OUR HOURS AND HABITS. 169 



when the fog came on, and had taken refuge 

 there until it somewhat abated, and allowed 

 them to find their way back. 



This fog did not seem to extend much above 

 the mast-head, as the bright sun and the blue 

 sky were distinctly visible above the dense 

 vapour which seemed to float on the water; 

 it was also quite warm during its continuance. 



We have now got pretty well reconciled to 

 the state of dirt, grease, noise, and irregular 

 hours we live in ; always excepting the never- 

 to-be-forgotten stench from the hold. We 

 generally breakfast together at any hour, from 

 four to eight in the morning, according to the 

 weather and the distance we contemplate row 

 ing; dine separately whenever we come on 

 board ; and sleep whenever there is nothing 

 else to do : our hours of sleep vary from four 

 to fourteen per diem. We always sleep in our 

 clothes, so as to be ready at a moment* s no 

 tice if any game is reported in sight : we 

 found this very disagreeable at first, but 

 have now got quite accustomed and even at 

 tached to the practice so much so, indeed, as 

 to feel it rather an irksome duty to change 

 our under garments on Sundays. 



A more serious difficulty is the entire demo- 



