Page:Sixteen years of an artist's life in Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands.djvu/15

4 is many that would be glad of sich a place, and even to give a few pounds extra, and make friends of the stewardess for hern."

The sun and the sea were now fairly in my berth, and we were tossing about in the British Channel. The cabin, so deserted before, now presented all the usual indications of that bustle and confusion which are unavoidable at the commencement of a long journey by sea. There was scarcely room either to sit or stand, for every inch of space that could be turned to account was occupied, and trunks, bundles, dogs, bird-cages, and children were huddled together in one mass of apparently inextricable confusion. But, with care and patience, it was not long before everything found its proper place. The trunks were stowed away; the bundles were hidden out of sight; the birdcages were hung up, or otherwise disposed of; the dogs soon, made themselves at home, and went roaming about the ship; the children rushed on deck, screaming with delight, and were not long before they had formed many new acquaintances. In a word, the celerity with which chaos was reduced to order was one of those marvels that often perplex landsmen on board a ship, the secret of which still remains to be discovered.

Being now fairly launched on our voyage, things