226 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



length), and that the operation would be completed 

 early on the following morning ; so, getting up steam 

 as quickly as possible, \ve weighed anchor at 2 A.M. 

 on Sunday, July 23d, and, followed by the Terrible 

 and the Sphinx, proceeded to the spot where the 

 splice was to be effected. At 10.30 we came up 

 with the Caroline, and shortly after the Hawk, a fine 

 steamer belonging to the Telegraph Construction and 

 Maintenance Company, arrived, having on board a 

 distinguished party, including Sir Eobert Peel, the 

 Knight of Kerry, Lord John Hay, Captain Hamilton, 

 a director of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, and 

 many other gentlemen connected with the undertak- 

 ing. There were also some ladies on board, who 

 were sadly disappointed at not being able to visit the 

 ship, a task which, owing to the roughness of the 

 sea, even the gentlemen could not accomplish without 

 a wetting. Here Mr Canning rejoined us, accom- 

 panied by Dr "NY. H. Eussell, Mr Deane, Mr Temple, 

 and others. The paddle-box boats of the Sphinx 

 having taken the end of our Cable on board the 

 Caroline, the splice with the shore-end was success- 

 fully effected at 5.30 P.M. ; and the last visitor hav- 

 ing left our ship, amidst the firing of guns and loud 

 cheers from all the five vessels, we commenced paying 

 out the Cable from the aft tank at a speed of about 

 four knots per hour. 



And now, before proceeding further with my nar- 

 rative, I think it expedient to explain as briefly as 



