"Dulse." 19 



ketchup, and pepper, found thera by no means un- 

 palatable. 



Another favourite edible of our worthy captain 

 is a seaweed called " dulse/ 7 1 which is picked up in 

 large quantities on the beach at Broughty Ferry. 

 This is kept in a bucket of salt water on the after 

 part of the quarter-deck, so as to enable those so 

 disposed to refresh themselves at their pleasure. 

 At noon to-day we lost sight of Cape Wrath, and 

 are all looking forward to a quick run across the 

 Atlantic. We are fortunate in having a fresh N". E. 

 wind, before which the " Arctic " is very lively and 

 also very wet. 



I have quite shaken down to the life on board. 

 Everything is rough but ready, and I am treated 

 by all with the utmost civility and attention. My 

 messmates in the cabin are : — The master, a fine 

 honest, good-hearted specimen of a whaling cap- 

 tain ;* James Bannerman, the mate, a strong, active, 

 daring, and hard-working officer ; Tom Webster,'' 



1 " Dulse,'' 1 a corruption of the Gaelic duilliog, from duffle 

 (leaf) and uisge (water). The name is applied to several 

 species of rose-spored alga?, and especially to Rhodomcnia 

 palmata and Iridcea edulis. In Ireland it is called dillesh. 

 Lindley savs that the old cry, " Buy dulse and tangle," may 

 even now be beard in the streets of Edinburgh ; and dulse is 

 consumed in considerable quantities throughout the maritime 

 countries of the North of Europe. 



2 Since promoted to the command of the " Bavenscraig." 



3 Everybody on board the " Arctic " was called by his 

 Christian name, a habit which I soon adopted. 



