dust penetrated into every
thing. It was in vain to sigh for a clean face and hands, for they were
unattainable. This must be true; yet it passes our comprehension. We
cannot understand why coal-dust should make its appearance at all for
the affliction of the passengers. It certainly blackens no one in our
European steamers. Its business is in the engine-room, and we never
heard of its making its _entree_ into either the saloon or the cabin.
The India is complained of as being very ill adapted for the service, as
unwieldy, and inadequate to face the south-west monsoon. Yet the vessel
was handsomely decorated: the saloon was profusely ornamented with
gilding, cornices, and mirrors; the tables were richly veneered, and the
furniture was of morocco leather. All this exhibits no want of
liberality on the part of the proprietors; but a much heavier charge is
laid on the carelessness which allowed this handsome vessel to be
infested with disgusting vermin. "The swarms of cock-roaches," says Mrs
Darby Griffiths, "almost drove me out of my senses. The other day sixty
were killed in our cabin, and we might have killed as many more. They
are very large, about two inches and a half long, and run about my
pillows and sheets in the most disgusting manner. Rats are also very
numerous." Now, all this we can as little comprehend as the coal-dust.
If such things were, they must have arisen from the most extraordinary
negligence; and we hope the proprietors, enlightened by Mrs Darby
Griffith's book, will have the vessel cleansed out before her next
voyage.

The monsoon was now direct against them, and the probability was, that
instead of getting to Aden in its teeth, their coal-dust would fail, and
they would be driven back to Bombay for more. But the commander of one
of the Oriental Company's ships, who was fortunately a passenger,
advised the captain to go south, for the purpose of meeting winds which
would afterwards blow him to the north-west. The advice was as
fortunately taken. They steamed till within two degrees of the line, and
then met with a south wind. This, however, though it drove them on their
course, made them roll terribly. The India was not prepared for this
rough treatment. There was not a swing-table in the ship. The
consequence was, that bottles of wine were rolling in every direction;
geese, turkeys, and curry were precipitated into the laps of the
unfortunate people on the lee-side; while those on the weather-side