steamer would sail at all-perhaps there might, perhaps not; that if none sailed, I might, perhaps, if I knew the Captain of the Mail Packet, be allowed to go in it-possibly not; that I might, perhaps, be allowed to sleep upon deck (in the monsoon be it remembered!!) and might, perhaps, by paying for it, be allowed to mess at his table, but these were favours entirely within his own power; that all the berths would be occupied by the officers of the ship, and a cabin was a thing I was by no means to expect; that three persons were before me for passages, and that, till the next steamer came in from Suez, no one could tell whether I should be so fortunate as to obtain a passage; the vessel might be required for troops, and be under orders to go elsewhere, but if I put down my name, I would have my chance; it was not likely I would be disappointed, but they could not say; and all this mixed up with innumerable perhapses and possibles. In short, amidst this mass of wordy contingencies, I put down my name and gave my address, under the assurance that I should have my chance as fourth on the list. When, however, I returned, three days afterwards, I found there were seven standing before me on the list; on my remonstrating at this absurdity, impropriety, and injustice, I was told that one agent had taken these berths, and paid the money. I insinuated I had never been even told that I could have a berth, except one in the open air, on deck! and that, as to money, its immediate payment had never been hinted at. At last, after a great deal of dispute and trouble, I got my cabin.--All this confusion and impropriety, for it was neither more nor less, is not well in such departments, and as this will soon be the general highway to Britain, it becomes these gentry to study politeness and fair dealing a little more, and to facilitate the traveller's

arrangements, rather than interpose the petty annoyances of official form and stinted information.

There have been two large ships, loaded with cotton, burnt to the water's edge and entirely destroyed, since I arrived here. In both instances the loss was immense; and, in consequence of the accidents having occurred at night, the lives of several natives were lost. The vessels were to have sailed the next day, and most, if not all, of the passengers going by them to China were on board with all their effects. They lost everything they possessed, and hardly escaped with their lives.

It was surmised that both were wilful fires. The sailors Lascars) are engaged for the voyage, and are paid before they set out; and it is believed that in order to be in a condition to obtain a fresh engagement, they took this mode of terminating their first.

The value of cotton exported from Bombay is very great. It constitutes the principal article of the trade from this Presidency, is grown in the upper parts of the country, and comes down from Surat chiefly in native Patama boats and other craft. The very streets are strewed with it, and indeed the great bustle of the place arises from the transfer of this staple commodity. The noise of the Coolies and others, all bawling at the top of their voices, jostling and urging one another onward; the carting, the hoisting into warehouses, the perpetual hum of a few constantly-repeated words, or moans rather, by those bearing the bulky bales on poles upon their shoulders, create such a confusion of sounds, as neither the Strand nor Ludgate-hill at noon can equal. This outdoor disturbance is strangely and strikingly contrasted with the in-door proceedings, where all is studied repose, slow noiseless motion, and peaceful tranquillity.

I arrived here, as in Australia, at a great and painful mercantile crisis. All was distrust and depression. Trade does not seem affected in any one place in particular, and indeed stagnation would seem to exist everywhere, from the rising to the setting sun.

Bombay does not afford much that is interesting to the zoological inquirer. The birds I have seen cannot compare in plumage with those of Australia; but the size of the island possibly limits the variety of specimens, notwithstanding its vicinity to the continent. The sparrow is exactly our own English, ugly, noisy one. The raven resembles more our jay. The kite is a large handsome bird, living entirely on garbage and animal matter; and is, as I have already mentioned, held in great respect here, from his usefulness, for the same reason as dogs are in Lisbon. Of water-fowl there are none; the only moving liquid in the island being a muddy little streamlet, or ditch rather, not worth notice. Snakes are common, and tigers are occasionally seen in the island of Salsett.

CHAPTER XII.

INDIA.

Route to Suez-The ox-Municipal government of Bombay-Public buildings-The cathedral-Statue of Sir John Malcolm-Native schoolThe club Rainy seasons-Bazaars-Servants-The Government House Oriental life-Steamer to Suez-Sir George Arthur-His first levee— Sepoys-Bungalo of Messrs. L and A--A silent drive-The interior of Bombay Island-A wealthy Parsee-A snake-Parsee leveeAddress to Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhuoy-His noble gift-Schools-Matchmaking-Hospitality in Bombay,

IN the proper months for leaving Bombay for Suez (from November to May) the demand for passages is now so great, that application must be made some months previous to departure, in order to secure such cabins or accommodation as may be required; and even then, many are disappointed. As to the other route, which in Australia I was assured would be open to me by the Persian Gulf, the Euphrates, Beyrout, Malta, &c., I find that it was all delusion, as far at least as the common traveller is concerned. Some adventurous persons, Colonel Chesney and others, have succeeded in making out the journey, and steamers have gone a long way up the river Euphrates; but the dreadful heat of the climate, the long land carriage, the Arabs' raid, the hurricanes, and other causes, must prevent it being resorted to by the ordinary traveller. Mails are despatched from Bagdad and our embassy in

Persia, on dromedaries overland through Syria and the Desert, with eight hundred miles of inland carriage, on these animals; but natives alone ought to accompany them, and, generally speaking, no other persons do.

In Bombay the universal beast of burthen is the little humped ox. These creatures are used for every purpose, ornamented sometimes with ribands and bells. They draw the hackery, a rude cart with no dishing in its wheelsthe car-the dog-cart-like vehicle and a most unique one, only found in India, built of crossed sticks, on which two or three persons trundle away.

Bombay is governed by justices of the peace and a police force; and the quietness of the streets is creditable to these authorities; whilst, on the contrary, the filthiness is a sad disgrace to them; though I at the same time admit that the narrowness of most of them, and the uncleanly habits of the native inhabitants, would render the task of keeping the town clean extremely difficult.

I have just returned from a visit with my most attentive friend Dr. M, to the court-house, the cathedral, the town-hall, and public library and reading-room. These are respectable buildings; but the chinaum, or coating of composition plaster, with which they are covered, from being in many places discoloured, and in some altogether off, gives them a dilapidated aspect. The court was presided over by the puisne judge, Sir Edward Perry, son of Mr. Perry, of London newspaper notoriety. It lacked order, and the appearance and manners of the counsel reminded me of Sydney.

In the cathedral are the remains of Sir Frederick Maitland; a plain slab, with his name and the date of his death, points out the place where the captor, or receiver rather, of Napoleon Bonaparte rests; and a white marble