12 WITH MR. CHAMBERLAIN IN THE 



the Cunarder Etruria, which was lying inmid-channel. 

 He duly arrived, however, in a private tender about 

 5 o'clock, and we steamed out of the Mersey at 6.30. 

 The Etruria carried 360 saloon passengers, and 

 about 100 others, many of them Americans in 

 buoyant spirits at the prospect of returning to the 

 country of their birth. Captain Cook, who had 

 crossed the Atlantic goodness knows how many 

 times, and was at that time Commodore of the 

 Cunard fleet, was in command of the vessel. He 

 was a great character, and though we naturally had 

 seats at his table, we saw but little of him at meals 

 during the voyage, the weather being so stormy as 

 to necessitate his being nearly always on the bridge. 

 He could be very cynical at times, and had no love 

 for the Americans, who I believe had once locked 

 him up for some breach of the port regulations at 

 New York. Lots of good stories, true or otherwise, 

 were recounted about him. Once a nervous female 

 asked him if the vessel was far from land. " About 

 three and a half miles, Madam, straight down 

 there " was the reply, pointing to the bed of the 

 ocean. On another occasion in a terrific gale a 

 bishop on board ventured to inquire if there was 

 any danger. 



