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the days of my life-第章

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saw a table with writing materials on it; and sat down there to answer letters; until ultimately we were retrieved。
Another strange experience was when we found ourselves in a bachelor house; of which the host; poor fellow — having; we understood; been crossed in love — was in the habit of looking upon the wine when it was red。 In that house there was practically nothing to eat; for the reason that its owner ate practically nothing。 I remember a certain pink and underdone veal and ham pie which; as I was extremely unwell at the time; did not excite appetite; also an egg which I asked for in place of the pie — but I will not dwell upon that egg! On the other hand; we literally swam in 1845 — yes; 1845 vintage port。 It was going at lunch; it was going at dinner; it was always going — I may add; it always went!
Our host; a most kindly…natured and wealthy man; finding out that I liked old furniture; took me to an attic which was stuffed with Jacobean oak and Georgian Chippendale。 I admired the pieces; whereon he said in a careless voice; “If you like them; take them away。 I don’t care for them。”
I was greatly tempted; but in all the circumstances did not feel justified in accepting this liberal offer。
But I must not continue the record of such reminiscences of our journeyings; since of these truly there is no end。
In the year 1903; which I spent at home; I wrote another work of a rural character; called “A Gardener’s Year。” This first appeared serially in the Queen; and was afterwards brought out in a handsome volume of nearly four hundred pages by Messrs。 Longman。 It went through two editions and gave pleasure to a good many people。
Also I wrote a romance of chivalry called “The Brethren;” of which the scene is laid in the Holy Land in the time of the Crusaders。 Personally it is a favourite with me; but my historical tales have never been quite so popular as are those which deal with African adventure。
Chapter 19 PSYCHICAL
With eldest daughter to Egypt — Return by Italy and Spain — Abu Simbel with Carter — Bee’s nest 2000 years old — “The Way of the Spirit” — Dedicated to Kipling — Death of H。 R。 H。‘s retriever Bob — Appears to him in dream — Report published in Journal of Society for Psychical Research — Lasting effect on H。 R。 H。‘s mind — More dream…pictures — Sir Oliver Lodge。
Early in 1904 I took my daughter Angela on a trip to Egypt; returning by way of Italy and Spain。 We went out on one of the new P。 & O。 boats which was making her maiden voyage; and experienced the most awful weather。 We began by grounding in the Thames and; after a short stop to bury a Lascar overboard — who; poor fellow; had died of the cold — ran into a terrific gale in the Channel。 The wind…gauges registered its pace at about eighty miles the hour; after which their bottoms were blown out or something happened to them。 Then the fore…hatch was stove in and filled with water; as did the passages along which we had to walk from the cabins。 Time after time did we stop to try and make that hatch good with four…inch teak planks; but always these were broken by the force of the sea。
Our subsequent misfortunes were many。 We were taken in closer to Ushant than I thought pleasant; the new engines heated; the chief engineer went mad with the strain and; when at length we did reach Port Said; had to be carried ashore raving。 I believe that he died not long afterwards。 One night this poor fellow; dressed in full uniform; rushed from cabin to cabin; telling the passengers to get up as the ship was sinking!
We took the turn into the Mediterranean about twenty…four hours late; and in the dense darkness caused by a fearful squall nearly went ashore on the coast of Africa; as the Delhi did in after years — I saw her wreck only the other day。 When the light came I had a nearer view of that shore than I ever wish to see again — from the deck of an ocean liner。 In Gibraltar harbour we fouled our anchor in a man…of…war’s mooring chains and had to slip it。 In the Gulf of Lyons we encountered a very bad mistral while we were trying to sling another anchor into its place。 There it hung over the bow; bumping against the side of the ship。 By this time the Lascars seemed to be practically useless; and the first officer was obliged to slide down the chain and sit on the fluke of the anchor; shouting directions。 It was a strange sight to see this plucky young gentleman swinging about there over the deep。 He was — and I trust still is — a man of whom the country might be proud; but I have long forgotten his name。 In the end we crawled into Marseilles at three knots the hour; where some of the passengers left the ship; one of them explaining; for the fort of the rest of us; that he had the strongest presentiments that she was going to sink。
Our next adventure was a sandstorm blowing from the coast of Africa which turned the day to darkness and covered the decks with a kind of mud。 Then suddenly the vessel was put about; and it was discovered that the soundings showed that we were unfortably near the coast of Crete。 As the dear old captain; who had been much cut about by a sea that knocked him down on the bridge; remarked; “he knew what was behind him and did not know what was before”; also that “where he had once been he could go again。” Subsequently our fore well…deck filled three times to the bulwarks; shipping seas in the most unaccountable manner。
However; we came to Port Said at length; and got ashore at about midnight as best we could。 Never was I more glad to find myself on land again。
I enjoyed that trip in Egypt very much。 The place has a strange fascination for me; and if I could afford it I would go there every year。 On this my second visit we went as far as the wonderful rock…temple of Abu Simbel; near the Second Cataract of the Nile。 Also I had the good fortune to be with Mr。 Carter; then the local custodian of antiquities at Luxor; when we visited the tomb of Queen Nefer…tari; which; with the exception of the discover; who; I think; was Professor Scaparelli; we were; I believe; the first white men to enter。
It was wonderful to see those paintings of her late Majesty as fresh as the day that the artist left them。 In
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