166 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
venience they suffered from the state of the 
weather. ‘ 
Although it may perhaps to some appear a fri- 
volous anecdote what I am about to mention, yet 
I cannot help noticing it, as it tends to show the 
favourable reception with which the dramatic piece 
in question was received, and at the same time 
exhibits in a very noted manner the misapplication 
of words by men who make use of terms or ex- 
pressions which they do not thoroughly under- 
stand themselves. Whilst the curtain was down 
between the first and second acts, all the men were 
conversing together, extolling the merits of the 
new play, when the boatswain, wishing to pay a 
higher compliment to it than any other person, said 
that it was much superior to fine or excellent (the 
epithets of approbation used by the seamen) ; 
that it was ‘in fact, real philosophy !” 
Saturday, 25th. — Notwithstanding our seques- 
tered situation, and the climate in which we were 
situated, we spent Christmas-day as happily as we 
could do in England, with the exception of notbemg 
amongst our friends. Indeed, the only thing that 
could give us any concern, was their not knowing 
that we were so comfortable. As far as meat and 
drink were concerned in making us so, we had 
certainly every reason to be contented, for we 
fared most sumptuously, had excellent roast beef 
and venison, and plenty of good port wine, and 
above all, good health to enjoy these luxuries.* 
* The weather to-day was what we are now accustomed to 
call mild, the thermometer being only 24°; a temperature in 
18 
