nder them, the steersman gave a shout. In
an instant the rowers struck their paddles into the water, and the
boat dashed along, with the speed of a racehorse, on the crest of the
wave. There was a crash. For a moment the boat seemed, to the lads,
engulfed in white foam; and then she ran high up upon the beach. The
rowers seized the boys and, leaping out, carried them beyond the reach
of the water, before the next wave broke upon them; and then
triumphantly demanded a present, for their skilful management. This
the lads were glad to give, for they considered that their escape had
been something miraculous.

For a while they stood on the shore, watching other boats, with the
soldiers and baggage, coming ashore; and then, being accosted by a
gentleman in the employment of the Company, followed him to the
residence of the chief factor. Here they were told that rooms would be
given them, in one of the houses erected by the Company for the use of
its employees; that they would mess with the other clerks residing in
the same house; and that, at nine o'clock in the morning, they would
report themselves as ready for work.

Charlie and his friends amused themselves by sauntering about in the
native town, greatly surprised by the sights and scenes which met
their eyes; for in those days very little was known of India, in
England. They were, however, greatly disappointed. Visions of oriental
splendour, of palaces and temples, of superbly dressed chiefs with
bands of gorgeous retainers, had floated before their mind's eye.
Instead of this they saw squalid huts, men dressed merely with a rag
of cotton around them, everywhere signs of squalor and poverty.

Madras, however, they were told that evening, was not to be taken as a
sample of India. It was a mere collection of huts, which had sprung up
round the English factories. But when they went to a real Indian city,
they would see a very different state of things.

Chapter 5: Madras.

After the young writers had seen the native town, they returned to the
beach, and spent the afternoon watching the progress of landing the
cargo of the Lizzie Anderson. They were pleased to see their own
luggage safely ashore; as it would have been greatly damaged, had the
boat containing it been swamped; a misfortune which happened to
several of the boats laden with cargo. It was very amusing, each time
that one of these boats arrived, to see a crowd of natives rush down
into the water, waist