FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO ST. LAWRENCE BAY. 79 



light easterly airs, and smooth sea, you would imagine 

 we never had dreamed of such a thing as bad weather. 



Now I suppose you will not object to a kind of de- 

 tailed descri23tion of the ship and the people in her. 

 The ship is, I think, all right ; she is slow now because 

 she is so deep in the water, running along under steam 

 alone only four and four and a half knots, and burning 

 about five tons of coal a day. But this has been when 

 a heavy swell kept her back. For the last twenty-four 

 hours she has had a light N. E. breeze, and we have 

 made a run of one hundred and thirty miles, or over 

 five knots an hour, and as we are growing lighter every 

 hour we burn coal, I am in hopes in a day or two of 

 getting six knots an hour out of her without trouble. 

 Our cabin is very comfortable and very dry. During 

 the bad weather I had a little fire made in the stove 

 to try it and to dry clothes by, and I assure you it 

 worked admirably, throwing out great quantities of 

 heat and burning but little coal. The forecastle has 

 been as dry as a bone and very comfortable, and the 

 men seem to appreciate it. The only uncomfortable 

 place has been the deck, and that has been wet all the 

 time. We have not had a chance to settle everything 

 into its place yet, but are getting gradually towards it. 

 My room and the starboard chart-room are all to rights, 

 and look quite cosy and cheerful. 



Chipp is, as he always was and always will be, calm 

 and earnest. He has always something to do, and is 

 always doing it in that quiet, steady, and sure manner 

 of his. He smiles rarely and says very little, but I 

 know where he is and how reliable and true he is in 

 every respect. He is putting everything in order, 

 quietly and steadily, and he has everything reduced 

 already to a system. To-day, when I inspected the 



