own of Suakim, and the officers were
quartered in an unfinished building by the seaside at the edge of the
water. The officers' servants lived in tents pitched on the roof. We
were permitted to bathe as often as we wished. The harbour was full of
sharks and rather dangerous for bathing, but the Soudanese seemed to
be not over-careful as they skimmed over the water in their
"dug-outs."

The journey home on a transport was a continuation of the misery of
the desert. What the desert had left undone to weakened men, the
rough voyage accomplished. The ship was overcrowded and almost every
day dead bodies lashed to planks were pitched over the side. The sight
(below decks) of scores of men crawling around in a dying condition,
struck terror to the hearts of the strong. The smells were nauseating
and the food was vile. No man knew when his turn would come. The few
doctors were utterly unable to cope with this physical collapse of so
many men.

The condition of the ship and of the men furnished me with the best
opportunity I had had up to that time for evangelistic work. I spent
twenty hours of each twenty-four preaching the gospel to the men. The
absence of a chaplain on board made the work comparatively easy. My
work was done so quietly and unobtrusively, that it was practically
unknown save to the sick and the dying until an incident happened that
brought me somewhat into the light.

We were in the Bay of Biscay, and those who were well were fighting
off the atmosphere of disease. It was toward evening and four men were
playing cards for money. I stood watching them with my hands behind my
back. I must have been there half an hour when the man directly in
front of me, looking around and staring me in the face, said:

"Get t'ell out of 'ere! I 'aven't won a penny since you've been
watching us."

The other men laughed and I moved away, excusing myself as I
departed; but before I was out of hearing, one of the men addressed
the speaker and said:

"Don't be too sure of what you could do to that fellow Irvine--his
looks belie him. He's got more steam in his elbow than you have."

That was all I heard, but as I was looking over the side a minute or
two later, a hand was laid on my shoulder. I looked around. It was the
man who had threatened me.

"Say, pal," he said, "I didn't mean no 'arm. These 'ere blokes tell me
as yer name's Irvine. Is that so?" I nodded an assent. "Did yer ever
'ave a chum 'oose name was Creedan?"