338 
DEPARTURE FROM THE CAPE. 
[1 821. 
" No, it is too far." He then asked if, after going 
to England, I should ever return to Lattakoo. 
Feeling- very desirous to obtain a passage for 
England, as my residence at Cape Town was no 
longer necessary, I availed myself of an oppor- 
tunity afforded by the arrival of the Castle 
Forbes, Captain Reid, last from Bombay, and 
which touched at the Cape for water and pro- 
visions. Previous to my departure, I took leave 
of Dr. and Mrs. Philip, and many other kind 
friends, particularly of Mr. and Mrs. Breda^ under 
whose hospitable roof I had lived as one of the 
family, during the different times I resided in 
Cape Town. We sailed on the 15th of February, 
1821. I found myself with a captain who at- 
tended to the comfort and accommodation of his 
passengers, and likewise in company with an 
agreeable society from India. 
We crossed the tropic of Capricorn on the 
twenty-second, reached St. Helena, March the 
first, and cast anchor in front of James Town, 
being permitted to do so by Admiral Lambert, to 
whom I sent the letters of introduction I had re- 
ceived from the Governor and the Naval Commis- 
sioner at the Cape ; he politely invited me to 
breakfast the next morning, and intimated that 
his boat should bring me on shore. Having 
taken with me in the morning a large box con- 
