The next evening the party from the Runnymede repaired to the admiralty-house, pursuant to invitation, and were hospitably received by Captain Keppel and his officers. There they met the whole of the respectable inhabitants of the island, both civil and military, with their families. The rooms were handsomely decorated, and dancing was kept up with great spirit, enlivened by the harmonious strains of Captain Keppel's private band. This was succeeded, at midnight, by a champagne supper, which, for excellence, might have borne a comparison with any civic entertainment in London. Between three and four in the morning the ladies began to move off, and some of the youngsters, by way of further amusement, sat down to a second supper. At daylight the Dido was apeak, under all sails, and by eight o'clock, was leading down the north channel with skysails set for Old England. Her captain and officers carried with them the good wishes of all they left behind at Penang. THE WRECK. "The wind blew hard, the sea ran high, The dingy scud drove 'cross the sky, Down topsails, boys, the gale comes on, To strike top-gallant-yards they run." _Dibdin._ At 9 o'clock, A. M., of Sunday, the 3d of November, 1844, the Runnymede weighed from Penang-roads with a light southerly wind, and made sail through the north channel. At noon the wind came in from seaward. At midnight, on Monday the 4th, she was abreast of the Ladda Islands, with a barque in company. On Friday, the 8th, the weather was unsettled, with heavy rain. All the small sails were stored, and the royal yards sent down. At noon the sun was obscured. Saturday, the 9th, the breeze increased, with every appearance of bad weather. Took in the top-gallant sails, and reefed the topsails, and took in the jib and spanker. At noon the sun was obscured. Sunday, 10th, the barometer falling fast, with the gale increasing, close reefed the topsails. At noon heavy gusts. The courses were taken in and furled. At 6 the fore-topsail was taken in, and the ship hove-to under the main topsail and the main trysail. All the sails were re-secured, the top-gallant yards sent down, and everything prepared for the storm, which it was evident was now approaching. At noon the sun was again obscured, the latitude being, by log, 11 deg. 6" north, and the longitude 96 deg. 0" east. The wind now blew a hurricane. The barometer was 29 deg., and falling. The main-topsail was taken in, and the ship left under the main topsail only. At half-past three the fore and main top-gallant masts were blown away. The wind was south, and so very severe that the main trysail was blown to atoms, and the ship was lying-to under bare poles, and laying beautifully to the wind, with her helm amidship and perfectly tight. The hurricane was accompanied with a deluge of rain. At 4 P. M. the wind shifted to the south-east, and was blowing so terrifically that all the hatches were obliged to be battened down,