Over against this pleasant diversion looms up gloomily to-day’s evening repast. The captain had again imbibed enough to make him quarrelsome, and during the half-hour that we were at table the mate was so jerked about at the end of the skipper’s tongue that, objectionable as he is, we could but pity him, for in five minutes he was in a running perspiration. The only one who enjoyed the situation was the little Malay steward, whose face shone with delight as he moved noiselessly about the table with his gentle “scuse” (excuse), which he utters whenever he places a plate before us. It might be stated that the mate and the steward of a ship are at perpetual war; for the former always has charge of the beef, pork, and flour, which he invariably grudges to the steward. The skipper has surprised us by handing me his sextant now and then, at about a quarter to noon, with the injunction, “Just look out for her to-day,” and has then disappeared below, to lie concealed often for several hours. We made the discovery to-day that he does this to avoid making himself ridiculous when taking the sun; for naturally a man requires all his faculties to know exactly when the sun is at meridian. Latitude, 14° 34′ north; longitude, 35° 12′ west. +May 27+ Our good luck still follows us, for the Trades are stronger than ever. We made two hundred and twenty-two miles in the twenty-four hours, and for the last ten days our average daily run has been one hundred and ninety miles. Not very many vessels can show such a record in the northeast Trades at the end of May, and while two hundred and twenty-two miles would be merely a fair run with a free wind, it is extremely good work close-hauled with the leeches of the sky-sails lifting. It is true that we are still four degrees too far west for this latitude, but I expect that we’ll fetch by San Roque all right anyhow. “Where will we lose the Trades?” is in every one’s mouth; forty eight hours will, no doubt, see the end of them, and then for the Doldrums and rain. It is very hot now, but the atmosphere is quite dry.