THE COMMANDEE S CUISINE. 263 



cated at public sclioolsj and as I was an Eton 

 man, and my companion a Harrow one, we 

 were soon intimate, and got on very well to- 

 gether. I embarked on tlie Monday morning, 

 and we were to have started immediately, but 

 the anchor had got fast under a rock, and after 

 breaking much tackle the capstan at last 

 gave way, greatly to the annoyance of our 

 worthy commander, from whom I learned that 

 every kind of equipment sent out for the Indus 

 Flotilla was of one size, whether the vessel to 

 be supplied therewith happened to be large or 

 small. So much for the wisdom of those re- 

 sponsible for such arrangements ! At length 

 the anchor was extricated, but not till near the 

 close of day, and too late to start that evening, 

 and I terminated my sojourn in Upper Sindh 

 with such a dinner as I had not seen during my 

 stay there, for our commander was celebrated 

 for the excellence of his cuisine, and Captain 

 Howe, the Boat Superintendent, joined our 

 little party, bringing with him a liberal supi^ly 

 of champagne. Thus merrily passed my last 

 evening at Sukkur, though we were not destined 

 to start without another incident, for just as the 

 Lawrence was moving off in the morning, a 



