44 /?z the South Seas 



III 



A perusal of the earlier pages of that ' log ' 

 with the green and purple patches, which we have 

 already mentioned as being one of the sources of 

 our information on the subject of George Kingsley's 

 wanderings, leads us inevitably to the conclusion 

 that the Earl and the Doctor, during their sojourns 

 in New Zealand, passed their days in a condition of 

 almost monotonous bliss. For instance, we find in 

 that log recorded : — 



February 20th, Sunday. — Caught three enormous 

 black trygons this morning. This morning must 

 have been yesterday. Greek fire was carried in 

 barrels. 



' The King found in the dromount,i sans fail, 

 Mickle store and great vitaii, 

 Many barrels of fire Gregeys.' 



It is strange that Richard Coeur de Lion's engineer- 

 ing skill, so strongly insisted upon in the romance,^ 

 should have been lately proved by his French 

 biographer. 



2 1st, Monday. — Careened, and cleaned the ship's 

 copper, an enormous shark assisting at the operation. 



22nd, Tuesday. — Across to Waryaparapara 

 Harbour with a splendid breeze. Harbour snug ; 



^ The dromount (or dromond) was a Saracen ship of war laden 

 with food and military stores, taken by King Richard in a sea-fight ofiF 

 Acre. 



2 The romance referred to is Richard Car de Lion, an old English 

 poem translated from the French about the time of Henry III. or 

 Edward I. There exist several MSS. of this poem, and it is to be 

 found printed in H. Weber's Metrical Roma^ices, l8lo. 



