NOTEBOOK

whether any of them prospered or not. There is a fault
somewhere; it could have been in me.

Jan. 8. Lat. 20—30 S: Lon. 100—26E. Every mile
northward adds to the heat now. Today is roasting hot.
Linen will be put on tomorrow, no doubt. Punkas started
today; strips of cloth they hang above the tables and are
kept in motion by Indian boys who pull the ropes. Very
good fan.

The sea is a splendid Mediterranean blue today with a
delicate but pronounced copper tint on the shady side of
the waves. This is ideal sailing—long, slow, gentle rocking
of the ship, soothing and lulling as a cradle motion, the
atmosphere filled with peace and far-from-the-worldness
—just enough breeze to keep your fat from melting and
running down and greasing your clothes.

The porpoise is the clown of the sea—evidently does
his wild antics for pure fun; there is no sordid profit in it.

How curiously unanecdotical the Colonials and ship-
going English are. I believe I haven't told an anecdote or
heard one since I left America. But Americans, when
grouped, drop into anecdotes as soon as they get a little
acquainted. Come to think, I have started an anecdote
once or twice, but didn't finish it. One is pretty sure to be
interrupted, and with a remark which is foreign to the
subject and is a quite thorough extinguisher. Which is
well enough, for the interrupter goes right ahead, and you
couldn't get in again if you wanted to.

ZangwilPs "Master" is done in good English—what a
rare thing good English is! and the grammar is good, too
—and what a very, very rare thing that is! The characters
are real, they are flesh and blood, they are definite; one
knows what they will do in nearly any given set of cir-
cumstances. And when there is an incident, an episode,

267