APPENDIX. 6t 



my voyage from Alexandria, had retired into my leg and 

 fettered there. The foot, leg, and thigh, fwelled to a mon- 

 ftrous fize, appearance of mortification followed, and thefur- 

 geon, with a tendernefs and humanity that did honour to 

 his fkill, declared, though reluctantly, that if 1 had been a man 

 of weak nerves, or foft difpofition, he would have prepared 

 me for what was to happen by the interpofition of a friend 

 or a prieft ; but as from my paft fufferings he prefumed my 

 fpirit was of a more refolute and firmer kind, he thought 

 faving time was of the utmoft confequence, and therefore 

 advifed me to refolve upon fubmitting to an immediate am- 

 putation above the knee. To limp through the remains of 

 life, after having efcaped fo many dangers with bones un- 

 broken, was hard, fo much fo, that the lofs of life itfelf 

 feemed the moft eligible of the two, for the bad habit of 

 body in which I found myfelf in an inveterate difeafe, for 

 which I knew no remedy, and joined to this the prejudice 

 that an Englilhman generally has againll foreign operators 

 in furgery, all perfuaded me, that, after undergoing ampu- 

 tation, I had but very little chance of recovery, befides long 

 and great fuffering, want of fleep, want of food, and the 

 weaknefs that attends lying long in lick- bed, had gradually 

 fubdued the natural defire and anxiety after life; every day 

 death feemed to be a lefler evil than pain. Patience, how- 

 ever, ftrong fomentations, and inward applications of the 

 bark, at length cured me. 



It was immediately after receiving my melancholy fen- 

 tence, that, thinking of my remaining duties, I remember- 

 ed I had carried abroad with me an order from the king to 

 procure feeds for his garden. Before I had loft the power 

 of direction, 1 ordered Michael, my Greek fervant 5 to take 



K z the 



