always
late linen, that plague of the poor yachtsman's life when he has a
large party on board. The sun was sinking fast, the wind was blowing
fresh and fair, and if we did not start soon it would be impossible to
do so at all, and a night's work of more than 120 miles would be lost.
At last the welcome boat was seen coming from the shore; we unmoored,
and went ahead for about an hour. But the light gradually faded away;
it became impossible to distinguish the beacon; the sand banks are
numerous, and there are no lights. It was only endangering the ship
and the lives of all on board to proceed; so the order was reluctantly
given, 'Hard a-port.' Round she went in her own length almost, and
very soon we let go the anchor just outside our old moorings, and
spent the night, after all, in the harbour of Alexandria.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

'HOME.'

_She comes, majestic with her swelling sails,_
_The gallant bark along her watery way,_
_Homeward she drives before the favouring gales._
_Now flitting at their length the streamers fly,_
_And now they ripple with the ruffling breeze._

_Wednesday, May 2nd_.--Steam was up at five o'clock, the wind being
still fair but light. Soon it dropped to a calm, and then went round
and blew with great force exactly in the opposite direction, dead
ahead. The fires had to be put out, for it was so rough we could do no
good steaming against the gale. The screw kept racing round and
shaking the vessel terribly. Of course I was very ill; but the maids
did not mind, and the children rather enjoyed the tumbling about and
the water on deck. We continued scudding along through the water, but
not making much progress on our course.

[Illustration: HOMEWARD BOUND.]

_Thursday, May 3rd_.--The wind kept on increasing, and at last blew
quite a gale. We have gone a long way out of our course to the
northward, ready for a favourable change, but we can scarcely make any
way to the westward.

_Friday, May 4th_.--A repetition of yesterday--,

Beating, beating all the day,
But never a bit ahead.

_Saturday, May 5th_.--A lull at last, and we are able to have the
fires lighted and to steam on our course. We made the Island of
Scarpanto in the morning. All the afternoon and evening we have been
steaming along ten miles to the southward of Crete. Its outline was
very beautiful, surmounted by the snow-capped mountains. I was up on
deck just in time to behold the most lovel