pitching and tossing about merrily in a heavy sea, with a magniticent view of the Sierra Nevada on our port quarter, the snow-clad peaks standing high up in the sky and gleaming brightly in the warm sunshine. It is almost always rough in this part of the Mediterranean, and a severe tossing is, as a rule, experienced until Cape Gata is rounded, when the wind and sea often drop suddenly. We were very unfortunate on this occasion as, by the afternoon, we were only doing four knots instead of thirteen or fourteen, our usual pace. The sea was dead ahead and broke clear over us from stem to stem. The destruction of crockery must have been considerable, the noise was almost indescribable; it was as if we were a big tin box full of pieces of china which some big giant had picked up and shaken to his heart's content. Soon after this we ran into lovely weather, the sun shone bright and warm, and the sea danced past us with its waves of deep sapphire hue. It was now time to set to work, for we had much to do in the next fortnight. The men had all to be fitted with their kharkee kit and served out with their cholera belts, goggles, spine-protectors, and veils. It certainly seemed as if the people at home had determined no pains should
