262 LETTERS FROM ENGLAND. 



themselves with more respect and deference than 

 before ; though, as far as the duty of the ship 

 went, they obeyed " After Dinner" in everything. 

 This trait in their character gave me a higher 

 opinion of them than I hitherto had, as it con- 

 trasted so forcibly with the treatment which a 

 petty officer receives when he has the misfortune 

 to be broke amongst more civilised people : he 

 may be pitied by his superiors, but he is always 

 laughed at and jeered by the class he is lower- 

 ed to. 



On the 10th of July, the water having risen 

 by measurement fourteen feet, we got under 

 weigh, taking the Alburkah in tow, and proceeded 

 rapidly down the river, passing the beautiful gorge 

 through the Kong Mountains, and arriving at 

 Bocqua, where we anchored to purchase rice and 

 other provisions. About two o'clock in the after- 

 noon, to my great surprise, a boat under can- 

 vass hove in sight. I sent a boat to her with 

 Hector, who returned with Mr. Lander and Mr. 

 Oldfield, our surgeon, bringing a parcel of letters 

 for me. Those only who have been shut out 

 from all communication with friends and the ci- 

 vilised world for some time, can imagine the true 

 value of a letter. I had left Livei*pool when the 



