4(5 CALCUTTA 



medicine I gradually recovered, and to all appearance 

 was soon fit for duty, although, from the ship's being 

 moored, only one midshipman was necessary for each 

 watch. 



In the course of two or three days the captain went up 

 to Calcutta, having there two brothers, one a civilian, 

 the other in the king's or company's army. It was not 

 long before he summoned his three youngsters to attend 

 him there. We left the ship at midnight, not without 

 some little apprehension, as one of our boats with six 

 men, the coxswain and the doctor's mate, the same I 

 have before spoken of in connection with the cobbing 

 affair, was swamped, and every one of them had perished, 

 it was supposed, for they were never after heard of. 



Passino; Sauo;ur Island, where our ears were reo-aled 

 with the yelling of tigers and the splashing of crocodiles, 

 we arrived safely at the city of palaces, and were imme- 

 diately conducted to one of them belonging to the 

 captain's brother, who received us most hospitably, and 

 assigned us each a bedroom, Avith servants to attend us. 



Here we lived for about three weeks, in a most 

 sumptuous style, attending routs and parties of the most 

 brilliant description, and revelling in all the enjoyments 

 of that ever gay and luxurious capital. 



But the principal incident in our visit to this seat of 

 government was our presentation, by the captain, at the 

 levee of the governor. At that time the Marquis 

 Wellesley held that princely office, and administered its 

 functions Avith all the pomp and magnificence of an 

 oriental ruler ; at the same time, with all the grace and 

 dignity of an accomplished English nobleman. Conducted 



