Still tacking about: a foul wind (little of it), current, everything against us; and though we are now within 200 miles of Sandheads, we may yet be a week reaching them. We shall have been ten weeks on Monday without seeing land, which is an unusual thing, even in a seaman’s life. I was telling George last night that when children learn their Indian history they will come to—‘Sir O. Metcalfe began to reign in 1835, preceded by William of Bentinck, succeeded by George of Auckland, who was surnamed the Navigator, from the very remarkable fact that he never made land during the five years his government lasted.’ That will probably be the case. I shall not write any more till we anchor; you will never be able to read it; besides, I am very busy about a set of little drawings on small cards that I am doing for you from my sketches. I think I shall finish twelve before we arrive.
At last we are in sight of land off Saugur; and, what is more, the steamer is in sight bringing us heaps of letters; that dear steamer and
