tions."---This was the pleasant task, when my dishes were done and the pantry floor had been carefully scrubbed and fresh water taken into all the rooms, of teaching the second engineer logarithms. But I shouldn't make a joke out of it. Both of us were in earnest, for he was studying some mathematics relating to his work, and never having had algebra or trigonometry in school, he came to an abrupt stop at logarithms. I wanted to help him; so I got the second mate's book of tables which had all the logs I needed, and we worked two whole hours over it. I had to commence at the very beginning, but he caught on quickly and seemed to have a clear idea of it afterwards.
Smith, the chief wireless operator, gave me two interesting reports to translate today. The first was some French government stuff, from one of the African provinces, I think, and the other was in German and evidently a press report from Berlin. The latter gave a rambling account of the resignation of the Bulgarian consul in Manchester. It commented upon the sinking of a German steamer, and made some absurd statement about a congress being held in Bombay to demand Home Rule for India.
