Ixxxiv MEMOIR 



the blue heaving water ; passes slowly round an open-hearted, 

 good-tempered looking pulley, five feet diameter ; aft past a 

 vicious nipper, to bring all up should anything go wrong ; through 

 a gentle guide ; on to a huge bluff drum, who wraps him round 

 his body and says " Come you must," as plain as drum can 

 speak : the chattering pauls say " I've got him, I've got him, he 

 can't get back " : whilst black cable, much slacker and easier in 

 mind and body, is taken by a slim V-pulley and passed down 

 into the huge hold, where half a dozen men put him comfortably 

 to bed after his exertion in rising from his long bath. In good 

 sooth, it is one of the strangest sights I know to see that black 

 fellow rising up so steadily in the midst of the blue sea. We 

 are more than half way to the place where we expect the fault ; 

 and already the one wire, supposed previously to be quite bad 

 near the African coast, can be spoken through. I am very glad 

 I am here, for my machines are my own children and I look on 

 their little failings with a parent's eye and lead them into the 

 path of duty with gentleness and firmness. I am naturally in 

 good spirits, but keep very quiet for misfortunes may arise 

 at any instant ; moreover to-morrow my paying-out apparatus 

 will be wanted should all go well, and that will be another 

 nervous operation. Fifteen miles are safely in ; but no one 

 knows better than I do that nothing is done till all is done. 



'June 11. 



1 9 A.M. We have reached the splice supposed to be faulty, 

 and no fault has been found. The two men learned in electri- 

 city, L and W , squabble where the fault is. 



{ Evening. A weary day in a hot broiling sun ; no air. After 



the experiments, L said the fault might be ten miles 



ahead ; by that time, we should be according to a chart in about 

 a thousand fathoms of water rather more than a mile. It was 

 most difficult to decide whether to go on or not. I made pre- 

 parations for a heavy pull, set small things to rights and went 

 to sleep. About four in the afternoon, Mr. Liddell decided to 

 proceed, and we are now (at seven) grinding it in at the rate of 

 a mile and three-quarters per hour, which appears a grand 



