ber that there is some mysterious service done to the
bilious system when it is shaken, by baked apples. Noticing that they
were produced on board the _Cuba_, every day at lunch and dinner, I
thought I would make the experiment of always eating them freely. I am
confident that they did wonders, not only at the time, but in stopping
the imaginary pitching and rolling after the voyage is over, from which
many good amateur sailors suffer. I have hardly had the sensation at
all, except in washing of a morning. At that time I still hold on with
one knee to the washing-stand, and could swear that it rolls from left
to right. The _Cuba_ does not return until Wednesday, the 4th December.
You may suppose that every officer on board is coming on Monday, and
that Dolby has provided extra stools for them. His work is very hard
indeed. Cards are brought to him every minute in the day; his
correspondence is immense; and he is jerked off to New York, and I don't
know where else, on the shortest notice and the most unreasonable times.
Moreover, he has to be at "the bar" every night, and to "liquor up with
all creation" in the small hours. He does it all with the greatest good
humour, and flies at everybody who waylays the Chief, furiously. We have
divided our men into watches, so that one always sits outside the
drawing-room door. Dolby knows the whole Cunard line, and as we could
not get good English gin, went out in a steamer yesterday and got two
cases (twenty-four bottles) out of Cunard officers. Osgood and he were
detached together last evening for New York, whence they telegraph every
other hour about some new point in this precious sale of tickets. So
distracted a telegram arrived at three that I have telegraphed back,
"Explain yourselves," and am now waiting for the explanation. I think
you know that Osgood is a partner in Ticknor and Fields'.

Tuesday morning.--Dolby has come back from New York, where the prospects
seem immense. We sell tickets there next Friday and Saturday, and a
tremendous rush is expected.

[Sidenote: Mr. Charles Dickens.]

PARKER HOUSE, BOSTON, U.S., _Saturday, Nov. 30th, 1867._

MY DEAR CHARLEY,

You will have heard before now how fortunate I was on my voyage, and how
I was not sick for a moment. These screws are tremendous ships for
carrying on, and for rolling, and their vibration is rather distressing.
But my little cabin, being for'ard of the machinery, was in the best
part of th