Beside these, there are a series of signals for the preservation of vessels in the roadstead during the months which are most liable to typhoons or hurricanes. This period extends from the 1st of December to the 1st of April; at the first signal the captains of all vessels lying in the roadstead are compelled by law to resort to their respective ships; other signals are for the increase of ground-tackle, shifting of anchorage, and, finally, getting under weigh, when a longer stay in the roadstead would prove dangerous. At 8 o’clock in the evening we heard the report of the evening gun which enjoins all keepers of public houses, and other places of business, to close their doors; a heavy penalty being imposed upon any person transacting business of whatever kind after gun fire. At 5 o’clock A. M. the morning gun is fired, when all are at liberty to open their doors, and resume their respective avocations. On the 25th we thoroughly washed our ship, sending ashore several times during the day. When the first boat came off with provisions, comprising meat and vegetables, a boy, who constituted one of the crew, was exploding with suppressed laughter, which occasionally would escape him notwithstanding his utmost efforts. On being questioned as to the cause of his mirth, he proceeded in a very naive and humorous vein to describe his trip to the market for meat. After selecting what was wanted for the ship’s consumption, a Lascar backed it, which was all very well; but no sooner had he started, than another of the same race jumped up from his squatting posture, and, by a series of thumps and rib ticklings, forced the one who acted as pack-horse into quite a nimble pace for an indolent Asiatic. The thumps and rib ticklings, which seemed a grave matter of business between the contracting parties, excited the fancy of our Yankee boy, who had never seen or heard of such a man-persuading operation; hence his violent merriment. The meat which we procured is known by two sobriquets, being called indifferently, “buffalo” and “cape beef.” The animals are procured either from the Cape Colony, or the Island of Madagascar. I saw a number of them yoked together, performing the heavy draughting to and from the plantations and warehouses. With the exception of the hump, I could perceive no difference in form between them and our own cattle. This hump is situated on the spine directly over the fore shoulders; in shape it resembles a mound, being conical as it approaches its summit, and in a full grown animal attains a height of from eight to twelve inches. The flesh of the hump is said to be esteemed a great dainty, and I have no doubt of it from the fact that whilst lying here not a particle of that portion of the animal came aboard our ship, it commanding a higher price than the other portions, and, therefore, was too expensive provender for sailors.