154 MEMOIR OF FLEEMING JENKIN 



not reach the shore, so although the Caroline did 

 make the spHce late that night, we could neither 

 test nor speak. Renter was at Norderney, and I 

 had to do the best I could, which was not much, 

 and went to bed early ; I thought I should never 

 sleep again, but in sheer desperation got up in the 

 middle of the night and gulped a lot of raw whiskey 



and slept at last. But not long. A Mr. F 



washed my face and hands and dressed me ; and 

 we hauled the cable out of the sea, and got it joined 

 to the telegraph station, and on October 3rd 

 telegraphed to Lowestoft first and then to London. 

 Miss Clara Volkman a niece of Mr. Renter's sent 

 the first message to Mrs. Renter who was waiting 

 (Varley used Miss Clara's hand as a kind of key) 

 and I sent one of the first messages to Odden. I 

 thought a message addressed to him would not 

 frighten you, and that he would enjoy a message 

 through Papa's cable. I hope he did. They were 

 all very merry, but I had been so lowered by pain 

 that I could not enjoy myself in spite of the success.' 



V. 



Of the 1869 cruise in the Great Eastern, I give 

 what I am able ; only sorry it is no more, for the 

 sake of the ship itself, already almost a legend 

 even to the generation that saw it launched. 



' June 17, 1869, — ^Here are the names of our staff 



