VOYAGE OUT. 1 and it is notorious what a very had scum this is. They are exceedingly superstitious and very vain. An amusing instance of the latter quality occurred on the occasion of a grand public dinner which was given here to the officers returning from the Crimea. One of the officers of the Malta Fencibles, rising, proposed the toast of “ Malta and England,” adding that as long as they were allied together, they could face the whole world. Before leaving the island we heard the great and unfortunate news of the defeat of General Hicks’s army in the Soudan, and the total massacre of his troops. This news much excited us, for we thought it might have some effect on my husband’s future movements. From to-day, the 26th, we were enabled to sit on deck and enjoy the warmth. It really seemed to give one new life, and we enjoyed it all the more because, while basking in this lovely sunshine, one’s thoughts recurred to the climate that we had just left. After leaving Malta we did not see land until we arrived at Port Said, on the 28th of November at 5 a.m., when we were awoke by the whistle of the boat making a great noise; so, despair ing of getting any more sleep, especially as there were several other boats whistling at the same time, we got up, dressed, and went on deck, and amused ourselves by watching the busy life around us. I was expecting news of my husband, and, none coming, got impatient and sent him a telegram saying I had arrived. At about 12 o’clock, the Comte de Montjoie, who was commanding the police
