The Peninsular and Oriental Company (P&O)

On the 24th of July, 1844, the writer of this little book went to dine at the —— Club, quite unconscious of the wonderful events which Fate had in store for him. Mr. William was there, giving a farewell dinner to his friend, Mr. James (now Sir James). These two asked Mr. Titmarsh to join company with them, and the conversation naturally fell upon the tour Mr. James was about to take. The Peninsular and Oriental Company had arranged an excursion in the Mediterranean, by which, in the space of a couple of months, as many men and cities were to be seen as Ulysses surveyed and noted in ten years. Malta, Athens, Smyrna, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Cairo were to be visited and everybody was to be back in London by Lord Mayor's-day.

On July 24, 1844, the writer of this little book went to dine at the —— Club, quite unaware of the wonderful events that Fate had in store for him. Mr. William was there, giving a farewell dinner to his friend Mr. James (now Sir James). These two asked Mr. Titmarsh to join them, and the talk naturally turned to the tour Mr. James was about to take. The Peninsular and Oriental Company had arranged an excursion in the Mediterranean. In the space of a couple of months, it would show as many men and cities as Ulysses saw and noted in ten years. Malta, Athens, Smyrna, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Cairo were to be visited, and everybody was to be back in London by Lord Mayor's Day.

But when Mr. James, to crown all, said he had no doubt that his friends, the Directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, would make Mr. Titmarsh the present of a berth for the voyage, all objections ceased on his part: to break his outstanding engagements — to write letters to his amazed family, stating that they were not to expect him at dinner on Saturday fortnight, as he would be at Jerusalem on that day — to purchase eighteen shirts and lay in a sea stock of Russia ducks, —was the work of four-and-twenty hours ; and on the 26th of July, the Lady Mary Wood was sailing from Southampton with the "subject of the present memoir," quite astonished to find himself one of the passengers on board.

But when Mr. James, to crown it all, said he had no doubt that his friends, the directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, would make Mr. Titmarsh a present of a berth for the voyage, all objections ceased on his part. In twenty-four hours he broke his outstanding engagements, wrote letters to his amazed family telling them not to expect him at dinner two weeks from Saturday, as he would be in Jerusalem that day, and bought eighteen shirts and laid in a sea stock of Russia ducks. And on July 26, the Lady Mary Wood was sailing from Southampton with the “subject of the present memoir,” quite astonished to find himself one of the passengers on board.