30 LETTERS FROM INDIA.

that I have not seen ca pretty boy' amongst
them. The Admiral gave us a very early
dinner on board the c Dublin,' and then landed
us and some of his officers; and we we^t off,
in two hired carriages, to the Botanical Gar-
dens, through some magnificent scenery.

November 19.

We have dined twice with the Admiral, who
is as deaf as a post, but very civil—too kind.
We are just come back from such a hot dinner
on board the ' Dublin,5 where we met the French
admiral and all his officers, and twenty others;
and there we arrived in our barge, with our
hair blown all nohow; and having scrambled
up an immense companion-ladder, we were
clawed on board by a strange lieutenant, with
all our own officers struggling after us—such
figures! And to-morrow, by way of making
us quite happy, the Admiral gives us a ball.
It is the oddest thing that, wherever we go
they fancy that a ball would be the greatest
pleasure we could have ; and (poor old things!)
we really cannot hobble about unless they pay
us for it. However, we must do so many
tiresome things for the next five years, that