PASSAGE OF THE HUGH LINDSAY. 371 



were most kindly supplied by Sir John Malcolm : — He left 

 Bombay on the 5th of December, 1830, for England, in the 

 honourable company's steamer Hugh Lindsay. Arrived at 

 Macula on the 14th of December, and remained there three 

 days to take in coals, water, and refreshments. Macula is 

 situated on the coast of Arabia, at the mouth of the Red 

 Sea, where there is good anchorage and a safe harbour. 

 Arrived at Juddah on the 22d of December, and remained 

 there two days to take in coals, water, &c. Arrived at Cos- 

 seir in Egypt on the 27th of December ; having been at 

 anchor nearly six days, and actually steaming from Bombay 

 to Cosseir in sixteen days and twelve hours. If Sir John 

 had gone to Suez instead of Cosseir, he is of opinion he 

 would certainly have reached that place on the 29th, and 

 misht easily have arrived at Alexandria on the 2d or 3d of 

 January ; but he went to Cosseir to meet Lord Clare, the 

 new governor of Bombay, who was appointed to succeed 

 him. Sir John passed twenty-seven days in Egypt " seeing 

 the lions." He then went to Malta in a frigate, which oc- 

 cupied eleven days ; a steamer could accomplish it with ease 

 in seven. He sailed from Malta in the Meteor steamer on 

 4th February, 1831 ; arrived at Gibraltar on 12th February ; 

 remained there two days to take in coals, water, &c., and 

 sailed on the 14th. Arrived at Falmouth on 25th February, 

 having had only three days' fair wind between Malta and 

 England. 



Sir John is of opinion that in future two days may be 

 saved in the passage from Bombay up the Red Sea by im- 

 proving the power of the steamer, and that despatches may 

 be carried from Bombay to Alexandria in twenty-four days, 

 for nine months of the year ; during the other three months 

 the progress of the steamers will be impeded by the violence 

 of the northerly winds. Sir John recommends the route by 

 Cosseir to Alexandria for passengers, in preference to that 

 by Suez, the latter being much exposed to inundation and 

 other inconveniences. As to the relative advantages or 

 disadvantages of building, it is executed equally well and 

 stronger in^Bombay than in England. Teak is belter than 

 oak ; and the Hugh Lindsay was built so correct to the 

 model, that her large engines (two of eighty-horse power) 

 fitted on to almost a hair's breadth. IVo change has been 

 made in this vessel, except cutting her paddle-boards six 



