168 IMPRESSION OF THE SOUTH. 



This cable-laying took me for the first time into 

 southern regions. During the whole time we had 

 splendid weather , and I enjoyed to the utmost the 

 charms of the Mediterranean, with its deep blue water, 

 its dazzling white wave- crests, and its refreshing air, 

 of which we could never inhale enough, on the beautiful 

 voyage from Genoa to Cagliari , and from there to 

 Bona in Algeria. A surprising sight was afforded by 

 the loftily situated solid castle of Cagliari, which was 

 entirely engirdled by high -grown aloe bushes in full 

 bloom. On the advice of the friendly captain of 

 the corvette we did not remain in the harbour on 

 account of the fever, but passed the night in the 

 court of the castle ruins. This glorious night under 

 the starry sky of Italy, high above the sea breaking 

 upon the rocky coast in the moonshine, has never 

 faded from my memory. 



The electrical testings carried on during the 

 laying showed that the insulation of all the conductors 

 of the cable was imperfect, but on the completion of 

 the line in the following year it satisfied in the case 

 of three of them the conditions of the contract, which 

 only required that the loss of current should not 

 exceed a certain percentage. The fourth conductor 

 contained a more serious fault, and the taking over 

 of the cable was therefore refused. However it was 

 possible by a suitable electrical manipulation - - con- 

 tinuous treatment with an exclusively positive current 

 - so far to lessen the defect, that the cable had to 

 be taken over. 



