102 SAM DARLING'S REMINISCENCES 



the S'portsman shows that I at least attempted 

 to do something : 



** I have just been up in the music- room, seeing 

 the skipper give away the prizes for the sports 

 Hat this afternoon. It transpires that Mr. 

 trimming Darling was an equal second in the hat- 

 trimming competition, and I only regret that, being 

 unaware of the auction, I was not there this after- 

 noon to buy the hat which he trimmed. It 

 would have formed such a fine exhibit in the 

 Sportsman window that — whatever it might have 

 cost — I am sure the proprietors would have gladly 

 given me a big premium. The sale of hats realised 

 a record total.'' — The Special Commissioner, Janu- 

 ary 19th, 1903. 



The Oceana reached Port Said about 8.30 p.m. 

 on January 20, 1903, and, thank goodness, we were 

 allowed to stay on board for the night, for it was 

 raining hard, and a more uninviting place than Port 

 Said it would be difficult to find. Of course there 

 was the nuisance of coaling ; but it hardly was a 

 nuisance, for to watch the native labourers at this 

 work is a bit of an eye-opener. They take the 

 whole job at a tremendous pace, hurrying in a 

 continuous stream up one gangway plank, each 

 with half a hundredweight of coal on his shoulders ; 

 then, after shooting their load on board, running 

 down another plank into the lighters for more, all 



