THE AFRICAN CABLE 103 



' I went down to Gateshead to discuss with Mr. 

 Newall the form which this tolerably simple idea 

 should take, and have been busy since I came here 

 drawing, ordering and putting up the machinery 

 — ^uninterfered with, thank goodness, by any one. 

 I own I like responsibility; it flatters one and 

 then, your father might say, I have more to gain 

 than to lose. Moreover I do like this bloodless, 

 painless combat with wood and iron, forcing the 

 stubborn rascals to do my will, licking the clumsy 

 cubs into an active shape, seeing the child of to- 

 day's thought working to-morrow in full vigour 

 at his appointed task. 



'May 12. 



' By dint of bribing, bullying, cajoling, and going 

 day by day to see the state of things ordered, all 

 my work is very nearly ready now ; but those who 

 have neglected these precautions are of course 

 disappointed. Five hundred fathoms of chain 



[were] ordered by some three weeks since, 



to be ready by the 10th without fail ; he sends 

 for it to-day — 150 fathoms all they can let us 

 have by the 15th — and how the rest is to be got, 

 who knows ? He ordered a boat a month since, 

 and yesterday we could see nothing of her but the 

 keel and about two planks. I could multiply 

 instances without end. At first one goes nearly 

 mad with vexation at these things ; but one finds 

 so soon that they are the rule, that then it becomes 



