At a late hour this evening we hove to near the little village of Commercolly.

The inhabitants brought provisions of every description on board, and we had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the prices of the various articles.

A fine wether cost four rupees (8s.); eighteen fowls, a rupee (2s.); a fish, weighing several pounds, an anna (1.5d.); eight eggs, an anna; twenty oranges, two annas (3d.); a pound of fine bread, three beis (ld.); and yet, in spite of these ludicrously cheap prices, the captain charged each passenger three rupees (6s.) a-day for his board, which was not even passable! Many of the passengers made purchases here of eggs, new bread, and oranges, and the captain was actually not ashamed to let these articles, which were paid for out of our own pockets, appear at his table that we all paid so dearly for.
18th December.

Bealeah, a place of considerable importance, noted for the number of its prisons.

It is a depot for criminals, {158a} who are sent here from all parts.