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CHAPTER IX. 
Mays. — On my return to Mocha, it was with very great pain I 
discovered that an unfortunate attachment to spirituous hquors, 
brought on originally by the solitude of the Factory, had so greatly 
gained on Mr. Pringle, that, instead of conducting himself with the 
prudence and discretion, which had heretofore conciliated the na- 
tives, and given respectability to the British character, he had, 
during my absence, thrown every thing into confusion, and was on 
the worst of terms with Devage and the Dola. 
Soon after my departure, a letter was received by Mr. Pringle 
from the Nakib, or nativ^e chief, of Macullah, informing him, that 
he had detained in his harbour a vessel which had entered under 
Arab colours, but which he had discovered to be English ; that 
the Arab part of the crew had risen on the officers, had murdered 
them all, and had piratically changed the destination of the vessel. 
The Nakib concluded with professions of esteem for the English 
nation, and desired Mr. Pringle to send some person to Macullah, 
to receive and take charge of the property. Captain Benzoni, a 
respectable Italian, w ho had been in the service of Seid Mohammed 
Akil, but was discharged by him because, as Captain, he would not 
take a false oath that a ship, which the Seid had intentionally run 
on shore to cheat the underwriters at Bombay, was lost by stress 
of weather, was then at Mocha, and was immediately sent down to 
Macullah, with a letter to the Nakib, 
