The cable
sent from the CAROLINE was just 60 yards too short and did not
reach the shore, so although the CAROLINE did make the splice late
that night, we could neither test nor speak. Reuter was at
Norderney, and I had to do the best I could, which was not much,
and went to bed early; I thought I should never sleep again, but in
sheer desperation got up in the middle of the night and gulped a
lot of raw whiskey and slept at last. But not long. A Mr. F-
washed my face and hands and dressed me: and we hauled the cable
out of the sea, and got it joined to the telegraph station, and on
October 3rd telegraphed to Lowestoft first and then to London.
Miss Clara Volkman, a niece of Mr. Reuter's, sent the first message
to Mrs. Reuter, who was waiting (Varley used Miss Clara's hand as a
kind of key), and I sent one of the first messages to Odden. I
thought a message addressed to him would not frighten you, and that
he would enjoy a message through Papa's cable. I hope he did.
Pages:
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214