some of the rest of our
party slept on deck in hammocks. In anticipation of the heavy
equatorial rains, which Captain Lecky had predicted might commence
to-day, we had had the awnings put up; a fortunate piece of foresight,
for, before midnight, the rain came down in torrents.

_Wednesday, August 2nd_.--At daybreak the sky was covered with heavy
black clouds, and the atmosphere was as hot and muggy as ever. We had
a great deal of rain during the day, and took advantage of the
opportunity to fill every available tub, bucket, and basin, to say
nothing of the awnings. It came down in such sheets that mackintoshes
were comparatively useless, and we had soon filled our seventeen
breakers, the cistern, and the boats, from which we had removed the
covers, with very good, though somewhat dirty, washing water.

_Friday, August 4th_.--We were only 289 miles off Sierra Leone in the
morning, and at noon therefore Tom decided to put about. Having done
so, we found that we went along much more easily and quite as fast on
the other tack. We maintained a good rate of speed on our new course,
which was now nearly due west, passing a large barque with every
stitch of canvas set, hand over hand.

We are still in the Guinea current, and the temperature of the water
is 82 deg., even in the early morning; but the heat of the sun does not
seem to have much effect upon it, as it does not vary to any great
extent during the day.

[Illustration: Father Neptune.]

In the evening we saw the Southern Cross for the first time, and were
much disappointed in its appearance. The fourth star is of smaller
magnitude than the others, and the whole group is only for a very
short time in a really upright position, inclining almost always
either to one side or the other, as it rises and sets.

_Tuesday, August 8th_.--We crossed the line at daylight.

This event caused much fun and excitement, both in cabin and
forecastle. The conventional hair was put across the field of the
telescope for the unsophisticated 'really to see the line,' and many
firmly believed they did see it, and discussed its appearance at some
length. Jim Allen, one of our tallest sailors, and coxswain of the
gig, dressed in blue, with long oakum wig and beard, gilt paper crown,
and trident and fish impaled in one hand, was seated on a
gun-carriage, and made a capital Father Neptune. Our somewhat portly
engineer, Mr. Rowbotham, with fur-trimmed dressing gown and cap, and
bent form