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LETTERS

OF A

HINDO O RAJAH

LETTER XI.

From the RAJAH ZAARMILLA, 10
MAANDAARA.

PRAISE
RAISE to Varuna! under the guid-
ance of whofe potent arm, behold thy
friend, furrounded by the billows of the
mighty ocean.

The moft fublime objects alone prefent themselves to my view. Above is the azure canopy of Heaven, in which "the

gold-crowned Sultan of the firmament, advances the ftandard of his bright"nefs;" and without rival or competitor, enjoys the folitary grandeur of imperial ftate. Below is the boundless expanfe of waters, the congregated waves of which, like the chiefs of fome great republic, alternately rife into the majefty of power, and retire into the peace of obfcurity.

(4)

From the benevolence and friendship of captain Grey, I received every affiftance in preparing for my voyage, and procured every neceffary that could tend to its comfort. I have alfo from him Letters of introduction to his friends, with a sketch of the character of each, fo that I fhall have the advantage of a fort of pre-acquintance in a land of ftrangers. From Morton, I have received letters for his mother, and fifters, accompanied by fome valuable prefents, which the generous hand of Grey, enabled him to procure for them.

The young man has made a rapid progrefs in my efteem: his mind feems formed for the refidence of virtue; nor is there any reafon to apprehend that the headftrong paffions of youth will ever be able to drive her from her feat.

I have not forgotten the fifter of my friend, the long lamented Percy. For her I have made a felection of whatever I thought could be acceptable: and the idea of prefenting it in perfon, affords great delight to my mind,-Jeo-dofs, to whom, as well as to my other fervants, I gave the liberty of returning to Kuttaher, fo earneftly entreated for leave to accompany me, that I confented; and alfo at their own defire have kept two more of my own people, all of whofe

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fervices I find very ufeful to me in this floating cafle; where, in fpite of every precaution, I confefs, many things occur, difgufting to delicacy, and abhorrent to the nice feelings of propriety.

I was accompanied to the fhip by Grey, Morton, and fome other friends, who have diftinguifhed themselves by their particular kindness to me. Even Cooper, wild and eccentric as he is, would rot fufferr me to depart without fome token of his kindness. He brought me a cap lined with the fineft fur, which he told me would be of fervice in the cold climate I was about to encounter.

The pang of regret penetrated my heart, when I bade the laft farewell to these amiable friends; but when the fhip was put in motion, and I faw thofe bleft fhores, "the favoured feats of the Gods of India," recede from my fight, my heart grew faint within me, and all my philofophy was infufficient to re-invigorate my finking courage.

Sicknefs in a fhort time took from me the power of thinking. I have fuffered under it fo feverely, that I have hitherto been unable to enjoy the fociety of my fellow paffengers, the female part of whom are ftill confined to their apartments, by the cruel effects of this fea naufea, the moft intolerable of all difeafes! Upon the

quarter-deck, I have met the husband of one of thefe ladies, who was

of, in which ftation he acquired a fortune, which though not the tenth of the fum that a Muffulman Dewan would have acquired, will, I am told be fufficient to give him diftin&tion in his own country. The Commander of the fhip, though among his men he appears like a lion of the foreft, is to his paffengers gentle as the deer of the mountain. I have already been much indebted to his politenefs and civility. I have the fame ac knowledgment to make to the Surgeon, a young man, whofe quick, and penetrating eye gives the promife of genius, and difcernment.

Time, that great Physician, having in fome degree reconciled our ftomachs to the motion of the veffel, I have had the pleasure of being introduced to the fair companions of our voyage; who are three in number.

The firft, is the wife of the Dewan; her features are regular, but fo infipid, that I fhould not fail to pronounce her equally void of fenfe and feeling, was it not for the unlimited affection fhe evinces towards the animal creation, which the carries to as exalted a height as any Hermit of Cummow. Surrounded by Parrots, Lorys, Maccaws, fmall Dogs, Perfian

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