Page:Travel letters from New Zealand, Australia and Africa (1913).djvu/218

 *car, I agreed not to ask damages for the inconvenience when I purchased my tickets. Fortunately, these cut-*throat contracts are almost never enforced, but they could be enforced should necessity arise.

—This has been the most miserable day I have ever spent at sea. A steady rain began falling at daylight, and continued without intermission until evening. The passengers were driven from the upper deck, and congregated on one side of the main deck, where the children made more noise than ever. The dampness was of the penetrating kind that reached our clothing and our rooms, and we could not be comfortable anywhere About five o'clock the rain ceased, and a boy went about beating a gong. This was notice of a meeting of the general Sports Committee in the music-room, to decide whether the fancy dress ball arranged for tonight should be given up on account of the rain. The vote was in favor of going ahead with it. The sailors at once began arranging the dry side of the deck into a ball-room, and the passengers were forced to go to their cabins, or sit in the smoking-room The fancy dress ball proved to be more creditable than was anticipated. Those who took part wore their costumes to dinner at 7 o'clock, and the children, nurses and stewards gathered in the main hallway to see them go in. There were about twenty-five costumes in all, nearly all of them made on board. One young woman appeared as "Topsy," and her feet were bare. Women usually