pregnable, but were it so, might readily be starved into capitulation, as Gibraltar might be, if England should lose her naval supremacy. Nevertheless, as a necessary station on the Overland Route, its possession is of the utmost importance to England, and it belongs to her geographically, as the Fillibusters say. The fortifications are most admirably planned. The skill and genius exhibited in their design im pressed me far more than the massive strength of Gibraltar. I never felt more forcibly the power of that civilization which follows the Anglo-Saxon race in all its conquests, and takes root in whatever corner of the earth that race sets its foot. Here, on the farthest Arabian shore, facing the most savage and inhospitable regions of Africa, were Law, Order, Security, Freedom of Conscience and of Speech, and all the material advantages which are inseparable from these. Herein consists the true power and grandeur of the race, and the assu rance of its final supremacy.

The population of Aden, which was little more than 1,000 at the time it was acquired by England, now amounts to upwards of 20,000. It has almost ruined Mocha and the other Arabian ports on the Red Sea, having usurped the greater part of their commerce. It is a free port, and the native merchants are but too willing to transfer their trade to it, thereby escaping the burdensome and indiscriminate duties. exacted by the Turkish Government. The resident merchants in Mocha, Hodeida and Djidda have petitioned the East India Company to establish Customs at Aden, but without effect.

The Achilles took on board three hundred tons of coal, and at half-past nine in the evening fired her signal gun for the passengers to come off. One young lady, however, re

THE INDIAN OCEAN.

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mained nearly two hours longer, the steamer waiting solely on her account. Less consideration was shown to a luckless native, who had fallen asleep in one of the boats and was not observed until we were under way. He was immediately thrown overboard in spite of his entreaties, and left to take his chance of reaching the shore, which was half a mile distart. There was a collier lying about a hundred yards off, but he would not be able to get on board of her so late at night, and the forcing of him into the sea, under the circumstances, showed a most criminal disregard of human life.

On the following day, some mountains about a hundred miles east of Aden were in sight; they were our last view of Araby the Blest. We were from fifteen to twenty miles distant from the shore, and the loveliest tints of violet, lilac and rose-color concealed its sterility. After leaving the Red Sea, the temperature became a few degrees cooler, the thermometer showing 80 at night, and 85° to 87° at noon. The Indian Ocean was calm and peaceful, the violence of the north-east monsoon being over, so that, although it blew in our faces, it only served to freshen our nights and noons. We took our meals under an awning on deck, and some of the passengers preferred sleeping there. Where this open-air life is possible at sea, a long voyage is endurable-otherwise, rather a thousand miles on land, than a hundred on the waters.

Our fare was so much better than that on board the Haddington, that we did not complain much. The coffee and tea, however, gave evidence of astonishing skill, for I never imagined it possible that these beverages could be so badly made. The passengers were often quite unable to distinguish one from the other. On the other hand we had capital bread, the

baker being a Chinaman, who kept secret his manner of preparing it. The curry was genuine, and would have compen sated for many deficiencies in other respects. On Christmas Day we had a handsome banquet on deck, and turkey was liberally dispensed to all on board. The evening was spent in festivities, the passengers dancing polkas on the quarter-deck, the wild Africans yelling and clapping hands amid-ships, and the sailors performing hornpipes on the forecastle.

The distance from Aden to Bombay is 1,664 miles, and after having been at sea nine days, with a prospect of getting out of coal, we grow at last somewhat impatient. Finally, on the morning of the 27th of December-precisely a month after I embarked at Gibraltar-the cessation of the monsoon, the sultriness of the air, the appearance of the clouds, and the arrival of a dove on board, denoted the proximity of land. I have rarely approached any country with a keener interest. Scarce Vasco de Gama himself, after weathering the Cape of Storms, could have watched for the shores of India with more excited anticipation. That vision of gorgeous Ind, the Empress far away in the empurpled East, throned on the best grandeurs of History and canopied by sublime tradition, was about to be confirmed, or displaced for ever. Near at hand, close behind the blue sea-horizon, lay that which would either heighten the fascination of her name, or make it thenceforth but an empty sound to the ear of Fancy.

Therefore, in spite of the breathless heat, I keep watch from one of the paddle-boxes. At noon there is a cry of "Land!" from the foremast, and in a short time the tops of mountains are faintly discernible on the horizon. These are the Western Ghauts, which extend along the Malabar Coast,

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from Cape Comorin to Surat. The island of Salsette, north of Bombay, next rises, and ere long we distinguish the lighthouse, at the entrance of the harbor. A considerable extent

of coast, north and south, is visible-the mountains picturesque and beautiful in their forms, and exhibiting, in their drapery of forests, a marked contrast to the desert hills of Arabia, which we have last seen. We are now near enough to distinguish the city, the dwellings of the residents on Malabar Hill, and the groves of cocoa-nut and date trees which cover the island. The sea swarms with fishing-boats, and our native pilot is already on board. We are signalled from the lighthouse, and being five days behind our time, are no doubt anxiously looked for.

The Bay opens magnificently as we advance. It lies between the islands of Bombay and Salsette and the mainland, and must be fifteen or twenty miles in length. Both shores are mountainous and thickly covered with the palmy growths of the tropics. All is confusion on board, and I also must prepare to set foot on the land of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

2*

CHAPTER II.

IMPRESSIONS OF BOMBAY.

A Foretaste of India-Entering Bombay Harbor-I Reach the Shore-My First Ride in a Palanquin-Mr. Pallanjee's Hotel-Appearance of Bombay-Its Situation-The First Indian Railroad-English Hospitality-American Consuls and Residents-The Parsees-Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy-His Family and Residence-Parsee Faith and Ceremonies-Bridal Processions-A Drive to Malabar Hill-Tropical Gardens-Tax on Palm-Trees-A Hindoo Temple -The Jeejeebhoy Hospital-Dr. Bhawoo Dajee.

BEFORE reaching Bombay, I had a slight foreshadowing of Indian life. The servants on the steamer being all Indians, and the passengers mostly belonging to the East India service, many peculiarities of every-day life were already familiar to me. I had mastered the mysteries of curry; I learned to say "tiffin" instead of "lunch; " I became accustomed to being addressed as "sahib," and even ventured so far into Hindustani, as to call out boldly at table: "pani do!" (give me water) or "saf basan lao!" (bring a clean plate). Thus the first bloom of the new land was lost to me-all those nameless slight peculiarities which surround you with an enchanted circle when you first plunge yourself into another climate and another race. Nevertheless, there was enough