42 A BALL AT SEA. 



ferent kinds, going on on board a modern first-class 

 steamer consisting of games by day, and music or 

 dancing by night. A ball at sea begins early, soon 

 after dinner, and dancing is rarely kept up till a late 

 hour. One of the prettiest scenes that it is possible to 

 witness is a " ball night " during hot weather, upon 

 one of our first-rate Indian passenger boats; the immense 

 deck cleared for action, and enclosed by awnings 

 decorated with flags of many colours, and brilliantly 

 illuminated by electric lights, make an almost ideal ball- 

 room, where perhaps over two hundred ladies and their 

 partners may be seen parading up and down between 

 the dances, in full evening dress ; making not uncom- 

 monly quite a fairy scene. 



Few landsmen have an idea of the vast floating 

 hotels some of these ships are, and the immense popu- 

 lation they convey to and fro, in safety and comfort, 

 across wide stretches of ocean. The firemen alone, on 

 the engine-room staff, will be well over 100 in number. 

 In some big ships quite 80 stewards are kept for 

 attendance on passengers. Cold storage chambers below 

 carry fresh meat, poultry, fish, game, milk, and vege- 

 tables, in almost unlimited quantities, and even a supply 

 of the most approved ice creams frozen in shapes, are 

 taken from England, which only require to be turned 

 out of the mould to be ready for use. Such is life 

 upon a modern, first-class ocean steamer. 



Before passing from this subject we desire to draw 

 attention to the panorama of the star-lit heavens, as 

 seen at sea, and may just remark here that nowhere 

 can the study of the stars be carried on by amateurs 

 so well and easily as at sea; for there is nothing to 

 interrupt the view of the whole horizon, and with a 



