Got fairly away by 8 A.M., George Lennox leaving with the pilot. We exchanged binoculars by mistake. My guests, Generals Barnard and Lord Rokeby, Colonels Warde and Arthur Lowry Cole, A.D.C’s. Wellesley and Barnard, all good fellows. Lord Rokeby, a soldier of Waterloo, the cheeriest of all; but he, poor fellow, had lately lost a promising young and only son. I was admitted to his confidence. Bright and cheery as he was in company, it was a sad consolation for him to describe in private the loss he had sustained; outside, no one could have detected that he had a trouble in the world. * * * * * It was the depth of winter. On the way out I had made for my Generals and Colonels canvas bags, impervious to wet or cold, in which they could lie down with uniforms on.... [Sidenote: Jan. 7.] People and luggage beginning to shake down into their places. Officers, determined to be pleased, made no complaints. Among the passengers were some for whom it was difficult to find a berth. The good Chaplain “Thomas” spotted one[2] so situated, and ascertaining that he knew not where to sleep, put him into his, the Chaplain’s cabin, making for himself a bed under the wardroom mess-table. [2] Lord Dangan, Coldstream Guards. [Illustration: _Map--Strait of Gibraltar_] [Sidenote: Jan. 11.] Soldiers are naturally fond of lounging about the boom-boats. Discovered afterwards our cheery Irish recruits had devoured half a ton of raw turnips that had been sent on board for the sheep. [Sidenote: Gibraltar, Jan. 12.] At sunset we were off the entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar. Strong easterly wind, and the usual inrush of sea; but as it was about our dinner time, I had sails furled, and left the Master to steer by the well-lighted Spanish coast. When I came on the poop-deck, shortly followed by my guests, a bright light, broad on the port bow, made me inquire of the Master what it was. He informed me it was Tarifa Point. Having ascertained the bearings, I saw at once that it must be Europa Point, some twenty miles in advance, and ordered “Starboard the helm.” Twenty years had elapsed since, when in command of _Childers_ brig, I had made almost monthly visits to meet the English mail at Gibraltar. My poor nervous Master, who could not have reckoned on the rush of sea into the Mediterranean, exclaimed, before my Generals and other guests: “You forget, sir, that you have on board 1200 men in addition to the ship’s company.” Ordered him to his cabin under arrest!