Year: 1872

d h1Do j ENNlE A. NEL5ONs


NO. ".


INDIAN OCEAN, STEAMER DECcAN,


Nov. IL, 1872.


The Sea has been rough since last
evening, and this afternoon we have
had shower of rain-sOmething
unusual on this part of the Sea.
We ought to arrive in Bombay to-
morrow in time for the mail, but
will not, so the P. M. is going to
make up a mail and send it out to
the Mail Steamer, which we will
meet. We expect to laud in Bonn
bay on Sabbath morning. We will
remain there until Tuesday, and
then go on to Allahabad. am
heartily disgusted with my letters
written on ship-board. It may be
some comfort to you to see I can
make my mark.


1 am longing to be at work. I
am tired of doing nothing but float
along. We have been on the water
almost three weeks. Tonight we
are to have a theatrical perfOr-
nance on the ship; some of the
gentlemen are to act. Three of
them are to represent ladies; one
of them borrows some of my
clothes.


BOMBAY, Nov. 13.-We reached
"India's Coral Strand" at daylight
yesterday morning. The first view
of India was most gloriously beauti-
full, as the sun was just rising in all
his majesty, over the rocky peaks Of
the coast. Soon all was hustle and
confusion, people getting ready to
land, and friends, husbands and low
ers padding out in their little boats
to the steamer. I had to choke back
my tears when I saw these reunions
offriends, and thought how far mine
are away. But soon we were in our
little boat on our way to the shore.


I can give you no idea of the va
rioty of people and customs and
languages which met us on shore
1 will describe these more at length
another time. We were at the Gus
tom House a long time, and then
took a carriage for one of the largest
and best native hotels, the Adelphi.
Our party consists of Mr.. WyehOf,
two Scotchmen, Mr.. CrOughton and
a Mr.. Allen, Miss Sly and myself.
The hotel is full, so we have a little
bungalow, or small cottage, in the
yard all to ourselves, and have our
meals brought out here. 1t is quite
like housekeeping. But everything
lis so strange, and the jabbering Of
the natives sounds like monkeys.
Oh, I realize that am in a heather
land, and my pen is inadequate to
give you any conception of the deg
radiation I have seen.


There are no conveniences such
as we have at home. All trunks and
baggage are carried on the should
ers of the natives, who have the
smallest amount of clothing on their
bodies, but large hats and turbans of
of every variety on their heads
Our baggage was brought to the bo-
tel in curious carts, drawn by Hin
doc bullocks. One of the gentle |
men asked a servant to bring him a
light for his cigar. In q few min
utes he returned with a brick, with |
a coal of fire on it. Our light is
made in this way: A tumbler, just .
like those we use at home, is filed |
with two-thirds of water, and oil on
top of that. A little wick, with a
little stone at the end to hold it
down, is dropped into this. It
burns we'll.


I have not time to describe our
food. Vegetation here is very lux
uriant, and it is very refreshing, as
all the places we have seen lately
have been very barren. There is a
great variety of flowers in bloom.


Last night we went to Scotch
church and heard a good serm On.-
1t looked so strange to see the Pan
kas swinging to and fro all the time,
but the heat is so great it is very
necessary. The tunes they sung
brought tears to my eyes, but re-
freshed my soul. I feel my moth
ingness, and 'who is sufficient for
these things ?" is uppermOst in my
mind. But I am comforted when I
think of the grain of mustard seed.