14 
CALICUT. 
black troops under their command, are supplied with water about 
twenty miles distant up the river. 
' On the 29th December we weighed our anchor at sunset, but were 
detained off the coast by a shooting party that had gone into the 
country early in the morning from the ship, and which, when they 
returned, brought with them snipes, a king’s-fisher, some water fowl, 
and two flying foxes,'which they had killed on the swamps on the 
opposite side of the Cochin river. 
The Persian Ambassador told us that his servants were extremely 
out of humour at our detention on the coast, and accused him of per¬ 
mitting himself to be led about by the English ; who, they affirmed, 
were doing so expressly to show to him the extent of their dominions, 
and their power over the Indians. 
About this time fifteen of our ship’s company were seized with the 
Cholera Morbus,'which was attributed to the Cochin water, but which 
our medical men said was owing to change of diet. It is a common 
case, that after a long sea voyage, the sick list is greatly increased ; for 
the fish, fruit, fresh meat, and vegetables, produce an almost instan¬ 
taneous effect upon stomachs which have been accustomed to salt pro¬ 
visions. The transition ought to be gradual. 
On the 31st December we were off Calicut, which is the most striking 
part of the Malabar coast; and we remarked, that Vasco di Gama, after 
a new, and long, and dangerous navigation, must have doubly felt the 
beauties of a country so grand in appearance, and so mild in its climate. 
The mountains here rise in most majestic forms behind a succession of 
hills, which terminate at the sea. As we sailed along the shore, boats 
came off* to us at a distance of eight or ten miles, to sell us fresh provi¬ 
sions, which were cheap almost beyond belief. One of the adventurers, 
a little Indian, was so elated by the success of his speculation, that as 
he stepped out of the ship, he exclaimed. Long live the company 
bahaudur! The company, to these people, is something like the 
kehleh ahlum to the Persians ; or the grand lama, to the Tartars. 
They cannot conceive that any thing greater than the company can 
