6 PREFACE 



I was born on the twelfth of February (old 

 style) 1739, of an ancient family at Mamham, in 

 the County of Nottingham. Not being the eldest 

 son, and my father having but a moderate estate 

 and nine other children, it was not in his power 

 to do much for me. I received part of my educa- 

 tion at Newark, and during a few of the last years, 

 attended the Latin School. I was one year at 

 Randall's Academy, at Heath in Yorkshire; from 

 whence I returned and continued another year 

 at Newark. On the first of February 1753, I was 

 appointed a Gentleman Cadet, in the Cadet Com- 

 pany at Woolwich, where I had the opportunity 

 of improving myself, at the Royal Academy in 

 that place, for one year. But, sorry am I to say, 

 that either the want of genius or application, ren- 

 dered of little use to me, the instructions of those 

 excellent masters with which that institution was 

 then furnished. 



On the sixth of March in the following year, I 

 embarked for the East Indies, being the seventh 

 of twelve Cadets, who were sent to fill up the com- 

 missions which might become vacant, either in a 

 detachment of Artillery, commanded by Captain 

 Lieutenant William Hislop, or in the Thirty-ninth 

 Regiment of foot, which was then sent to that part 

 of the world, under the command of Colonel John 

 Adlercron, who was appointed Commander in 

 Chief of all the Forces employed, or to be em- 

 ployed in the East Indies. 



In little more than a year after my arrival in 

 India, I obtained an Ensigncy in Colonel Adler- 



