shore, and there I found all the world of
Penang assembled to meet me; among them a quantity of Chinese in full
mandarin costume. It was not easy, under the circumstances, to make
conversation for them, but it was impossible not to be pleased with
their good-humoured faces, on which there rests a perpetual grin. We
had a grand 'spread,' in which fresh fish, mangosteen, and a horrible
fruit whose name I forget (_dorian_), but whose smell I shall ever
remember, played a conspicuous part. After breakfast we returned to
our ship to be broiled for about an hour, then to bathe, and now
(after that I have inserted these words in my journal to you) to
finish dressing.

[Sidenote: Singapore.]

_June 3rd._--Just arrived at Singapore. Urgent letters from
Canning to send him troops. I have not a man. 'Shannon' not
arrived.

_Singapore.--June 5th._--I am on land, which is at any rate one thing
gained. But I am only about eighty miles from the equator, and about
two hundred feet above the level of the sea. The Java wind, too, is
blowing, which is the hot wind in these quarters, so that you may
imagine what is the condition of my pores. I sent my last letter
immediately after landing, and had little time to add a word from
land, as I found a press of business, and a necessity for writing to
Clarendon by the mail; the fact being, that I received letters from
Canning, imploring me to send troops to him from the number destined
for China. As we have no troops yet, and do not well know when we may
have any, it was not exactly an easy matter to comply with this
request. However, I did what I could, and, in concert with the
General, have sent instructions far and wide to turn the transports
back, and give Canning the benefit of the troops for the moment.

[Sidenote: Diversion of troops to India.]

The importance of the determination, thus simply announced, can hardly be
exaggerated. 'Tell Lord Elgin,' wrote Sir William Peel, the heroic leader
of the celebrated Naval Brigade, after the neck of the rebellion was
broken, 'tell Lord Elgin that it was the Chinese Expedition that relieved
Lucknow, relieved Cawnpore, and fought the battle of the 6th December.' Nor
would it be easy to praise too highly the large and patriotic spirit which
moved the heads of the Expedition to an act involving at once so generous a
renunciation of all selfish hopes an