When they had got about
100 yards from shore, we ran round in the ELBA to try and help
them, letting go the anchor in the shallowest possible water, this
was about sunset. Suddenly someone calls out he sees the cable at
the bottom: there it was sure enough, apparently wriggling about
as the waves rippled. Great excitement; still greater when we find
our own anchor is foul of it and has been the means of bringing it
to light. We let go a grapnel, get the cable clear of the anchor
on to the grapnel - the captain in an agony lest we should drift
ashore meanwhile - hand the grappling line into the big boat, steam
out far enough, and anchor again. A little more work and one end
of the cable is up over the bows round my drum. I go to my engine
and we start hauling in. All goes pretty well, but it is quite
dark. Lamps are got at last, and men arranged. We go on for a
quarter of a mile or so from shore and then stop at about half-past
nine with orders to be up at three. Grand work at last! A number
of the SATURDAY REVIEW here; it reads so hot and feverish, so
tomblike and unhealthy, in the midst of dear Nature's hills and
sea, with good wholesome work to do.
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