About 5 P.M. a big Castle liner passed us homeward bound, and Wuzzles changed course to enable us to give a shout to Cookie, who was aboard. The skipper, however, must have been watching through his glasses, and, seeing what a crowd of toughs we were (Wuzzles prominent on the bridge), sheered widely off and passed us too far away to distinguish individuals. Commander Wild is very limp. He had a very bad attack of “flu.” He’s a hard case, and it takes a lot to upset him. A few of Green’s egg-flips and the salt air will soon set him on his feet again. _Sunday, July 16th._ Yesterday was a fine day, most of which I spent below hatches making, with Marr’s assistance, a final stowage and getting things ready for sea. To-day has been perfectly lovely. Had the 4.0-8.0 A.M. watch, and Dell, Mick and I had just scrubbed down decks, and made a jolly good job of it too, when the stokers started cleaning pipes and simply covered the whole ship with soot and ashes. We blessed them fervently for this good beginning to a Sabbath Day, the rest of which we spent trying to get our cabins and living quarters clear of the mess they had made. Commander Wild is much better, though he is not yet all right, as he seems to think. I allowed him up to sit in the sun for a little while. The _Windsor Castle_ passed and signalled us “A pleasant voyage.” We dipped ensigns. There is something rather nice about these sea courtesies. Bosson, Green’s new mate, entrusted with a carving knife, succeeded in nearly severing one finger. _July 19th._ Weather has continued fine, with fair, following winds. Commander Wild improving steadily and eating better than I have ever known him to do. He has a good deal to make up, for he lost a great deal of weight in Cape Town. Yesterday I stowed some cases for Jeff and bound them with pyrometa wire. To-day Jeff and Dell removed the wardroom stove, which we shall no longer need, thank goodness, for with the down draught from squaresail and topsail the smoke nearly always went the wrong way. _July 20th._ Engines stopped, and we lay to for a bottom dredging. We wound in the line by hand. Good old man-power!—we always come down to it in the end. The whole job took about eight hours; it is good exercise, but towards the end becomes a bit of a toil. Whilst stopped we were surrounded by albatross, and Green and Watts succeeded in catching some alive. Good-looking birds were passed to Wilkins, the poorer specimens were set free (this is subject for a moral). The next few days were uneventful. I had by now quite got over my illness and begun to go about as usual.