into the saloon itself by a partially open door on the port
side, and at once found myself in an exceedingly handsome and
luxuriously furnished apartment. It was long and rather narrow in its
proportions, having state-rooms on each side, as I could tell at a
glance by the doors with Venetian slatted upper panels that occurred at
regular intervals in the longitudinal bulkheads on each side of the
cabin. These bulkheads were divided into panels by fluted pilasters
with richly-carved and gilded capitals, supporting a heavily-carved
cornice picked out with gold.

The panels and pilasters were enamelled in a delicate tint of cream,
with mouldings picked out in French grey, the former being decorated
with very handsome paintings illustrative of Oriental views and scenery.
Richly-upholstered divans occupied the spaces along the bulkheads
between the several state-room doors; a long table of polished mahogany,
having sofa seats with reversible backs on each side of it, stretched
down the centre of the saloon, with another and shorter table flanking
it athwartships at the after-end; a buffet loaded with richly-cut
decanters and glass, backed up by a large gilt-framed mirror, occupied
the whole space against the fore-bulkhead between the two entrance
doors; and a very handsome piano, open, and with some music on it,
occupied a similar position at the after-end of the saloon, two doors in
the after-bulkhead proclaiming the existence of at least two more
state-rooms. The apartment was lighted during the day by a large
skylight filled in with painted glass--in which were fixed opposite each
other a barometer and a tell-tale compass--and at night by two very fine
silver-plated chandeliers each carrying six lamps, only four of which,
however, were now lighted; and the deck was covered with a rich, thick
carpet, apparently of Oriental manufacture, into which one's feet sank
with noiseless tread. The state-rooms were all in total darkness
apparently, for I could catch no gleam of light issuing from the pierced
upper panels of any of them; but the sound of an occasional sob or moan
told me that some at least of them were occupied.

I located one of the cabins from which these sounds came, and tapped
gently at the door; there was no response, but the sounds instantly
ceased. I tapped again, and said--

"Will you open the door, please? I am a friend, and have some
intelligence to communicate that may be interesting to you."

Sti