Reuter was at
Norderney, and I had to do the best I could, which was not much,
and went to bed early; I thought I should never sleep again, but in
sheer desperation got up in the middle of the night and gulped a
lot of raw whiskey and slept at last. But not long. A Mr. F-
washed my face and hands and dressed me: and we hauled the cable
out of the sea, and got it joined to the telegraph station, and on
October 3rd telegraphed to Lowestoft first and then to London.
Miss Clara Volkman, a niece of Mr. Reuter's, sent the first message
to Mrs. Reuter, who was waiting (Varley used Miss Clara's hand as a
kind of key), and I sent one of the first messages to Odden. I
thought a message addressed to him would not frighten you, and that
he would enjoy a message through Papa's cable. I hope he did.
They were all very merry, but I had been so lowered by pain that I
could not enjoy myself in spite of the success.'
V.
Of the 1869 cruise in the GREAT EASTERN, I give what I am able;
only sorry it is no more, for the sake of the ship itself, already
almost a legend even to the generation that saw it launched.
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