high caste, and who are rich, wear massive gold
bangles upon their arms and legs, besides ornaments of great value on
other parts of their person, and they never take them off when they
bathe, as they are fastened on so as not to be removed. It was from the
observation that this supposed alligator was very nice in his eating, as
he invariably took away a Brachmany or a Rajahpoot girl, that the plot
was discovered. We are now abreast of the Diamond Harbour, a sad,
unhealthy place, I can assure you. Port a little, Mr Jones--give five
or six fathoms more cable; we drag too fast. This is a very dangerous
corner that we are turning now. When we are about eight miles above we
shall bring up, and go to dinner. I beg your pardon, young gentleman,
but I'll thank you to leave the compasses alone. You'll excuse me, but
I command this vessel."

The pilot schooner rounded the point in safety, and in less than an hour
brought up abreast of a large village. The captain stated that before
dinner was over the tide would be too slack to go further on, and that
he should remain there during the ebb, and not weigh till early the next
morning. If, therefore, Captain M--- and the gentlemen felt inclined to
take a stroll after dinner, a boat was at their service.

This was gladly assented to, and when dinner was over, the captain of
the schooner ordered the boat to be manned, and, at the request of
Captain M---, accompanied them on shore. On their landing, the flocking
together of the inhabitants, and the noise of the music, announced that
something more than usual was going on. On inquiry, the pilot captain
informed them that the rajah of the village, who had ascended the river
to perform his vows at some distant shrine, had not returned at the time
that he was expected, and that the natives were afraid that some
accident had occurred, and were in consequence propitiating the deity.

"You will now have an opportunity of beholding a very uncommon sight,
which is the propitiatory dance to Shivu. There is no occasion for
hurrying on so fast, young gentleman," continued the captain to
Courtenay; "they will continue it till midnight."

"How excessively annoying that `captain of his own ship' is," observed
Courtenay to Macallan. "`Young gentleman!' As if he could not see my
epaulet."

"And yet there is nothing particularly to be affronted about. You
_have_ a very youthful appearance, and surely you are not displeased at
being