CHAPTER XI.

"There is no sign of cowardice so unerring, as that of an attempt to bully."

JOHNSON.

To those acquainted with the ships that were formerly employed in the exclusive commerce of our East India Company, it must be known that nothing could exceed the comfort, respectability, and excellent table always kept on board, for those passengers who migrated in petty shoals, from Europe to the different ports of our possessions in Asia.

Amongst other commodities, in which the great monopolists traded, was the important one of wives; so that the Leadenhall Street

directors may be said to have possessed the most extensive fair, for the fair, in England. This staple has now, however, been done up.

Those ships, bound for Calcutta, used to have always the most choice selection of young ladies, starting thus in search of spouses, of which the Tigris had on board eleven. The chief cabin passengers consisted, as I said before, of seventeen males and fifteen females.

First we shall name Colonel Johnson and his son, an ensign in his father's regiment, which both were going out to join. He was a steady old soldier, who had spent his life in the army, and nearly in the same regiment; but, having no interest, had dragged up, after fortyseven years' active service, to become one of the lieutenant-colonels: and, as his senior colonel was a sprig of nobility, who had been born just before Johnson became major of the regiment, the commander-in-chief, with his usual foresight, had kept Johnson, as lieutenant-colonel,

to manage affairs, whilst my lord was dandyfying in London, and receiving the emoluments of the colonelcy: and, as one of the Joe Humes of that day, had very properly made some observations, in the House of Commons, about colonels getting their pay without work, it was hoped, by the men, that the regiment might be ordered home, to enable their noble and gallant commander to be occasionally seen at their head; once a month, perhaps, or on grand parade day he being, as the case stood, totally unknown to most of the officers.

Still, the earl, his father, would, upon no account, allow his gallant son to expose himself to the horrible sea voyage, and unwholesome climate of India; neither, on the other hand, could he think of depriving so deserving a regiment of the various advantages of boasting of a colonel, who was heir to one of the wealthiest families, &c. &c.

Nabob Yellabellie, on whose singular cognomen Jim Bell fixed so distinctive a misnomer, was upon his return to India, to make a second fortune. The first, which had, in round

numbers, amounted to something like three hundred thousand pounds, had been squeezed out of the health and heart's blood of poor blackey, by purchasing rice, when it was cheap-causing a famine by the monopoly, and then doling it out to them, by retail, at six hundred per cent. profit.

The wealth which this man had thus obtained like a villain, he, with great consistency, had squandered like a fool. At the gaming-table and horse-races in England, every farthing of his iniquitously amassed wealth, found its way into the pockets of knaves, if possible, more abject than himself. Puffed up with pride and self-consequence, he looked down upon all his fellow passengers with sovereign contempt.

Bibi Indigo had been the mistress of a planter of that herb in India, and had borne him seven children, all of whom had been transmitted to England for their education, and the Bibi herself had generally taken the same trip to settle them there, or to bring them back, as circumstances required. Her children had, however, been so much better educated than

their mother, that the most prominent feelings which they entertained for her, were those of shame and disdain, being in truth most reluctant even to be seen with or near her. This fact unfortunately told well for neither party; though knowing the weakness of the human heart, it excites little surprise, when we reflect upon the wretched ignorance in which people of the Bibi's class are kept, more particularly on European subjects, on which indeed their want of knowledge is often most amusing. As an instance of this, Bibi one day inquired of Jim Bell, how the ladies of London amused themselves, when the India fleet had sailed.

"Why, ould woman," said Jim, "how d'ye manage in Calcutta upon sich an occasion ?" "O" said the Bibi, "we eat him curry, lie on the sopha, and talk conversation."

"Very well then," replied Jim, "I suppose Moll of Wapping does the same."

At another time, she wished Jim to explain. the reason why she was so dark, whilst the European women were so white.

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Why lor!" cried Jim, "that's as clear as

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