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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http: //books .google .com/I e00026e29U I 20"34 J. '31 * . ^ li^ d. ^-^ /? • JAN 1968 -■■'''..A' t • PREFACE. ''PHE following interesting narrative of an Overland Journey to India, when such a route was a thing almost unknown, by Captain Mark Wood, afterwards Col. Sir Mark Wood, Bart., of Gatton Park, Surrey, has been now reprinted by myself, with the consent of his daughter and grandchildren. And it is a great gratification to me to have it in my power to retain for them, and for my own children, and others related to us, this pleasant memory of my dear uncle, who was so deservedly beloved by many, and whose gallant devotion to the duties of his profession are so well yet so unassumingly expressed in these pages. My own recollections of him can never depart but with my life, so deeply perhaps does childhood value the kindnesses of early years. And on another account there is still more interest to me in thus preserving from very possible loss his journal (since only one or two copies of it appear to exist), as it so entirely confirms all that is said of him in the " Memorials of the Woods of Largo." To the memory of his daughter, 3^ar|iiel, the wife of SStilUam Josejb S^cfetoon^ ©.^q., of Dews Hall and Bishops' Hall, Essex, so intertwined with that of my own dear mother ^nbg Sitoob 0f ©ttmfrahj, a yet more loving bond has been given to me by her afiectionate and willing acquiescence in my request for republication, but a little while before her lamented death in the early part of this year. And therefore, as t^e gift of ^r^. ^orfefooob to the younger members of our family, quite as much or even far more than mine, I would wish this reprint to be considered. ^xmm ^Hru Pontaflu. November, 1874. Sir Mark Wood died at his house, in Pall Mall, in February, 1829, in the 78th year of his age. REMARKS, &c. ON the 23cl day of March 1779, about mid-day, received a note from Mr. Wilkes, clerk to the secret committee of the court of East India directors, desiring to see me on particular business ; when, under injunctions of secrecy, he communicated the desire of the secret (3ommittee that I would charge myself with their dispatches, as well as with those of the secretary of state, and proceed with them over- land to India that evening. The contents of these dispatches Mr. Wilkes represented to be of infinite importance to the British nation ; and, as a further inducement for me to acquiesce, stated, that the loss of engineer oflScers during the siege of Pondicherry, had been a particular consideration with the secret committee in selecting me for this charge. I was given to understand that two dispatches were to be sent off, viz., one by Suez, with which I was to be charged ; the other by Bussorah, under the care of Mr. Charles Mordaunt, brother to Lord Peterborough. Having provided myself with a trunk of linen and post-chaise, and arranged my private affairs, I attended at the hour appointed at the East India House, when Mr. Wilkes informed me, that he had it in charge from the secret committee to acquaint me, that considering the importance of the dispatches, hazard of the journey, and its being war time, they had determined on the expediency of sending two gentlemen in charge of each dispatch, and that Captain James Nowlan, of the Bombay military establishment, would accordingly accompany me. At [ 6 ] At midnight received charge of the dispatches from Mr. Wilkes, clerk to the secret committee, accompanied by the following instructions and list of packets from the secretary to the court of directors. To Mark Wood and James Nowlan, Esqrs. Gentlemen, In obedience to the commands of the committee of secrecy, the packets and other articles mentioned in the accompanying list, are herewith delivered to you, and which you are hereby required, with the utmost expedition and diligence, to pursue your route to the East Indies, and to deliver the said packets according to their respective addresses, passing by way of Brussels through Germany to Venice, and from thence to Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez, from whence you are to proceed to India entirely by sea, or otherwise, as shaJl appear most expedient for effecting with the greatest safety, facility, and speed, your arrival at your ulterior destination. If any of the company's small vessels be lying at the port of Suez, in expectotion of gentlemen proceeding to India by the authority, and charged with advices of the court of directors, you are imme- diately to embark from thence on any such vessel, and pursue the objects of your mission in manner above mentioned ; and for this purpose you are furnished with an order to the commander of one of those vessels, strictly requiring him to obey such directions as you shall think proper to give him. You are not to fail giving, by all secure opportunities, a particular account of your proceedings during your journey or voyage, that are worthy of notice. You are furnished with letters of credit on Brussels and Venice to a large amount, but it is not thereby designed that you should be lavish in your disbursements. The committee confide in your prudence in this instance, and are persuaded that no expenses will be incurred by you, excepting such as will be necessary to enable you to procecii L 7 J proceed with the utmost speed, which is hereby most earnestly re- commended to you as a point of the utmost consequence. Considering the circumstances of the times, and the hazards you may experience in the course of your expedition, the committee very seriously recommend to you to be at all times extremely cautious and vigilant for the safety and preservation of your dispatches, and especially forbear mixing with or joining any travellers, without the most certain and well-grounded assurances that you may do so without danger ; and you are to take especial care to keep your dispatches in such a concealed and private manner, that you may in no time be in danger of being deprived thereof. The good opinion the committee entertain of your attachment and zeal for the company's service, will be established and encreased by the attention that shall be paid by you in the satisfactory and expe- ditious discharge of your present commission, wherein you are most heartily wished all success by. Gentlemen, Your most obedient humble servant, (Signed) P. Michell, East India House, Secretary. London 23d March, 1779. Attested a true Copy by Charles Oakley, Secretary. List of Packets and other articles delivered to Mark Wood and James Nowlan, Esqrs. 1st. — Instructions to Captains Wood and Nowlan, dated the 23d of March, 1779, with an order to the commander of any of the Com- pany's vessels which may be lying at or near Suez. 2d. — Letters of credit on Messrs, D* Donoit, Fils and Co. at Brussels. 3d. — Letter of credit on Seg' Ant° Benedict Buratti at Venice. 4th. 1 [ 8 ] 4th. — Letter directed to Robert Ritchie, Esq., consul at Venice, 5th. — Letter directed to Geo. Baldwin, Esq., at Cairo. 6th. — Account of captain M' Kenny's journey to Bussorah, and captain Matthews's list of the post stages in his progress. 7th, — Colonel Capper's observations on the Suez trade, and on the overland correspondence with India by that route. 8th. — A packet from the committee of secrecy, directed to the Hon. Sir Thomas Rumbold, Bart., president and governor of Fort St* George; John Whitehill, Esq.; Major General Sir Hector Mimro, Knight of the Bath ; and Charles Smith, Esq. 9th. — Packet from Lord Viscount Weymouth, directed to Sir Thomas Rumbold, Bart., governor of Fort St George, Madras. 10th. — Packet from ditto, directed to Major General Sir Hector Munro, Knight of the Bath, &c., &c. 11th. — Packet from ditto, directed to Rear Admiral Vernon, &c., &c., Madras. 12th. — Packet from John Robinson, Esq., directed to Sir Thomas Rumbold, Bart, &c., &c., governor of Madras. 13th. — Packet from ditto, directed to Sir Hector Munro, Knight of the Bath, &c., &c., Madras. (Signed) P. Michell, Secretary. March 24th 1779. — About three o'clock in the morning left the London Tavern, and set off' for Harwich, accompanied by Captain Nowlan, of the Bombay establishment, and Mr. Charles Mordaunt and Mr. Pocock, who were charged with the Bussorah dispatches. Reached Harwich about three o'clock afternoon, and expected to have embarked on board the packet-boat for Helvoet Sluys in the evening ; but the wind being easterly, the master of the packet-boat declined putting to sea. 25th March.— The wind still from the S. E. and no possibility of getting out of the harbour. 26th [ 9 ] 26th March. — The wind still easterly. Prevailed on the master of the packet-boat to attempt getting to sea, and accordingly got with- out Languard Fort ; but the tide setting strong against us, and blow- ing fresh, he judged it advisable to return to port. About mid-day heard a very brisk cannonade, which was believed to have been some enemy's cruizer, but in the evening learned that it had been betwixt a revenue cutter and some smugglers. 27th March. — The wind veering a little round to the northward, at sun-rise embarked on the packet-boat, and, with a fresh gale at north- east, stood over towards the coast of Holland. 28th of March (Sunday). — At day-break made the Dutch coast to the southward of Helvoet Sluys, and landed at nine o'clock in the morning. Immediately hired a scoot, and sent on our carriages and baggage to Mardyke, there to wait our arrival Having been assured of the impracticability of our carriages reaching Mardyke till next morning, we were induced to accept of a pressing invitation from Sir Pat. Crawford (who had crossed in the same packet-boat with us) to accompany him to Rotterdam, where we arrived about six o'clock in the evening. Walked about and saw as much of the town as the lateness of our arrival admitted o£ 29th of March. — We left Rotterdam about five o'clock in the morning, in a heavy and clumsy Dutch carriage, calculated to ac- commodate four people, and after crossing several large rivers (most of them branches of the Mayse) reached Mardyke about ten o'clock in the forenoon. After having breakfasted, we hired Dutch horses to drag our own post-chaises to the first stage in the Austrian Netherlands, for which we were charged a most exorbitant sum. Arrived at Antwerp about six o'clock in the evening, where we halted about an hour and a half. About ten o'clock at night passed through Mechlin, and a little after midnight arrived at Brussels ; but owing to various delays, occasioned by examining of our baggage and opening of the gates, did not get admitted till three oxlock in the morning. At the entrance of most of the considerable towns, or in passing out of one province into another, as the baggage of travellers is subject to [ 10 ] to examination (although it be seldom enforced when travelling post), to prevent delay it is proper to give the officers a small piece of money, to obtain which seems to be more their object than that of pmictually discharging their duty. The roads betwixt Mardyke and Antwerp are very heavy, being through a deep and and very barren country. From Antwerp to Brussels the country appears to be cultivated and very agreeable, and the roads good. 30th March. — At Brussels employed settling a credit on Augs- bourg, and in purchasing of several necessaries. Gave a joint receipt with Mr. Nowlan for £200, of which received eighty-one Louis d'ors to defray the expences of our journey to Augsbourg, and took a letter of credit on that city for the remainder of our credit on Brussels Mr. Nowlan having agreed to keep a regular account of our disbursements, for the purpose of its being transmitted to the court of directors, I in consequence gave him the sole charge of all money matters. Left Brussels about eight o'clock in the evening, and, continuing our journey by Lou vain, Tirlemont, and St. Froud, through a very fine fertile country, we arrived at Liege about eleven o'clock of the forenoon of Wednesday, March 3 Ist. Liege is a large populous city, irregularly built, and the capital of the electoral bishopric of that name. It is famous in Germany for its manufactories of arms and hard-ware. Walked about the town before dinner, and visited such public buildings as were worthy of notice, but of which there are but very few by which the curiosity of travellers is likely to be gratified. Dined and set ofi* from Liege about two o'clock afternoon ; travelling by the way of the Verone, we arrived at Aix-la-Chapelle about ten o'clock in the evening, where we determined to sleep, having been only three hours in bed since our leaving Rotterdam. Thursday, April 1st. — Visited the baths at Aix-la-Chapelle, and left the place after breakfast about seven o'clock in the morning. Passed through Juliers, a large fortified town, encompassed with a good rampart, fianked by bastions and wet ditch. Continued our journey [ 11 ] journey, without halting, by Bouehain and Cologne, till we reached Bonn, about five o'clock in the evening, where, finding a difficulty in procuring post-horses, we were obliged to halt for about two hours. The roads from Liege to Bonn are kept in very good order, and travel- lers are readily furnished with post-horses. Betwixt Juliers and Cologne are some very extensive forests, chiefly of oak. Cologne is a very large city, the capital of the electorate of that name ; but the place of residence of the electoral prince is at Bonn, where the court resides, and at which place he has just completed a very elegant palace. Walked about Bonn during our short stay, which appears to be a large city, and very well built. About seven o'clock in the evening left Bonn, and, in consequence of the delay which we had experienced in procuring of post-horses, as well as to relieve myself from the constant sedentary situation of a post-chaise, determined to ride the next stage as Tar as Remagan, and to push on before the carriages to get the horses in readiness. The night being dark, and the saddle-horses of this country none of the best, in pushing forward along the banks of the Rhine my horse came down, rolled over me, and stopped immediately on the top of a very high wall, with which, at this place, the Rhine was embanked. In endeavouring to raise the horse, he unfortunately tumbled over the wall into the Rhine, broke several of his ribs, which incapacitated him from proceeding farther on the journey. Continued our journey by the way of Andemach to Coblentz upon the Rhine, where we arrived about four o'clock in the morning of April 2. Coblentz is situated upon the banks of the Rhine, is a large handsome town, and belongs to the elector of Treves, who has here a very handsome palace. The passage of the Rhine is, at this place, commanded by a strong castle,* which is only accessible at one place, and which is so con- fined that it would be very difficult of approach. On the eastern * Kehl. side, L 12 J side, the banks of the river axe very elevated, and covered with vineyards, which, at certain seasons of the year, must give the country a very delightful appearance. At this time, every thing as yet bears the appearance of winter. Crossed the Rhine on a pontoon, or what is sometimes termed a flying bridge, constructed of two very large boats, connected together by strong platforms, and calculated to cross at one time about four hundred men. It was the first of the kind I had ever seen, and the movement of this unwieldy machine from one side of the river to the other was not only simple but ingenious. About the middle of the river an anchor is dropped several hundred yards above the part where it is intended the boats shall cross. A considerable scope of chain or of cable, extends from the anchor to the pontoon, and which length of chain is floated by small boats. Solely by the assistance of the rudder and strength of the current, this pontoon is moved backwards and forwards from one bank to the other. From Coblentz to Nassau the roads are tolerable, but the country is mountainous. Reached Nassau by eight o'clock in the morning, and proceeding by Limbourg and Wurges, reached Frankfort about ten o'clock at night, where we determined to make a short halt, to repair the damage which one of our carriages had sufiFered. Betwixt Nassau and Limbourg the roads are very indifierent, but from Limbourg to Frankfort they are much worse, and it was with difficulty that the horses could drag the carriages along. The two last stages we passed through large forests, and a very uneven country, in which it is difficult to trace any vestige of a road. April 3d. — Continued at Frankfort till about five o'clock in the evening, and took this opportunity of visiting such of the public buildings as were deserving of notice. Frankfort is a large, populous, and well built city, fortified with a rampart and bastions, and encompa.ssed with a broad wet ditch. It is situated in the Imperial dominions, but is a free city, governed by its [ 13 ] its own magistrates and laws, and has the privilege of the king of the Romans being crowned here. Passed through the city of Hannau, the place of residence of the prince of Hesse, and continuing our route over the plains, and by the village of Dettingen (famous for the battle of that name) arrived at Aschaffenbourg about midnight. Sunday, April 4th. — Supped at AschaflFenbourg, and at six o'clock in the morning, set off for the village of Obernbourg, and continuing our journey through Mittenbourg, Hurdhein, Bischoffshein, and Mergentheim, arrived in the morning of the 5th at Blanfelden. The roads from Frankfort to Blanfelden are in tolerable order; but it does not appear to be a principal road, nor much frequented. Monday, April 5th. — Continued our journey, without halting, from Blanfelden to Crailshem, and from thence to Elwangen, HuUe, and Tischingen, and arrived at Dillingen, a town situated on the Danube (over which there is a bridge), about eight o'clock in the evening. The roads from Elwangen to Dillingen are the very worst we have yet met with, and a great difficulty in procuring of post-horses. There is another road to Augsbourg, which, I am informed, is much better and well supplied with post-horses. I would, however, beg leave to recommend, in preference to either, the great road from Frankfort to Darmstadt and Ulm, which, although a post or two longer, yet, in so great a distance, is amply compensated by good roads and accommodations. Left Dillingen on the Danube about half past eight in the evening, and passing by Wartingen and Biberbach, reached Augsbourg about four o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, April 6th. Augsbourg is a large imperial city of Suabia, governed by its own laws and magistrates. The council is composed of twenty-three catholic and twenty-two protestant members, but so often as religious subjects are under consideration this inequality ceases. The city is fortified with a rampart and bastions, and a deep dry ditch, but is not much calculated for making defence. The town- house [ 14 ] house and arsenal are the only principal buildings deserving of notice, but this city is always distinguished and known from the confession of faith presented to it by the imperial diet, as well as by the peace of Passau. Not having been in bed since we left Frankfort, we detennined to halt here during this day, and to proceed on our journey early the next morning. Mr. Nowlan took up the money for the letters of credit which we had received at Brussels, and granted receipts for the amount Wednesday, April 7th. — Left Augsbourg at seven o'clock in the morning, and, crossing the plains of La Feldt, arrived at Hurlach about eleven o'clock, and at Swabdissen about one o'clock, after mid-day. On our left on crossing the plains, appeared to be a river with high banks, and covered with Wts of thick pine« ; and. on our right, a rampart betwixt twenty and thirty feet high, extending several miles, and which has every appearance of having been a military work, in which I was confirmed by its having been the place where the famous battle of La Feldt was fought ; but I was informed by the country people, that it was a natural elevation. Reached Schabbrussen alx>ut half past three o'clock, and, in an hour after, set off for Sauminster, where we halted a short time. At eleven o'clock at night arrived at Feussen, a small village at the foot of the high mountains of Tyrole, where we enter the Tyrolese. The roads betwixt Hurlach and Feussen are tolerably good, and carried through a close country covered with very fine forests of pine. Thursday, April 8th. — Began to ascend the mountains of Tyrole, being a continuation of the same range of mountaios which separate Germany, Switzerland, and Savoy, from Italy, The appearance of the country is suddenly very much changed, and, from an animating spring, we are now surrounded with the gloom of winter. Passing [ 15 ] Passing by Haitterwang, we reached Lennes about eight o'clock in the morning, where, on account of the steepness of the ascent, were obliged to add some horses to each carriage. From Lermes we passed on to the towns of Nassareith, Parwis, and Dirschenbach, and arrived at nine o'clock at night at the town of Inspruck, which I understand to be the capital of the Tyrolese, and at which place we determined on supping and staying the night ; got some very excellent game for supper, particularly a large beautiful bird, called by the natives the mountain pheasant, but which resembles the Indian floriken. Notwithstanding the roads from Feussen (where we entered the mountains) are carried over rocks and precipices, they are in general excellent, and the construction of them must have been a work of very great labour. The valleys or rather watercourses, betwixt the mountains, are exceedingly narrow, and, on each side, are stupendous mountains covered with snow. In these small valleys are some beautiful rivulets, and the banks on each side interspersed with neat villages and vineyards, so that, in the months of July and August, this must be a very pleasant country. Friday, April 9th. — Left Inspruck a little before midnight, and, passing by Schonberg and Steinach, arrived at Brener in the morning ; continuing our journey by Stevringen, Mittewald, Brixen, and Coleman, stopped at Teutschen, about nine o clock at night, after which proceeded to Bozen, where we arrived a little after midnight. Saturday, April loth. — Continuing our journey, without halting, to Brandsost, about eight o'clock in the morning arrived at Newmarck, and from thence passing through Saint Michael to Trente, where we were obliged to iucrease the number of horses in each carriage from four to six, on account of the very steep mountains we had to ascend. Trente is a large town and very well built. Left Trente without halting, and, at sun-set, reached Bergind ; and, continuing our route by Borgode and Valsugans, a little after midnight we arrived at Prcmolano. Sunday, v^- [ 16 ] Sunday, April 11th — Continuing our journey, without halting, from Premolano to Cismond, and from thence we reached Bassano ; at which latter place we begin to emerge from the mountains of Tyrole, amongst which we had now been travelling for upwards of three days and nights, and the fine level country of Italy opened to our view. As we approached Italy, and descended the mountains, the change of seasons was very preceptible, not only in the temperature of the air, but in the appearance of the shrubs and trees. Till such time as v/ '' we p6fcet Trente, the vines were quite bare, and not a leaf to be seen ; >^v but, as we approached the level coimtry, the vines gradually resumed y^ ^Uuisl their verdure, and, when we entered the Venetian territories, spring /, appeared in her most lively colours, and many of the trees were loaded with blossom. % From Bassano proceeded through the Venetian territories by Castel Franco and Treviso, and arrived at Mestrd about four o'clock in the afternoon. Mestrd is about six miles distance from Venice, to which the passage is through Lagunes, or narrow winding salt marshes, and which is generally performed in small boats called feleucas. The roads through the Venetian territories, from Bassano to Mestrd, are kept in very good repair, and the country is well cultivated. Hired a large boat, and sent on the carriages to Venice. Proceeded ourselves in a feleuca, and arrived in the city about sun-set. We immediately waited on Mr. Ritchie, the British consul, and presented to him the letter with which we were charged. Mr. Ritchie recommended us to an Italian hotel, kept by Seg^* Pedrillo ; and, in the mean time, he promised to use every exertion to provide a proper boa* to convey us to Alexandria without delay. Continued at Venice from the 11th of April, in the evening, till Friday evening, April 16th, during which time the endeavours of Mr. Ritchie, the consul, to provide us with a proper boat, were unsuc- ressfuL Mr. [ 17 ] Mr. Ritchie informed us of his having entered into an agreement with the master of a small Sclavonian boat to proceed with us e^rly on Sunday morning, and to land us at Alexandria, without stopping at any port by the way. The boat was decked, and did not exceed thirty tons ; had no sort of accommodations, having only a small cabin in the stern, not above eight feet square. Notwithstanding this, we were given to understand that the expense of this miser- able conveyance was to be 280 zequins, besides that of supplying ourselves with provisions, as well as every sort of necessary during the voyage. The reason assigned for this very extravagant demand, was on account of the war betwixt England and France, which made neutral vessels in great request ;* but I suspected that the person whom the consul had employed to provide our vessel, had either been imposed on, or that he had executed his trust badly ; and I was afterwards confirmed in my suspicions, from the information I received from several Venetian gentlemen conversant in those matters. Venice is a large and elegant city, the inhabitants of which are estimated at about 200,000 souls; of this number, many thousands are watermen, a strong muscular race of men, who ply about in small covered boats, called feleucas, some rowed by two, and some by four men, with which the canals are covered. In Venice every person of condition has his feleuca to attend him, in the same manner as in other towns they have carriages or chairs; and besides those, there are vast numbers that ply about for employment, and are hired cither by the day or the trip. No such thing as a carriage of any sort is to be met with at Venice, the streets, or rather narrow lanes, not admitting of them, even were the communications over the numberless canals sufl&ciently spacious ; but this is so far from being the case, that, excepting the Rialto, and one or two smaller bridges, there are few of them calculated but for foot passengers. The uncommon and very extraordinary situation of Venice can- c not [ 18 ] not fail to attract the immediate attention of strangers, where, in place of streets and carriages, there is nothing to be seen bnt boats rowing np and down, and buildings and palaces as it were growing out of the water. Venice abonnds with a number of fine palaces and churches, built by the famous architects, Paladio and Seamozi ; but I observed, in general, tiiat the principal fronts were so injudiciously placed to- wards some narrow lane, not twenty feet broad, that unless a person goes for the express purpose of viewing those buildings, the symmetry and beauty of them must ever remain concealed. The square, or place of St. Mark, is an oblong, the longest side of which appears to be 500 yards. ITie square is formed by very handsome buildings, in front of the basement stories of which are arcaded verandahs, most of which contain coffee-houses, and places of public resort To those places, Venetians of every rank, and with ladies of every description, resort in the evening after sun-set, walk about, and mix with each other with the greatest ease and freedom, and a sort of masquerade con- tinues till about nine or ten o'clock, when the company begin to retire. The church of St Mark, the doge's palace and library, the mint, arsenal, and many other public buildings, are very well worth seeing, but particularly the arsenal and dock-yards, which have been indebted to English officers for many of their improve- ments. The entrance to Venice from sea, is betiat many small islands and intricate passages, which are well defended by batteries of >^ , / cannon, extending to so great a distance, that the city is thereby )k^ ^yiy^C secured against bombardment. ^ Embarked on board of our Sclavonian boat about nine o'clock . on Friday evening, carrying with us our bedding and sea-stores, which had been provided for us by one of our own coimtrjTnen, whom • [ 19 ] whom the consul had recommended, and who we soon discovered had very much imposed on us. He had charged us above 100 zequins, near 50 guineas, for what never cost twenty ; besides many other impositions too gross to be justified. Sunday, April 17th. — In the morning very light airs, increasing at mid-day to a pleasant gale from South to S. S. E. Worked out of the harbour, and got clear of* the islands about eight o'clock in the morning. Stood over towards Trieste, but the wind favouring us a little in the afternoon, we were thereby enabled to make a stretch along the coast of Dalmatia. Monday, April 1 8th. — A pleasant gale in the morning, from E. to E. N. E. which increased in the evening, and blew fresh. In the afternoon passed within a few miles of the cities of Porto Nuovo and Kavignio, on the coast of Dalmatia, and in the Venetian territories. They appeared to be very neatly built, and most delightfully situated, but particularly Ravignio, which projects about a mile into the sea, covering most of the promontory, sloping gradually to the sea on every side. On the extreme point of the promontory is built a large church, with a high spire, and surrounded with walls, which gives it the appearance of a fortification. The coast of Dalmatia is a range of high mountains, which slope gradually towards the sea, and many parts of it are beautifully inter- spersed with villas, towns, vineyards, and groves of olive-trees, but from the nature of the soil, it does not appear capable of producing corn. Passed among several small islands, on many of which observed villages and vineyards. At sun-set came in sight of the town of Verudas, where there were many vessels at anchor. Our Sclavonian captain intimated his intention of following their example, from which I used every endeavour to dissuade him, as, although it blew a little fresh, yet the wind was fair, and the sea was smooth. i [ 20 ] smooth. In compliance with my desire our captain stood down the Giilf, and had passed Verudas two miles, but his dread of a Le- vanter, or gale of wind, was such, that he soon tacked and ran into port. Monday, April 19th.— Weighed anchor from Verudas about three o'clock in the morning, and with a pleasant breeze at N.W. decreasing in the evening to light airs, stood down the Gulf. Passed several islands, which lie a few leagues off the coast of Dal- matia, on some of which we observed villages and vineyards. Our Sclavonian commander told us, that we had passed during the night the vessel bound for Smyrna, on board of which Messrs. Mordaunt and Pocock were passengers. Tuesday, April 20th. — The first part calm, but towards mid-day a light wind from the N.W. About eight o'clock in the morning we were becalmed close to the city of Zara, the capital of the Province of Dalmatia and place of residence of the Venetian general, who is governor of the pro- vince. This city appears to be very extensive, well built, and pleasantly situated in a deep bay formed by several islands, which extend about three miles from the city. Towards the S. and N.W. parts it is surrounded by the sea, and encompassed with a wall, flanked by bastions, and towards the land, to the E. and S.E. quarters, where the city is accessible, and favours the approach of an enemy, there seems to be very extensive outworks, with regular ditches and covered way. Wednesday, April 21st. — ^The first part of this day calm, and lat- terly light airs from the north-west. Concluding that the frequent calms may be occasioned by our keeping too near the coast of Dal- matia, I recommended to our Sclavonian captain to keep farther from the shore, but found him deaf to this suggestion. Passed close to a number of barren, uninhabited islands, with which this part of the coast of Dalmatia appears crowded. Thursday, April 22d. — ^Throughout the whole of this day light airs [ 21 ] airs and calms. Our captain still persists in keeping in shore, and consoles us for the delay, by the information of our being near to the city of Ragusa, and that we shall then have passed clear of all the islands. Friday, April 23d. — At mid-day a light breeze from the eastward but towards evening calm, with a thick fog. Passed a ship and several Imperial vessels, waiting for a wind to proceed down the Gulf. At sun-set we were abreast of the port of Ragusa, and close under its walls. As it was calm and a thick fog, our Sclavonian declared his intention of anchoring here during the night, to procure some water and provisions, promising to depart so soon as the wind would permit. Saturday, April 24 th. — During the day a brisk gale from the R N. E. to S. E. with moderate weather. Several vessels enter and leave the port. I now perceive that our Sclavonian captain's reasons for stopping at Ragusa is not on account of the weather. The pilot who had conducted us from Venice, accompanied by another xnariner, leave the vessel, and carry with them their chests and several articles of merchandize, and the Sclavonian declares his intention of staying at Ragusa till he can get another pilot. Having been already eight days from Venice, and observing, from the unnecessary delays of our Sclavonian captain, that there was little probability of our ful- filling that part of our instructions from the Court of Directors, wherein expedition is recommended in preference to every other consideration I therefore proposed and strongly recommended to my partner to quit the Sclavonian, and to hire a fast rowing feleuca, in which we could proceed along the coast of Albania and Romania to Corfu or Zant, from either of which ports we might be certain of obtaining a proper conveyance to Alexandria, but having paid the whole of the money to the Sclavonian captain, I could not convince him of the propriety of the measure. Ragusa is a large town, built upon a bluff rock, which projects several hundred yards into the sea, and is said to contain about six thousand inhabitants. Towards [ 22 ] Towards the sea it is encompassed by a strong wall, from thirty to forty feet in height, and which is flanked by redans, or indented lines, in such manner as the shape of the rock admits, and on which are mounted heavy cannon. Towards the land it has a strong rampart, flanked by small bastions, and with a narrow dry ditch, which is cut out of the rock. Notwithstanding the coast, in the immediate neighbourhood of Ragusa, is so steep as to be inaccessible, yet I observed many parts, as well to the eastward as westward, where an enemy might easily effect a landing, and as the town is commanded by emi- nences on all sides, it could make but a poor defence. Towards the sea it must always be liable to be bombarded, and for this purpose a small island, on which is the Lazaretto, is . particularly well calculated. Immediately under the waUs is a port for small coasting vessels, but about three miles to the westward is a harbour for large ships, spacious, and secure against all winds. The country round Ragusa resembles greatly the coast of Dalmatia, being a chain of barren mountains and rocks, sloping gradually towards the sea, and unless at the villas and country seats, which in the neighbourhood of the great towns are scattered along the coast, there is scarcely any verdure to be seen. . The appearance of those villas is very beautiful ; they are adorned with extensive plantations of olive, peach, and apricot trees, with vineyards, and show what the country is capable of producing, was it well peopled, and under a good government, or were it not (like the opposite shore) liable to earthquakes, the ravages of which are visible all along this coast. Ragusa is a republic, the government of which is in general so well Known, that little is necessary to be saiil on the subject. So jea- lous are these republicans of the abuse of power, that they do not allow any individual to hold the supreme executive authority for a longer period than one month, nor can any citizen hold it, till such time as he has passed his fiftieth year, at which period they conclude that the desire of power will have subsided. The [ 23 ] The government is composed of a prince, with forty senators, who are chosen from the first rank of the people ; and of a certain number of counsellors, who are elected from the middle and lower ranks of citizens. The prince is elected monthly, the other ofl&cers of state weekly, and the governor of the castle every day. From amongst the senators are chosen the governors of the different provinces or districts, who never continue in office above a twelve- month. The Ragusian territories extend about sixty miles along the coast, and the number of inhabitants are computed at 80,000 ; but,, from the sterile appearance of the country, I should imagine the number much exaggerated. About a century ago the whole of the town of Ragusa, as well as the adjacent villages, were overthrown by an earth- quake, and the vestiges of this violent convulsion are in many places still visible. This republic maintains few or no regular troops. Sclavonian militia protect the country, and the citizens garrison the town and castle, tiie appearance of whom at the gates in scarlet cloaks, with white bands and small caps, is truly ridiculous, and they have more the appearance of a religious than a military society of men. The jealousy which the Ragusian s have of the Venetians, has com- pelled them to form an alliance with the Porte, a connection, which a few years ago, had nearly cost them very dear. The Ragusians, con- formably to treaty, having furnished the Turks with one ship of war, count Orlow, the Russian admiral, resented this so much, that he destroyed above thirty of their trading vessels, and threatened to lay the town in ashes. The Ragusians being at peace with, and under the protection of the Turks, have thereby become a very considerable maritime state, and the great carriers in the Mediterranean. They are almost the only people in those seas, whose flag is secure against the depredations of the Barbary corsairs, some of whom have frequently the impudence to cruize in the Adriatic, and carry ofi* whole families into slavery. Sunday. [ 24 ] Sunday, April 25th. — ^Wind at S. E. with moderate weather. Our Sclavonian captain still continues on shore, and declares his determi- nation not to proceed so long as, what he terms the siroCy or S. E. wind, continues. As this wind frequently blows for several weeks, use every argument to prevail on my companion to quit the Sclavonian, and either hire another vessel to proceed with us direct for Alexandria, or, if this should be impracticable, propose to proceed in a feleuca to Corfu CM* Zant ; but entreaties were in vain. Monday, April 26th. — Wind and weather as before. The captain still on shore, but promises to leave the port in the evening, yet no preparations are made for sailing. Immediately proceeded with a Ragusian gentleman to the port of Ragusa, (about three miles distaiit) and hired a large strong feleuca, which had formerly been employed in the coral fishery, to proceed with us to Candia, from whence we could readily cross to Alexandria. The feleuca possessed the advantage of making a certain passage in all winds, and the master of her agreed to have her ready to set oflF with us next morning. On my return to Ramisa about seven o'clock in the evening, found that the Sclavonian had hauled out of the port. Tuesday, April 27tL — ^The first part light airs, increasing after- wards to a brisk gale. The captain showed every inclination to go into port again, and used his endeavours to convince me of tie inutility of proceeding ; but having persuaded him to stand over to the Italian shore (in place of making short tacks) at ten o'clock at night we were abreast the port of £oz^, which is ten leagues distant frx)m Ragusa. There being a good deal of thunder and lightning, with some rain, at midnight, under the pretence of approaching bad weather, our Sclavonian took slielter in the port of Roz^. Wednesday, April 28th. — From midnight till near mid-day the wind southerly, with some showers of rain. The weather afterwards cleared up, and the wind blew a strong gale from the S. W. In the morning I had a fresh instance of our Sclavonian*s duplicity and inten- tion to retard our progress. The sailor who had left us at Ragusa came [ 25 ] came on board in a boat, bringing with him our captain's son and several of his relations. It was now evident that the Sclavonian's entering this port had been premeditated, and I now learned that his place of nativity and family were at the distance of only twelve miles from us. In the course of the forenoon the captain left us, to pay a visit to his family in the interior part of the country, and when I remonstrated with him on his breach of agreement, which was to proceed with us without stopping at any port, he informed me that it would not be practicable for him to leave the port till the following day, was he so inclined, as it would take till that time to be furnished with the necessary passports ; he also threatened (in the event of our being dissatisfied) to leave us, and that we might get another boat where we best could. We soon learned that there was not another boat of any sort to be procured nearer than Kagusa, and had cause bitterly to regret our not having before quitted our Sclavonian. Eozd is one of the largest and most secure . harbours in the world, being surrounded on all sides by high ranges of mountains, and good anchorage within a few yards of the shore. It extends into the country about eighteen miles, and is about three miles in breadth, and a principal station for the Venetian galleys and vessels of war. At present there was only one single galley in the harbour, stationed as a guard-ship, near to which we anchored, and on shore a solitary dwelling-house, in which the captain of the guard-ship resided, and a few store, houses. To the captain of the galley I immediately addressed myself, to oblige our Sclavonian to proceed ; but I soon discovered that he had had a previous communiciition with our captain. I was told, that, previous to the departure of any vessel from the port of Rozd, it was necessary to have a passport from the governor of the province, who resided at the distance of eighteen miles, and I was assured that the necessary delay in obtaining this passport would take at least two days. We were now in a very unpleasant situation. Anchored in a port in a retired corner of the province of Dalmatia, and little probability of D extricating [ 26 ] extricating ourselves ; it was necessary, however, to do something, as though our captain talked of being absent only two days, we had great reason to believe that we might be detained here eight or ten. The only mode of extricating us appeared to be, by a direct application to the governor of the province ; and as my companion did not know a syllable of any foreign language, it was agreed that I should en- deavour, without delay, to reach Catero, where the governor resided, about eighteen miles distant. How to get there was the difficulty ; but, by means of a present to the captain of the galley, this avaricious old Italian undertook to provide me with a boat. The captain of the galley now railed as much against the conduct of the Sclavonian as he had before defended him, and undertook, early the next morning, to have a good boat ready to convey me to the governor's, or L'Entrandinard, at Catero. Thursday, April 29th. — Wind westerly. A strong pleasant gale with fair weather. Early in the morning I went on shore to proceed to Catero, and the captain of the galley observing that I was deter- mined, now told me what he had^ before concealed, that it would not be necessary for me to undertake so long a journey, as across the bay, at the distance of four miles, at Caste! Nuovo, there was a Venetian fentleman, superintendent of this country, who could do me justice, immediately crosbcd the bay, and paid my respects to Sig" Zan Carlos Zorzi, the providitor of Castel Nuovo, who received me in the most polite and obliging manner. Here my chief difficulty was to assign some probable reason for myself and companion having been thrown into so awkward and uncomfortable a situation^ for it must be very evident to every one who saw our miserable vessel, that our voyage down the Adriatic could neither be for pleasure nor curiosity. Our destination being secret, I only told him that our Sclavonian had agreed to land us at Alexandria, without stopping at any port, wliicli consideration alone had induced us to embark on board of so small and uncom- fortable a boat for the sake of expedition. That so far from having fulfilled 4 [ 27 ] fulfilled his agreement, he had made every possible delay, and at this time was absent, and left me in uncertainty as to the time of his return. The providitor having heard my representation, ordered a protest to be immediately drawn out against the Sclavonian, and sent him an order by a drum, that he should be out of port next morning, otherwise he would not' only be liable for all the damages which our detention might subject us to, but besides should be severely punished. After introducing me to his lady, he conducted me to the governor of Castel Nuovo, a lieutenant-colonel in the Venetian service, who, with part of his regiment, formed the garrison of Castel Nuovo, and with whom I dined and passed the day. The Venetian governor, before dinner, sent off another express for our Sclavonian, and also gave directions to the captain of the galley to give me every assistance. In the evening our captain made his appearance, very much en- raged at being hurried so precipitately from his family, and swearing that we might provide ourselves with another boat, for that he would not proceed further with us. But the tables were now turned, and the Sclavonian was placed under a guard by the captain of the galley. Very opportunely, the governor of Castel Nuovo, also the providitor, with their ladies, crossed the harbour to pay me a visit previous to my departure ; and understand- ing from the captain of the galley the bad behaviour of our Sclavonian, he was immediately called for, when his conduct was as submissive as it had before been insolent and improper. He agreed to leave the harbour before morning, and having been heard to utter some threats, colonel Marini Conti made him enter into a written engage- ment, by which, unless on his return from Alexandria he produced a certificate from me of his good conduct, he was subject to a very severe penalty. The harbour of Rozd is the largest and most secure I ever saw, and would contain all the fleets of Europe. At the north side of the harbour, opposite to the entrance, stands the town of Castel Nuovo, built upon a rock, which projects into the sea, • [ 28 ] sea, surrounded by an old wall, with small round towers, which were built some ages ago, at present in ruins. Above the town is a square fort, with four bastions, built by the Spaniards, to whom this port formerly belonged. It has frequently changed its masters, having been first in possession of the Turks, and from whom the Venetians obtained possession of it about a century ago. It is used by the Venetians as a port for their vessels of war, with which they assert the dominion of the Adriatic, a piece of ostentation which costs them very dear. The Turkish and Ragusian territories encompass those of Venice on every side, but the natural diflficulties of this country are so great, that few regular troops are kept up, and the Sclavonian militia defend it against the frequent incursions of Turkish banditti. I learned from colonel Marini Conti, that we had been most egregiously imposed on. The sum for which our consul's agent had mred our Sclavonian boat, being at least double what we ought to have paid for it. About nine o'clock in the evening weighed anchor, and stood out of the harbour of Roz6, with a light breeze from the S. E. Friday, April 30th. — ^The first part of the day a pleasant breeze from the S. W., the latter, light airs and calm. In the evening, went on board a Venetian ketch, bound for Scio, and endeavoured to prevail on the master of her to land us at Alexandria, but his engagements to some Greek merchants, wlio were passengers on board, rendered the scheme impracticable. Saturday, May 1st. — The morning light airs, increasing latterly to a pleasant gale. In the evening the port and city of Durazzo, on the coast of Aloania, bore S. E. distant six or eight leagues. Sunday, May 2d. — At first a pleasant gale from the southward, and latterly blowing fresh, with a large swell from the S. E. In the evening, made that part of the coast of Italy which forms the entrance of the Gulf, or Adriatic, and Cape St. Mark, on the coast of Albania. Monday, May 3d. — ^Throughout this day a fresh gale from the southward, [ 29 ] southward, with a heavy swell In the morning, owing to a large southerly swell, together with the bad management of our boat, found ourselves ten leagues to the southward of Cape St. Mark. Our captain intimated his intention of bearing away for Durazzo, and was with diflSculty prevailed on to keep the sea till towards mid-day, when he accordingly bore away, but in the evening the weather being moderate, he was again prevailed on to stand on. Tuesday, May 4th. — At first light airs from the S. W. with a large swell, and latterly a fresh gale from the southward. At mid-day Cape Zemara, on the coast of Albania, bore S. by E. distant about ten miles. In the afternoon stood over towards the Italian shore, and as the wind veered round to the eastward, to prevent our losing ground by crossing the Gulf, I prevailed on our captain to continue standing, oflf and on the coast of Apulia, until morning. Wednesday, May 5th. — During this day the wind blowing a brisk gale from S. S. E. to S. W. fair weather, and smooth water. Kept tacking, off and on the Italian shore, as the wind favoured us, and gained a good deal of ground. About mid-day Cape Zemara bore E. S. E. distant about ten leagues, and Cape Otranto on the Italian shore, S. by E. distant about two leagues. At sun-set were abreast of the town of Otranto a little to the northward of the Cape. As the wind blew fresh from the S. E. and a strong current against us, anchored at seven o'clock in the evening, opposite the town of Otranto. As we came along the coast of Apulia, observed, at the distance of every mile, small square towers, mounted with cannon, erected close to the shore, for the purpose of protecting small trading vessels from the corsairs of Barbary, with whom the Neapolitans are always at war. The expediency of those castles was fully verified a few days before our arrival, as I saw a Barbary corsair, which, in pursuing a small Genoese vessel close to Otranto, had got on ground, and the whole of the Moors were captured and sent into slavery. In the evening went on shore, accompanied by a Sclavonian seaman, (who was acquainted with the road) for the purpose of putting letters into the post-office, and to my no small surprise I found myself in [ 30 ] in a fortified town, with outworks and draw-bridges, over which I passed and repassed, without being asked any questions. The town is situated on a rising ground, surrounded by a rampart, ditch, and a few outworks. From the place where I landed, I had to walk about a mile before I entered the gate. On my return passed several Neapolitan officers, who were walking on the beach. After I got on board I found that I had been more fortunate than I imagined, as I learned from our Sclavonian that no person was allowed to land from vessels which may have been on the Dalmatian or Albanian coast, before they have per- formed a quarantine of two days. Otranto is the most eastera part of the coast of Italy. The French have a consul here, and indeed in every little town along the coast. Thursday, May 6th. — Till sun-rise, the wind variable, then calm till mid-day, after which a pleasant gale from the N. E. Crowded sail, and steered S. E. by S. for the island of Corfu. At sun-set the island bore E. by S. distant about four leagues. , Friday, May 7th. — From mid-day till sun-rise a pleasant breeze from the N. W., afterwards light airs and calm. At sun-rise Corfu bore E. by N. distant about five leagues. The coast of Greece opposite to this island, appears to be very barren and mountainous. Corfu is the chief station of the Venetian marine, has a good harbour, and the town is not only strongly fortified, but has a strong citadel. It is the Gibraltar of the Adriatic, as no vessel can pass or enter that Gulf without being seen, and the fortifications are very strong, as well from art as from situation. Saturday, May 8th. — At first a fresh gale from the S. E. latterly variable and calm, with sultry hot weather. At sun-rise Cephalonia bore S. S. E. distant about four leagues. The wind towards noon veering round to the S. W. we bore away for the inner passage, which is a narrow strait, of a mile broad, separating the two islands, of Cephalonia. These two islands belong to the Venetians, have a rugged and barren appearance, and little verdure or cultivation to be seen. Observed, in passing through the strait, a solitary convent and [ 31 ] and a few straggling villas, with some patches of corn scattered amongst the rocks. The corn appeared ripe, and ready for cutting. Sunday, May 9tli. — During the whole day light airs or calm, with very sultry weather. Our boat for some days has become exceedingly oflFensive, and to add to our uneasiness, legions of fleas and other vermin torment us. At sun-rise the island of Zant bore south, distant four or five leagues. About five o'clock in the evening we were opposite to, and close in with the town of Zant, where our Sclavonian went on shore to provide himself with fire-wood and water. It appears to be a very handsome well-built town, situated along the skirts of a bay, en- compassed with high hills, the faces of which are covered with vineyards and groves of olive-trees, affording a delightful prospect. The entrance to the bay is commanded by a large castle, which belongs to the Venetians. Found a fifty-gun ship riding at the entrance of the bay, with the flag of a Venetian commodore. Our captain brought us intelligence that there had been an earthquake at Corfu, which had done a good deal of mischief ; also that three English privateers were cruising off* the Morea, and had captured several French merchant vessels. Monday, May 10th. — A pleasant gale from the N. W., fair weather and smooth water. Passed the entrance of the Gulf of Lepanto, and at noon were abreast of the cities of Avarina and Mostona, situated upon the Morea, the former of which was sacked and pillaged by the Russians under Count Orlow. At sun-set Cape Corin bore north of us, distjint about seven leagues. Saw three large ships standing in for the Cape, which we concluded to be the three English ships we heard of at Zant. Before dark one of the ships passed a few miles astern of us, but did not show any colours. Tuesday, May 11th. — The morning part a pleasant breeze from the N. W., the latter light airs, variable, with fine weather and smooth water. At ten o'clock before noon. Cape Malupane, on the Morea, bore N. N. E. distant ten or twelve leagues ; the island of Cerigo, E. N. E. distant seven or eight leagues ; behind it saw plainly the high [ 32 ] high land of Attica. At noon saw the high mountains of the island of Candia, covered with snow. At sun-set, Cape St Juan on the island of Candia, bore S. E. distant five or six leagues ; a low point of land. Wednesday, May 12th. — The wind very variable, fair weather and smooth water. Kept along the southern shore of Candia, at the distance of about ten miles. It is a rugged barren country. From the mountains of Candia, in this season, being still covered with snow, it is evident that in the southern part of Europe, the winter must have been very severe, whereas in England it was the mildest winter ever known, and scarcely any ice was to be seen during the whole season. Thursday, May 13th. — ^The wind and weather the same as yesterday. At sun-rise bore away for Alexandria, steering S. E. and at noon Cape Solomon on the island of Candia bore K N. E. distance eight or ten leagues. Friday, May 14th. — Wind and weather the same as for two days past, until evening, when we had a fresh gale from the E. N. E. with a large swell. At noon we were by the pilot's account, within fifty or sixty leagues of Alexandria. Saturday, May 15th. — ^The wind at east, blowing a fresh ffale. I now discovered that our Sclavonian without the pilot would have been totally helpless, being not only quite ignorant of navigation, but can neither read nor write. He is exceedingly uneasy at being kept so long out of sight of land, it being the first time that ever his vessel was in this situation. May 16th. — In the morning passed several coasting vessels, and were under some anxiety lest we might be visited by some of the Barbary corsairs, or French cruisers. Towards mid-day got sight of Alexandria, and landed about six o'clock in the evening. Proceeded to the house of a Venetian merchant, who receives and in general entertains the EnglisL Sent off an express to Mr. Baldwin, the English resident at Grand Cairo, to acquaint him of our arrival, and desiring that he would, without loss of time, give such directions to [ 33 ] to the commander of any of the Company's vessels Qying at the port of Suez) as might be most likely to expedite our dispatch. We had now been a month on board this miserable boat, and about twenty days of this time in the Adriatic, whereas with common management the passage ought to have been made in seven or eight days, and was the journey to be performed again, I could almost with certainty engage to perform it within that time. The delay greatly retarded our progress to India. In the evening received a visit from Mr. Baldwin s agent, who undertook to prepare every thing for our journey to Rozetto, a large town situated at the mouth of the Nile, and about forty miles distant from Alexandria. Having for some days past been greatly indisposed, I wished to have performed this voyage by sea, but having learnt that the passage was uncertain and likewise dangerous, occasioned by a shoal or bar which lies across the mouth of the Nile, over which the sea breaks with great violence, I determined to travel by land, and for this purpose directed camels to be prepared for carrying our necessaries, and mules for ourselves and servants. The appearance of Alexandria from the sea is very beautiful, and conveys some idea of its former grandeur, but which, on landing, quickly vanishes. The large Turkish castle, the extensive ruins of the ancient walls of the city, the old and new ports crowded with forests of masts, give it an appearance of opulence which it little deserves, for immediately on landing, this mighty city dwindles into obscure houses, and narrow dirty streets, amidst heaps of ruina The old port is reserved entirely for the vessels of the faithful, and the new for those of the diiferent states of the Mediterranean, who carry on a considerable trade, and are the chief support of the place. The country about Alexandria is low, a dismal barren sand ; on which, excepting a few scattered palm trees, no verdure is to be seen. The French carry on a great trade with this port, and of all the European states, appear to be of the greatest consideration and to have the greatest weight. E Had [ 34 ] Had their consul been a man of observation and activity, he might easily have possessed himself of our dispatches, and prevented either Captain Nowlan or myself getting to India, without ever appearing in it. The Christian merchants settled here, as well a* throughout 'Egypt, are subject to continual insults and oppression, and only support themselves by largesses to the officers of government. Although I only remained at Alexandria a few hours, I had an instance of their very wanton insults to the Christiana Hearing a public crier making a noise about the streets, and surrounded by a crowd of people, my curiosity led me to inquire of the Venetian mer- chant, what it was the man said, who explained to me that it was prohibiting, under a severe penalty, any Mussulman to serve in a Christian family. The sudden transition from Europe to Africa in the course of a few days, with the difference not only in the manners, but in the language, dress, and complexion of the people, cannot fail to make on a stranger a very lasting impression. Having written to my friends at Castel Nuovo, Colonel Marini Conti and the rroviditor, and sent them presents of coffee and to each a piece of Indian muslin, by our Sclavonian captain, I gave him a certificate of his good conduct, although he was not by any means entitled to it I knew not whether most to blame the poor Sclavonian or the English consul at Venice for providing us so badly. May 17th, 1779. — Sent forward the camels with our baggage early in the morning, under the charge of my servant, and about three o'clock in the afternoon followed myself, attended by two Arabs ; one as a linguist or interpreter, the other as a guide, each of us mounted on a mule. We passed close to the ancient palace of Cleopatra, which appears to have been a very extensive building, at present only a heap of ruina Observed a continuation of subterraneous aqueducts, which my interpreter informed me had a communication with the Nile, and which, at the periodical rise of the river, supplied the reservoirs in the city of Alexandria with water. The [ 35 ] The whole of the country from Alexandria to Rozetto is a barren sand, and is in many parts covered with salt water and shells, from which I conclude that some branch of the Nile has formerly emptied itself into the sea, close to the city of Alexandria. The road to Rozetto is along the sea coast ; and for many miles a dyke or stone wall is constructed, from fifteen to twenty feet in breadth, which not only serves for a road, but to prevent the encroach- ments of the sea. At dusk in the evening, were followed by several hyaenas, who appeared to be very tame and impudent, coming within a hundred yards of our mules. I fired several shot at them from a small carbine, but without effect, nor did they seem to be at all alarmed by the report of the gun. My interpreter informed me that they are exceedingly fierce and dangerous, frequently attack and destroy single travellers, though they seldom meddle with them when they are numerous. They lodge in the day time in the subterraneous aqueducts, and are in size about that of a middle-sized mastiff*. At midnight, halted for about an hour to refresh our mules at a mosque on the sea coast, at which place joined Captain Nowlan and the camels. Arrived at Rozetto about day-break, and went to the house of a French gentleman, Mr. Baldwin's agent, who had written to him to provide us with a boat. May 18th. — On examination of the boat, which had been prepared for us by Mr. Baldwin's agent, I found that she was not only too large, but too much encumbered with merchandize to afford a proba- bility of our getting to Cairo, with the expedition that we wished. Desired thereiore a smaller boat to be hired, which delayed our depar- ture till mid-day. Just as we were ready to set off*, a boat with Captain Waugh of the Britannia, and a Venetian gentleman, arrived from Cairo. Learned from Captain Waugh, that the Britannia was employed by the Bengal government, for conveying dispatches to India, and that besides his vessel, there was the Morning Star, one of the Bombay marine, commanded by Captain Robinson, lying at Suez. I proposed [ 36 ] T proposed that Captain Waugh should return with us to Cairo, but Captain Nowlan gave a preference to the Bombay cruiser, and I was unwilling to disappoint Captain Waugh of the opportunity of seeing Alexandria, particularly as he promised to be at Cairo before it was possible for us to leave it. Hired Captain Waugh's boat in expectation (as she was small) of making an expeditious passage. In this however, I afterwards discovered my mistake, and that had I continued on board our first large boat, besides making a quicker passage, we should have been better accommodated. At this season of the year the wind blows constantly up the Nile, and as oars are seldom or ever used, and the large boats spread an immense quantity of sail, they thereby get on much faster than the small boata Rozetto is a very large populous town, and towards the Nile has many very beautiful gardens, some of them encompassed with high walls, which I conclude are the property of 1 urks of rank. Left Rozetto about one o'clock in the afternoon, and proceeded up the river Nile with a pleasant gale. Passed by a number of very beautiful towns, which appeared to be well inhabited, and the country along the banks of the river had the appearance of riches and abundance. At every little distance we passed machines for raising water from the Nile for watering the fields, some of them are moved by cattle, and many by a long balance and lever, in the same manner as the opium fields are watered in India. The construction of the bullock machines was very simple. An opening being cut into the bank, for the admission of the water, a large wheel, in which are apertures for receiving and for emptying the water is sometimes used, and on other occasions small pots are fixed round the large wheel, which are filled and emptied as the wheel revolves. In the evening we stopped opposite to a large town, where the Nile divides into two branches, and the owner of the boat refused to proceed further, under pretence of the danger that was to be appre- hended from bands of pirates, who ply about and frequently plunder boats at this part of the river. Believing [ 37 ] Believing this only an excuse for laziness, with difficulty we urged him on till we arrived at the next village, which we reached about eight o'clock in the evening. May 19th. — Had a very plejisant gale and fair wind blowing up the Nile the whole of this day ; passed a number of beautiful towns and villages, scattered on the banks of the river. T occasionally went on shore with my gun, and killed a few pigeons and water fowl. The inhabitants of the country seem to be a very industrious and inoffensive race, and resemble very much in their manners and appearance the inhabitants of the banks of the Ganges. I not only amused myself in their fields, but entered their villages, and looked at their various emplojTnents, without meeting with the smallest obstruction or incivility. In some of their towns I observed a manufactory of very handsome stuffs, silk and cotton, which are used for drawers and petticoats by the better sort of people ; and their markets in the small towns seemed to be amply supplied with provisions. The mutton of Egypt is I think superior in flavour to that of any other part of the world, the beef also is good. Nothing appears wanting to make this delightful country one of the most agreeable in the world, excepting a mild good government, and it is only surprising, considering the frequent revolutions and des- potism to which this country has been liable, to observe even now its apparently happy and flourishing state. Near the banks of the Nile the different seasons of the year appear united ; for whilst on the high ground the fields were covered with rich crops of wheat, pease, and barley, ready to cut down, along the shelving banks of the river the natives were employed in thinning and transplanting luxuriant crops of rice, and towards Eozetto the grounds seemed to be cleaning and preparing for the receiving of this plant. From hence I conclude, that till the rice plants acquire a certain age, they are reared on the lower oozy and shelving banks of the river, and that the [ 38 ] the whole of the culture is in this manner ; whereas in India the fields are generally sown, and the rice is only transplanted in the early crops, and when they are too luxuriant. May 20th. — About four o'clock in the afternoon came in sight of the two Pyramids, which I was told were distant from us about ten miles, from whence I judge that our distance from Grand Cairo cannot be very far. At sun-set we reached Bullach, which is a large town situated upon the banks of the Nile, about three miles distant from Grand Cairo. Immediately sent off an express to Mr. Baldwin, to inform him of our arrival, and to desire that he would furnish us with a conveyance, and some dresses of the country, to enable us to proceed to his house. Without being dressed in the manner of the country, which is the only mode of avoiding the insults of the popu- lace, it would be impracticable to pass along the streets of Grand Cairo. May 21st. — A little after sun-rise a clerk of Mr. Baldwin's arrived with our dresses, and with asses for us to ride, which are the humble animals on which Christians are permitted to traverse the streets of Grand Cairo. The asses go at a very pleasant amble, and I found them by no means a disagreeable mode of travelling. The whole of the road from Bullach to Grand Cairo is through a straggling bazaar or market ; and although the day was so little advanced, yet I found the street crowded. Little or nothing of the country is to be seen in travelling from Bullach to Cairo. I was sorry to find that no sort of measures had been taken for expediting our departure from Grand Cairo ; and as I could not rely on Captain Waugh's return, I was from that consideration induced to desire Mr. Baldwin to send off an express to Captain Robinson of the Morning Star, to hold himself in readiness to sail for India imme- diately on our arrival at Suez. May 22d, Grand Cairo. — Employed in making preparations to cross the desert ; am informed there are four different modes of travel- ling across it. The easiest (and which, as being an invalid, I would have preferred to every other) was that of a taturwan, or covered litter [ 39 ] litter, which is flung betwixt two camels, but which as it re- quired some days to provide, I was prevented from adopting. The three other modes are by a covered pair of baskets, carried betwixt two camels abreast, but this was represented to be very uneasy ; I therefore determined to go on horseback, and to have a dromedary with a pair of basketa, in which I could occasionally ride. Directed some corned beef, tongues, pies, bread and wine, with plenty of good water, to be provided for our journey to Suez, which I was given to understand is in general performed in three days. Carried with me a small sail of a boat as a covering during the night, having learnt that the dew falls very heavy, likewise that the Arabs only travel during the day, and halt every evening at sun-set. Grand Cairo being already so well known, and so often described by travellers, who had leisure to examine everything deserving notice, I shall say little on the subject. It seems to be very populous, and a place of very considerable traffic. The streets are in general very narrow, seldom above twenty feet wide, and to this, no doubt, may be imputed the frequent plagues which visit this city, and sweep ofi* such multitudes of inhabitants. It very much resembles, not only in the narrowness of the streets, but in the buildings, some of the large towns in India ; and the mode of living of the inhabitants is also similar. May 23d. — Understanding that every thing had been prepared for our journey, about nine o'clock of the morning left Cairo, and being mounted on asses, proceeded to a watering place, where I found the camels, our servants and provisions, with a horse for myself; but, to my no small disappointment, I found that they had neglected to provide a dromedary with covered baskets, by which means, although an invalid, I had nothing to protect me against the very intense heat of the sun which at this season in the desert is hardly supportable. This neglect was the more unpardonable, as in consequence of a positive assurance of being provided with covered baskets, I had declined the offer of assistance from an acquaintance, a Mr. Skeddey, a merchant from Bengal, whom I met [ 40 ] met with at Cairo. It was now too late to remedy the neglect, and the caravan set oflF about ten o'clock. The whole of our caravan or party consisted of four camels for our baggage and that of our servants, one with provisions, one with travelling baskets, but uncovered, three saddle dromedaries, and a saddle mare, the whole of them the property of an old Arab Sheik, on whose influence with his countrymen we depended for protection. We were also accompanied by one of the most noted and dexterous thieves of the Zor Arab Tribe, who was to guard us during the night. The caravan set off* about half an hour before me, and as I sat on horseback, waiting the return of my Arab Sheik, who had gone to the watering place under the pretence of some business which he had neglected, one of the beys or princes of Egypt happened to pass within a hundred yards of me, accompanied by about 150 horsemen, all of whom appeared to be armed widi a short bludgeon, which I am told they throw with great dexterity. The intense heat of the sun had induced me to put on a slouched hat, and to cover it over with a turban, and I was sitting carelessly on my mare, viewing this cavalcade pass, when suddenly a party of the horsemen separated from their comrades, and came down at full gallop, brandishing their weapons and making a noise. It imme- diately occurred to me, that my slouched hat having discovered me to be a European, who is not allowed to ride a horse at or near Cairo, the noise was a signal for me to dismount. This seemed to satisfy the Mamelukes, who joined the rest of their party without giving me any further trouble. Passed several caravans of camels travelling towards Suez, and loaded with timber, masts, and other materials, for the repair and construction of vessels. I learned after- wards that all their timber for building, as well houses as vessels, is transported across the isthmus of Suez in this manner. A little after sun-set we halted on the same ground ^th a large caravan of about a hundred and fifty camels, with whom our Sheik agreed to associate during the night. So soon as the camels were eased of their burthens, the Arabs formed with the bales a sort of square barricade. The part of [ 41 ] of the desert over which we have already travelled is of a hard gravelly substance, covered with pebbles, some of which are of very beautiful colours; the ground is uneven, rising into gentle ascents and hillocks, from sixty to a hundred feet in height. During the whole of this day*s journey not a tree or bush to be seen. At some parts observed tufts of long withered grass, such as is generally used for thatching houses, but which the camels seemed to devour very greedily. Found the heat very oppressive, and having neither um- brellas nor any other covering from the sun, and being so much nearer to the ground than any other of the party, the reflection of the sun from the pebbles and sand had quite scorched my face. I imagine that we travelled this day about twenty to twenty-five miles, in accomplishing of which short journey we must have been eight or nine hours. May 24th. — About three o'clock in the morning got the baggage on our camels, and being a bright moonlight morning continued our journey towards Suez. Passed as yesterday many caravans of camels, returning from Suez. The tracks of the camels and common road to Suez appear to me so very plain and distinct, that I think it would be almost impossible for any person to make a mistake, even without the assistance of a guide, unless there should be cross roads or paths leading to some other parts, none of which I have yet met with. Saw some very beautiful birds, greatly resembling the rock pigeon, but which I was told is a species of partridge peculiar to the desert. They were so tame as to allow me to approach within a few yards. Found the reflection of the sun so exceedingly distressing that I was induced to try the dromedary ; but I found the motion so unpleasant, that as my face was already broiled as much as it could be, and my eyes ready to fall from their sockets, I determined to continue on horseback. For a journey of this sort, not only umbrellas but masks for the face are absolutely necessary. Tired of riding, or rather of walking my marc, at the sluggish pace F of [ 42 ] of the caravan, I rode on a few miles before, and within a hundred yards of the road observed a sort of tree or thick bush, under the shade of which I found a party of Arabs regaling themselves with their pipes. I staid with the party till the caravan came up, when our Sheik (the owner of the mare) expressed some anxiety, and advised me in future never to go near such gentry. It seems that these Arabs were of a different tribe, and set very great value on horses in general, but more particularly on mares. About an hour before sun-set met Captain Robinson of the Morning Star, proceeding to Cairo, very well mounted, but with only two attendants, when he immediately joined us to return to Suez. Halted a little before sun-set, and formed a barricade with our baggage, &c. in the same manner as we had done the preceding eveniug. My face was so much burnt and swelled by the heat, that I had great doubts of its beiQg possible for me to continue the journey with the caravan. I tied wet towels round my face, and used every precaution to repel the reflection of the sun, but to little purpose, as the evil had already been done. I judge that we had travelled this day about forty miles. May 25th. — Observed our Sheik to move from our ground about two o'clock in the morning, and having suffered so much from the heat during the two preceding days, and understanding from Captain Robinson that the paths across the desert as far as Suez appeared to him to be so plainly marked, as not to run much risk of making a mistake, I determined to quit the caravan, and to make a push to get into Suez before the day should be much advanced. I accordingly quitted the caravan about half past three o'clock in the morning, and it being very clear moonlight, I found little difficulty in keeping the proper road. Going at a good pace, about eight o'clock in the morning I got sight of the Red Sea, apparently about twelve miles distant. Passed by several antelopes, and got a shot at one from horseback, but without success. The top of the Red Sea is surrounded by lofty and craggy mountains, excepting a small opening towards Suez. Everything wears a most barren dismal appearance, as neither tree^ bush^ nor the smallest verdure [ 43 ] verdure is to be seen as far as the eye can reach. The houses of Suez are nearly of the same colour as the sand, so that the town is not discernible till such time as you approach within the distance of a few miles ; and had it not been -for the shipping in the road I should have been induced to have turned back, on the supposition of having made a mistake. I got into Suez about nine o'clock in the morning, and finding no person who could direct me to the house at which English gentlemen are generally accommodated, I took shelter in the first good house I met with on entering the town. The master was absent, but the servants were nevertheless very attentive. From the lesson which I had received from the old Arab Sheik, of the propensity which his brethren had for stealing horses, I was at first afraid to trust my mare with one of the servants, who very readily laid hold of my bridle ; but considering that it would have a bad appearance to betray such a want of confidence, I was induced to dismount, was shown into a large hall, on which was a Turkey carpet, and was quickly accommodated with a pipe, and dish of coffee. As chance would have it, it proved to be the house of the Turkish governor of Suez, who soon returned, and very politely invited me to breakfast with him in the Turkish manner, behaving to me in the most polite and hospitable style. Aboulb three o'clock, afternoon, my caravan arrived, and in the evening a number of my friends, accompanied by several English and French gentlemen, landed from a ship which had just anchored in the road from Bengal, after a very tedious passage frora India of nearly six months. Mr. George Herbert, paymaster ; Mr. William Berrie, Messrs. Gerard and O'Donnell, Major Frederick, from Bombay ; and Captains Barrington and Vandervelden, with four French gentlemen, ^ were of this party. Captain Robinson went on board to prepare his vessel for sailing, whilst I continued on shore with my Ben^l friends. ^ May 26th. — At Suez with my friends, and employed in assisting them for their journey to Cairo. Gave my friend Herbert my dress and C 44 ] and my Arab marc, and also settled with the Arab Sheik to conduct Messrs. Herbert, Berrie, Gerrard, and Forties and Major Frederick, to Ciiiro, on the same terms that he had brought us from thence. Happy would it have been, had the whole of this party proceeded at the same time, but I soon after had the mortification to learn that they had been attacked and plundered by a party of Arabs, and that Captains Harrington and Vandervelden, with two French gentlemen, had died miserably on the desert, likewise that the other gentlemen of the party had only escaped by a sort of miracde. Messrs. Herbert, Berrie, Gerrard, Fortier, and Major Frederick, (who went under charge of my old Sheik) were conducted in safety to Grand Cairo. The town of Suez is built on a sand, which projects several hundred yards into the sea, and towards the northward has depth of water close to the town for vessels which do not exceed 250 or 300 tons. It was formerly surrounded with a wall, without any ditch, sufficient to prot<3ct it against the depredations of the wild Arabs, but at present the walls are in ruins, and it is not a place of any strength. The town I judge to be about a mile in circumference. Many of the houses are built of stone, and have a very tolerable appearance, with large courts, agreeably to the custom of the east. 'Ihe governor is nominated by the Bey of Cairo, and, excepting the officers of Government, there are no merchants nor people of property who reside at Suez. There is not a bush nor the least sign of vegetation near this dreary place, the fresh water is brought in skins from a distance of several miles, and provisions of every kind are procured from Cairo. In the evening I took leave of my Bengal friends, and embarked on board the Morning St^r. May 27th. — About five o'clock in the evening weighed anchor, and with a strong gale at N.W. stood down the Red Sea. Till such time as we passed the mountains of Sinai and Zor, the Red Sea is very nanow, and apparently not more than five or six miles broad, barricaded [ *5 ] barricaded on each side by high, rocky, and barren mountains. Immediately after passing the mountains of Sinai and Zor, the Red Sea gradually extends itself, and before we got opposite to the port of Juddah, we seldom saw the land on either side. Un- til of late years the navigation of the Red Sea has been very little known, and as northerly winds generally prevail in the upper part of the Gulf, betwixt Juddah and Suez, in which part are situated the only dangerous shoals, vessels have, on that account, made very tedious passages, having, on account of the shoals, lost, during the night, the ground which they gained during the day. As the shoak and channels begin at present to be very well known, this will no doubt greatly expedite the passage up the Red Sea. During the voyage from Suez to Mocha, the weather being at the time exceedingly sultry and hot, I was seized with a violent fever, attended with very acute pains in my joints and bones, occasioned by my sleeping exposed to a draft of wind betwixt the stern-windows and cabin-door. The exposing the body then, at a time when all the pores are open, to a current of air, should be carefully avoided, as the consequence may prove fatal. On the 8th of June, a little before mid-day, cast anchor in Mocha roads. Found riding here two large ships from Muscat, a small English snow, and several large vessels belonging to Surat. Just as we entered the roads, a large snow, under Portugese colours and pendant, mounting sixteen carriage guns, and having on board a number of officers and men, passed close under our stern, bound up the Red Sea. After dinner went on shore with Captain Robinson, of the Morning Star, to the English factory-house, where we found an English gentleman, Mr. John Shaw, from Bombay. Having observed, on our landing, a flag flying on the top of the French factory, our curiosity was naturally excited to inquire what persons of that nation were then at Mocha, when we learned from Mr. Shaw, that the flag was hoisted in compliment to the Chevalier St. 1-ubin, who, with several other French officers, were on board the snow which had just sailed out of the roads, under the [ 46 ] the sanction of the Portugese flag. We also received from Mr. Shaw the following information, viz. — That the Chevalier St. Lubin, accompanied by Ambassadors from the Mahrattas, and from Hyder Ali Cawn, and carrying with him dispatches of great consequence, was then on his way to Europe; that the vessel, although hired from the governor of the Portugese settlement of Daman, and commanded by his son, an officer of the Portugese navy, was yet mostly manned by Frenchmen ; had only French property, and a great number of French officers, with their servants and baggage. That, as a proof how little the Chevalier St. Lubin regarded the neutrality of the flag, under which he sailed from the port- of Mocha, he had prepared, during his stay there, upwards of three hundred pairs of shackles, or irons, and openly avowed his intention of destroying all the English vessels he should meet with at Suez, and of sending to India their officers and crews in irons. We also learned from Mr. Shaw the unfortunate defeat of our army, under General Camac, by the Mahrattas, in which the Chevalier St. Lubin had acted a principal part, having the command of the Mahratta artillery. Considering that it would be of infinite importance to intercept the Chevalier St. Lubin, with his papers, or even to retard an embassy betwixt France and the two most powerful states in India, it was immediately agreed to make the attempt. We returned on board, slipped our cable, and before sun-set anchored alongside of the snow, about two miles above Mocha, and close in with the Arabian shore. The Morning Star mounted twelve six-pounders, and was manned by a captain and two lieutenants of the Bombay marine, thirty European and native seamen, and twelve Sepoys as marines. Being the only person on board who spoke French, Captain Robinson begged of me to accompany one of his lieutenants on board the snow, for the purpose of trying whether it was possible to obtain possession of the Chevalier St. Lubin and his dispatches by nego- tiation ; but immediately as I got on board, I saw that this was im- practicable, [ 47 ] practicable, and that although the snow was under Portugese colours, yet she was completely under the command of the Che- valier. There were a number of French officers upon deck ; the people all stationed at their quarters, with lighted matches, and their guns pointed at the Morning Star. Just as I was going over the side, I was accosted by a French officer, who demanded whether it was my intention to return, and recollecting myself that it might be intended to detain me, I answered in the affirmative, that I would return and communicate our final determination. Immediately as we got on board the action commenced, and continued with much briskness on both sides, from fifteen to twenty minutes, when the snow cut her cable, loosened her sails, and backed astern of us, at the same time keeping up a cannonade. Had we cut our cable at the same time, I have no doubt but that we should have captured the snow, as our fire latterly was much superior but unfortunately so much time was lost in heaving up our anchor, that we could not again come up with her before she had sheltered herself under the guns of Mocha. We had, during the action, two men killed, and three wounded. Our adversary had thirteen men killed, and eleven wounded, amongst the former of whom was the Portugese captain, son to the governor of Daman. But though we were not so successful as we could have wished, yet our endeavours were not altogether fruitless. The governor of Mocha came under a written engagement (on condition of our not violating the neutrality of his port) not to allow the vessel to sail till such time as every English ship, then at Suez, should pass Mocha, which obligation he faithfully observed. Mr. Bristow, about two months after, when coming down the Ked Sea, met the Chevalier St. Lubin endeavouring to make a passage up to Suez in a small country boat. From Babelmandel to Socotra, had variable winds and calms, but afterwards a strong monsoon from S. W . with which we crossed the Indian Ocean in six days. The sixth day struck soundings on C 48 ] on the North end of the Maldives, when we shaped our course along shore, so as to keep out of sight of land. "We intended to have stopped at Anjango for intelligence, but tlie weather was too squally to admit of going near the shore. On the 30th of June were chased by a large ship, but a change of wind enabled us to get off. Sus- pected her to be a French cruizer, as it was off the South Eastern- most point of Ceylon, and none of our ships of war were on this station. On the 2d day of July, about four o'clock in the afternoon, cast anchor in Madras roads, when we immediately delivered the Govern- ment and Company's dispatches to their respective addresses. Continued at Madras until the 6th of July, when I sailed for Bengal on board of the Swallow packet, and arrived in Calcutta the 14 th of July. L 49 I ADDITIONAL REMARKS. ON any similar service, I would recommend that the following suggestions be considered with some degree of attention. The inconveniences and objections which occur to joining two gentlemen (who may be entirely strangers to each other) in a charges of a similar nature, are too obvious to require any thing further being said on the subject. It is very proper that, for the purpose of providing against the accidents to which any such expedition must ever be liable, two gentlemen should be employed ; but in such case the sole charge ought to be committed to one, and the other to accompany him merely as a companion, in case the principal should, by sickness or by accident, be prevented from pFoceeding. Notwithstanding the strong injunctions to secrecy which were given by the secret committee of the court of directors, and which were enforced by verbal orders from Mr. Wilkes their clerk, yet so little caution was observed, that it would have been a very easy matter for our enemies to have intercepted our dispatches on many different occasions previous to our arrival at Suez, In the first place, Messrs. Mordaunt and Pocock, who were to be intrusted to convey the duplicate of the dispatches by the way of Bussorah, had been appointed to be at the India House to receive charge at the same hour with Captain Nowlan and myself. Owing to some delay in getting the packets from the secretary of state s office, two post-chaises (with four horses in each) were kept parading several hours before the door of the India House, before we retired to the London Tavern. This was just publishing to every servant and clerk about the India House what we had been so carefully enjoined to keep secret. Inde- pendent of this mistake, four English gentlemen, in two post-chaises, posting [ 50 ] posting through Germany, with never less than four, and frequently six, horses in each carriage, and not allowing themselves the necessary time for the most common refreshments, was not much calculated for secrecy. The dispatches ought to have been delivered to one person by appointment, either at some tavern or private house, and the parties ought to have been enjoined to travel in the most private manner. From the tenor of our instructions, as well as conversation of Mr. Wilkes, every person would have believed the dispatches to have been of infinite importance ; and as the French had been expelled from all their settlements in India, and Sir Edward Hughes, with a large fleet of men of war, accompanied by troops in transports, had saued for the East only a few days before, I naturally concluded that his destination was against Mauritius, and that I carried orders for troops and stores to be immediately sent from India to co-operate in this expedition. A large army oi near thirty thousand men was at this time in and about the Camatic, totally unemployed, and as many in Bengal. On my arrival at Madras, I was not a little surprised to find that, excepting honours foif Sir Thomas Kumbold and Sir Hector Munro, my dispatch merely contained orders for destroying the fortifications of Pondicherry. As I reached Madras many months before Sir Edward got as far as the Cape, the facility with which such a plan could have been executed is obvious, and Sir Edward might have performed this service and reached India as soon as he did. The imcertainty of navigating tlie Gulf of Venice is so great, that I should hope this track for forwarding dispatches will not hereafter be thought of ; but in case it should, some attention to the following suggestions may be useful. We were detained in Venice five days before we could be provided with a vessel, which delay may in some measure be obviated by writing to the consul (or whoever may be employed as an agent) by the usual course of post, the instant that it nas been determined to send off* a dispatch. The person employed ought to be ordered to stop at Mestr^ which is six miles from Venice, till such time as he is informed [ 61 ] informed that the vessel is ready for departure. The arrival of Eng- lishmen at any of the public hotels of Venice is immediately known, and their destination in general may be easily traced. There being a loss in carrying of French or German money to Venice, if necessary to carry more than what may be absolutely wanted to defray the ex- penses of the journey, let it be zequins, or Venetian money. As we had a letter of credit on Brussels, we were necessarily obliged to pass through that city ; but had not this been the case, we could have saved from thirty to forty miles by avoiding Brussels, and travel- ling the direct road from Moulines to Louvaine. The country betwixt Mardyke and Antwerp is very barren, and the roads a deep heavy sand. From Brussels, as far as Coblentz the country is delightful, and the roads are good, with tolerable accommodations. From Coblentz to Frankfort the roads are very bad, but particularly during the two last stages, where they are conducted through thick forests and across steep hilLs, where little or no sort of road is per- ceptible. The road from Frankfort to Augsbourg by Elwangen and Dillingen, although a few posts shorter than those by Darmstadt and Ulm, yet the latter are to be preferred. Through the whole of the province of Tyrole, although the roads be carried over high mountains and precipices, yet they are in general good. An English post-chaise is by far the best carriage lor travelling in, as well for strength as for expedition, and may after the journey, be sold, in most parts of Italy, for as much as its original cost. After passing Frankfort, the post-masters throughout the whole of the Austrian dominions are very imposing, and under bad regulations. As there is seldom any remedy for their impositions, it is therefore better to submit, and pay them a little more money with a good grace. For example ; should you wish to relieve yourself from the confinement of the carriage, and take a riding horse for one stage, they will compel you to take the same number of horses, whether for yourself or your carriage, for the stage following, whether you may want them or not. Mestr^ I [ 52 ] # Mestrd is about six miles from Venice through lagunes, or narrow marshy canals, which appear to have been formed by inundations of the sea, This journey is performed in a small rowing boat, rowed either by two or four men, in which is a covered apartment. I'his boat is a little larger than a common London wherr}^ The length of German posts is not by any means regular, but on an average I compute them in general twelve miles ; and if two hours and a half be allowed for every post, including the time required for changing horses, the calculation will be pretty accurate. By the route which we travelled from Mardyke to Venice, I calculated about 92 posts, or nearly 1,100 English miles. The passage down the Gulf of Venice being so uncertain, I will add a route to Messina, in Sicily ; from which port, or from the Island of Malta (whilst we may be at war with France), will be the best ports to embark at for Alexandria. The passage from Dover to Ostend is also much preferable and more certain than that from Harwich to Helvoet Sluys. The distance from Malta to Alexandria I calculate about 810 miles. From Messina to Alexandria nearly the same, or 830 miles. From Otranto (at the entrance of the Gulf of Venice) to Alexandria, about 800 miles. The distance from Venice to Otranto may be about 450 miles, in travelling of which by sea we were three weeks ; whereas had we travelled by land, we ' might, to a certainty, have performed the journey either to Otranto, to Messina, or to Malta, in four, or, at most, in five days. By this means (including the five days during which we were detained at Venice) there would have been a saving of at least twenty days. As I have before obser\'^ed, either Messina or Malta must be preferable to Otranto, not only on account of the roads through that part of Italy being more frequented, and better furnished with post-horses, but for procuring a conveyance to Alexandria. The passage from Messina to Malta may in general be made in thirty-six hours. The distance from Naples to Messina, either by land or water, is nearly the same (about 180 miles); and at some seasons [ 53 ] seasons this part of the journey may be performed not only more expeditiously, but more pleasantly, by sea than land. The person charged ^vith dispatches ought to be furnished with letters to the British consuls at Naples and Malta, also for those at the other places through which his journey leads him. When we are at peace with France, the route by Marseilles to Alexandria will generaUy be preferred. Notwithstanding that the attempt to secure the Chevalier St. Lubin and his dispatches failed, yet it ultimately proved of the most important national advantage. The ambassadors from the Mahrattas and from Hyder Ally being completely tired of their detention at Mocha, and several of their attendants having been killed and wounded in the action, returned on board the Portugese vessel to the coast of Malabar ; and thus this embassy was completely defeated. The Chevalier St. Lubin, in place of arriving in France, accompanied by the Mahratta and Hyder's ambassadors in July or August, 1779, did not reach France till December following, at which the French government was so much dissatisfied, that they discredited his representations ; the Chevalier was imprisoned, and a year or two afterwards escaped to Holland. In June 1780, Hyder over-ran the Carnatic, and had he at this period been supported by the fleet and troops of France, which did not appear till the year following, the gallantry and exertions of Sir Eyre Coote and of our army to preserve India would have been of Uttle avail ; as it was, without such formidable auxiUaries, our situation was frequently very critical, and we were very near losing the Carnatic. [ 1 ] ADDENDA, WHICH MAY INCREASE THE INTEREST OF THIS VOLUME. The first to be mentioned being that Col. Mark Wood, on his return from India, in 1795, presented to His Majesty King George III. a model in ivory of Fort William, Bengal, valuable as being one of the most complete fortresses in the world. And it was upon this occasion that His Majesty showed to Col. Wood a list of the army, including the officers of the Bengal and East India Company's Services, as they would appear in the event of an amalgamation ; which list the King had himself arranged, the subject being considered by him of importance, and to which His Majesty had given much of his attention.* Also that in a letter of the time, of which a part remains, addressed to one of his brothers. Col. M. Wood gives a more full account of the above related adventure in the Red Sea, and of his own participation in it, which was most spirited and brave, the conduct of the attack appearing to have been given very much, if not quite, into his own management by the officers of the vessel. Then it may be mentioned that the coat of arms inherited by Col. M. Wood through his father, Alexander Wood, of Perth, and his cousin, John Wood, Governor of the Isle of Man, is derived from the ancient Sir Andrew Wood, Knight, Admiral of Scotland from 1480 to 1520, to the Kings James III., James IV., and James V.,f whose trusty friend and servant he proved himself ; and beside the sad and early deathbed of the latter monarch, at the Castle of * Vide the United Service Magazine, Part T., for the year 1829. t In "Tail's Memoir," published in the Edinburgh Magazine for 1852, it is said nearly in the words following — *^ That when in 1488, the army of the ill-fated King James III took up its position against his rebel subjects near the Bum of Sauchie, that Sir Andrew sailed up the beautiful river, keeping his vessels near shore, to receive the monarch should the tide of battle turn against him. Ere the couflict be^n, David, liord Lindesay, presented to his Sovereign a charger of unmatched speed, saying, that 'hap what might, if he kept his seat, it would bear him to the boats of Andrew Wood.' And almost so it proved, for when the King saw his banners struck down, and all his lines borne back and giving way, he turned to fly to the friendly ships, whose glittering sails in the anmmer sky, must Falkland L -^ ] Falkland in Stirling, stood faithful to the last, Sir Andrew's son, the second Sir Andrew Wood, Laird of Largo, also a Knight of the King's Court, and father to the Third Laird — to Robert of Grange — and to James of Lambelethame, Ballingall, and Caimgour, whose wife was Janet Balfour, regarding the lineage of whom some uncertainty had existed till latterly, when in 1866, Mr. Alexander Sinclair, of Ulbster, now* living in Edinburgh, kindly ascertained for me from research amongst certain old documents not commonly accessible, that she was the daughter of David Balfour and granddaughter of Sir Michael Balfour, of Burleigh, by Annas or Anna Forrester, daughter of Sir Duncan Forrester of Garden and Margaret Bothwell his spouse, and married to James Wood of Lambelethame as above, towards the latter end of the 1 6th century. Also since the "Memorials" were published in 1864, further in- formation has been given to me of other family connections, nearly all tending to confirm the facts and probabilities I had been enabled to collect : and one episode in the history of our ancestors, related to me by the Rev. Walter Wood, of Elie, author of " The East Neuk of Fyfe," may, I think, be repeated here more clearly than it appears in have been visible even in the distance to his anxious t^i^ht. But at Beaton's Mill, his horss alaimed, reared, and threw to the ground the unfortunate monarch. Carried into the cottage of the miller, and asking for a priest, the lebel Friar, Andrew Borthwick, wtio had been closely in pursuit, was brought to him, and upon the King asking of him absolution and the Sacrament, the ruffian buried a dagger in the heart of his noble victim, fled, and wa^ never more heard of. ** For several days mystery enveloped the fate of James III. Suspicion arose he was gone on ship board, and a cartel was despatched to Sir Andrew Wood, t3 nsk whether the King was there. The Admiral replied he was not, and gave the messenger leave to search his ships. A second messenger was sent requesting an interview ; but, says Abercrombie, Sir Andrew was a Knight, and being mindful of the King's kindness, remained constant in his affection to him, and refused to come without hostages for his safe return. Accordingly, John Lord Flemyng, of Cumbernauld, and Lord Seaton, of Seaton, were sent to the fleet as hostages, and committed to the care of bis brothers by the Admiral, who then departed and was introduced to the young Prince, James IV, surrounded by a circle ot the rebel peers. So dignified was the aspect of Sir Andrew, who wps arrayed in magnificent armour, aud so striking his resemblance to James ill, that the Prince, who had not seen much of his unhappy sire, wept as he approached, timidly saying, ' Sir. are i/ou my father^' The valiant mariner in tears replied, * I am not your father, but his faithful servant, and the enemy of those who have occasioned his downfall/ Again and again the lords asked if the King were not in one of his ships, ' I would to heaven he were,' was the answer, 'for then he would be in safety. Then I could defend him from the traitors who I fear have slain him, and whom I hope to see rewarded as they deserve.* After which he withdrew to his vessels; and tho' the insurgent nobles endeavoured, in their anger, and to their utmost, to punish him for all his boldness, be set them at defiance, and continued to cruise in the Firth, displaying his Knight's Pennon and the late King's Standard." — Vide Edinburgh Magazine for 1852. * That is in 1875, when these pages were begun. the [ 3 ] the last notes there. Mr. Wood wrote to me that "the Family " had suffered much from their attachment to the Stuarts, in whose "failing fortunes theirs had also failed; and that when, in 1669, " Cromwell's soldiers had ravaged the land, and James Wood of Grange "and Lambelethame, the son and heir of Alexander Wood and " Elizabeth Wemyss,^ had been obliged to sell his estate of Lambele- "thame, and died not long after, his funeral was obliged to be " hastened, lest the creditors should arrest his corpse — a barbarous " right then sometimes exercised. One of the sons of this gentle- " man was Captain of a troop in Prince Charles' Life- Guard, and in "1661, there is extant an Act of Parliament in his favour for levying " a troop of horse for the service of the King." Another of the family of James Wood of Grange and Lambelethame, was the Rev. Alexander Wood, who married the grandchild and sole heiress of Robert Ker, of Cessford, Roxburghe, and their youngest son Mark, his name given to him from the Kers, was the great grandfather of Mrs. Lockwood and of myself. The license for the marriage in 1707 of this youngest son, Mark Wood, with Jean Mercer, of the family of Mercer of Aldie and daughter and co-heiress of WilUam Mercer of Potterhill, Perth, was given for a time into my own possession, the clergyman who performed the mairiage service for them being the Rev. H. Murray, of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, of which Church all the Woods of Largo appear to have been members. Their eldest son, Alexander, a tablet to Avhose memory in the Grey Friars Cemetery, Perth, has lately been rescued from destruction by Mrs. Lock wood's daughter Matilda, wife of Rear- Admiral Willes, C.B., was the father of Captain, afterwards Col. Sir Mark Wood, Bart., of Gatton, Surrey — of Admiral Sir James AthoU Wood, C.B., of whom an interesting memoir may be found in " Ralfe s Naval Biography" — of my own father, Lieut. -General Sir George Wood, K.C.B., of Otter- shaw — of Lieut. Andrew Wood, R.N., who perished yoimg after such gallant servicet — and of Captain Thomas Wood of the Madras Engi- neers — but only in the families of Sir Mark and Sir George have been the surviving heirs. * Vide the Pedigree of Wood of Lariro, appended here. t S.e •* Debrelt's Baronetege " for 1812, and " Playfair'a " of about the same date, or earlier of 1809. The [ 4 ] The record of the marriage of the ancient Admiral with Elizabeth Limdie or Limdin of the Lundies of Balgonie, Fyfe, is to be found in the Herald's College in Edinburgh, with records also of the marriages of several of his heirs. The Oak Tree upon the shield of his Coat Armorial is said to be borne by all families of his name in Scotland, but the ** ship under sail was his distinctive badge," as may be seen in " Lindesay s Blazons," and also in the College of Arms in London. By Abercrombie he was supposed *' to be a cadet of the Woods of Bennington in Angus," and nis immediate ancestors were discovered by another friend, Sir Charles Blunt, Bart., (amongst the papers in the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh,) to have been " Wilham Wood and Ellen Arnot of the Cotelands of Largo." At the same time was given to me by this gentleman (whose mother, our ever kind friend, was daughter of Col. H. Mercer, 22nd Regiment, and sister to the late Major Mercer of Huntingtower), a copy of the pedigree of this family, of which Playfair, in his "Antiquities," says, that * the appellation of Mercer of Aldie came to them through the estate * of Aldie being given as a marriage portion to the Lady Aldia Murray, ' daughter of the Earl of Tullibardine, upon her marrying to William 'Mercer of Meikleour, which William is described as brave and * generous, and in the days of feudal aristocracy to have strongly sup- ' ported the family of Murray, and afterwards to have assumed the ' mullet of Murray as part of his arms and as a lasting cement of * family connection. The castle of Aldie was built in the sixteenth * century, and stands in the parish of Tulliebole in the shire of * Kinross, but being uninhabited is gone into decay."* Of the Lundie family. Sir Bernard Burke says that they are entitled to quarter the Iloyal Arms of Scotland, one of their heiresses having married a younger son of King William the Lion, from whom their descendants continued in an unbroken lineal succession of sons for 450 years. From this same Lundie family descended by a great great grandmother, James Graham of Claverhouse, the gallant Dundee. In " Douglas's Baronage " may be seen many other connecting links * Vide Playfair's volume on the Scotch Baronetnge, pp. 89 and 119. between I [ 5 ] between the Lundies, Woods, Arnots, and Balfours, and also between the Lundies and the Woods with the families of Wemyss of Bogie and Wemyss of Wester Wemyss, and that one Wood of Balbegno, almost certainly a son or grandson of the ancient Admiral, married a daughter of the third Earl of AthoU, with which Murray family his descendants appear to have maintained for generations a friendly regard, which may be evident from the appointment of John Wood, as Governor of the Isle of Man, and the names of James AthoU, given to our own uncle, afterwards Sir J. A. Wood, R.N. One of the Murrays also married another Jean Mercer, the heiress of Aldie, whose granddaughter was Jane, Viscountess Keith, who died in 1789. Tait, in liis "Memoir," describes the castle built at Largo by Sir Andrew Wood, for which a grant was made to him by charter under the Great Seal in 1491, as being engrafted on an ancient edifice which had formerly been a jointure house of the Queens of Scotland, adding that a snuJl part of it in ruins still remained ; that was in 1852 when he wrote. The estate having passed into other hands on the decadence of the family fortunes of the Woods in the 1 7th century, belongs to them no more ; but they still retain by '* lawful right " the distinctive title of Sir Andrew's Barony, To the memory of John Wood for sixteen years Governor of the Isle of Man, who died in 1777, a mural tablet exists in Saint Mary's Government Chapel at Castletown in that Island, which says that he was its first Regal Governor ; the sovereignty of Man having belonged before that period to the Dukes of AthoU, as heirs of the Stanley family. William Wood, his father, and elder brother of Mark Wood of Perth, married a Stuart of Ardnamurchan, and had two other sons,* Andrew, rector of Darlington, York, and afterwards of Gates- head by Newcastle, and William of Nethergallowhill, Renfrew, who married Lady Catherine Cochrane, only daughter of the sixth Earl of * Andrew, the Rector of Qateahead, died in the year 1772 of a fever, which resulted ftrom his exertions to save his parishioners upon the occasion of the fatal fall of the Bridge of Newcastle. Amongst the papers given to me by my cousin, the younger Sir Mark Wood, are a few lines written by this gentleman, regarding his relationbhip to the Kers of Cessford. Dundonald [ 6 ] Dundonald, which William Wood and Lady Catherine had also an only child, Anne, married to Captain Dottin of the Guards, brother to Colonel Rouse Dottin of Bugle Hall, Southampton ; but she left no family. One of the daughters of William Wood and Miss Stuart married a Blair, and the only child of this family became the wife of the twelfth Lord Gray of Kinfauns. Another daughter married Andrew Bogle, Laird of Sheklestane, and was grandmother of Mr. Gregory Mackirdy and General Elliot Mackirdy of Birkwood, Lanark, and the former has often told me how clever and how talented she was. In the " Autobiography of Carlyle of Inveresk," this family of William Wood is spoken of, and when acting for their amusement the tragedy of " Cato," Mr. Carlyle says of the different parts to be taken, " McClean and I allotted them ; I was to be Cato, he was ** Marcus ; our friend Seller, Juba ; a Mr. Leslie was to do Lucius ; an ' English student of the name of Seddon was to be Syphax ; and " Robin Boyle, Sempronius ; Miss Campbell was our Marcia, and '^Miss Wood, Lucia."^ The estate of Potterhill, Perth, passed to a grandson of Mark Wood and Jean Mercer, James, one of the sons of Robert Wood and Anne Smythe of Methven, who deceased without heirs, but left bis fortune with his name to his nephew, the present WiUiam Collins Wood, Esq., of Kei thick, Forfar. Another son of Robert Wood and Anne Smythe, was Colonel Thomas Wood, C.B., of the Bengal Engineers, and their only daughter became the wife of Captain Martin Lindsay, R.N., of the Lindsays of Dowhill, connected with the Crawford ana Balcarres family ; and they were her grandchildren, the daughters of her son George Lindsay, who perished so tragically in the Massacre of Cawn- pore in 1857. Another member of the Wood of Largo family is mentioned in " Nisbet's Marks of Cadency," printed in Edinburgh in 1702— Captain Gilbert Wood, also a sailor, who, the writer says, " was a grandson of James Wood, the last who possessed the estate of Largo, and from his skill in maritime affiiirs both on the coasts of this and the new found world of America, proved himself a worthy representative of his brave progenitors. " * Vide "Antobiograpby of the Rev. A. Carlyle, Minister of Inyeresk," pp. 99 and 105. In [ 7 ] In latter years again appeared in this family two sailor brothers — Admiral Sir James Atholl Wood, C.B., and Lieutenant Andrew Wood, of the Royal Navy ; the latter lost at sea so long ago, the former living on to some years after the close of the Peninsular War, in the course of which, after the action with the Conte de Grasse, in which Atholl Wood's captain (Blair) was killed, he was promoted First Lieutenant, and posted to the Boyne (Sir John Jervis, Commander), — and off the coast of France " directed by Sir John, to take charge of some cartel-ships with prisoners on board, and convey them to Saint Malo, where he unfortunately arrived during the sanguin- ary government of Robespierre. That tyrant, without any respect to the laws or common usages of nations, not only seized the ships, but threw Lieutenant Wood into prison. He was afterwards ordered to Paris, where he underwent an examination before the Comity de Salut Public, and was then sent to the Abbaye, in compliance with the following order: — " Le citoyen gendarme, auquel a 6te '* confi6 le nomme Wood, Anglais, venant " de Port de Malo, le d^posera dans la ** maison d*arr^t, dite T Abbaye, oil il " sera ecrou^ en sa qualited' Anglais, ici '• conformement k Tarticle 4 de la loi du *' 19 Vendemaire, "(Signe) Herman, ^^ Commissaire des Administrations Ci- vileSy etc, ''Date, le 27 Prairial, Van 2 de la Re- puhliquey "After the death of Robespierre (in 1794), whom Sir James, then Lieutenant Wood, saw pass to the place of his execu- tion, he was released on parole, as by the order following : — " Le Comity de Salut Public arr^te que " Athol Vood, oflScier parlementaire Ang- " lais, et Helven son homme de confiance, " detenus au Luxembourg, seront 61argis " et mis en liberte sur leur parole d*hon- " neur. (Sign6) " Camba^erks, Pelet, Dumont, " BoissY, Charbl, etc. ''Bate, le 30 Nivose, Van ^ de la Be- publique une et indivisible,^^ "Lieutenant Wood then returned to England, but not till he had used his utmost exertions in behalf of his unfor- tunate countrymen immured within the prisons of Paris, as appears from the fol- lowing letter from General O'Hara to the Secretary of State for the War Depart- ment, the Right Hon. H. Dundas : — " Date Paris, Prison de Drenoua, April 6, 1795. "Sir, — Give me leave to present to " you LiQutenant Wood of the Royal " i^avy, whose long confinement in a com- " mon gaol, where our acquaintance be- '' gan, renders him highly deserving youi " protection, as the unexampled severities " he experienced arose from his manly *' endeavours to serve his fellow-conntry- " men. Lieutenant Wood will, I am per- " suaded, Sir, have a further claim to " your good offices when you are ac- " quainted that several English families " who had languished for many months in " the Prisons of this town, the mansions " of despair and accumulated cruelties, " are indebted to his firiendly interference " for their liberty. And that likewise the exchange [ 8 •] " exchange of several officers of the Royal '* Navy has been in a great measure " brought about by his unremitting ex- " ertions. I trust, Sir, you will have the " goodness to forgive the liberty I take " in endeavouring to be useful to an " officer whose sufferings have been so *' great and fortunes so deeply wounded, " from a spirited discharge of his duty. " (Signed) Charles O'Haea. ** Soon after his return to England Lieutenant Wood was advanced to the rank of Commander, and appointed to the Favourite, sloop of war, in which, after cruising for some time in the Channel, he proceeded to the West In- dies, where he was required to assist in quelling the insurrections which had long raged in the Islands of St. Vincent and Grenada. " Among the many instances of his zeal and activity while on that service, was the capture and destruction in the course of less than forty-eight hours of three formidable French Privateers roving about those shoi*es; and Captain Wood being further so fortunate as to obtain a knowledge of the private night-signal of the French, got possession of three more armed vessels of the same Fleet at near the same time. *' Subsequently, the capture of the Isle of Trinidad formed a principal object in his mind, and in company with Captain, afterwards Sir R. W. Otway, Captain AthoU Wood waited upon the Com- mander-in-Chief, Sir H. Christian, to entreat him to represent to the British Government the facility with which the Island could be made a British Colony. On the arrival of Sir Ralph Abercrombie in January, 1797, directions were given to Captain Wood to inspect its defences and devise the necessary mode of attack, for which he drew out a plan, which was approved and sanctioned by both the General and Admiral in command ; and upon the attack being made, Captain Wood was further directed to haul down the colours, which having done, he in- formed the Admiral that he was ready to lay them at his feet, but the Admiral desired him to keep them, observing that no one had so good a claim to them. ** In 1807, whilst in command of the Latona, Captain James Atholl Wood assis- ted, in conjunction with the Arethusa (Captain Brisbane), the Anson and the Pisgard,in the taking of the Isle of Cura9oa; for his services upon which occasion he was presented by the desire of his Majesty George III, with a gold medal ; and on his return to England, the King conferred on him the order of knighthood. In 1810 Sir James joined the Pompee, of 74 guns ; and in 1812, while still on Channel ser- vice, with the Tremendous (Captain Campbell), and the Poictiers, fell in with a French Squadron, which, from some accident in the night or early dawn, escaped. In consequence of this, a Court Martial was held to inquire into the affair. Captain Campbell being fully acquitted, and Sir James Atholl Wood, though blamed for some supposed mistake, yet was declared to have had scarcely a choice of conduct left, and that his duty pointed out that line which he did pursue. After this event, Sir James served in the Mediterranean, having for a time chai-go of the Squadron off Cata- lonia to prevent the enemy from throwing supplies into Barcelona. In 1815 he commanded the Fleet off Toulon and the coast of Provence ; and in 1821 was made a Rear-Admiral.'* — Extracts (ab- ridged) from the Naval Biography of Great Britain, by J, Ralfe. To myself it is a touching memory of this gallant officer, after his active [ 9 ] active services were over, retaining to the last the long sea-faring habits of his life. His rooms in the Albany were arranged to look as like ships' cabins as possible ; the only ornament that I can remember be- sides swords and small arms, being a beautiful model of his favourite ship the Pomp^e, especially charming to my young eyes ; and there he lived till his death in 1829. The last time I saw him, a few weeks previously, he was so well p5 still to drive out and pay a visit to my mother. She was not at home, nor our governess, nor any one excepting myself, shut up in our schoolroom with a severe cold. My uncle came in, and after a little while took me to the drawing-room, and then he said rather hastily, " You are worse, my dear, than your mother thinks ;" and his last words to me as he said good-bye were, " I shall send Vance to you ;" and before very long, and before my mother returned, Mr. Vance dashed up to the door.^'^ The yoimger sailor brother, Lieutenant Andrew Wood, is mentioned in the old papers and also by Debrett and Playfair as however, and in defiance of the weather " having entered the navy not long after his brother James, that he served with reputation under Sir J. Lockhart Ross and Captain (afterwards Admiral Lord) Duncan, to whom he was Lieutenant when the Spanish Fleet was captured off Cadiz in 1782 ; and again Lieutenant in the Monarch when the Dutch Admiral and his convoy was captured off St. Eus- tatia. On the peace in 1785, he went to India, probably to see his brothers George and Thomas, who were then in that coun- try. In 1787, he received orders from England to take a small vessel to the Straits of Sunda, to give intelligence to thirty sail of rich East Indiamen, of a war with Spain. His vessel was wrecked at the entrance of the Straits, and the crew with diflBculty saved. In an open boat. and of the ^lalays, who murdered half his men, he succeeded in giving intelligence to twenty-nine out of the thirty ships. Lord Comwallis, Sir A. Campbell, and Sir W. Meadows, so highly approved of his intrepid conduct, that they recom- mended him for immediate promotion. Anxious to reach England, and no oppor- tunity offering, he unfortunately deter- mined to buy a small boat of less than live tons; and having her decked, he embarked with three I^cars, and reached the Cape of Good Hope in safety. Con- ceiving he had then surmounted all dan- gers, Lieutenant Wood again set sail in the same small vessel with his foreign seamen, eager for home, but was never more heard of.'' * This Laval surgeon was a great friend of my uncle ; their acquaintance having begun, I think, in the West indiek, where Sir Jume<<, then Captain Wood, commanded the Acasia in 1805. Mr. Vance met hin death by a baii accident somewhere hua^^it**k about 1840, the circumstances of which are related in anoth'^r Kaval Biogiaphy of the Surgeons of the Koyal Navy— but 1 forget the title as well as also who may have been the author. Of [ 10 ] Of my own father, Sir George, it may be sufl&cient to refer to the longer mention of iiim in the Memorials of the Woods of Largo, and here only to tell again that the distinction of Knight Commander of the Bath conferred upon him by the Prince Regent in 1815, was in acknowledgment of his long services in India from the times of Scindiah and Holkar and the taking of Java to the conclusion of the Ghoorka War in the latter named year. My father held a Royal com- mission in the East India Company's Service which had been of advantage to him. His strict notions of discipline seem to have raised up some enmities against him, but it is a comfort to have been told by one who knew him well, our friend and connection Mr. Adam Ogilvie, that he was ever, as Mr. Ogilvie expressed himself, a humane man. For my children it may be further interesting to remember that their uncle Captain Henry Seymour Montagu was the officer chosen by Lord Moira to convey to my mother the intelligence of her hus- band's new honours, my father being still absent with the troops in Nepaul. Sir George Wood was afterwards on the Staff at Fort William. And lastly to these mementoes of the past must be given one more life to be looked back upon with respect and affection, that of my husband, whose earlier years were also spent in the service of his coimtry, at a period when young midshipmen were far less cared for, and their commonest comforts far less thought of than at the present; and hard and severe indeed was the training to which his youth was subjected. Many things he has told me which would have made a mother weep at the recital — but his mother had died in his infancy — and yet the spirits of youth and the rush of the varying scenes on board a man-of-war seem to have carried the poor creatures through, with more of elation than of aught else in the retrospect. He entered the Navy in January, 1809, under Captain Parker, in the Amazon, where he remained till 1812 — then in the Lavinia and the Boyne in the Channel off Brest till about the year and half following, when he was appointed to the Cydnus on the West India station, and arrived at Port [ 11 ] Port Royal shortly before the English troops were ordered to the attack of New Orleans, 200 seamen and 400 marines being summoned to join the expedition. Amongst the former were oflScers and men from the Cydnus, and to Horatio Montagu was given the command of one of the cutters, and letters from the Admiral and others there bear testimony to his zeal and activity throughout the toils and pri- vations of this undertaking, which historians say "failed, not from " any want of valour on the part of the British, but simply from cir- " cumstances which rendered success next to impossible."* Lieutenant Montagu was afterwards passed on to the Carron, the Royalist ^of which he became Second Lieutenant) and the Rifleman, both of tnese under Captain Houston Stewart — then to the Shear- water and the Larne, in which returning to England in 1818, he was paid off*, and on shore for a time, during which period that change of sentiment came to him which induced mm to quit the Naval service for the service of the Church ; and the very day upon which was sent to him a re-appointment as First Lieutenant of the Ramilies, in November, 1819, he received also a letter from the Bishop of Nor- wich deciding him to go to Cambridge. He entered there at Catherine Hall in the February following, and in 1824 was ordained by the Bishop of Winchester, and licensed by him to the curacy of Swarraton in Hampshire, of which his brother-in-law, the Rev. Spencer Rodney Drummond was then the Rector. In the Boyne, as named on the previous page, he had been FW Midshipman, with Edward Boys Flag Lieutenant, under Admiral Sir H. B. Neale, Bart. This young man Boys had escaped about three years previously from the prison of Verdun, in France, having been taken prisoner in 1804, when midshipman in the Phoebe, off Toulon. Of his life whilst there, and wonderful escape from this painful captivity, I have a most interesting memoir. Much of the information here recorded of the Woods of Largo has been taken from " Douglas s Baronage," an old work to be seen in the Library of the British Museum in London ; and following is * Vide 'The BritiaU Troops in America." by Mitchell ; "The Attack upon New Orleaaa in 1814," by J. H. Cooke : and another work on the same subject by Joseph Allen, Esq. given [ 12 ] given the pedigree of this family, which was sent to me from the Heralds' College in Edinburgh, by WiUiam Anderson, Esq., the late Marchmont Herald. The original can be seen and obtained from the same place — that is, the Heralds' College, Edinburgh — by any one who might desire to do so. To this pedigree may be added part of another pedigree, given to me by J. G. Mackirdy, Esq., of Birkwood, Lanarkshire, in which it is said that the Rev. Alexander Wood, who married the heiress of Robert Ker of Cessford, was a younger son of Alexander, the sixth Laird of Largo ; but in another manuscript, which too care- lessly I have mislaid, he was represented, to the best of my recollec- tion, to have been a younger son of James Wood of Grange and Lambelethame, the seventh Laird. It may not, however, be of much importance now which was the reality, as the Marchmont Herald (Mr. Anderson) wrote to me to say, ** that when his Excellency John Wood, Governor of the Isle ** of Man, a grandson of the Rev. Alexander, obtained, in the year ** 1775, a matriculation of the appropriate arms of Wood of Largo, " that his right of claim to them as heir male and representative of " the family, and chief of the name, must have been made known and '* proved to the satisfaction of the Lyon Court oflScials of the time, or *Mie could not have been so recognised in the public records, nor so '' acknowledged by any heraldic law or usage what soever ^ It becomes thus conclusive that his grandfather was very nearly related to, and lineally the heir of, this family. Subsequently, on the death of John Wood, Governor of Man, in 1777, the succession descended through his cousm-german Alexander Wood of Bumcroft, Perth, to the eldest son of this latter gentleman. Captain M. Wood, afterwards Sir Mark Wood, Bart., of Gatton, Surrey. |. p. it., 1879. M PI I. SIR ANDREW WOOD, or WODl James III. and IV. ; had severa to himself and Elizabeth Lunc others erected into a Free Baroi II. ANDREW WOOD of Largo (2nd and had a charter under the Grc of half the King's lands of Shin of Inch Keith, of Balbreckie, o and left three sons : — III. ANDREW (.3rd Laird) married Egidia Gourlay; was Comptroller to King James VI. in 1585; obtained a charter of the lands of Balbreckie and Inch Keith in feu farm in 1597. His son Alexan hadf who char mati but have heirs IV. ANDREW succeeded. All his were united of new into the Barony of Li Ho married the Hon. Jean Drummoud, s( tcr of James, first Lord Maddertj (8e< Peerage, 293), by whom he had one sc daughters — as below — His son V. JOHN WOOD obtained a charter tion under the Great Seal in favour of his three sisters, Lily or Lilias, Isabella, or Christina, of an annual rent out of t Largo. (Died in 1661, apparently u seems to be generally elsewhere confirme \ ;. Aleocander Wood. m or Bronn of xbnrghe, grand- 'f Robert Ker of )d=pJeaii, dan. and co-heiress of Mercer of Potterhill, a yonnger son of Mercer of Aldie. ANDER =Jean, dan. of ncrofb, m. 1747, Ramsay, of the Ramsays of Banff. Robert, m. Anne, dan. of Smythe of Methven. le, m. Lt.-Col. )rge Williamson, > of Scotch cent. James of Keithick ; William ; George ; Thomas, Lt.-Col. ; and an only dan., Anne, m. Capt. Martin Lindsay, R.N., of the Lindsays of DowhiU. ■i \ J \ I 1 4 # ar N V* V .1 I k\ \ \ i