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CHAPTER XLI.

TRANSACTIONS ON THE MALABAR COAST; SUFFERINGS OF

THE BRITISH OFFICERS AND PRISONERS TAKEN

BY TIPPOO SULTAUN; AND CONCLUDING

VOYAGE FROM INDIA TO ENGLAND.

1784.

VOL. IV.

"Now swell on every side the steady sail,

The lofty masts reclining to the gale;

On full-spread wings the vessel springs away,

And far behind it foams the ocean grey :

Afar the lessening hills of India fly,

And mix their dim blue summits with the sky.

"Their foreign tale on Albion's shore to tell

Inspires each bosom with a rapturous swell;
Now through their breasts the chilly tremors glide,
To dare once more the dangers dearly tried.
Soon to the winds are these cold fears resign'd,

And all their country rushes on the mind:
How sweet to view the native land!-how sweet
The father, brother, and the friend to greet!
While listening round the hoary parent's board,
The wondering kindred glow at every word;
How sweet to tell what woes, what toils they bore,
The tribes and wonders of each various shore :
These thoughts, the traveller's lov'd reward, employ,
And swell each bosom with unutter'd joy!

CAMORNS' LUSIAD, by MICKLE.

2 A

CONTENTS.

Residence at Tellicherry-parties of pleasure-climate and healthy
situation of Tellicherry-subjects in natural history-plants-
Gloriosa superba-cruel fate of the English prisoners with Tippoo
Sultaun, taken at Bedmure-savage treatment of the officers and
privates in marching through the country-fate of General
Mathews and two other gentlemen taken off by poisoned coffee-
mechanical tiger-refinements in cruelty-contrast between Domi-
tian and Nero-rigid discipline of Tippoo-different account of
General Mathews' death-fate of the captains and subaltern offi-
cers—Hyder Ally's character superior to his son's—origin of Hyder
- commencement and rapidity of his military career-further ac-
counts of his family and exaltation—his high command and dignity
under the rajah of Mysore-usurps the sovereignty, imprisons the
rajah, and takes the title of Nawaub-makes Seringapatam his
capital-sea-ports-Mangulore-splendor of the tiger throne—the
Huma-the tiger a family emblem—prayer of Tippoo—a letter of
tremendous brevity-account of Hyder's durbar—many particulars
of Tippoo's character, dress, &c.-character of Mahomet and his
immediate successors--magnificence of the Arabian caliphs—reflec-
tion of Abdalrhaman-remark of Gibbon-palace at Seringapatam
-Tippoo's bed-chamber guarded by four tigers-predilection of the

Mahomedans for Abyssinian slaves-melancholy fate of a young lady, and friendly tribute to her memory-dispatches for the General Elliot received from Bombay-paragraph in the Governor and Council's letter-cargo completed, and final dispatch for Europesail for Tellicherry-pass Calicut-anecdotes of Hyder Ally and Zamorine of Calicut-end of that dynasty-anchor at Chetwadeparture for Europe-reflections on that event, and the melancholy fate of former shipmates—particulars of the voyage from the Malabar coast to St. Helena-storms off the Cape-Camoen's Spirit of the Cape-arrival at St. Helena-additional anecdotes and descriptions of that island-Sargasso, or Grass-sea-flyingfish-terrific storm-arrival in England.

CHAPTER XLI.

WE continued a fortnight at Tellicherry to complete the cargo of pepper. Mr. Church, the chief of that settlement, was one of our oldest Bombay friends; and under his hospitable roof we passed our time as pleasantly as the painful intelligence daily received from Mangulore, and other parts of Tippoo Sultaun's dominions, would allow us.

Our Tellicherry friends formed parties for us to Mahie, Durmapatam, and other places in its vicinity. The country is extremely pleasant for such excursions, and the weather at this season delightful. Indeed the climate of Tellicherry, in the latitude of 11° 47′′ north, is reckoned one of the finest in India; the land winds are generally moderate, the sea breezes cool and refreshing. A constant trade during the fair season, with vessels of all descriptions from different parts of India, renders this settlement very lively; while the number of civil servants, with the garrison officers and their families, beguile the rainy months in cheerful society and domestic enjoyments.

During our stay my friends kindly procured me every possiblevariety in the natural history of this part of Malabar; among others

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