liberty than in most Eastern
countries. They go about the streets with their faces uncovered, and are
clothed for the most part like the Hindu women. As they appear in the
street they are not so neat as the other native females, who spend much
time in bathing, and are always clean and tidy. I have nothing more to say
at present."

"I have an announcement to make," said Captain Ringgold. "To-morrow
forenoon we shall return to the Guardian-Mother, and sail for Surat."

The party spent the rest of the day in excursions about Bombay in three
parties, each under the direction of one of the hosts.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE UNEXAMPLED LIBERALITY OF THE HOSTS

The Blanche, the elegant white steam-yacht of General Noury, which had
sailed in company with the Guardian-Mother from Aden, and which had
assisted in the rescue of the crew of the Travancore, had come into the
harbor of Bombay, and lay at anchor not half a mile from her consort. The
owner was a Moor of the highest rank, and a Mohammedan; and he had friends
in Bombay, though he had never been there before. He had written to them of
his intended visit, and they had taken possession of him on his arrival.

The general had been invited, with Captain and Mrs. Sharp, to join the
party of her consort in the business of sight-seeing; and Lord Tremlyn and
Sir Modava had united with Captain Ringgold in the invitation. The
commander of the Blanche had visited the party on shore; but he was engaged
in making some changes on board of his ship which required his attention.
The Mohammedan magnates had kept the general very busy, night and day, and
_feted_ him like a king.

Lord Tremlyn had taken care of the engineers and other people of the
wrecked steam-yacht, and had treated everybody in a subordinate capacity
with princely liberality. He and his Indian associate were both
multi-millionaires, with fortunes inherited from their ancestors and other
relatives; and unitedly they had placed a large sum of money in the hands
of the captains of the two steamers, to be equitably distributed among
their ships' companies. Captain Ringgold remonstrated against this lavish
gift to his own people.

"It is a sailor's duty, and a large part of his religion, to assist those
in peril and distress on the sea, the poor and the rich alike, and I
dislike to have my men rewarded in money for a service of this kind," said
he rather warmly.

"