CHAPTER V AT MADAGASCAR Life in a Torpedo-boat--Elephantiasis--Officers discharged--Sailors suffocated--A Funeral Service--Further Tragical Mishaps--_Suvaroff_ Shore Leave stopped--A Snake in the Hay--Requiem Service on Board the _Ural_--A Sad Spectacle--Population of Nosi Be--Frightened Oxen--Telegrams from Home--News of the _Oleg_--The _Kuban_ arrives--Prickly Heat--Rumours of Return--Luxurious but Useless Ships--Animals on Board--On Shore--Gambling--Blessing the Water--The Rainy Season--The Mad Ensign--Intense Heat--_Malay_ returns with Sick and Incapables--Arrest of Mutineers--The Foreign Legion--Pianola Musicians--Bad Meat--Shipping Cattle--Sinking of the _Bengal_ Coal Steamer--Passive Resistance 108 CHAPTER VI WAITING FOR ORDERS Uncertainty--Firing Practice--Martial Law in Russia--Narrow Escape from a Collision--The _Suvaroff_ flooded--Capture by the _Oleg_--On Shore--A Supposed Spy--German Methods--Playing for High Stakes--Our Hopeless Situation--Wasting Money--Man Overboard--Big Ships sighted--Internal Affairs in Russia--Rumours of Reinforcements--German Colliers--Confession under Difficulties--Europeans at Nosi Be--Breakdown of _Rezvy_--Complaints of Local Governor--Loss of Torpedo-boats--Shore Leave stopped--Apathy and Oblivion--A Narrow Escape--A Spy at Large--Sorting the Letters--Visit from Another Spy--Admiral Birilieff criticised--Waiting and wasting Time--A Sad Anniversary--A Comedy of Ladies--Money-changing--The Barber in Difficulties--A Humbugging Frenchman--Cleaning the Ships--Mysterious Balloon--Court-martial--Undisciplined Sailors--Rumours of Peace 134 CHAPTER VII EVENTS AT NOSI BE A Nigger Wedding--Effects of Drink--Anxiety about the _Irtish_--Quarrels among the Officers--A Suppressed Telegram--Bad News of Vladivostok--A Dummy Dirk--Indignation at Home News--Good Work by Divers--The Malagassy impertinent--The Germans jeering--The General Staff anathematised--News about Mukden--A Prophecy--Examining the _Aurora_--Waiting for the _Regina_--Signal for Departure 167 CHAPTER VIII ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN Leaving Nosi Be--Confusion on the _Kamchatka_--Preparations--The _Regina_ and the Japanese--A Grand Armada--Fearful Heat--Various Breakdowns--Steaming without Lights--A Star mistaken for a Ship--Cattle on Board--Chagos Archipelago--Artificer Krimmer--More Mishaps--Coaling at Sea--Look-out Boxes--Night Alarms--General Mismanagement--Success Unlikely--More Deaths--The Admiral's Weak Nerves--Guarding Divers from Sharks--Lights Ahead--Reflections on the Outlook--A Favourable Current--Opportunities of Attack--Life on Torpedo-boats--An "Iconoclast"--An Unjust Reprimand--Across the Equator--Japan's Advantages--Towing Torpedo-boats--Preparations for Fighting--Officers Drunk--Opium Cigarettes--Rats 183