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An hour and a half was spent washing down； for along with many
coloured polypi； from corals； shells and insects； the big cable
brings up much mud and rust； and makes a fishy smell by no means
pleasant： the bottom seems to teem with life。 … But now we are
startled by a most unpleasant； grinding noise； which appeared at
first to come from the large low pulley； but when the engines
stopped； the noise continued； and we now imagine it is something
slipping down the cable； and the pulley but acts as sounding…board
to the big fiddle。 Whether it is only an anchor or one of the two
other cables； we know not。 We hope it is not the cable just laid
down。
'June 19。
'10 A。M。 … All our alarm groundless； it would appear： the odd
noise ceased after a time； and there was no mark sufficiently
strong on the large cable to warrant the suspicion that we had cut
another line through。 I stopped up on the look…out till three in
the morning； which made 23 hours between sleep and sleep。 One goes
dozing about； though； most of the day； for it is only when
something goes wrong that one has to look alive。 Hour after hour；
I stand on the forecastle…head； picking off little specimens of
polypi and coral； or lie on the saloon deck reading back numbers of
the TIMES … till something hitches； and then all is hurly…burly
once more。 There are awnings all along the ship； and a most
ancient； fish…like smell beneath。
'1 O'CLOCK。 … Suddenly a great strain in only 95 fathoms of water …
belts surging and general dismay； grapnels being thrown out in the
hope of finding what holds the cable。 … Should it prove the young
cable！ We are apparently crossing its path … not the working one；
but the lost child； Mr。 Liddell WOULD start the big one first
though it was laid first： he wanted to see the job done； and meant
to leave us to the small one unaided by his presence。
'3。30。 … Grapnel caught something； lost it again； it left its marks
on the prongs。 Started lifting gear again； and after hauling in
some 50 fathoms … grunt； grunt； grunt … we hear the other cable
slipping down our big one； playing the selfsame tune we heard last
night … louder； however。
'10 P。M。 … The pull on the deck engines became harder and harder。
I got steam up in a boiler on deck； and another little engine
starts hauling at the grapnel。 I wonder if there ever was such a
scene of confusion： Mr。 Liddell and W… and the captain all giving
orders contradictory； &c。； on the forecastle； D…； the foreman of
our men； the mates； &c。； following the example of our superiors；
the ship's engine and boilers below； a 50…horse engine on deck； a
boiler 14 feet long on deck beside it； a little steam winch tearing
round； a dozen Italians （20 have come to relieve our hands； the men
we telegraphed for to Cagliari） hauling at the rope； wiremen；
sailors； in the crevices left by ropes and machinery； everything
that could swear swearing … I found myself swearing like a trooper
at last。 We got the unknown difficulty within ten fathoms of the
surface； but then the forecastle got frightened that； if it was the
small cable which we had got hold of； we should certainly break it
by continuing the tremendous and increasing strain。 So at last Mr。
Liddell decided to stop； cut the big cable； buoying its end； go
back to our pleasant watering…place at Chia； take more water and
start lifting the small cable。 The end of the large one has even
now regained its sandy bed； and three buoys … one to grapnel foul
of the supposed small cable； two to the big cable … are dipping
about on the surface。 One more … a flag…buoy … will soon follow；
and then straight for shore。
'June 20。
'It is an ill…wind； &c。 I have an unexpected opportunity of
forwarding this engineering letter； for the craft which brought out
our Italian sailors must return to Cagliari to…night； as the little
cable will take us nearly to Galita； and the Italian skipper could
hardly find his way from thence。 To…day … Sunday … not much rest。
Mr。 Liddell is at Spartivento telegraphing。 We are at Chia； and
shall shortly go to help our boat's crew in getting the small cable
on board。 We dropped them some time since in order that they might
dig it out of the sand as far as possible。
'June 21。
'Yesterday … Sunday as it was … all hands were kept at work all
day； coaling； watering； and making a futile attempt to pull the
cable from the shore on board through the sand。 This attempt was
rather silly after the experience we had gained at Cape
Spartivento。 This morning we grappled； hooked the cable at once；
and have made an excellent start。 Though I have called this the
small cable； it is much larger than the Bona one。 … Here comes a
break down and a bad one。
'June 22。
'We got over it； however； but it is a warning to me that my future
difficulties will arise from parts wearing out。 Yesterday the
cable was often a lovely sight； coming out of the water one large
incrustation of delicate； net…like corals and long； white curling
shells。 No portion of the dirty black wires was visible； instead
we had a garland of soft pink with little scarlet sprays and white
enamel intermixed。 All was fragile； however； and could hardly be
secured in safety； and inexorable iron crushed the tender leaves to
atoms。 … This morning at the end of my watch； about 4 o'clock； we
came to the buoys； proving our anticipations right concerning the
crossing of the cables。 I went to bed for four hours； and on
getting up； found a sad mess。 A tangle of the six…wire cable hung
to the grapnel which had been left buoyed； and the small cable had
parted and is lost for the present。 Our hauling of the other day
must have done the mischief。
'June 23。
'We contrived to get the two ends of the large cable and to pick
the short end up。 The long end； leading us seaward； was next put
round the drum and a mile of it picked up； but then； fearing
another tangle； the end was cut and buoyed； and we returned to
grapple for the three…wire cable。 All this is very tiresome for
me。 The buoying and dredging are managed entirely by W…； who has
had much experience in this sort of thing； so I have not enough to
do and get very homesick。 At noon the wind freshened and the sea
rose so high that we had to run for land and are once more this
evening anchored at Chia。
'June 24。
'The whole day spent in dredging without success。 This operation
consists in allowing the ship to drift slowly across the line where
you expect the cable to be； while at the end of a long rope； fast
either to the bow or stern； a grapnel drags along the ground。 This
grapnel is a small anchor； made like four pot…hooks tied back to
back。 When the rope gets taut； the ship is stopped and the grapnel
hauled up to the surface in the hopes of finding the cable on its
prongs。 … I am muc