nd another little engine starts hauling
at the grapnel. I wonder if there ever was such a scene of confusion;
Mr. Liddell and W---- and the captain all giving orders contradictory,
etc., on the forecastle; D----, the foreman of our men, the mates,
etc., following the example of our superiors; the ship's engine and
boilers below, a 50-horse engine on deck, a boiler 14 feet long on
deck beside it, a little steam-winch tearing round; a dozen Italians
(20 have come to relieve our hands, the men we telegraphed for to
Cagliari) hauling at the rope; wire-men, sailors, in the crevices left
by ropes and machinery; everything that could swear swearing--I found
myself swearing like a trooper at last. We got the unknown difficulty
within ten fathoms of the surface; but then the forecastle got
frightened that, if it was the small cable which we had got hold of,
we should certainly break it by continuing the tremendous and
increasing strain. So at last Mr. Liddell decided to stop; cut the big
cable, buoying its end; go back to our pleasant watering-place at
Chia, take more water and start lifting the small cable. The end of
the large one has even now regained its sandy bed; and three
buoys--one to grapnel foul of the supposed small cable, two to the big
cable--are dipping about on the surface. One more--a flag-buoy--will
soon follow, and then straight for shore.

"_June 20._

"It is an ill-wind, etc. I have an unexpected opportunity of
forwarding this engineering letter; for the craft which brought out
our Italian sailors must return to Cagliari to-night, as the little
cable will take us nearly to Galita, and the Italian skipper could
hardly find his way from thence. To-day--Sunday--not much rest. Mr.
Liddell is at Spartivento telegraphing. We are at Chia, and shall
shortly go to help our boat's crew in getting the small cable on
board. We dropped them some time since in order that they might dig it
out of the sand as far as possible.

"_June 21._

"Yesterday--Sunday as it was--all hands were kept at work all day,
coaling, watering, and making a futile attempt to pull the cable from
the shore on board through the sand. This attempt was rather silly
after the experience we had gained at Cape Spartivento. This morning
we grappled, hooked the cable at once, and have made an excellent
start. Though I have called this the small cable, it is much larger