'A voyage from England to India, in the year 1754, and an historical narrative of the operations of the squadron and army in India, under the command of Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, in the years 1755, 1756, 1757 ... Also a journey from Persia to England by an unusual route. With an appendix, containing an account of the diseases prevalent in Admiral Watson's squadron, etc.' [‎52] (81/562)

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man. Mafler, forgive this one time \ I am poor foolijh fellow \ what Jljculd I
know ? * Aha! Jfee majler knows heft \ God has made good head for mafler r
To the account I have given of the feveral Indian Servants^ for the better
knowledge of a country now fo interefting to Great Britain, I beg leave to
add a few particulars relative to the nature and genius ot their Mechanics.—
The Cloth-merchants, forib they are there termed, feldom or never make ufe
of a yard or meafure of any kind, but mete out every thing by the cubit-,
which, in well-proportioned people, is the fpace between the elbow and the
tip of the middle finger i and this they do with luch exaflnefs, as not to err
perhaps-* of a yard in a piece of 70 cubits. It is alfo the cuftom in this part
of the world, as if is in moft of the country towns in England, to oblige the
taylor to come home, and work at your own houfe : but on viewing themiferv
able condition of fome of this tradefman's tools, his rufty fcififars in particular^
and how loofely riveted, you would think it impoflible for him ever to cut
out a coat with'them: It is much the fame with all his other implements; but
in fpite of every inconvenience he labours under, the Indian taylor is fo exact
an imitator, that he feldom or ever fails to give entire fatisfadion. And this
is the more furprizing, as he never meafures you; he only.afks " mafler for
mufier," as he terms it, that is, for a pattern, and they will be fure to keep
exactly to it, be the fafhion thereof ever fo extravagant.
The fame obfervation holds true with refped to the Carpenter, Black fmitb,
and many other mechanics. It is aftonifhing how exa6lly they will copy any
thing you give them, though they fcarce know the ufe of ten tools, and
though the few they have, are always in bad condition. Every thing they
undertake, they keep a long time in hand however, which is entirely owing
to their own obftinacy and abfurdity ; for they will never be put out of their
old way of working -, and fhould you be ever fo defiroir of inftrucfling them,
or fhewing them a more expeditious method, they will be fure to plead the
cuftom of their forefathers, for which they have fo great a veneration, that
they were never known even in a fingle inftance to depart from it. ^ Hence it
is eafy to conclude, that tKey muft always remain poor. Whenever therefore
you employ them, you are always obliged firft to give them in hand, by way
of expedition money, commonly half of what, your bargain comes to: and
befides this, if the tradefman you employ be in want of the neceflary mate
rials, (which is too often the cafe) you are then under a neceffity of fupplying
him with three parts, if not the whole.money beforehand.) This is a cuftom
frequently attended with many inconveniences-, for under the fanftion there
of, it is not uncommon lor thefe, tricking mechanics to go about from houfe
to houfe borrowing money, though at the fame time they do not intend to
touch the promifed work with one of their fingers. The Siher-fmith, in
regard to his fmall ftock in trade, is exactly upon the fame footino - with the-
reft of his neighbours: he has not the leaft article in his fhop to indicate-his
profeffion -, it you want any thing to be made by him, he too will afk for
- wufter, and you mud alfo lurnifh him with as many rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. , qx other filver;
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