Captain Ringgold began his speech, for which he had prepared himself, and reviewed the incidents which had occurred since the survivors of the Travancore had been taken from their perilous position.  He set forth the obligations to which his passengers and himself were under to the distinguished gentlemen who had conducted them through India.  He was frequently interrupted by hearty applause, and his speech was as eloquent as it was sensible; and it was worthy a Senator in Congress.

Lord Tremlyn was equally eloquent in the acknowledgment of his obligations, and those of his friends, to the noble commander and his ship’s company; and possibly he was a little extravagant in some things that he said, but that was excusable on such an occasion.  The next person presented was Mr. Louis Belgrave, who declared that he represented the “Big Four,” which puzzled the strangers, though he explained the term and where it came from.  The boys had been happy all the time.  They admired and loved the noble gentlemen under whose guidance they had had six weeks of the best time in all their lives.  When he said what he had to say, he approached the chairman with a large and handsome frame in his hand, containing a testimonial from the passengers, attested by the autographs of all, which he presented to Lord Tremlyn, with the best wishes of all the signers, who had profited so extensively from their kindness, for the health, happiness, and length of days of the trio.

This ceremony, not set down in the programme, brought forth rapturous applause and ringing cheers.  The band played, and everybody seemed to be enjoying the happiest moment of his life.  All the principal personages at the table made speeches, of which the Indian reporters, if any were present, have not given in their reports.  It was a remarkably joyous occasion, and it was two o’clock in the morning when the banquet-hall was cleared.

All the forenoon was spent in exchanging the parting greetings.  Both Lord Tremlyn and Sir Modava invited any or all of the party who might be in India or in England to visit them; and the commander and Mrs. Belgrave, as well as the others, extended similar invitations to the three gentlemen.  After tiffin, when the party started for the steamer that was to convey them to the two ships, it seemed as though all the citizens of Colombo, with their ladies, had gathered to assist in the parting benedictions.  The military band alternated with the Italian, cheers without number rent the air, and the party had all they could do to return the salutes, and answer all the kindly words spoken to them by entire strangers.

The steamer cast off her fasts, and then the din was greater than ever.  The guests at the banquet went off to the ships, from the smoke-stacks of which the black smoke was pouring out, as if to emphasize the reality of the departure.  All manner of courtesies were exchanged, but finally the passengers were all on board of the Blanche and Guardian-Mother.  A salute was fired from the heaviest guns on both vessels, the screws began to turn, the final words were shouted, and the steamers stood to the southward.