e.

_August 30th._--The mail from England has arrived. No letters, of
course, for me. I gather from the newspapers and Canning's letters
that some troops, though only to a small extent, I fear, are to be
sent to Hong-kong, to replace those which have been diverted to India.
From Palmerston's speeches I gather that he adheres to the policy of
my first visiting the North, and making amicable overtures; and,
secondly, taking Canton, if these overtures fail. I believe I have
adopted the only mode of carrying out that policy. It is rather
perplexing, however, and sometimes a little amusing, to be working at
such a distance from head-quarters, as one never knows what is thought
of one's proceedings until it is so much too late to turn to account
the criticisms passed upon them.

[Sidenote: Return to China.]

There remained now nothing to keep him longer at Calcutta; a body of troops
was on its way to Hongkong, to take the place of those that had been
diverted to India, and the end of September was the time at which he had
arranged to meet Baron Gros in the China seas. On the 3rd of September,
therefore, he turned his face once more eastward, to resume the proper
duties of his mission.

[Sidenote: Fever.]

_Steamer 'Ava'--September 10th._--I have had a very bad time of it since
I finished my last letter on my way down the Hooghly. Probably it may
have been something of the Calcutta fever brought with me.... But on
the second night after our departure, it came on to blow hard towards
morning. I was in my cot on the windward side. First, I got rather a
chill, and then the ports were shut, leaving me very hot. I remained
all day in a state of feverish lethargy, unable to rise, and
constantly falling off into dreamy dozes; kaleidoscopes, with the
ugliest sides of everything perpetually twirling before my eyes. I
panted so for air that they opened my ports towards evening as an
experiment. It turned out better than might have been expected. A sea
washed in, and filled my cot half full of water, which decided me on
rising. No gentler hint would have mastered my lethargy. After I got
on deck, as you may imagine, it was about as difficult, or rather more
so, to overcome the _vis inertiae_ which fixed me there. So a bed was
made for me under the awning. I remained on deck for four nights; the
fourth, in a cot slung u