THE PACIFIC. 357 



the poop -deck ; also an elegant reading and good 

 smoking-room ; and, what was better still, a well- 

 assorted library, which proved a great boon. By dint 

 of patience and gentle persuasion, I made it clear to 

 the purser, a tall muscular man of the negro type, that 

 it would be to his advantage to let me have the only 

 vacant cabin, which happened to be in the best part 

 of the ship, and is always kept open to the last in the 

 event of some high official turning up. I thus secured 

 most royal accommodation all to myself, no small 

 favour, as those know who have experienced being 

 cooped up for weeks with one or two fellow-travellers, 

 generally utter strangers, within a space of six feet 

 square. Amongst so many passengers, it was natural 

 that one should meet with some pleasant companions, 

 which, in my case, added much to make the voyage 

 one of happy memory. The '* Great Republic" seemed 

 a perfect sea-monster, as her measurement, 4,800 

 tons, moreover attested ; she had 800 nominal horse- 

 power, which, I understood, could be worked up to 

 2,500 horse-power actual. The engines, as stated, were 

 upon deck, and worked by walking beam of twelve-inch 

 stroke, making eight to twelve revolutions per minute, 

 and her consumption of coal was said to be forty-live 

 tons daily. The upper deck, being carried over the entire 

 length of the ship, afforded splendid accommodation 



