e cable break inboard. A----, who should have
relieved me, was unwell, so I had to continue my look-out; and about
one o'clock the line again parted, but was again caught in the last
noose, with about four inches to spare. Five minutes afterwards it
again parted, and was yet once more caught. Mr. Liddell (whom I had
called) could stand this no longer; so we buoyed the line and ran into
a bay in Siphano, waiting for calm weather, though I was by no means
of opinion that the slight sea and wind had been the cause of our
failures.--All next day (Monday) we lay off Siphano, amusing ourselves
on shore with fowling-pieces and navy revolvers. I need not say we
killed nothing; and luckily we did not wound any of ourselves. A
guardiano accompanied us, his functions being limited to preventing
actual contact with the natives, for they might come as near, and talk
as much as they pleased. These isles of Greece are sad, interesting
places. They are not really barren all over, but they are quite
destitute of verdure; and tufts of thyme, wild mastic or mint, though
they sound well, are not nearly so pretty as grass. Many little
churches, glittering white, dot the islands; most of them, I believe,
abandoned during the whole year, with the exception of one day sacred
to their patron saint. The villages are mean, but the inhabitants do
not look wretched, and the men are good sailors. There is something in
this Greek race yet; they will become a powerful Levantine nation in
the course of time.--What a lovely moonlight evening that was! the
barren island cutting the clear sky with fantastic outline, marble
cliffs on either hand fairly gleaming over the calm sea. Next day, the
wind still continuing, I proposed a boating excursion, and decoyed
A----, L----, and S---- into accompanying me. We took the little gig,
and sailed away merrily enough round a point to a beautiful white bay,
flanked with two glistening little churches, fronted by beautiful
distant islands; when suddenly, to my horror, I discovered the _Elba_
steaming full speed out from the island. Of course we steered after
her; but the wind that instant ceased, and we were left in a dead
calm. There was nothing for it but to unship the mast, get out the
oars and pull. The ship was nearly certain to stop at the buoy; and I
wanted to learn how to take an oar, so here was a chance with a
vengeance! L---- steered, and