106 BOxMBAY. 
dispatched to Massowah, to continue the survey from that island 
to Cosseir. I at the same time stated to his Excellency my inten- 
tion of returning to Europe by the Persian Gulf,' and requested he 
would have the goodness to send me letters of recommendation 
to the Pacha of Bagdad. I expected that this Chief would afford 
me every assistance in crossing the Desert, as he was anxiously 
looking for assistance from India to resist the incursions of the 
Wahabees, and had actually an Embassador in Bengal, who had 
been received with every attention, had had all his expenses paid, 
and the crazy vessel in which he had arrived, repaired at the 
public expense. I therefore preferred throwing myself on his pro- 
tection, to again braving the adverse winds of the Red Sea. As the 
answer could not be received from Calcutta in less than six weeks, 
I thought the interval would be very satisfactorily filled up, by 
paying a visit toPoonah; I therefore wrote to Colonel Close, the 
British Resident with the Paishwa, to inquire whether he conceived 
it would be politically advisable; and if he did, to request that he 
would state to his Highness my wish to pay my respects to him. 
I was obligingly favoured with an immediate answer, expressing the 
satisfaction it would give him to receive me at the Residency, and 
informing me that the Paishwa was much pleased at the idea of 
my visit, which he wished should take place at the approaching 
festival of the Dusserah, which would commence on the 13th of 
October ; a wish with which I most readily complied. 
On the 6th of October every preparation, as I understood, had 
been made for my departure by the orders of the Governor : tents 
had been sent on to the different stations at which I should stop ; 
forty bearers had been procured for our three palanquins, and the 
