98 LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. [VII. 



It was nearly nine o'clock before we adjourned from 

 the " Reine Hortense" to the ball. Already, for some time 

 past, boats full of gay dresses had been passing under the 

 corvette's stern on their way to the " Artemise" looking like 

 flower-beds that had put to sea, — though they certainly could 

 no longer be called a parterre ; —and by the time we our- 

 selves mounted her lofty sides, a mingled stream of music, 

 light, and silver laughter, was pouring out of every port-hole. 

 The ball-room was very prettily arranged. The upper deck 

 had been closed in with a lofty roof of canvas, from which 

 hung suspended glittering lustres, formed by bayonets with 

 their points collected into an inverted pyramid, and the butt- 

 ends serving as sockets for the tapers. Every wall was gay 

 with flags, — the frigate's frowning armament all hid or turned 

 to ladies' uses : 82 pounders became sofas — boarding-pikes, 

 balustrades — pistols, candlesticks — the brass carronades set 

 on end, pillarwise, their brawling mouths stopped with nose- 

 gays ; while portraits of the Emperor and the Empress, busts, 

 colours draped with Parisian cunning, gave to the scene an 

 appearance of festivity that looked quite fairy-like in so 

 sombre a region. As for our gallant host, I never saw such 

 spirits ; he is a fine old grey-headed blow-hard of fifty odd, 

 talking English like a native, and combining the frank open- 

 hearted cordiality of a sailor with that graceful winning gaiety 

 peculiar to Frenchmen. I never saw anything more perfect 

 than the kind, almost fatherly, courtesy with which he wel- 

 comed each blooming bevy of maidens that trooped up his 

 ship's side. About two o'clock we had supper on the main- 

 deck. I had the honour of taking down Miss Thora, of 

 Bessestad ; and somehow — this time, I no longer found 

 myself wandering back in search of the pale face of the old- 

 world Thora, being, I suppose, sufficiently occupied by the 

 soft, gentle eyes of the one beside me. With the other 

 young ladies I did not make much acquaintance, as I 

 experienced a difficulty in finding befitting remarks on the 

 occasion of being presented to them. Once or twice, 

 indeed, I hazarded, through their fathers, some little com- 



