FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 23 
It was quite rough when Thomas and I went on deck for an 
airing before retiring, and I found the warmth of the berth quite 
a comfort. There was considerable motion to the ‘‘Niagara’’ 
which we nicknamed ‘‘Rolls,’’ after the captain, and when I went 
un deck the next morning Glock was the only other member of 
our party in evidence; even he seemed disinclined to indulge in 
breakfast. So I was the only occupant of our table, and the din- 
ing saloon as a whole was very thinly populated. Sea-sickness is 
an ailment that I could never understand, lacking personal ex- 
perience. It certainly has little to do with the general health of 
the individual, the most robust persons often suffering severely 
while many apparent invalids are immune. Wylie’s attack was 
brief but orthodox. Stoner seemed the most afflicted, while the 
others were soon up and about. My own considerable experience 
at sea has shown that the less I intrude myself on others the 
better. So I busied myself with writing in the library. 
It was a bright day with considerable sea running. The first 
day at sea always has a strong fascination and I never get over 
the joy of it, but feel selfish to be so content when others are 
manifestly unhappy. It was still too chilly for comfort on deck 
and it was almost as bad below, the ship being insufficiently heat- 
ed, as are all British vessels, from the American point of view. 
The dining saloon was extremely cold with all the ports open. 
Later, the smoking room was heated, at least according to the 
British idea of comfort. The next day the sea was smoother and 
the air slightly warmer. 
A sybarite life, this! The steward brought coffee, crackers and 
fruit at 7:30 A.M. to sustain life while dressing. Then the bath 
room steward announced, ‘‘Your bawth is ready, sir.’’ After a 
warm plunge in an exceedingly deep bath-tub I was joined at 
breakfast by all but two of the party. Thomas and Glock enjoyed 
deck tennis later and all were much happier while the life on 
board ship livened appreciably. Captain Rolls told of an ex- 
perience he once had when the ‘‘Niagara’’ ran square into a sleep- 
ing whale in mid-Pacific. It was just beneath the surface and 
the vessel’s stem struck it near its middle where it hung, eut 
about half in two, until the engines were reversed and the ship 
backed away. The whale was killed by the impact. 
A ship is always full of interest. While the oldfashioned full- 
rigged vessels were, undoubtedly, the most picturesque and beauti- 
ful craft that ever floated, there is majesty about a modern liner. 
