Sinopsis

It was on a wet, dreary, dismal afternoon, toward the end of October 18—, that I found myself en route for Gravesend, to the clipper ship City of Cawnpore, in the capacity of cuddy enger, bound for Calcutta. The wind was blowing strong from the south-east, and came sweeping along, charged with frequent heavy rain squalls that dashed fiercely against the carriage windows, while the atmosphere was a mere dingy, brownish grey expanse of shapeless vapour, so all-pervading that it shut out not only the entire firmament but also a very considerable portion of the landscape.