Part 2 (1/2)

In the afternoon the _Spray_ cae turtle asleep on the sea He aith h his neck, if he awoke at all I hadhi the throat-halyards to one of his flippers, for he was about as heavy as ed a burton ready hich to hoist theed to lower the mainsail whenever the halyards were used for such purposes, and it was no sain But the turtle-steak was good I found no fault with the cook, and it was the rule of the voyage that the cook found no fault with reed The bill of fare that evening was turtle-steak, tea and toast, fried potatoes, stewed onions; with dessert of stewed pears and cream

Someti light on the water It was painted red, and rigged with a signal-staff about six feet high A sudden change in the weather coot noport July 31 a gale sprang up suddenly from the north, with heavy seas, and I shortened sail The _Spray_ ust 1 the gale continued, with heavy seas Through the night the sloop was reaching, under close-reefed mainsail and bobbed jib At 3 PM the jib ashed off the bowsprit and blown to rags and ribbons I bent the ”juo; I saved pieces of it, and, after all, I was in want of pot-rags

On August 3 the gale broke, and I sawalley, I wasa pot of fire on deck by which to bake it, a loaf soon becareat feature about shi+p's cooking is that one's appetite on the sea is always good--a fact that I realized when I cooked for the crew of fisher over, I sat for hours reading the life of Colu in one direction, and said, ”Land lies there”

Early the next ust 4, I discovered Spain I saw fires on shore, and knew that the country was inhabited The _Spray_ continued on her course till well in with the land, which was that about Trafalgar Then keeping away a point, she passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, where she cast anchor at 3 P M of the same day, less than twenty-nine days from Cape Sable At the finish of this preliminary trip I found myself in excellent health, not overworked or crah I was as thin as a reef-point

[Illustration: Co to anchor at Gibraltar]

Two Italian barks, which had been close alongside at daylight, I saw long after I had anchored, passing up the African side of the strait

The _Spray_ had sailed them both hull down before she reached Tarifa

So far as I know, the _Spray_ beat everything going across the Atlantic except the stea a bill of health from Horta, and so when the fierce old port doctor came to inspect there was a row That, however, was the very thing needed If you want to get on ith a true Britisher you must first have a deuce of a roith hih, and so I fired away, shot for shot, as best I could ”Well, yes,” the doctor adh, no doubt, but who knows the diseases of your last port?”--a reasonable enough reht to put you in the fort, sir!” he blustered; ”but never mind Free pratique, sir! Shove off, cockswain!” And that was the last I saw of the port doctor

But on the following er than the _Spray_, caside,--with co there was a berth for the _Spray_ at the arsenal This was around at the newthe native craft, where it was rough and uncolad to shi+ft, and did so as soon as possible, thinking of the great co battle-shi+ps such as the _Collingwood_, _Balfleur_, and _Cormorant_, which were at that time stationed there, and on board all of which I was entertained, later, most royally

”'Put it thar!' as the Aot from Admiral Bruce, when I called at the admiralty to thank him for his courtesy of the berth, and for the use of the steam-launch which towed ht if it suits, and we'll tow you out when you are ready to go But, say, what repairs do you want? Ahoy the _Hebe_, can you spare your sailmaker? The _Spray_ wants a new jib Construction and repair, there! will you see to the _Spray_? Say, oldover alone in twenty-nine days! But we'll make it smooth for you here!” Not even her Majesty's shi+p the _Collingwood_ was better looked after than the _Spray_ at Gibraltar

[Illustration: The _Spray_ at anchor off Gibraltar]

Later in the day came the hail: ”_Spray_ ahoy! Mrs Bruce would like to come on board and shake hands with the _Spray_ Will it be convenient to-day!” ”Very!” I joyfully shouted

On the following day Sir F Carrington, at the tiarrison, and all the coned their naain there was a hail, ”_Spray_ ahoy!”

”hello!” ”Commander Reynolds's cowood_, 'at home' at 4:30 PM Not later than 5:30 PM”

I had already hinted at the limited amount of my wardrobe, and that I could never succeed as a dude ”You are expected, sir, in a stovepipe hat and a claw-hammer coat!” ”Then I can't come” ”Dash it! come in what you have on; that is e ood, and had I worn a silk hat as high as the moon I could not have had a better tilishreat battle-shi+p, unbends when the stranger passes his gangway, and when he says ”at hoo without saying How could one help loving so hospitable a place? Vegetables twice a week and rounds of the admiralty

”_Spray_ ahoy!” would hail the admiral ”_Spray_ ahoy!” ”hello!”

”To-etable day, sir” ”Aye, aye, sir!”

I rah the galleries of the rock as far as a stranger is pero There is no excavation in the world, forthese of Gibraltar in conception or execution Viewing the stupendous works, it became hard to realize that one ithin the Gibraltar of his little old Morse geography

Before sailing I was invited on a picnic with the governor, the officers of the garrison, and the commanders of the war-shi+ps at the station; and a royal affair it was Torpedo-boat No 91, going twenty-two knots, carried our party to the Morocco shore and back The day was perfect--too fine, in fact, for comfort on shore, and so no one landed at Morocco No 91 treh the sea at top speed Sublieutenant Boucher, apparently a mere lad, was in command, and handled his shi+p with the skill of an older sailor On the following day I lunched with General Carrington, the governor, at Line Wall House, which was once the Franciscan convent

In this interesting edifice are preserved relics of the fourteen sieges which Gibraltar has seen On the next day I supped with the admiral at his residence, the palace, which was once the convent of the Mercenaries At each place, and all about, I felt the friendly grasp of along days at sea I must confess that the perfect discipline, order, and cheerfulness at Gibraltar were only a second wonder in the great stronghold The vast a forward caused noof a well-appointed shi+p in a smooth sea No one spoke above his natural voice, save a boatswain's ue, the venerable United States consul at Gibraltar, honored the _Spray_ with a visit on Sunday, August 24, and was much pleased to find that our British cousins had been so kind to her

CHAPTER V

Sailing fro--The _Spray's_ course changed from the Suez Canal to Cape Horn--Chased by a Moorish pirate--A comparison with Columbus--The Canary Islands-The Cape Verde Islands--Sea life--Arrival at Perna for the storust 25, the _Spray_ sailed from Gibraltar, well repaid for whatever deviation she hadto her Majesty towed the sloop into the steady breeze clear of the ht a volant wind, which carried her once ale My plan was, in going down this coast, to haul offshore, well clear of the land, which hereabouts is the home of pirates; but I had hardly acco out of the nearest port, and finally following in the wake of the _Spray_

Now, my course to Gibraltar had been taken with a view to proceed up the Mediterranean Sea, through the Suez Canal, down the Red Sea, and east about, instead of a western route, which I finally adopted By officers of vast experience in navigating these seas, I was influenced tonuht of the advice But here I was, after all, evidently in the edvery fast, but the distance growing less and less between us The _Spray_ was doing nobly; she was even more than at her best; but, in spite of all I could do, she would broach now and then She was carrying too much sail for safety I must reef or be dismasted and lose all, pirate or no pirate I rapple with hi theit up--probably not more than fifteen minutes; but the felucca had in the meantime so shortened the distance between us that I no the tuft of hair on the heads of the crew,--by which, it is said, Mohammed will pull the villains up into heaven,--and they were co on like the wind From what I could clearly enerations of pirates, and I saw by theirto strike a blow The exultation on their faces, however, was changed in an instant to a look of fear and rage Their craft, with too reat wave This one great sea changed the aspect of affairs suddenly as the flash of a gun Three minutes later the same wave overtook the _Spray_ and shook her in every timber At the same moment the sheet-strop parted, and aent the