One more - a flag-buoy - will soon follow,
and then straight for shore.
'June 20.
'It is an ill-wind, &c. I have an unexpected opportunity of
forwarding this engineering letter; for the craft which brought out
our Italian sailors must return to Cagliari to-night, as the little
cable will take us nearly to Galita, and the Italian skipper could
hardly find his way from thence. To-day - Sunday - not much rest.
Mr. Liddell is at Spartivento telegraphing. We are at Chia, and
shall shortly go to help our boat's crew in getting the small cable
on board. We dropped them some time since in order that they might
dig it out of the sand as far as possible.
'June 21.
'Yesterday - Sunday as it was - all hands were kept at work all
day, coaling, watering, and making a futile attempt to pull the
cable from the shore on board through the sand. This attempt was
rather silly after the experience we had gained at Cape
Spartivento. This morning we grappled, hooked the cable at once,
and have made an excellent start. Though I have called this the
small cable, it is much larger than the Bona one.
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