arly in the essential one of being able to
keep the sea, and fight her guns in all weathers. The "Comus," one of
our handsome steel corvettes, was also here.

The hard steaming from Nagasaki, against exceptionally heavy winds, had
pretty well cleared us out of coal, and, as there was not enough in
store here to supply us with, we were ordered off to Kobe to fill up.

On our return, and just as we had cleared the strait of Simonoseki, we
fell in with what sailors term nasty weather. The ship behaved so
saucily that a seaman, Alexander Mann, whilst engaged lashing the anchor
was washed completely overboard and borne away astern. Daniel Mutch, the
captain of his top--a petty-officer who has already been instrumental in
saving life at sea--observing the accident, at once rushed aft to the
stern, plunged boldly into the turbulent waves and succeeded in rescuing
his topmate. It is satisfactory to be able to state that the captain
recognised Mutch's bravery by applying for the Humane Society's Medal,
which honorable decoration was received shortly afterwards.

Next day an event of a similar nature, but unfortunately with a sadder
termination, took place. In setting the starboard stunsail, John Irish,
A.B., lost his hold of the scarping on the starboard fore-and-aft
bridge, through the wood treacherously giving away with his weight, and,
being unable to swim, the poor fellow soon sank exhausted, just as
Joseph Summers had arrived on the spot. Irish had but lately come into a
legacy from some of his friends at home.

Early in December we left Nagasaki for Hong Kong, touching at the Rugged
Isles, on the opposite Chinese coast, on the passage. We spent about as
uncomfortable a week in this delicious retreat as can be well conceived;
our appetites sharpened to a keen edge by a north China winter--a week
never to be forgotten. Opportunely the admiral came in at the expiration
of time and terminated our miseries by ordering us to proceed.

December 20th.--To-day, and on the two subsequent days, the "one gun
salute" at eight bells from the "Victor Emanuel" announced that
somebody's fate was to be sealed. Three of our officers--the captain,
staff-commander, and Lieutenant Clarke--are to be tried on a charge,
preferred by the admiral, of negligently stranding Her Majesty's Ship
"Iron Duke." Much interest naturally centred around this trial; the
reporters from the local papers exerting themselves to the utmost for
information on such