140 A WARM CHRISTMAS. 



John, the second steward, was worse, and I was 

 apprehensive that we should lose him. In the 

 afternoon we made another attempt to get the 

 vessel across the river, having sounded all the 

 way in a boat. We had lightened her to four 

 feet seven inches, but had scarcely got under 

 weigh when she grounded again, running her 

 bows a foot out of the water. Mr. Lander was 

 quite disheartened and very unwell. He in- 

 sisted on returning to the Alburkah against the 

 advice of Dr. Briggs, who thought him pre- 

 disposed to dysentery, and was afraid the ex- 

 posure would bring it on. 



The vessel being only aground under her 

 bows, we got an anchor out astern, and prepared 

 to discharge from the fore-hold in the morning. 

 The thermometer this morning was at 66°, and at 

 three p. m. it was at 90", the warmest Christmas 

 by far of any I had passed before, — but a fine 

 breeze tempered the afternoon heat. Dr. Briggs 

 and I passed, I will not say a merry Christmas, 

 but a thankful one, and toasted our friends at 

 home in 



" Cups that cheer, but not inebriate." 



