The commander, the professor, the surgeon, the young millionaire, and
others who have hitherto given the "talks" and lectures for the instruction
of the young people, and incidentally of the older ones also, find
themselves almost entirely relieved from duty in this direction by those
whom the ship's company have saved from inevitable death in the stormy
billows of the Arabian Sea. The gratitude of the two titled members of the
trio, and their earnest appreciation of the educational object of the long
voyage, induce them to make themselves very useful on board.
They do not confine themselves to the duty presented to them in "Conference
Hall;" but they are profuse, and even extravagant, in their hospitality,
becoming the hosts of the entire party, and treating them like princes in
the principal cities of India, in all of which they are quite at home. One
of the Hindu maharajahs proves to be an old friend of both of them, and the
party reside a week at his court; and the time is given up to the study of
manners and customs, as well as to hunting and the sports of the country.
Felix McGavonty, with Kilkenny blood in his veins, is firm in his belief
that he ought not to be afraid of snakes, and does for India a little of
what St. Patrick did completely for Ireland. The other "live boys," though
not so much inclined as the Milesian to battle with the cobra-de-capello,
have some experience in shooting tigers, leopards, deer, pythons,
crocodiles, and other game, though not enough to wholly satisfy their
natural enterprise.
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