ROBERT POCOCK. 175 



" Tuesday, llth. A man playing or claiming on the 

 bells of Gravesend Church many very pleasant tunes,, as 

 ' Oh. dear, what can the matter be ? ' &c., &c. The mode 

 he took was to tie tight all the bell-ropes near him in a 

 circle, and pushing from him the ropes very quickly, 

 made the bells strike. 



" Wednesday, 12th. At night Mr. Grafter brought 

 a foreign round fruit, as big as a man's head, full 

 of prickles ; and it resembled a hedgehog rolled 

 up, so exactly that I was some time (at first) before I 

 thought otherwise. On looking for its name in my 

 botanical books, I could not find it out exactly, but I 

 believe it ranks as a cactus. 



(t Friday, 14th. Heard that a great fire had been 

 at Canton, and all the tea burnt. Mr. Grafter brought 

 an old almanack, made by twelve pieces of wood, cut 

 out in Runic characters. 



" Monday, 17th. Heard few persons gave anything 

 at Dr. Watson's sermon yesterday. 



"Tuesday, 18th. Brenand, my late journeyman 

 compositor, returns from a journey through Kent, and 

 I set him to work this morning. 



" Wednesday, 19th. Printed this morning twenty- 

 five posting bills ' for petty officers, carpenters, sail- 

 makers, and able seamen to enter on board the Albion, 

 Captain Sir William Hoste, Bart., K.C.B., now lying at 

 Portsmouth/ He is brother to Sir George Hoste, 

 chief engineer at Gravesend, Tilbury, and Purfleet. 



" Saturday, 22nd. William Brenand, my journey- 

 man printer, left me for London. The assizes 

 ended. 



" Monday, 24th. Cleared out of the composing- 

 room, in order to have my rent lowered three pounds 

 per year, from twenty-five pounds per year. 



