80 PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS. [December, 



no riveting up of armour for the battle, rather the de- 

 struction of iron cases labelled ' Hogarth/ ' Portnum and 

 Mason/ ' Masson/ etc., which have confined within their 

 iron bounds the customary issues of extras for Christ- 

 mas cheer, not forgetting some of the despised lummes 

 brought up by the sledges from ' North Star.' The bill 

 of fare for this season may not prove as luxurious as the 

 last ; nevertheless even lummes are acceptable : a flock of 

 sheep would have been more to our purpose. It brings 

 very forcibly to my mind poor Sir John Franklin and 

 the stories about such birds, of one-tenth the weight of 

 lummes, salted down by him, possibly for some similar 

 purpose, a gratuitous addition to some festive meal ! 

 May God's blessing attend their enjoyments! No man can 

 be happy unless happiness is reflected from the enjoyments 

 of those around him, and I see with very different eyes 

 what I beheld at the last anniversary. Then, each was ac- 

 tuated by the novelty of the first Christmas in the Polar 

 regions ; now, many feel the disappointment at being 

 hemmed in here, without further prospect in spring than 

 double and very severe duty, with very diminished ap- 

 petites. Let not closet schemers discuss the question of 

 supplies ; we have abundance ; but two seasons sadly cut 

 down the appetite, and it would fare hard with many 

 fine men here if they were compelled, without sufficient 

 excitement, to undergo another season north of Beechey 

 Island. Volunteers as we are, or the fact of being caught 

 like the c Investigator/ would enable us to go through our 

 imprisonment better than our neighbours, for we are am- 

 ply provided ; but at the very threshold of the English 

 post-office married men will pine, and think even com- 



