, leaning on a stick, his face partially concealed by a long
grey beard, and a large band-box of pills on one arm, made an equally
good doctor to his Marine Majesty, while the part of Mrs. Trident was
ably filled by one of the youngest sailors, dressed in some of the
maids' clothes; but the accompanying pictures will give a better idea
than any description of mine.

[Illustration: His Doctor (Crossing the Line)]

Soon afterwards we saw an enormous shoal of grampuses, large black
fish, about 25 feet in length, something between a dolphin and a
whale, with the very ugliest jaws, or rather snouts, imaginable. They
are of a predatory and ferocious disposition, attacking not only
sharks, dolphins, and porpoises, but even whales, more than twice
their own size. We also passed through enormous quantities of
flying-fish, no doubt driven to the surface by dolphins and bonitos.
They were much larger and stronger in the wing than any we have
hitherto seen.

Lulu's puppies, born yesterday, have been respectively named Butterfly
(who survived her birth only an hour), Poseidon, Aphrodite,
Amphitrite, and Thetis--names suggested by their birth-place on the
ocean close to his Marine Majesty's supposed equatorial palace.

[Illustration: Lulu and her Puppies]

At noon we were 250 miles off St. Paul's Rocks.

_Thursday, August 10th_.--A very hot, showery day. Saw two large ships
in the distance. In the morning we were almost becalmed for a time,
but the breeze returned during the afternoon, and we were able to
proceed on our course. I think this has been the most lovely of the
many exquisite days we have enjoyed since we left England. It
commenced with a magnificent sunrise, and ended with an equally
gorgeous sunset, only to be succeeded by a beautiful moonlight night,
so clear and bright that we could see to read ordinary print on deck.

_Saturday, August 12th_.--At noon we were 300 miles off Bahia, a place
we have made up our minds not to visit, as it would lengthen our
voyage considerably, and there is not much to see there. We have
therefore decided to proceed direct to Rio, where we are looking
forward to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday next.

The night was showery, with a good deal of wind and sea.

_Sunday, August 13th_.--Sailing in the tropics is really very
delightful! When going to the westward, there is almost always, at
this season of the year, a favourable breeze, and the weather is
generally either quite fair or m