despair, first to hail a policeman on shore (at a most
respectful distance), to inquire where we could get _pratique_; then
we procured it, and sent word back to the 'Sunbeam' that she was out
of quarantine, and might hoist the yellow flag. We landed, went to the
market, bought some lovely carnations stuck in a prickly-pear leaf to
keep them fresh, and then went to the Hotel Royal--kept by the
landlord of the old Club House Hotel, where we had so often stayed--to
order breakfast. Our old friends the servants greeted us at every step
from the house-door to the coffee-room, and we were taken special care
of by a waiter who remembered us. After breakfast we went to pay some
visits. We thought we ought to go and look at the galleries and Signal
Station, as one or two of our party had never been here before; so we
started, some on foot and some on donkeys. All the way up the steep
streets to the Moorish castle, girls met us, selling lovely scarlet
carnations and yellow roses. The galleries have not changed in the
least since our last visit, but our soldier-guide told us they were
daily expecting some big guns to come out, and he gave us a minute
explanation how they were to be mounted. It was a pleasant ride,
neither too hot nor too cold. Every crevice and interstice between the
rocks was full of wild flowers, looking bright and pretty, though
somewhat insignificant after the gorgeous tropical blossoms our eyes
have been lately accustomed to. The fog had cleared off, and the view
was beautiful; ships lay in the bay below us from all parts, including
a Portuguese gunboat. We saw also one of the two old eagles sitting
near her nest in the accustomed place; this year she has only one
young one. We did not see the monkeys, on account of the Levanter, but
their number has increased to twenty-four, so that there is no
immediate fear of their becoming extinct.

[Illustration: Tangier.]

At half-past six p.m. we weighed anchor and steamed out of the
anchorage inside the New Mole. In the straits the wind was fair, so
the funnel was soon lowered, and the screw feathered, and we were
racing along under sail alone. Off Tarifa we found quite a gale
blowing, and the wind continued fresh and fair throughout the night.

_Thursday, May 17th_.--The strong fair wind dropped, and then came
dead ahead, and off Cadiz we had to get up steam. There was a strong
wind off the mountains near Cape Sagres, and while Tom was below and
the men were bu