EXTRACTS FROM AN ANONYMOUS JOURNAL. 6 1 



has picked up from the Lascars. He is as gay and 

 contented while trimming sails, sitting astride the yard 

 arm as he could be if playing in the streets of London, or 

 beside his mother's door. His manner is very unaffect- 

 ed and his demeanour full of heartiness ; it is therefore 

 quite natural that he is a universal favorite with the officers 

 and the crew. Cheerful and vivacious, he is ready to lend 

 his hand to any work at any time. Free and joyous like 

 a bird and full of fun, he runs up the rigging, or lets 

 himself down into the hold. He has already seen many 

 countries, and, boy as he is, delights in telling stories 

 about the places he has visited. We have nicknamed 

 him " Geography," as a compliment to his knowledge of 

 the subject gained from practical experience. We have 

 found it ten times more interesting and profitable to 

 listen to his simple boyish tales, descriptive of places 

 and people, of animals and plants than to read the dry 

 details of a geographical reader. Good Dr. Mere-weather, 

 the ship's Surgeon, is Tom's guardian. He is a keen 

 naturalist, and has succeeded in infusing the same taste 

 into his ward, who has already proved himself a capable 

 hand in skinning, preserving and mounting natural 

 history objects, 



******* 



I was not aware until to-day that the birds a Grey 

 Parrot, and some Finches, were for me, and the packet 

 containing Wordsworth's Proseworks were for S. C. M. 

 They are from Tom's mother and we are grateful to her. 



