42 A LUNCH ON BOARD. 



position. Indeed, he was in the end very proud of his 

 " spread." 



In truth, the spread was a very creditable affair. 

 The contents of our hermetically sealed cans furnished 

 a welcome variety to these dwellers in the land of 

 seals ; the lakes of Greenland supplied some noble 

 salmon, and my lockers contributed something from 

 sunny France and golden Italy, and the materials for 

 an excellent punch from Santa Cruz. At first we got 

 on badly with the conversation, but by and by Eng- 

 Hsh, Danish, German, and bad Latin became mixed 

 harmoniously together like the ingredients of the 

 punch ; healths were drunk, — to the King, to the 

 President, to all good fortune, to ourselves, and 

 speeches were made, in which were duly set forth 

 the glorious memories of the children of Odin. The 

 merriment was waxing warm. Some one, stimulated 

 perhaps by a recent tribute of praise to the valiant 

 Harold and the Eussian Maiden, and the fights and 

 loves of the vikings generally, had just proposed that 

 best toast of the sailor, " sweethearts and wives," and 

 obtained a fitting response, when the heavy thump 

 of a pair of mammoth sea-boots was heard on the 

 companion-ladder, and the master's mate broke in 

 upon us like the ghost of Banquo. 



" The officer of the deck directs me to report, sir, 

 tha,t the dogs are all aboard, sir, and that he is hove 

 short on the anchor, as ordered, sir." 



" How 's the wind ? " 



" Light, and southerly, sir." 



There was no help for it. The guests must be got 

 away. The ladies' " things " were hunted up ; the la- 

 dies themselves were hurried over the gangway into 

 the boat ; Dr. Rudolph took charge of our letters, 



