OUTWARD BOUND. 15 



Atlantic beyond the Mediterranean, and the sky has been 

 quite cloudless. 



To-day at 12.5 we had " Fire drill." The fire-bell rang, 

 and within three minutes three hoses were pouring water 

 on the supposed fire ; then the officers called up their 

 respective men to the several boats (eight in all), which 

 were lowered, etc. Everything was done quickly and well. 

 I wonder whether all would progress as calmly in the case 

 of a real fire. 



June 17. — To-day we shall get south of the sun ! 

 This morning saw the Portuguese man-of-war {Physdlia 

 pelagicd), and shoals of flying fish {Exocceta volitans). The 

 captain's canary nearly bursts its little throat with warbling 

 all day. This is the coolest day we have had yet ; the 

 doctor says it is the coolest voyage he has made ; never- 

 theless, the thermometer stands at 78° in my cabin, and it 

 is 127° in the sunshine. The captain read service this 

 morning in the saloon. 



June 18. — We passed the Cape Verd Islands quite 

 close. The flying fish are an exceedingly pretty sight. 

 This morning there was a shark about ; we saw his tri- 

 angular fin. He came into a shoal of flying fish, which 

 rose in a body and glistened like silver in the sun. Their 

 flight is very swift and graceful ; they do not rise high 

 above the water, but rather flit just above the surface, and 

 not always in a straight line, as I have sometimes read. 



June 19. — Began to get into the south-east trade 

 winds, and the ship pitched and rolled a good deal. 



June 20. — Had a talk with Mr. Bertrand about the 

 Falkland Islands ; he has an extensive sheep farm there. 

 The islands are about the same latitude south as London 

 is north of the line, but the climate is much more severe 

 than that of England ; in fact, the southern latitudes in 



