faid Sir Hugh Pallifer, but which, in fact, were never made. That the commiffioners of the admiralty tear five months after the pretended offences aforefaid, did receive from their faid colleague in office, the charge made by him against his faid commander, and without taking into confideration the relative fituation of the accufer, and the party accafed, or attending to the avowed motives of the acensation, or the length of time of withholding, or the occafion of making the fame, and without any other deliberation whatfoever, did on the very fame day on which the charge was preferred, and without previous notice to the party accufed, of an intention of making a charge against him, give notice of their intending that a court-martial should be held on the said admiral Keppel, after forty years meritorious fervice, and a variety of actions in which he had exert ed eminent courage and conduct, by which the honour and power of this nation, and the glory of the British flag, had been maintained and increased in various parts of the world. We beg leave to exprefs to your majesty our concern at this proceeding, and to reprefent our apprehenfions of the difficulties and difcouragements which will inevitably arife to your service therefrom; and that it will not be eafy for men attentive to their honour, to serve your majesty, particularly in fituations of principal command, if the practice now ftated to your majefty be countenanced, or the principles upon which the fame has been fupported, fhall prevail with any lord high admiral, or with any commiffioner, for exccuting that office. We are humbly of opinion that a crimiBal charge against an officer (rifing in importance according to the rank and command of that officer) which fufpends his fervice to your majefty, perhaps, in the moft critical exigencies of the public af fairs, which calls his reputation into doubt and difcuffion, which puts him on trial for his life, profeffion, and reputation, and which, in its confequences, may caufe a fatal ceffation in the naval exertions of the kingdom, to be a matter of the most ferious nature, and never to be made by authority but on a folid ground, and on mature deliberation. The honour of an officer is his moft precious poffeffion, and beft qualification; the public have an interest in it; and whilst those under whom we ferve countenance accufation, it is of ten impoffible perfectly to restore military fame by the mere acquittal of a court martial. Imputations made by high authority remain long and affect deeply. The Iphere of action of commanders in chief is large, and their business intricate, and fubject to great variety of opinions; and before they are to be put on the judgment of others for acts done upon their difcretion, the greatest discretion ought to be employed. Whether the board of admiralty hath by law any fuch difcretion, we, who are not of the profeffion of the law, cannot pofitively affert; but if we had conceived that this board had no legal ufé of their reafon in a point of fuch delicacy and importance, we should have known on what terms we served. But we never did imagine it poffible, that we were to receive orders from, and to be accountable to thofe, who, by law, were reduced to become paffive inftruments to the poffible malice, ignorance, or treafor of any individual who might think fit to difarm his majesty's navy of its beft and higheft officers. We conceive it difrefpectful to the laws of our country to fuppose them capable of fuch manifeft injuftice and abfurdity. We therefore humbly reprefent, in behalf of the public order, as well as of the difcipline of the navy, to your majesty, the dangers of long concealed, and afterwards precipitately adopted charges, and of all recriminatory accufations of fubordinate officers against their commanders in chief; and particularly the mifchief and fcandal of permitting men, who are at once in high civil office, and in fubordinate military command, previous to their mak ing fuch accufations, to attempt to corrupt the public judgment, by the publi. cation of libels on their officers in a common news-paper, thereby exciting mutiny in your majefty's navy, as well as prejudicing the minds of thofe who are to try the merits of the accufation against the faid fuperior officer. Hawke, James Young, Matthew Barton, Francis Geary, Shuldham, Clark Gayton, (Copy) Anecdote relating to the Poffidonians; a People dwelling on the Tyrrhenian Coaft. HEY were formerly Greeks, but funk into a state of barbarity and floth, under the dominion of the Tyrrhenians and Romans. Their conquerors, who compelled them to adopt their language and customs, permitted them alfo to have one d day of jubilee, when they might annually affemble together. On this occafion they were indulged with a free converfation in their own language, and permitted to speak without restraint of the laws, customs, and transactions of paft times. This meeting, inftead of a joyous feftival, which was the defign of the inftitution, proved always the fource of lamentation and diftrefs, by reviving the ideas of their former felicity, which naturally led to reflections on their prefent deplorable condition. Defcription of Madrid. ADRID is the capital of the whole trade and circulation of money. Here are three royal academies, one for the improvement of the Spanish language, another for hiftory, and the third for medicine. Madrid, formerly, was a difagreeable, dirty town, but has been greatly improved of late, and is now one of the neateft places in Europe. A late ingenious traveller, fpeaking of Madrid, fays-“ Į walked about the town, and obferved that the names of the ftreets were painted on the corner houfes; that the houses were all numbered; that the number of lamps were equal to that of the city of London; that the paving was as regular and neat as M Spanish monarchy, and the refl- can be imagined; and that the treas dence of the fovereign, though never honoured with the title of city. It is fituated in the center of a large plain, furrounded with mountains, and in the very heart of Spain, on the banks of the little river Manzanares, which is always fhallow, except when fwelled by the melting of fnow on the mountains. The ftreets are wide, ftraight, and beautiful, and embellished with feveral handfome fountains. The houses are fair and lofty, but built of brick, with latticed windows, excepting those of people of fashion and opulence, which have glazed windows; but during the fummer, they make ufe of gauze or fome other thin fabric to introduce the air. There are two ftately bridges over the Manzanares, feveral elegant fquares, a great many magnificent churches, convents, palaces, and hofpitals, among the Taft of which is one for perfons of all nations and diftempers, which is richly endowed. Around the Placa Major, or grand fquare, are piazzas, with houfes all in the fame file, and a continued range of balconies, for viewing the bull-fights and other public fpectacles exhibited in it. --The royal palace, which is on the weft fide of the town, fituated on an emimence, is spacious and magnificent, confitting of three courts, and commands a very extensive profpect. At the caft end of the town is the Prado or Pardo, which is a delightful plain, planted regularly with rows of poplars, and watered with a great many fountains. Here the nobility and gentry take the air on horfeback or in their carriages, and the common people on foot, or divert themselves with various fports and exercises. The whole town is in compafs about nine miles, and the number of its inhabitants is computed to be 150,000. It is well fupplied with provifions of all kinds at moderate prices, and the court, with the confluence of the nobility and the colleges, occalion a britk were kept fo clean, that I never faw any neater, not even in the cities of Holland; whereas, ten years ago, Madrid might have vied with Edinburgh in its former ftate for filthinefs." The environs of Madrid are very pleafant, and contain several royal seats, among which are El Buen Retiro, Cafa del Campo, Florida, Le Pardo, Sarfcula, and St. Ildefonfo: but the moft magnificent, not only in this country, but perhaps in the whole world, is the Efcurial, which receives its name from a small village about twenty-two miles north-weft from Madrid. It was built by Philip II. either in honour of St. Lawrence, on whofe feftival his forces obtained the victory of St. Quintin, anno 1575, or in confequence of a vow he made to that faint, if he fhould gain the victory. It is an immenfely fpacious edifice, of curious white and fpeckled stone, ornamented with various forts of marble, jafper, &c. It was twentytwo years in building, and appears like a town at a distance, having, as is reported, about 11,000 windows, and containing, befides the royal apartments and offices, a moft fplendid church, in which are forty chapels, and as many altars, rich beyond conception, a convent of the order of Jerom, a college, several hospitals or infirmaries, and a magnificent library, containing an immenfe and choice collection of books in all languages and fciences. Here alfo is the burial place of the kings and queens of Spain, called the Pantheon, which, notwithstanding its riches and fplendor, is an affecting monument of the vanity and tranfitorinefs of human grandeur. It is afferted, that it would take up four days to go through all the apartments of this palace, which for variety of jafper, marble and other curious ftones, painting, fculpture, plate, arms, &c. exceed all imagination. 1979. A new Collection of Voyages and Travels. ▲ new and complete Collection of Voyages and Travels; containing all that have been remarkable from the earliest Period to the prefent Time. By John Hamilton Moore. the Discovery of a Passage by Sea to the Eaft Indies. ON (Continued from page 660.) was ornamented with precious ftones of various colours and fizes. In the midst of all this ftate, Gama having made his reverence, was ordered to advance, and was feated near the emThe firft Voyage of Vasquez De Gama, forwards, being placed on the oppofite fide. peror; his followers, who entered afterWhen they called for drink, water was ferved them out of a golden cup with a fpout from which they were obliged to pour it into their mouths without touching their lips, (which the Moors there reckoned an indelicate cuftom) but in endeavouring to use this method, fome of the Chriftians wetted their cloaths, and caufed diverfion to the courtiers; whilst others overcharging their throats, began to fall into fits of coughing or to thro's it up again, which greatly embarred them, as they had been informed the Samorin kept fuch state that it was reckoned an affront to let any one's breath reach him, or to cough fpit, or fneeze in his prefence. N the 18th of May, Gama landed in as great ftate as his circumstances would permit, and fet out for the Samorin's palace. On their way thither, the ftrangers were followed by great crowds, and a minifter of the emperor, called the Cutwal, fhewed them much respect. By him the general and his people were perfuaded to enter a temple, which (having their heads full of the idea of Chriftianity in India) they conceived from certain expreffions and ceremonies of the Indians, to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In this apprehenfion they fell down and worshipped there, though the place was full of frightful idols; One of the company however obferved," That if the adoration was meant to be paid by the natives to the devil, yet he meant to pay his devotions to God." Being arrived at the palace, they found it large, well fituated, and accommodated with delightful gardens. Gama was received at the gate by an old high priest, who conducted him in through a guard that preffed fo hard as to squeeze teveral of the natives to death, and greatly to incommode the Portuguese, though the latter had officers appointed on purpofe to clear the way for them. When they were admitted, they found the hall of audience fomewhat to refemble a theatre in its interior form, the floor being covered with velvets, the walls hung with filk, and the feats rifing above each other in regular gradation. The king was a man of an olive complexion advanced in years, and of a commanding afpect. He reclined, under a canopy, on a fettee of white filk, embroidered with gold. His cloathing was of white callico, wrought with flowers of gold, the buttons being all large pearls. He had rings fet with jewels in his ears, and his fingers and toes were ornamented in the fame manner. His arms and legs though otherwife naked, were likewife adorned with gold rings; and he was ferved with betel nut (which he chewed with falt and areka) in a golden bafon, having another ready for him to fpit into, which was made of the fame metal, and a golden fountain that furnished him with water to wath his mouth after his chewing. This prince wore a crown in fhape of a mitre, which Gent, Mag. Jan. 1779 Gama was defired to declare his business to the emperor's officers, but he refused in quality of an ambaffador, to make it known to any but that prince himself, and a few felected from his council. This being agreed to, Gama and Fernan Martinez were conducted into another apartment, where the Indian interpreter, the chief bramin, the betel ferver, and the comptroller of the houfhold, were the only perfons prefent, when the Samorin received the embaffy, which the general delivered in the name of the king of Portugal, who, he said having heard of Christian princes in the Indias, of whom he conceived the emperor of Calicut to be the chief, was defirous of corresponding with him. The general received a favourable anfwer; and not chufing to lodge among the natives, when it grew late, was conducted to an apartment provided for him by the Samorin's command. Thus far all went well; but the next day when Gama refolved to fend the emperor a prefent, which confifted of fcartet, coral, brafs, fugar, oil and honey, the Cutwal would by no means allow it to be carried to court, as not being rich enough; obferving that his matter expected gold fom fo great a monarch as the king of Portugal: the general excused himfelt by faying that these things ought rather to be confidered as a prefent from himfelf than from his prince, who doubtless would fend fomething more fuitable as foon as he should be informed of the greatness of the emperor, and his refolution of correfponding with his fubjects. But all this availed nothing, the Moors having already prejudiced the court again him. For fear, the arrival of these firangers at Calicut mould prove a hindrance B to that trade, which they themselves had monopolized, they related with many exaggerations all that had happened at Mozanibique and along the African coaft: in conclulion, obferving that these things being confidered, together with the fmallness of the prefent which Gama brought, he ought rather to be confidered as fome pirate or needy adventurer than as the ambaflador of a great king. The general was however admitted again to the Samorin's prefence, who received him at firit with an angry countenance, complaining of his delay of reforting to court, which, in fact, had been occafioned by the difpute with the Cutwal and others about the prefents. Afterwards this prince demanded, Whether fo extraordinary an adventurer had been fent to difcover fiones or men? because he obferved that if the latter was the object, prefents ought to have been fent to him. At lait this great king defcended fo low as to afk of the general a Saint Mary hat he conceived to be gold, and which, though Gama afferted it was only gilt wood, yet he refufed to part with on a fuppofition that it had preferved him from the dangers of the fea. After having ufed all his endeavours to find out whether his gueft was really a pirate or a fugitive, the emperor fecmed well pleased, on hearing a letter from the king of Purtugal read and interpreted, as it related to the establishing a commercial conn xion between his fubje&ts and the merchants of Calicut, which bad all the appearance of a mutual benefit. But notwithflanding this interview feemed to have produced favourable effects, the Moors equaily influenced by confiderations of interest and or religion, ceafed not to plot againíì Gama, whom at firft they would have perfuaded the Cutwal to affaffinate. Though this fcheme did not take effect, yet that officer confined the general, and ufed every artifice to feize the Portuguese fhips; but the firmness of the prifoner defeating this defign alfo, he had recourte to another method of proceeding, namely that of urging him to caufe all his goods to be landed, which he thought by thofe means fecretly to secure, and therefore on that condition promifed to let him go on board his vefiel in fafety. confined, but otherwife well enough used. In this letter he ordered his brother to fend part of the goods, obferving, that fhou'd he afterwards be detained, it must be looked upon that the Samorin meant to keep him prifoner; in which cafe he commanded the hips to fail back without him, and to foli cit the court of Portugal immediately to dispatch a strong fleet to his relief. The goods were fent accordingly, and the general being fet at liberty, returned to his fhips; but the hatred of the Moors, who now faw their enemy removed out of their reach, increafing with their difappointments, they contrived to hinder the fale of his commodities; and though the emperor, on being informed of thefe proceedings by Gama, appeared much offended with the Cutwal, yet that officer was not punished, nor was this infolence of the Moors at all rentrained. The goods being however removed to Calicut, the fale was opened, and the Portuguefe, by their commander's permiffion, visited the city; but not without being frequently infulted by the Mahometans, who were heartily vexed that the general would not land again; from which he was difluaded by the friendly Mour Bontaybo. Gama, who had little reafon to be fatisfied with his fituation, preparing to depart, ordered Diaz to go with a prefent to the emperor, defiring, that if the latter had any intention of fending an ambaffador to Portugal he might be difpatched immediately, as the fleet was about to fail. The prefent was delivered to the factor, and the Samorin only answered that if Gama was refolved to depart, he should expe✰ 6:0 harifins to be paid according to the cultom of that port, Diaz was allo detained, and a proclamation made, forbidding any one from the city to go on board the fleet; yet Dontaybo went, and having obferved upon the fickle temper of the em peror, warned Gama of the hazard he muft run, in cafe he thould slay till the arrival of the fleet from Mecca, which would doubtlefs take him. There needed no more to fet a prudent man upon his guard. Gama contrived foon afterwards to fecure fome principal men that came on board, and then fent a letter demanding his factor and fecretary, but thefe not being returnThough little confidence was to be placed as he expected, he put to fea immediateed in fuch a man, yet G ma promifed to ly. fend for the merchandife in cafe fome aima- The Indians perceiving his refolution dias or pinnaces of the country were difpatched to bring them on thore, as he faid his brother (whom he had previously instructed) would never trust the fhips boats to land men or goods without being authorifed by his prefence. The matter being thus fettled, he wrote word, That he was 1 fent a boat after him, the crew of which told him that his people were fafe in the king's palace, and that they would be fent to him the next day. Gama anfwered That it might be lo, but he expected to fee them or receive letters from them, otherwile he would fink the next boat that should dare 1779. A new Collection of Voyages and Travels. dare to approach him; adding, That if they were finally refolved not to restore his men, he would put to death thofe of theirs that he bad in poffeffion. This threat had the defired effect; for the Bext day the perfons demanded were brought, and put on board the fhip's boat at the place where Gama came to an an chor, not daring to come near his fhip. By them a letter was alto fent to the king of Portugal, which was to the following purport: "Vafquez de Gama, a gentleman of thy houfe, came to my country, of whole coming I was glad. In my country there is plenty of cinnamon, cloves, pepper and precious flones. The things that I'am de firous to have out of thine are filver, gold, coral, and fearlet." The infincerity of the emperor's profeffions however appeared fo plainly, that Gama fent back only the Nayres, and when, after many endeavours used to deceive him, he found he could not get his merchandife returned, he declared he would take the rest of the natives of the country with him, to confirm his having difcovered the paffage to India, fince the Samorin had refused to fend fuch commodities as he had defired for a confirmati He had not got above a league from Calicut, before he wa furprized by the appearance of a number of boats which purfued the fleet, but by means of his ordnance and a fresh gale that sprung up, he avoided the danger. Previous to this, Bontaylo's goods being feized on thore, he had fled to the general for fhelter, and he was now employed to write a letter to the emperor, expatiating on the advantage that would refult to his fubjects from trading with the Portuguese, who, as he pronifed, would return as fpeedily as poffible to those coafts with the wares and merchan difes that were required. Some days afterwards another attack was made upon them by pirates, one of whofe veffels they took, (after having driven the reft clofe to flore) and found it laden with cocoas and molaffes, having alfo a quantity of weapons on board. Arriving at a little inland with four others in the neighbourhood, called Anfandiva, the. Portuguese were in danger of a furprife from fome of the fame vifitants; but being warned by the natives, the ordnance was fired at the free booters, and they retreated with precipitation. Gama now received a meffage from one Zabaius the lord of Góa, who invited him in a very friendly manner to his country, N. O T E. * Or nobleman. ΤΙ But the meffenger being fufpected for a spy, and accordingly put to the torture, he confelfed that this invitation was meant only as a fnare to entrap and feize the Portu guefe, which they thus luckily avoided falling into, by the wariness of their commandert. Contrary winds, alternate forms and calms, and a fickness which proved epidemical, tendered the voyage from Anfandiva very troublefome, till, at length a favourable gale, brought the fleet in sight of Mogadoxo, on the 2d of February, at a time when they had reafon to believe they were near Mozambique. The city appeared large and well built, furrounded with walls. In the middle food a large palace on a rifing ground; but the inhabitants being Moors, Gama was fo far from having an inclination to land there, that he caufed his great guns to be loaded and fired at the walls as he paffed along, which did them confiderable damage, and then purfued his courfe for 113 leagues towards Melinda, as he had at firit intended. Here the general and his men met with very kind entertainment, but ftayed only five days, left the winter fhould overtake them at the cape; in their way to which they touched at the inland of Zanzibar, where he found the inhabitants, though Moors, well difpofed toward the Portuguefe, who had been obliged by this time to burn one of their veffels, named the St. Raphael, becaufe ficknefs had fo much leffened their numbers, that there were not hands fuilicient to man the fhips and bring them home in fafety. Having again refreshed his men at St. Blas; the general proceeded, and doubled the Cape of Good Hope on the 25th of April, after which a favourable gale fprung up, which continuing for twenty days, brought him to St. Jago, one of the Cape Verd iflands, where a tempett feparating the fhips, Coello's veffel was the first that reached Lisbon, while Gama, after having weathered the form, leaving his fhip at St. Jago, hired a veffel to carry him home. He put in at the Terceras in his way where his brother Paul, who had long been NO Ꭲ . E. This man was afterwards baptifed, became a good catholic, and was carried to Portugal. He faid the defign of the Lord of Goa was to make the Portuguese when he had taken them, ferve him in his wars against the neighbouring princes. He was fufpected of defign in this feparation, which fome affirmed he effected only on purpofe to be the first that fhould bring the 'court of Portugal the news of this important difcovery. |