THE LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE. 235 



was proof against all the practical jokes played on 

 him : a most useful member of the community was 

 he, repairing with great skill and readiness any article 

 broken on board, from a watch to a meerschaum pipe. 

 His last mechanical exploit was the fashioning of a 

 small knife from a piece of the iron wire of the cable, 

 the blade of which was only three-tenths of an inch 

 in length, and warranted to cut. My list would not 

 be complete were I to omit Mr Halpin, the chief 

 officer, a quondam blockade-runner, full of Southern 

 proclivities, and with a hearty dislike of the Stars and 

 Stripes, prolific of marvellous sea-stories, every inch 

 (and many has he) a sailor, and a great favourite 

 with all. 



How smoothly does the Great Leviathan glide 

 through the water ! So quietly work the ponderous 

 engines, and with so little vibration, that, except for 

 the smoke (of which more anon), you could scarcely 

 believe you were in a steam-vessel. But alas ! " sur- 

 f/it amari aliquid." As in a community of workmen, 

 those who do the least work make the most noise, so 

 in this huge factory of machinery there is a small 

 auxiliary engine, very properly called the " Donkey," 

 which makes an incessant noise, with but little inter- 

 mission, during the whole twenty-four hours. My 

 feelings were too hostile to allow me to make any 

 inquiries as to the nature of the functions performed 

 by my tormentor (something in the pumping line, I 

 believe) ; but if I might judge by the noise, I should 



