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latter to a contest in which they were to decide who could remain under water the longest. They dived together, the native going straight to the bottom where he sat for fully 80 seconds. The "Tommy" of course could not hold out & came to the surface, then when he saw his opponent rising dipped again, little knowing that he was being watched from below. They came up together, & the native excitedly blowing the water from his mouth exclaimed, "Plurry liar!" The assembled Tommies roared with delight.
Tuesday 13th : "Oh Katie what I endured for your sake!" said Lawrence Aylmer in Tennyson's "Brook", but he surely never endured half as much as we did on the "Lili" this morning. We had arranged another trip to Alexis Hafen to start at 5.45 am. Everything was ready – except her ladyship. She absolutely refused to budge till ¼ past nine at which hour she started off in the usual contrary way of womankind & ran without a hitch all day. The air in the engineroom during her distemper was thick with smothered oaths & blue with high-sounding phrases. We again visited the Mission Fathers and towed back the island schooner commandeered by us last Saturday. She is ancient but comfortable, & it is my intention to have an Examination anchorage party continually on board whose duty will be to board incoming & outgoing vessels.
She will be anchored under the lee of Grajat Island. During this visit we also took possession of a fine new motor engine which we hope to install in the "Derek", a handy little craft about 20ft long.
Wed 14th : Routine day the monotony of which was broken by my introduction to Albert. Everybody