A NEW SCIENCE. 181 



indifferently stretched. However, the lecture was an immense 

 success. . . . 



October 23rd. Wind very fierce again, and is now shrieking 

 through the rigging. Just as I came on deck this morning a 

 man fell off the main-yard and was killed on the spot. We left 

 him in mid- Atlantic at four p.m. Of course the event threw a great 

 gloom over the ship. I have been asked on all sides to give 

 another lecture, and if the sea behaves itself shall do so to- 

 morrow. Everyone is talking about the cockroach, and some of 

 the passengers have been cockroach-hunting in the surgery with 

 the aid of an electric lamp about as big as a marble. . . . 



Bless these fragile American ladies ! How they do eat ! They 

 have had three huge "square" meals, have been nibbling gingerbread 

 and eating fruit all day, and now (10 p.m.) are going in for supper. 



Next follow some minute directions for getting into 

 one's berth during bad weather, which I quote for the 

 benefit of inexperienced travellers. 



Getting into bed is a Science. First you roll up the clothes as 

 small as possible against the wall. Then you hold on tight to the 

 edge of the bunk, wait for the roll of the ship, and get the right leg 

 over. On the next roll you only have to jump, and are chucked into 

 the berth. Then you " scrouge " yourself against the board, and by 

 dint of wriggling and coaxing you get the clothes over you. Once in 

 you must lie on your back, and quite straight. If you try to bend 

 either legs or arms your knees and elbows are covered with bruises. 

 I always " play at " being an Egyptian mummy, and somehow can 

 sleep better than at home. Only it is necessary to pad yourself 

 tightly against both sides, as otherwise you will roll against each side 

 alternately as the vessel rolls. 



There seems to have been but little fair weather 

 during the passage, which must have severely tried even 

 the most experienced sailors. On the 24th of October 

 is the following entry : 



This morning I submitted to the captain that the Atlantic was 



