es of
liquid phosphorus; whilst in the distance, even to the horizon, it
seemed an ocean of fire, the far-off waves giving out a light of
inconceivable beauty and brilliancy.

Albicores, bonitoes, and dolphins followed the ship for several days in
succession; and one albicore, which had a mark on his back, from which
we knew it, followed us from 3 degrees north latitude to 10 degrees
south latitude, a distance of eight hundred and forty miles. An immense
whale rose close to us one day, like an island emerging from the deep.
Farther south Cape petrels appeared; and still farther, large numbers of
the powerful albatross came gliding round us on their wide-spreading
wings.

The Cape of Storms was rounded without a storm; and once more the
_Governor Harcourt_ entered the Hoogly. It appeared to me as if a
lifetime had passed away since I was last at Calcutta, though scarcely
two years had elapsed since I left it.

My first inquiries, on the pilot's coming on board, were for Sir
Charles. With breathless anxiety I listened for his answer.

"Sir Charles--Oh ay--Sir Charles Plowden, you mean, sir. I haven't
heard of his death; so I suppose he is still alive, though he is very
sickly, I know. But perhaps you are his son, sir, and I am speaking
carelessly."

"No, I am not his son, my friend, but I love him as if I were," I
replied. "And I earnestly wish that you could recollect when you last
heard of him."

The pilot stopped to consider for some minutes. "Now I come to think of
it, sir, I do remember but last night hearing that Sir Charles was going
on much as usual; but I did not mark at the time what Sir Charles was
spoken of," was the vague answer, with which I was obliged to be
satisfied.

The wind falling to a dead calm, it was necessary to bring the ship to
an anchor. To save time, therefore, as I was very eager to be on shore,
I, with some of the other passengers, hired a country boat, in which we
proceeded up to Calcutta. On landing, some in palanquins, others in
carriages, or on horseback, proceeded to their various destinations.
Hotels were not so common in those days as at present; so that people
went at once to the houses of those to whom they had introductions, who
aided them in establishing themselves in their quarters.

I threw myself on a horse, and galloped, in spite of the hot sun, as
fast as he could go, to the house, or rather to the palace, where Sir
Charles resided. There was more than th