86 ACCIDENT. 



where we took in an officer of the 19th 

 Regiment of the Line, to do duty as 

 marine officer ; and on hearing his name 

 I recognized an old schoolfellow from 

 the banks of the Itchen, consequently 

 we became on the best of terms. 



Arriving at Bombay, we underwent a 

 regular overhauling of the masts and 

 rigging, and finding the foremast sprung 

 two or three feet above the deck, we 

 had to rig shears to get it out. While 

 all hands were at work swaying up 

 the mast, just as the heel swung clear 

 of the deck one of the shears broke 

 about midships, when mast, shears, and 

 all went over the side with a tremen- 

 dous crash, but without injury to any 

 of the men, or, indeed, to any part of 

 the ship or anything alongside. 



During our stay at this presidency 

 my time was principally occupied in 

 going to and from the dockyard, in 

 charge of one of the boats, either to 



