usual compliments, coffee and pipes were introduced. The
Sultan shewed them a portrait, in a wide gilt frame, of himself on
horseback, painted by some Sardinian artist. It was a resemblance, but
indifferently executed. After remaining an hour, they took leave; and
found a Russian steamer, with Count Orloff on board, waiting near the
palace. The Count's audience lasted _two hours_. Many plans were, no
doubt, formed; and every one feels in great anxiety to know the result
of this conference. [Sidenote: NAVAL PUNISHMENTS.] I dined to-day at
the palace. Admiral Roussin, the French ambassador, came in, in the
evening. He is frank and undisguised, as a sailor ought to be; and
entered at once upon the policy intended to be adopted by his
government. He seemed persuaded that Ibrahim would retire behind Mount
Taurus; and expressed himself very doubtful of the good faith of the
Russians.

Slept on board the Actaeon, in the cockpit,--a terribly close berth, and
hot as an oven. Penny, one of the carpenter's crew, who had been ill for
a long time with rheumatic pains, died in the course of the afternoon,
and will be buried to-morrow.

_Friday, 10th._--There being a punishment
this morning, of course I remained in the gun-room.
Two sailors received the cat, and although
the thing is perfectly disgusting, my experience
convinces me it is necessary to the maintenance
of discipline. The captain and first lieutenant
are averse to the practice of flogging; but, if
the first man had been punished for a similar
dereliction of duty, a fortnight since, he very
probably would not have repeated the offence;
and his fate might have served as a warning to
his companion in suffering. In fact, the knowledge
that the captain dislikes to proceed to this
extremity, encourages the unruly to get drunk
and be insolent.

[Sidenote: CRICKET.--TURKISH FLEET]
The Russians exercise their troops daily in
marching, counter-marching, skirmishing, and
firing at a mark. The officers of the Actaeon
have written orders to be admitted into the
camp, and now go on shore every afternoon to
play cricket in the Sultan's Valley, much to the
amusement of both Russian and Turk. The
Russian general recently came on board, and
expressed his surprise that the captain had not
visited the camp, inviting him to do so, and at
the same time leaving these orders for the officers.
Returned to Pera in the evening. The
shore on either side the channel daily acquires
new b