Page:McCosh, John - Advice to Officers in India (1856).djvu/299

 in very delicate health, and a native servant will be desirable. A milch goat will also be very useful. She will give little trouble, and can be fed and housed with the ship's stock. Let him by all means take a swinging cot with him.

Making ones will is at all times a serious matter, few people like to think of it,but postpone it to some future opportunity. This is a great mistake, for in the event of the invalid's dying intestate in the Colonies, those most dear to him may, in consequence, have much difficulty, and be subject to years of delay before they can recover his property. Let him, herefore,have his will made in due form, registered, or left with his agents. But every officer ought to have his will made when in good health, so as not to be obliged to add to his despondency when ill.

The usual way of drawing one's pay while absent from India, is to authorise some house of agency in Calcutta to draw it monthly, receiving in return a letter of credit on the different places he may visit,for so much a month.

The last public document to be attended to, is the pilot's certificate. Blank forms will be given him by the adjutant-general, to be signed by the pilot on his leaving the ship, and his leave of absence will be calculated there from.

There is every facility in making the voyage to the Straits and China, both by steam and by