1844.] ENTERTAINMENT ON BOARD. 207 



cold collation, adapted to their tastes, when the officer 

 of the watch reported, that the Prime Minister and all 

 his satellites were alongside. As his refusal had been 

 so public and official, I deemed it improper to wait upon 

 him, and therefore directed the Lieutenant to receive 

 him. He found his way, however, in a very short time, 

 to my cabin, evidently endeavouring to conceal his cha- 

 grin, and to make himself at home. The ship was 

 completely filled with his followers, all dressed out in 

 their gorgeous finery, and proving that up to the last 

 moment they were prepared for the visit. The scene 

 that ensued, could only be compared to some of our 

 theatrical representations of eastern pageantry; silk, gold, 

 and velvet predominated, the dresses exhibiting the 

 diversified taste of wives or sisters, who employ a large 

 portion of their time on embroidery. 



After inspecting the ship, and appearing much grati- 

 fied, the Prime Minister and his party retired, leaving 

 Datoo Danielle and his suite with me, who, after picking 

 up some little mementos from my cabin, accompanied me 

 to the shore, where I determined to await the issue of 

 this affair, suspecting that our wily friend, the Prime 

 Minister would not fail to try his weight with the Sultan. 

 My suspicions proved correct ; Datoo Danielle was sum- 

 moned to the royal presence, and it was demanded " why 

 he had presumed to visit the ship without the sanction 

 of the Sultan " ! He very boldly replied by reminding 

 the Court of his position, " that he was not a slave, 

 nor the son of a slave, and knew of no law which forbade 

 him to return the civility he had received from the Cap- 

 tain of a British Ship-of-war." This had a very decided 



