A ROUGH PASSAGE. 177 



frequently still, a balky letter used to arrive bearing an 

 American postmark, and containing eight, ten, or twelve 

 closely-written pages of diary. This, when it arrived, 

 was copied into a large manuscript book, and thus we 

 have, in his own words, an accurate record of almost the 

 whole of his doings during this his first visit to Trans- 

 atlantic shores. 



The passage from Liverpool was a very rough one. 



I knew that the storm-cone meant a lot (he says), and was 

 not mistaken. We are just catching it, and no mistake ! Crash ! A 

 shower of broken glass has just come into the saloon, having been 

 pitched out of the " safety " trays. I have been obliged to wedge 

 up the inkstand with books, &c., in one of the table trays, as it kept 

 sliding about the table in the most absurd way. There is not much 

 pitching, but the vessel is rolling greatly, and when a big thing like 

 this takes to rolling it " goes the whole hog." Which word makes 

 rne think of rats. At breakfast this morning I heard one of the 

 passengers tell another of his dog, who caught a rat " by his pants," 

 just as he was diving into his hole. I thought it a beautiful 

 euphuism . . . At present 10.15 there is only one passenger in 

 the saloon except myself. I would go to bed myself, only there is 

 little use in it when fellow-creatures are afflicted. In room 62 

 there are two ladies and their maid, and which is the worst I don't 

 know. I think, however, that it is the maid. As there is only a 

 plank between the rooms, every sound is audible from one room 

 to the other . 



October 19th, 8.45 p.m. Such a night, and no wonder that we 

 saw a Mother Carey's chicken this morning. My portmanteau got 

 loose, and danced and jumped all over the floor as if it were a live 

 thing ; and how I escaped being pitched out of the bunk is a wonder. 

 This morning the few passengers who appeared at the breakfast- 

 table were comparing notes as to knees and elbows. Unwittingly I 

 deprived one of them of his breakfast. Being in a state of out- 

 rageous hunger, I had ordered liver and bacon for breakfast. My 

 opposite neighbour, who has crossed several times, was just making 

 M 



