SPORTS " UXDER DIFFICULTIES. 



deplorable condition of collapse. As he had the lists in his 

 pocket, and was lying on them, and, in answer to alter- 

 nate entreaties and threats only implored " to be left to die 

 in peace," the sports were put off till the afternoon, when 

 we expected to be under the shelter of the land. Even 

 then we rolled a bit, and the winner of a skipping race 

 left with suspicious haste and the significant remark : "I 

 am going to bed as <}uickly as I can." Towards evening it 

 became quite smooth again, and after dinner a dance took 

 place, although the thermometer registered about 100° F. 

 The two maternal veterans brought their daughters up to 

 time, whilst they themselves took it in turn to play, observ- 

 ing, as a precautionary measure to disarm possible criticism, 

 that they did not " approve " of modern dance music, but 

 stuck to the " dear old tunes." We certainly had the 

 venerable Mabel Valse thrice ; but we danced merrily to all 

 hours. Varied by a coaling episode at Port Said, and the 

 damp heat of the Red Sea, this was the fashion in which 

 with a persistence worthy of a better cause we daily toiled 

 at our amusements. 



Monday, September 26t/t. — We shall be at Aden to- 

 night, and, I hope, soon out of this heat, which is quite 

 awful. The captain says that August and September arc 

 the hottest months in the Red Sea, and I have never ex- 

 perienced more disagreeable heat, so damp that the decks 



at night look as though a heavy shower had just fallen. 



B 2 



