irst cutter; in
fact a more than average share of prizes fell to "Jumbo." I quote the
flag borne by our boats (arms, an elephant passant-argent; motto,
"Jumbo"). The sailing races were to have come off the following day, but
at daybreak it was blowing so hard, and the barometer falling so
rapidly, that a second anchor had to be dropped. On the gale increasing
cable was veered; and it went on increasing until a third anchor was let
go.

The third day came in fine, with a breeze all that could be desired. To
prevent loss of time, and to simplify matters, all the boats, of no
matter what race, started at once. It was a pretty sight to witness this
mosquito fleet clapping on sail after sail--balloons, outriggers,
skyjibs, and other extraordinary bits of duck. Our second cutter--under
the joint control of the commander and Mr. Alexander, midshipman--went
around in splendid style, the manoeuvring of Mr. Alexander being beyond
all praise. She came in first, and carried off the admiral's cup. The
whaler was managed equally well by Mr. Patey, and came in an excellent
second.

This regatta brought the cruise practically to an end, though each ship
has to repair to Chefoo for provisions, independently of the other.

On the passage we ran against something dirty, which succeeded in
whipping our main-topsail clean off the yard, and left it dangling by
the starboard sheet, at the lower yard-arm; and as misfortunes don't
happen singly, the jib made most energetic and partially successful
efforts to hang up beside it. It did not reach quite so far aft as that,
but it did manage to coil itself around the fore yard arm. Such a
terrific squall we have never encountered before. And such lightning and
rain! who ever saw the like?

But joyful news was awaiting us at Chefoo. Mr. Robinson, in fulfilment
of a promise he made on leaving us at Nagasaki, telegraphed the welcome,
long-expected intelligence that the "Audacious" commissioned on the 5th
instant.

And now, dear shipmates, I must leave you, and I do so at once
regretfully and joyfully; regretfully, that I have to bid farewell to
what has given me not a little pleasure to write; joyfully, that I
have--as I would fain hope--been enabled to bring my narrative to a
successful termination. If any of you are disappointed that I have not
pursued it further, think how necessary it was that my manuscript should
be in the printer's hands as speedily as possible. I thought no more
opportune