36 WAVES OF THE SEA 



These waves, curling over in a cusp and breaking, 

 flecked the surface of deep blue water with white 

 foam which reflected the bright beams of the sun 

 shining through the spray. I set myself to measure 

 the height of these waves at the times of their 

 greatest elevation. Standing on the bulwark rails 

 of the spar deck, while holding to the steel uprights 

 which supported the promenade deck, I found that 

 my eye was on a level with the crests of the highest 

 waves when 22 feet above the flotation line. The 

 position of the latter I obtained from the com- 

 mander, who informed me that its then position 

 was 3 feet below the Plimsoll mark. The height 

 of the deck above the Plimsoll mark was known 

 from the scale plan of the ship. The ship did not 

 pitch, and her rolling was so slow that it was fairly 

 easy to make the observation when on an even 

 keel. Thus the height from trough to crest of the 

 pyramidal waves, which were the characteristic 

 waves of the day, was ascertained with some 

 approach to accuracy to be 22 feet. 



I desired to ascertain the length of the waves, 

 which were travelling in the same direction as the 

 ship, but as usual was unable to watch a wave- 

 crest running the whole length of the vessel. The 

 length between two convexities near the ship's 

 side, viewed simultaneously, I judged to be 



