Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/79

 five minutes after half the ship’s company jumped overboard for a swim, and took Chance with them. He little thought when Mr. M. transplanted him from the shades of Windsor that he should swim twice a day in the Indian Ocean; that it would be a bet that the third lieutenant should jump off the chains with him under his arm, and that one of the midshipmen would bring him up the ship’s side in his mouth, which was the case yesterday.

We have had some very good theatricals; the theatre closing with a song by Mr. Pelham, ‘Here’s a health to Lord Auckland, God bless him!’ and ending with cheers from all the sailors.

Drawing is my chief occupation, and working Fanny’s, and she plays at chess with ; and we all read and grumble and cannot find enough to drink, and so on; and then whenever I can get to sleep I dream without ceasing, chiefly of Eden Farm, but very often of Langley, and I have walked with you over the Cross Walk and down the Hedge Walk quite as often the last three months as ever we did in our dear, happy, young days; and sometimes I wake up crying and sometimes arguing, and I