第72部分(第2/7 頁)

the　hour；　after　which　their　bottoms　were　blown　out　or　something　happened　to　them。　Then　the　fore…hatch　was　stove　in　and　filled　with　water；　as　did　the　passages　along　which　we　had　to　walk　from　the　cabins。　Time　after　time　did　we　stop　to　try　and　make　that　hatch　good　with　four…inch　teak　planks；　but　always　these　were　broken　by　the　force　of　the　sea。

Our　subsequent　misfortunes　were　many。　We　were　taken　in　closer　to　Ushant　than　I　thought　pleasant；　the　new　engines　heated；　the　chief　engineer　went　mad　with　the　strain　and；　when　at　length　we　did　reach　Port　Said；　had　to　be　carried　ashore　raving。　I　believe　that　he　died　not　long　afterwards。　One　night　this　poor　fellow；　dressed　in　full　uniform；　rushed　from　cabin　to　cabin；　telling　the　passengers　to　get　up　as　the　ship　was　sinking！

We　took　the　turn　into　the　Mediterranean　about　twenty…four　hours　late；　and　in　the　dense　darkness　caused　by　a　fearful　squall　nearly　went　ashore　on　the　coast　of　Africa；　as　the　Delhi　did　in　after　years　—　I　saw　her　wreck　only　the　other　day。　When　the　light　came　I　had　a　nearer　view　of　that　shore　than　I　ever　wish　to　see　again　—　from　the　deck　of　an　ocean　liner。　In　Gibraltar　harbour　we　fouled　our　anchor　in　a　man…of…war’s　mooring　chains　and　had　to　slip　it。　In　the　Gulf　of　Lyons　we　encountered　a　very　bad　mistral　while　we　were　trying　to　sling　another　anchor　into　its　place。　There　it　hung　over　the　bow；　bumping　against　the　side　of　the　ship。　By　this　time　the　Lascars　seemed　to　be　practically　useless；　and　the　first　officer　was　obliged　to　slide　down　the　chain　and　sit　on　the　fluke　of　the　anchor；　shouting　directions。　It　was　a　strange　sight　to　see　this　plucky　young　gentleman　swinging　about　there　over　the　deep。　He　was　—　and　I　trust　still　is　—　a　man　of　whom　the　country　might　be　proud；　but　I　have　long　forgotten　his　name。　In　the