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furled sails； squared yards； and fired a salute of twenty…one guns
for the Portuguese flag。
They went ashore； and found a good hotel； and were no longer dosed；
as in former days； with oil； onions； garlic； eggs。 But the wine
queer； and no madeira to be got。
Staines wrote home to his wife： he told her how deeply he had felt
the bereavement； but did not dwell on that； his object being to
cheer her。 He told her it promised to be a rapid and wonderful
cure； and one that might very well give him a fresh start in
London。 They need not be parted a whole year； he thought。 He sent
her a very long letter； and also such extracts from his sea journal
as he thought might please her。 After dinner they inspected the
town； and what struck them most was to find the streets paved with
flag…stones； and most of the carts drawn by bullocks on sledges。 A
man every now and then would run forward and drop a greasy cloth in
front of the sledge； to lubricate the way。
Next day； after breakfast； they ordered horses； these on
inspection； proved to be of excellent breed； either from Australia
or Americavery rough shod； for the stony roads。 Started for the
Grand Canalpeeped down that mighty chasm； which has the
appearance of an immense mass having been blown out of the centre
of the mountain。
They lunched under the great dragon tree near its brink； then rode
back admiring the bold mountain scenery。 Next morning at dawn；
rode on horses up the hill to the convent。 Admired the beautiful
gardens on the way。 Remained a short time； then came down in hand…
sleighslittle baskets slung on sledges； guided by two natives；
these sledges run down the hill with surprising rapidity； and the
men guide them round corners by sticking out a foot to port or
starboard。
Embarked at 11。30 A。M。
At 1。30； the men having dined； the ship was got under way for the
Cape of Good Hope； and all sail made for a southerly course； to get
into the north…east trades。
The weather was now balmy and delightful； and so genial that
everybody lived on deck； and could hardly be got to turn in to
their cabins； even for sleep。
Dr。 Staines became a favorite with the officers。 There is a great
deal of science on board a modern ship of war； and； of course； on
some points Staines； a Cambridge wrangler； and a man of many
sciences and books； was an oracle。 On others he was quite behind；
but a ready and quick pupil。 He made up to the navigating officer；
and learned； with his help； to take observations。 In return he was
always at any youngster's service in a trigonometrical problem； and
he amused the midshipmen and young lieutenants with analytical
tests； some of these were applicable to certain liquids dispensed
by the paymaster。 Under one of them the port wine assumed some
very droll colors and appearances not proper to grape…juice。
One lovely night that the ship clove the dark sea into a blaze of
phosphorescence； and her wake streamed like a comet's tail； a
waggish middy got a bucketful hoisted on deck； and asked the doctor
to analyze that。 He did not much like it； but yielded to the
general request； and by dividing it into smaller vessels； and
dropping in various chemicals； made rainbows and silvery flames and
what not。 But he declined to repeat the experiment： 〃No； no； once
is philosophy； twice is cruelty。 I've slain more than Samson
already。〃
As for Tadcaster； science had no charms for him； but fiction had；
and he got it galore； for he cruised about the forecastle； and
there the quartermasters and old seamen spun him yarns that held
him breathless。
But one day my lord had a fit on the quarter…deck； and a bad one；
and Staines found him smelling strong of rum。 He represented this
to Captain Hamilton。 The captain caused strict inquiries to be
made； and it came out that my lord had gone among the men； with
money in both pockets； and bought a little of one man's grog； and a
little of another； and had been sipping the furtive but transient
joys of solitary intoxication。
Captain Hamilton talked to him seriously； told him it was suicide。
〃Never mind； old boy；〃 said the young monkey； 〃a short life and a
merry one。〃
Then Hamilton represented that it was very ungentleman…like to go
and tempt poor Jack with his money； to offend discipline； and get
flogged。 〃How will you feel； Tadcaster； when you see their backs
bleeding under the cat？〃
〃Oh； dn it all； George； don't do that；〃 says the young gentleman；
all in a hurry。
Then the commander saw he had touched the right chord。 So he
played on it； till he got Lord Tadcaster to pledge his honor not to
do it again。
The little fellow gave the pledge； but relieved his mind as
follows： 〃But it is a cursed tyrannical hole； this tiresome old
ship。 You can't do what you like in it。〃
〃Well； but no more you can in the grave： and that is the agreeable
residence you were hurrying to but for this tiresome old ship。〃
〃Lord！ no more you can；〃 said Tadcaster； with sudden candor。 〃I
FORGOT THAT。〃
The airs were very light； the ship hardly moved。 It was beginning
to get dull； when one day a sail was sighted on the weather…bow；
standing to the eastward： on nearing her； she was seen； by the cut
of her sails； to be a man…of…war； evidently homeward bound： so
Captain Hamilton ordered the main…royal to be lowered （to render
signal more visible） and the 〃demand〃 hoisted。 No notice being
taken of this； a gun was fired to draw her attention to the signal。
This had the desired effect； down went her main…royal； up went her
〃number。〃 On referring to the signal book； she proved to be the
Vindictive from the Pacific Station。
This being ascertained； Captain Hamilton； being that captain's
senior； signalled 〃Close and prepare to receive letters。〃 In
obedience to this she bore up； ran down； and rounded to； the sail
in the Amphitrite was also shortened； the maintopsail laid to the
mast； and a boat lowered。 The captain having finished his
despatches； they； with the letter…bags； were handed into the boat；
which shoved off； pulled to the lee side of the Vindictive； and
left the despatches； with Captain Hamilton's compliments。 On its
return； both ships made sail on their respective course； exchanging
〃bon voyage〃 by signal； and soon the upper sails of the homeward…
bounder were seen dipping below the horizon： longing eyes followed
her on board the Amphitrite。
How many hurried missives had been written and despatched in that
half…hour。 But as for Staines； he was a man of forethought； and
had a volume ready for his dear wife。
Lord Tadcaster wrote to Lady Cicely Treherne。 His epistle； though
brief； contained a plum or two。
He wrote： 〃What with sailing； and fishing； and eating nothing but
roast meat； I'm quite another man。〃
This amused her ladyship a little； but not so much as the
postscript； which was indeed the neatest thing in its way she had
met with； and she had some experience； too。
〃P。S。I say； Cicely； I think I should like to marry you。 Would
you mind？〃
Let us defy time and space to give you Lady Cicely's reply： 〃I
should enjoy it of all things； Taddy。 But； alas！ I am too young。〃
N。B。She was twenty…seven； and Tad sixteen。 To be sure； Tad was
four feet eleven； and she was only five feet six and a half。
To return to my narrative （with apologies）； this meeting of the
vessels caused a very agreeable excitement that day； but a greater
was in store。 In the afternoon； Tadcaster； Staines； and the
principal officers of the ship； being at dinner in the captain's
cabin； in came the officer of the watch； and reported a large spar
on the weather…bow。
〃Well； close it； if you can； and let me know if it looks worth
picking up。〃
He then explained to Lord Tadcaster that； on a cruise； he never
liked to pass a spar； or anything that might possibly reveal the
fate of some vessel or other。
In the middle of his discourse the officer came in again； but not
in the same cool business way： he ran in excitedly； and said；
〃Captain； the signalman reports it ALIVE！〃
〃Alive？a spar！ What do you mean？ Something alive ON it； eh？〃
〃No； sir； alive itself。〃
〃How can that be？ Hail him again。 Ask him what it is。〃
The officer went out； and hailed the signalman at the mast…head。
〃What is it？〃
〃Sea…sarpint； I think。〃
This hail reached the captain's ears faintly。 However； he waited
quietly till the officer came in and reported it； then he burst
out； 〃Absurd！ there is no such creature in the universe。 What do
you say； Dr。 Staines？It is in your department。〃
〃The universe in my department； captain？〃
〃Haw！ haw！ haw！〃 went Fitzroy and two more。
〃No； you rogue； the serpent。〃
Dr。 Staines； thus appealed to； asked the captain if he had ever
seen small snakes out at sea。
〃Why； of course。 Sailed through a mile of them once； in the
archipelago。〃
〃Sure they were snakes？〃
〃Quite sure； and the biggest was not eight feet long。〃
〃Very well； captain； then sea…serpents exist； and it becomes a mere
question of size。 Now which produces the larger animals in every
kind；land or sea？ The grown elephant weighs； I believe； about
five tons。 The very smallest of the whale tribe weighs ten； and
they go