268 DEATH FROM SCURVY. Chap. XVI. 



Saturday, 2nd July.— - Upon my arrival at the ship on the 

 morning of the 19th June, my first enquiries were about 

 Hobson ; I found him in a much worse state than I had 

 expected. He reached the ship on the 14th, unable to walk 

 or even to stand, without assistance ; but already he was 

 beginning to amend, and was in excellent spirits. Christian 

 had shot several ducks, which, with preserved potato, milk, 

 strong ale, and lemon-juice, completed a very respectable 

 dietary for a scurvy-stricken patient. All the rest were 

 tolerably well ; slight traces only of scurvy in two or three 

 of the men. The ship was as clean and trim as I could 

 have expected, and all had well and cheerfully performed 

 their duties during my absence ; hardly any game had been 

 shot, except one bear. 



The Doctor now acquainted me with the death of Thomas 

 Blackwell, ship's steward, which occurred only five days 

 previously, and was occasioned by scurvy. This man had 

 scurvy when I left /he ship in April, and no means were 

 left untried by the Doctor to promote his recovery and 

 rally his desponding energies; but his mind, unsustained 

 by hope, lost all energy, and at last he had to be forcibly 

 taken upon deck for fresh air. For months past the 

 ship's spirits had been of necessity removed from under 

 his control. 



When too late, his shipmates made it known that he had 

 a dislike to preserved meats, and had lived the whole winter 

 upon salt pork ! He also disliked preserved potato, and 

 would not eat it unless watched, nor would he put on clean 

 clothes, which others in charity prepared for him. Yet his 

 death was somewhat unexpected ; he went on deck as usual 

 to walk in the middle of the day, and, when found there, 

 was quite dead. His remains were buried beside those 

 of our late shipmate Mr. Brand. 



The news of our success to the southward in tracing the 



