hesitation in saying that her stern struck the ground, but no injury was
done beyond sousing a few trunks and beds. We at last reached Saugar in
safety; but before we arrived there our feelings were excited to a high
pitch of sympathy by an interesting scene. Captain Larkins was standing
on the poop, close by where I stood, with his glass at his eye examining
the ships which were lying at anchor, when he suddenly exclaimed, "I
surely know that ship lying yonder: my eyes cannot deceive me--it's my
old ship, the _Warren Hastings_." The pilot was requested to go within
hail of her. All hands were upon deck; every eye fixed upon the strange
ship; and sailors and soldiers manned the rigging. The captain got the
large speaking-trumpet, and bellowed out, "What ship, a-hoy?" Answer,
"The _Warren Hastings_--what ship are you?" Answer, "The _New Warren
Hastings_." Here the shouting of the crews of both ships was quite
deafening. Our captain could not say a syllable more, but was so much
affected as to shed a tear to the memory of his old ship, which he had
manfully defended, but lost to some French ship-of-war. She had been
retaken by some of our cruisers.

A short time after this we came to anchor a little above Saugar; and the
following day we were shipped on board sloops, and sailed up the river
Hoogley, and in about a week came to anchor off Fort William, Calcutta,
and were again placed on _terra firma_. We remained in the fort about a
fortnight; and, while boats were in preparation for our conveyance up
the river Ganges, to our respective regiments, all was gaiety and mirth.

The monsoon, or rainy season, having commenced, we sailed from Calcutta,
under the command of Colonel Wade, on route to Cawnpore, where we
arrived in safety in about three months, with the loss of seven or eight
men drowned, and of a few others, who died from having eaten too freely
of unripe fruit.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[11] The 24th Dragoons was raised in 1794 as the 27th Light Dragoons.
After serving in San Domingo and at the Cape, it went to India and
served with distinction in the campaigns under Lord Lake, for which it
received a "standard of honour" from the East India Company. It was
re-numbered the 24th Light Dragoons in 1803. It returned home from India
in 1818 and was disbanded. The uniform in Shipp's time was French grey,
with bright yellow facings and silver lace and buttons.

[12] A false gun, made of wood,