I show the fore part of the boat, the bows being visible in the
distance. The doorways on the right are those of the horse boxes,
specially erected on the deck. In fact, the whole liner, with the most
creditable completeness and celerity, had been specially fitted up for
the use of the troops, still retaining its crew of Lascars, who did the
swabbing down and rough work required.

My sketch shows a crane bringing up bales of fodder for the horses from
the hold, with two officers standing by to give orders.

[Illustration: ABOARD THE TRANSPORT.]

We experienced some exciting incidents on the way out; for instance, in
the Bay we ran into a fog, and the order was given for all to stand by.
For the next two or three hours all were in doubt as to what might
happen--of course there was fear of torpedoes.

We heard in the distance several shots fired, presumably by the
battle-cruiser which was our escort. When the fog lifted, we could just
see the smoke lifting on the horizon of some enemy craft, which had been
chased off by our own warship. We again steamed ahead towards our
destination and were soon sailing into smooth and calm waters, the
temperature becoming quite genial and warm as we approached the Straits
of Gibraltar. As we passed through the Straits the message was signalled
that those two notorious vessels, the "Goeben" and the "Breslau," were
roaming loose in the Mediterranean.


AT MALTA.