Chap. VI. CAPTAIN PARRY'S SECOND VOYAGE. 161 



among the crews, recourse was also had to some of a moral 

 nature, which experience has shown to be useful auxi- 

 liaries in the promotion of these desirable objects. It would 

 perhaps indeed be difficult to imagine a situation in which 

 cheerfulness is more to be desired, or less likely to be main- 

 tained, than among a set of persons (and those persons sea- 

 men too) secluded for an uncertain and indefinite period 

 from the rest of the world ; having little or no employment 

 but that which is in a manner created to prevent idleness, 

 and subject to a degree of tedious monotony ill according 

 with their usual habits. It was not, however, simply as a 

 general principle, applicable in a greater or less degree to 

 all situations and societies, that the preservation of cheerful- 

 ness and good humour was in our case particularly de- 

 sirable, but as immediately connected with the prevention of 

 that disease to which our crews were most liable, and which 

 indeed, in all human probability, we had alone any cause to 

 dread. The astonishing effects produced by the passions of 

 the mind, in inducing or removing scorbutic symptoms, are 

 too well known to need confirmation or to admit of doubt ; 

 those calculated to excite hope and to impart a sensation of 

 pleasure to the mind, having been invariably found to aid in 

 a surprising manner the cure of this extraordinary disease, 

 and those of an opposite nature to aggravate its fatal malig- 

 nity. As a source, therefore, of rational amusement to the 

 men, I proposed to Commander Lyon and the officers of 

 both ships once more to set on foot a series of theatrical 

 entertainments, from which so much benefit in this way had 

 on a former occasion been derived. This proposal was 

 immediately and unanimously acquiesced in. Lyon oblig- 

 ingly undertook to be our manager, and some preparation 

 having been made for this purpose previous to leaving 

 England, everything was soon arranged for performing a 

 play on board the Fury once a fortnight. In this, as in 

 more important matters, our former experience gave many 



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