Thesteamerwasoftenestwithoutthesignofanylifebeyondher。Onedayasmallbirdbeattheairwithitslittlewings，undertheroofofthepromenade，andthenflitteredfromsightoverthesurface，ofthewaste；aschoolofporpoises，stiffandwoodenintheirrise，plungedclumsilyfromwavetowave。Thedeepitselfhadsometimestheunreality，theartificialityofthecanvasseaofthetheatre。Commonlyitwaslividandcoldincolor；buttherewasamorningwhenitwasdelicatelymisted，andwherethemistleftitclear，itwasblueandexquisitelyiridescentunderthepalesun；thewrinkledwaveswerefinelypittedbythefallingspray。Thesewereraremoments；mostly，whenitwasnotlikepaintedcanvas，iswashardlikeblackrock，withsurfacesofsmoothcleavage。Whereitmettheskyitlayflatandmotionless，orintherougherweathercarveditselfalongthehorizoninsuccessionsofsurges。
Ifthesunroseclear，itwasovercastinafewhours；thenthecloudsbrokeandletalittlesunshinethrough，tocloseagainbeforethedimeveningthickenedoverthewaters。Sometimesthemoonlookedthroughtheraggedcurtainofvapors；onenightitseemedtoshinetillmorning，andshookapathofquicksilverfromthehorizontotheship。Througheverychange，aftershehadleftthefogbehind，thesteamerdroveonwiththepulseofherenginesthatstoppednomorethanaman’sheartstopsinacoursewhichhadnothingtomarkitbutthespreadofthefurrowsfromhersides，andthewakethatfoamedfromhersterntothewesternvergeofthesea。
Thelifeoftheship，likethelifeofthesea，wasasoddenmonotony，withcertaineventswhichwerepartofthemonotony。Inthemorningthelittlesteward’sbuglecalledthepassengersfromtheirdreams，andhalfanhourlatercalledthemtotheirbreakfast，aftersuchaschosehadbeenservedwithcoffeebytheirbedroom-stewards。Thentheywentondeck，wheretheyread，ordozedintheirchairs，orwalkedupanddown，orstoodinthewayofthosewhowerewalking；orplayedshuffleboardandring-toss；orsmoked，anddrankwhiskeyandaeratedwatersovertheircardsandpapersinthesmoking-room；orwrotelettersinthesaloonorthemusic-room。Ateleveno’clocktheyspoiledtheirappetitesforlunchwithteaorbouillontothemusicofabandofsecond-cabinstewards；atone，asingleblastofthebuglecalledthemtolunch，wheretheygluttedthemselvestothetorporfromwhichtheyafterwardsdrowsedintheirberthsorchairs。Theydidthesamethingsintheafternoonthattheyhaddoneintheforenoon；andatfouro’clockthedeck-stewardscameroundwiththeircupsandsaucers，andtheirplatesofsandwiches，againtothemusicoftheband。Thereweretwobugle-callsfordinner，andafterdinnersomewentearlytobed，andsomesatuplateandhadgrillsandtoast。Attwelvethelightswereputoutinthesaloonsandthesmoking-rooms。
Therewerevarioussmellswhichstoredthemselvesupintheconsciousnesstoremainlastinglyrelativetocertainmomentsandplaces：awhiffofwhiskeyandtobaccothatexhaledfromthedoorofthesmoking-room；theodorofoilandsteamrisingfromtheopenskylightsovertheengine-
room；thescentofstalebreadaboutthedoorsofthedining-saloon。