Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/53

Rh one when they feel that the lives of many men are hanging upon his weak judgment. Hie opus est.

From Rio we went to Bombay, a voyage of eighty days, during which we never sighted land. My recollection of India are a confused jumble the smell everywhere of burning sandal wood, it was before the days of the common use of matches, of Hindoo temples, of endless balls, dinners and picnics given us by the governor general, navy men, army men in red coats, and native princes, veritable princes some, merchant princes others.

The country places of these natives, with the trees in the spacious ground twinking with colored lights, the beautiful open arched houses, the music, the dancing naucht girls, the delicious viands and the cooling drinks made all an earthly paradise to me.

From Bombay we ran down the coast of Hindoostan, sighting the ancient city of Gou in passing. After a short run we anchored off Colombo, in the Island of Ceylon. Here again we were the recipients of all sorts of courtesies and attention.

The Governor, Sir Colin Campbell, was one of England's heroes. A noble looking old Scotchman. I remember that when he came on board the Brandywine the band played "The Camp-bells are Coming." The commodore and Mr. Cushing were quartered at the Governor's palace during our brief stay at the delightful island. We gave a midday entertainment to the people who had treated us so generously. The anchorage at Colombo being an open roadstead and the ship rolling a good deal, it was not safe to get the ladies from the boats to the ship by the side ladder, so an arm chair was attached to a whip from the main yard arm and after the lady was seated, her skirts enveloped in a flag, at a pipe from the boatswain's mate the men would run away with the whip, the fair one would go half way up to the yard arm and then, by tightening an inboard whip and lowering on the other, she would be landed on the deck."

In the year 1848 he acted as passed midshipman on the sloop Jamestown, a vessel of twenty-two guns and a tonnage of 985. This vessel being in service during the Mexican war.

In 1849 he-was transferred to the sloop Decatur, of sixteen guns and of but 566 tons.