136 FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
the petrels that flutter in our wake. One wandering 
albatross keeps us company and hangs calmly on the 
gale looking down at our troubles. 
For several days past we have had the monotony of 
an empty horizon broken by a vessel on the same course 
as ourselves. 
To any one who has not been for months at sea, shut off 
from the rest of the world by a circle of empty horizon, it 
must be difficult to realise the pleasure there is in meeting 
another ship. It makes the little world on board feel it 
is still related to the lands where people live far away over 
that grey wall of sea. A great longing comes over us to 
go alongside to speak to the people on board, and see new 
people, perhaps friends. But all we do is to nod a distant 
good-day with our flags, as stiffly as the two Englishmen 
on Mont Blanc. Even signalling the most simple salute 
causes great excitement on board, suppressed excitement, 
not noticeable by any on board "the other ship, we 
trust, unless, perhaps, when the flag halyards carry away, 
or the code blows overboard, or the flags get mixed up 
with the backstays or topping lift I think no one on 
board knows much about signalling except our first mate. 
He succeeds in replying in great style, as quickly as any 
vessel we have met as yet. 
This barque, like most of those going Capewards, over- 
took us, and passed us to windward close-hauled. We 
exchanged compliments in passing. Guy Mannering 
was her name, from the Tyne, bound round the Horn 
for Calloa or Frisco. Then the wind went round to 
the other tack and we found ourselves again to wind- 
