that will make no
difference. As long as I live, I shall stay with you."

Meinik had been astounded at Calcutta; which presented a strong
contrast, indeed, to the city which, as a Burman, he had regarded
as the most important place in the world.

"The Burmese are fools, master. They should have sent two or three
men here, before they made up their minds to go to war. If they had
been truly told what Calcutta was like, they would never have
ventured to make war with the English."

Chapter 18: In Business Again.

When the vessel arrived at the mouth of the Aracan river, a canoe
was seen coming out from Akyah--a town situated at the entrance to
the principal of the several channels by which the river makes its
way, through a number of sand banks and islands, into the sea. As
it approached, Stanley recognized his uncle sitting in the stern.

"Well, uncle, how are you?" he called out, as the boat approached
the side.

"What, is it you, Stanley? I am glad, indeed, to see you. I have
watched the papers anxiously, to see if your name appeared among
those who have been killed or have died; not seeing it, I hoped
that you were all right. Of course we heard, from the Madras
regiment that came across from Sembeughewn, that it was all over;
and that all the troops would be shipped off, as soon as they went
down to Rangoon; but I have not seen any papers lately, and so have
not had a chance of learning any news of you. I fancied, though,
that you would be back at Calcutta by this time; and thought that I
might get a letter from you, by this ship."

By this time he was on deck, and after a hearty shaking of hands,
Stanley asked what he was doing here.

"I did not expect to see you until we got to Aracan."

"I have been up there, lad. It is a decaying old place, and the
stream is in many places shallow; so that it would be very
difficult to take up a ship of any size. I foresee, therefore, that
this is going to be the chief port of the province--timber will be
floated down here, and rice brought down in native boats--so I
shall make my headquarters here, as far as this district is
concerned, and put Johnson in charge. I doubt whether, for a time,
we shall do as much trade as we shall higher up the coast; but
everyone expects a great Burmese immigration, and a large trade is
likely to spring up, in time.

"I have not quite determined on my next move, and it is not
improbable that I shall go down in this ship and esta