dine together.
This understanding led to the following entertaining incidents. On
landing, the parties stepped into palanquin-carriages. The Captain and
the Doctor went one way, and their military friends, another. After
finishing their business, the Captain and his companion went in quest
of their friends, desiring the Malay boy, who had charge of their
carriage, to take them to the hotel. The lad replied, "I stand," and
off they set. After a number of turns and windings, amongst most
beautiful scenery, they arrived in front of a very well planned house,
and were told by their conductor "this was house." They thought it
remarkable that a hotel should be in such a retired situation.
However, upstairs they ran, and sure enough they found their military
friends there.

They were congratulating them upon their good quarters, when a lady
appeared, to whom they were introduced as the lady of the commandant,
whose house it was, and were speedily convinced of their mistake,
which produced a hearty laugh. They then, by signs, tried to make
their palanquin-boys comprehend that it was a hotel they wanted, and
not a private house. These said they understood "Master," and away
they all four went towards the town. At a short distance from this the
boys stopped at another large building, which appeared more like a
hotel than the former. They questioned the lads as to this house, who
replied, "All right," so they entered. They met an old gentleman, who
requested them to pass into an inner room, where he introduced them to
Captain Keppel, who received them most kindly. Their introducer proved
to be Captain Quin, of Her Majesty's ship Minden, who was on his way
home on sick leave in the Dido, and the mansion proved to be the
Admiralty-house. Captain Keppel, with great kindness, invited the
party to a ball and supper, to be given by him on the following
evening, to the inhabitants of Penang, previously to his sailing for
England.

On leaving the Admiralty-house, the party were directed to a place
little better than a booth, and denominated by the natives a
punch-house, a name given to all low taverns in India, but which was
dignified with the name of "The Albion Hotel." In the only
sitting-room of this place they found the officers of the Dido at
dinner. Of this meal they would have been disappointed, had not those
gentlemen kindly invited them to partake of their fare, which
consisted principally of curries of various kinds. So poorl