IND The Narrative, &c. N the beginning of the year 1771, David Roche, Efq; by great intereft and strong recommendations obtained a Captain's command in the service of the honourable the East India Company, and in the month of May, 1772, Captain Roche embarked on board the Vanfittart, Captain Young, then lying at the Motherbank, bound for Bombay. The night after the arrival of Captain Roche and his lady, the reft of the pallengers came on board in the evening, and foon after fupper was produced on table. Captain Roche, who was a ftranger to the whole company, during the time of fupper, took notice to Mrs. Roche, that the behaviour of every perfonage on board was extremely rude and difrespectful; for that not one fingle perfon either drank or paid any kind of compliment to him or his lady. To account for this uncommon behaviour, Captain Roche immediately concluded that his advancement in the honourable the Eaft-India Company's fervice, was the reafon of this disrespect, and that a jealousy had arifen not only with regard to his appointment, but likewife a perfonal pique with refpect to their furmifes of his fuperior advancement on his arrival at Bombay, was the cause of this premeditated incivility. Confcious of his never having given any offence to a fingle individual on board, Capt. Roche wondered at the infult, and felt for the ungentleman-like treatment to his lady; however, he fmothered his expoftulations, and was extremely cautious of giving any provocation for further rudeness. This kind of treatment continued till their arrival at the Madeiras, which was about three weeks, during which time Mrs. Roche was very ill and confined to her cabin; and from the time of embarking, to that period, not one gentlenian or lady either vifited or enquired once after the health of Mrs. Roche, though bound by all the ties of humanity, and inftigated by a fellow feeling for the diftrefs of fo long a fea voyage, about five or fix months. Difagreeable and offenfive as this treatment must have been to Captain Roche, he ftill took no notice of the affront, but privately enquired who and what his fellow paffengers were; when he was informed by a Serjeant Frazer, and a Serjeant Brown, that the names of two of the gentlemen were Lieutenant Fergufon, and Mr. Grant, a writer; both in the fervice of the Eaft-India Company, and both bound for Bombay, but their deftination at Bengal. That pre vious to Captain Roche's embarkment, they had feverally objected to his company, and advised the Captain, not only to make objections to taking him on board, but also, if under neceffity, to advance the price of the paffage. In confequence of which, Captain Young wrote a letter to Captain Roche, in which he lays, "You are to confider my fhip as a stage coach, and that the whole money must be laid down for the paffage; that the price he would take Captain Roche and his lady at, was One Hundred Guineas each; but that in fact he was fo crouded there was no room; however, if Captain Roche was determined to fail with him he (Captain Young) would procure him the mate's cabin for fifty-five guineas; and concluded with advifing Captain Roche to wait the next feafon." This letter Captain Roche fhewed to Mr. Coggan, chief clerk in the thipping department; who declared, that as he was acquainted with Captain Young, he would not for an hundred pounds that letter was prefented to the court; for if it was, Captain Young would certainly be broke for his objections to the orders of the directors, and begged Captain Roche not to prefent it, but to keep it as a fecret between them, which Captain Roche did, and that transaction never tranfpired till now. It must be understood that fifty guineas is the common charge for the passage to Bombay, or any part of India, and to partake of the Captain's table; that the whole of Captain Young's extraordinary proceeding was owing to the infinuations of Lieut. Ferguson and Mr. Grant, which Captain Roche afterwards learnt by the faid Serjeants Brown and Frazer. He was informed alfo by feveral gentlemen, that Ferguson was originally on board the fame fhip a Loblolly-boy, better known by the name of a Surgeon's boy, who went out many years before in that station; but upon the arrival of the fhip at Bengal entered into the army, and from a dearth of officers became an Enfign, and arrived to the rank of Lieutenant, in which capacity he acquired fome property and returned to Scotland; when, after four years continuance at home, he folicited the company to go out again with his rank, which they granted. In this station he was met with by Captain Roche, who, till that moment, had never to his knowledge fpoke to, or feen him. Mr. Fergufon was never more than a Lieutenant, though out of compliment was filed Captain. Uuuu 2 With With respect to Mr. Grant, the writer, he was originally fervant to Mr. Beecher, formerly in council at Bengal, who afterwards promoted him to a desk in his office. Grant's uncle has an inferior office in the excife in Scotland, and has Grant's brothers and fitters to maintain upon that income. As these two were the principal gentlemen concerned in, and raised the clamour against Capt. Roche, the reader will excufe us for giving them their origin, which was confirm'd to Captain Roche by Serjeant Frazer, who is first coufin to Mrs. Frazer, Grant's motherin-law; which was univerfally admitted by divers people from the fame place then on board. Mrs. Frazer, Grant's motherin-law, and her two daughters, were the only ladies on board. It will not there fore be furprizing that Lt. Ferguson, and Mr. Grant, the writer, fhould fo far prevail over their female friends and relations, as to cause them to act according to the fphere of life in which they had been brought up. Had they influenced them to a behaviour polite and humane,it would indeed have been a matter of aftonifnment to every real lady and gentleman, To return. From the behaviour of thefe gentlemen alone, and not from their origin, Captain Roche avoided every Overture of familiarity, and took every opportunity of fhunning their company as much as poffible; but in fo confin'd a place as the largest ship muft needs be, it is impoffible at all times to be alone, especially at meals, when Capt. Roche behaved with a diftant politenefs and a gentleman-like referve. This, though due to Captain Roche as a gentleman and an officer, was a behaviour top poignant to be unnoticed, and confequently a premeditated affront was given at the Madeiras. Upon the arrival of the fhip there, the Captain introduced the forementioned perfons to Meffrs. M'Murdoc, Ferns, and co. merchants on that ifland; and Capt. Roche and his lady, after dining, took their leaves and bespoke lodgings at a tavern; when they were prefent, ly after waited upon by Mr. Ferns and Capt. Young, who earneftly intreated them to quit the tavern, and take up their refidence during their ftay there, at Mefirs. Murdoc's and co. To this Capt. Roche and his lady objected, not having the honour to know them, and begged to be excused as they were entire firangers, and probably might never have it in their powers to return fuch an obligation. This excufe did not ferye Mr. Ferns, he infifted on conducting them to his house, and fhewing them all the hof pitality in his power as travellers. Capt: Young then joined in the request,befought Capt. Roche to accept the invitation, and faid, that Captain Roche's refiding at a tavern with his lady, might give an opportunity to the other party to pafs their ridicule, and mifreprefent him by infinuating it was owing to that step of Captain Roche's that any misunderstandings had arifen. After thefe preffing invitations, a refufal on the part of Captain Roche would have been rude and unpolite; he therefore immediately accepted of Mr. Ferns' genteel offer, confidered the advice of Captain Young as very friendly, and directly went with Mr. Ferns and Captain Young to Meffrs. Murdoc, Ferns, &c. and joined his former company. At the Madeiras there were general invitations to all the merchants houses to dinner, and bails after; when one day at Mr. Kuff's, merchant, after dinner, Mr. Wilkes, member for Middlefex, being the topic of difpute, fome curious queftions were asked refpecting Mr. Wilkes, to which a negative being given, in way of conversation Captain Roche observed, that Miss Frazer, fifter-in-law to Mr. Grant, resembled very much in features Mifs Wikes; which Lieutenant Fergufon took up in this very warm and extraordinary manner: Damn your blood, you scoundrel, how dare you compare my sister with the daughter of that infamous rafcal? On which Capt. Roche faid, no offence was meant, or could juftly be taken, for that Mifs Wilkes, to his knowledge, was one of the moft accomplished ladies in England. At this Lieutenant Fergufon conceiving himself affronted by the comparison, retorted as above on Captain Roche; Captain Roche replied, "Lieut. Ferguson, you grow warm in this matter, do you mean to interrogate me?" To which Ferguson anfwered, "I do." Here the matter refted a little while, when Lieut. Ferguson retired; and Captain Roche, not apprehenfive of any thing intended by Ferguson, went NOTE. *National reflections are always illiberal and unjuft; but the candour of our readers will excufe us, if we place the previous prejudice of Lieut. Ferguson, and Mr. Grant and his family, to that account principally; for it must be understood, that this Mr. Roche was the gentleman who flood candidate for Middlefex with Mr. Wilkes, and not againfi him. We hope to avoid cenfure on this furmife, as the knowledge of the public, will juftify our opinion, and acquit us at the fame time of partiality to countries. to to his lodgings at Meffrs. Murdoc and co's, where, on the flairs, he met Lieut. Ferguson, who put a long letter into the Captain's hand; the fubject of which was a challenge, and Ferguson's intentions to fight him at the Cape. Mr. Murray, who was conful at the Madeiras, and then at dinner, foreseeing the confequences by the behaviour of Ferguson, called him, and told him, "Sir, Capt. Roche has given you no manner of offence, and your behaviour is not characteristic of the gentleman," and infifted on Ferguson pledging his honour that nothing might happen on that ifland; which was the meaning of the delivery of that challenge, and of Lieut. Fergufon's obedience to the commands of Mr. Murray, his majesty's reprefentative; whofe jurifdiction extended to the abfolute forbiddance of any hof tile intentions. Two or three evenings afterwards, when at fupper at Meffrs. Murdoc's, &c. the earl of Glencairn's family was accidentally introduced, and the name of lady Glencairn was mentioned. Capt. Roche obferved, "he had the honour to be nearly allied to that family." Mr. Murray enquiring from whence arofe that alliance, Capt. Roche replied, "that her ladyship's brother, Capt. M'Crae, married his fifter, by whom he had four fons; that their eldest was in poffeffion of an eftate in the fhire of Aire, of 3500l. a year, and now a cornet or lieutenant in general Harvey's horfe:" but Mr. Murray expreffing fome doubts of the matter, Captain Roche replied, "that certainly he must know his own fifter's name and her connections." This point being contended, it was referred to Lieutenant Ferguson, who had previously mentioned his knowledge of this noble family, and had faid he was well known to them; Captain Roche therefore requested he would decide the difpute, as two dozen of claret depended between Capt. Roche and Mr. Murray. To this requeft Lieutenant Ferguson anfwered, "that what with drinking and dancing, I fcarcely know my own name." Here the matter ended, and nothing further happened till after the departure of the company to their feveral apartments, which did not happen till between four and five o'clock in the morning. About an hour and an half after the breaking up of the companv, Lieutenant Fergufon defired Captain Roche's black fervant to acquaint him, that he, Ferguson, wanted to speak with him. The negro refufing to deliver this meffage, Lieutenant Fergulon broke into the apartment where Captain Roche and his lady were in bed, violently pulled afide the curtains, and waking Captain Roche, informed him, that the long boat was waiting to take the whole company on board. To this Captain Roche answered, "that if he would withdraw, Mrs. Roche and he would immediately rife and attend them." On Captain Roche's going through the hall, he met Ferguson, who faid to him, Captain Roche, you have offended me, and we must have a cool touch;" to this, Captain Roche replied, "Lieutenant Ferguson, I never have offended you to my knowledge, and if I have, am confcious of never having wilfully done it." Here Lieutenant Fergufon demanded an apology, and Captain Roche faid, "Sir, as an officer, I can make you no apology on the ground;" "Will you then, faid Ferguson, acknowledge before Mr. Murray that you are forry for having affronted me?" I will acknowledge, Sir, faid Captain Roche, before Mr. Murray, or any other gentleman, that I have never intentionally done it. 19 At this Lieutenant Ferguson expressed his fatisfaction; but going on through the fireets, Fergufon faid again, "If you don't make me a proper apology, I will call you out once more." Captain Roche replied, "I am not going to the Indies to thed blood, but in the fervice of my king and country; I am averse to blood, and heartily with not to have my hands dipped in it; but take care, Lieutenant Ferguson, that, as an officer, you don't call me out once too often." Before Mr. Murray, Captain Roche faid, "that he never meant to give Lieutenant Fergufon an offence,' and the whole of the quarrel refted here for that time. The next day the fhip fet fail, and they all proceeded for the Cape, and in the intermediate time, Ferguson had reprefented to the company, that Captain Roche had begged his pardon in the moft abject terms; and fo far prevailed on the paffengers, as to make them believe Captain Roche was no more than a bravo; in confequence of which, the whole company treated him with that degree of contempt, which they thought he deferved and always upon the entrance of Ferguson into the cabin, began finging, "He comes, he comes, the "hero comes; found, found your trumpets, beat, heat your drums; and whenever Mr. Roche made his appearance, they began in the ftrain of Johnfon's Bobadil; twenty more kill 'em, twenty more kill them too;" and this accompanied with an univerfal laugh, and winking at each other.-It must be obferved here, that Ferguson ha 700 Tranfactions between Capt. Roche and Lieut. Ferguson. Dec. had fpread the fame report at the Ma- fentations. Thefe unfupportable infults, to the caufe of which Captain Roche was then an entire ftranger, were owing to two caufes; the firit, the falfe reprefentations of his pufillanimity, and the other, a report which has but too much gained credit, with regard to Captain Roche's being the very famous gentleman, who in his life time had fought a great many duels. That there is a gentleman exifting of the fame name, is very true, and it is as true alfo, that he has actually fought many duels; but to his great honour, never without the utmoft force and reluctance, and always in the cause of truth and justice. Lieutenant Fergufon therefore embraced this opportunity, vilely and villainously to confound the two Roches, and with the ignorant and wilfully obflinate, their calumny has fpread to the utter difgrace of truth, and to the almoft irreparable injury of a gentleman, whom we fhall prove to be a man of the most humane difpofition, and (in its proper place) not that perfon whom the public conceive to have fported with the lives of all thofe whom he had imagined to have paffed a cenfure or joke upon his honour. Notwithflanding Lieutenant Ferguson and Mr. Grant had accufed Captain Roche of cowardice, and of the tamett fubmiffion; yet, falfe as these infinuations were, Captain Roche, having no in clination to the fhedding of blood, and willing to avoid any altercations with men who had thus grofsly violated the truth, by the advice of his lady wrote a letter to the Lieutenant, in which he expreffed his regret if he ever had offended him, and was defirous that no farther quarrel fhould enfue; but at the fame time obferved, that all his acknowledgments to Lieutenant Ferguson confifted in difowning any inclination or confcioufnefs of offence. This letter was delivered to Mr. Ferguson, by Lieutenant Darrel of Madras: and after being read, was returned by the fame gentleman with this anfwer, That the apology was not fufficient," and that at the fame time he was preparing a memorial to be prefented to he governor and council of Bombay, in which he declared that Captain Roche had expreffed his fear of fighting him, and had afked pardon in the most abject and fubmiffive terms. The memorial concluded with praying Captain Roche might be broke as an officer, having been guilty of cowardice.-Whoever attentively confiders this answer of Lieutenant Ferguson, and his account of the will not be furprized that Captain Roche memorial to the governor and council, character; but how muft his furprize inwas ftung with the reprefentation of his creafe when the fame anfwer was accompanied with this meffage, tain Roche would acknowledge what was "that if Capfet forth in the memorial, and certify it under his hand, that Mr. Ferguson would to any one, unless called upon by his never prefent it to the council or fhew it brother officers." whether or not Captain Roche's credit, We fubmit it to ferious confideration, character, and honour were not now at the laft ftake; and we appeal to the feelings of every gentleman, whether Captain Roche deviated from humanity, or acted inconfiftently by faying, "He would never fign any fuch memorial, and that the affair must be terminated by the point of the fword." Captain Young, who was an eye-witnefs to the memorial, foon after waited on Captain Roche, expreffed his forrow at the obilinacy of Lieutenant Ferguson, and added, that he faw now no manner of accommodating the difpute, unlefs Captain Roche would permit him to wait on Ferguson, from coming to this last extremity. To and ufe his influence to prevent matters this alfo Captain Roche affented; and Captain Young deliring Mrs. Roche to be present at the converfation, they went fent directly for Lieutenant Ferguson. to the Captain's cabin, and Capt. Young As foon as he appeared, Captain Young addrelled him to this effect, "That as Captain Roche and Lieutenant Ferguan unhappy difference fubfifted between fon, which owed its origin to a very trifle, and which was likely to prove of very fatal confequences, he begged, in the prefence of Mrs. Roche, to become a mediator; and hoped Lieutenant Fergufon would accept of Captain Roche's apology, as it concerned the prefent and future happinefs of the lady, and might prevent the effusion of human blood; he defired he might be permitted to fend for Captain Roche, who was ready to take him by the hand and be friends. To this Lieutenant Ferguson made an fwer, punctilios of honour, ever to make it up "He was too well versed in the with Captain Roche, that he had made up his mind, and, laying his hand upon his heart, added, Something tells me here I can never make it up." Here Captain Roche's lady interpofed, and begged Mr. Ferguson to confider the tender and affectionate ties between hufband and wife; that if the loft Captain Roche, the loft her all in every refpect, and intreated him to accept of Captain Roche's letter of apology, which Captain Young then held in his hand, adding, that that letter was always a fufficient teftimony to acquit Lieutenant Fergufon in the opinion of his brother officers; and believe me, Sir, continued the, however wrongfully you and your friends have accufed Captain Roche of a fear of fighting, his character in that refpect is too well known ever to be affected by your unjuft afperfions; and that the world will look upon it much more to both your honours to heal the breach than to perfevere in it; that although a woman, I am fufficiently verfed in the punctilios of honour between military gentlemen; and as no ungentleman-like language was given, and no blow ftruck, a reconciliation is still confiftent with your characters, as the fubject that prolongs the difpute is only a difference of opinion; however, if I thought this apology was any ways derogatory to the honour of Captain Roche, believe me, Sir, I never should have been forward in obtaining it." After Mrs. Roche had addreffed Lieut. Ferguson in this very fenfible, healing, and yet fpirited manner, his reply was, "Madam, I want no converfation with you." "I fee then, faid the lady, the difmal alternative." No, madam, faid he, I won't fight Captain Roche."-Here Mrs. Roche expreffed her furprize, by faying, You will neither accept my hufband's apology nor fight him, I shall be glad, Sir, then to know your intentions:" 66 My intentions, madam, are, faid he, to prefent the memorial to the governor and council at Bombay, and to get Captain Roche broke for cowardice, in not fighting me at the Madeira." To this antwer, which may be jufily confidered as villainous to a man and brutal to a lady, Mrs. Roche replied, "You faid juft now, Sir, to Captain Young, that you was well verfed in the punctilios of honour, anfwer me this one queftion, Is it confiftent with those puncfilios to ftab a man's character in the dark, when you will not meet that man face to face?" Lieutenant Ferguson's anfwer was, " I want no further converfation with you on that fubject." This was the third day after failing from the Madeiras; and there was no further inter courfe on board between Lieutenant Fergufon and Captain Roche and his lady. In our humble opinion, to defcant upon the preceding behaviour of Lieutenant Ferguson would be an infult to the underitanding of the most common capacity, giving ourselves a very unnecefiary trouble, and no ways pleafing to thofe clafs of readers, who are fenfible of honour and gentility. It may be asked of every rank of life, of every individual, if Captain Roche's conduct did not entirely correfpond with the gentleman, with the character of a man who could receive infult upon infult, and fuffer the moft opprobrious appellations, rather than embrue his hands in the blood of his fellow-creatures? Did it not also manifeft a peaceable inclination, and at the fame time fhew the courage of a man of honour and an officer ? From that period nothing very material paffed, except a daily continuation of oblique infults to Captain Roche, whenever he was near enough to overhear their converfation; these confifting of repetitions from Shakespeare's first part of King Henry IV. where Falstaff returns to Eaftcheap from committing the robbery at Gadfhill. The following particular repetitions were made fometimes by Lieutenant Ferguson and fometimes by Mr. Grant, and whenever one quoted a part wherein the other could give the refonfe, they fung in concert, like two intriguing reprefentatives of wifdom. Fer. " A plague of all cowards, I fay, and a vengeance too; marry and amen. Give me a cup of fack, boy-A villainous coward! A plague of all cowards, I fay still." Here Mr. Grant rehearfed his part of the play, by reprefenting prince Henry. Grant. Why, you whorefon round man! What's the matter? Fer. Are you not a coward: anfwer me to that, and Poins there? The Poins here meant was Captain Roche, who difdaining to take notice of fuch unprovoked infolence, only smiled, and turned his back upon them; and one or the other had immediate recourse to the comedy. "I am a rogue if I were not at half fword with a dozen of them two hours together--I have efcaped by miracleI am eight times thruft through the doublet, four through the hofe, my fword hack'd like a hand-faw, ecce fignum. I never dealt better fince I was a man; al! would not do-A plague of all cowand, &c." |