all
officers not in command of boats. An officer tells me that on his last
voyage an important and very stout Colonel was in his bath when the
alarm sounded. He obeyed the order to fly absolutely at once, getting
into his life belt and taking up his station without another stitch
on.

To-day I was in my cabin when I heard a terrific roar. Thinking a
torpedo might have hit us I put my head through the port-hole and saw
several getting into their belts, so I made for the deck to find our
big gun was practising on a barrel that had been dropped astern. Such
practice is usually carried out several times on a trip.

_March 6th._--We are nearing Gib., and as the danger gets worse here
our zig-zagging has increased. It rains hard, with a fairly thick fog,
and is altogether disagreeable. The M.O. for the crew had to be locked
up to-day and has a military guard placed over him. He had been
threatening all about him with a big amputating knife.

6.30 p.m.--Just passing "The Rock". It is dark and a brilliant
searchlight has been fixed on us. Once more in the Mediterranean, and
I expect I have a long, trying summer to spend somewhere in its
neighbourhood.

_March 7th._--Another dirty, wet day.

_March 8th._--It still rains and we have a violent gale, and as we
zig-zag this at times catches us full on the port side and the ship
rolls badly. She creaks from stem to stern.

We are nearing Malta and are warned to look out for submarines which
are more active here than anywhere. Each of our fifty-five boats is to
have its crew of fifteen posted on deck to-night, and many of the
officers say they are to sleep in their clothes.

_March 9th._--The sea has been very rough ever since we entered the
Mediterranean, and to-day has been the worst. We were opposite Gozo at
noon, then skirted the north of Malta but made no halt. Now we zig-zag
so much that we have no idea whether we are bound for Salonika or
Egypt.

_March 10th._--On the whole we now go south so that Alexandria is
likely to be our destination.

_March 12th._--When I woke this morning I found we were lying outside
Alexandria. We soon afterwards entered the harbour.

Hinde (one of our M.O.'s) and I were ordered to report our arrival to
the A.D.M.S., Arsenal Buildings, and getting into a "garry," with our
baggage mountains high, and a dirty native on the top of all, we left
the docks. Cabby did not know the Arsenal and we took this native
because, after inf