only seven and a half
feet square. Each contained one bunk and one settee, the latter being a
sleeping-place far from comfortable, as it was only five and a half
feet long by about twenty inches wide, the bunk being the same width,
but longer, and the floor space was very narrow and restricted. Our
light baggage had to be kept on the bunk all day, being deposited on the
washstand and floor every night. Our first duty every morning was to
replace the baggage on the bunk, so that we could have room to stand on
the floor! There were four cabins, two on each side of a narrow
alley-way about two feet wide, while one married couple occupied the
Chief Engineer's cabin further aft on the starboard side, quite a roomy
apartment. The port cabin opposite to it was occupied by an old
Mauritius-Indian woman and her little granddaughter (who was often very
naughty and got many "lickings" from her grandmother, whom she
frequently implored the Captain to throw overboard), the Japanese
stewardess, the Australian stewardess already mentioned, and a coloured
man going to South Africa with his Chinese wife. Rather crowded
quarters, not to mention somewhat unseemly conditions! The Asiatic
passengers had been "intermediate" passengers on the _Hitachi_, i.e.
between the second-class and deck passengers. The four men above
mentioned occupied a space under the poop--it could not be dignified
with the name of cabin. It was very small, only one occupant could
dress at a time, and immediately in front of it was a reeking pigsty
with three full-sized occupants. The passage to it from the saloon on
the upper deck was often a perilous one in rough weather and on dark
nights, for there was never any light showing on board at night during
the whole cruise. Occasionally a lifeline was rigged along the well deck
to the poop quarters, a by no means unnecessary precaution. The prize
crew had quarters on the starboard side under the poop; they were
exceedingly small, cramped, and in every way inconvenient and
uncomfortable. Our heavy baggage was also stored under the poop.

This, then, was to be our home, possibly for the next few months. We did
not know for how long, but we regarded the prospect with a certain
amount of equanimity, as the ship was unarmed, and we knew we should not
be fired on by a hostile cruiser, as might have been the case if we had
remained on the _Wolf_.

When we arrived on the Spanish boat we were served with meals at the
same time