I can readily understand your desire to obtain the first view of India,"
said Lord Tremlyn.

"But they will not obtain it yet a while," added the commander.

Louis and Felix had ascended the fore-rigging, and discovered what might
have been the land or a bank of clouds. There were a great number of boats
and small craft in sight, but none of them were near enough to be seen
distinctly. They observed that the Guardian-Mother had reduced her speed.

"We shall not be where you can see anything for an hour or more," continued
Captain Ringgold. "We have to pass some rather dangerous rocks in this
vicinity, and we shall proceed cautiously till we take a pilot."

"A number of large vessels have been wrecked in this locality," said the
viscount; "and in a little while you will get in among the multitude of
fishing-craft that swarm off the islands."

When the company were satisfied that there was nothing to be seen, they
resumed their seats, and the "live boys" in the fore-rigging returned to
their places. All were greatly interested in the viscount's account of the
mutiny; and he had suspended his narrative just where cunning writers of
exciting stories place the "To be continued."

"I had hardly finished what I had to say, or at least what I intended to
say; for there are still a great many points upon which I have not touched,
leaving them to be brought up as you proceed on your travels through this
interesting country," said Lord Tremlyn.

"Go on! Go on!" said quite a majority of the party.

"I have been here before, and perhaps you will excuse me if I have occasion
to leave before your lordship has finished; and with this understanding, I
think you had better proceed," added the commander.

"I will do so with the greatest pleasure," replied the speaker, as he took
his place on the rostrum again. "I have described the terrible situation to
which the English in India had been reduced, with nearly a hundred thousand
Sepoys in rebellion, and the troops outnumbered a hundred to one, shut up
in camps and forts. The fanatical and blood-thirsty mob, far greater than
the body of native soldiers, were eager to fall upon and slaughter all
Europeans.

"At this time there were 40,000 British troops scattered over the country;
several thousand men on their way from England to China were diverted to
this country. Forty thousand from home were on their voyage of 12,000 miles
around the Cape of Good Hope to relieve the besieged gar