equest, and see me and Maria safe with my relations. I
have no claim on Captain Cloete and his officers, and, as you know, I
have no money; but I am very certain my friends will repay you all you
expend on my account, and will do their best to show their gratitude to
you besides. They were angry with me for marrying Captain Van Deck; but
my misfortunes will have softened their hearts, and now he is gone they
will forgive me."

I replied, that I would certainly do all she wished; at the same time
showing her the very great importance it was to me to incur no longer
delay than could be helped in getting the vessel I proposed purchasing
ready for sea, and in prosecuting my enquiries about the _Emu_.

"My first object in life is to recover my sister," I observed. "I can
undertake nothing which in any way interferes with that, but in every
other respect my time and my purse are at your service; nor will I fail
to fulfil my promise to your late husband." This answer contented her,
for she saw its justice.

A number of flat-bottomed boats came alongside to convey us on shore.
They have a broad seat and an awning for passengers, and are propelled
by two men with paddles in the bows, and steered by another in the
stern. Fairburn and I engaged one of these to convey the widow and
Maria on shore. Captain Cloete very kindly pressed me to take up my
residence at the house of a relative of his in the town; but, thanking
him warmly, I answered that I would prefer being at the hotel, which I
understood existed there, with Fairburn, that we might have perfect
freedom of movement; at the same time, I assured him that I should be
most grateful to him for all the introductions he could give me to his
friends.

We pulled to the mouth of a canal, up which we were tracked by two boys,
with a rope made fast to the mast-head, between two piers for a mile and
a quarter; and then landing at a dock where some Chinese junks, and a
number of country boats, laden with rice and other commodities, and
several schooners were lying, we proceeded up a narrow street to the
hotel, which we found kept much after the fashion of the smaller ones I
have since met with in France. There was a _table d'hote_, at which a
number of people residing in the house and elsewhere, dined. The widow
said she would wish to avoid the noise and bustle of so public a place;
so we procured lodgings for her near at hand. My first care was to make
arrangements to get