206 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
on board for the Bombay government. The heat con- 
tinued so great that we were anxious to get beyond 
the immediate influence of the reflected sunbeams, 
which, slanting from the rocks, were cast into the 
cove in a focus that rendered the atmosphere positive- 
ly intolerable. Our progress was at first retarded by 
a dead calm ; and when we cleared the port we were 
obliged to creep along the coast for several days, the 
breezes were so light. 
Being soon short of water, and unable to obtain 
any from the land, happening to fall in with several 
country boats, we purchased a large portion of their 
stock, paying them five rupees for each half leaguer, 
the leaguer measuring about twenty gallons. Our 
progress was painfully slow while we continued in 
smooth water ; and what rendered this the more dis- 
tressing was, the apprehension which continually arose, 
that our stock of provisions would be exhausted before 
we could get to the end of our voyage, and that we 
might have no opportunity of replenishing. 
The breeze now freshening, we got into a rough- 
er sea, and bent our course direct for Bombay. 
The weather shortly became foul, and our vessel 
proved leaky. After labouring a good deal for some 
hours, we found that she had three feet water in 
the hold, and that it was fast increasing. All hands 
were summoned to the pumps, and the carpenter 
reported, upon examining her seams, that it would 
be necessary to return into smooth water in order 
that her sides might be caulked; as the intense 
heat of the sun in Mascat harbour had caused the 
pitch to run. Greatly to our annoyance, we put 
