'Their Lawful Occasions'
' . . . And a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions.' — Navy Prayer.
PART I
Disregarding the inventions of the Marine Captain, whose other name is Gubbins, let a plain statement suffice. H.M.S. Caryatid went to Portland to join Blue Fleet for manoeuvres. I travelled overland from London by way of Portsmouth, where I fell among friends. When I reached Portland, H.M.S. Caryatid, whose guest I was to have been, had, with Blue Fleet, already sailed for some secret rendezvous off the west coast of Ireland, and Portland break- water was filled with Red Fleet, my official enemies and joyous acquaintances, who received me with unstinted hospitality. For example, Lieutenant- Commander A. L. Hignett, in charge of three destroyers, Wraith, Stiletto, and Kobbold, due to depart at 6 p.m. that evening, offered me a berth on his thirty-knot flagship, but I preferred my com- forts, and so accepted sleeping-room in H.M.S. Pedantic (15,000 tons), leader of the second line.
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