, that my in- 
 tentions would be admirably feconded. They had 
 -all feen fome fervice, and would bravely (land be- 
 fore a veteran and experienced enemy, much more 
 before men like the natives of this country. It 
 was planned by my fervant and his companion, 
 that I {hould go up to the widow and touch her : 
 this was a violation that would deprive her of her 
 caft, and fhe would then have no tight to burn her- 
 felf : at the fame time they were to tell her in the 
 Moorifh language, not to be frightened, but refign 
 herfelf wholly to their diredion, for that they came 
 to refcue her. They were then to carry her ofFas 
 expeditioully as poilible, under the efcort of the of- 
 ficer and party following me, while I and my fix 
 chofen failors were to bear the brunt of the conteft, 
 that they might have time to reach the boat, to 
 which I was to retreat when I fuppofed them fafely 
 arrived there. 
 
 I hoped, that men, unarmed and thus taken by 
 furprife, feeing a body of Europeans with fabres and 
 piftols, would not have the courage to attack us ; 
 but, being prepared to receive them if they did, I 
 refolved to run the rillc. 
 
 My intention was to leave the woman afterwards 
 to her own difpofal, that is to fay, to give her the 
 choice of either going with me, or of fettling at 
 Calcutta upon the produce of her jewels, which I 
 fliould of courfe have the precaution to bring away 
 with her. 
 
 My whole plan was prepared and ready, and I 
 fet out to execute it, I arrived at the place, and 
 alertly jumped adiore. The arrangements agreed 
 upon were made with precifion. I advanced, and 
 was aRonifiied at the fcillnefs and filence that pre- 
 vailed* I came to the fpot. Alas ! the dreadful 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1S3 
 
 facrifice had been completed the preceding evening. 
 I had been mifinformed of the day. The wall was 
 ftill warm, and the aflies were fmoking. I returned 
 with an oppreffipn of heart that I can hardly ex- 
 prefs, and as much afFet^ed as if I had been a wit- 
 nefs to the barbarous execution, My regret for 
 this vi'oraan was as great as the pleafure I fliould 
 have felt in faving her, and the idea I had formed 
 of her youth and beauty. 
 
 It is to be wiîlied, for the progrefs of our knowl- 
 edge in the, hiilory of the globe, that the books of 
 the Bramins, fmce it appears that we know fome- 
 thing of them, would in ftruft us as to the time 
 when thefe people firfh made their appear^ince in 
 Bengal ; a province which at that period muft have 
 been one vaft marfh, and which without doubt they 
 drained by digging the Ganges, and other great 
 canals, that ferve to draw off the water, which 
 would otherwife cover the v/hole face of the 
 country. Such an epoch, if it could be afcertained, 
 together with the little elevation of the foil in this 
 province, would form a bafis from which inferences 
 might be drawn relative to the retreat of the ocean. 
 
 Till thefe lights fhall be afforded us, we muft 
 fuppofe the province of Bengal to be of no remote 
 antiquity. It is a vaft plain, without a fingle moun- 
 tain of granite ; the little hills which are met with 
 are merely hardened clay ; and, except towards the 
 northern extremity, not a ftone, even of a calcare- 
 ous defcriptioh, is to be found. 
 
 If we were affured by tradition, that the race of 
 the Bramins are the true aborigines of the country, 
 and that it has been inhabited from periods more 
 remote than our chronology can trace, this facfl 
 would overthrow the fyftem, not of the abfolute re- 
 treat of the fea, but of its gradual and progreffive 
 jretreat , for there are proofs fo ftrong on the moft 
 
iig4 VOYAGE 
 
 elevated parts of the globe of fuch elevations hav-^ 
 ing been formerly covered by the water, that it is 
 impofTiblc to refill their evidence. Accordingly 
 Bengal, at feme period or other, mufl have been in 
 the fame fituation. This being admitted, the prin- 
 ciples of hydroftatics will make it impoffible to fup- 
 pofe this province to have been cleared of its waters 
 prior to places of a more elevated pofition. If we 
 confider its trifling height, when compared with 
 the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Gauts, and laftly the 
 mountains of Thibet, which feem to rife proudly 
 above it, we mufl: fuppofe it to be a country in its 
 infancy. The coaft of Bengal is fo low, that it can- 
 not be feen at the diftance of three leagues ; a heavy 
 fea would overflow it , and when the tide is unu- 
 fually high, at the fizygies, the banks of the Ganges 
 are under v/ater. If I may offer the refult of my 
 own obfervations, Bengal is of the fame age as the 
 plain of India, which extends from the coail as far 
 as the Gauts, or perhaps a little more modern» 
 This land is all on nearly the fame level, and mufl 
 confequently have been left by the ocean at nearly 
 the fame period. 
 
 If mountains of granite be the primitive matter 
 which coniiitu':ed our planet when it firft began to 
 contra£l its folidity, we may fay with Pallas, wliere- 
 ever we meet with it : <* this is one of the points 
 mod diflant from the centre of the earth, for it is 
 compofed of a fubftance, which, formerly expan- 
 five in its fluid ftate, was proje6ted by a centrifugal 
 power." This fubflance therefore mufl be the mofl 
 ancient of thofe which enter in its prefent flate in- 
 to the compofition of the confolidated globe ; fince, 
 at the period of the conflagration, it was the 
 firfl that, condenfmg itfelf, yielded to the expan- 
 five force, which threw it from the centre to the 
 furface. When I find myfelf therefore on a portion 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 85 
 
 of the globe that has none of thefe appearances, I 
 muft conclude myfelf to be on a land of modern 
 formation. If we defcend from the fummit of 
 thefe mountains of granite or primitive matter to 
 the plain of Bengal, which is fcarcely above the lev- 
 el of the ocean, is fubjedl to inundations, and does 
 not afford a fingle fpecimen of any of the original 
 fubftances of the globe, even thofe of a calcareous 
 nature, which are evidently produced in the bofom 
 of the fea, we fhall be obliged to admit, that this 
 low plain is nothing but the fands which the fea has 
 quitted, and muft be a country of very late date, 
 when confidered in relation to the paft exiftence of ' 
 the globe. 
 
 Indeed no part of this country bears any genu- 
 ine ftamp of antiquity. I do not call (uch the 
 monuments of human conftru£lion, which are 
 fwept away in the lapfe of ages : I refer to char- 
 a£lers imprinted upon thofe vaft maffes, raifed by 
 nature alone, and which the influence of time is in- 
 fenfibly changing. But where are w€ to look for 
 veftiges like thefe in a plain, as yet fcarcely folid, 
 and that can in no part be dug without meeting the 
 water, which lately covered, and has but juft left 
 its furface ? The extraordinary fertility of this 
 country evinces it to be of modern formation, and 
 the retreat of the ocean is marked by irrefragable 
 proofs. The Clive-iflands have evidently been 
 formed by the fea ; the fand-banks called Brajjes 
 experience "a flow but regular conformation, and 
 will hereafter be converted into illands, when the 
 Clive-iflands will be joined to the continent. The 
 bank called «S^-^râ^ is a new bank, which the fea is 
 adding to the others. Even the Ganges diminifli- 
 es in depth ; a circumftance that is not produced by 
 . the elevation of its bottom, for the violence of the 
 current effeclually prevents it, but by the water re- 
 
 Q.2 
 
186 VOYAGE 
 
 tiring to a lower level. "When the French company 
 was firft eftablifhed in this country, fhips of war of 
 feventy-four guns came to Chandernagore ; but af- 
 terwards they were obliged to flop at Mayapour, 
 and at prefent can reach no further than Cadjery, 
 a fmall village at the mouth of the river. 
 
 The conclufion I would draw from thefe argu- 
 ments is, that the Bramins are not fprung from 
 Bengal, but have an origin much more ancient than 
 the exiflence of that country. An old oral tradi- 
 tion affirms them to have come from the north : 
 this tradition is accompanied with no proof, and 
 corroborated by no authority, but is a prefumption, 
 notwithftanding, that gives weight to my conjec- 
 ture. 
 
 It has been fuppofed, that the Ezourvedam, of 
 which we have a tranflation, was compofed a Ihort 
 time prior to the conquefts of Alexander. I dare 
 iaffirm, that this book was never written at Bengal ; 
 and fhould be bold enough, but for the refpedt I 
 bear to his memory, to doubt the aflertions of a cel- 
 ebrated author*, who has faid, that it was in the 
 neighbourhood of the Ganges that mankind firft 
 alTembled in fociety. He fcruples not to allege as 
 a proof of it, the extraordinary fertility of the coun- 
 try, which he fuppofes might determine its firft in- 
 habitants to fettle there. But if its fertility in the 
 «arly ages of the world had been fo great, it is cer- 
 tain that it would long fince have been exhaufted, 
 and the whole country at prefent be as deftitute as 
 the mountains, which Vv^ere in like manner fertile 
 heretofore, and ferved .%or the fubfiftence of the firft 
 race of men whom the ocean confined to their fum- 
 mirs, that are now barren and naked. 
 
 The fi^uation of Calcutta is fuch, that thofe who 
 are in poUcfTion of it are mafters of the whole river, 
 to the prejudice of the other nations of Europe,, 
 
 * Voltaire : EJfaifur les Moeurs, &c. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 187 ' 
 
 whofe fettlements are all higher up in its courfe. 
 Accordingly, were France to augment her military 
 works at Chandernagore, fo as even to render that 
 fortrefs impregnable, ihe would find herfelf not- 
 withftanding, from the firft moment of hoftilities, 
 completely cut off from communication with the 
 fea by the guns of Fort William, the fire of which 
 crofles the river and commands the paflage. As 
 Chandernagore would thus be deprived of every 
 kind of fuccour, it muft fall, if its garrifon were on- 
 ly able to a<fl within the walls. 
 
 A little above Calcutta, on the fame fide of the 
 river, is a fmall town called Bernagore, which be- 
 longed formerly to the Dutch, but was exchanged 
 in the year 1 790, and now forms a part of the Eng- 
 lifli territory. It is celebrated only in the annals of 
 debauchery. 
 
 From this place the European eftabliftiments up- 
 wards are on the left bank of the river. The firft 
 is Sirampour, or Fredericnagore, a handfome Daniih 
 colony, fituated on a healthy fpot of ground, and 
 which wants only a greater ftiare of commerce and 
 opulence to render it a very agreeable refidence. 
 The inhabitants are fond of pleafure, and the gov- 
 ernor, lieutenant colonel Obie, with whom I was 
 acquainted, attra£led to the town, by the politenefs 
 of his behaviour, and the entertain*ments he gave, a 
 great many ftrangers. One of his daughters, who 
 was married to count Shafalefki; gave an air of gaie- 
 ty to the place : her afiembiies vvere crowded j all de- 
 fcriptions of foreigners were admitted to them ; there 
 was dancing, and no one fought amufement in vain. 
 
 This little town is merely a fa<flory, fubjedl to 
 the council of Trinquebar : it furniflies a few bales 
 of goods to a couple of veffels belonging to the Da- 
 nifh company, which come for them annually. It 
 Supplies alfo one or two private veffels, which the 
 
1^8 VOYAGE 
 
 privilege of the company does not exclude from this 
 market. The commerce of the place is confequent- 
 ly very confined. Sirampour is almoit wholly in- 
 habited by emigrants from the other eftabliftiments, 
 who fly thither as to an afylum under their misfor- 
 tunes. The fettlement belongs to the king, who 
 keeps there a company of Sepoys, as a fort of po- 
 lice. There is nothing worthy of attention in the 
 town except the houfe of the governor. It is Itrik- 
 ing however by its elevation above the river, which 
 renders it pleafant and healthy, and it has every 
 where a clean and prepoflelling appearance. 
 
 Oppofite to this town, on the other bank of the 
 river, the Englifh company has a camp of ten thou- 
 fand men, that furnifties Fort William with its gar- 
 rifon, which is relieved every month. 
 
 Proceeding upwards, we find on the fame bank 
 the palace of Garati, a folitary remnant of ancient 
 French grandeur, and which fhows the fcale on 
 which the original plans of that people in Afia were 
 projeded. It is the fineft building in India. The 
 iront towards the garden is in the tafle which the 
 Europeans have adopted in this part of the world, 
 being ornamented v/ith a periftyle of the Ionic or- 
 der, after the Grecian manner. The infide of the 
 palace is fplendid, the hall fpacious, and the ceiling 
 and cornice are painted by the hand of a mailer. 
 The front towards the court is entirely in the French 
 tafle, with no periftyle. It reprefents three build- 
 ings, each adorned with a pediment, in which are 
 the cartouches for baf-reliefs, which have not been 
 executed. The court is circular, and in a good 
 tafte, and the entran-ce is by an avenue, that opens 
 majeftically upon this beautiful edifice. Garati is 
 the common refidence of the French governor in 
 Bengal. It has frequently fallen into the hands 
 of the Englifli, who have not always refigned it 
 
. IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 189 
 
 with a good grace, when the return of peace has 
 brought back itâ right owners. It has always how- 
 ever, fooner or later, been reftored on fuch occafions 
 to the party who were in pofleflion before the com- 
 mencement of hoftilities. 
 
 A little higher, on the fame fide, is the fmall 
 town of Chandernagore, the citadel of which is 
 now only a heap of ruins. The houfes, fome half 
 demolifhed, and the bed in a ftate of decay, the 
 ftreets dull and overgrown with grafs, the air of 
 negle6l which every where appears along the walls, 
 the breaches in fome that are mouldering away, are 
 fo many tokens of the decline of the French power 
 in Bengal. Yet formerly, under the government 
 of Dupleix, this town was flourifhing and opulent. 
 The French, powerful and beloved, had the credit 
 of rcfcuing the Englifh when befieged at Cadjery, 
 where they had been obliged to fhelter themfelves 
 on efcaping from Calcutta. Scarcely however 
 were they thus reftored to liberty, than, a reinforce- 
 ment arriving from Europe, with intelligerice at the 
 fame time of a declaration of war, they marched to 
 Chandernagore, to attack the very men, who, two 
 months before, had faved them from the fate of 
 their companions, fuffocated in the black hole at 
 Calcutta, and to lay in ruins a citadel, of which the 
 defenders, by a generous interference, had prevent- 
 ed their total expulfion from the country. The 
 barbarian meanwhile, who put to death fo many of 
 their unfortunate countrymen, to whofe memory a 
 monument has been eredled near the old fort at Cal- 
 cutta, fet them an example of true magnanimity, by 
 letting the Englifli fortrefs ftand, after he had tak- 
 en it, and even confenting to reftore it. The French 
 on the contrary had nothing reftored to them by 
 the Englifh but ruins, which their ill deftiny has 
 not permitted them to repair. From that periodj 
 
jcjo VOYAGE 
 
 Chandernagore has continually languiftied, and now 
 offers to the eye a mere fcene of defolation. The 
 town has a convent of monks, and a regular church 
 provided with a minifter, but they are both very 
 poor eftablifliments. Previous to the French rev- 
 olution, the vefiels of that nation were ufed in con- 
 fider able numbers to anchor at this place, which 
 gave it a degree of animation ; but the appearance 
 of the firft fparks of that political conflagration 
 drove the French from the town, and their fircars 
 follovv'ed them : the only two houfes of any confid- 
 erable trade which they had there efcaped, one to 
 Calcutta, and the other to Sirampour. The agent 
 of the French company, abandoning the whole of 
 his (lores, alfo took refuge among the Englifh, leav- 
 ing Chandernagore without commerce, without 
 money, and without employment. 
 
 The inhabitants of this fmall colony were dill nu- 
 merous, confifting chiefly of the crews of vefl'els, 
 moft of whom were deferters. Such of the white 
 inhabitants as were not dilafl'eifted Confifted of a 
 dozen families, who had places under the govern- 
 ment, and about two hundred aged feamen. A 
 few revolutionary individuals contriving to enflarrle 
 the minds oi thefe lail, a man, whom fortune had 
 elevated to the dation of advocate to the king, dif- 
 tinguifhed himfelf on this occafion, and was partic- 
 ularly a£live. A fmall colony like this could have 
 no revolution to effetl, and had only to wait for 
 dirci^ions from the mother-country and obey them. 
 The alterations rendered neceflary by the new or- 
 der of things might have been made without difturb- 
 ance or convulfion j but it did not fo happen. Rev- 
 olutionary proceedings were carried fo far, that the 
 governor, M. de M***, faw his authority defpifed, 
 and was obliged to leave the place, and retire to 
 Garati. The well-difpofed inhabitants, who were 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 1 9 1 
 
 leading families in the colony, followed him, think- 
 ing themfelves in danger amidft two hundred mad- 
 men, led on by an individual equally artful and ve- 
 hement, and whofe lead threat was that of throw- 
 ing into the river whoever fliould render himfelf 
 obnoxious to his party. 
 
 The governor, unfortunately, and the command- 
 ing-officer of the two companies of Sepoys which 
 compofed the garrifon, being on ill terms, did not 
 on this occafion a6t in concert. The former, in 
 confequence of this mifunderflanding, not expe<fl:- 
 ing to find the obedience neceffary in a time of in- 
 furre^lion, and conceiving the armed farce which 
 fhould fupport his authority to be at variance with 
 him, departed, in order to provide for. his own 
 fafety. 
 
 The officer, however, feeing the governor, his 
 chief, quit the place, forgot the difagreement that 
 had prevailed between them, and, thinking himfelf 
 bound to follow with the troops, retired alio to Ga- 
 *.rati. The governor might eafily have perceived, 
 that by fuch- a proceeding the officer had no idea of 
 enmity ; and, accordingly, had he marched inftant- 
 ly back, attended by the two companies, he might 
 have entered the town in all his authority, and have 
 redored and maintained order, till he fhould have 
 received inftruclions from Europe ; but inftead of 
 taking any vigorous fteps of this nature, he content- 
 ed himfelf with making preparations for his de- 
 fence, in cafe of attack. For this purpofe, he pro- 
 cured two pieces of cannon, which he planted in 
 the avenue, and encamped his troops at the gate of 
 the palace. Lord Cornwallis made him an offer 
 of a fufficient force to reduce Chandernagore ; but 
 M. de M***', in the true fpirit of a Frenchman, de- 
 clined accepting it, wifliing to owe no obligation 
 of this fort to the natural enemies of his countrj". 
 
ipa VOYAGE 
 
 He feared the Greeks even when offering prefents 
 — Danaos et dona fer entes. 
 
 Two days after, the Portuguefe caft, forming a 
 company among themfelves, called topas^ alfo re- 
 paired to the governor, who thus faw himfelf at 
 the head of the loyal and moft numerous part of 
 the colony, in oppofition to a handful of malecon- 
 tents, who were befides in infurredtion without a 
 caufe ; for no official intelligence had yet been re- 
 ceived, and the governor was actually waiting for 
 inftrudlions from France. In this fituation he re- 
 fufed to take any meafure againfl the rebels, and " 
 remained in a ftate of inaftion in his palace. 
 
 The revolutionifls meanwhile were not tranquil 
 fpe£lators of thiscondu6l on the part of the gover- 
 nor. Their firfl attention was direfted to what has 
 been called the fmews of war, and with this view 
 they feized upon thofe fircars who had not had the 
 precaution to make their efcape, and exacted from 
 them heavy contributions. Thefe fums they appli- 
 ed to the raifing a body of three hundred Sepoys, 
 which they recruited from the country around. A 
 merchant, whofe affairs were defperate, thinking 
 thereby to retrieve himfelf, accepted the command : 
 he was fure at leaft of fubfiftence for a time, and in 
 reality this was all he obtained. A yonng officer 
 of a trading veffel was lieutenant under him. By 
 plundering the company's magazines, they obtain- 
 ed clothing for this corps, and a quantity of Madeira 
 wine, of which they drank a part, and fold the reft 
 to furnifh their treafury. They purchafed fome in- 
 different pieces of cannon, that had belonged to a 
 merchant (hip, and put themfelves into a pofture of 
 defence. Finding that no one molelled them, they 
 fufpecled fome fnare, to guard againft which they 
 threw up fome fmall entrenchments on the bank of 
 ' the river, behind which they polled themfelves, with 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 193 
 
 t^e king's magazine in their rear, fortifying the whole 
 with their pahry artillery. They called this their 
 camp, and at night all their party were bound to re- 
 pair to it. In the morning their leader harangued 
 them, and they weredifmifled till the afternoon, when 
 they returned to their exercife. By the inactivity 
 of the governor the ftorm was fufFered to thicken, 
 and the ftrength of the infurgents gradually increaf- 
 cd, till, accuftomed to infurre£lion, they at length 
 grew fo familiar with it, that inftead of confidering 
 themfdves as criminal, the governor alone appeared 
 fo in their eyes. Meanwhile, five hundred men, u- 
 nited in an enterprife of fedition, were not a body 
 to be defpifed, and M. de M***^ was wholly un- 
 pardonable in allowing them to remain in this (late 
 of fccurity. 
 
 Affairs were in this pofture, when intelligence ar- 
 rived, that the people of Paris had gone to Verfaîlles 
 for the king, and brought him to the capital, 
 where they had determined he fhould refide. Up- 
 on this, the ci-devant advocate, and a ftirgeon, who 
 had joined his party, exclaimed, that the inhabitants 
 of the other part of the globe had fet them an ex- 
 ample, which it became them to fellow, and that 
 Paris and Chandernagore fliould have but one rule 
 of conduce. They refolved therefore to march to 
 Garati, and bring back the governor. This advice 
 inflaming their minds, and fome arrack they had 
 drunk having mounted into their heads, it was nec- 
 eifary to fet out immediately, to quiet the cLimour« 
 of the multitude. It was in the power of M. de 
 M***, either to refill them with fuccefs, or to fe- 
 Gure himfelf by flight : he however did neither, but 
 fufll^red himfelf to be taken, without firing a fiiot, 
 and £0 be brought as a pnfoner into the town, where 
 he ought to command. On his arrr/al, he. waj Otu-t 
 up in a dungeon, with all the oIFiccii of uic iî,ài. ■- 
 R 
 
1 94 VOYAGE 
 
 fon. With refpeâ: to the private individuals v^ho 
 had accompanied him in his retreat, they efcaped to 
 Sirampour, where they contemplated at a dillance 
 the firil fcenes of a tragedy, which happily termin- 
 ated with a cataftrophe lefs fanguinary than there 
 was real on to apprehend. 
 
 As foon as loi d Cornwallis was informed of thefe 
 proceedings, he invefted Chand^nagore, and de- 
 manded that the governor (hould be given up. The 
 infurgents had at lead the quality of courage : they 
 accordingly appeared at the barrier of their little 
 camp with the matches lighted j and the prefident 
 of their committee declared totheEnglifh officer,that 
 on the firfi: fhot fired againfl them tliey Vv'ould put 
 their prifoners to death and would never furrender 
 while they had a man left to defend their entrench- 
 ments. The officer, who had not expected an an- 
 fwer of this kind, retired, and other means were re- 
 forted to for the deliverance of the captives. 
 
 The trial of the governor and his companions 
 now commenced. The whole of this procefs was 
 a ftriking example of mental dereliéiion and paf- 
 {ion. It was neceiTary at length to pafs fentence, 
 which was the point moft embarraffing of all. They 
 would willingly have condemned the fuppofed cul- 
 prits to death ; but the French had not the power to 
 carry a fe^itence like this into execution in Bengal 
 without the approbation of the neighbouring nabob, 
 whom they did not wifh to offend. Influenced by 
 this confideration, they determined to fend them in 
 chains to the ifle of Fiance, whence it was hoped 
 they would fpeedily be conveyed to Europe, with a 
 chaiaC^er that would condu6l; them at once frcm 
 the veifel to the fcafFold. This was during the reign 
 
 >f Pvobefplerre. 
 The pilot-brig, which they had in their pofTefTion, 
 
 ij'ES equipped for this expedition, and the prifoners 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 195 
 
 were put on board. This was precifely the momeni: 
 lord Cornwallis waited for : he accordingly fent 
 three armed brigs to chafe the Trench brig, and 
 bring it into Calcutta. The velTels at anchor in 
 Port Diamond had alfo orders to intercept it in'*its 
 paiTage. 
 
 In confequence of thefe meafures, the governor 
 and his companions in captivity obtained their re- 
 leafe, and were brought in honour to the Englifh 
 fettlements, where they remained for a confiderable 
 time. The inhabitants of Chandernagore continu- 
 ed in the fame ftate of confufion : fome commif- 
 fioners fent from Pondicherry for the purpofe of re- 
 eftablifliing order and tranquillity being unable to 
 effect it, lord Cornwallis left them to the confe- 
 quences of their internal dilTenfions, till war was de- 
 clared between the two nations, when he tookpof- 
 feffion of the place and difperfed them. 
 
 About a league above Chandernagore is the little 
 town of Chinfura, the chief of the Dutch iettlements 
 in Bengal. This place has been long condemned 
 to inaOivity, and offers nothing worthy of obferra- 
 tion. Its exports do not exceed, at moft, two car- 
 goes a year, which are fent m boats to Fulta, where 
 the ihips flop. Here, as in all the Dutch eftablifh- 
 ments, fome Malay families have fettled, and given 
 birth to a defcription of women called mojfes^ who 
 are in high eCiimation for their beauty and talents* 
 The race is now almoft extinft, or is fcattered 
 through different parts of the country j for Chin- 
 fura, in its decline, had no longer fulEcient attrac- 
 tion to retain them^ and at prefent a few only, and 
 thofe with great difliculty, are here and there to 
 be found. 
 
 On the fame fide of the river» at fome diilance 
 above this colony, is Bandel, a fmail Portuguefc 
 town, in a ftill worfe condition than Chinfura, and 
 
i^€ VOYAGE 
 
 which wauld fcarcely have preferved even its name, 
 but for the excellence of the cheefe that is made 
 there, and which is held in fuch requefl; through 
 the country, that it keeps up the remembrance of 
 ihe town. from which it is derived. 
 
 After ftaying- three months at Calcutta, I fold 
 Riy Yçû'cl for a hundred thoufand livers, and was 
 liappy at being relieved from the uneafinefs I had 
 continually felt refpe£lin^ it, and the injury it was 
 daily fuftaining. I thought now of returning to 
 the Ifle of France, when an aid-decamp of Mr. 
 Conway arrived at Calcutta with a vefîel, which he 
 had purchafed on credit, and did not well know 
 what to do with. I was nearly in the fame pre- 
 dixrament with regard to my money, and was defir- 
 ous of fpeculating in the article of grain, by mak- 
 ing a venture to the coaft of Malabar, then afRiilexi 
 by a moft dreadful famine. With this view I hired 
 his veflel, which I freighted with three hundred 
 tons of rice. A few days after I had concluded this 
 bargain, he difcharged the captain, and not readily 
 meeting with another to fuit him, he afked me to 
 take the command of her myfelf. " If I engage a 
 perfon in the ordinary way," faid he, " he will 
 deceive me like the one I have difmifled. If I fe- 
 le<Sl one in whom I can confide, I muft do it at a 
 very great expenfe, which I cannot afford. Take' 
 therefore yourfelf the command of the fhip j you 
 muft go for the purpofe of difpofing of your cargo, 
 and it can make little difference whether you go as 
 captain or pafTenger." I confented, and began to 
 prepare for my voyage. The firft ftep I took was 
 to difcharge all the Lafcars. The blacks in the 
 crew of my own vefTel had tired me of this fort of 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 197 
 
 failors. I compofed my crew of different Europe- 
 ans, taking great-care, however, to avoid fuch of 
 the French as had lately arrived, for fear of dif- 
 obedience or mutiny. I was fortunate enough to 
 colleâ: an excellent crew of thirty men, who proved 
 of gi-eat fervice to me in fituations which required 
 refolution and fortitude. I know not why I fhould 
 reafon with myfelf againft adopting the notion, 
 certainly fuperditious, that fome fhips are lucky, 
 and others unlucky : this of mine was of the latter 
 defcription. We changed its name, which was 
 Cook, to that of the United Friend«, and we em- 
 barked together to realize its new appellation. 
 From the moment I ordered a man to the capftan, 
 to that of my arriving at the Ifle of France, I expe- 
 rienced every imaginable vexation : in (hort, this 
 veflel ruined me. 
 
 On the day fixed for our departure we could no^ ' 
 weigh the anchor ; it was buried fo deep, that all 
 our efforts were ineffectual. My friend was averfe 
 to the idea of lofing it ; but in the chapter of an- 
 chors I was more deeply read than he was. I had 
 Icil feven in my former veffeJ *, namely five at Cal- 
 cutta, one at Pondicherry, and one at the Sechelles.- 
 At laft I prevailed on him to go afhore and purchafe 
 another ; and this done, I cut the cable. I pro- 
 ceeded down the river with a Dutch pilot, who 
 had the reputation of being fkilful, and who gave 
 us a proof of it, by running us upon a fand-bank 
 oppofite Fulta. We drifted with the tide, drag- 
 ging an anchor, but with fo little refinance as not 
 to lofe the power of managing the helm.' The vef- 
 fel llriking abaft was thrown initantly athwart, but 
 fortunately being flat-built, (he did not quite cap- 
 fize, though the heel was dreadful. It was then I 
 had reafon to rejoice at having a crew of Europe- 
 ans. The boats of the country, that were helping 
 R 2 
 
rpS VOYAGE 
 
 us down the river, immediately rowed away, and, 
 believing that we muft inevitably perifti, faithful to 
 their religion, left us to the care of madam Dour- 
 ga. That fair divinity, however, probably did not 
 conceive us fufficiently pure to be admitted into 
 her prefence, and we efcaped for this time the hon» 
 our of drowning. 
 
 My pilot was fo confufed as to be incapable of 
 a£ting, and, as he ceafed to give orders, I took up- 
 on my felf the management of the (hip. I began 
 by raifing the anchor, upon which I was afraid,, 
 when the tide {hould return, of being drifted. I 
 then placed an officer in every boat, with a brace of 
 piflois, and gave orders for the firft man to be (hot 
 through the head, who endeavoured to efcape with- 
 out my permiffion. I was preparing to fhore up 
 my veiTei by the help of fome top-mafts till the com- 
 ing-in of the flood, when fhe fwung half-round, 
 prefenting her item to the current. She was not 
 however long in this fituation, for the ebb being 
 nearly run out, was prodigioufly ftrong. She foon 
 made another half-turn, and in this inftance came 
 fo fuddenly about, that fhe cracked dreadfully in all 
 her timbers : I feared fhe mult have gone to pieces» 
 but happily fhe ft ill kept firm. I now felt the bot- 
 tom, I thought, yield to the motion of the fhip j a 
 moment after fhe fwung round again, her ftern to 
 the current, and I plainly perceived that we had 
 ihifted our flation. The pilot-brig at anchor near 
 us made a fignal, that he was himfelf in deep wa- 
 ters and if 1 could move a little further I fhouid^ 
 get into the i'cream : in fhort, after another, heel, 
 my fhip dragged along the bottom, and the tide plac- 
 ed us in the channel. We had touched, it feems, 
 merely on a fliifdng fand, w^hich had been unable 
 to refilL the force of the current, and the weight of 
 the (hipi 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 199 
 
 I anchored at Fulta, very apprehenfive as to the 
 Gonfequences of this accident. I founded the well 
 carefully, but the veflel did not make water. Still 
 however I could not but believe, that a (hock fo vi- 
 olent muft have done fome material injury, and my 
 apprehenlions proved in the fequel to have been well 
 founded. I had the confidence in myfelf to under- 
 take the voyage without infuring my cargo; but 
 this accident rendering me more prudent I imme- 
 diately took the precaution. Being now at eafe on 
 this head, and finding in the courfe of fome daysj 
 that the veffel did not leak, I put to fea, direfling 
 my courfe with the view of making the ifland of 
 Ceylon, fomewhere about the flats. I foon found 
 my velTel to be no good failer, and therefore kept 
 on my guard againft the efFe£ls of the tides. I fet 
 fail in the beginning of November, when the cur- 
 rents are rapid between Ceylon and the coaft of 
 India ; and knowing this, I proceeded with caution 
 when I came within their latitude. I was obliged 
 to keep near the land, that I might diftinguifh the 
 point I was defirous of making, while it was necef- 
 fary to avoid going too clofe, for fear of a gulf. In 
 confequence, when I fuppofed myfelf to have arriv- 
 ed near the place, I was all night on the deck, ob- 
 fcrving the lead, and keeping conftantly in thirty 
 fathom water, aware that, while this was the cafe, 
 I could run no rifk, the lirait containing only from 
 feven fathoms to nine. s 
 
 At day-break I witnefled a moft extraordinary 
 phenomenon, produced by die clouds. It was calm, 
 the land appeared exa^lly on the proper point of 
 the horizon, the hills were vifible, the plain at the 
 foot of them, the Ihore, the trees, every thing was per- 
 fe£l:ly diftinél. It was in vain that I referred to my 
 foundings to determine our diftance from the land , 
 I could not refufe the evidence of my eyes. I. 
 
200 VOYAGE 
 
 founded however again, and found ftill a great depth 
 of water, though by the appearance of thefe objects 
 it ought to be fhallow. I was fo ftrongly convinc- 
 ed that it was the coafl of Ceylon, that I got ready 
 an anchor. The iilufion continued till ten o'clock, 
 when, the wind fpringing up, it vanifhed, to the ex- 
 treme aftonifliment of every one, and efpecially of 
 myfelf. I continued my route, making a fmall cir- 
 cuit towards the flats ; but the currents were fo rap- 
 id, that in four and twenty hours I found myfelf 
 thirty leagues to the fouthward above my reckon- 
 ing. All my endeavours to get in with the land 
 were ufelefs, and a fudden fquall from the north- 
 eaft aflailing us fo diftreflfed my vefTel, that the ef- 
 fe£ls of her accident in the Ganges began to be vifi- 
 ble by a fmall leak. The fea was extremely hollow, 
 and from the effe^l: of the tides very much brokes. 
 In the height of the fquall, the mizen maft was car- 
 ried away below the cap, which obliged us to un- 
 bend the mizen top-fail immediately. In doing 
 this my beft failor fell overboard, and was never 
 feen again j the waves ran fo high, that he was 
 fwallowed up inftantly. I hoifted out a boat, 
 which in two minutes was ftove againft the {hip's 
 fide, and it was by the greateft good fortune, that" 
 the failors who were in it did not all perifh : inftead 
 of one of my crew, I had nearly loft eight. I was 
 compelled to leave the poor fellow to his fate, and 
 the wreck of my boat to the waves, and be fatisfied' 
 with regaining the feven, who had thus ventured 
 their lives to fave their comrade. 
 
 This fquall greatly annoyed me, and rendered' 
 me very uneafy. I could not now regain my north- 
 ing, and I was afraid, that in fpite of myfeJf I (liould 
 be obliged to vifir the Maldive illands, which was 
 contr.Try to my plan. After continuing, however,; 
 three days in this ftate, the weather became modei-: 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. îoi 
 
 ate. In the firft p^rt of the ftortnl had lofl a fore- 
 top-fall ; and as my owner, from his poverty, had 
 furniihed me with a very flerïder ilock, I had none 
 to replace it with ; but the mizen top-fail being new, 
 and of no ufe, now that the top-maft to which it be- 
 longed was gone, I fubftuuted it in the place of that 
 which I had loft, and in this condition was fortu- 
 nate enough to gain Cape Comorin t all my wifhes 
 were then confined to reaching Cochin, that I 
 might repair my mafts and rigging. 
 
 In pal&ng oppofite the coaft of Trevancoor, I fent 
 my boat afhore to get information. When it re- 
 turned, it brought wich it the figure of an idol, re- 
 fembling a lingam or priapus, which fome of the 
 crew had taken out of a niche in a bank, where it 
 was expofed to public adoration. The defign was 
 but too well executed, for it was as indecent as the 
 affidance of fculpture could make it. I reprimand- 
 ed the officer for permitting fuch a theft, of which 
 I could not fee the utility ; but he alleged, that it 
 was taken without his knowledge to ferve as a til- 
 ler to the rudder, that belonging to the boat having 
 been loft : in fa£l, they had fteered with this phal- 
 lus, the fize of which may be eafily conjeélured 
 from the circumftance. I am ignorant whether the 
 degree of veneration paid to this emblem by the In- 
 dians be in proportion to its magnitude. 
 
 In the afternoon of the next day but one, I an- 
 chored in the road of Cochin, and immediately got 
 into a boat ; but it was fo far to the entrance of 
 the river, that I did not arrive there till night. The 
 cockfwain of my boat pretended to be well ac- 
 quainted with the place ; but, notwithftanding his 
 knowledge, he got me on a fand-bank, where the 
 waves beat fo ftrong, that we were twenty times on 
 the point of overturning, or filling with water. 
 The entrance of the river of Cochin has this incoa- 
 
2o2 VOYAGE 
 
 venience attending it, that when the wind blows 
 frefh it raifcs a bar, which, taking the boats una- 
 wares, often endangers, and fometimes finks them. 
 I was more than an hour feeking in vain for the en- 
 trance of the river j at laft, after frequent rifks of 
 drowning, I got from thefe waves, and had now to 
 find a part of the coaft where it was practicable to 
 land, for it was too late to think of returning, in a 
 load fo diftant, and with currents fo flrong. I ran 
 my boat aground, and drew it upon the beach j 
 where leaving one of the crew to take care of it, I 
 took the reft with me, and made towards the town. 
 With my ufual good fortune, I found the gate (hut, 
 and muft have remained all night upon the fands, 
 if I had not been told, that the harbour gate {hut- 
 ting a little later, if we were very expeditious we 
 might ftill get in. We accordingly made all the 
 haite we could, and arrived precifely in time. A 
 paffenger in my veflel, who came afliore with me, 
 had a letter of recommendation to one of the inhab- 
 itants, which he delivered the fame night, and was 
 invited to take up his abode at the houfe of the per- 
 fon to whom it was addreffed. For myfelf, I went 
 to the inn, the mafter of which, when informed of 
 the arrival of the paflenger, fent to let him know 
 that his chamber was ready, and that a place would 
 regularly be kept for him at table; leaving him, 
 if he pleafed, to refide with hiâ friend, but acquaint- 
 ing him, that he would have the fame fum to pay 
 as if he lived at the inn ; for that fuch was the priv*- 
 i/ege of his houfe, which was farmed to him by the 
 government. This circumftance induced the paf- 
 fenger to refign the accommodation offered him by 
 his friend, and take up his abode the next day at the 
 inn. As for me the innkeeper defired me to give 
 him a lift of what I ftiould want, telling me at thç 
 fame time, that he had provided for me a palaa- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 
 
 ao3 
 
 quin and fervants. I obferved, that having but a 
 few days to ftay at Cochin, and not intending to 
 make any vifits, I thought I could very well dif- 
 penfe with the carriage ; to which he replied, that 
 I was at liberty in this refpeft to follow my inclin- 
 ation, but I lliould and it charged in his account, 
 for it was a part of his privilege. I was furprifed at 
 fo extraordinary an inftance of monopoly j but con- 
 cei ving it to be the duty of a traveller not to op- 
 pofe the cuftoms of the country he is viliring, I 
 fubmitted. 
 
 I found the regiment of Meuron in garrifon in 
 this town. It is a Swifs regiment, but was raifed 
 in France, and is compofed of Frenchmen, many 
 of whom came to offer me their fervices ; and a- 
 mong them one in particular, who faid he was a 
 butcher, and who propofed to furnifli me with fuch 
 provilions and live (lock as I might want at my de- 
 parture. From the defire of encouraging a coun- 
 tryman I accepted his offer, and ordered feveral ar- 
 ticles, which he promifed me on terms more rea- 
 fonable than I could get them of any one elfe. 
 Thefe I did not include in the lift which I gave to 
 the innkeeper \ but the man was too well fkilled in 
 bis trade not to perceive the deficiency, and he im- 
 mediately concluded that I was fupplied with them 
 from fome other quarter. He faid nothing, but he 
 watched fo narroA^ly, that he was foon informed of 
 the affair. In confequence, he employed his hire- 
 lings, who feized the whole of my purchafes jufl as 
 they were conveying on board. To get them out of 
 his hands, I was obliged to pay him a duty, for this 
 too was his privilege ; fo that eventually they coft 
 me more than if I had purchafed them of himfelf. 
 So extenfive ^privilege made me cautious and I was 
 afraid of taking aimoft a (ingle ftep, left I fhould 
 unfortunately encounter fome new inftance of it. 
 
204 VOYAGE 
 
 While I (laid aiTiore, one of my crew deferted. 
 Conceiving that I too had tl privilege ^ that of claim- 
 ing my failor, I fent in purfuit of him ; but here al- 
 fo I trenched upon a prerogative. I vi^as taken be- 
 fore the fifcal, who reprimanded me, and gave me 
 to underftand, that it was the privilege oî the hang- 
 man to apprehend deferters. I had no great diffi- 
 culty in making him fenfible, that, being a ftranger 
 in the country, and unacquainted with their cuftoms, 
 I was excufable in violating them ; that, befides, I 
 eould have no idea of interfering with the fundtions 
 of this grand executor of public juftice. I was then 
 afked for a defcription of my failor, and two hours 
 after he was brought to me by the officer in quef- 
 tion. 
 
 Though thefe anecdotes may be thought too trif- 
 ling to be inferted in a work of a ferious nature, 
 they may have their utility in fhowing how cautious 
 we (hould be in our behaviour, if we would fhun, 
 in a foreign country, all occafions of offence. 
 
 Cochin is a Dutch fettlement on the coall of Mal- 
 abar, and is their ftrongell ftation on the peninfu- 
 la, fincc their lofs of Negapatnam. I did not ex- 
 amine it fufficiently to be able to give an accurate 
 defcription of it, but I fuppofed it to be in the form 
 of a heptagon, the fide next to the river included. 
 The ramparts appeared to be extremely high, and 
 very well fenced on the fide of the land, and the 
 ditch that furrounded them to be in a good condi- 
 tion. The Dutch company always kept a ftrong 
 garrifon (here. 
 
 This town has a feparate government, fo that the 
 military commander is third only in authority. 
 There is a civil governor, who is one of the com- 
 pany's officers ; and under him is the fifcal, who 
 holds the fécond rank, as in all the other Dutch fet- 
 tlements. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 205 
 
 ■Cochin is confl:rutl:ed on a good plan, but the 
 buildings are bad. The governor refides in a houfc 
 fcarcely better than a barn, fituated on a fpot that 
 has no embellifhments, and is overgrown with grafs, 
 as the ftreets are likewife. All the houfes are pro- 
 portionably mean, and an air of wretchednefs and 
 inacTivity reigns in this colony, as in the fettlements 
 in general of the Dutch company in India. With 
 a little exertion, however, Cochin might become a 
 flourilhing place : its commerce in the article of pep- 
 per might be rendered confiderable, by holding out 
 encouragements to merchants, and fupprefling the 
 vexations which foreigners experience on the part 
 of the government. Its fituation is admirable for 
 the purpofe, for it (lands on a fine river capable of 
 admitting very large veiTels. The water, at the flood, 
 is never lefs than twenty feet deep, and the harbour 
 is fufficiently extenfive for any fliips, however nu- 
 merous, that might trade to it. A number of fmall 
 rivers and canals run into it, which facilitate the in- 
 land communication to a great diftance up the coun- 
 try, and would give extraordinary a£livity to com- 
 merce. Its pofition at the extremity of the penin- 
 fula renders it eafy of approach in all feafons, and 
 dimini(hes the danger to which navigation is expof- 
 ed by the monfoon from the fouth-wefl: nothing; 
 but a fine day is neceflary to enable vefiels to get out, 
 and even to reach Cape Comarin, from which there 
 is a palfage to any part of India. The teak wood, 
 fo excellent for ttie conftrudion of vefiels, abounds 
 in this place, and many fhips are accordingly built 
 there ; it is indeed the mod confiderable branch of 
 induftry that is at prefent carried on. Thefe advan- 
 tages, however, are all in a great meafure negletledj 
 and Cochin is in a ftate of deplorable languor, from 
 which it will never recover, till the Dutch company 
 ihall thiuk proper to change their fy {lem, or the to\VR 
 
2o6 VOYAGE 
 
 fhall be fortunate enough to fall into the hands of 
 fome other nation, that may know how to value and 
 turn to account the refources which it offers. 
 
 The inhabitants of this part of India are fubjedl 
 to a complaint in the legs, which is called by the 
 names of elephantiafis and the Cochin difeafe. The 
 leg fwells prodigioully, wi-thout either the thigh or 
 the foot being affe£led : in this ftate it refembles 
 confiderably the hg of an elephant, and thence de- 
 rives its former appellation. The diforder is proba- 
 bly occafioned by the quality of the water ufed by 
 the inhabitants : there are perfons alfo much afRid- 
 ed with goitres. 
 
 This countrj'^^ produces pepper, arrack, and cotton : 
 we find likewife dried fruits and cardamoms ; but 
 the laft two articles are chiefly brought thither by 
 the Arabs. Cowries alfo may be procured, by be- 
 fpeaking them in time ; for the Maldives, where 
 tkey are found, are at no great diftance, and in the 
 fair feafon there are always boats from thence, with 
 which we may treat for them. 
 
 The number of Europeans at Coehin, exclufively 
 of the troops, does not exceed fifty-; the Portuguefe 
 cafl amounts to about five hundred, and the reft of 
 the population is Indian. Though the town is ex- 
 tenfive, and tolerably M^ell filled with hoUfes, it has 
 the appearance of a defer t. The tennjierature of the 
 climate is the fame as at Pondicherry, but the fea- 
 fons are contrary, the mountains of the Gauts form- 
 ing a barrier which feparates fummer and winter. 
 The feafons are not fubje6t in India to the fame va- 
 riations as in Europe. 
 
 The winds, with the exception of a few irregu- 
 larities, by no means frequent, blow from t\vo parts 
 only of the horizon ; from the quarter between 
 north-north-eail and eatl-north-eafi for fix months, 
 and the remainder of theiear from fcuthibuth-weft. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 207 
 
 to wefl-fouth-weft. The paffing of the fun acrofs the 
 equator determines the alteration of feafon. The 
 wind, while the fun is in the northern hemifphcre, 
 blows from the fouth-weft quarter, and vice verfa ; 
 the currents alfo are then reverfed, and follow the 
 direiflion of the wind. Thefe feafons are called 
 monfoons. During the prevalence of the fouth-weft 
 monfoon, the Gauts, intercepting the ftorms and 
 clouds, prevent them from pafling to the coaft of 
 Coromandel, where, the weather being then beau- 
 tiful, the feafon called fummer prevails. The coall 
 ©f Malabar, on the contrary, is at that period fubjecfc 
 to violent rains and fqualJs, and there they have 
 what they call winter.. The currents run in a fouth- 
 erly direction on the coaft of Malabar, and on the 
 other coafi: towards the north. Six months after the 
 winds change to the north-eafl: ; and the mountains 
 producing a fimilar efFe6t on the contrary fide, ftcp 
 the rains and ftorms in their courfe, and detain them 
 on the coaft of Coromandel, and accordingly that 
 of Malabar has fummer in its turn. The currents 
 then run in a foutherly diretlion on the former coaft, 
 and towards the north on the latter. 
 
 By means of this certainty of the feafons, the moft 
 indifferent veffels accomplifti their voyages without 
 difficulty, by taking advantage of the winds and 
 currents. 
 
 Not being able to fell my rice to my fatisfa^ion 
 at Cochin, I was on the point of proceeding with it 
 as far as Surat, when a captain who had come from 
 that coaft affured me, that a fcarcity no longer pre- 
 vailed there, but that grain was very much wanted 
 in Arabia, particularly at Mocha, where the famine, 
 he faid, was extreme, and I could not do better than 
 "; go to that place, which would prove to me an excel- 
 lent market. I have fince found, that he told me 
 this with a view to deceive me, and prevent me 
 
2®8 VOYAGE 
 
 from going to Surat, as he was himfelf purchafing 
 a cargo of rice to carry thither : I believed his ac-, 
 count, however, and immediately proceeded on my 
 voyage. 
 
 In four and twenty hours I was in fight of the 
 ft raits of Babel- mand el, which I cleared at feven 
 o'clock in the evening ; and entering the Red Sea, 
 i anchored the next day at Mocha, about thirteen 
 leiigues beyond the (traits. 
 
 Flo m the ftraits to Mocha, the navigation is 
 perfecVlIy fafe along the coaft, and there is good 
 :inchori.]g every-where : but the approach to the 
 town is dangerous, and in entering the road care 
 mult be taken both to fleer and to found with exa£l- 
 nefs. VelTels ihould never go nearer than thirteen 
 fathom water, on account of the fand-banks, and 
 fnould then keep to the north till the front of the 
 town is in view, or the dome of the great mofque 
 bearing ea(l fouth-eaft. They may then proceed 
 m fafety to the anchorage, where they will have fix 
 or feven fathoms, in a fandy bottom. The north 
 fort lies between nor.th-eafl-by-eaft, and north-eaft- 
 by-north, within about half-gun îhot of a twelve 
 pounder. There is another channel near the fouth 
 Tort, frequented by fmall vefTels -, but I would not 
 recommend it, unlefs to thofe who are thoroughly 
 acquainted with it : a vellel muft moor with the 
 bell bower to the fouth, on account of the fqualls, 
 which in that quarter are very violent. The fea 
 however is calm during their prevalence, being in-' 
 clofed by the fands and reefs which flielter the road, 
 while the fky, though the fun (hines intenfely hot, 
 has every appearance of a hurricane. 
 
 When the monfoon is fettled, the period of which 
 is from the latter end of November to the begin- 
 ning of June, the wind, blowing from the fouth and 
 fouth-fouth-ealt, comes charged with all the vapours 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 209 
 
 of Abyffinia, and brings with it even the fand of 
 that country. In confequence, the atmofphere 
 feems inflamed, the \ Iky looks red, nothing fcarce- 
 ly is to be feen at the diftance of a league j and the 
 burning fand carried along by the wind every-where 
 fcorches the vegetation. It is cuftomary at Mocha 
 to cultivate a great quantity of bafil plants, with 
 which the inhabitants decorate their apartments 
 and windows ; but thefe muft be removed at the 
 commencement of the fou'therly monfoon, or they 
 would otherwife be killed, not only by the fand, which 
 would dellroy them, but alfo by the wind the heat of 
 which is fometimes infupportable. All communi- 
 cation with vefTels in the road is then interrupted. 
 
 A wind from the fouth lafts generally one, and 
 fometimes two quadratufes : but at the new and 
 full moon it is commonly fucceeded, for the fpace 
 of three days, by a northerly wind, which cools the 
 air, and purifies the atmofphere. 
 
 The road of Mocha is of a circular form, defcrib- 
 ing an arc, of which the chord is the anchorap-e : 
 the two extremities of this chord are defended by 
 the forts I have mentioned. The fmall veflels of 
 the country anchor near the fhore, by a handfome 
 pier, built for tlie convenience of loading and un- 
 loading. The fe;ifons for entering and quitting the 
 Red Sea are determined by the change of rhe mon- 
 foons, which do not, as in India, depend upon the 
 equinoxes. Tlie laft days of November, or the be- 
 ginning of December, bring the foutherly monfoon ; 
 and from that period the currents fet into the ilraiîs 
 of Babel-mandei with a prodigious rapidity, till the 
 commencement of Tune, Vvhea the wind veerino- to 
 the north or north-north-weft, they run in a fouth- 
 erly direction*. In the northerly monfoon, the 
 
 * This is confirmed by D'Apres de Maneviiette. See the Nep- 
 tune Oriental, This work is the refult of the obfervations of tii^ 
 
 32 
 
2IO VOYAGE 
 
 vefTels coming to Mocha cannot make the road an 
 account of the violence of the wind, and are obliged 
 to go to a neighbouring bay to anchor, which howev- 
 er they can leave in the intervals in which the north 
 wind prevails. During the whole of this monfoon, 
 thofe which are in the Red Sea muft remain there, 
 no veflels being able to furmount the united force 
 of the wind and the current. 
 
 The pilgrims going to Mecca from different parts 
 of India take advantage of this feafon. Whole 
 ihip-loads of thefe religionifts often arrive, influenc- 
 ed, many of them, by motives of trade, intereft, and 
 a délire of pillage, more than by devotion. Noth- 
 ing can equal the diforder which they occafion ill 
 the caravanfaries and other places. The inhabi- 
 tants therefore are eager to furnifh them with what- 
 ever they want, that they may fet off for Jedda, 
 whence they proceed to Mecca. 
 
 While Î was at Mocha, an unfortunate Englifli 
 captain fell a viâim to their wickednefs. Several 
 of them had miffed their veffel in returning, either 
 purpofely, or that their Moorifh or foreign captain 
 would carry them no further, or that the crime 
 which they afterwards committed was a precon- 
 ceived plan. They were twenty in number, and 
 they waited on captain Nun-, who commanded a 
 veffel of the fort called grab y to alk for a paffage to 
 Bengal. As he was returning to Calcutta, after ^ 
 profitable v&yage, he defired nothing better than, to 
 
 beft navigators, and Ihould be taken as authority, difregarding the 
 reports of foEie modern travellers. 
 
 While the winds blow thus in the Red Sea, they vary in the 
 ^ulf Gutiide the' ftraits ; that is, as a general rule, they blow 
 from the eaft between November and June, and during the other 
 £x months from the weft ; fo that from November to June the 
 Tvind is eail in the gulf, and fouth-fouth-eaft in the Red Sea : and 
 afi<;rwards for fix months weft in the gulf, andnorth-north-wefl.iB. 
 iÙA.t Red Sea. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 21 1 
 
 ferve the Ce men, whom he could not well fufpe£l of 
 any evil defign. The terms were foon agreed upon, 
 and the article of provilion was as readily adjulted % 
 for his crew being Lafcars, and confequently Muf- 
 fulmaps, what he had provided for them would 
 ferve alfo for the paflengers. He failed and cleared 
 the ftraits ; but the veflel had no fooner doubled 
 Socotora, than thefe mifcreants rufhed upon the 
 few Europeans, five or fix in number, who had the 
 dire«5lion of the veflel, and murdered them all, be- 
 ginning with the captain. Some of the Lafcars, 
 who attempted to oppofe them, were alfo killed, 
 while others got up into the tops, and put them- 
 felves into a pofture of defence. A capitulation 
 took place, and they were offered their lives, if they 
 would come down and affift to condufl: the veflel 
 to any port, no matter where. They agreed, and 
 for fome days tranquillity feemed to be reftored 5 
 but as they drove about at random, and came in 
 fight of no land, the aflaffins fufpecfted fome trick, , 
 and fell upon them again. Having had tinle how-^ 
 ever in this inilance to put themfelves upon their 
 guard, they refifted, and mixed their blood with 
 that of their murderers. At laft, after a battle in 
 which, on both fides, five or fix were killed, a fuf- 
 penfion of arms was a fécond time agreed upon, and 
 the Lafcars relumed once more the management of 
 the veflel. The day fubfequent to this affair, com- 
 ing in fight of the Maldives, the pirates made an of- 
 fer to the Lafcars of the boats belonging, to the vef», 
 fel, in which they might get aihore as well as they 
 could : they accepted it, and qi^itted the vefl^el,, 
 which fince that period has never been heard of. 
 
 As for thé Lafcars, they landed upon the firfl:, 
 illand they could make, but were fent to another, 
 in which refided the king. They were treated hu- 
 manely by this prince, who ordered that a paflage. 
 
.212 VOYAGE 
 
 free of expenfe fhould be given them to the coaft 
 of Malabar. They difembarked at Manga lore, and 
 had the prefence of mind to declare themfelves 
 Lafcars belonging to the French. Accordingly the 
 officers of Tippoo received them as friends, and they 
 were conveyed to Mahé, whence they returned to 
 their home. This tragical event was inferted in 
 the public papers, and every exertion was made to 
 difcover the veffel and the pirates ; but the fate of 
 neither has ever been known. 
 
 With the exception of a few Moorifli fhips, and 
 one or two from Bengal, which come every year 
 as far as Jedda, the navigation of the Red Sea is 
 confined to veflels, which they call daous. Thefe 
 are open boats without any kind of covering, and 
 which a heavy wave would be fufficient to fill and 
 fend to the bottom ; but they are rarely expofed to 
 fuch danger, from keeping almofl always near the 
 coaft. Often they will make their way, even be- 
 tween the land and the reefs, which prevent other 
 veflels from approaching it, but acrofs which there 
 are palTes with which they are acquainted. Thefe 
 boats are of a handfome form, and may be brought 
 to confiderable perfe£lion. They carry a fingle 
 fquare fail ; and though the maft is ill proportion- 
 ed, and awkwardly placed, and the fail often form- 
 ed only of ftraw, they go through the water and per- 
 form their voyages in a very fuperior (lyle. 
 
 The bufinefs of the port of Mocha is performed 
 by two large and very heavy boats, pointed at the 
 ends, but hov/ ccnftru£led I could not afcertain ; 
 apparently they were put together like the boats in 
 Europe ; but their fhape was fo fingular, that Î was 
 at a lofs what to make of them. They carry a 
 mail and an unwieldy fail of ftraw, made of pieces 
 about two feet wide, and five or fix long, fewed 
 together. By the help of this failj which it is:.diffi-. . 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 213 
 
 cult either to hoift or to manage, they perform ex» 
 peditioufly the bufinefs of the road ; but every time 
 they tack, being obliged to take it down before 
 they yiift it, they fall during thefe manoeuvres fo 
 much to leeward in rough weather, that they can- 
 not get to Mocha, and are compelled to take fhel- 
 ter in the adjoining bay, whence they come the 
 next morning to the pier*. 
 
 Mocha is Stuated at the extremity of the domin- 
 ions of the iman of Sana, in the province of Ye- 
 men, on a fmall bay, formed by an ifland of fand 
 towards the fouth, and a ridge of rocks to the north. 
 On each of the points of land which inclofe the 
 road, the Arabs have built a fort. Thefe forts are 
 a wretched kind of circular redoubts, the founda- 
 tions of which are mafles of granite : the embraf- 
 ures alfo are formed of large ftones or pieces of co- 
 ral : but thefe openings, though tolerably wide are 
 fcarcely more than two feet high. The whole is 
 furmounted with a building of bricks raifed over 
 the artillery like a cruft over a pie, without any in- 
 fide work, even fo much as a beam, to give it fo- 
 
 * The latitude of Cape Babel-mandel has been deter- 
 mined by a feries of obfervations, taken between that- 
 cape and Cape Saint Anthony, to be 12,° 43' north.-— 
 By D'Apres, it is I2° 45^ — By Bruce, 12° 39' 20'''. 
 
 Latitude of Mocha, 13° 24^ — By D'Apres, 13° 22'. 
 • — By Niebuhr, 13° 19'. 
 
 Variation north-weft: At Mocha, 12° 45'.' — By 
 D'Apres. 13°. — By Niebuhr, 12° 40'. — At the ftraits, 
 12° 5;4'.-^By D'Apres, 12° 40'. 
 
 The tides ai-e I2 hours,— According to Niebuhr, li 
 only 
 
 The tide rifes 4 feet. — According to Niebuhr, 3 feet 
 6 inches. 
 
 Longitude, by obfervation at Mocha, 43^ 7' call of 
 Paris,. 
 
214 VOYAGE 
 
 IT 
 
 lidity. It is only of the thicknefs of one briek, fo 
 that the^ wind, the rains, or the firing of the guns, 
 is often fufficient to bring down this roof upon the 
 heads of thofé who are beneath it. 
 
 Thefe batteries, which a fingle (hot would demol- 
 ifh, have a flag-ilaff, on which theftan'dard of Ma- 
 homet is difpîayed every Friday : this is a red flag, 
 with a white two-bladed fword in the middle. 
 The figure of the fword is miferably delineated j the 
 handle is extremely fliort, and the two blades are 
 fo awkwardly defigned, that, inftead of fword, one 
 might take them for a pair of breeches. 
 
 The town is of a circular form, and has fix gates : 
 of thefe, one is called the Sacred Gate, through 
 which no foreigners are permitted to pafs 5 and if 
 any one (hould be rafh enough to attempt it in fpite 
 of the prohibition, he would expofe himfelf to dan- 
 ger from the Bedouins, who are always encamped 
 on the outfide, and who might punifh his temerity 
 with a dagger. 
 
 The town is without a ditch or any external de- 
 fence, and the wall all round is every where accef- 
 fible. The foundations and firft tier of the wall, to 
 the height of four feet in fome places, and in others 
 only three, confift of large Hones intermixed with 
 pieces of coral, which proves that the materi- 
 als were fcarce when the town was completed, and 
 that they ufed for the walls whatever they could 
 find. Next to thefe ftones is a mafonry of brick- 
 work four feet thick, and extending to the height of 
 from fifteen to eighteen feet. At the top a para- 
 pet is raifed of the thicknefs of a fingle brick only, 
 with holes, through which to fire mulketry. The 
 pi \tform may be about three feet and a half wide, 
 and the whole is built fo flightly, that on every vio- 
 lent ftorm part of it gives way and tumbles into 
 the town. This feeble wall is fortified every Soht 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. a 1 5 
 
 himdred yards by a large tower, fimilar to the forts 
 I have defcribed, and in the fame defeâive ftate. 
 Thofe which defend the Sacred Gate are the only 
 ones capable of any refiftance j they are in fome 
 degree firm, are covered, have even lodgments with- 
 in, and perhaps would not, like the reft, be levelled 
 by /the firft ball of a cannon. 
 
 On looking at thefe fortifications, it is plain— 
 what will hardly be credited in Europe — that, when 
 a place is attacked, the aflault is made by cavalry. 
 Three or four fhots will make a very large breach, 
 which a further cannonade foon renders fmooth and 
 practicable for horfes ; the cavalry then fet off in 
 a gallop, and the town is inftantly taken. This is 
 their only mode of afTault ; they are ignorant of 
 any other. Their artilery is in the fame rude ftate 
 as their military ta£lics. It confifts wholly of iron 
 pieces mounted on naval carriages, which they re- 
 move with great difficulty from one place to anoth- 
 er. I was ftrongly folicited to enter into the fer- 
 vice of the iman, for the purpofc of taking the di- 
 re^lion of this part of their force ; and for a while I 
 would readily have confented, but for the fatal con- 
 dition of the turban, which was not to be difpen- 
 fed with, and which I could not even think of with- 
 out fhuddering. 
 
 The greater gart of the materials employed in the 
 building of Mocha was obtained from Aden, a town 
 that was formerly opulent : it is fituated outfide 
 the ftrait, in one of the fineft bays in the world. 
 Its pofition is fo excellent, that Alexander, it is faid, 
 would have made it the centre of the commerce 
 which he purpofed to eftablifti with India. The 
 iman of Sana, defirous of attra£ling velTels to his 
 dominions, fixed however upo^ the little bay of 
 Mocha, to which he annexed fo many privileges 
 and encouragements, that Aden, notwithftanding 
 
2i6 VOYAGE 
 
 the fuperiority of its harbour, and the impoflibility 
 of getting through the ftraits from the other, ex- 
 cept during the particular monfoon, was abandoned, 
 and all the commerce transferred to the new eflab- 
 lifhment -, fo that Aden exhibited fhortly a pi£lure 
 only of ruins. Mocha reaped advantages from this 
 forlorn condition of its neighbour , and is now con- 
 tinually receiving ilones and other materials from 
 the wreck of that town, of which the veftiges that 
 remain are fcarcely fufficient to determine what was 
 its former extent. At a diftance in the offing, fome 
 turrets and a wall are ftill diftinguifliable on the hill, 
 at the foot of which is the entrance of the bay j but 
 the town itfelf no longer exifts : a wonderful exam- 
 ple of the inconftancy of fortune, which has remov- 
 ed into a hole in the midft of a barren plain, where 
 the water even is fcarcely fit to drink, the profperi- 
 ty which a town admirably fituated was unable to 
 preferve, though enjoying all the advantages fuita- 
 blc to navigation, together with a fertile foilj among 
 mountains and valleys, that gave health and pleafant- 
 nefs to the fcene. One of the caufes that contrib- 
 uted moft to the removal of tlie commerce to 
 Mocha was, that the market for colTee being in 
 the territory of the iman of Sana, he wifhed to 
 have it fhipped from a port within the boundary of 
 hisftates, and for that purpofe laid upon the article 
 fo heavy a duty when it v/as taken to Aden, that the 
 merchants to avoid this charge adopted thepraftice 
 of {hipping it at Mocha. 
 
 Next to the gate called the Sacred Gate, towards 
 the north fide of the town, is the one called Babel- 
 mamoudy. The French conful has the right of mak- 
 ing his entrance on horfeback through this gate, 
 without being obliged to alight before the houfe of 
 the governor ; a privilege in this country that is by 
 no means trifling. It is on a fpot outfidc this gate 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 2 1 7 
 
 that the Chriftians are buried who die in the town. 
 There are two tombs, with an infcription to inform 
 paflengers, that they were raifed to the memory of 
 two captains of vefTels trading to Mocha. The reft 
 of the premifes contains only the remains of a heap 
 of bricks fcattered over the ground. It is from the 
 fituation of this fpot that the children fo frequently 
 exclaim, Frangi, Babel-mamoudy ! which fignifies 
 Chrijiiam to the burying-ground ; a wifli which they 
 exprefs in running after foreigners in the ftreets. 
 This hatred is deep, and would be difficult to ex- 
 tirpate. 
 
 I was received upon my landing in the ufual man- 
 ner : a party of the principal officers of the cuftom- 
 houfe, preceded by the French fadlors, came to 
 meet me, and conduced me under the Bahar, or 
 gate of the fe a. The emir hahar was there in coun- 
 cil, and gave me a place by his fide. He rofe up 
 to receive me, laying his right hand upon his heart, 
 which is the cuftomary falutation. We were per- 
 fumed at firft with incenfe of benzoin and oil of 
 rofes, and then with a fort of aloes wood, which is 
 valuable and fcarce \ it gives a fmell in burning that 
 is exquifitely fweet. It is in great requeft with the 
 Arabs and Perfians, who purchafe it at the price of 
 an equal weight of gold. They cut, and even grate 
 fmall quantities of it to burn, and are careful to re- 
 ceive the fmoke of it in their clothes. After this 
 ceremony, the emir entertained us with coffee, which 
 Î found it impoffible to drink. The Arabs in gen» 
 eral do not roaft their coffee, nor make, as wç do, 
 the liquor from the berry, but ufe for this purpofe 
 the pulp only, which we throw away. This they 
 dry, and make of it a flight infufion, like tea *. The 
 beverage thus made is extremely infipid, though 
 
 deemed refreffiing by them, and of a more delicate 
 * Nieb-uhr fays the fame, page 49, edltioii of GopenhageE. 
 
 T 
 
2i8 VOYAGE 
 
 tafte than the coffee drank by Europeans ; but my 
 palate, Î confefs, was not refined enough to difcov- 
 er its excellence, and I thought it fcarcely better 
 than hot water. I could not conceal my repug- 
 nance, which was not the way to confirm me in the 
 favour of the emir, who was a grave perfonage, but 
 extremely civil, and who had received me with con- 
 fiderable kindnefs. I made my apology by means 
 of my Bannian, who informed him of my diflike. 
 The ceremony of the coffee being over, I was per- 
 fumed again, and difmiffed ; that is, the French 
 fâcl:ors conducled me to the houfe of the governor, 
 amidft a great crowd, v.'ho fhouted, fung, howled, 
 and made fuch loud and hideous noifes that I was 
 almoft deafened. To do honour to my entry, the 
 governor, as was the cuftom, had fent with thofe 
 who were to meet me, twohorfes richly caparifon- 
 ed, and which were made to carry themfelves pranc- 
 ingly, wheeling from fide to fide. The dull occa- 
 fioned by their motions, and by the concourfe of 
 people that accompanied me, added to the heat of 
 the fun, which was fcorching, and the noife of the 
 barbarous inftruments with which they regaled me, 
 rendered the journey almoil infupportable, though 
 it was a fhort one, for we had only to crofs the 
 fquare belonging to the cuftom-houfe : we proceed- 
 ed however at a very fiow rate. When Vv^e arrived 
 at the governor's houfe, wq had to afcend a narrow 
 flight of fteps, at the landing-place of which I was 
 afked for my fvv^ord, I refufed to deliver it, and 
 was preparmg without further ceremony to return, 
 when my fa£lors ftopped me, and the governor was 
 informed of iTiy.cGndu<Sl, who gave orders to let me 
 do as Ï pleafed, I entered the audience-chamber, 
 where an arm-chail- was brought me, antiquated, 
 worm-eaten, and large, like thofe which are delin- 
 eated in ancient pi<f}ures of chivalry. I was plac- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 219 
 
 cd oppofite the governor, and two foldiers with fa- 
 bres and ihields were ftationed, one on each fide of 
 me. The governor, who was an old man, after fa- 
 luting me in the manner of the Arabs, by laying his 
 hand upon his heart, made a fign to me with his 
 finger to be feated, pointing to the arm-chair. As 
 I did not underftand his falutation and was ignorant 
 of the meaning of his other motion. I difregarded 
 the fign Î and, conceiving that he offered me his 
 hand, I took it, and, to his great furprife, gave it a 
 cordial fqueeze. I obferved a geilure in the fold- 
 iers, as if to prevent me ; but, whether checked 
 by a look of their mafter, or of fome other perfon, 
 they did not touch me. I took my feat, and the 
 firft compliment being over, the governor afked me 
 by an interpreter, why I had rufufed to furrender 
 my fword. I gave him to underftand, that, being a 
 military officer, a cuftom eftabliihed in my country 
 forbade me to furrender it without fighting 5 and 
 that it was deemed as difgraceful in Europe to give 
 up our arms, as it would be thought here in him to 
 give up his turban, if any one lliould have the info- 
 lence to demand it. He laughed heartily at the 
 comparifon, and making a fign to the foldiers, they 
 withdrew. I was then perfumed anew, and had 
 coffee prefented to me ; but my Bannian telling him 
 that I had difliked this beverage at the houfe of the 
 emir, he fent to the apartments of the women fora 
 pilaw, which I was obliged to tafte for fear of offend- 
 ing him, and indeed I had no reafon to repent my 
 compliance, for I found it dehcious. He was high- 
 ly delighted, and, judging from his civilities, Ï 
 might have eaten my ^ill. I expreffed my gratitude 
 for the kind reception he had given me, and begged' 
 his indulgence and protef^ion if, as a foreigner, Ï 
 fhould fail of obferving the cuftoms of the country^ 
 of which I was ignorant -, adding, that it would be^' 
 
22© VOYAGE 
 
 always involuntary on my part, fhould I ever be the 
 occaèon of complaint to him. He obligingly repli- 
 ed, that I might in all inftances rely upon him, and 
 that he (hould be happy in giving me proofs of his 
 friendfhip. At the fame time he accorded me the 
 privilege of walking in his gardens, and particularly 
 on Fridays, when I fhould be more, he faid, at my 
 cafe, as it was the day of mofque, and he fhould 
 himfelf be in town : I had only to fend in my name ; 
 but he requefted, if I fhould be told any of his wom- 
 en were there, that I would not go in. With this 
 fingle exception, I might bathe, and fhould be wait- 
 ed upon whenever I pleafed -, and he added, that it 
 would be a pieafure to him to fee me availing my- 
 felf of the liberty he had offered me. This amia- 
 ble old man was not long governor after this period, 
 :is I ftiall relate in the fequel ; but, when reduced 
 to a private flation, I fiill continued to cultivate his 
 friendfhip. He was a Sayd, that is to fay, of the 
 tribe of Mahomet ; in confequence of which he re- 
 tained the green turban, and continued to enjoy a 
 high degree of refpeft. 
 
 The houfe of the governor is a large fquare 
 building, with fmall windows looking towards the 
 o^round appropriated to the exercife of the cavalry. 
 His feragliais oh the firil floor of this building, and 
 he lives himfelf on the fécond, for the benefit of the 
 air : the interior dUlribution is the fame as that of 
 the houfes in general. 
 
 Near to one corner of this ground is a large car- 
 avanfary, which is occupied only at the time of the 
 pilgrimages to Mecca. It is a large fquare building, 
 inclofing a court, v/ith a fountain in the middle for 
 the ablutions prefcribed by the law of Mahomet. 
 The building, is merely a fhed extending round the 
 court, without either door or windows, and fupport- 
 ©d by pillars. It very feldom rains at Mocha j and 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN, 222 
 
 the roofs of thefe {hcds are fo low, that, were It oth- 
 erwife, the rain couid not well annoy thofe who 
 are under them. 
 
 This fpacious building has hut a fîngîe opening, 
 which is the door. The ground before the front of 
 it is of fufficient extent for the camels and afTes of 
 the travellers, who lodge at the caravanfary at a trif- 
 ling expenfe, of which the objeél is fo lei y to defray 
 the charges of keeping it clean. 
 
 I was condudted back with the fame parade to 
 the French lodge, where M. de Moncrif, agent to 
 the French marine, liberated me from my retinue, 
 by throwing among the mob the value of a couple 
 of piaftres, in fmali pieces of money, 
 
 I am happy to inform the reader, that my recep» 
 tion at this place had nothing in it peculiar or per=> 
 fônaî to myfelf; with the exception of the great 
 kindnefs of the governor, it is the ufual etiquette, 
 every captain that arrives being received in the 
 fame manner. 
 
 As there is a ceremony obferred on arriving, fo 
 there is one alfo at departing ; which is to take 
 leave of the governor. The ufual time for this is 3 
 little before the third prayer 'in the evening. The 
 vifitor, when he comes into the prefence of the gov- 
 ernor, is immediately muffled up in a red Arabian 
 robe, which is thrown over his clothes by two men, 
 and which he carries away with him as a mark of 
 friendlbip, and tolcen of the hofpitality of the Arabs. 
 At my departure I received an elegant calimir robe 
 of this kind, which I ufed as a dreiTing-gown for the 
 remainder of my voyage. 
 
 There are two European lodges or fadlories at 
 Mocha, one for the French, and one for the Eng- 
 lifh ; and each nation has the privilege of having its 
 own flag over its appropriate habitation. That be- 
 longing to the French is a very poor building, of: 
 T 2 
 
222 V O Y A G E 
 
 which the warehoufes only are good : but the Eng- 
 lifh one is handfome, and can without difficulty ac- 
 commodate the officers of five or fix vefTels. The 
 French houfe, on the contrary, is only fufiicient for 
 the conful, fo that every captain of that nation has 
 to provide for himfelf a lodging elfewhere, which is 
 a ferions evil in cafe of any difpute with the peo- 
 ple, who are extremely quarrelfome, and would 
 prevent the French, if they could, from afTembling 
 together, that, by taking them fingly they might the 
 more readily get the better of them. The Englifh 
 have the advantage of a manfion that would main- 
 tain a fiege, and by being together they might de- 
 fend themfelves for a time, efcape to the fhore, and 
 get on board their fhips, in fpite of the inhabitants 
 ïind foldiers combined ; for the latter are fo extreme- 
 ly ill armed, that twenty refolute men with bayo- 
 nets fixed would be fufficient to put any one of 
 tlieir battalions into confufion. 
 
 Almofl contiguous to the caravanfary is the cuf- 
 tom-houfe, from which the principal part of the 
 revenue of the prince is derived. The governor is 
 at the head of this department, and pafTes half the 
 day there in a pavilion by the fcales, examining the 
 articles that are weighed, keeping an account of 
 them himfelf, and regii^ering the receipt, which he 
 piys without delay into the exchequer. The flight- 
 eft inftaoce of negle<Sl on his part would be charg- 
 ed as an aél of difhonefty, and might bring upon 
 him very ferious^ confequences. The governor, 
 who had treated me with fo much kinc^nefs, loH 
 his place, and was heavily fined by the iman, for 
 having omitted feme item in the ftatement of a re- . 
 ceipt. Another Sayd, whom Ï faw in prifon, and 
 who profefTed great attachment to the French, had 
 his feet, as well as hands, loaded with irons, for 
 purloining the duty ona.fmall quantity of tobacco 
 
ÎN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 223 
 
 of about fix pounds* weight. It wa^ by dint only 
 of money, that, after being a whole year in prifon, 
 he faved his life. 
 
 The officers of government are employed all day 
 long in this bufinefs ; every article of merchandize 
 having an account taken of it, and being fubje£t to 
 a duty. The cuftom-houfe is a large fquare inclof- 
 ure, with a fhed extending round it, where the dif- 
 ferent articles are depofited, and remain till they 
 are officialiy cleared. 
 
 There are three mofques at Mocha, two of which 
 are fmall, and the other large and handfome, with 
 very high domes. The Arabs do not ufe bells, but 
 have men who ftand in a little gallery built round 
 the dome, and call the faithful to prayers, as loudly 
 as their lungs will permit them. They are heard. 
 diflinftly, particularly at night, vociferating in x 
 hollow tone from thefe ftations. To me nothing 
 could be more awkward and unalluring than this 
 method of fummoning the people to the duties of 
 religion. 
 
 The Muflulmans attend the mofques regularly 
 every day, though allowed to pray in their own; 
 houfes ; but Friday is tliç principal day of folemnif 
 ty, as Sunday is with us. On that day the gover- 
 nor goes to mofque in the morning in great Hate, at 
 the head of all the troops, both cavalry and infan- 
 try. Having performed his devotions, he is con- 
 duced back in the fame manner by the whole gar- 
 rifon, when the infantry form along one fide ^o£ 
 the ground before his houfe, and the cavalry per- 
 form their exercife. The governor at their head 
 begins fome courfes on a gallop, which they call 
 manoeuvres, after which the troops form in two 
 lines, and charge, brandifhing a long lance ; the 
 horfes are well on the haunches, which gives them 
 the power of flopping fliort on their hocks, even 
 when going full fpeed^ 
 
324 VOYAGE 
 
 To break the horfes to this exercife, their legs 
 are tied together in the ftable, each fore foot to the 
 correfponding hind foot, with the diflance of about 
 twelve inches between. In this pofture they con- 
 trat the liabit of drawing themfelves up, and are 
 extremely pleafant to ride t they are naturally fo 
 ftrong, that this pra6lice does not in the leaft injure 
 their fleetnefs. There are feveral kinds of Arabian 
 horfes. The fort called Mafcatt is produced by a 
 mixture with the Perfian breed, and is fîender, light, 
 and delicately formed : that of Yemen is a native 
 of the country^ large and vigorous, the head and 
 loins fquare, and the cheft thick ; in running, what 
 they lofe in lightnefs is compenfated by ftrength. 
 
 After two charges of this kind, the governor 
 breaks a lance with fome of the principal officers, 
 and the reft in parties follow the example. They 
 challenge and purfue each other, performing feats 
 which require confiderable dexterity. The chal- 
 lenger gives the reins to his horfe, which runs the 
 whole length of the place in a gallop without flop- 
 ping : his antagonift purfues him, and aims a blow 
 at him behind with a ftick, and which the addrefs 
 of the other confifts in parrying with a (îmilar ftick. 
 As every officer has one or fwo attendants, he gives 
 them his lance before he begins this encounter, and 
 takes inftead of it one of thefe fticks, which is a- 
 bout five feet long, and is ufed as a javelin to dart at 
 his enemy. If the horfeman that flies parries the 
 throw, and makes the i'iick of his rtdverfary fall to 
 the ground, he gains the conteft ; but the princi- 
 pal fkiii is either to flrike off the turban of his ad- 
 verfary, or to dart the flick Îq direflly on his back, 
 that it may rebound, and the purfuer before it falls 
 be able to recover it. This is the more difficult, 
 becaufe, the diftance being fhort, and the horfes 
 running full fpe^d, the courfe lafts as it were but an : 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 225 
 
 inftant; of courfe a great deal of alertnefs is req- 
 uifite. 
 
 The Arabs make ufe of bridles fimilar, or near- 
 ly fo, to ours ; with bits like thofe which the French 
 C2M h gorge de pigeon» In riding they keep a very 
 tight hand, fo that the mouths of all their horfes 
 have the bars very much bruifed. They alfo make 
 ufe of faddles ; but the bows are fo much higher 
 than ours, and they place between the faddle^and 
 the horfe fuch a quantity of cufhions and cloths, 
 that the rider is raifed fix inches at lead above the 
 back of the animal. In this fituation, the heels 
 hardly reaching to the flank, he can neither avail 
 himfelf of a fpur, nor are his knees of any help to 
 him in keeping his feat : the faddle however is fo 
 elevated with trufliquins both before and behind, that 
 he feems to be placed as in a boat, from which noth- 
 ing can diflodge him. They have houfings as we 
 have, and very magnificent ones, red, blue, and 
 green, embroidered with gold. They have ftirrups 
 alfo, but no fpurs. The ftirrups do not refemble 
 ours, but are large copper ihoes, in which they 
 place the v/hole foot. As this (hoe is larger than 
 the foot, it extends at the heel, and it is with this 
 extremity of the fhoe or ftirrup that they goad the 
 fide of the horfe : a blow given fiatwife produces 
 very little efFe^i:, but a kick with the end of it rtiakes 
 the horfe inftantly obey, and gives him very great 
 pain ; for it is generally fo fharp as to be capable 
 even of piercing the flank. 
 
 The horfes are not ihod, the hoof growing fo 
 hard that it does not lofe its edge, and has feldom. 
 occafion to be pared. 
 
 Thefe horfemen, when properly equipped, have 
 each two attendants, a lance nearly twenty feet 
 long, flender, and elaft:ic, not intended to be thrown, 
 two javehns about five or fix feet, ufed for that 
 
226 VOYAGE 
 
 purpofe, a brace of piftols, and a fabrc and ihield r 
 the laft two articles are not worn by the cavalier, 
 but are faftened to the faddle : their favourite weap- 
 on is the javelin. The whole is furnifhed by the 
 iman ; no one, as a matter of right, being allowed 
 to poflefs a horfe through the whole of that prince's 
 dominions. Thefe animals are all diftributed by 
 the fovereign, who gives them to fuchas he d*eems 
 worthy of this mark of his favour, and takes them 
 away again at his will. Every Arab of illuftrious 
 birth enters into the cavalry, and in • this manner 
 receives a horfe, which he maintains at his own ex- 
 penfe, and may ride when he pleafes. The officers 
 of the cuftom-houfe alfo belong to this corps, which 
 is in this country as high a diftin£lion as that of no- 
 bility in Europe.' The cavaliers are very much 
 refpetted ; they wear no uniform -, but drefs every 
 one as he likes, exhibiting a motley and uncouth 
 appearance to fuch as have been accuflomed to the 
 regularity of drefs in European troops. They ride 
 in their benifh and trowfers, refembling fo many 
 judges rather than foldiers, and have nothing in 
 their air that is in the fmalleft degree military. To 
 look at them, it is impoffible to fuppofe that the 
 whole corps could ftand againft ten well-armed 
 men, notwith (landing the fuperiority of their horfes. 
 As to their fmgle combats, it is pretty evident that 
 in point of agility and ikili no one of thefe cavaliers 
 would be a match for an huiïar -, not but that moft 
 of them are fkilful in the management of their horf- 
 es, which are often however of themfelves fufficient- 
 ly tratlable A young Sayd who was my neigh- 
 bour, and brother of hmi whom I have mentioned 
 as being in prifon and irons, was defirous one day 
 of giving me a fpecimen of his addrefs in horfe- 
 man (hip. He fixed his long lance in the ground, 
 and without letting it go put his horfe into a canter; 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 227 
 
 Tound it, firft to the right and then to the left, 
 changing his hand under his right arm, without 
 for a moment flopping his horfe, or quitting his 
 hold of the lance. 
 
 • The foot-foldiers are taken from, the mafs of the 
 people ; they are a moil wretched body of troops, 
 without the flighted idea of military movements ; 
 they march in confufion, and are with difBcuity 
 drawn up in files three deep. The drefs of thefe 
 foldiers confifts of a linen fhirt in the manner of the 
 country, and a drapery of coarfe brown cloth. 'The 
 commander is armed with a battle-axe, and the 
 foldiers with match-locks, of the moil ancient con- 
 ftru£lion. The match is carried in the right hand, 
 but the foldier applies it to the pan with his left in 
 fuch a manner that in doing it he can preferve no 
 fleadinefs, and generally burns either his hand or 
 his whifKer. Their pay is barely fufEcient for their 
 fubfiftence ; and ei^en what they receive is very ir- 
 regularly ifTued. If a complaint be at any time 
 made to the fovereign againfl a perfon that is rich, 
 he is fined a certain fum and turned over to the 
 military, to whom it is configned as pay, either in 
 arrear or advance. The foldiers are fond of being 
 paid in this way, becaufe the colleélion veiling in 
 themfelves, they are fure of getting it.; they will 
 befides admit of no delay, and in doing themfelves 
 juTiice are apt to exceed rather than fall iliort of 
 the fum that is impofed. 
 
 Thefe foldiers are brought with great difficulty 
 to any degree of difcipline. They are compofed of 
 the lower order of people in the towns, the inhabit- 
 ants of the mountain, and fome Bedouins, or Arabs 
 of the defert, who enlift from being unable to main- 
 tain themfelves at home. They are black, with 
 fhining or frizzled hair, according as they are of 
 Arabian or Abyfhnian extraction, but generally 
 
228 VOYAGE 
 
 the former. The nobility are almoft white, their 
 copper tint being fo light, that many of the Sayds 
 are fairer than the quadroons in our colonies. The 
 children refulting from an intercourfe of thefe Sayds 
 with their Abyffinian flaves have a mixture of the 
 African chara£leriftics ; but thofe produced from 
 women of their own race perpetuate its beauty, and 
 have every other Afiatic diftinflion. They fupply 
 their feraglios with females from Abyflinia, of 
 whom whole cargoes arrive at a time. I have feen 
 among them fome women of exquifite beauty ; they 
 are black, but nothing is fo bewitching as their form, 
 or fo elegant and graceful as their motions. I was 
 one day fo llruck with one of thefe flaves as fhe 
 landed from her daouy that I inflantly made a pro- 
 pofal by my Bannian to purchafe her : fhe lifted 
 up a dirty piece of coarfe blue cloth, which ferved 
 her for a veil, and expofcd a moft charming figure. 
 I inquired her price j but the merchant, feeing it 
 was a Chriflian who wanted her, anfwered, that he 
 fuppofed my Bannian to have fpoken in behalf of 
 fome Muflulman, and refufed to treat with me. 
 
 Befide thefe girls, the Abyffinians fend alfo cat- 
 tle to this market, and among them a fpecies of 
 fheep of the African breed, with large tails and 
 long hair, precifely like thofe at the Cape of Good 
 Hope. 
 
 A great number of Bedouins repair to Mocha, 
 to purchafe fuch articles as they want. They are 
 Arabs of a vagabond tribe, wandering about the 
 mountains. Their drefs and appearance are by no 
 means prepofleffing 5 and as to manners, they are 
 in general morofe, infolent, and to an ofFenfive 
 word will often reply with a ftroke of a dagger. 
 They are the more dangerous, as they do not hefi- 
 tate to fall many upon one. They ufually encamp 
 without the Sacred Gate where their camels are an 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 229 
 
 obftru6tion to the pafTagSo Their complexion 
 is black, and they have ihining black hair. They 
 are robuit and weii 2nade, have a favage afpe£l, go 
 aivvays armed«to the very chin, and are extremely 
 quarrelfome. I had fome of them introduced to 
 nay houfe for the purpofe of being acquainted with 
 them, and I treated them with hofpitality to prej- 
 udice them in my favour, intending to vifit a 
 fmall town called Moza, about four leagues diilant 
 in the mountains ; and as I wifhed to go on horfe- 
 back without attendants, and to walk about freelv 
 in the day, I ihould be liable frequently to meet 
 great numbers of them. Mofl of them refufed what 
 I offered j others, while eating my pilaw, could not 
 lay afide their ferocity : one only violated their pre- 
 cept by accepting fome brandy : he aflured me af= 
 ter wards, that their tribe would do me no injury 
 which! found to be true. I have pafTed fvequentiV 
 fmce through a troop of thefe people, and have 
 flopped to look at their camels, without their ex= 
 preiling either dilTatisfacfion orpleafure. 
 
 Mocha is built on d very indifferent plan ; the 
 (Ireets are well adapted to the country, but an Euro- 
 pean would think them difagreeable; the houfes are 
 lofty, and the ftreets narrow, for the purpofe of being 
 fnaded. This method, which would feeminp-ly 
 check the circulation of the air, contributes hoV- 
 ever to keep the ftreets cool , and when the weath- 
 er is hot they are frequently watered. There is 
 not a ftreet in the whole town fufficientlv wide for 
 a cart to pafs through, and it is as much as the 
 camels when loaded can effect. 
 
 The middle of the town is occupied bv the bazar 
 of which half is covered in, deriving hcrht from 
 holes made at regular diftances in the roof. This 
 bazar is a perfe^l labyrinth, in which I was twenty 
 times loft. It is under the covered part of the 
 U 
 
23û VOYAGE 
 
 building that the market for dry goods, fuch as lin- 
 en, fiiks, glafs, porcelain, &c. is held. Atone end 
 of it is the ftreet leading to the Sacred Gate, and it 
 is here that grain, dry fruit, oil, greafe, &c. are ex- 
 pofed to fale. The fmeli of this part of the bazar 
 is dreadful. The Arabs make great ufe oi afa-fcetiday 
 and the market was at ail times full of this commod- 
 ity. The ftench ariilng from it, added to the fmell 
 of the oil, was intolerable to me ; and whenever, 
 compelled by bufmefs, I pafTed that way, though I 
 cfcaped as expeditioufly as poffible, the odour ftill 
 followed me, and I was obliged to haften home and 
 fumigate my clothes with incenfe, to deftroy the 
 eflluvia of this odious drug, of which I can now 
 fcarcely write the nam.e without reforting in like 
 manner to the ufe of perfumes. 
 
 The population of Mocha is very confiderable ; 
 I reckon it at eighteen thoufand fouls, exciufively 
 of the camp of the Jews, M^hich is clofe to the fouth 
 fide of the tov.'n. The houfes are all built of brick, 
 with extremely fmall openings for light, except the 
 blind on each itory, v^hich is an enclofed balcony, 
 with apertures to look through. They refenîble at 
 -2^ diftance the balconies in Spain, and at firft fight 
 Mocha has very much the appearance of a Spanifh 
 town. 
 
 The houfes have uniformly argamaffe roofs, with 
 a little (bed, called pajjdais-i erefted on them, and 
 covered with matting on account of the dev/, which 
 is heavy here, as in all countries where there is very 
 little rain : under thefe pandals the inhabitants pafs 
 the evening, and frequently the night. For myfelf, 
 I could fleep no where elfe, not onl^y from the vio- 
 lence of the heat, but on account alfo of the cats- 
 This town is the patrimony of thefe animals*, noth- 
 ing can equal their voracioufnefs and difpofition to 
 theft. The window^s being obliged to be open all 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 23 1 
 
 night for the fake of the air, they have an opportu- 
 nity of entering and rummaging the apartments, 
 where they fquall, fight, and make (o terriblea rack- 
 et, that it is impoffible to lleep ; and in (lead oi go- 
 ing away when they are driven, they will growl, fet 
 up their backs in defiance, and almort: attack you. I 
 killed or caufed to be killed every .•)ur-and- twenty 
 hours half a dozen regularly of thefe animals ; but 
 they were the lernian hydra, the more I deflroyed, 
 the greater number returned. At latl I refigned to 
 them my apartment, and went on the houfe-top to 
 fleep, where they gave me no dilturbance. 
 
 The houfes of the Arabs are much lefs conven- 
 ient than ours. The mod ufeful articles of their fur- 
 niture are in the highell degree awkward : their locks 
 in particular are mafter-pieces of ignorance ; the 
 box, fprings, bolt, key, are all made of wood, and 
 fo unwieidly as to weigh at leaft twenty pounds : 
 nor do the y anfwer the purpofe for which they are 
 intended -, any key will open them as well as that 
 which was made for the purpofe, and which will 
 often indeed not do fo. The houfes are almoft all 
 built on the fame plan. The Hair-cafe leads to a 
 large anti-chamber, common to the whole floor, hav- 
 ing the apartments round it. Inftead of pavement 
 or flooring, they have flight beams of palm- wood 
 covered with ftraw, and over this lime. This fort 
 of fÎQor has very little folidity, and is never level, 
 fo that a table with four legs will feldom (land 
 firm. The hall in which vifitors are received is 
 covered with a carpeting of flraw, and has a mat- 
 trefs laid round the fides, on which are a great 
 quantity of culhions to fit or lie upon at pleafure^ 
 with fmail Perfian carpets at the feet, when the 
 intention is to be fumptuous. Above, all round 
 the room, is one or more (helves loaded with porce- 
 lain, which is the luxury of the country. Thej 
 
232 VOYAGE 
 
 have no looking-glafies, nor any coftly articles 
 of furniture : porcelain conftitutes the whole of their 
 decorations. In the middle of the room a kind of 
 garden is erected in the form of an amphitheatre, 
 the centre of which is occupied by a^Iarge hooka, 
 furniihed with pipes for the ufe of the company, 
 and the circumference with pots of flowers, and 
 particularly bafil, which is highly efteemed. 
 
 The great felicity of an Arab is to be in a current 
 of ah-, lolling upon a pile of cufhions, imbibing the 
 vapour of perfumes which are burnt at his fide, and 
 fmokij;ig fupinely his hooka, with no thought, no 
 care to m cleft him, perfuaded that the next day will 
 bring with it a return of the fame indolence, and 
 the fame enjoyments. The firft ftory of a houfe 
 is ufuaily occupied by the women, who are feldom 
 to.be feerij and who have a fmall court appropriated 
 to tîiem in the inner part of the building, towards 
 vvliich I hair balconies look. 
 
 One of our friends^ not very rich, of the race of 
 thé inhabitants of the mountains, and of courfe ex- 
 tremely black, gave us one day an invitation to his 
 houfe, which we readily accepted. He introduced 
 us into an apartment fimilar to the one I have de- 
 fcribed. I was defirous of feeing his feragiio, and 
 I requefted the favour of him, but tO; no purpofe ; 
 he would not confent. Finding me earneft in this 
 point, he alleged at laft motives of religion, which 
 iiienced me ; but, in confequence of my importuni- 
 tv, he fuffered his women to drink their (lierbet with 
 Ud. They were three in number, and were veiled 5 
 one of them was his fifter. ' We were talking Por- 
 tuguefe, and v/ere jovial and merry ; but as foon as 
 they entered, he begged us to affame a graver de- 
 portment. Tlie (herbet was brought, and I waited 
 expC'fling the-v»'omen to unveil: but no j they re- 
 ceived their cups with a falam^, and drank undeif 
 * A fort of falutation or complimente — 1\ 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 233 
 
 their veils. The extreme bîacknefs of their hands 
 in fome degree moderated my defire of feeing their 
 faces, and there was befides nothing very alluring 
 in their figure ; yet, like a true Frenchman, I con- 
 ceived it a mark of politenefs to exprefs the wifh, 
 that, by feeing, I might have an opportunity of ad- 
 miring them. Our friend however would by no 
 means confent to this, except as to his fifter ; and 
 here he previoufly enjoined on us the greateft cir- 
 cumfpe6bion, which we promifed to obfervea She 
 was then ordered to unveil. At firil (he made ai* 
 appearance of hefitating -, but a repetition of the 
 command determined her, and (he let down an our-^ 
 gnndi that was faltened to her head, and difcovered 
 a handfome negro perfon, with fine eyes, prominent 
 bofom, and a delicate (kin. From being espofed 
 in this manner to the gaze of two Chriftians, fhe 
 appeared to fuffer pain, and fat in a ftate of embar- 
 rafiment difficult to be exprefTcd, cafting down her 
 eyes, without daring to look at us. Her brother 
 meanwhile was watching all her motions, Ac laft 
 propofing to me a cup of (herbet, I fliid that I would 
 take one with pleafure, if his filler would do me 
 the honour to prefent it to me. This feemingly 
 difpleafed him, for he made her a fign, upon which 
 the veil was refumed, and the three women with- 
 drew inftantly. After this, he would never admit 
 his filler into my prefence. I was piqued at his con- 
 tinued refuf^l, and endeavoured in every way I 
 could devife to obtain without his knowledge a fight 
 of her. He however heard of my proceedings, and 
 reproached me in term^ expreffive not only of the 
 danger I was incurring, but of the ingratitude with 
 which I requited his friendfhip. His remondrances 
 made me afliamed of my condu6l ; and I gave up a 
 purfuit which honour forbade, and a temporary de» 
 TfIi<flioii of duty had tempted me to cirry too far> 
 U 2 
 
234 VOYAGE 
 
 The drefs of the Arabs is well underftood, yet in 
 our theatres the Turkifh turban is continually con- 
 founded with theirs. The turban of the Arabs has 
 one, and fometimes two pendants behind, like the 
 mitre of our bifhops, diftinguifhing it from that of 
 the other Muflulmans. Thefe pendants are mere- 
 Jy the ends of the cloth of which the turban is made. 
 
 Their benifli or robe, in the fulnefs of the body 
 and the fleeves, is nearly like that of the benedi6line 
 monks. Under this, they have a filk coat, cover- 
 ing a tunic (jacket without ileeves) of linen, or oth- 
 er light materials ; and underneath thefe again, a 
 piece of linen, muflin, or fome fimilar ftuiF, in the 
 manner of drawers. The form in which this laft is 
 worn between the legs gives it a little the appear- 
 ance of breeches, that is, it covers the thighs toler- 
 ably well as low as the knees ; but it Aides up when 
 they ride on horfeback, and they are obliged to cov- 
 er their nakednefs with their robe. Their faih or 
 girdle is fometimes exceedingly large, for they wear 
 no pockets, but fallen every thing they have to car- 
 ry round their loins. 
 
 They ore always armed with a poignard ; but it 
 differs greatly from the weapon bearing that name 
 in Europe. The blade is wide, fmooth, and curv- 
 ed, with two ridges on the fides, commencing at 
 the broadeft part, and meeting at the point. The 
 handle is iliort and Hoping in the middle, fo that 
 tht end anfwering to the pommel, extending be- 
 vond the hand, prevents the inftrument from Hiding, 
 and gives a firm hold. The (hape of this ^«•Jiapon 
 is altogetîier a curve, nearly like the figure denoting 
 r pnrenthefis ; fo that the wound which it makes, 
 though extremely wide, is difficult to be probed, 
 from not being (Iraight. The Arabs generally ftrike 
 dv^wn wards, or elfe from left to right ; in the form- 
 er cafe, the bend or curve of the poignard is below, 
 and in the latter the point is direé^ed inwards. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 235 
 
 The whole drefs of the Arabs is admirably adapt- 
 ed to the climate. Nothing can be more refrefh- 
 ing than their ample garments, which allow a free 
 circulation of the air, leave all the joints of the body 
 unreilrained, and impede none of its motions. 
 
 Mahomet had a ftrong partiality for the colours 
 of green and red ; and thefe colours have on this 
 account been appropriated to fuch Arabs as are de- 
 fcended from him, or belong to his tribe. Thofe 
 who confider themfelves as his defcendants afluine 
 the title of Sayd, and are greatly refpedted. There 
 were three of thefe perfonages at Mocha, of whom 
 two having incurred the difpleafure of the iman, one 
 was put into irons, and the other deprived of his 
 place of governor : for thefe gentry, notwithfland- 
 ing the eftimation in which they are held by the peo- 
 ple, are equally fubjeiSled with the reft of the nation 
 to the will of the fovereign, who punifhes them 
 even lefs fparingly when they tranfgrefs, as indul- 
 gence in that refpe<fi: would embolden and perhaps 
 render them dangerous. In the hands of prejudice 
 or fanaticifm, the title they enjoy might be convert- 
 ed into a formidable inftrument : it is therefore the 
 poKcy of the fovereign to give them a feeling of their 
 dependence, left, availing themfelves of the name 
 of Mahomet, they (hould attempt to throw off the 
 yoke. Their mark of diftin6lion is a green turban, 
 of which they are extremely jealous. They feldom 
 wear a red one, or a red robe, green being their fa- 
 vourite colour, from its fuppofed fuperiority. The 
 privilege of wearing it expends alfo to the principal 
 officers of government, but only while they are in 
 office ; the governor of Mocha has a green robe 
 and turban, while he occupies that ftadon ; but if 
 not a Sayd, as foon as his place is taken from him, 
 he refigns thefe marks of diftinclion, whereas the 
 Sayds always retain them*. 
 
 * Nicbulir, p. 10, i» of a different opinion as to the greea turban^ 
 
23<î VÔtAGE 
 
 The Arabs divide the day into four-and-twenty 
 hours, as we do, beginning with fix in the evening. 
 When "hey purchafe any of our watches, they put 
 the hand at funfet to twelve, and as the figures on 
 the plate are different from theirs, the handle ferves 
 as a mark to direct them in counting : fo that when 
 the hand comes round to this mark, inftead of call- 
 ing it twelve o'clock, as we do, they call it fix. In 
 their divifion of the year they reckon by lunations, 
 and are very exaft in announcing the appearance of 
 a new moon : there is even a reward for the firft 
 who difcovers it. As foon as it is perceived, a piece 
 of ordnance is difcharged at one of the batteries, and 
 the inhabitants of the town make great rejoicings. 
 They firft go to prayers, and afterwards fpend the 
 teft of the day as a feftival in their families. 
 
 At the diftance of about five'hundred paces fromi 
 Mocha, to the fouth, the Jews have a camp, where 
 they live in flraw huts. They are prohibited from 
 refiding in the town, but are at liberty to d'o as they 
 pleafe in their camp, which is ofteh rictous enough : 
 for the Mahometans not admittirig the ufe of ftrong 
 irquors among them, the fallors can no where pro- 
 cure any but of the Jews, who fell them bad arra'^k, 
 diftilled from rice. Thefe Jews are rzur. :çrous, their 
 population amounting to-twelve or nfteen hundred. 
 I did not obferve among them a C^r^le individual 
 who was not a comp«lete negro : they have fleek and 
 îhining hair, and are fimilar in all refpeûs to the 
 Parias in India. 
 
 If the Jewifh families of Europe, and the célébrât-, 
 ed beauties we fometimes find among their women, 
 are really dcfcended from the fame ftock as the 
 Jews of Mocha ; if, faithful to the prejudice which' 
 forbids them from intermarrying with families of . 
 a different religion, the defcent has thus been pre- 
 ferved ftridly Jewifh on each fide without adulter- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 237 
 
 ation ; we have nothing to which to impute the dif- 
 ference I have defcribed, but the operation of cli- 
 mate. Their black colour would then not be in- 
 herent in their race, but would merely be a change 
 efFe£ted by the fun. I do not pretend to fupport 
 this hypothefis by a h€t of fo dubious a nature as 
 the difference of colour. On the contrary, I am 
 convinced, that the eaftern Jews mull anciently have 
 intermixed with European families, and that an an- 
 ceftry of five hundred years, purely Jewiih, with- 
 out any alloy whatever, could not be found among 
 them. Be this as it may, the Jews of Mocha are 
 poor and oppreffed, are the reverfe of handfome, 
 and very uncleanly. Thofe young females in the 
 fynagoguea at Hamburg or Amfterdam, who giin 
 an admirer by every glance, would be fnocked at the 
 idea of being compaffid even with me moA captivat- 
 ing beauties among their tribe at Mocha. 
 
 Befides that of the Jews, another ftrangc cat! is 
 tolerated, hcrç even in the to.'-ai itCclf : thefe are the 
 Bannians. Of all the variety of religions, fec^s, fo- 
 cieties, and cafls which exiii, that of the Bannians, 
 beyond contradivlion, is the one that does moft 
 honour to humanity. In the exercife of the foclal 
 virtues they have no parallel. One of their chief pre-^ 
 cepts, as is well knov/n, is to love .every thing that 
 breathes, to affift every thing that is in pain, to ab-. 
 hor the fpiliing of blood, and to abftain from food 
 that has enjoyed life ; and they pradlife this precept 
 in its utmoit rigour. Nothing can induce them to 
 take any other nourifliment than milk, butter, 
 cheefe^ rice, and vegetables. They are particular- 
 ly tender in their treatment of all forts of animals. 
 Ivlocha abounds with do3;s, which have no owners, 
 and which live in a fouthern part of the town, 
 where they are feen in p^cks, Sleeping three-fourths 
 of the day in faialî holes, which they dig them» 
 
^38 VOYAGE 
 
 felves. To me nothing can be fo ofFenfive and 
 difgufting as thefe animals : many of them attain 
 to a great age, and all without exception are de- 
 voured by the mange, deftitute of hair, quarrelfome, 
 a'nd almoft famifhed j they bark, or fet up a howl 
 at every one who pafles, and are objects of detefta- 
 tion to the inhabitants. They are not fulFered to 
 enter the town ; and they keep therefore in one 
 fituation, where they multiply fo faft, that, what- 
 ever havoc is made among them, their number 
 feems never to d'iminilh. The Bannians extend 
 their compaffion to thefe deteftable animals, and 
 even take particular care of them : they bake little 
 loaves of bread for food, which they carry to them 
 almoft every hour in the day : one or other of this 
 tribe is feen continually paffing with a little copper 
 pot of water in one hand, and a loaf in the other. 
 The dogs know them, and as foon as a Bannian is 
 perceived they haften to him in fwarms : the moft 
 eager get a few bits of bread, and others a little 
 water, while thofe who get nothing wait the arriv- 
 al of another Bannian, who fhortly appears and dif- 
 penfes in the fame manner his water and loaf. Their 
 drefs is a white robe and rofe- coloured turban ; 
 the different tribes of animals know them fo well, 
 that the pigeons are often extremely troublefome, 
 and no bird ever flies away to avoid them. I have 
 never feen a Bannian take any bird, though I have 
 feen inftances of their feeding them on the bufties ; 
 though I have feen them fcatter rice at their feet, 
 and the birds, wild to other men, fiock round and 
 tranquilly pick it up, like fo many poultry in a 
 farm-yard. In fhort, the moft timid animals ap- 
 proach them without the leaft apprehenfion 5 and 
 the moft fuccefsful mode of hunting would certain- 
 ly be in the difguife of a Bannian, were it poffible 
 fo flagrantly to abufe the confidence which the ami- 
 able manners of this «caft have gained them. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 239 
 
 Their horror at every thing dead can hardly be 
 defcribed. One of them, named Ramji, came of- 
 ten to my houfe at the time of my meals to give an 
 account of fome bufinefs or other he had tranfa£led 
 for me. When any of my people wiihed to play 
 him a trick, they contrived that a little broiled fifli 
 fhould fall as by accident upon his hand. The poor 
 fellow upon this would cry out as in an agony, and 
 run to waih himfeif with an eagernefs and care, 
 that could only be equalled by the terror he felt at 
 the circumftance. The flies in all hot countries are 
 eager for drink, and are very often drowned in the 
 difties and glafles. Ramji would wiUingly have 
 fpent a whole day in refloring one of thefe infers 
 to life. A method was pointed out to him of put- 
 ting them into fait tc recover them ; and he was fo 
 overjoyed at the difcovery, that he never came to 
 me afterwards without a handkerchief full of fait, to 
 fave the lives of as many as he could. Thefe marks 
 of character, though trifling, may ferve to depi(ffc 
 the extraordinary good-nature and fweetnefs of 
 manners of thefe people. 
 
 Their difpofition is frank and open ; a Bannian is 
 ignorant of prevarication and falfehood. The 
 whole commerce of the Europeans is entrufted to 
 them, they alone being able to deal with the Arabs. 
 What they receive for their trouble is extremely 
 moderate, yet are their probity and honour proof 
 againfl every temptation. The Englifh faflor here 
 is extremely rich ; the French ones are by no means 
 equally fo, the government having occafioned them 
 very confiderable lofles. Their commercial houfe 
 was conducted in the names of Courji and Ramji, 
 the firft of whom had rendered fuch fervices, both 
 to the company and the French in general, that he 
 received from the king in acknowledgment a gold 
 medal of the weight of fix ounces, with the royal 
 
a40 VOYAGE 
 
 portrait on one fide, and a reprefentation on the 
 other, of the fun rifirig upon a diftant country •, the 
 legend -on the portrait- fide was, Louis XVI. king of 
 France and Navarre, and on the other, chief of the 
 French faE'làrs at Temen ; and the exergue, / will 
 extend m^ he nef t s to the end of the ivorld. This rr.ed- 
 al, which was f aliened to a gold chain, he wcrfe 
 rbund his neck, Hke the badge of an order, when- 
 ever he appeared in his habits of ceremony. 
 
 The Muifuhnans have a feafon of folemnity and 
 fafting fimilar to our Lent, which lails through the 
 whole month of Ramadan^ during which they are to 
 eat nothing before fun-fet. This precept was evident- 
 ly given to inculcate abftinence ; but they contrive 
 to elude, while they would be thought to obferve 
 it, by obeying the letter and negie£ling the fpirit of 
 the command : for they deep all day, and fpend the 
 night in rejoicings and merriment. During this 
 feafon not an individual is to be feen in the day- 
 time *j but the fun has no fconer funk below tlèe 
 horizon than the revelry begins. They traverfe 
 the ftreets finging, the houfes are illuminated, the 
 people aifemble in large parties, and the whole 
 town refembles a fair. I took the refolution while 
 it lafted of retiring to r*y veffel for the fake of re- 
 pofe j for the noife in the ftreets, as foon as the 
 rdght fet in, made it impcffible for me to fleep. To 
 crown my misfortune too, I lived next door to a 
 rigid devotee, who, in performing the duties of 
 Ramadan, uttered the moft frightful cries, roaring 
 Alia with the voice of a ftentor, and driving away 
 ilumber from every eye. His window was oppo- 
 fite to mine, and I could not help fufpecting there 
 was a little of the charlatan in his devotion ; at leaft, 
 whenever I locked towards him, he ihrew himfeif 
 upon the ground, and redoubled his cries oi Alia, 
 with an extravagance, that could only be the effe^l 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 241 
 
 cither of grofs hypocrify or the extremefi: fanati- 
 cifm. As I could do no bufmefs, all the inhabit- 
 ants being in bed, I lived on board my veflel, and 
 did not come afliore till the lad day, when the Ram- 
 adan terminated by a proceffion. The governor in 
 great ftate, on a horfe covered with armour, carries 
 the fhandard of Mahomet at the head of the cavalry, 
 preceded by the foot foldiers, and followed by the 
 people. He fets out from the principal mofque, 
 and goes round the town outfide tlj^e ramparts, en- 
 tering again the mofque, which is announced by a 
 ' difcharge of artillery. The Sayds walk after him, 
 ^nd every one difplays on this occafion ail the lux- 
 ury that his fortune will admit, which gives to the 
 proceffian an air of extraordinary grandeur and mag- 
 nificence. 
 
 The Arabs pay religious homage to their dead. 
 The burying-places are a fhort diftance from the 
 town, where every one that dies has a tomb, 
 "^hore or lefs confpicuous, to denote where he is 
 interred. Thele tombs are much frequented by the 
 parents or friends of the deceafed, who fit upon the 
 ground, abforbed in grief, uttering groans, afFe(5li«g 
 defpair, and making the mod piteous bowlings. At 
 firit I refpetled their forrow, and haftened to a dif- 
 tance, whenever by accident I found myfelf near to 
 them, i obferved, that their cries were loud while I 
 was prefentj and that the moment I was gone thefe 
 mourners were filent. I fuppofed, therefore, that 
 their fufferings might be occalioned by the horror 
 they felt at the appearance of a Chriftian j but my 
 factor fooa fet me at eafe on that point, by telling 
 me, that it v.'as all afFcÔation 5 that their mourn- 
 ing in reality was an outward form, rather than a 
 feeling of the heart j which made me afterwards 
 iefs fcrupulous in my conduce. Thefe tombs are 
 !iot coftly; they are a heap of bricks put together, 
 W 
 
242 VOYAGE 
 
 with no ornament, and moft of them without an 
 infcription. 
 
 The Arabs are flrongly attached to their relig- 
 ion, are intolerant to all other fe£ts, and anxious to 
 make profelytes. A Chriflian who embraces Ma- 
 hometanifm is fure to obtain their favour and pro- 
 tecHiion, but without enjoying, any great fhare of re- 
 fpe£i:. Many Europeans have fettled among them. 
 The failor who deferted from me at Cochin had 
 formerly been fhipwrecked in the neighbourhood of 
 Mocha, where he was taken care of by the French 
 conful there. During his ftay in the town he had 
 embraced the Mahometan faith, had cried ^//a^ and 
 been circumcifed. He had even married and fet- 
 tled himfelf : but taking advantage of the firft vef- 
 fel that arrived, he made his efcape, abandoning his 
 houfe, his wife, and Mahomet together. As foon 
 as he learned at Cochin my intention of going into 
 the Red Sea, the dread of being apprehended anek 
 impaled induced him to defert. I have mentioned 
 how I regained him. Being thus, in fpite of him- 
 felf, obliged to vifit his old place of refidence, he told 
 me the whole of his ftory, and begged mè to pro- 
 tect him. This was eafy enough j nothing was 
 neceffary but to order the officers on duty never to 
 fend him afhore, nor put him into any of the boats, 
 that he might not be feen and recollefted. Un- 
 able however to keep his own fecret, he told his 
 companions, that he was prevented by the fear of 
 punifhment only from returning to his wife, and 
 that he hsd never been more comfortable than when 
 •living among the MufTulmaiis. Curiofity, and ilili 
 more the reftlefs difpofition of failors, particularly 
 thofe of the French nation, put it into the heads of 
 mv crew to be Mahometans alfo, fince, as he had 
 done, they could defert at lad, if upon trial they dif- 
 liked the change. The firft who fet the example 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. " 243 
 
 was a (lout ÇafFre, an excellent failor, and who fpokc 
 the Moorifh tongue well. He waited at the door 
 of the mofque till he faw the governor, when, cry- 
 ing Alia^ he was immediately feized, and the next 
 dayj being circumcifed and clothed in the Arabian 
 manner, he walked into Mocha my equal, and came 
 to me in an infolent manner, demanding his wages. 
 Î told him that every failor by deferring forfeited 
 his claim to whatever was due to him, that this was 
 the law of all veiTels, and that I fhould therefore give 
 him nothing. I alfo preferred a complaint againft 
 his condiicl: to the new governor, who was juft ap- 
 pointed initead of the one who had fliowed me fo 
 much kind nefs ; but all the fatisfa£lion I could ob- 
 tain was to have this profelyte fent out of the v/ay, 
 that he might no more infult me in my own houfe. 
 I defired the conful to inform the governor, that, 
 as the failor was not a Frenchman, I ihould take no 
 farther notice of the affair, but that I would not ad- 
 yife him to take from me any more of my crew, as 
 I Ihouid certainly find means of refenting it. A 
 few days after, the fon of the hydrographer of the 
 Ifle of France followed the example of my CafFre ; 
 he belonged to the crew of a fmall brig, the captain 
 of which took no notice of the affair, though I did 
 every thing in my power to roufe his refentment. 
 
 It was not long before I was informed that anoth- 
 er of my failors had been at the houfe of the gov- 
 ernor to cry Alia, and, not feeing him, was going 
 again the next day. I watched the moment of his 
 return to my houfe, and, calling him before me, I 
 reproached him with the wifli to renounce his re- 
 ligion and his country. I then infilled on his go- 
 ing inftantly on board, whither I was refolved to 
 have him conduced ; and I ordered fom« cord to 
 be brought to tie his hands behind him, that he 
 m>ght not efcape. Upon this he made a gefture 
 
244 VOYAGE 
 
 as if to force the door, but feeing me armed he de- 
 
 (îfted : refoh'cd however to defert, hs threw him- 
 felf oat of the window. The foom was on the féc- 
 ond ftory-j and there was at the height of the firft 
 what is called Tipandalor (belter from the fun, made 
 of a covering of ma'cs, fupported by poles. He 
 thought, that by jumping upon this pandal, he might 
 let himfelf fall from tht;nce to the ground and fo ef- 
 cape. Hs performed his firft leap fafely, but he 
 had the misfortune in the fscond to break his leg a 
 little above the ankle. He fell with fuch extra- 
 ordinary violence, that the bone came through 
 and lluck into the ground, dripping up the fl.e{h 
 from the fracture to the knee. When I came to the 
 fpot; I was (hocked at the (ight. Î immediately had 
 him conveyed into a room, and we bound up his 
 \Qg as well as we were able, for I kad loft my fur- 
 geon : but. in fpite of the care which was taken of 
 him, a mortification enfued, and he died four days 
 after. Shortly before his death he expreffed a de- 
 fire that I would fee him : 1 did fo ; and he con- 
 fefled to me, that the reafon of his v/ilhing to leave 
 me was, that he was a deferter, fir (I from the regi- 
 snent of Auftrafia, and afterwards from that of the 
 Ifle of France ; that feeing me, as he fuppofed, a- 
 bout to take him to his corps, he hoped by running 
 away to efcape being ihot. He added, that he was 
 fenfible of his crime in confenting to change his re- 
 ligion, and afked forgivenefs of God, the king, and 
 his captain. I was greatly affeéled at the fate of 
 this poor fellov/, and begged he would die in peace. 
 I told him, that I forgave him with all m,y heart, 
 and that if he had fooncr confided to me his ri:ory,this 
 cruel event (fiould not have happened, for I would 
 have exchanged him with an Englifn velTcI, and he 
 would thus have been fafe. In dying he had all 
 the fuccours of religion, which were adminiftered 
 t-o him by a German, who was a miffionary prieft. 
 
ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 24 s 
 
 This misfortune ferved to exafpetoèe tiie fiiîî more 
 'againft the government for encouraging defertions | 
 but it had not the efFetl'of flopping the phrenfy 
 which feemed to have taken poileffion of my people. 
 Scarcely had three days pafled, when another of 
 the crew went in fearch of the governor, to afk for 
 a turban ; and, undergoing tKe fame ceremony, was 
 in like manner taken from me. I fent to reclaim 
 him, and received for anfwer, that religion would 
 not permit a Muflulman to be delivered into thç 
 hands of a Chriftian. 
 
 I immediately formed my yefolution, I fent a- 
 v/ay my efFe£ls, with the proceeds of fuch part of 
 my cargo* as was fold. I fent my men alfo on board, 
 retaining only my armed-boat. I then told M. de 
 MoncrifFj that, if he thought he fnould be expofed 
 to any danger from the Arabs by ftaying aihore, I 
 would with pleafure take him with me, for that Î was 
 about to give thefe people a lefTon which s:hey would 
 probably for a long time remember. To the cap- 
 tain of the French brig I gave the fame intimation, 
 and repaired to my ihip. Thefe preparations occu- 
 pied me two days, and the governor fuppofed the 
 affair to be at end j but he was miftaken. As fooiî 
 as I was on board, I prepared for battle 5 and, be- 
 ing Ttady, Ï fent a boat, well armed and command- 
 ed by an officer, to feiz^ upon all the Arabs that 
 ihovild be found in the nearelt daou. My party es- 
 ■ecu ed faithfully their commiffion, and brought me 
 four men, of whom one was the captain. Of thefe, 
 I put three in irvns, and dii'patch^d the other to the 
 governor^ to inform h.m, rhat if my failor was not 
 ihilantly given np, Î would carry th^ three Mafîul- 
 mans in niy roifeirion to the Ifle ol' France, where 
 I v/o aid fell then- as flaves : at .he fame âme I bent 
 my fai!:, and made every preparaaon inv departing. 
 The fine itep of -the governor was to fei^,.; -;>oa my 
 
24Ô VOYAGE 
 
 Bannians ; but it appeared by their books, that ail 
 their accompts with me were fettled. His next ftep 
 was to fend for the French agent, who eafily con- 
 vinced him, that he had no concern in the matter, 
 and no authority over me. The governor then 
 threatened to fink my fhip, but was told, that I was 
 fo v/eil armed as to be able to iilence the forts. Up- 
 on this he wifhed to come to a parley, and an officer 
 of the cuftom-houfe with my two Bannians were 
 difpatched for the purpofe : I received their boat 
 with an affeftationof extraordinary precaution, pre- 
 tending to be in a condition to batter the whole 
 town. 
 
 When the officer was on deck. I gave him no 
 time for explanation, but coming dire£lly to the 
 point, aiked him if jhe had brought with him my fail- 
 or. On his anfwering in the negative, I ordered 
 liim to be arrefted and confined in one of the cabins 
 as a prifoner, while I fent back the Bannians, with 
 an aiiurance, that I would liften to no terms till the 
 defertet was reflored to me. 
 
 After v/aiting two hours, and receiving no intel- 
 ligence, I hoifted the top-fails and heaved the an- 
 chor apeak. I had fcarcely been half an hour in 
 ûih fjtuation'before my man arrived, looking afliam- 
 ed and ill, being not yet recovered from his oper- 
 ation. He was accompanied by feveral Arabs, who 
 entreajted me with earneftnefs to pardon him, alleg- 
 ino- every thing in his favour which zeal for their re- 
 ligion cculd iUggeft, I immediately releafed my 
 pri Toners -, I alio gave them fome prefents, which 
 reconciled them to me, and, before they quitted the 
 fiiipj I had the deferter tied to a gun, and five-and- 
 twenty (trokes with aiope^s end were bellowed up- 
 on him. This leiTon w^s of fervice to all : the fail- 
 ors after this would not expofe themfelves to the 
 î?ik of being delivered up if they were to defert^ 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 247 
 
 and the governor had no wifli on his part for a féc- 
 ond conteft with me of this nature. 
 
 It was now fun-fet, and too late to go on ihore 
 that night ; but I went the next day, accompanied 
 by one of my pfficers. "We were both armed, but 
 had no attendants, not wiftiing to appear in the leaft 
 apprehenfive of any danger. The emir habar told 
 me, that he was extremely glad every thing was fet- 
 tled, and that he hoped nothing of the kind would 
 happen again. I was immediately condudled to the 
 houfe of the governor. He was not a Sayd, but a 
 negro of a quiet and pacific difpofition. He alked 
 me, what I would fay, if, now that I was in his pow- 
 er, he m his turn were to make me a prifoner ? I 
 anfwered, that he owed it to his fituation to confult 
 juftice and not power ; but fhould he fo far forget 
 the former as to oblige me to repel force by force, 
 his condu£t might prove detrimental to the com- 
 merce of his country ; that, befides, I had avengers 
 on board my veflel, whom, in fuch cafe, I had in- 
 ftruéled how to a£t. I added, that I would not fuf- 
 fer myfelf to be taken alive, and would cndeavonr 
 that he himfelf fhould be the firft vi£lim of the 
 ftruggle ; and I produced a brace of piftols as I faid 
 this, to convince him I was on my guard. Wheth- 
 er he had the magnanimity to feel himfelf above 
 fuch an attempt, or whether he defpifed my youth 
 and ralhnefs, he fmiled at v;hat I faid, and merely 
 ob fer ved, that I ought, when out of my own country, 
 to behave with more moderation ; afluring me at the 
 fame time, as to the affair in queftion, that I (hould 
 hear no more of it. We parted in friendfhip, and 
 the adventure was attended v/ith no further confe- 
 quences. 
 
 The money of Mocha confifts of fmall pieces of 
 copper, plated or tinned, fimilarin form and colour 
 to the fhiliing of Holftein,^Qd diffsring from it ia 
 
1248 VOY AGE 
 
 tiQthing but the imprefllon. They are called comajjl^ 
 or komaffi, pronouncing the k with a flrong gut- 
 tural accent. Sixty-four of thefe pieces are equal 
 to a Spauifh dollar *. The other coins moft in ufe 
 here are the crowns and piaitres of Hungary : there 
 are alfo a great number of gold pagodas and fequins, 
 I have fpoken ^bove of a German prieft who was 
 accidentally at Mocha. He was a miffionary to 
 Abyffima, and had lived fome time there in favour 
 with the emperor. His fellow rniffionai/y, it feems, 
 had been guilty of fome knavery, for which he was 
 put to death ; while he had himfeif efcaped with 
 the baftinado on the foles of his feet. I had af- 
 terwards reafon to think, that his punifhment was 
 intended as a.i leflbn of continence. Be that as it 
 may, he had nearly died in confequence of it, and 
 was a long time in regaining his health. As foon 
 as he could travel, he alked permiiîîor» to repair to 
 Mocha, to complete his recovery by aid of the Eu- 
 ropeans reliding there. This was granted him by 
 the emperor, who was probably glad to get rid of 
 him : and on his arrival at Mocha the coniul ad- 
 mitted him into the French lodge. One day the 
 whim feized him of -applying him.felf to the iludy 
 of medicine, and he had the vanity in a fnort time 
 to fuppofe himielf thoroughly fkilied in every branch 
 of the art of healing. He therefore procured drugs, 
 and began to prefcribe. He killed more than half 
 his patients, while thofe who recovered extolled him 
 as a miracle. The fick ran to him in crowdfj aad 
 he became rich. At the timie of my arrival he was 
 in the height of his practice. He had changed his 
 rfiigious drefs for a Perfian robe and turban. As 
 Î had no furgeon, he offered his fervices to me in 
 that rapacity, and began by killing my carpenter^ , 
 
 if* Bruce makes forty equal to a dollar, but he is miftaktn ;. Ni€?- 
 îjulii -gre^i v.-il li ic-z^ and eflimates them at futy-fonr. 
 
IN T|IE INDIAN OCEAN. • 249 
 
 whom by his fkilful treatnent he difpatched in lefs 
 than a week. I (lopped him ho vever in his career, 
 by refafing to conSd:'to him any more of my crew, 
 and left him to exercife his talsnts on the Arabs, 
 whom he continued t-o polfon.. 
 
 His miffi)n to AbylTiaia hid aîmoft totally failed, 
 and he was thinking of returning to Europe. He 
 had acquired Tome knowledge both of the language 
 and of the country, and he p.":* ^r:nded, that it was 
 perfe£l]y eafy to go from Coffire to the Nile, and 
 thence down the river to C^iro. He frequently 
 mentioned this plan to me, obferving, that the ef- 
 fential point was to appear poor : that with this 
 fingle precaution, and that of a Turkifh drefs, there 
 was nothing to be feared, as fuch travellers who had 
 feemingly nothing to lofe were never attacked. He,^ 
 talked of this project fo often, that I yielded to a 
 defire of making a journey to Egypt, and viiiting 
 the pyramids. Thefe are now indeed fo well known^ 
 have been fo accurately defcribed by Savary and 
 others, and there are fuch excellent models of them 
 in the Mafeum of Natural Hiftory, belonging to 
 the botanic garden at Paris, that they are as little 
 fpoken of as the Pont Neuf, or .any other monu- 
 ment which is continually before our eyes. Yet was 
 tny curiodty drongly excited. I was delirous to 
 examine myfelf thefe aftonidiing remains of antiq- 
 uity, to compare them with the defcriptions which 
 had been given, to penetrate into their interior, and 
 infpecl them on all fides with the moll fcrupulous 
 attention. I therefore liftened to the projecl of the 
 miiTionary, and we made the neceflary arrangements 
 for the excurdon. I began by converting my mon- 
 ey into bills of exchange upon Cairo, which were 
 furnilhed me by my Bannians. I determined that 
 my four heft failors fliould accompany me, and I 
 undertook thexare of tlaem as far as Italy, promifing 
 
250 VOYAl^x- 
 
 them on their arrival there a reward proportioned 
 to the fatisfa£lion I Ihould derive from their fervic- 
 es. I equipped both niyfelf and them in a Perfian 
 habit, and armed each of them with a brace of pif- 
 tols, a fabre, and a mufket. I took myfelf fuch 
 arms as I thought neceflary, and the miffionary did 
 the fame, I bargained for a daou to carry me to 
 Coffire, the price of which was to be two hundred 
 piaftres. We agreed with the owners of the boat, to 
 proceed in a direift line, by the help of my failors, 
 and not to coaft it, as is ufual in that country, by 
 which means wefhould be able toperform the voyage 
 at moft in five or fix days. The daou was brought 
 along fide my veflel, and I furnlllicd it with lead- 
 lines, compafles, a chart, a good telefcope, and a 
 quadrant. This done, I was on the point of fetting 
 out, when the French marine agent fignified to me, 
 that hf. could not fuilt-r me to expofe myfelf thus 
 with an adventurer, who was engaged, for aught 
 we knew, with a band of robbers, who might plun- 
 der me and my men, and (hare ^a^ith him the booty. 
 He added, that the king's fubjects (the republic did 
 not then exift), whom I was about to take with me, 
 might be of fervice to his majefty ; that I ought not, 
 befides, but in a cafe of the greatefl neceflity, to 
 quit the command with which I was entrufted ; and 
 that, in (hort, in his quality of marine agent, he 
 iliould oppofe my project. As he had over me no 
 authority in fuch matters, I paid little regard to his 
 oppofition. But he contrived to render it. effedu- 
 al, by procuring the interference of the governor, to 
 whom he reprefented me as a madman, about to 
 plunge headlong into adventures, which would be 
 attended with the moft difaftrous confequences, as 
 well to myfelf and my companions, as to all thofe 
 who (liould have any thing to do with us ; that the 
 obftinacy of my temper had been apparent in the 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 25 1 
 
 affair of the apoftate failor, on whofe reftitution I 
 had fo peremptorily infifted -, and he concluded by- 
 entreating him to prevent my departure. The gov- 
 ernor fent for me to his houfe, and after endeavour- 
 ing in vain, by every means in his power, to dif- 
 fuade me from my undertaking, he laid an injunc- 
 tion on the boats of the country not to engage with 
 me for that or any paflage whatever. At the fame 
 time, believing me rafti enough to undertake it in 
 my own boat, in fpite of the dangers of the voy- 
 age, he informed me, that if I did fo, he would take 
 meafures to make me, when I arrived at Coffirc, re- 
 pent of my folly. I was thus under the neceflity 
 of relinquifhing a plan, to which I was the more 
 attached from having long entertained the idea of 
 it, and which I abandoned at laft with the utmofl 
 relud:ance. Thus ended my fcheme, which I now 
 fear I fliall never find an opportunity of executing. 
 I returned my bills of exchange for Cairo, and re- 
 fumed the ufuai courfe of my bufinefs. 
 
 The government of Mocha having formerly giv- 
 en caufe of complaint to the French company, the 
 latter fent out a force to revenge this conduct. A 
 body of about five hundred men were landed upon 
 the fmall ifland of fand which forms the fouthem 
 boundary of the road, who took pofleffion of the 
 fort. The fliips which brought them anchored near 
 the town and prepared to cannonade it. The Ara- 
 bian cavalry made a fortie on the French ; but the 
 latter had taken the precaution of planting fome 
 chevaux-de-frife ; and the Arabs, aftonifticd at a con- 
 trivance fo new to them, were thrown into confu- 
 fion and routed completely. Their lofs was fo great, 
 that the place furrendered. A treaty of commerce 
 was concluded, to which the Arabs, ftrict obfervers 
 of their word, have faithfully adhered. It was pro- 
 vided in this treaty, that the French (hould enjoy 
 
252 VOYAGE 
 
 a free trade in Yemen, paying however the imports 
 and duties wh^ch the fcvereign fixed at that time, 
 und which have tiot heeo altereci. They were alfo 
 to liave the right of riding on horfeback in the town, 
 and the exclullve . privilege of paffing the houfe of 
 the governor without being obliged to difmount. 
 This conceffion appeared to the Arabs to be a point 
 of the utmoll moment, and it was not admitted till 
 after the M^armeft debates, while they agreed with- 
 out difficulty to an article of genuine importance, 
 which permitted the French to ufe their own weights 
 and meafures in commercial rranfa£lions, difregard- 
 ing thofe of the couniry. They were alfo allowed 
 to eftablilh a lodge or fadlory in Mocha, and anoth- 
 er in Bethelfakih, with the privilege of hoifling their 
 flag in thofe places : and it was further agreed, that 
 both at Bethelfakih and at Mocha the French arti- 
 cles of merchandize fhould b« exempted from being 
 carried to the cuilom-houfe, and fliould be depofit- 
 ed at once in the warehoufes of the lodge, where 
 an officer of the Arabs might infpeiSt them. This 
 treaty, fo highly advantegeous to the French, has 
 to this day been punctually obferved. The good 
 faith for which the Arabs are remarkable has pre- 
 vented them in the llighteft degree from infringing 
 It : but it has ferved to augment their hatred to the 
 Chriftians. , As m^any of the cavalry by wh^m our 
 troops were attacked were killed, the furviving rel- 
 atives cheriflied in confequence a refentment, and 
 have been fuccefsful in raifing among the people 
 the ilrongeft ava'fion to the French*. I have niy- 
 felf experienced its efl'edls, and been often expofed 
 to perfonal infults. Sometimes a number of Arabs 
 attacked me with ftones, and at others, bodies of 
 AbyiTmians with fticks. One day in particular, af- 
 
 * One of the French captains war. aflaffinated by the relations of 
 an Arab, who died in that engagement. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 
 
 ^53 
 
 fifted by one of my officers, I maintained with five 
 of the latter a mod ludicrous battle. We had made 
 ourfelves, I and my officer, each a large whip for 
 the purpofc of driving away the dogs, which fol- 
 lowed us in crowds whenever we pafled near their 
 haunts. We were armed with thefe whips when 
 fome Abyffinians infulted us, and, to defend our- 
 felves, were forced to make ufe of them. Thefe 
 weapons were new to our adverfaries, and the noife 
 of their cracking, and two or three ftrokes ficilfully 
 applied, fent them off howling like {o many demon- 
 iacs. This adventure obliged me once more to have 
 recourfe to the governor, who, under pretence of 
 protecting me, gave me one of his men, v/ith a Ifan^ 
 doleer^ ordering him to accompany me every where, 
 and fee that I was refpeCled. I was not fo ftupid 
 as to be the dupe of this compliment. I knew that 
 this foldier was a fpy upon me, and was to report all 
 my proceedings ; but as there was nothing which 
 I had the leaffc intereft to conceal, I was indifferent 
 upon the fubje£l. I had reafon however to rejoice 
 at the circumftance, for hisprefence often protect- 
 ed me from infuits, which I muft otherwife have 
 endured. 
 
 Mocha is fituated on a plain, reaching from the 
 coaft to the foot of the mountains, which is an ex- 
 tent of four leagues. The foil con fills of fand, mix» 
 ed with coarfe gravel and fmali ftones, which are 
 chiefly fragments of granite. On the whole plaia 
 we find only a few wretched plants of caffia, the 
 leaves and berries of which, as foon as they begin 
 to fpring, are devoured by the camels : thefe plants 
 excepted, the plain is as deftitute of vegetation as the 
 fands of the fhore. 
 
 Travelling over this plain is very difagreeable both 
 to men and cattle, as it affords no fhelter againft 
 the heat of the fun, which is burning. Wells have 
 X 
 
254 VOYAGE 
 
 been dug here and there by the Arabs, as watering- 
 places *, and near to each of thefe fpots is a fm;dl 
 boufe inhabited by people who keep the wells in re- 
 pair, and furnifh travellers with w^ter at the mod- 
 erate price of a komaffi. Thefe wells, with the cam- 
 els, the aiîès, and the drefs of the inhabitants, re- 
 minded me of fcenes defcribed in certain palTages 
 of the Bible, which they very much refembled. 
 
 The water in this plain is fo bad as to be hardly 
 fit to drink. As the ground lies low, the fea ftill 
 filtrates through the whole extent of the plain, fo that 
 wherever we dig we are fure to find water at no 
 great depth ; but it is all fo brackifli, that by put- 
 ting it into a hole two feet deep fait may eafily be 
 extradted from it. At firft the water will fink into 
 the fand ; but, if properly fupplied, the fand will 
 foon be faturated, and the reft of the proceis will 
 be effected without trouble. The fafine particles 
 contained in the fandy earth, of Vv^hich this foil is 
 compofed, being feparated by the water, unite and 
 fink to the bottom of the pit, where they are foon 
 calcined by the fun. 
 
 There is no good water, in the town ; all that is 
 ufed is fetched from a large well at the diftance 
 nearly of half a league, where there is a confidera- 
 ble watering-place, conftruded for the cavalry : 
 horfes, mules, afles, every morning and evening, 
 come to this place to drink. The inhabitants are 
 obliged to partake of this water, which is brought 
 in leather bottles to the town on the backs either 
 of men or afles. It is bad enough even when the 
 bottles are old and feafoned, but when they are new 
 it is perfe^ly deteftable. It is unwholefome too, 
 and frequently occafion s inflammation in the bowels, 
 -a diforder which in hot climates is mortal. In pro- 
 portion to the diftance from the fea the water is k£$ 
 brackilh, and in the mountains it is excellent. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 25^. 
 
 Towards the fouth of the town, nature has left a 
 ft rip of vegetative earth, about half a league broad,, 
 and from three to four leagues long. It is covered 
 with date-trees, among which fome gardens are 
 formed, and pieafure-houfes e"re£led, if we may calL 
 by this nanae huts of draw, and paltry buildings cover-* 
 ed with palm-leaves. They however anfwer the pur- 
 pofe for which they were intended, affording a Shel- 
 ter from the injuries of the weather, and permitting 
 the owners to enjoy the cool air, and fmoks their 
 hooka. 
 
 On this fpot was the garden of the Sayd, Mo- 
 hamed Abdala, the ex-governor, who had treated me 
 with fo much kindnefs, and I often vifited him there 
 after he was deprived of his ofEce. The iman, when 
 he degraded him, laid him under a heavy contribu- 
 tion for the foldiers, who took ponefTionof his houfe, 
 and loaded with infults the very man whom two 
 days before they had implicitly obeyed. His friends 
 aflided him in his diftrefs^ and he difcharged the de^ 
 mands that were made upon him at the expenfe of 
 nearly his whole fortune. After this event, he re- 
 tired wholly to his garden, where he paffed his days 
 lolling on cufhions or in the bath, fmoking or afleep 
 under fome fhade, funk in the mod complete apathy. 
 My vliits always gave him pleafure ; I fmoked fa^ 
 miliarly the hooka with him, and we often fell afleep 
 together, reclining on our feparate pile of cufhions. 
 When I awoke an excellent pilaw was fure to be before 
 me, of which he in no inftance partook, as he would 
 never eat in my prefence. He detained me as long as 
 he was able, never fuffering me to go till I had mere- 
 ly time, by trotting ray afs faft, to get to the town 
 before the gates were (hut. There was a door in- 
 deed left open for paffengers nearly the whole night, 
 but it was fo extremely low, that it was neceifary 
 to creep upon the ground to get through, which o- 
 bliged me always to return a little after fua-fet. 
 
25^ VOYAGE 
 
 This large plantation of date-trees is the only 
 fpot of ground that is cuhivated in the neighbour- 
 hood of Mocha. The Arabs take great care of it, 
 ■water it regularly, match the different fexes of the 
 plants, and gather vaft quantities of dates, export- 
 ing what they do not confume. This is the only 
 fpecies of palm which I obferved in Arabia : they 
 have, however, the vaqims^ though I did not fee 
 any ; nor did I fee any cocoa-trees. 
 
 It is with great impropriety that the name of 
 Mocha is given to a particular kind of coffee, as 
 there is not a plant of this fort growing in the 
 neighbourhood of the town : it owes its appellation 
 folely to the circumftance of being ihipped at that 
 port. There is in Arabia a tree called nmrjhy and 
 another called ofchar, of which the wood has the 
 fame quality as that denominated in our colonies 
 round'WQod — of readily catching fire by friction. 
 
 V^^hen we have cleared the plain on wliich the 
 town is fituated, we arrive at the mountains, w^here 
 is the village of Moza or Muza. The appearance 
 of the country is here totally different. The vil- 
 lage is in a pleafant valley, and is furrounded with a 
 perpetual verdure. The mountains fhelter it from 
 the tempeftuous winds to which the town is expof- 
 ed, and the air is perfumed with the fragrance 
 both of flowers and fruits. The inhabitants enjoy 
 a cool fhade under the palm, peach, badamier, and 
 other trees with which the mountains abound.. 
 The water is excellent, and I ufed to have it brought 
 from this place every day for my ufe : in fhort, 
 Moza is fufficient of itfelf to obtain for the province 
 of Yemen the appellation of Arabia Felix. 
 
 This country does not poffefs a fnigle carriage of 
 any defcription whatever : the ufe of wheels is un- 
 known : every thing-is carried on the backs of men, 
 mules, affes^ or camels. This lafl animal is a na- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. Ijf 
 
 tive of Arabia, and will neither thrire nor propa- 
 gate any where elfe : none of thdfe which are iri 
 India breed there, or at leaft the inftances are rare* 
 It is the moft valuable of all the animals in this 
 province, and is in every refpe<fl adapted by nature 
 to live in deferts, as it is fmgularly temperate. Its 
 referve of water, by which it can live for feveral 
 days without drinking, is well known. It is known 
 too to be of the fpecies of ruminating animals ; but 
 how long it will endure hunger, without perifhing, 
 has perhaps never been afcertained. I had one on 
 board ray veflel, which did not drink during the 
 whole paffage from Socotara to Pondicherry, which 
 was feventeen days -, nor did it eat in that time 
 more than twenty pounds of millet ftraw. After 
 the fourth day it feemed to ruminate but little, about 
 a quarter of an hour a day, as nearly as I could ob- 
 ferve. As foon as it was landed, it ran to afpring 
 and dran^ plentifully ; and it appeared in as good 
 condition as if it had fuffered no want.. Though its 
 thirft was great, its defire of food was by no means 
 fo. It ftill ate moderately, and with no more eager- 
 nefs than ufual. The camel is extremely indolent, 
 unlefs harfli means are taken with it. It will often 
 lie down upon its belly, and would continue for 
 days together in this pofture without rifing even to- 
 eat, till almoft familhed. A rope of twilled ftraw 
 is put into their mouths to raife them from the 
 ground. It is remarkable, that, living as it does 
 entirely on vegetable food, the breath of this ani- 
 mal fhould ftink ; but, from a putrid odour con- 
 trailed in theftomachjit is & very ofFenfive as to 
 be almoft intolerable*. 
 
 Another fingularity of this animal is its averlion to 
 all forts of dirt, which is fo great that it cannot be 
 
 * It is the fame in almoft all defer t countries, wkere cattle hav«i 
 Rothbgbut plants of an alkaline or faline nature to live upon. 
 X 2 . 
 
^S^ VOYAGE 
 
 made to travel a muddy road unlefs driven by blows. 
 Its foot is foft and fure ; it never makes a falfe ftep, 
 and never flips. It is faid, that camels are unable 
 to run, and that dromedaries therefore 'are obliged 
 to be employed in journeys that require expedition. 
 On the contrary, I can affirm with troith, that they 
 are extremely nimble in their paces. I have rode 
 many of them : their trot is extremely rough but 
 quick ; they are indeed not eafily made to gallop, 
 but when they do, it is with a fwiftneis exceedin g 
 the beft race-horfe in England. They move with 
 fuch vigour, that the rider could not keep his feat, 
 but for a long wooden pin, that goes through the 
 bow of the faddle and pafTes over his thighs, to pre- 
 vent him from being jolted ; without this contriv- 
 ance he mufl inevitably fall the firft inftant of a gal- 
 lop. The camel lies down on his belly to be loaded, 
 and gets voluntarily up again when it finds itfelf 
 burdened too heavily, or beyond the ufual weight. 
 In the fame manner it lies down to be mounted, 
 and does not get up till it is told. The rider muft 
 be careful when it rifes to keep a firm hold, for the 
 motion is violent, and feldom fails to difmount thofe 
 who are not accuftomed to it. A camel carries in 
 general two bales of coiFee, weighing fix hundred and 
 twenty-fix pounds -, with the pack-faddle and furni- 
 ture the w^eight is full feven hundred : this is the 
 extent of its burden, and is never exceeded. The 
 camel is led by means of a ring put through its^ 
 noftrilsj or one of its upper lips*. This method. 
 alone, however, is not fufficient ; for the camel is 
 fo llubhorn in its temper that blows muft be added 
 to render it tradable. 
 
 Arabia is the country for afies, of which there 
 aje two fprts j one common, like thofe in Europe,. 
 
 * Tàe upper lip of the camel is divided, fo that it.has two. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 259 
 
 and another more fcarce. The latter are of the 
 fize of a large horfe, and are very ftrong and fwift : 
 they are much ufed for riding, and are employed by 
 the Arabs in the cavalry, and indeed on all occa- 
 fions except thofe of ceremony. One of thefe afles, 
 with his ears and tail cut, has the appearance of a 
 handfome rat-tailed fiorfe: when croffed with Arabi- 
 an mares they breed the fineft and largeft mules in 
 the world. They furpafs the horfe in ftrength, and 
 are monftrous as to fize : the iman never fells them 
 for lefs than a thoufand piaffcres a-head, a price 
 greater than that of horfes, which are fcarcely ever 
 valued at more than eight hundred. 
 
 The Arabs are extremely curious in antelopes, 
 and have a very handfome fore which they rear in 
 their houfes. They become domeftic, and are mod- 
 els of agility and gratefulnefs. They are fo fa»inil- 
 iar as to be troublefome. They leap in general by 
 three fprings, of which the fécond is the longeft, 
 and all their feet rife and come to the ground to- 
 gether. They are in height from thirteen to fifteen 
 inches, and can leap fix or feven feet. Their coat 
 is grey, with a filvery hellj ; and their horns, which 
 are (trait, are of a (hining black, and never long- 
 er than two inches. Thefe animals alfo are re- 
 markable for their temperatenefs ; a quality which 
 the penurioufnefs of the climate certainly renders 
 neceflary, but which they do not lofe when remov-^ 
 ed elfewhere : it is incredible on how little nour- 
 ifhment they will fubfilt, and preferve themfelves 
 in good condition. 
 
 I mentioned above, that the Arabs have arrived 
 at no great fkill in the arts. Their religion, which 
 forbids the ufe of images, deprives them both of 
 painting and fculpture. Their archite£ture is rude, 
 ajid feems to be formed on no regular fyflem. 
 Our five orders arc unknown to them. Their pria- 
 
^6o VOYAGE 
 
 cipal buildings have a confiderablc refemblance to 
 the Gothic ftyle j at leaft the arches of the great 
 mofque at Mocha are Gothic ; thofe of the roof 
 cgee^ and fupported by pillars which appeared to be 
 of the fame order. 
 
 The mode of conftrufting their houfes confifts in 
 raifing four brick walls with no plan, no deCgn, 
 and no taRe. In placing the windows not the 
 fmalleft attention is paid to fymmetry, and the walls 
 are crowded on the infide with little niches, which 
 at firft fight a catholic would fuppofe were intend- 
 ed to contain images of faints, but which are made 
 to hold the lights at night, or elfe to flow away 
 goods. Their mortar is made of fhells and coral, 
 but it colls them dear, as the coral is brought from 
 a great diitance. The roofs of their houfes are 
 made in the argamajp manner, and are terminated 
 by little triangular fteps, clofe to each other. 
 
 The navigation of the Arabs is confined to a tim- 
 id coafling along the fhore. Their mufic is fo bar- 
 barous as to be even a thoufand times worfe than 
 that of the favages of Africa. "We have feen what 
 is their knowledge of medicine, in the inftance of 
 the miffionary I have mentioned ; and the teltimo- 
 ny of Savary, Bruce, Niebuhr, and Volney, con- 
 firms my afl'ertions. 
 
 They are altogether ignorant of mechanics, and 
 have no wheel carriage of any kind ; every thing is 
 done by the mere ftrength of the arms ; even a 
 cart is not known among them. Their plough is 
 a wretched inftrument without wheels, the fhare of 
 which works nearly like ours, but the toil is great 
 both for the cattle and men. The cultivation of the 
 land in almoft all its branches is a bufinefs of bod- 
 ily labour. By means of a plank, with a rope fatt- 
 ened at each end, they heap up the earth, and make 
 little banks of it, to retain the water^ as in the fiel4* 
 
IN THE ÏNDL\N OCEAN. a6i 
 
 prepared for rice ; they 'then break up the ground 
 either with their ploughs or with pick-axes, the 
 fower following clofe to the labourer, and fcatter- 
 ing the feed, which the latter, as he returns, treads 
 in with his feet. In fpite of fo imperfe£l a meth- 
 od they have excellent crops. The wheat in the 
 word foil yields ten for one^ in the ordinary twen- 
 ty-five or thirty, and in the beft, in fome places, 
 fifty, particuhrly among the mountains. The mil- 
 let is dill more produflive, and affords even a hun- 
 dred and fifty for one 5 a proportion that is almoâ 
 incredible. 
 
 Whik many arts are wholly unknown in this 
 country, others are in their infancy. But with lit- 
 erature and the fciences it is different. The excel- 
 lence of their poetry is well known j and as for the 
 fciences, the Arabs are as well (killed in geometry 
 and aftronomy as it is polîible to be without the 
 sid of initru.nents, or with the imperfe<fl: ones they 
 poiTefs. Their genius is particularly adapted to 
 numerical operations ; they are good arithmeticians, 
 and play well at chefs. This game drew many of 
 them to my houfe, of whom one in particular was 
 fo expert that he beat us all, and for that reafon was 
 CdWed/ap-matey and at lafl known by no other ap- 
 pellation : his friends grew fo accuftomed to it, aiwi 
 ufed it fo conftantly, that it remained with him. 
 Sap is a Moorifh word of diftin£l:ion, anfwering to 
 Jtr : to exprefs refpe£l to a woman, they fay Ml?i- 
 fap. 
 
 Horned cattle are fo fcarce in Arabia that there 
 are very few killed , and as a want of the flelh of 
 thefe animals often prevails at Mocha, camels' fîefh 
 is fubftituted in its ftead^ which the butchers fell 
 in the Ihambles like beef. This meat is agreeable 
 and nourilhing, but rather re fernbles veal than beef. 
 The foup made of it is excellent ; I was fo extreme- 
 
262 VOYAGE 
 
 ly fond of it, that I never complained when my 
 landlord apologized for being able to procure me no 
 other. 
 
 Fiih is the principal difti in places near the fliore j 
 it is in general plentiful and good, and of the fame 
 kind as ours : there are no fifh, nor any birds, of 
 paiTage. I faw neither ilorks nor fwallows. Storks 
 however were feen by Niebuhr at Moful. There 
 are quails, but they are ftationary. The/amargog 
 or locuft-eater is found here : I met myfelf with 
 none of thefe birds ; but, from the defcription 
 which was given me, I fuppofe them to be of the 
 fpecies of blackbird, known in the Ifle of France by 
 the name of »i/7r//«. 
 
 The fruit-market here is perhaps the mofl extra- 
 ordinary in the world. Nature has done every 
 thing for this country ; and when we conGder the 
 numberlefs advantages (he has bellowed upon it, 
 the ftrength, the talents, and courage of its inhabit- 
 ants, it is difficult to account for their not having 
 become the greateft nation on earth ; unlefs we fup- 
 pofe, that, pofleffing in themfelves every thing to be 
 wifhed for, they have never attempted the conqueft 
 of countries that offered no attraiHiions, and did not 
 enjoy half the advantages vi^ith which their own 
 country abounded. Arabia produces every thing. I 
 have feen the market-place filled with apples and 
 oranges, plums and citrons, apricots and pines, 
 peaches and bananas, bretts and artichokes, grapes 
 and mangoes ; in fhort, with all the fruits and veg- 
 etables of Europe and Alia : but the heat is fo ex- 
 cefTive, that annual fruits ripen too quickly, have lit- 
 tle juice, and decay in a fortnight : thofe of the ev- 
 ergreen-trees, on the contrary, fucceed well ; and 
 the fruits of Afia are accordingly in this part of the 
 world much fuperior to thofe of Europe. 
 
 Their religion prohibiting the ufe of fermented 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 263 
 
 liquors, the Arabs make no wine, nor even extract 
 any liquor f"rom the dare, which would fupply it, 
 as well as the cocoa-nut ; but they dry a great 
 quantity of grapes, from which a drink peculiar to 
 the country is made, and which*is tolerab-y pleafant. 
 For want of other wine I was obliged to make ufe 
 of it. It is produced thus : — thirty pounds of dri- 
 ed raifms are put into a hogfhead of water, and left 
 for three days to ferment, when the liquor is racked 
 off and put into bottles. It very much refembles 
 champagne. The Arabs partake of it in fpite of the 
 koran, every one having an opportunity of making 
 it privately in his own houfe, and I was often afked 
 in fecret to drink with them. Their fondnefs for 
 brandy alfo is but little checked by the prohibitory 
 commandment, the great refort of foreigners to 
 Mocha rendering them lefs fcrupulous there in 
 points of religion. They often indulge their inclin- 
 ation ; and though they do not fuppofe Mahomet 
 to be blind, will drink it with delight, when they 
 are certain of not being obferved by their country- 
 men. It was perhaps to their love of ftrong liquors, 
 more than to any thing elfe, that I was indebted for 
 my acquaintance with many of the moft diftinguifh- 
 ed perfons in the cavalry, who vifited me with the 
 hope of fecretly indulging their paffion. The Jews 
 make fome arrack from rice, but it is fo badly dif- 
 tilled, that none but negroes or failors can drink it. 
 The Arabs, independently of the dictates af relig- 
 ion, wholly abftain from it ; fo that the confump- 
 tion of this liquor is extremely moderate. 
 
 Millet is the grain which is cultivated by prefer- 
 ence in the province of Yemen, where there is little 
 barley and ftill lefs wheat. The millet grows amaz- 
 ingly ftrong ; the ear, which is feldom lefs than five 
 inches long, and an inch thick, is abundantly load- 
 ed, yielding» as I obferved before, in the proportion 
 
264 VOYAGE 
 
 of a hundred and fifty for one : the llalks altogeth- 
 er are fometimes from five to fix feet high. The 
 ftraw is very valuable, ferving as food for the alTes 
 and camels. As there is no hay for the horfes, 
 the tendereft end o£ the millet ftalks, with the grain 
 in the ear, is given them : this ferves alfo, with a 
 fmall portion of barley or beans, inftead of oats. 
 
 The Arabs make little or no bread ; but confume, 
 like the Indians, a great quantity of rice. Their 
 ufual delicacy is the pilaw. This is made by put- 
 ting a fowl into an earthen pan, with about three 
 pounds of rice, and juft enough water to keep it 
 from burning ; the whole is left to ftcw for fix-and- 
 thirty hours, a quantity of fpice, fuch as cardamoms, 
 cloves, and nutmegs, being added : the gravy of the 
 fowl moiltens the rice, and makes it delicious. The 
 fmell of a good pilaw, if uncovered on the fire, 
 would fcent a whole houfe. 
 
 The interior part of the country fo abounds with 
 rofe-trees, that a vaft quantity both of rofe-water 
 and oil of rofes is made, and is exported to every 
 part of the globe. ' The Arabs are very fond of this 
 perfume, and ufe a great deal of it. The oil in 
 particular is fo ftrong, that a fingle drop poured in- 
 to a cheft will give it a fcent which nothing can 
 overcome : a box alfo, in which a bottle of this per- 
 fume has been kept, will retain the fmell" as long as 
 a fragment of it remains ; and if the hand by acci- 
 dent or otherwife (hould touch it, a perfpiration of 
 three days' continuance will fcarcely fuffice to take 
 off the odour. 
 
 A great deal of fait is made on the fhore of the 
 fea : but the Arabs do not, as is done in Europe, 
 divide a plain covered with water into compart- 
 ments. They make a number of uniform holes 
 about four and fometimes five feet wide, and two 
 feet deep, which they fill with fea-water till the 
 
ÏN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 265 
 
 ground is foaked, fo as to abforb no more. A red 
 cruft then forms iifelf on the furface : the water, 
 which is alfo red, is afterwards drained ofF, and the 
 fediment expofed to the fun, which gives it a beauti- 
 ful whitenefs. The fait of Mocha is the fineft I 
 have any where feen. 
 
 The lovers of fhell-work would find ample room 
 for gratifying their tafte on the fhores of Arabia, 
 where, as to thefe obje6ts, curiofity has not yet 
 roamed, and where there are fhells therefore in a- 
 bundance. The moffc common are the olive, the 
 pilgrim, and Bernard the hermit. There are fome 
 in high prefervation both as to form and polifh. 
 
 The principal objeél of cultivation in Yemen 
 is coffee. This tree is too well known to re-s- 
 quire a defcription. It is a native of Arabia, and 
 though it has thriven furprifmgly in the Antilles, at 
 Cayenne, and in the Ifle of Bourbon, it has preferved 
 in its original country a fuperiority that gives it a 
 preference in all the markets of Europe. The fruit 
 when ftripped of its fliin, is commonly fmaîi and 
 round : it is of a green colour, and has a ftrono- 
 fcent. There is another fort growing in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Ouden, that is black and full of fmall 
 fliining particles like cloves. This has a ftrono- as 
 well as greafy tafte, and the infufion made from it 
 is extremely oily. So powerful indeed is its odour ' 
 and fo fharp its tafte, that it cannot be ufed by it- 
 felf j but when mixed with the other, it is very a- 
 greeable. The ufual proportion is one pound to 
 fix : it is thus that the company's agent mixes it. 
 
 The coffee is all carried to Bethelfakih, a fm'all 
 town about five-and-twenty leagues north-weft of 
 Mocha, where the general market is held. The 
 French have a lodge there, arid are allowed to ufe 
 the ftandard weights of France. The annual peri- 
 od for the market is the beginning of Mav, that the 
 
im VOYAGE 
 
 vèflels, which load at Mocha, may begin their voy- 
 age early in June, when the monfoon changes. 
 The coffee intended to be fhipped is conveyed to 
 Mocha on camels. The exportation feldom amounts 
 to four thoufand bales a year, except when the Engliih 
 and French companies have made expeditions there ; 
 but thefe occafions happening feldom, the exporta- 
 tion may be taken at an average of from three thou- 
 fand five hundred to four thoufand bales. A bale 
 weighs three hundred and thirteen pounds, of which 
 the thirteen pounds are allowed for the packing. 
 The common market-price of a bale is forty-two 
 Spanifh piaftres, the duties at Bethelfakih and 
 Mocha, with the expenfe of carriage to the latter 
 place, included ; which is at the rate of about four- 
 teen pence halfpenny per pound. By this calcula- 
 tion the trade of Mocha will amount, in the article 
 of coffee, to twelve hundred thoufand weight, pro- 
 ducing a fum of a hundred and fixty-eight thou- 
 fand piaftres. As the Arabs have recourfe to for- 
 eign countries for many articles of neceffity, the bal- 
 ance of trade would be very much againft them, if 
 their receipts were confined to a fmall fum ; but 
 the exports from Mocha are of fo little impotancc 
 to them as hardly to draw the attention of the gov- 
 ernment. The Perfians flock to the market of Beth- 
 elfakih, and form there the caravan of Baffora. The 
 coffee, which is diftributed through Natolia, Turkey 
 in Europe, and part of Ruffia, goes by the way of 
 Smyrna, and joins the caravan of that name, while 
 that which is intended for the coaft of Barbary, and 
 for Africa in general, joins the caravan of Cairo. 
 Thefe three caravans are the principal fupport of the 
 market of Bethelfakih. The purchafes are all made in 
 money, which introduces annually into the province 
 of Yemen a fum greater than it expends in fuch ar- 
 ticles of confumption as it is obliged to import. 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 2^7 
 
 Befides cofFee, Arabia fupplies other nations with 
 great quantities of fruits, fuch as pears, apples, rai- 
 iins, figs, peaches, and dried dates, as well as with 
 caffia, cardamoms, and ajpi-fœtida, which are all pro- 
 duclions of its own foil, but of which the value may 
 be confidered as trifling in the balance of trade. Its 
 markets furniih likewife incenfe, benzoin, aloes, 
 and gum. Thefe lafl articles, however, are not of 
 its own growth, though the principal market is there, 
 for Arabia itfelf produces but a very fmall quanti- 
 ty of them. The aloes come from Socotara, which 
 furnifhcs the bell that are known. This commod- 
 ity is not oononed to any particular market, but 
 may be had equally at Mocha, Mufcat, Jeddo, and 
 the other towns of Arabia. 
 
 Yemen has its gum chiefly from AbyfUnia, for it 
 does not produce itfelf the twentieth part of what 
 is fold in its markets. It is therefore by no ineans 
 proper to fay Mocha cofFee, and gum-arabic. The 
 gum-tree of Arabia is a little, Ihort, flunted plant, 
 and the drops of gum which it yields are fmall and 
 yellowifii. The Abylnnian gum-tree, on the con- 
 trary, is large and iiourifhing, and produces drops 
 in abundance, as large as a pigeon^s egg, and as 
 tranfparent as cryftal. The market of Mocha and 
 the places near it fcarceîy furnifli three hundred 
 bales of this article annually. As for the incenfe 
 and benzoin, they form together but an inconfider- 
 able branch of commerce. The Arabs confume in- 
 deed great quantities of them, but they are chiefly 
 fupplied by the AbyfTinians ; and I think it a jufi: 
 calculation to eftimate the profit upon what they fell 
 to ftrangers, as only equivalent to the fum they pay 
 for what they get from AbyfHnia ; fo that the Itate 
 derives from thefe articles no advantage. 
 
 The fums which this province receives for the 
 productions I have mentioned ferve to pay for the. 
 
2d8 VOYAGE 
 
 rice which it obtains from India, the fugar from dif- 
 ferent, places, the fugar-candy from Bengal in par- 
 ticular, the iron and cannon from Europe, the cloths 
 and wrought gold by the ports of the Levant, the 
 pepper and different fpecies from the coaft of Mala- 
 bar, the cotton manufa£Vures of every kind from In- 
 dia, filks from Surat, and porcelain and other arti- 
 cles from China. 
 
 Though the wants of this country are fo extenfive, 
 the balance of trade is dill in its favour. This will 
 be evident if we confiderj that all the bufinefs is done 
 by ready money ; for though the country pofleffes 
 no coin of its own, except a fmall kind called kom- , 
 affi, of which I have fpoken, and which cannot be 
 exported on account of its trivial value, yet it a- 
 bounds with foreign money of every fort, and par- 
 ticularly European, fuch as the crown-pieces and 
 fequins of Hungary, which lerve for all commercial 
 tranfadlions however confiderable. The komalTis 
 are ufed only in inferior concerns, that the coins I 
 have mentioned may remain in circulation in Ara- 
 bia. The amount of its fales therefore muft necef- 
 farily exceed that of its purchafes, for the latter 
 would otherwife leave no refidue of foreign money ; 
 and Arabia muft undoubtedly be conAdered as a 
 rich country, (ince its produ6lions exceed its wants. 
 
 The manners of the Arabs are mild. The cuf- 
 tom of living alone in their feraglios, and confe- 
 quently of having but little intercourfe with each 
 other, their plurality of wives, by which they are 
 enabled to gratify a propenfity which the climate 
 creates, and the ilate of fubjecVion, or rather (lavery 
 in which the fex is held, are circum (lances unfa- 
 vourable to licentioufnefs : while, at the fame time, 
 the precept enjoining abilinence from ftrong liquors 
 being ftrictly obferved, except in thofe places where 
 the luxury introduced by commerce leads to a neg- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 269 
 
 leti of the mod important duties, their ignorance of 
 ail games of chance, and above all their enthufiafm 
 for their religion, and the defpotic influence which 
 its miniflers polTefs, contribute to preferve the pu- 
 rity of their morals. The contempt alfo which they 
 entertain for foreigners prevents their inviting them 
 to their houles, or having any communication with 
 them. An Arab knows nobody but his family ; he 
 faithfully obferves the laws of the koran, and the 
 employment of every hour of the day is determined 
 by a precept. The duties of devotion, ablutions, 
 and the concerns of his houfe, uniformly occupy his 
 time, and his life pafTes away in a regularity that 
 preferves his manners from corruption. The chil- 
 dren, brought up under the eye of their father, and 
 perverted by no intercourfe with ftrangers, adopt 
 the fame fyltemof condu<5l, and feklomor never de- 
 part from it. 
 
 The government is avaricious, but the people in- 
 dividually are not fo. This fatal paffion, which eve- 
 ry where elfe is the parent of fo many vices, has not 
 yet found accefs with the Arabs. The heat of the 
 climate renders their wants few in the article of cloth- 
 ing, and their habitual temperance prefcribes the 
 fame moderation in their living. In peaceful indo- 
 lence in the midft of his mountains, the Arab has 
 nothing to wifli for: he is happy in the benefits 
 which nature has beftowed upon him, and does not 
 fîgh for thofe of which he is ignorant, and which 
 foreigners can never make known to him in his fol- 
 itude. His higheft pleafure is to have nothing to 
 do. To fleep in a cool fituation, to throw hi mfelf 
 upon piles of cufhions, to imbibe the free air, fmoke 
 his hooka, bathe frequently, as well from devotion 
 S8 inclination, and enjoy the fociety of his women^ 
 conftitute the fummit of his felicity, and of any a-- 
 boye this he has no conception. At the fame time 
 Y 2 
 
27* VOYAGE 
 
 that thefe enjoyments fatisfy him, he knows how to 
 yalue them, and admits in his pleafures of no part- 
 ner : hence that jcaloufy which forms fo principal a 
 part of his charaéler. 
 
 If any thing could introduce a relaxation of man- 
 ners among the Arabs, it would be their mode of 
 living with their women : the burning heat of the 
 climate, afFedling their external fenfes, a£ls as a per- 
 petual ftimulus to their defires, to which they give 
 themfelves up with the lefs referve from poffeffing 
 fo amply the means of fatisfy ing them. It was with 
 the view probably of moderating the violence of thefc 
 feelings, that frequent bathings were prefcribed by 
 their religion ; but, inftead of producing that cfFe£t, 
 nothing fo much tends to augment them, as the a- 
 bufe which is made of this pra£lice. The places 
 provided for the purpofc are in general from five- 
 and-twenty to thirty feet fqu are, and about three 
 feet and a half in depth, with little fteps at the cor- 
 ners to go down. The bottom is fand, or gravel 
 beaten firm, and is always fmooth. The mailer of 
 the family and his women all bathe there together. 
 Over every thing in this picture that may be deem- 
 ed obfcene, I fhall draw a veil : it may, however, 
 cafily be conceived, that the fight of fo many fe- 
 males, with no covering but a tranfparent water, 
 niuft neceflarily add to the effecfts produced by the 
 natural heat of the climate. 
 
 In this point of viev/ the manners of the Arabs 
 may be faid perhaps to be fomewhat licentious ; but 
 the legiflator, fubjefb probably to the fame wants 
 himfelf,juft]y conceiving the impoflîbility of reprefl^ 
 ing defires fo violent, and the danger of attempting 
 it by a precept, has impofed no reftriftion. Accord- 
 ingly, the voluptuous Arab may freely abandon 
 himfelf to the empire of fcnfual pleafure in the pri- 
 vacy of his feraglio, without being judged depraved 
 
m THE INDIAN OCEAN. 271 
 
 in his manners ; for in doing fo, he violates no law, 
 and deviates from no duty. 
 
 The women in Arabia are never expofed to view> 
 even when they travel, though carriages are not in 
 ufe there. To fcreen them from public obfervation, 
 a large packfaddle is placed upon the back of a cam- 
 el, having four upright polls, with cloth, faftened to 
 it, and a roof in the manner of a canopy. The wom- 
 an who travels is (hut up in this kind of cage, and 
 performs the intended journey without enjoying a 
 fmgle view of the country through which fhe is palP 
 ing. To lift up a corner of the covering which 
 conceals her, would often endanger her life : this 
 depends however upon the charaûer of the huf- 
 band or mafter. 
 
 In confequence of this feclufion of the women> 
 debauchery is unknown even in thofe towns where 
 the manners have been moil relaxed by luxury. 
 There are no women of pleafure at Mocha, which 
 is often, by the European failors, deemed a great 
 hard (hip. One female only, who fold bafkets, was 
 thought not to be very cruel to her fuitors ', but the 
 laws of the country are terrible againft the man who 
 (hould be caught in fo flagitious an a£t : if the gov- 
 ernment were to come to the knowledge of it, the 
 otFender muft take the turban, or he would be put 
 to death. In fuch moments of dalliance if the wom- 
 an were defirous of betraying her lover, fhe has on- 
 ly to call out, and, if obferved by a fmgle witnefs, 
 the European would be feized, and could fave his 
 life only by embracing Mahometanifm. In addi- 
 tion to this perfidy, were fhe to fwear, that, to ob- 
 tain his purpofe, he had cried Al/a, the crime would 
 be flill heavier, and a refufal to take the turban 
 would condu£l him without further examination to 
 the punifhment of impaling. 
 
 Thefe laws are fo well known, that the Europe- 
 
272 VOYAGE 
 
 ans are on their guard ; and the Arabs on their part 
 having no need of fuch women, the purity of their 
 manners is preferved. From its ftill pofleffing a 
 religion and manners, this nation may be regarded 
 as in its infancy. By religion I do not mean a 
 form of worihip, which in reality every nation ob- 
 ferves, but Vv^hich is very different from religion. 
 By having a religion, whatever may be its nature, 
 I mean the firm convi«£lion of the mind as to the 
 truth of i^s docf rines, the flricl obfervance of iis 
 precepts,, the perfuafion that it is of divine origin, 
 that k cannot err, and the being ready, if necefla» 
 ry, to die for its fake. In this fenfe we certainly 
 have no longer a religion in Europe. A form of 
 worfhip; on the contrary, is merely the profefîed' 
 obfervance of certain exterior pra^ices, which are 
 often difpenfed with on the molt frivolous preten- 
 ces, or difcharged with a careleiTnefs, which is 
 made fubfervient to luxury and falhion. We have 
 Ifong had nothing 'but forms of worfhip in the part 
 of the world we inhabit. 
 
 Arabia mud be confidered as more diftant than 
 any other country from a revolution, becaufe, while 
 Ihe preferves her religion and manners, fhe ftands 
 in no need of a general reformation. The greateft 
 misfortune a country can fuftain is to lofe thefe j 
 and in the hiftory of the world we fliall find, that, 
 after religion and manners have been annihilated, a 
 nation could never be regenerated, without a period 
 of barbarifmj.throvtdng every thing into a chaos out 
 of which more enlightened times would gradually 
 arife. The arts and fciences are then re-produced^ 
 and the people raifed to the height of civilization, 
 when they again degrade themfelves. The fcien- 
 ces, which were firil cultivated in India, afterwards 
 efcaped to Egypt, and thence to Greece, whence 
 they palled into Italy, which has loft them in .her 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 273 
 
 turn, while France has obtained the prize : they 
 now feem to be taking their courfe towards the 
 north, which fcarcely poiTeffed the flighted degree 
 of civilization when the fouth was moil floarifhing. 
 They will thus retarn perhaps again to their prim- 
 itive country. Hiilorv iliows us, that the fucceilion 
 of barbarifm to more enlightened times, in the coun- 
 tries which we haye jafl: named, only compelled the 
 arts and fciences to make the tour of the globe 5 
 and, in inquiring into the caufes of their decline, 
 we are obliged to admit, that the revolutions which 
 overturn ftates are brought about foieiy by the ex- 
 tinction of rehgion and morals. 
 
 In the enjoyment of a happier defliny, Arabia^ 
 fnftead of apprehenfions of revolution, fees the pe- 
 riod approaching when (he will occupy in her turn 
 the foremoft place among the nations of the earth. 
 Her attachment to her religion fubfiils in all its 
 force J her morals are uncontaminated ; fhe knows 
 neither debauchery, gaming, luxury, nor avarice, 
 and is perhaps the only country in exiilence where 
 virtue is practifed for its own fake. 
 
 The ftriciinefs of manners of the Arabs mud nec- 
 effarily influence the national chara6ter : accordingly 
 no people are more frank, open, and fincere : even 
 the wandering tribes are never known to break 
 their word. The Arab gives no note nor written 
 obligation ; neither bond nor fecurity is necefTary to 
 bind him to the performance of what he has prom- 
 ifed. Two merchants conclude a bargain without 
 fpeaking a word *, the one touches the hand of the 
 other, and a third fpreads a carpet over them ; the 
 touching of hands determines the price that is 
 agreed upon, and nothing can break an engagement 
 entered into in this manner. If feveral deal to- 
 gether they fit down in a circle ; the feller fets his 
 price by fc^ueezing the hand of his ncighbou-r on his 
 
274 VOYAGE 
 
 right ddc a certain number of times ; and fuch as 
 intend to offer a greater or iefs price for the goods, 
 augment or diminifh the number of thefe tokens 
 accordingly. The perfon on the left of the feller 
 fignifies the prica which has thus come round to 
 him 5 he who firfi: gave it makes himfelf known» 
 the buyer and feller give each other the hand which 
 a third party feparates with a flight blow, and the 
 bargain is fo firmly concluded, that it cannot be 
 broken. Î have witneiTed tranfaflions of this na- 
 ture. It is an eftabliihed rule, that a veflei fliall 
 not difpofe of any of her goods v/ithout giving no- 
 tice to the body of merchants, who are entitled to 
 the preference : the owner is obliged to refign 
 at lead a part of his cargo, if he does not fell it all 
 to them, before he difpofes of it partially. On 
 fuch occafions they aiTemble together and treat in 
 filence, the hand under the carpet : the bargain iâ 
 concluded without any difpute, any ill-will, and 
 without even a word being fpoken, and the engage- 
 ment is irrevocable. 
 
 Such good faith and honefly ought to confound 
 our Europeans, who deem themfelves fuperior to all 
 other nations, yet can fettle no bufmefs, however 
 trivial, without guarding againlt the poflibility of 
 mutual fraud, by a multitude of forms, dictated by 
 m^iftruft, and which are often infufficient to proteâ 
 the creditor from the difhoneft praftifcs of the 
 debtor. 
 
 The Arab is pafTionate and vindi£live. Nothing 
 can ftifle his defire of revenge : he will readily fac- 
 rifice himfelf, if he can involve his enemy in his 
 deftrudion*, but this thirft for vengeance never 
 leads him to employ means that are treacherous. 
 He is brave, and does not conceal his deOgns. The 
 violence of his paflions renders him peculiarly fuf- 
 * ceptible of enthufiafm ; and the Arabs have given 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. ty 5 
 
 proofs of what they will do for their religion. In 
 friendfhip they are firm, generous, and capable of 
 the moft perfect devotion. Hofpitality is one of 
 their mod inviolable duties 5 whatever may be the 
 crime of him who begs an afylum, he is facred to 
 his hoft, who protects him as long as he is under 
 his roof, and, though it were his bittereft enemy, 
 would defer his revenge till he had quitted his 
 houfe. 
 
 The Arabs are proud, conceited, and feldom of 
 a prepoflefling deportment : they have befides a moft 
 fovereign contempt for all other nations. The con- 
 verts to Mahometanifm are never treated by them 
 with any diftinguifhed refpe£l, of whatever utility 
 they may be to them. They not merely defpife 
 foreigners, they perfed:ly detefttheûi ; and the com- 
 mon people frequently load them with abufe and 
 other ill ufage : but here, as every where elfe, the 
 better fort are diftinguifhed by a decency and digni- 
 ty of behaviour. The higher ranks are in general 
 extremely grave. The ruling paillon of the whole 
 nation is jealoufy. Every man is capable of facrific- 
 ing his wife on the flighteft fufpicion : his fury 
 would not ftop there ; he v/ould not be deterred 
 by any difficulty or diftance, but would follow his 
 rival to the end of the world to ftab him. This dif- 
 pofition renders them extremely vigilant in whatev- 
 er relates to their feraglios, from which every perfon 
 is indifcriminately excluded. Even their own chil- 
 dren, after they attain the age of puberty, are not 
 admitted. 
 
 The iman of Yemen, re fides at Sana, a town a- 
 bout forty leagues north-north-eaft of Mocha. His 
 court is far from being fo brilliant as it might be, 
 if he would encourage the Sayds about his perfon 5 
 but whether he fears them, or diflikes their pref- 
 ence, he keeps them at a diftance, and is furround- 
 
276 VOYAGE 
 
 ed only by blacks, who are in entire fubmifTion to 
 his will. There ^ire very few Arabs of diilinguifh- 
 ed family at Sana, and the town itfelf is but little 
 fuperior to Mocha. Its fortifications, like thofe of 
 the other towns, confifts merely of brick walls, 
 flanked by huge towers without a ditch : there is 
 not indeed a fnigle intrenchment in the whole king- 
 dom. 
 
 The throne of Yemen, has been frequently ftain- 
 ed with blood, and fromthefe occafions a fort of con- 
 ftitution arofe^by which the power of the iman was in 
 fome degree abridged ; but, though not conCdered as 
 fovereigniy defpotic, he becomes fo by the manner in 
 which he contrives to have his council compofed, 
 without whofe advice he can undertake nothing. He 
 thus eludes the refi:ri£l;ion6 which theconftitution has 
 impofed upon his perfonal authority, and is in real- 
 ity abfolute over the lives of his fubje6ls. The pre- 
 fent reigning monarch has not fullied the period of 
 his reign by any atrocious executions, and is not 
 charged wdth having put a fingle individual to death 
 in an arbitrary way. He readily admits Europeans 
 to vifit him, but they never do it without carrying 
 prefents. When a European arrives at his court, 
 the iman defrays the expenfes of his coming, his 
 ftavj and his return. Among the prefents intended 
 for the fovereign, care muft be taken that there is 
 no article of fculpture or embroidery reprefenting 
 the figures of men or animals : every kind of image 
 is fo ftriftly prohibited by law, that nothing of this 
 nature would be accepted. The prefents may con- 
 fift of pieces of green or red velvet, lawn embroid- 
 ered with gold, jewels, a poignard mounted with 
 precious ftones, clocks, watches, and arms. In re- 
 turn, he generally gives the choice of a horfe from 
 his fiables. Coniidering the extent of his domin- 
 ions, he keeps his army at a flrong peace eftablifk- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 277 
 
 ment. It may amount to two thoufand cavalry, 
 eompofed of the flower of the nation, and fix or fev- 
 en thoufand indifferent infantry, which I have al- 
 ready defcribed. In war he can augment his forces, 
 cavalry and infantry, to twenty thoufand and up- 
 wards. There is befides a corps of about fix hun- 
 dred artillery of different nations, to manage at lead 
 as many pieces of cannon of all fizes, of which not 
 more than twenty are mounted, and thefe are upon 
 naval carriages, in bad condition, and are drawn 
 by men. The reft being difmounted are of no ufe» 
 I am fpeaking of field-pieces, for thofe belongino^' 
 to the fortifications are mounted upon two blocks 
 of wood, which ferveas a carriage. Their infantry 
 and artillery are fo wretched, that three thoufand 
 good European troops, with' ten pieces of flying ar- 
 tillery, might efitclthe conqueft of Yemen in three 
 months. 
 
 A^rabia without doubt can boafl of having been 
 peopled at as remote a period as any part of the 
 globe. The high mountains of granite prove the 
 antiquity of the country. At the firft view of it in 
 a map it appears to have been an iiland in the prim- 
 itive ages of the world, before the exiftence of the 
 Ifthmus of Suez, and when the Perfian Gulf join- 
 ed the Cafpian Sea. Since that time its extent has 
 continually increafed ; and in the lapfe of fome cen- 
 turies, the Straits of Babelmandel will probably be 
 a fécond point of conta£l between Africa and Afia. 
 There is already but feven fathom water between 
 the Ifthmus of Mehun or Perim *, which is the ufu- 
 al paffage of veffels. There is à depth indeed of 
 four-and-twenty fathoms in the wider paflage, but 
 this depth is confined to the middle only, and is 
 found no where elfe ; in many parts, the fands and 
 
 * This iiland ftands at the diflanec of a fhort league from Cape Ba* 
 belmandel, and forms the ftraits of that came. 
 
 z 
 
2^8 VOYAGE 
 
 the high bottoms prevent large veiTels from paffing. 
 The Red Sea is deeper than the narrow (trait, and 
 is almoft every where,'between the iflands and rocks 
 which it contains, thirty or forty fathom. Many 
 parts of it are even faid to he unfathomable -, but 
 this muft be owing to the imperfection of the lines 
 ufed in founding 5 and, I am perfuaded, that here- 
 after it will be a large lake like the Cafpian Sea, 
 when time fhall have fhut up the ftrait. The Red 
 Sea has in general been very incorrectly founded ; 
 in tacking between Mocha and the coaft of Africa, 
 Ï have found conftantly from feventy to eighty 
 fathom. M. de Rofily, commander of the king's 
 frigate Medufa, is the only perfon who would have 
 been able to give accurate foundings of thefe parts, 
 if the urgency of the fervice in )vhich he was em- 
 ployed had allowed him to confine his attention to 
 this obje£t. But he was often obliged to found 
 \yhen failing before the wind, for the winds and 
 tides are fo violent in thefe latitudes, that if he had 
 ftood acrofs (O do fo, every time of heaving the 
 lead would have coft him as much diftance as he 
 could have gained in fix hours. This method o- 
 bliged him to ufe a very fhort line, fo that he fel- 
 dom let out more than fifty fathom, which were 
 not fufficient to reach the bottom. This is not the 
 cafe however with his obfervations, which are made 
 with all the accuracy and juftnefs which his abili- 
 ties were capable of, and are therefore perfect in 
 every refpeéi. This excellent officer has lately 
 publiilied a chart of the Red Sea from the ftraits to 
 the Ifthmus of Suez. His agronomical obferva- 
 tions were made with a chronometer, regulated on 
 fhe meridian of Mahé ; and from the care he has 
 beftowed upon the fubje£t, and his zeal and knowl- 
 edge united, the greateil confidence may be placed 
 in the corredlnefs of the pofitions which he lays 
 
IN THi: INDIAN OCEAN. 279 
 
 down. This chart is efientially necefTary in navi- 
 gation ; thofe of former travellers are too defeâive 
 in precifion to be depended upon : one was want- 
 ed from a mariner polTefllng the Ikill of M. de Rof- 
 iJy. Both the public and government owe bin» on 
 this account a juit tribute of acknowledgment. 
 
 The fea is vifibly retiring from the plain on which 
 Mocha is built. All along the coaft of the Red 
 Sea, from the entrance of the ftraits, the fpace from 
 the fhore to the foot of the mountains of Arabia is 
 daily increafing in extent, and fubmerging from the 
 ocean : it is not yet covered with vegetative earth, 
 and the fea appears to have left it but yefterday. 
 In many places we feem to be on fand juft abandon- 
 ed, and aim oft fear the return of the tide. It is 
 not thus beyond the ftraits, on the fide of Aden,, 
 where the waves bathe the foot of the mountains, 
 while the bafe upon which they ftand is ftill in the 
 abyfs. At a very fhort diftance the-diepth cannot 
 be fathomed, except near Cape Saint Anthony, from 
 which it decreafes gradually to the ftraits. 
 
 In attempting to calculate the ages that might e- 
 lapfe before the ocean will have quitted the coaft of 
 Arabia oppofite Aden, the powers of the mind 
 would be loft : while, as to the Red Sea, its water 
 is fo ftiallow, the iflands and fand-banks with 
 which it abounds are fo evidently the tops of hills 
 that are llowly appearing, and its retreat is fo vifible, 
 that we cannot refufe to anticipate in imagination a 
 period at which this vaft gulf will be converted in- 
 to a valley. It is even pofTible, that this change 
 may be accelerated by fome volcanic explofion. 
 The enormous mafs which conftitutes the moun- 
 tains of Arabia refts upon no folid bafis. An in- 
 ternal conflagration has excavated beneath their 
 foundations immenfe caverns, which, palHng under 
 the bed of the Red Sea, communicate with Africa. 
 
nBo V O Y A G*E 
 
 The little ifland of Gebelthor flill burns and fmolces, 
 from the effedis of thefe volcanic proceiTes. 
 
 Zeila and Mocha, two tovvns on oppofite coafts, 
 are built upon correfpondent fubmarine veins of 
 this defcription. The pyrites contained within 
 them continually burn, and have {ei fire to the com- 
 buRibie fubllances that have been placed near them. 
 When one of thefe tovi^ns experiences a (liock, the 
 other feels it at the fame inltant. During my ref- 
 idence in Arabia, there were feveral earthquakes, 
 of which fome were violent. On one of thefe oc- 
 cafions, a little town in the mountains, ûx leagues 
 to the eaft of Mocha, was completely overthrown. 
 The (hocks were felt at Mocha *, and though not 
 very ftrong, they were fufficiently fo to make me 
 apprehend, that the houfe in which I lived would 
 tumble upon my head. I accordingly quitted it in 
 halte : the land when I got out was hrm, but my 
 boat, which was at anchor on the water's edge, wag 
 illU in vibration, and for a moment two or three 
 ftrong waves were raifed, though it was a profound 
 calm. Fahrenheit's thermometer was at i oo, and the 
 barometers at 27. If we may judge of the depth of 
 the fubterraneous abyfs under the foundations of 
 Arabia by its efFe<5ls, we mud fuppofe it to be enor- 
 ;cnous j for enormous mud be the conflagration nec- 
 çflary to produce an explofion capable of moving 
 fuch vail maifes. Earthquakes are of frequent oc- 
 currence in the mountains, particularly in the 
 peighbourhood of Aden. The internal fire appears 
 to be general, as it has not yet fettled at any focus ; 
 it is probable, however, that it will in time naake it- 
 felf a paflage by opening a volcano, which will give 
 vent to the explofions, and thus put the other parts 
 of the country into fafety. At prefent thefe are all 
 in continual danger of being fwallowed up in fome 
 of the fubterraneous caverns, the vaults of which^in* 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 2^1 
 
 crcafing the fire by confining it, may at laft be un- 
 able to refifl its force. This country indeed has al- 
 ways been fubje£l to the efFecfls of an internal con- 
 flagration, which appears to have produced in it 
 great revolutions. A whole group of illands> an- 
 ciently fo famous that we know even the names of 
 the towns in the largeft of them, has totally difap- 
 peared. I refer to the iilands which bore the name 
 ofPanchaia. 
 
 Diodorus * fays, that the Illand ofPanchaia was 
 fituated to the fouth of Arabia Felix, that there was 
 a temple of Jupiter there, of which he gives a mag- 
 nificent defcription, and four towns, Hiracia, Da- 
 lis, Oceanis, and Panara. The exiftence of the lat-- 
 ter is fo well confirmed, that we know its inhabit- 
 ants to have confided of Indians, Scythians, and 
 even Cretans : thefetowns are no where to be found- 
 Even fuppofing Socotara to have been one of them^ 
 what can have become of the reft? They cannot 
 have been united to the continent by the retreat of 
 the fea. There are two reafons that militate againft; 
 this fuppofition. For, in the firfl place, were this 
 the cafe, there would undoubtedly be fome remains 
 ©f that celebrated temple mentioned by EvemeruSp, 
 which covered two acres of ground, and was built 
 with free-done, of a whitenefs and pcliOi equal to 
 marble ; we fhould certainly fee fomething of the 
 navigable river fo near its foufce ; we fhould find 
 traces of the four towns which Diodorus has men- 
 tioned by name. There is indeed on the coafl of 
 Africa the town of Zeiia, at the extremity of the 
 gulf fo called ; but neither its name nor its fituation . 
 gives any mark oFits being one of thofe belonging 
 to the Ifland of Panchaia. But even fuppofing it 
 to be one of them, the queftion refpeéting the oth-^ 
 
 * Died. Bibliot Hift. lib. 5- et lib. 6, Preierved J)y Eufcbi^s. ^ 
 Pïspar. Evang. lib* 2. 
 
 Zt 2 
 
2^2 VOYAGE 
 
 er is ftill undetermined ; and thefe are monuments 
 which could not have decayed, without leaving fomc 
 ruins to atteft their exiftence. Evemerus fays, that 
 the temple of Jupiter was fituated upon a hill. Sup- 
 pofing therefore the towns to have been buried in the 
 fands of Africa, the (ituation of the temple and the 
 liiil would furely preferve them from a fimilar fate. 
 The fécond reafon againft confidering thefe ifl- 
 ands as having become a conftituent part of the con-, 
 tinent, is drawn from the principles of hydroftatics. 
 The Ifthmus of Suez had certainly emerged from 
 the ocean before the Ifland of Panchaia had difap- 
 peared, for Evemerus was acquainted with it, and 
 this author was contemporary with the fécond fuc- 
 cefs of Alexander. However fhallow might be the 
 ftrait which feparated this iHand from the conti- 
 nent, it is evident, that the plains which form the 
 bottom of it were of a much lower level than the 
 ground which compofed the ifthmus, fmce the lat- 
 ter was dry when the former was overflowed. Now 
 it is known that the ifthmus is the lowed land, the 
 leaft elevated above the furface of the fea, of any in 
 this part of the globe. From the ilraits of Babelman- 
 del to Cape Gardafuy the coaft of Africa is compof- 
 ed of fandy downs, which lie extremely high ; the 
 coaft towards the fouth is alfo high enough to 
 to fee from it to the diftance of five leagues without 
 diiEculty ; which is- a mucli greater elevation than 
 that of the ifthmus, and proves therefore a prior ex- 
 iftence. If the Ifland of Panchaia had been united 
 to the continent, the ftrudlure of the country makes 
 it evident that fuch union could only have taken 
 place in thefe latitudes : which leads me to a reflex- 
 ion upon the text. Diodor^us fays, that this ifland 
 was fiEuated to the fouth of Arabia Felix. Why 
 has he not alTigned its place to the north of Africa,, 
 which \vc^ild have. bordered upon it ?. It would feer^; 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCMN. 2S3 
 
 natural, that he fhould name the continent which 
 was the lead diftant. Confidering this to be the 
 fenfe of the paiTage, we muft fuppofe, that the ill- 
 and was nearer to the coaft of Arabia than to that 
 of Africa. If fuch be the pofition which he meant 
 to give it, every idea of its having been united to 
 the continent muft vaniih, (ince a mere infpeclion 
 of the coafts will manifeft the phyficai impoflibility 
 of fuch an event. We do not find there a (ingle 
 plain; we tind nothing indeed but high, mountains, 
 the feet of which are buried in the waves to an 
 unfathomable depth. In what place then could the, 
 jundion have been effeéïed ?, 
 
 The fyftem of the retreat of the fea defies the 
 moft inveterate fcepticifm ; but, when treated with 
 too much warmth of imagination, it may give birth 
 to paradoxes without number. In the labyrinth of 
 inquiries into which it may lead us, let us never 
 Icfe the clue of hydroftatics, which alone will keep 
 us clear of the errors conftamly refulting from a 
 fpirit of fyftematizing. When it is proved, that it 
 is one of the eiTential properties of fluids to preferve 
 themfelves in a ftate of equilibrium, it neceflarily 
 follows, that the ocean cannot have retired from 
 one part of the globe, at the fame time that another 
 part which is higher, îhat is to fay, more diftant 
 from the centre, is overwhelmed by it. It is in vain 
 then that a philofophy, refpedable in other pointSj 
 would perfuade us, that, when the firft Hanno made 
 the tour of Africa, half of this vaft continent was 
 under water, and efpecialiy the Cape of Good Hope, 
 In vain would it afTure us, that at that time no part 
 of America exifted but the tops of the mountains : 
 fuch alFertions would tend rather to alienate us 
 from the fyftem, than make us partizans to it. It 
 muft firft be proved, that Carthage, Eziongabar, ox- 
 whatever place this Hanno departed from, v/as high- 
 
284 VOYAGE 
 
 er than the lands which are defined to have been at 
 that time covered with water j it mud be proved, 
 that Phoenicia is higher not only than the Tabic 
 Mountain, and the mountains called the Tiger 
 Mountains, but alfo than all the interior parts of 
 Africa, which are unexplored, but which appear,, 
 as far as a judgment can be formed of them at a 
 diftance, to be very lofty j it muft- be afcertained, 
 that the plains of America, from the foot of the 
 Andes and the Cordeliers to the Ihore of the fea, 
 are of a lower level than that of Carthage, which 
 this Hanno is faid to have vifited. Unlefs thefe 
 proofs can be acquired, we are reading in the boolc 
 of Nature without knowing the alphabet. In vain 
 have I fearched for teftimonies in all the voyages 
 that have been made in Africa, and followed, Itep 
 by ftep, the authors who fpeak of it ; I always find 
 the Klhmus of Suez in my way ; and am obliged 
 to infer from it, that, while this iflhmus has exilted, 
 all the countries which are of a higher elevation 
 mud have exifted alfo. 
 
 As a general rule, let us never compute the epochs 
 of the firfl appearances of lands, but by their rela- 
 tive height above the furface of the fea j and when 
 we find traces of the ocean in any part of the globe^ 
 and would know whether the period at which thefe 
 countries firft emeri^ed from the water be within 
 the reach of our chronology, let us refer to thofe 
 countries to thehiftory of vi'hichit ex.-^endsjand their 
 comparative elevation will determine the priority of 
 their appearance ; with the exception however of 
 fuch lands as have been produced by volcanic explo- 
 fions. 
 
 I cannot fuppofe, therefore, that the Panchaia 
 IHands have been united to the coafl of Afia, fince 
 the ftru61:ure of the country does not admit of fuch 
 a. conjecture :^nor that they have been joined to Af^- 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 285 
 
 rica, becaufe there is no veftige of them whatever, 
 and becaufe every part of this coall is liigher than 
 thofe places which were contemporary with them. 
 
 My opinion is, that this archipelago has difap- 
 peared in confequence of fome volcanic revolution. 
 The innumerable rocks by which Zeila is encom- 
 paffed, and which are a great ob(lru61:ion to naviga- 
 tion, are evidently the effecfls of fome violent com- 
 motion : even Zeila itfelf does not ftaiid perfectly 
 firm on its foundation, but often totters from the 
 atlion of the fire that is under it. Thus the face of 
 the country, the frequent e.arthquakes evincing the 
 confiant exiftence of an internal conflagration, the 
 crater of Gebelthor ftili fmoking, all tend to con- 
 firm me in the opinion, thatthefe iflands have been 
 funk in the abyfs made by the fire beneath their 
 foundations, and that they carried with them into ihe 
 whirlpool part of the furrounding country, particu- 
 larly the fpot between Socotara and the continent, 
 which is now under water. This fpace abounds 
 with fmall iflands, which are vifibly the tops of em- 
 inences, preferved by their elevation from being in- 
 undated. Socotara or Zocotara, at the period 
 when Evemerus and the Phoenicians navigated in 
 thefe climates, I fuppofe to have been the mod dif- 
 tinguiflied promontory of this part of the African 
 coaft. If it had been at that time detached from 
 the continent, it would have been too confiderable 
 an iiland not to be noticed ; its extent, its height, 
 its mountains of granite contrafted with the downs 
 of fand which anfwer to it in Africa, its pleafing 
 and verdant afpe£l, its fertility compared with the 
 burning fands from which it is feparated only by a 
 narrow ftrait, would have obtained it a place in the 
 narratives of the earliefl travellers. 
 
 From the arguments I have ftated, it may be in- 
 ferred, that there exifls under the whole of this coun- 
 
286 VOYAGE 
 
 try an immenfe volcanic cavity, the lire of which 
 has continued for a number of centuries, and which, 
 if it does not make for itfelf an opening by which 
 to vent its efforts, will one day, and that perhaps at 
 no very diftant period, produce in this part of the 
 world fome extraordinary event, by which the bold- 
 nefs of our conjectures, concerning the veftiges of 
 fuch revolutions as have preceded us, will be juf- 
 tified. 
 
 To return to my voyage. 
 
 The commercial fpeculation which brought me 
 to Mocha turned out unfortunatelv : corn had a 
 bad iale there, and the produce of my cargo w^as 
 not fufficient to enable me to re-load my veirei with 
 coffee. I contented myfelf therefore with buying 
 two hundred bales of that article at Bethelfakih ; i 
 filled the hold of my vellèl with fait, and purchafed 
 twenty of the larger fort of affes and two cammels, 
 which, with the neceffary ftoek of v/ater and pro- 
 vifions for them, made up the freight. As I had 
 not cafks enough for the water, I was obliged to 
 fupply their place by wells (puits ) conftrucled by 
 the awkward workmen of the country : but thefe 
 leaked in the voyage ; and if my cattle had not been 
 of the moft temperate defcription, as thofe of this 
 climate generally are, they would half of them have 
 perifned with thirft. While {peaking of my quad- 
 rupeds, I fhall mention one circumflance that ftruck 
 me as curious, which is, that the affes, from the 
 moment they were put on board, continued perfect- 
 ly mute through the whok voyage. 
 
 Having made all the preparations for my depar- 
 ture in good time, and the firft winds of the north- 
 erly monfoon beginning to be felt during the two 
 ®r three lad days of May, I began my voyage pa 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 287 
 
 tKe firft of June. This precipitation however I had 
 reaibn to repent j and I owe it as a caution to thofe 
 who may come after me to fay, that it is prudent 
 not to fail till the monfoon is fteadily fet in, as they 
 will otherwife be expofed to the fame difFiculties to 
 which I was fubje6ied. 
 
 I had weighed about fix in the evening, and when 
 I arrived at the ftraits it was two in the morning. 
 As the darknefs prevented me from clearing them, 
 I caft anchor at a fhort diftance, and remained till 
 daylight, when the wind changed and kept me there 
 three days. On the fourth I failed again, and was 
 X)bliged, in the courfe of four-and-twenty hours, to 
 repafs the ftraits and return into the Red Sea, where 
 I lay at anchor two days longer, at the end of which 
 I fet fail once more, but did not get much forward- 
 er than before. I was five-and-twenty days ftrug- 
 gling againfl the currents and keeping myfelf from 
 the coaft of Africa, which I had thus, againft my 
 inclination, the leifure of examining as far as Cape 
 Gardafuy. When we were carried too clofe to the 
 land by the calm.s and the currents, if, in the cool- 
 nefs of the night, a flight breeze from the land reach- 
 ed the velTel, the heat which it brought with it was fo 
 great, that we were obliged to fliutoureyes,thoughit 
 had feeminglytimeto cool by pafling through a fpace 
 of three leagues over the furface of the fea. 
 
 On the twenty-fixth day I was attacked by one of 
 the mod violent tempefts I ever experienced ; the 
 fécond day of its continuance brought me in fight 
 of Socotara, and if I had had to contend with the 
 wind and fea together we muft certainly have per- 
 iihed ; but, fortunately, the wind blew from the 
 fouth-weft, and carried us in the right courfe, which 
 diminiflied the force of the tempeft. My veflel too 
 at this time felt the effeûs of the damage it had re- 
 ceived in the Ganges ; for in no other way can I 
 account for the accident that happened to her. 
 
288 VOYAGE 
 
 One of the joints of the keel opened, and fudden- 
 îy occafioned a leak, which, during the violence of 
 the ftorm, was fo great, that, though four pumps 
 "were conftantly at work, and the reft of the crew 
 employed in emptying the water with buckets 
 through the fcuttles, it gained fo confiderably upon 
 us, that when the wind began to abate we had no 
 lefs than five feet and a half of water in the hold ; 
 a condition the more dreadful, as it (bowed us the 
 gradual approach of a fate which all our efforts could 
 not avoid. I had prepared my piftoîs, intending by 
 means of them to rid myfelf of the mifery of fo cru- 
 el a death, and an inefFeftual ftruggling with the 
 waves. To increafe the horror of our fituation, two 
 of the pumps broke at once, and the furniture of the 
 third failed us. I had nothing with which to fup- 
 Tp\f its place, and if the accident had happened 
 twentv-four hours fooner, it is probable that noth- 
 ing could have faved us. By good luck the ftorm 
 abated, and the veflèi being lefs ft rained, the leak 
 made but two-and -thirty inches in an hour. It was 
 ftill fuch, however, as not to be kept under by lefs 
 than two pumps ; and it was therefore indifpenfa- 
 bly neceflary to repair one of them. I fliall enter 
 here into a few details for the inftruclion of fuch 
 feamen into whofe hands my book may fall. 
 
 The pumps work by two valves, one fixed upon 
 a moveable body called the upper box, containing a 
 hole which this valve hermetically clofes, and the 
 other fixed to an immoveable body called the lower 
 box. The upper box, in defcending, preiTes the 
 column of water upon the valve of the lower box, 
 and keeps it ftiut, v/hile the fame prefTure raifes the 
 valve of the upper box, and gives a pafiage through 
 it to the water. In the re-afcent of the upper box, 
 when its valve (huts by the vveight of the column of 
 water above it, that of the lower box^ opens and af- 
 
#<fc \ IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 289 
 
 fords a palTage to the water below it, which is thus 
 drawn up by the fudlion. It thus appears, that the 
 tffcù. of the pump depends on the operation of the 
 valves, and that without valves it could not be work* 
 ed. Thefe, however, we had loft ; yet I contrived 
 notwithftanding to put my pumps into a condition 
 for working. I had to find the means of fupplying 
 the lofs of the valves, and to fubftitute fomething 
 ■which would anfwer their purpofe ; that of com- 
 pletely flopping the holes of both the boxes, agree-# 
 ably to the action of the pump. To cfFe£t this, I 
 heated two four-pound (hot, and applied them red- 
 hot to the mouths of the valves, where I let them 
 burn the wood fo as to bury themfelves half-way in 
 it ; I then cooled them, and without any other prep- 
 jiration put them into the pump. Their weight did 
 :*ot prevent them from giving way to the water, as 
 much as was neceflary, both in the afcent and de- 
 fcent of the upper box ; and thefe two motions^ 
 a£ling fucceffively upon them, brought them 
 back to their poGtion in the holes which they had 
 burnt, and which of courfe they exactly filled. 
 By this contrivance the pump worked as well as ever. 
 After thirteen days offatigue and trouble, I came 
 in fight of the coaft of Malabar. My crew now be-^L 
 came refradlory, and threatened to run the vefiel • ' 
 aground, being determined not to expofe themfelvesî 
 -^to the danger of a longer voyage. It was with great 
 difficulty I prevailed upon them to accompany me 
 as far as Pondicherry, where our labours would end. 
 When we reached this place we were all in a mif- 
 erable ftate, exhaufted with weaknefs and fatigue. 
 I received all the affiftance that could be given me, 
 and began to unload my cargo, which had fufFered ^ 
 by the accidents of the pafTage. I had loCt a cam- 
 el and ten afles ; the reft foon recovered their 
 ftrength, and I fent them by another veiTel to the 
 A A . ' ^. 
 
290 VOYAtïE 
 
 Ifle of France, and had mine repaired in tihe river 
 of Coringui. The entrance of this river was difR- 
 cult for {o large a (hip, but luckily the bar coniifted 
 only of foft mud, through which I made a paflage 
 with the help of my capftan. 
 
 At the time of my arrival in this river, the coun- 
 try was afPii£led by a moil cruel famine ; the in- 
 habitants died with fuch dreadful rapidity, that they 
 could not be buried. The roads and fields were 
 ttrewed with dead bodies, which had made this 
 province the country of jackals and birds of prey : 
 this was a difgufting fpe£taclc, and it was out of 
 the power of the government to remedy it. 
 
 The conduct of the people during the continu- 
 ance of this de{tru(SHve calamity was marked with 
 arefignation and fortitude, that prove how compat- 
 ible the contempt of death is with the utmoft gen- . 
 tlenefs of manners. The granaries of the rich were 
 full of corn ; the poorer fort knew this, yet fuffer- 
 ed themfelves to perifh, without attempting to make 
 themfelves mafters of it. The manner in which 
 they waited for death and fubmitted to it, appears, 
 from its Angularity, to be worthy of record. Though 
 my pencil ftirinks from the delineation, I will nev- ♦ 
 erthelefs attempt it, that a faithful portrait may be 
 given of the character of the natives of India. 
 
 As foon as an individual of either fex found, that 
 all his efforts to prolong exiftence were in vain, he 
 caufed himfelf to be carried to the door of fome 
 rich man, in whofe fight he wiihed to expire, as if 
 to reproach him for not having extended to him 
 from his hoard the relief, which would have faved 
 him from death. There, lying upon the ground, 
 and receiving from his friends a pot of water, fuf- 
 ficient to maintain him for two or three days, with 
 his head wrapped in his apron, lie waited patiently 
 for the fatal moment, defending himfelf to his lait 
 
N THE INDIAN OCEANC^i;|» 2^ Ï 
 
 breath againft the animals that attempted to devour 
 him alive, while no exhortations, on the part of thofe 
 who offered to fuccour him, could induce him to 
 accept the means, which, in his own opinion, were 
 ufelefs; for preferving a life he had refolved to fac- 
 rifice. Thofe whom fome remains of flrength de- 
 ceived with the hopes of a longer exiftence, and who 
 were furprifed by death, fell indifcriminately where- 
 ever it feized upon them. I was feldom without 
 the diftrefling fpeûacle, every morning, of three or 
 four bodies of perfons who had died in this manner 
 during the night. The fortitude of the Indians en- 
 dured to the laft moment : they faw death approach- 
 ing, waited for it, and fubmitted to the ftroke with- 
 out a murmur or complaint, without having engag- 
 ed in any feditious tumults, without having offered 
 even the fmalleft violence to thofe whofe affluence 
 prote6led them from a fimilar fate, and died, call- 
 ing upon Brama, their laft hours unirabittered by a 
 fmgle fentiment of malevolence. 
 
 But enough of thefe gloomy images. 
 
 The road of Coringui is the wintering place to 
 
 which veffels retire that are obliged to pafs the bad 
 
 feafon on the coaft of India. The worft that caii 
 
 ; . happen to them in this fituation is to be aground up- 
 
 'feon the mud banks, which is not attended with the 
 
 ilighteft rifk. Shipv^^recks nevcrtheJefs arc frequent 
 
 jfLfJn thefe parts, which arifes from the /andy point 
 
 ^ that defends the bay to the foutli, projeéling coniid- 
 
 erably into the fea, with dangerous ridges and 
 
 ^ {helves. ||. 
 
 During my ilay ih this place, a veffei ftruck fud- 
 denly in the night againft this point and was loft. 
 I fent out my boats and crew to her afhftance, and 
 many articles were faved, among which was fome 
 rice in a fack. The water had affe6led it, artd the 
 
 
 m^^ 
 ^ 
 
V O Y A a 
 
 grains had fwelled and were burfi: ; yet, fo great 
 ^^^j^was the fcarcity in this place, that it fold at the rate 
 of fix rupees the fack, which is fifteen livres for a 
 hundred and fifty pounds weight. Mr. Dineur, 
 the fupercargo, teftificd his gratitude by making me 
 an offer of an elegant boat, which I refufed to ac- 
 cept as a prefent, but which I agreed to purchafe of 
 him. He wilhed me to take it at a price much below 
 its value, but what I had done required no recom- 
 penfe : in a cafe of this nature, all feamen are broth- ^ 
 crs, and ought to afllft each other to the utmbft of . 
 their power. 
 
 As I did not find at Coringui the neceflary ma- 
 terials for repairing my (hip's bottom, I could not 
 have her properly careened, and was obliged to run 
 her afhore, and have her put upon the ftocks. It 
 is in this bufinefs that the induftry of the Indians 
 Ihines forth in all its fplendour : by their patience 
 and perfeverance, they effecH:, with the affiftance of 
 no tackling, no pulleys, no ropes, no capftan, no 
 mechanical force of any fort, what we are unable 
 to perform without the aid of many, the moft pow- 
 erful, means combined. Labour cofts them fo lit- 
 tle, that the expenfe of it is fcarcely an obje(Sl of 
 .^attention. The pay of a workman is a dahou per 
 day ; fo that for a rupee of the value of about fifty^' 
 ^ fous, or two {hillings fterling, the labour of eighty"* 
 ^^ men may be obtained. What is more extraordina- , 
 ry, this trivial pay is fufficient, in an ofHinary year, 
 for the maintenance of an Indian and his whole 
 family. 
 
 'Their method of raifing a veflel is fimple and in- 
 genious. The details into which I fliall enter upon^^ _ 
 this fubjedi: will be found perhaps infipid to many ' 
 ^^ of my readers -, but thofe who have a pleafure in _^^ 
 ♦ ^> contemplating the progrefs of the human mind wiU^^P 
 
BSr THE INDIAN OCEAN. 293 
 
 not be offended, though I (hould be a little tedious 
 in dwelling upon particulars, which will furnifh a 
 comparifon between nations yet young in exiftence, 
 and thofe whom luxury and the arts have advanced, 
 to the height of civilization. 
 
 They begin by fixing upon the fpot in the mead- 
 ow where the veiTel is to be placed, and this being- 
 done, they dig a bafon there, which they call goudi. 
 When the bafon is deep enough to contain the veflel, 
 they admit water into it from the river, by piercing, 
 a little dike which has been made at its entrance. 
 ^ As this country, however, is not yet hardened and' 
 ^ dry, but has water a little below its furface, as"foon 
 as they have dug to the depth of two or three feet, 
 their trench is overflowed : in this fituation, with- 
 out a pump or any machine whatever, with nothing 
 but a bucket, they clear it as completely as could bè 
 done with all the afllftance of hydraulics. This 
 method of haling out water is not confined to mari- 
 time operations ; they ufe it likewife in watering 
 their fields, when they have not an opportunity of. 
 cftablifhing à picote>. *. . 
 
 The bucket they employ for this purpofeisflàt,and ' 
 has four handles, to which are faftened as many 
 ropes, the ends of which are held by four men, 
 two on eacLfide. Though the bucket is flat, it has 
 a fort of hollow on one fide, which we ihall call 
 the back ; the fronfr, on the contrary, is in the 
 form of a fhovel, or rather, to fpeak more intelligi- 
 bly, the implement itfelf is a. fort of hollow fhovei. 
 Two cords are faftened to the. handles at the cor^^ 
 ncrs of the front, andtwo others to the back. The 
 greater, is the depth of the bafon, the further do the 
 Mien who work the bucket ftand from the point to 
 
 * Aa infiniment for drawing . water reJfeinWiug that of ew-^ 
 -w gardeners and l)nckmakers.—T, 
 
 EhL., ^v ■ '*^: A A 2^ 
 
IS»» 
 
 294 • > VOYAGE 
 
 which the water is to be thrown. Their diftancc 
 from ftiis objeâ: ought to be equal to the depth, 
 fince the bucket in its motion defcribes the arc of a 
 circle, of which the ropes are the radi»j and the men 
 the centre. 
 
 To underftand the op-eration of this implement, 
 "^. which is more worthy of attention as it fupplies the 
 place of a pump, let us figure to ourfislves the fitu- 
 ation of the right-hand man. In his left hand he 
 holds the rope faftened to the front of the bucket, 
 and in his right that of the back (the man on the 
 left holds them in the contrary hands). He begins 
 by fwinging the bucket : after which, lengthening 
 out the ropes, he lets it down fo as to touch the 
 water, and then with a fliglxt effort of his left hand 
 forces the front of the bucket below the farface, 
 and thus fills it. In completing the arc of a circle, 
 ■\% reaches the height to which it is to be raifed, 
 when by the rope in his right hand he depreiTes the 
 back of it, and the water runs out. The bucket de- 
 fcends in the fame direction, fills again in return- 
 ing, and empties itfeif in the fame manner. It is 
 eafy to conceive, that the motion is quick, and, if 
 the bucket be of any fize, that the exercife muft be 
 very fatiguing. I eftimated this contrivance to be 
 ' equal in its efFedl to a pump four inches in diame- 
 ter in the tube, and worked by eight men. 
 
 "V/ith the help of this bucket, they keep their ba* 
 fon dry, till they have dug a fufficient depth to float 
 a fhip when filled by the water at high tide. They 
 then open the bafon when the tide is down, byraif- 
 ing the little dike which defends the entrance of it. 
 The veflel then enters it without difficulty, at the re- 
 turn of the tide, and as foon as it is in, they ftop 
 up the mouth of the bafon, by replacing the dike 
 which they had removed ; and thus their veilel is 
 
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. 295 
 
 afloat, inclofed in a bafon dug in. the middle of a 
 field. _^^ 
 
 An Europeaà^ngineer would think that as yet 
 little was done, and would confider the reft of the ? 
 operation as the greateft difficulty. The Indians, • 
 on the contrary, have performed the moft laborious 
 part of their work, and make no account of the re- 
 mainder. Their bucket has ftill to make a great 
 figure, and by means of two of thefe inftruments 
 they fill the bafon to the brim in a day at moft* 
 The veflel rifes with the water, and when the goudi 
 is full, they bring earth and raife a bank round the 
 veflel, ftill filling with their buckets as they go on. 
 They might thus lift their veflel to the clouds, if 
 they were to employ a fuflicient quantity of earth j4 
 but they feldom raife it more than ten feet. When 
 it has attained the necefliary height, they fill the 
 goudi with earth, by which the water rifes above 
 the banks and runs-ofl^, and the veflel is entrenched 
 in a foft earth, which yields to its fhape. When 
 the water is cleared, they make the holes at the bot-, 
 *tom of the bank, to drain the mould ®n which the 
 veflel refts thoroughly dry ; and in this ftate they 
 leave it for fix weeks or two months, till they judge 
 the earth to have acquired a fuflicient folidity. 
 They then dig round the veflel, placing the requifite 
 fupports and Itocks j and finifti the whole by taking 
 away all the earth they have brought, which leaves 
 the veflel raifed upon the ground, and in a fituation 
 to allow all the neceflary repairs to be done to her 
 ^bottom. This method of proceeding is the more 
 ingenious, as it neither requires extraordinary ex- 
 ertion of ftrength, nor is expofed to accidents : the 
 only inconvenience attending it is its flownefs, 
 which however is but a flight difadvantage in a 
 country, where the veflTels are prevented by the mon- 
 foons from making more than one voyage in z year* 
 
 
296 ,, VOYAGE, &c. 
 
 Such \vas tKe mode to which I was obliged to refort 
 in repairing my (hip, and which detained me till Jan- 
 uary. I then returned to Pondicherry, whence I fail- 
 fjêd to the lile of France and thus finifhed my voyage* 
 
 "f 
 
 #■ 
 
 # 
 
 ■mw-.,^w^ 
 

 ^ ' 
 
 wH 
 
 ÈÊÈ INDE X. 
 
 Author fails from the Ifle of France, page^.; arrives 
 on the Sechelles* bank, 4 ; lofes one of his men, 14 ; 
 arrives at Pondiaherry, 18 ; reception there, 56; 
 fails for Bengal, touches at Madras, no; lands near 
 Fulta, 130; alarmed by an enormous ferpeiit, 131; 
 arrives at Calcutta, 133 ; experiences a dangerous 
 ftorm, 135 ; difhoneily of the port-oificers, 137 ; ^ 
 fingalar adventure torefcuea woman, 180 ; fails from ^|^^iB 
 Calcutta, 197 ; anchors in the road of Cochin, 30i ; -" -™ 
 impolitions pra£lifed there, 203 ; fails from thence^ 
 and arrives at Mocha, 208 ; reception by the Gover- 
 nor, 217 ; one of his crew embraces the Mahometan 
 Religion, 242 ; its melancholy confeqiiences, 244 ; 
 fpirited conduél to recover his men, 246 ; contem- 
 plates a dangerous enterprife, 249 ; fails from Mocha, 
 287 ; his fhip damaged by a violent tempeft, 287 ; 
 ingenious contrivance to repair his pumps, 2S9 ; ^ ''JÊt 
 rives on the coaft of Malabar, 289 ; returns to Pondi-.-f^^ 
 cherry, and from thence to the Ifle of France, 295. 
 
 Accommodations for travellers in India, 72. 9^'* 
 
 Agriculture in India, 93 ; — in Arabia, 260. 
 
 Aflaffiaation of Capt. Nun, 210. 
 
 Arabs, their manner of^ preparing coffee. 217 ; religious 
 exercifes, 223; military exercifes/' 224 ; luxurious 
 mode of living, 232 ; 269 ; drefs, and marks of dif- 
 tinélion, 235 ; manner of dividing time, 236 ; impojBfc 
 feel navigation, 260. 
 
 Arabian manners and cuftoms, 269 ; military forcie, 224; .^^ 
 
 2275^277. '^ÉÊè^'^'^ ' 
 
 Abyflinian Female flaves, 228. - .^ 
 
 ■ B. .Mm 
 
 Bengal, produftioBS of, 1 70 ; Dutch fettlements there, J 
 
 
^ 
 
 n T5 E X. 
 
 Bramîns, their hofpitality, 72 ; religious cuftoms. 
 
 Bazar, or market-place at Mocha^ 229. 
 
 Banians, 237 ; their character, 239. 
 
 Bezoar-ftone, its valuable properties, 82. >^ •* 
 
 Books of the Indians, 61 ; — of the Bramins, 183. * '* 
 
 C. 
 Chelingue, an Indian boat defcribed, 47. 
 Charafter of the Indians, 95 ; — of the Arabs, 274. 
 Cultivation of the fugar-cane in Bengal, 171 ; of cot- 
 ton, and cocoa-nuts, 95 ; — of coffee in Yemen, 265. 
 Catholic Religion at Madras, 115. 
 Calcutta, general defcription of, 144; 151 ; its tcade, 
 
 Cochin, irapofitions praôlîied there, 202. 
 
 Camel, its iingularities, 257. 
 
 D. 
 
 Devotions of the Indians^ 74 ; — of the Arabs, 223. 
 
 Defertion among the Author's crew, 242 ; its melan- 
 choly Gonfequences, 244. 
 
 E. 
 
 Eefects of opium, 37 ; note j — of the French Revo- 
 lution in India, 190; 195. 
 
 Englifh Eaft India Company, their policy and govern- . 
 ment, 120 ; privileges, 153; their extenfive power, ^ 
 
 165. 
 
 Englifh adventurers in India, 159. 
 European Eftabhfhments in Bengal, 187 ; Fa^ftories at 
 Mocha, 221^^1^ .*^iv 
 
 ^ALE Dancers in.lndia, 75. 
 Faquirs, their hopibie fanaticifm, 79. 
 Fall of the French power in India 99 ; 1 05. 
 Fortifications at Madras, 112; at Fondichcrry, 27. 
 ||fccncb, their bad fyftem in India, 23. 
 ^^rench Revolution, itseffefts in India, 190; 1 95. 
 'amine in India, 290. 
 
 G. 
 German Mifïïonary at Mocha, 248. 
 Gum arabic, brought from Abyffinia, 267. 
 Qovernment of the Englifh E. I. Company, r^p ; 165. 
 Geography of India, 122. 
 
N 
 
 D 
 
 H. 
 
 E" X. 
 
 299 
 
 Horses at Calcutta, 151. 
 
 Hyder Aly, 2 1 . 
 
 Handkerchiefs, manufadured at Madras, 1 1 1 
 
 > I. 
 
 Indians, tîieîr general charaéler, 95 ; their flclll in fpin- 
 ning, 117 ; — manner of receiving a ftranger, 56 ; — 
 method of writing, 61 ; — devotions, 75 ; drefs, 75 ; 
 coins, 30 ; — dancing women, 75 ; their manner of 
 drawing water, 94 ; their fuperftitiuns, 173 ; their lit- 
 erature, 154 j 183 V their me^.iod of careening a (hip, 
 292. ,/',,: *^^' "^^P 
 
 Indian prieils, 79 ; — artifans, 87 ; 90 ; 2Il archite^^ei' 
 89 ; — agricultm-e, 93 ; carriages, 114 ; naval archi- 
 teélure, 121 ;- — manufacture of handkerchiefs, 118, 
 
 Jews fettled at Mocha, 236. 
 
 Karikal, its produâiions, 29. 
 
 L. 
 
 Land Tortoife in India, 13» 
 
 Lafcar failors, 196. 
 
 M. 
 
 Madras, author's arrival there, 
 tion of, I i'2. 
 
 Malays, their madnefs when intoxicated with opium, 3 7, 
 note. 
 
 Mankind, different races of, 62. 
 
 Madame Dourga, the divinity of the Ri^er Ganges, 173, 
 
 Mocha, author's arrival there, 208; deicription of, 213; 
 229 ; 253 ; European factories there 5 221 ^ its pop- 
 ulation, 230 ; luxury of the Inhabitants, 232; — ■ 
 menaced by the French Company, 251 ; — its ex- 
 cellent fruit-market, 262. 
 
 N. 
 
 Nun, an Englifn captain aiTaiïlnated, 210. 
 
 Naval architecture of the Indians, i; 
 
 Navigation of the Arabs, 260. 
 
 O, 
 
 Oil of Rofes, excellent at Mocha, 264. 
 
 HI 
 
 ; general defcrip 
 
■Soo INDE 
 
 in vefTel defcribed, 121. 
 Pondicherry, author's arrival there, 1 8 ; general defcrip- 
 tion of, 25 ; 55 ; 99 ; miîîtary force, 18. ^ 
 
 Pilaw, an Arabian difh defcribed, 264. ^ 1 
 
 portrait of Louis XVI. at Mocha, 240. ^ ^ 
 
 QuADRUPEDsof India, 168. 
 
 Quarrel of the author with t l^^ A rabian government, 
 
 245- 9^ 
 
 R. '''"' '^ mf~ -^^ . ■ 
 
 Ravens numerous at Calcutta, 148. F^.M^-*^ 
 
 Reception of the author at Pondicherry ^6 ; — — at 
 
 Mocha, 218. 
 Religious ceremonies of the Indians, 177 ; —of 
 
 the Arabians 223 ; 240. 
 Royal Tiger at Cadjery, 127. 
 Refraâion at Sea, extraordinary inflaiKreof, 1 99. 
 
 s. 
 
 Sec H ELLES, author's arrival there, 4; general defcriptioa 
 of, 5 ; — inquiries refpeéling their formation, ibid. 
 Spices, conveyed to the Sechelles' Illands, and natural- 
 Ï ifed there, 9 ; deftroyed on a falfe alarm, 1 1. 
 State oftheartsin India, 86 ; in Arabia, 259. 
 Smuggling trade to the Spice Iflands, 121. 
 
 T, 
 Time, divifion of, among the Arabians, 236. 
 Trincomalcj or the ifland of Ceylon, 32 ; its reputation 
 
 above its value, 33 ; trade carried on there, 37. 
 Theory of the fo^^mation of iflands, 5 ; — of human col- 
 our, 62 ; — of the retreat of the fea, 279. 
 % V. 
 
 M Vessels of the Indians, 47 ; I2I. 
 f W. ,. 
 
 Ak Widows of the Bramins burn themfelves,1[79. 
 j^ Women, feclufion of, in Arabia, 232 ; 271. 
 ^^j Y. 
 
 pF "^ I EM EN, its produélions 263 ; — coffee the eliief objcd 
 ^' of cultivation, 265. ^: 
 
 m^'m i ||h-^'^^«si^-,%