he accordingly did, and landed us in Ceylon.
Captain Armstrong, who was one of the officers we had seen, was a very
kind man, and seemed much interested in the account we gave of all that
had happened to us.

I had seen a number of beautiful spots during my voyage, but Galle was
by far the most interesting and picturesque which I had yet visited. As
we approached the land we caught sight of Adam's Peak, with its summit
enveloped in clouds, and then by degrees the old forts, built as a
defence to the city, on rocks rising out of the sea, blue as sapphire,
appeared before us, with the bright yellow sand fringed with palm-trees
bending over the water, while the ground behind was covered with flowers
of the most brilliant hues; and beyond, again, rose hills of graceful
shapes, clothed to their summits with forests of perennial green; and,
further still, range beyond range of purple and blue mountains, rising
one above the other till lost in the distance. It struck me as being a
very strong place, all the fortifications being almost entirely
surrounded by water. There are two harbours--an outer and an inner one.
The _Star_ came to anchor in the outer one, among a number of vessels
of all sorts of curious rigs--the petamars of Malabar, the dhows of the
Arabs, the dhoneys of Coromandel, and curious sea boats from the Maldive
and Laccadive islands.

The captain, knowing how anxious I was to prosecute my search for
Alfred, invited me and Mr Henley to accompany him at once on shore. I
parted from the officers with much regret, all expressing themselves
most kindly towards me, especially the midshipmen, who invited me, if I
was able, at any time to take a cruise with them, and I assured them
that I should be very glad to accept their offer if I could do so. I
had fortunately kept my pocket-book about me when I left the _Orion_, in
which were my letters of introduction, so that, besides having gained
the friendship of the officers of the _Star_, I did not land as a
stranger in Ceylon, but had the means of forming numerous acquaintances,
whom I hoped would render me the assistance I so much required. I had
also, according to kind Mr Ward's advice, kept the gold he had given me
about my person, so that when I landed I did not feel that I was
altogether dependent on the charity of strangers; but I did not forget
that it was necessary, at the same time, to husband my resources to the
utmost. Of course, my clothes were almost i