66 
CALCUTTA. 
of exposing myself too mucH to it during a journey of eight hundred 
miles. At his Excellency's request, I left Mr. Salt behind me to take 
views of the place ; and after dinner embarked, accompanied by Mr* 
Graham, in a state barge. It is about fourteen miles by land or water 
from Barrackpore to Calcutta: we stopped, however, about three 
miles from the town, where we were met by Mr. Graham's carriage. 
It is by no means safe to go down to the shipping at night, as the 
great velocity of the tide frequently causes boats to be lost by run- 
ning against the cables of the vessels. 
February ^0. — On the 1 8th Mr. Salt returned, much gratified by 
his visit, as he had not only been treated with an attention highly 
flattering to a young man, from a person of Lord Wellesley's ele- 
vated rank, and acknowledged talents, but had also received the 
warmest applause from his Excellency and others, on the rapidity 
and fidelity with which he sketched the scenes from the river, 
whither he had accompanied them the day after my departure. As 
since his return he had nearly finished a drawing in water- 
colours of the house and grounds, I carried it with me, together 
with some views of the Cape, on going this evening to Barrackpore 
to take my final leave of his Excellency. After dinner I had a long 
private audience, and quitted his Excellency, most deeply impressed 
with a sense of his past kindness and his future good intentions 
towards me. No mean suspicions of my motives for visiting this 
country were harboured, but a manly, open, and generous assistance 
w^as afforded me in the acquisition of every political information, 
with facility and pleasure. We returned at night, and finally ar. 
ranged every thing for my departure on the following morning. 
I have, through my friend Mr. Graham, purchased three palanquins 
