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ning; fettling ever and anon upon my fhoulders as if they weighed ten hundred tons; and after one terrible flash, in which the two balls feemed to join in one, I funk away without pain, like one failing to fleep.

What followed after I was turned off you know, as I was informed you kindly aflifted my other friends in taking the body down as foon as you were permitted, and conveying it acrofs the falt works to the fmall boat: I was from thence carried on board the two-mait boat to the doctor, to all appearance dead; for O'Donnel, who was directed by the doctor to cut and loofen my clothes and rub me, throwing water on me, could perceive no life in me, but told the doctor it was too late. But the doctor was not difcouraged; and in one hour and twenty-two minutes after I was brought on board the boat, making two hours and forty three minutes after I was turned off, he perceived figns of life in me, by a small motion and warmth in my bofom: in twenty minutes after I gave a violent deep groan. Here defcription fails! I cannot defcribe the intolerable a gony of that moment. Ten thoufand tranglings are trifling to it! The firft confufed thoughts I had, were, that it was the moment of my diffolution; for I had no knowledge of my removal from the gallows, but was quite infenfible from the time I first loft myself, to that in which I recoveredexcept fome faint glimmerings of a fcene, which, faint and confused as they were, I fhall never forget, but which as I feel impreffed upon my heart I ought to communicate to no man living. I was foon after this violent anguifh, made fenfible where I was; the doctor's ftuff, and fight of my friends, restored me in a great meafure to my fenfes. The doctor would not allow me to talk much; but feeling fatigued he permitted me to lie down, having two perfons by me to rub me with a brush while I slept.

When I awoke it was dark. I felt fomewhat light-headed and confused, from the dreadful scene I had paffed through. All hands were now called, and a folemn oath was taken by all prefent, not to tell any thing that had happened until they should know that I was fafe out of the country; and then not to difcover the doctor, his friend, or apprentice. I was then put on fhore, and went from thence on board the veffel which brought me here.

I am engaged to go to Gottenburgh, in Sweden; and fhall fail to-morrow in a fhip which is coming down the river from Philadelphia. I fhall take my family name, and return to my parents, a Prodigal Son indeed. God grant, as I have feverely eaten hufks that I may foon cat bread in my earthly parent's houfe; and be prepared for fuch bread as the Saints in glory love, and fuch as Angels eat, in that houfe which is not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

ftreet, which

If O'Donnel is gone from Boston, which, upon recollecting, I have reafon to fear, you will please to copy fuch parts of this letter as are new to the doctor, and inclose them in a cover, directed to Mr Samuel Woods, of Concord, to be left until called for : And leave the letter & Mr..... Apothecary, in the is what O'Donnell is to do if in town. Pray do not forget to do this punctually; and inform the doctor that the numbnefs in the place he mentioned went off the third day all at once, after a violent burning, as if a thoufand pins were ftuck in me. Pray be punctual-God knows I cannot be too grateful to the doctor; not only for his charity, by which I now fubfift, but because without his affistance I might not have remained as a wonderful monument of God's fparing mercy, but probably been receiving the rewards of the impenitent in a world of fpirits. So I remain your's, &c. JOSEPH TAYLOR.

Account

Account of Jidda, a Town on the Red Sea. Mr Bruce's reception there.

ROM Yambo to Jidda I had flept little, making my memoranda as full upon the fpot as poffible. I had, befides, an aguifh diforder, which very much troubled me, and in drefs and cleanlinefs was fo like a Galiongy (or Turkish feaman) that the Emir Bihar was aftonished at hearing my fervants fay I was an Englishman, at the time they carried away all my baggage and inftruments to the cuitom-houfe. He fent his fervant, however, with me to the Bengal houfe, who promifed me, in broken English, all the way, a very magnificent reception from my countrymen. Upon his naming all the captains for my choice, I delired to be carried to a Scotchman, a relation of my own, who was then accidentally leaning over the rail of the ftair-cafe, leading up to his apartment. I faluted him by his name; he fell into a violent rage, calling me villain, thief, cheat, and renegado rafal; and declared, if I of fered to proceed a step further, he would throw me over ftairs. I went away without reply, his curfes and abufe followed me long afterwards. The fervant, my conductor, fcrewed his mouth, and fhrugged up his fhoulders. "Never fear, fays he, I will carry you to the best of them all." We went up an oppofite ftair cafe, whilft I thought within myfelf, if thofe are their India inanners, I fhall keep my name and fituation to myself while I am at Jidda. I ftood in no need of them, as I had credit for 1000 fequins and more, if I fhould want it, upon Youfef Cabil, Vizir or Governor of Jidda.

I was

conducted into a large room, where Captain Thornhill was fitting, in a white callico waistcoat, a very high-pointed white cotton night-cap, with a large tumbler of water before

him, feemingly very deep in thought. The Emir Bahar's fervant brought me forward by the hand, a little within the door; but I was not defirous of advancing much farther, for fear of the falutation of being thrown down ftairs again. He looked very fteadily, but not fternly, at me; and defired the fervant to go away and fhut the door. "Sir, fays he, are you an Englishman ?"-I bowed."You furely are fick, you should be in your bed, have you been long fick?" I faid, "long Sir," and bowed."Are you wanting a paffage to India?"-I again bowed." Well, fays he, you look to be a man in diftrefs; if you have a fecret, I fhall refpect it till you please to tell it me, but if you want a paffage to India, apply to no one but Thornhill of the Bengal merchant. Perhaps you are afraid of fomebody, if fo, ask for Mr Greig, my lieutenant, he will carry you on board my fhip directly, where you will be fafe."“ Sir, faid I, 1 hope you will find me an honest man, I have no enemy that I know, either at Jidda or elsewhere, nor do I owe any man any thing."-" I am fure, fays he, I am doing wrong, in keeping a poor man ftanding, who ought to be in his bed. Here! Philip! Philip!"

Philip appeared. "Boy," fays he, in Portuguefe, which, as I imagine, he fuppofed I did not understand, "here is a poor Englishman, that fhould be either in his bed or his grave; carry him to the cook, tell him to give him as much broth and mutton as he can eat; the fellow feems to have been starved, but I would rather have the feeding of ten to India, than the burying of one at Jidda."

Philip de la Cruz was the fon of a Portuguese lady, whom Capt. Thorn

* From his Travels to discover the Source of the Nile.

hill

hill had married; a boy of great talents, and excellent difpofition, who carried me with great willingness to the cook. I made as aukward a bow as I could to Capt. Thornhill, and faid, "God will return this to your honour fome day." Philip carried me into a court-yard, where they used to expofe the famples of their India goods in large bales. It had a portico along the left-hand fide of it, which feemed defigned for a stable. To this place I was introduced, and thither the cook brought me my dinner. Several of the English from the veffels, lafcars, and others, came in to look at me; and I heard it in general, agreed among them, that I was a very thief-like fellow, and certainly a Turk, and d--n them if they fhould like to fall into my hands. . I fell faft afleep upon the mat, whilft Philip was ordering me another apartment. In the mean time, fome of my people had followed the baggage to the Cuftom-houfe, and fome of them ftaid on board the boat, to prevent the pilfering of what was left. The keys had remained with me, and the Vizir had gone to fleep, as is usual, about mid-day. As foon as he awaked, being greedy of his prey, he fell immediately to my baggage, wondering that fuch a quantity of it, and that boxes in fuch a curious form, fhould belong to a mean man like me; he was therefore full of hopes, that a fine opportunity for pillage was now at hand. He asked for the keys of the trunks; my fervant faid, they were with me, but he would go inftantly and bring them. That, how. ever, was too long to ftay; no delay could poffibly be granted. Accuf tomed to pilfer, they did not force the locks, but, very artift like, took off the hinges at the back, and in that manner opened the lids, without op éning the locks.

The first thing that prefented itself to the Vizir's fight, was the firman of the Grand Signior, magnificently

written and titled, and the infcription powdered with gold duft, and wrapped in green taffeta. After this was a white fattin bag, addreffed to the Khan of Tartary, with which Mr Peyffonel, French conful of Smyrna, had favoured me, and which I had not delivered, as the Khan was then prifoner at Rhodes. The next was a green and gold filk bag, with letters directed to the Sherriffe of Mecca ; and then came a plain crimson. fattin bag, with letters addreffed to Metical Aga, fword-bearer (or Selictar, as it is called) of the Sherriffe, or his great minifter, and favourite. He then found a letter from Ali Bey to himself, written with all the fuperiority of a Prince to a flave.

In this letter the Bey told him plainly, that he heard the govern ments of Jidda, Mecca, and other States of the Sherriffe, were disorderly, and that merchants, coming about their lawful bufinefs, were plundered, terrified, and detained. He therefore intimated to him, that if any fuch thing happened to me, he fhould not write or complain, but he would fend and punish the affront at the very gates of Mecca. This was very unpleafant language to the Vizir, becaufe it was now publicly known, that Mahomet Bey Abou Dahab was preparing next year to march againft Mecca, for fome offence the Bey had taken at the Sherriffe. There was also another letter to him from Ibra. him Sikakeen, chief of the merchants at Cairo, ordering him to furnish mẹ with a thousand fequins for my prefent ufe, and, if more were needed, to take my bill.

These contents of the trunk were fo unexpected, that Cabil the Vizir thought he had gone too far, and called my fervant in a violent hurry, upbraiding him, for not telling who I was. The fervant defended himself, by faying, that neither he, nor his people about him, would fo much as regard a word that he spoke; and the

cadi of Medina's principal fervant, who had come with the wheat, told the Vizir plainly to his face, that he had given him warning enough, if his pride would have fuffered him to hear it.

All was now wrong, my servant was ordered to nail up the hinges, but he declared it would be the last action of his life; that nobody opened the bag. gage that way, but with intention of ftealing, when the keys could be got; and, as there were many rich things in the trunk, intended as prefents to the Sherriffe, and Metical Aga, which might have been taken out, by the hinges being forced off before he came, he washed his hands of the whole procedure, but knew his master would complain, and loudly too, and would be heard both at Cairo and Jidda. The Vizir took his folution in a moment like a man. He nailed up the baggage, ordered his horfe to be brought, and, attended by a number of naked blackguards (whom they call foldiers) he came down to the Bengal houfe, on which the whole factory took alarm.

About twenty-fix years before, the English traders from India to Jidda, fourteen in number, were all murdered, fitting at dinner, by a mutiny of thefe wild people. The houfe has, ever fince, lain in ruins, having been pulled down and forbidden to be rebuilt.

Great inquiry was made after the English nobleman, whom nobody had feen; but it was faid that one of his fervants was there in the Bengal houfe: I was fitting drinking coffee on the mat, when the Vizir's horfe came, and the whole court was filled. One of the clerks of the custom-houfe asked me where my matter was? I faid, "In heaven." The Emir Bahat's fervant now brought forward the Vizir to me, who had not difmounted himfelf. He repeated the fame queftion, where my mafter was? I told him, I did not know the purport of VOL XII. No. 67.

D

his queftion, that I was the perfon to whom the baggage belonged, which he had taken to the cufto ashouse, and that it was in my favour the Grand Signior and Bey had written. He feemed very much furprited, and afked me how I could appear in fuch a drefs?" You cannot alk that ferioufly, fard I; I believe no prudent man would drefs better, considering the voyage I have made. But, befides, you did not leave it in my power, as every article, but what I has been these four hours at the custom-house, waiting your pleasure."

have on me,

We then went all up to our kind landlord, Captain Thornhill, to whom I made my excufe, on account of the ill ufage I had firft met with from my own relation. He laughed very heartily at the narrative, and fom that time we lived in the greatest friendship and confidence. All was made up, even with Youfef Cabil ; and all heads were employed to get the ftrongeft letters poflible to the Naybe of Mafuah, the king of Abyte finia, and the king of Sennaar.

JIDDA is very unwholefome, as is, indeed, all the east coast of the Red Sea. Immediately without the gate of that town, to the eastward, is a defert plain filled with the huts of the Bedoweeus, or country Arabs, built of long bundles of fpartum, or bent grafs, put together like fafcines. Thele Bedoweens 'fupply Jidda with milk and butter. There is no stirring out of town, even for a walk, unJefs for about half a mile, in the fourh fide by the fea, where there is a number of ftinking pools of ftagnant water, which contributes to make the town very unwholefome,

Jidda, befides being in the most unwho efome part of Arabia, is, at the fame time, in the moft barren and defert fituation. This, and many o ther inconveniencies, under which it labours, would, probably, have occas

fioned

fioned its being abandoned altogether, were it not for its vicinity to Mecca, and the great and fudden influx of wealth from the India trade, which, once a-year, arrives in this part, but does not continue, paffing on, as thro' a turnpike, to Mecca; whence it is difperfed all over the east. Very little advantage however accrues to Jidda. The customs are all immediate ly fent to a needy fovereign, and a hungry fet of relations, dependents, and minifters at Mecca. The gold is returned in bags and boxes, and paffes on as rapidly to the fhips as the goods do to the market, and leaves as little profit behind. In the mean time, provifions rife to a prodigious price, and this falls upon the townfmen, while all the profit of the traffic is in the hands of strangers; moft of whom, after the market is over, (which does not laft fix weeks) retire to Yemen, and other neighbouring countries, which abound in every fort of provifion.

Upon this is founded the obfervation, that of all Mahometan countries none are fo monogam as thofe of Jidda, and no where are there fo many unmarried women, although this is the country of their prophet, and the permiffion of marrying four wives was allowed in this district in the first inftance, and afterwards communicated to all the tribes.

But Mahomet, in his permiffion of plurality of wives, feems conftantly to have been on his guard against fuffering that, which was intended for the welfare of his people, from operating in a different manner. He did not permit a man to marry two, three, or four wives, unless he could maintain them. He was interefted for the rights and rank of these women and the man fo marrying was obliged fhew, before the Cadi, or fome equivalent officer, or judge, that it was in his power to fupport them according to their birth. It was not fo with concubines, with women who were

purchased, or who were taken in war. Every man enjoyed thefe at his pleasure, and their peril, that is, whether he was able to maintain them or not.

From this great fcarcity of provi, fions, which is the refult of an extraordinary concourfe to a place almost deftitute of the neceffaries of life, few inhabitants of Jidda can avail themfelves of the privilege granted him by Mahomet. He therefore cannot mar ry more than one wife, because he cannot maintain more, and from this caufe arifes the want of people, and the large number of unmarried wo

men.

[Mr Bruce having arrived at Gonday, the capital of Abyffinia, was received with great kindness by the king, who made him one of his Baalomaals, or Lords of the bed-chamber. The following occurrence happened foon after that appointment.]

Tranfactions at Gondar,

WE went all to Anthule's houfe to fupper in violent rage, fuch anger as is ufual with hung y men. We brought with us from the palace three of my brother Båalomaals, and one who had ftood to make up the number, though he was not in office; his name was Guebra Mafcal, he was a fifter's fon of the Ras, and commanded one third of the troops of Tigre, which carried fire arms, that is about 2000 men. He was reputed the beft officer of that kind that the Ras had, and was a man about thirty years of age, fhort, fquare, and well made, with a very unpromising countenance; flat noie, wide mouth, of a very yellow complexion, and much pitted with the fmall-pox; he had a moft uncommon prefumption upon the merit of past

fervices,

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