'Another day of fatal inaction.
'June 15.
'9.30. - The wind has gone down a deal; but even now there are
doubts whether we shall start to-day. When shall I get back to
you?
'9 P.M. - Four miles from land. Our run has been successful and
eventless. Now the work is nearly over I feel a little out of
spirits - why, I should be puzzled to say - mere wantonness, or
reaction perhaps after suspense.
'June 16.
'Up this morning at three, coupled my self-acting gear to the brake
and had the satisfaction of seeing it pay out the last four miles
in very good style. With one or two little improvements, I hope to
make it a capital thing. The end has just gone ashore in two
boats, three out of four wires good. Thus ends our first
expedition. By some odd chance a TIMES of June the 7th has found
its way on board through the agency of a wretched old peasant who
watches the end of the line here. A long account of breakages in
the Atlantic trial trip. To-night we grapple for the heavy cable,
eight tons to the mile. I long to have a tug at him; he may puzzle
me, and though misfortunes or rather difficulties are a bore at the
time, life when working with cables is tame without them.
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