244 TRAVEL, ADVENTUKE, AXD SPORT. 



than can be effected by design ; and without ex- 

 pressing any opinion on the matter, I shall be 

 sincerely glad if the Directors, after thoroughly 

 sifting this unfortunate business, arrive at a similar 

 conclusion. 



At 3.30 A.M., July 31st, the last coil of the Cable 

 in the aft tank being paid out, the vessel's progress 

 was stayed for a few moments, and the shifting to 

 the fore tank was performed with the greatest ease. 

 All went on smoothly until Wednesday, August 2d. 

 During this time I had taken my watxjh in the tank 

 twice without observing anything in the least degree 

 suspicious ; nor was I sorry to have had the opportunity 

 of seeing with what perfect ease and celerity the Cable 

 uncoiled itself and passed upwards. At 7 A.M., Mr 

 Cyrus Field, keenest of watchmen, being in the tank, 

 the last fault occurred, and, strange to say, with the 

 same gang of men in the tank as were present at all 

 the previous disasters. We had now run 1062 miles 

 from Yalentia, having only 604 miles more to reach 

 Newfoundland, 300 of which were comparatively 

 shallow, where all danger of failure in picking up the 

 Cable would vanish. By this time we had become 

 resigned, and even callous, looking on these misfor- 

 tunes as only causing a temporary delay. 



This being our crowning disaster, and the cause of 

 all our future operations, I wish to describe it with a 

 little more minuteness. At 10.30 A.M.,in lat. 51. 2 5 K, 

 long. 39M W., the Cable having been cut and trans- 



