Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/90

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TO A FRIEND.

Diamond Harbour, Friday, March 4.

My birthday, which nobody knows or cares about except myself, who would rather be a year younger each time than a year older; and I cannot help thinking that would be a worthy reward for each year passed in India. The steamer began to tow us up the river at nine. Finished our letters and sent them to the ‘Zenobia,’ which met us in the river, homeward bound. Between twelve and one, when we were going eleven knots an hour and growing fidgetty for fear we should arrive too soon, we came to a brig at anchor. The steamer stood a little to the left, to leave room; was caught in an eddy, and drove the ‘Jupiter’ and the other steamer aground. The ‘Soonamookie’ (George’s yacht), which was towed astern, of course ran against the ‘Jupiter’ and broke some of its railings— in short, it was quite a collision; and after two hours’ delay and work, we were obliged to take to the steamer and give up the ‘Jupiter.’ It was the greatest mortification to all parties: Captain Grey had set his heart on landing us at Calcutta; the officers and midshipmen had