enting the next course to the officer would retire and devour with
great gusto the secreted dish; the helmsman sometimes taking a sly
bite when the officer was particularly engaged.

The Dardanelles were reached very early in the morning. The night
before I had declared my intention to go on deck at daylight and
view the Hellespont, but when I awoke and found it blowing a gale, I
concluded it would not "pay," and turned in for another nap. All that
day we were crossing the Sea of Marmora with the strong current and
wind against us, so it was dark before we reached Constantinople,
and our ship was obliged to anchor in the outer harbor till the next
morning. Seraglio Point rose just before us, and on the left the seven
towers were dimly visible in the starlight. We walked the deck and
watched the lights glimmer and stream out over the Sea of Marmora, and
listened to the incessant barking of the dogs.

Next morning, bright and early, we entered the Bosphorus, rounded
Seraglio Point and were soon anchored, with hundreds of other vessels,
at the mouth of the Golden Horn. Steam ferryboats of the English
kind were passing to and fro, and caiques flitted in and out with the
dexterity and swiftness of sea-gulls. Quite a deputation of fez caps
came on board to receive the bride and groom, and when we went ashore
they were still smoking cigarettes and sipping at what must have been
in the neighborhood of their twentieth cup of Turkish coffee. Madame
A---- was very cordial when we parted, saying she should call soon
upon me, and that I must visit her. We bade adieu to our captain with
regret. He was a very intelligent and entertaining man. The officers
of the Austrian Lloyd line ought certainly to be very capable seamen.
Educated in the government naval schools, they are obliged to serve as
mates a certain time, then command a sailing vessel for several years,
and finally pass a very strict examination before being licensed as
captains of steamers. Amongst other qualifications, every captain acts
as his own pilot in entering any port to which he may be ordered.
They sail under sealed orders, and our captain said that not until he
reached Constantinople would he know the ship's ultimate destination,
or whether he would retain command or be transferred to another
vessel. It is the policy of the company seldom to send the same
steamer or captain over the same route two successive trips. In time
of war both captains and ships are liab