CHAPTER XII 



FROM MARSEILLES TO THE NILE 



We were quite a happy ship until a horde of pas- 

 sengers boarded us at Marseilles, and it is amusing 

 Marseilles ^^ see the disinchnation of those who 

 misanthropes j^^^yg been On the voyage from the start 

 to fraternise with these. There was, I think, 

 positive joy when we ran into rather bad weather 

 the first evening and made most of them ill. After 

 that they were themselves liverish and disagreeable. 

 Some objected to singing in the music saloon, and 

 a crotchety old lady strongly objected to the ping- 

 pong table, at which game the other passengers 

 were very keen players. She asked the captain to 

 remove it, as it affected her nerves. The captain 

 told some of the passengers what she had said, 

 and was afraid he would have to accede to her 

 request. There was an appeal made to him by a 

 sporting passenger on board, in verse, as follows : 



" To CAPT. STOUT 



"Music Saloon, 



"R.M.S. 'Oceana,' 



''January 18, 1903. 

 " That music soothes the savage breast 

 As general rule may be confessed ; 

 100 



