Ihn'peror's Fete. — Indications of a Typhoon. 539 



but with a sort of trembling ray. The barometer fell slowly 

 but steadily ; the sea began to heave perceptibly. Our course 

 was now changed to S.E. by S. 



The following morning the breeze freshened, and drew 

 somewhat further aft ; the sky was covered with clouds massed 

 together, those to the N.E. of a very dark, almost black, colour. 

 Wind and sea were now rising, the sky became more and more 

 obscure, the barometer kept falling — there was every indica- 

 tion of the approach of heavy weather. 



The 18th August, the birthday of our Emperor, was duly 

 celebrated far on the open ocean, in the middle of the China 

 Sea. All was prepared for Divine worship, which was to be cele- 

 brated at 10 A.M. on the gun-deck, in presence of the staff and 

 the entire crew. The Commodore had invited several gentlemen 

 of the staff to dinner. On land no one thinks of consulting 

 the elements, when such a festival is to be observed, nor do 

 the guests waste many thoughts on wind, rain, and heavy seas, 

 as they assemble in their comfortable chambers. At sea, on 

 the other hand, the conditions are altered. Wind and weather 

 are the masters here, whose behests the sea-farer must attend 

 to. This was our case on this 18th of August. 



First, Divine service had to be dispensed with, because the 

 sea became too heavy, rendering it necessary to close the 

 port-holes in the gun-deck, where, as already mentioned, the 

 service was to be performed. As the hour for the festival 

 drew nigh, the elements gave unmistakeable evidence of 

 their determined hostility ; there was no room any longer to 



