oceeded, and the lieutenant, for
making such false charges in a private letter, would have been dismissed
with ignominy from the service.

November 1st.--Sailed from Hong Kong, after a detention of some days, in
consequence of a row between Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane and our gallant
captain; the admiral, as we understood, refusing to allow the Samarang
to leave the port until Sir Edward Belcher had apologised for his
insubordination towards him. After a detention of a few days, the
apology was forced from Sir Edward Belcher, and we were permitted to get
under weigh. Of course, I cannot exactly vouch for the correctness of
this statement, but such was the _on dit_ of the day. On the second we
experienced a heavy gale, and the Royalist, who was with us as a tender,
parted company. After a weary beat of nineteen days, we arrived at
Batan, the capital of the Bashee islands; but I have already described
this place. We remained here eight days, anxiously expecting the
Royalist, but she did not make her appearance, and we concluded that she
must have received some injury in the gale, and had borne up for
Manilla. We sailed for that place, and arrived there on the 2d of
December. Our conjectures relative to the Royalist were correct: she was
here at anchor, having crippled her foremast in the gale, so as to
render it necessary for her to bear up for this port.

[Illustration: SALT SMUGGLERS.]

We had always enjoyed ourselves at this place. During our repeated
visits we had made many acquaintances and friends, and it was with no
small pleasure that we found that we were to remain here till the first
day of the new year.

It is the custom at Manilla for the inhabitants to throw most of their
houses open on that day: any one may enter, and be sure of a hearty
welcome from the hospitable Spaniards. We anticipated great
pleasure,-and we did nothing but talk about it, as our last Christmas
Day had been a most dreary one, and we were delighted at the idea of
passing this one among hospitable and civilised people. The reader may
therefore imagine our disgust and vexation when, on the 23d, without our
having the least notice of his intention, the captain gave orders for
the anchor to be weighed, and ran the ship down to Caviti, a town about
seven miles distant. Caviti was deserted; all the inhabitants had gone
to Manilla to enjoy the holidays; not a soul remained to welcome us; but
if they had, it would have been of no good to us,