"
I almost trembled as the covers were drawn off, and then I recognised
guns, truly of a modern make but not very new nor powerful, and then
he gave away the whole secret by saying: "Of course, we are trying to
impress a certain power with the idea that we are re-arming our forts,
and therefore we are letting it be known that we are keeping these
guns a dead secret and covered from view of any spies."
On another occasion it fell to my lot to inspect some of the defences
of the Dardanelles, and I found it could best be done from the
seaward. This involved my taking passage in an old grain steamer
running between Odessa and Liverpool, and my voyage in her was one of
the most charming and original that it has been my lot to take.
A tramp steamer loaded down with grain until its cargo is almost
running out of the ventilators is--contrary to all expectations--quite
a comfortable boat for cruising in. The captain and his wife lived
in comfortable cabins amidships under the bridge; the after deck was
stocked with pigs and chickens, which fed liberally on the cargo. The
captain's good lady was a Scotch woman, and therefore an excellent
cook.
Everything was most clean and comfortable, and the captain most
thoroughly entered into my various schemes for observing and examining
the defences of the coast as we went along.
He allowed me practically to take command of the ship as regards
her course and anchoring.
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