We found the carriage waiting for us when we arrived
at the bottom of the hill about seven o'clock, and it was not long
before we reached the town.
The glowworms and fireflies were numerous. The natives were cooking
their evening meal on the ground beneath the tall palm-trees as we
passed, with the glare of the fires lighting up the picturesque huts,
their dark figures relieved by their white and scarlet turbans and
waist-cloth. The whole scene put us very much in mind of the old
familiar pictures of India, the lithe figures of the natives looking
like beautiful bronze statues, the rough country carts, drawn by
buffaloes without harness, but dragging by their hump, and driven by
black-skinned natives armed with a long goad. We went straight to the
jetty, and found to our surprise that in the roads there was quite a
breeze blowing, and a very strong tide running against it, which made
the sea almost rough.
Mrs. and Miss Anson, Mr. Talbot, and other friends, dined with us. At
eleven they landed, and we weighed anchor, and were soon gliding
through the Straits of Malacca, shaping for Acheen Head, _en route_ to
Galle.
It seems strange that an important English settlement like Penang,
where so many large steamers and ships are constantly calling, should
be without lights or quarantine laws.
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