Chapter ORTOLAN to OWL of O by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

we received the news of the Peace in Europe; of the death of Prince Eugene; of the marriage of the P. of Wales with the Princess of Saxe-Gotha.…”—Letter of the Germ. Missionary Sartorius, from Madras, Feb. 16. In Notices of Madras, and Cuddalore, &c. 1858, p. 159.

1763.—“We have received Overland the news of the taking of Havannah and the Spanish Fleet, as well as the defeat of the Spaniards in Portugall. We must surely make an advantageous Peace, however I’m no Politician.”—MS. Letter of James Rennell, June 1, fr. Madras.

1774.—“Les Marchands à Bengale envoyèrent un Vaisseau à Suès en 1772, mais il fut endommagé dans le Golfe de Bengale, et obligé de retourner; en 1773 le Sr. Holford entreprit encore ce voyage, réussit cette fois, et fut ainsi le premier Anglois qui eut conduit un vaisseau à Suès.…On s’est déjà servi plusieurs fois de cette route comme d’un chemin de poste; car le Gouvernement des Indes envoye actuellement dans des cas d’importance ses Couriers par Suès en Angleterre, et peut presqu’a voir plutôt reponse de Londres que leurs lettres ne peuvent venir en Europe par le Chemin ordinaire du tour du Cap de bonne esperance.”—Niebuhr, Voyage, ii. 10.

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 Rennetl, 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 overland 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 Poonama ee, 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.

1507.—“And the Viceroy ordered the Ouvidor General to hold an inquiry on this matter, on which the truth came out clearly that the Holy Apostle (Sanctiago) showed himself to the Moors when they were fighting with our people, and of this he sent word to the King, telling him that such martyrs were the men who were serving in these parts that our Lord took thought of them and sent them a Helper from Heaven.”—Ibid. i. 717.

1698.—(At Syriam) “Ovidores (Persons appointed to take notice of all passages in the Runday (office of administration) and advise them to Ava.…Three Ovidores that always attend the Runday, and are sent to the King, upon errands, as occasion obliges.”—Fleetwood’s Diary, in Dalrymple, Or. Rep. i. 355, 360.

[OWL, s. Hind. aul, ‘any great calamity, as a plague, cholera,’ &c.

[1787.—“At the foot of the hills the country is called Teriani (see TERAI)…and people in their passage catch a disorder, called in the language of that country aul, which is a putrid fever, and of which the