Hamilton’s account ot the east indies.

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to be fearched, to fee if farther proof could be found about him ; the very purfe thatthe money was in, was found in his bofom. However, the murderer denied all, butwas fent to prifon and fettered, till other perfons were fent for that were particularlywell acquainted with the defunct. Five or fix evidences who were fent for appeared,and the ring and purfe being produced, they 1'vvore, that they knew them to be withthe unfortunate defunct when he fet out on his journey for Mocha ; and he at lengthconfeft the fafct himfelf. The judge, and the reft of his court, defired him to returnthe money, and they would folicit the murdered perfon’s relations to fpare his life, itbeing in their power to take away or fave his life ; but he absolutely denied the return-ing back any part of it, and impudently alked the judge, how he thought his wife andchildren fhould be fupported, if he fhould return the money.

Three months had paffed in unfruitful perfuafions, but finding him obftinate, theybid him prepare to die next day about noon. And accordingly, with a guard of about500 horfe and foot foldiers, he was carried without the city, with his hands tied be-hind him ; and about 200 yards from Sheek Sedley’s gate, he was delivered to thedefunct's relations, who firft gave him a deep ftab under the left pap, and one of therelations Handing behind, pulled back his head, while another cut his throat from earto ear, and fo left him with all fpeed. For as foon as the mob faw him killed, they a f-faulted the executioners with ftones and brick-bats fo furioufly, that the guards hadmuch ado to fave them from being murdered ; for there is a palfage in the Alcoran,importing, that whoever fpilt a believer’s blood, is accurfed, and ought to be ftoned todeath.

The foldiery of Mocha are very infolent and licentious ; for in the months of May,June, and July, the air being fired with heat, and the greateft concourfe of ftrangerscome to town, either about traffick, or getting palfage by fea to foreign countries, andabout that lime cafh is plentieft in town, then thofe undifeiplined cowards feldom failto fet fire to fame huts that the labouring people live in, and they being built of a fewfpars, covered -with the branches and leaves of date trees, which are very eombuftiblematerials, the flame foon grows fierce and violent, and very often penetrates throughthe doors and windows of merchant’s houfes, though built of brick. And, in the con-fternation, when people are intent on faving what they can, by removing their goodsfrom their burning houfes to the ftreets, thofe varlets plunder publickly there with im-punity ; and although thofe villains are detected in fetring fire to houfes and plunder-ing, and complaints made of them to the governor, thofe grievances are fo far frombeing redreffed, that I have known a complainer well baftonaded for detecting ther ogues. When I traded there, I always kept a part of my {hip’s company afhore fora guard, and I acquainted the governor, that if any perfon came through our ftreet inthe night with fire in their hands, as they often did through feveral other ftreets wheremerchants kept their ware-houfes, I would order my men to fire on fuch fire-carriers,vdiich kept me pretty fecure from them.

The largelt city in the Immaum of Arabia Felix’s dominions, is Sounan. It is 15days journey north-eaft from Mocha. It drives a great inland trade, and is the martf°r many of the India goods that are brought to Mocha. The mechanicks of differenttrades have each their peculiar different ftreet; fo that whatever commodities ftrangersmay want, they readily know where to find them. And in all the ftreets there arebrokers for wives, fo that a ftranger, who has not the conveniency of an houfe in the°ty to lodge in, may marry, and be made a free burgher for a fmall fum. When theman fees his fpoufe, and likes her, they agree on the price and term of weeks, months0r years, and then appear before the Cadjee or Judge of the place, and enter theirvol. viii. 0 o names