Letters from India Volume I/To the Hon and Rev Robert Eden 1
My dearest Robert,—We arrived here on Tuesday, the 13th, exactly ten days after we left Portsmouth, and six days from the Lizard’s Point. The three last days we averaged 240 miles a day, and it is believed a most excellent passage. I have no doubt of it, but may I never know another!
Our captain is more than sailor enough to take us anywhere; he is quite wrapped up in his profession, works the ship himself, and even on shore is occupied the whole day in taking observations, &c. He seems a thoroughly scientific sailor. has set his heart on going to Penang, on our way from the Cape, and has coaxed the whole ship’s company into wishing it too; and now Captain Grey is occupied in proving that it will not take us more than seventy miles out of our course. As bad as 700 in that dear coach-and-four we last met in. But is mad to eat some mangosteens; he has collected all the descriptions of the fruit he can meet with, and runs on for ever about it. ‘It shows how little of self there is in me,’ he says, ‘for the angels are always allowed a little taste of mangosteen on Sundays, so I am sure of eating some at last, but many of you may never see it. I speak entirely for your sakes.’
We are staying here with a Mr. Stothard, a great wine merchant, in such a delicious house; such large high rooms, and so clean, and quite out of sight of the sea and the ‘Jupiter;’ and the man himself is really quite delightful. He makes us quite at home, and we have our palanquins at all hours, and ponies for going up the steep hills, and he finds us the best sketching places. I hope everybody will buy his wine.
George desires me to tell you, with his love, that he has bought a hogshead of Madeira for you, and is taking it with us to the East Indies, for the good of its health; so you will have it on the return of the ‘Jupiter,’ as good as wine can be, he hopes.
We dine with the Portuguese governor to-day, and to-morrow have company at home, go on board after dinner, and get under weigh at one in the morning; and in about eleven days I shall be thrown overboard, for I am nearly transparent now with thinness, and never shall stand more than another ten days.
Keep writing, for mercy’s sake.