Page 503

An.1688

He takes Physick of a Malayan.

recover. I was the best ; yet still very sick of a Fever, and little likely to live. Therefore Mr. Drif- cal, and some other Englishmen, persuaded me to take some purging Physick of a Malayan Doctor. I took their advice, being willing to get ease: but after 3 Doses, each a large Calabash of nasty Stuff, finding no amendment, I thought to desist from more Physick: but was persuaded to take one Dose more; which I did, and it wrought so violently, that I thought it would have ended my days. I struggled till I had been about 20 or 30 times at stool: but it working so quick with me, with little intermission, and my strength being almost spent, I even threw my self down once for all, and had above 60 stools in all before it left off working. I thought my Malayan Doctor, whom they so much commended, would have killed me outright. I continued extraordinary weak for some days after his drenching me thus: but my Fever left me for above a week: after which it returned upon me a- gain for a twelve month, and a Flux with it.

However, when I was a little recover'd from the effects of my Drench, I made a shift to go a- broad: and having been kindly invited to Captain Bowrey's House there, my first visit was to him; who had a Ship in the Road, but lived ashore. This Gentleman was extraordinary kind to us all, par- ticularly to me, and importuned me to go his Boatswain to Persia; whither he was bound, with a design to sell his Ship there; as I was told, tho not by himself. From thence he intended to pass with the Caravan to Aleppo, and so home for En- gland. His business requir'd him to stay some time longer at Achin; I judge, to sell some commodities, that he had not yet disposed of. Yet he chose ra- ther to leave the disposal of them to some Mer- chant there; and make a short trip to the Nicobar Islands in the mean time, and on his return to take in