Now and then, an adventurous manjee, (or boat-master,) who knows how to make a good bargain, will linger about Diamond Harbour, or lay up in Culpee Creek, with the intent of going down, wind and tide permitting, to the first ship which may arrive from Europe. Such men are certain of a good fare, it being very common to give from fifty rupees (about six guineas) to one hundred (about twelve guineas) for the trip. Such an opportunity, however extravagant the terms may appear, ought not to be lost; it being a great chance whether a second vessel of the same description may proceed to the ship. As to small boats, rowing four or six oars, and having either a thatched cabin, or a semi-circular awning of mats, several of them may come along-side; but they will not be found to yield the smallest accommodation beyond shelter from the sun; while their manjees will not fail to take every advantage of whatever distress, or difficulty, the passenger may labor under. It would not be just to infer, from what I have said, respecting the readiness with which the boatmen avail themselves of the necessities of persons desirous to leave a ship, that they are particularly covetous, or prone to imposition: we need only look at home, where we shall find that no mercy is shewn to such unfortunate persons as become the prey of our watermen, along the whole extent of our coast. See with what hard-hearted, callous apathy, the boatman views the distress of the unthinking youth, who, either by neglect, or by accident, remains on shore after the boats that frequent his own ship, then under weigh, have put off! What prayers, or arguments, short of those issuing from the purse, can urge him to relieve the anxiety of him, whose whole hope, whose only resource, lies in that voyage for which every preparation has been made, and for which expences, often nearly ruinous to friends and connections, have been defrayed! I speak not of those who are in a hurry to quit their ships, before coming to an anchor; if they will have their way, they must pay for such intemperate haste; it is an expence they have the option of avoiding. Really, when we come to a fair computation of the risks attendant upon taking a vessel, built expressly for accommodation, and not intended to meet the rude surges of, what may be called, an arm of the sea; that from twelve to eighteen men are engaged; that much time is lost in waiting arrivals; that full sixty miles are to be passed over; and that, perhaps, four or five gentlemen, with all their luggage that may be at hand, are conveyed; I say, when all this is considered, although we certainly, from habit of having things cheaper in India, may deem even the fifty rupees exorbitant, yet there appears far less reason to find fault with the extortion of the Indian than there is to condemn the cruel rapacity of the English boatman!