recent sheets into turbans and
waistcloths, they got with many grumblings into a tub-like boat, just as
the smoke from the steamer was becoming ominously black. Their eyes once
open, the men went to work in good earnest, and an hour afterwards I had
the satisfaction of walking the deck of the _Atalanta_, which was going
at her utmost speed, some seven knots an hour.

In the morning we were off Point de Galle, and put in there for General
Jung Bahadoor, who, with some of his suite, had made the journey thither
by land.

All the world make voyages now-a-days; and nobody thinks of describing a
voyage to India any more than he would an excursion on the Thames, unless
he is shipwrecked, or the vessel he is in is burnt and he escapes in an
open boat, or has some such exciting incident to relate. We were
_unfortunate_ in these respects, but in our passengers we found much to
interest and amuse us; and as everything regarding the Nepaulese
Ambassador is received with interest in England, a description of the
proceedings of one day, as a sample of the ten we spent on board the
_Atalanta_, may not be altogether uninteresting.

Time never seemed to hang heavy on the hands of the Minister Sahib, for
that was his more ordinary appellation; rifle practice was a daily
occupation with him, and usually lasted two hours. Surrounded by those
of his suite in whose peculiar department was the charge of the
magnificent battery he had on board, he used to take up his station on
the poop, and the crack of the rifle was almost invariably followed by an
exclamation of delight from some of his attendants, as the bottle,
bobbing far astern, was sunk for ever, or the three strung, one below the
other, from the end of the fore-yard-arm, were shattered by three
successive bullets in almost the same number of seconds. Pistol practice
succeeded that of the rifle, and the ace of hearts at 15 paces was a mark
he rarely missed.

Then the dogs were to be trained, and in a very peculiar manner; a kid
was dragged along the deck before the noses of two handsome stag hounds,
who, little suspecting that a huge hunting-whip was concealed in the
folds of their master's dress, were unable to resist so tempting a victim
and invariably made a rush upon it, a proceeding which brought down upon
them the heavy thong of the Minister Sahib's whip in the most remorseless
manner. That task accomplished to his satisfaction, and not being able
to think of anything e