ROBERT POCOCK. 2 1 1 



and a lark except gulls, although the sun shone de- 

 lightfully; then whither are the birds emigrated? 

 this is worth an inquiry. I think the history of birds 

 very imperfect ! I forgot to mention that upon wash- 

 ing one of the large bones I brought home on Friday, 

 it frothed like soap. In afternoon visited Mr. Alder 

 and looked over the numerous views he had got to- 

 gether of Kent placed alphabetically, and although I 

 was there five hours could only look over letters A, 

 13, C, and his portraits. 



" Monday, 8th. Served on a jury on a sailor killed 

 by a block during the storm on Thursday last, coming 

 out of the Firth of Forth, about twenty miles from 

 the Isle of May, the inquisition stated it was on board 

 the Prompt, Captain Miller, of Leith, about two ante- 

 meridian, which words the foreman of the jury, John 

 Hopcraft, senior, did not understand, and asked Mr. 

 Matthews, the town clerk, their meaning, which made 

 a smile among the other jurymen. The verdict was 

 ' accidental/ The deceased, John Banes, had a wife 

 and three children living at Leith, and through the 

 motion of Mr. Hubbard, one of the jurymen, the seven 

 shillings coming to the jury was given to the widow 

 and children : the other expense of nineteen shillings 

 the captain readily paid. 



"Friday, 12th. Went by Newman's coach to Dart- 

 ford. 



" Saturday, 13th. Windy. Mr. Nelson, the under 

 water-bailiff, called on me for information about the 

 open navigation of Yantlet Creek into the Medway. 

 He said Mr. Smith, a person of the Isle of Grain, had 

 indicted the City of London because they had ordered 

 him (some short timo since) to open the communication, 



p 2 



