FROM THE VOSGES TO TENERIFFE 13 
the wall of the cabin. So I left them to their fate and 
contented myself with lying quietly in my berth and 
counting how many seconds elapsed between each 
plunge made by the ship and the corresponding rush 
of our boxes. Soon there could be heard similar noises 
from other cabins and, added to them, the sound of 
crockery, etc., moving wildly about in the galley and 
the dining saloon. With morning came a steward, who 
showed me the scientific way of making the baggage 
fast. 
For three days the storm lasted with undiminished 
force. Standing or even sitting in the cabins or the 
saloons was not to be thought of ; one was thrown 
about from one corner to the other, and several passen- 
gers received more or less serious injuries. On Sunday 
we had cold food only, because the cooks were unable 
to use the galley fire, and it was not till we were near 
Teneriffe that the storm abated. 
I had been looking forward to the first sight of this 
island, which is always said to be so magnificent, but, 
alas ! I overslept myself and woke only as we were 
entering the harbour. Then, scarcely had the anchor 
been dropped, when we were hemmed in on both sides 
by coaling-hulks from which were hoisted sacks of food 
for the engines, to be emptied through the hatches into 
the ship’s hold. 
* 
* * 
Teneriffe lies on high ground which slopes rather 
steeply into the sea, and has all the appearance of a 
Spanish town. The island is carefully cultivated and 
produces potatoes enough to supply the whole coast 
