84 THE FRERE STEAMER. 



Bourne's plan, could do so, and three other com- 

 manders, whom I afterwards spoke to on the 

 subject, confirmed Captain M'Neil's opinion. 



The Flats in use on the Indus are large iron 

 vessels, built expressly for the conveyance of 

 troops and stores, for which they seem well 

 adapted. The Frere was a perfectly new iron 

 vessel, 164 feet in length, 28 in beam, and draw- 

 ing 3 ft. 9 in. water, but this was found too much, 

 as in places we had barely a depth of four feet. 

 Her saloon was large enough to accommodate 

 twenty-four persons, and the cabins on either 

 side were very comfortable. About an hour 

 before sunset we anchored close to the shore, 

 and planks were laid from the vessel to the bank, 

 for the natives to land and cook their meals. The 

 passengers' dinner was then announced and all 

 our party assembled. It consisted of Captain 

 Macdonald, chief of the Sindh Survey, his deputy, 

 Mr Lane and family, Lieut. Harris, of the Horse 

 Artillery, a young lady, Mr. — ,and myself. The 

 table was not over-well supplied, considering 

 the amount charged under the authority of 

 Government, viz. four rupees per diem for each 

 first-class passenger, half that amount for each 

 child under twelve years of age, and one rupee 



