f words--might examine
the justice of the quarrel. The Headquarter Staff pore over maps or
calculate the sizes of camps and entrenchments; and in the meantime the
great ship lurches steadily forward on her course, carrying to the south
at seventeen miles an hour schemes and intentions of war.

But let me record the incidents rather than their absence. One day the
first shoal of flying fish is seen--a flight of glittering birds that,
flushed by the sudden approach of the vessel, skim away over the waters
and turn in the cover of a white-topped wave. On another we crossed the
Equator. Neptune and his consort boarded us near the forecastle and
paraded round the ship in state. Never have I seen such a draggle-tailed
divinity. An important feature in the ritual which he prescribes is the
shaving and ducking of all who have not passed the line before. But our
attitude was strictly Erastian, and the demigod retired discomfited to
the second class, where from the sounds which arose he seemed to find
more punctilious votaries. On the 23rd we sighted a sail--or rather the
smoke of another steamer. As the comparatively speedy 'Dunottar Castle'
overtook the stranger everybody's interest was aroused. Under the
scrutiny of many brand-new telescopes and field glasses--for all want to
see as much of a war as possible--she developed into the 'Nineveh,'
hired transport carrying the Australian Lancers to the Cape. Signals
were exchanged. The vessels drew together, and after an hour's steaming
we passed her almost within speaking distance. The General went up to
the bridge. The Lancers crowded the bulwarks and rigging of the
'Nineveh' and one of them waggled a flag violently. An officer on our
ship replied with a pocket-handkerchief. The Australians asked
questions: 'Is Sir Redvers Buller on board?' The answer 'Yes' was
signalled back, and immediately the Lancers gave three tremendous
cheers, waving their broad-brimmed hats and gesticulating with energy
while the steam siren emitted a frantic whoop of salutation. Then the
speed of the larger vessel told, and we drew ahead of the transport
until her continued cheers died away. She signalled again: 'What won the
Cesarewitch?' But the distance was now too great for us to learn whether
the answer gave satisfaction or not.

We have a party of cinematographers on board, and when they found that
we were going to speak the 'Nineveh' they bustled about preparing their
apparatus. But the cumbrous a