CROSSING THE LINE
_November 13th_ (10 p.m.).--_Off Gaboon._
This is how it has all turned out! We stopped this morning and
anchored. No one knows where we are or where Gaboon lies. We have sent
the _Roland_ north to the coast to find a lighthouse and Gaboon. We see
land, but the place is unknown.
I caught a glimpse of a shark. When we were weighing anchor at Dakar,
a cutter approached with some important documents (perhaps it was the
post). In the hurry of departure the papers were not taken on board.
The navigators, including the flagship's navigator, were confused. It
proved that we were thirty miles (fifty versts) below Gaboon. We are
now going back to Gaboon, and we shall have already twice crossed the
Equator. The celebrations only take place at the first crossing. When
we strike the Cape of Good Hope we shall have crossed it a third time.
6 p.m.--We are anchored. A French boat has just arrived bringing some
dispatches. In coming the boat was nearly stove in, as it caught in our
wake. Luckily it escaped, and only the rudder was broken.
The rats are making themselves felt. Three nights ago a rat bit the
first lieutenant in the foot, and last night gnawed off one of his
corns. What do you think of that?
The French officer dined with the admiral. He does not know what is
going on at the war. Even the telegraphic agencies' telegrams are not
received at Gaboon. A fine town this! And there are many like it in
the colony. I don't think we should find a town like it in Russia. Not
even the governor of this place gets telegrams. There are only about
seven hundred Europeans here; the rest are negroes, amongst whom are
cannibals. During the last two months the cannibals have eaten two
Europeans.
They say that an English steamer will arrive to-morrow, bringing us
newspapers of October 27th (Old Style). On the 16th or 17th the steamer
will go back to Europe, taking our mails.
As we have no news from the war, the wardroom officers of the
_Suvaroff_ have asked the admiral permission to send a prepaid telegram
to the _Novoe Vremya_, asking for news. The admiral refused the
request, but will wire to Admiral Wirenius, who will send us the latest
intelligence from the Far East.
The admiral has received a telegram from Petersburg advising him not
to stop at Gaboon, but go to some other place, as the French wish our
fleet to leave this port. They point out a more convenient bay, and
promise to give us pilots. Nevertheless, our fleet will stay here as
long as necessary.
What was the end of the shooting affair in the German Ocean, near Hull?
They say the astonishment of the local Europeans is very great. First
one steamer arrived "for provisions," then a second, then a third, and
finally our fleet. No one ever expected that we should call at Gaboon.
It is just as well, perhaps. The more our movements are known, the more
unfavourable orders we might have from the French Government.
_November 14th_ (11 a.m.).--Have already been on board the _Orel_
and _Alexander_. At two o'clock shall go on board the _Nachimoff_,
_Borodino_, and _Meteor_, which are badly damaged and leak.
The Governor has sent us a present of fruit and vegetables. At lunch we
had pineapples, bananas, mangoes, and something else. Pineapples are
the nicest.
On board the _Alexander_ they accidentally carried off a negro from
Dakar, whom they have landed. He says the negroes here eat their dead,
as cattle are scarce and meat is dear. Before they eat them they cut
off the hands and feet and put them in a bog to swell. The flesh is
then more tender and tasty.
They do not risk sending divers down here, as there are too many sharks.
The Governor sent some other fruits besides. No one knows what they
are--either grass or vegetables. They have received a telegram in the
private transports saying that Kuropatkin has driven the Japanese back
to the coast. That would be good news, but it is difficult to believe.
11 p.m.--The vegetation here is very rich, judging by the reports of
those who have been ashore. A "regular botanical garden." A moth flew
on board--such a size, I am afraid you will not believe me, but it was
nearly a foot! We saw a turtle in the sea, 2½ feet long. The Frenchmen
on shore showed us a dead boa-constrictor 18 feet long.
The officers who went ashore called on the king of the place. He was
asleep. They woke him without ceremony, looked at him and his wife,
and went away. He is just a wild nigger, like his subjects.
I told you about the vegetables the Governor sent us. We tipped the man
who brought them a pound sterling. He seemed much confused, accepted
the money, and then did not know what to do with it. I think he will
spend it on our wounded.
_November 15th._--They say there was a very violent storm last night.
I heard nothing, and slept through it all.
The officers have returned from Libreville, where they went at nine
this morning. They relate many interesting things, and are in rapture
over the vegetation. They have brought some fruit and a couple of
parrots. They bought one of the parrots for ten francs, and the other
was sent to the admiral by a Jesuit father with the fruit, as a gift.
The same man who was given the pound, out of kindness acted as guide to
the officers. When taking leave he feared a repetition of the tip, and
kept on repeating that "he wanted nothing."
The officers paid another visit to the king. He received them in
an English naval uniform and cocked hat. They were photographed
with him and his wives. One of them was taken arm-in-arm with the
queen-dowager, who begged for money. Some of the court ladies were
drunk. It is two days since the king, who is seventy-two, succeeded
his brother on the throne. Margarita, the eldest lady-in-waiting and
a most energetic old negress, runs about naked. For that matter, the
inhabitants in general do not trouble about completeness of costume.
The natives respectfully greet all Europeans. It is a curious monarchy,
under the protection of France; more truly it is her colony.
To-morrow there will be something in the nature of a coronation on
shore. The dead king is at present lying in a box under lock and key.
One of the officers sat on this box, to the consternation of the
present king and his court minister. The latter was dressed in a cocked
hat, a necktie round his bare neck, cuffs, sword, and frock-coat, but
without linen or trousers--a beautiful figure, thus attired, at the
reception of the guests.
_November 15th._--You can imagine what sort of a town is Libreville.
The Governor sent the admiral the latest news from the papers. They are
dated October 2nd--the day of our departure from Libau.
_November 16th._--I did not succeed in finishing my last letter, as the
boat left for the shore. In it went the last post which can go by the
steamer leaving for Europe to-morrow morning.
From sunset to dawn the admiral has forbidden communication between the
ships and the shore. Yesterday at 10 p.m. a cutter from the _Donskoi_,
in the harbour without special leave from the admiral, was detained.
The officer of the watch was put under arrest for this for three days.
This evening a boat from the same ship with three officers, also in the
harbour without special leave from the admiral, was likewise detained.
In to-day's orders the captain of the _Donskoi_ is reprimanded, and the
three officers who were in the boat are to be tried. They are to be
dismissed to the steamer leaving here for Europe to-morrow and will go
to Russia. As you see, disobedience is severely punished on board.
9 p.m.--To-day a sub-lieutenant of the _Alexander_ told me about
the negro whom they took from Dakar. When his boat shoved off from
the _Alexander_ he began to storm, shout threats and curses at the
boatmen, stamp on the deck with his bare feet, etc. When he saw that he
could not get away from the _Alexander_ he sat on the turret and wept
burning tears. The crew surrounded him and looked on, laughing at this
healthy, bellowing lad. Seeing that there was nothing to be done, he
grew resigned. It appeared he was very jealous and uneasy about his
wife. Very soon the crew made friends with him, and taught him several
Russian words. His memory was phenomenal; in a few days he learnt the
names of nearly half the crew. The soles of his feet seemed very funny
to the sailors. They are half white, as they are in all negroes. On the
trip the officers collected 60 roubles for him. He left exceedingly
satisfied. He serves in a shop, and, being rather civilised, speaks
French fluently.
_November 17th_ (7 p.m.).--Half an hour ago I returned from the shore,
where I had gone in the _Roland_.
We reached Libreville at 8 a.m. About ten we reached the town, if
this settlement can be so called. We could not approach close to
it in the _Roland_, so got into boats. I went with the officers of
the _Borodino_, and was with them all the time. First we went to a
restaurant for refreshment. There were six of us. They gave us three
bottles of lemonade, a little bread, fish, meat, peas, cheese, and
fruit, and charged fifty-five francs. We left the restaurant and
went along an avenue of palm-trees. We went to a German factory, to
the Catholic Church, to two or three little villages, and to the
plantations. There was not much time, and we turned back. We called
on the king, then went to a shop, then to the quay and back to the
_Roland_. Although I was only five hours ashore, I was fairly tired,
probably from not being accustomed to exercise. Several photographs of
our party were taken. We were taken with the negroes serving in the
French army, with negresses in the villages, in the plantation, and in
the King's ground under a tree with a small negress who ran after us.
The king came out and placed a chair for each of us, and sat down in
an armchair on the terrace. He and all his courtiers were dressed.
A nigger all covered with grass and with a semblance of a mask over
his face (not the slightest bit of his body could be seen) danced a
Tam-tam, accompanied by savage music. Our time was short. We rose,
and the king shook hands with us all. By this time many officers had
gathered at his palace. They wandered into all the corners of his
house. The dowager-queen sat in a hammock drunk, and tearfully begged
for money. While rambling through the plantations I bought a lot of
pineapples, bananas, and cocoa-nuts.
The plantation where we sat eating fruit belongs to a Frenchwoman,
a native of this place. We thought her house was a restaurant, and
unceremoniously demanded lemonade, water, etc. It then appeared that
it was a private dwelling. The Frenchwoman was very friendly--told us
about herself and her children, who were being educated in France. She
sent two negroes to carry our purchases to the pier.
How rich the vegetation is in this place! You seem to be walking in
a botanical garden. All around are palms, bananas, lemons, mimosa,
lianas, mangoes, baobabs, and wonderful flowers. The trees are immense
and lofty.
On our return we called at a shop for drink. They gave us cider. If you
had been here, what would you not have bought! We purchased all sorts
of rubbish--negro instruments, teeth of wild animals, poisoned spears,
weapons, etc. In the town we met the negro who was brought by the
_Alexander_. He now answers to the name of "Andrew Andrewitch," which
was given him by the crew.
_November 18th._--I woke early this morning. I had a trip to make to
the private transports.
5 p.m.--Leaving Gaboon.
About an hour ago we weighed anchor. Our destination is unknown.
To-day on board the _Alexander_, which is astern of the _Suvaroff_,
they celebrated the crossing of the line. We could see how they capered
and splashed water about. In the _Orel_ something has happened to the
electrical steering gear, but she is steaming and does not detain the
fleet.
_November 19th._--At 9 a.m. we began to celebrate crossing the line
on board. Neptune, Venus, a navigator, sub-lieutenants, Russian
peasant-women, devils, barbers, and tritons arrived on field
gun-carriages drawn by black naked people. All this fine company came
from the stern of the ship, accompanied by buglers and to the sound
of a march, played by the band, which was stationed forward. They
approached the fore-turret and climbed on to it. The audience took up
their places in the bows, on the bridges, turrets, masts, yards, and
crosstrees. The admiral, captain, and officers stood on the bridge.
The actors were all half naked, and were painted in the most varied
colours--black, green, red, yellow, blue, etc. Neptune had his trident
and a great beard of tow. The navigator had a chronometer, binoculars,
and a sextant. The peasant-woman had a baby, which was represented by
the fox-terrier. When the baby was supposed to cry, they twisted the
dog's tail to make him howl.
The actors played well. Near the turret was a huge bath, made of canvas
and filled with water. When the play was over, they turned the hose on
to every one, from the admiral down to the sailors. The actors were
first thrown into the bath, and then the rest of the ship's company.
After being ducked, their faces were lathered with a huge brush dipped
in whiting, and they were shaved with a very large razor (two and a
half feet long), made very cleverly from a piece of wood. The water
in the bath was clean at the beginning, but after the actors who were
painted had been ducked, it turned into God knows what colour. Nearly
all the officers, the captain, and the flag-captain were ducked and
shaved. I and several others escaped the bath; nevertheless, I had
not a dry spot on me. Any one who hid was hunted out and ducked. The
messman shut himself up in his cabin. They could not get at him, so
they removed the deck-plate above it and poured water in. The messman
at last, to save his things, came out and was thrown into the bath.
Even the chaplain did not escape the same fate. It was a good thing for
those who fell in feet foremost. When it happened the other way, their
heads were pushed under and their legs held up. One of the dogs who was
thrown into the water climbed out on to the nearest bitts, and looking
at the people struggling near him, raised a deafening howl.
The crew evidently enjoyed their holiday. It was a great diversion for
them, as they had not been ashore since we left Revel.
About four o'clock something went wrong in the _Malay_. An officer was
sent to replace the captain. All the fleet stopped for the transfer of
the officer from the _Suvaroff_ to the _Malay_.
The fleet is now going to Great Fish Bay, which belongs to Portugal. If
for any reason we cannot call there, we shall steer for Angra Pequena
(under the protection of Germany).
_November 20th_ (7 p.m.).--We had vespers on board. The service pleases
me, especially in the ship. Though around one are only the faces of
officers and men all dressed in white, and though the acolytes and
choir are barefooted, the chants and intoning remind me of dear,
far-distant Russia.
_November 21st._--It is beginning to be less hot. The greatest heat,
or more correctly closeness, was at Dakar. Now it is fairly tolerable.
When we reach the Cape of Good Hope we shall have to put on ordinary
uniform, and perhaps greatcoats. They say it will be very hot and damp
in the Indian Ocean.
All the crews in the fleet have begun to fast, by order of the admiral.
Do you know how they fast? They eat their food as usual, only they go
to church.
If the reckonings are correct, and all goes smoothly, then by the end
of January or the beginning of February our fleet will be near the
shores of Japan. This will mean that there will be only about two
months more of the wearisome, monotonous life which we are all leading.
It will not be long before we join the ships that went by the other
way. Much depends on the position of the Port Arthur and Vladivostok
fleets, as well as of Port Arthur and Vladivostok themselves. It also
depends on how matters stand with Kuropatkin at the time of our arrival
in the East.
Judging by descriptions, Great Fish Bay is not an important place. The
settlement consists of seven houses, two of which are uninhabited. It
is surrounded by the desert. There is no water, so it has to be brought
from a distance. Fish are plentiful. It is a very good anchorage. We
shall probably be there to-morrow morning.
It is cooler now. In my cabin there are 24° R. The drawers of the table
can be pulled out once more.
_November 23rd._--The temperature continues to fall. In the open at
present there are only 14° R. They count on arriving at the anchorage
at twelve o'clock. We are now going further from Port Arthur, but after
doubling the Cape shall approach it. The voyage from Tangier to Port
Arthur is about the same as the voyage from the Cape to Port Arthur.
What a much longer distance we have come by going round Africa!
1.50 p.m.--We have arrived at Great Fish Bay. It is not particularly
pretty. On one side the shore is high and jagged, and on the other it
is flat. There are small houses in several places on the low-lying
shore. From the ship they can hardly be seen, even with a telescope.
The shore is sandy. No doubt there is neither post nor telegraph
station here. Wherever one looks there is sand--nothing but sand.
A Portuguese gunboat has just passed the _Suvaroff_. (Her name is
_Limpopo_.) She is a very small and insignificant ship. She was
anchored far out in the bay, and has now gone no doubt to acquaint the
authorities that our fleet has arrived and anchored at Great Fish Bay.
This will be a surprise for the Portuguese. We do not, however, stay
here for long. To-morrow evening we get up anchor.
4 p.m.--It appears that the Portuguese gunboat, _Limpopo_, went round
the fleet and stopped near the _Suvaroff_. Her captain came to the
admiral with explanations. I do not yet know what he said, but it can
be nothing pleasant for us. Yesterday, before the fleet arrived, the
gunboat compelled one of our colliers to put to sea under a threat of
firing on her. The moment the fleet arrived the colliers re-occupied
the places assigned them by the admiral. They say the admiral assured
the commander of the Portuguese gunboat--or, more correctly, led him to
suppose--that the fleet was four miles from the shore; that is, that it
was in neutral waters.
Amongst other things, the Portuguese stated that it was known that our
ships would call at Great Fish Bay. Curious how this could have been
known at Lisbon, where the arrangement to send a man-of-war here was
made. Probably they were informed by the English, who jealously watch
every movement of our fleet. The hospital-ship _Orel_ has left, and
will call at Capetown.
We shall go to Angra Pequena from here. The Germans (to whom it
belongs) call it Lubevitz Bay. It is situated one thousand versts from
here. We leave this to-morrow at two o'clock.
_November 23rd._--At anchor in Great Fish Bay. An hour ago I gave
my letter to you to be sent to Europe by one of the steamers that
is returning. The captains of the steamers had been on shore. They
say that the beach is strewn with lovely shells and crowded with red
flamingoes. The captain of the Portuguese gunboat told the captains of
the colliers that he would forbid any attempt on their part to coal the
fleet. What naïveté--or rather, what impudence!
I have ordered them to call me at 6 a.m. to-morrow, in order to go to
several ships.
_November 24th._--From Great Fish Bay to Angra Pequena. I could not sit
down and write to you all day. Somehow, everything went wrong. Just
as I seated myself I was called away. I was on board the _Borodino_
to-day. I saw some Libreville photographs. They are very small; you
cannot make out the faces.
At four o'clock all our fleet began to weigh anchor. Two hours later
the _Malay_ hoisted a signal that something had happened to her rudder.
The _Roland_ was ordered to take her in tow. The hospital-ship _Orel_
is also going with us. Whales and albatrosses are seen more and more
frequently. The albatrosses fly a tremendous distance from the land,
and are very large; sometimes they measure sixteen to seventeen feet
across the wings.
Life on board is monotonous. One day is like another. You live in the
past (at all events, I do), and dream of the future.
_November 27th._--We passed the Tropic of Capricorn to-day. We are
approaching Angra Pequena. We have lessened speed, in order to get
there in the morning. The flagship's navigator considers that half
our voyage will have been completed when we reach the southern end of
Madagascar.
At Angra Pequena I think we shall get news from the East. The Germans
are probably more interested in the war than the French.
A sailor in the transport _Korea_ has been seized with dysentery
or malaria. God grant that the disease does not spread. Hygienic
conditions are disregarded in the fleet. Many go on the sick-list.
The wind has risen, the waves have increased. Before entering Angra
Pequena boats will be lowered and will take soundings. The place is
little known. Some ships might go aground. The post has already been
collected. I hope to be able to send this letter to-morrow morning.
_November 28th._--Approaching Angra Pequena.
We have not yet reached the anchorage. We are steaming very slowly,
for fear of going aground. The wind is still increasing, and the waves
are dashing over the poop (the after-part of the upper deck). Even if
the weather gets no worse our cruise round the Cape will not be a very
happy one.
_At anchor at Angra Pequena._
About one o'clock we reached Angra Pequena. The battleships anchored,
but the cruisers remained at sea. There is not much room in the bay.
It is impossible to stand on deck in unsheltered places. It blows
fearfully. The waves are washing over everywhere. No boats have been
lowered yet. There is no communication with the shore, or even between
ships. The post has not been sent. You may imagine what the strength of
the wind is when it is estimated at a force of ten.
Report says that the mail-boats call here five times a year. Possibly
one of the colliers will be discharged, and return to Europe from here.
In that case the mail will be sent in her.
_November 29th._--The wind abated a little during the night. A steamer
came alongside, but the sea was so high that her side was crushed. One
of our 75-millimetre guns was damaged, and a port was broken, which
will have to be repaired or changed. Spare guns are carried in the
transport.
This is the third day that the mail-boat has been detained owing to the
weather. We hear, from English sources, that there has been a fight at
Mukden; the losses on both sides amount to 50,000 men. It is also said
that the Japanese have taken by storm one of the forts at Port Arthur.
The Russians blew up this fort, and 30,000 Japanese perished. All this
is hearsay.
On shore they say that a certain steamer puts to sea every night and
watches passing vessels. Evidently this steamer is freighted by the
Japanese, to follow and perhaps strike a blow at our fleet.
Men are going out of their minds in the fleet. An ensign of the reserve
serving in the battleship _Orel_ went mad, and also a sailor in the
transport _Korea_.
An English steamer arrived here and left at once. A German transport
arrived with troops to put down the native rising in the interior.
The mail apparently was not sent, and the mail-boat has already left.
Perhaps they will be able to send it by the troopship, which is
probably returning to Europe. Everything, as you see, is uncertain. We
stop on and on here for no reason. It is still blowing hard. There is
no communication between ships, and I ought to go on board the _Malay_.
_November 30th._--We remain at anchor.
Every precaution is taken. Searchlights illumine the horizon.
Close to the fleet are two small islands belonging to England. It is
perfectly astounding--wherever you look on the map there are English
possessions, although they are small. Angra Pequena formerly belonged
to England. She ceded it to Germany, but the two islands remained in
her possession.
Wherever we have called, the local authorities (some, perhaps, only
outwardly) placed impediments in the way of our fleet. Angra Pequena is
the first German port at which we have called, and the authorities are
very friendly.
The local commandant says that "he is not a diplomat, and he does not
know officially of the arrival of the Russian ships. They are anchored
behind a bend, and are not visible from his windows."
I forget that Denmark also put no obstacles in our way; but, judging
by the tales of those who have been in Denmark, the Danish people
sympathise with Japan, and not with us. The Government involuntarily
helps Russia. It is quite different with Germany. The sympathy of both
people and Government is on our side. I do not know how it will be
later, but at present we have nothing to reproach the Germans with.
We do not know when our stay here will end. An English (Capetown)
newspaper has been brought on board. Sad news! Kuropatkin has not
moved, and according to the paper he received a reinforcement of 34,000
men after the battle of Liao-Yang. Can it really have been so few? The
commander of the second army has only just arrived at Harbin--which
means that the army is not yet in being. We learn that Kaulbars
is appointed commander of the third army; he is said to be a very
incapable general. At Port Arthur the Japanese have taken a hill that
commands all the harbour. The ships are at a disadvantage, and they
are hurriedly preparing to go to sea. This is the news imparted by an
English paper. How sad it all is!
Officers who have been to the post-office on shore found out that only
ten Europeans--Germans--live in the settlement. They saw the troops
sent out from Europe by Germany to subdue the natives. There are 1,200
men. Two of the German officers speak Russian, one of them excellently.
There is general hatred of England here as well. She supplies with
arms the natives whom the Germans are now going to subdue. She is
evidently a country that tries to damage every one and to work mischief
everywhere.
The wind is still howling. We are waiting for it to go down. At our
anchorage there is mishap after mishap. The _Malay_ and the _Meteor_
have just signalled that their engines are so badly damaged that they
cannot repair them without help. The co-operation of the _Kamchatka_ is
necessary, but I could not go on board.
_December 1st._--Yesterday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. I was going from
one ship to another in a steam-cutter. What a time I had! The cutter
pitched and rolled violently. She dipped her bows under and shipped
large quantities of water. It was difficult to see because the salt
spray blinded one. Sometimes the cutter pitched so much that her screw
was out of the water and raced. To complete our discomfort, it was
quite dark.
After I had been to several ships I had to go to the _Kamchatka_. We
could not discover where she was in the darkness. We searched for
her. She was lying further from the shore than the other ships. It is
difficult to describe what it was like near her. It seemed impossible
not only to go on board her, but also to receive a bag which was
lowered over her side. I had on a mackintosh, but there was not a dry
spot on me. How was I to get on board? It was pure torture. It was
impossible to go alongside the ship without the risk of breaking up
the cutter, which was absolutely prancing on the water. There was no
accommodation-ladder, so we had to get up by a rope-ladder, choosing
a favourable moment. God help you if hand or foot slipped. You would
either fall between the ship and the cutter and be crushed, or be
struck by the screw if it were moving, or run the risk of falling into
the jaws of a shark. Yesterday an officer fell like this, but luckily
escaped with only a ducking. I again ran the risk of falling into the
sea when going on board the _Malay_. I had only just seized hold of
a rope when the cutter was torn from under my feet. I hung over the
water, but got on board somehow. I shall not forget yesterday in a
hurry.
To-day it is nearly calm.
Calm! I had to go to the steamer _Ratzentaler_; she was damaged. I
reached her safely and examined her. This took me about an hour. I came
up from below to get into the boat, and this "thing" called the sea
was as boisterous as ever. With difficulty I let myself down into the
cutter. She rolled and capered.
Unfortunately, when shoving off, the screw fouled a rope, passed from
the steamer. The position was critical, but fortunately the rope broke,
and with great care, by going very slowly, we reached the _Suvaroff_.
Some one remarked, as I was dangling on the rope-ladder, choosing the
moment to jump into the boat, "If only your wife could see you in that
position!" I was not in any actual danger.
The Governor lunched with the admiral to-day. He came on board in the
_Alert_, a small steamer. He says that such winds are usual here.
If you only knew how sick I am of my surroundings! They say our cruise
is a specially trying one; it has prejudiced me against the "beautiful"
sea for ever. God grant that it end successfully! They will not entice
me on board a sea-going ship again for a very long time. I have had
enough of the sea--being torn away from home, living under unnatural
conditions, everlasting surprises in the shape of breakages, damages,
and repairs, dirt everywhere. You must not be surprised if I sometimes
write ill-naturedly. My nerves are shaken a little, which is not
surprising under the circumstances.
_December 2nd._--To-day, for the first time, I saw cormorants swimming
at sea; I also saw a jellyfish.
The officer commanding the German expedition and the commander of the
native troops came to call on the admiral. The latter did not return
the call himself, but sent the flag-captain. The _Orel_ has lost an
anchor and forty fathoms of cable. They are now grappling for them, as
it was decided not to send down divers for fear of sharks.
_December 3rd._--In the _Kamchatka_ they obtained an English paper
from a collier, in which it is related that the Japanese attacked the
part of our fleet that is going _viâ_ the Suez Canal, in or near the
Red Sea. Our ships apparently received some damages. Perhaps this is a
newspaper yarn. The _Roland_ went to sea yesterday, to bury the body of
a sailor who died in the _Korea_.
An order has been issued that we are to steam without any lights, in
absolute darkness. Hitherto all lights were put out except distinctive
lights--_i.e._ those absolutely necessary to show we are steaming. Now
these are forbidden.
It is settled that we leave here to-morrow morning early.
What surprises are in store for us on the way to Madagascar? That there
will be some is beyond doubt. I have been running round to-day like a
squirrel in a cage. I went to the _Orel_ and _Alexander_, and was, as
usual, a long time in the _Borodino_.
The first lieutenant fell into a coal-shoot, hurt his leg, and is now
laid up. It is very strange, whenever I go on board the _Borodino_ my
spirits go up. I have noticed this more than once, and it is always
with pleasure that I go on board her.
Boats from every ship helped the _Orel_ to search for her anchor and
cable. They only found them to-day at three o'clock. They had, after
all, to send divers down several times.
_December 4th._--I have not slept well the last few days. I am inclined
to sleep, but it is impossible to lie down. The rats have greatly
increased on board. However, they afford a certain amount of fun. The
dog Flagmansky (this name was given him because he came on board the
same day as the staff) found a rat in one of the cabins, and chased it
into a cupboard. Several men took an active part in the chase. All this
time Flagmansky barked, whined, rushed into the corners, scratched at
the cupboard, and bit it.
The hunt was not crowned with success, and he is still in the cabin
guarding the rat. The cur has an extraordinary passion for rats. I put
him into my cabin once (he begged to go there), and repented. He made
such a disgraceful noise. For an hour and a half I could not drag him
away. I had to call the orderly, who with great difficulty pulled him
away from the cupboard.