1776.—"We had advices long ago from England, as late as the end of May, by way of Suez. This is a new Route opened by Govr. Hastings, and the Letters which left Marseilles the 3rd June arrived here the 20th August. This, you'll allow, is a ready communication with Europe, and may be kept open at all times, if we chuse to take a little pains."—MS. Letter from James Rennell, Oct. 16, "from Islamabad, capital of Chittigong."
1781.—"On Monday last was Married Mr. George Greenley to Mrs. Anne Barrington, relict of the late Capt. William B——, who unfortunately perished on the Desart, in the attack that was made on the Carravan of Bengal Goods under his and the other Gentlemen's care between Suez and Grand Cairo."—India Gazette, March 7.
1782.—"When you left England with an intention to pass overland and by the route of the Red Sea into India, did you not know that no subject of these kingdoms can lawfully reside in India ... without the permission of the United Company of Merchants?..."—Price, Tracts, i. 130.
1783.—"... Mr. Paul Benfield, a gentleman whose means of intelligence were known to be both extensive and expeditious, publicly declared, from motives the most benevolent, that he had just received over-land from England certain information that Great Britain had finally concluded a peace with all the belligerent powers in Europe."—Munro's Narrative, 317.
1786.—"The packet that was coming to us overland, and that left England in July, was cut off by the wild Arabs between Aleppo and Bussora."—Lord Cornwallis, Dec. 28, in Correspondence, &c., i. 247.
1793.—"Ext. of a letter from Poonamalee, dated 7th June.
'The dispatch by way of Suez has put us all in a commotion.'"—Bombay Courier, June 29.
1803.—"From the Governor General to the Secret Committee, dated 24th Decr. 1802. Recd. Overland, 9th May 1803."—Mahratta War Papers (Parliamentary).
OVIDORE, s. Port. Ouvidor, i.e. 'auditor,' an official constantly mentioned in the histories of Portuguese India. But the term is also applied in an English quotation below to certain Burmese officials, an application which must have been adopted from the Portuguese. It is in this case probably the translation of a Burmese designation, perhaps of Nekhan-dau, 'Royal Ear,' which is the title of certain Court officers.
1500.—"The Captain-Major (at Melinde) sent on board all the ships to beg that no one when ashore would in any way misbehave or produce a scandal; any such offence would be severely punished. And he ordered the mariners of the ships to land, and his own Provost of the force, with an Ouvidor that he had on board, that they might keep an eye on our people to prevent mischief."—Correa, i. 165.