104 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



ments, formerly belonging to the Portuguese, modern 

 COUD try-houses, Hindoo pagodas, Mahometan mosques, and 

 Marhatta forts, interspersed with groves of date, mango, 

 cocoa-nut, and other trees, form a picture scarcely to be 

 equalled in any part of the world. Towards the sea, a fine 

 hard beach runs upwards to a spot called Malabar Point, 

 which is studded with neat villas, whilst the city and fort 

 appear in the background, and the ships in the harbour 

 appear securely riding at anchor. 



It is not on land alone that Bombay enjoys the advantages 

 of position. Its harbour (supposed to be the finest in the 

 world), from its great size, and the smoothness of the water, 

 affords a constant opportunity for aquatic excursions an 

 amusement rendered doubly delightful owing to the cool 

 sea-breezes that are almost continually blowing, and which 

 may be extended inla,nd for miles, embracing a variety of 

 beautiful, picturesque, and grand scenery. So secure is the 

 bay, that for miles in various directions the smallest boats 

 may proceed with safety, and by means of the tide return at 

 almost a fixed hour. 



The short period that still remained of our stay in this 

 gay, hospitable, but very warm locality, soon elapsed ; and I 

 must own that it was with few feelings of regret I climbed 

 up the sides of the ship Ganges, which was to convey me to 

 my native shores, and bid adieu to the sultry plains of Hin- 

 dostan, as I hoped for ever. , 



After a rapid and prosperous passage across the Indian 

 Ocean, a terrific south-wester off the Cape of Good Hope, 

 which lasted for about a week, and exhibited the ocean in all 

 the majesty of its wrath, threatening to engulph our little 

 bark under each roll of the gigantic waves, was all that dis- 

 turbed the peaceful monotony of our voyage. 



We touched at St. Helena, where, selon les regies, we 

 visited Napoleon's tomb, procured some cuttings from 



