[Illustration]
After the "Rhine" had been anchored in the harbour of St. Thomas, West
Indies, for the space of two days, our First Officer, more generally
known in these records as the Model Man, received a rather remarkable
communication. It was a letter from a black sportsman, who issued a
challenge to our ship on behalf of a local club. This note reminded the
Model Man of a most successful cricket match in the past, when an eleven
from the "Rhine" was victorious; and it suggested that, during the
present visit of our vessel, a return match might be played. We talked
the matter over, and I said:
"Of course you will accept."
But the Treasure answered:
"You see there is always one great difficulty with black cricketers.
They have a theory you cannot play the game properly in clothes, and
they get themselves up for a match much the same as we should if we were
going swimming."
"Why, last time we played," continued the Model Man, "only one man had
anything you could fairly call raiment. He came on to the pitch with
what he regarded as a pair of cocoanut-fibre trousers, and his team made
him captain upon the strength of them."