It was most difficult to
decide whether to go on or not. I made preparations for a heavy
pull, set small things to rights and went to sleep. About four in
the afternoon, Mr. Liddell decided to proceed, and we are now (at
seven) grinding it in at the rate of a mile and three-quarters per
hour, which appears a grand speed to us. If the paying-out only
works well! I have just thought of a great improvement in it; I
can't apply it this time, however. - The sea is of an oily calm,
and a perfect fleet of brigs and ships surrounds us, their sails
hardly filling in the lazy breeze. The sun sets behind the dim
coast of the Isola San Pietro, the coast of Sardinia high and
rugged becomes softer and softer in the distance, while to the
westward still the isolated rock of Toro springs from the horizon.
- It would amuse you to see how cool (in head) and jolly everybody
is. A testy word now and then shows the wires are strained a
little, but everyone laughs and makes his little jokes as if it
were all in fun: yet we are all as much in earnest as the most
earnest of the earnest bastard German school or demonstrative of
Frenchmen.
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