At midday a royal salute was fired; shouts were heard in all directions, and about noon the band struck up “God save the Queen.” The ships were gaily dressed out with their flags, and this put every sailor in good humour. They were regaled with plenty of roast beef and plum-pudding, and abundance of rum. Tunes struck up in every direction--“Drops of brandy,” “Barley bree,” hornpipes, &c.; but the “Ratcatcher’s Daughter” would have been most in harmony. I was then dining with Captain Shepherd and a party of about ten, on board his superb ship, the _Triton_. When dinner was over, we left the jovial board to smoke our cigars upon deck. We went to breathe the fresh air, and to watch the frolics of the joyous but rather tumultuous crew, who were performing their nautical steps between decks, to the shrieking sounds of a damaged fiddle and still more damaging fiddler. The tunes we listened to produced upon our ears the effect we anticipated, but the air we were breathing quite the contrary effect upon our noses. Captain Heath, the harbour-master, who was then living on board, also gave a dinner-party that day; and as his numerous guests appeared upon deck, there was quite an array of naval and military men. I seldom smoke, and I remarked that the air we were so anxious to breathe was anything but wholesome or agreeable. Thereupon the commander of the _Diamond_ observed that an unpleasant odour arose from the sea. “It does not come from the water,” I replied, “but from the shore.” “What can it be, Monsieur Soyer?” said he. “Don’t you know, captain--you who daily visit your naval hospital on the heights, that on that bank are the bodies of the poor unfortunate fellows lost in the _Prince_, and the sea has washed away the earth which covered them? Some of them are actually on a level with the ground.” “Impossible,” said he; “I can’t believe it.” “If you like,” I replied, “I will convince you of the fact.” Some of those who overheard our conversation begged Captain Shepherd to let us have a boat, with which request the captain complied. It was a fine moonlight night when we started, and we soon reached the spot. The smell had disappeared; so he said I was mistaken. “Not at all, captain,” said I. “Pray thrust your oar through the soil we are standing upon.” It was covered with lime, and he did as I requested, and found that what I had stated was correct. We then returned on board, and mentioned the fact. All admitted that it was a dreadful thing, and might bring on cholera. Captains Heath and Shepherd observed that it was intended to throw a mound three feet deep over them, and that it was likely the heavy weather had washed away the gravel. The remains of some of these bodies were plainly visible, the most singular thing being their extraordinary state of preservation.