WORLD VOYAGE BEGINS I99 



parlour, and it was here that the Petty Officer Steward and three 

 shipmates made arrangements to get some herring. When the boat 

 went off to the ship that night at midnight all that had to be done 

 was to take the boat underneath a shute which overhung the water 

 and their new-found friend, who worked in the herring factory, 

 would release a small quantity of herring into the boat. As the 

 evening drew on, the idea seemed a very excellent one to the 

 four P.O.s and they thought how much the whole ship's com- 

 pany, from the 'Old Man' downwards, would enjoy their meal 

 of fresh herring. They collected a number of cardboard beer 

 cartons to carry the fish. 



The coxswain of the boat seemed strangely unenthusiastic and 

 the P.O.s had to assert their authority to make him take his boat 

 under the shute. The new-found friend had also indulged in the 

 parlour and having once released the stream of herring he was 

 unable to stem it despite the shouting of those in the boat below 

 this fishy waterfall. The fish poured into the open compartments 

 of the boat to a depth of two feet or more before the coxswain 

 could cast off and get his boat clear. When the boat reached the 

 gangway, the Officer of the Day could hardly believe his eyes, nor 

 could the Captain, who was roused from his sleep by the shouting 

 and argument which accompanied the inefficient methods the 

 P.O.s were employing to bring the fish up the gangway in the 

 slippery cardboard cartons, which were collapsing and showering 

 herring in every direction. The bowman stood disconsolately in 

 the forepeak, knee deep in herring, while he held the boat's 

 bows in to the ship's side. 



It was a difficult morning for the First Lieutenant, who had to 

 forget the three fresh herrings he had enjoyed for breakfast when 

 he confronted the four P.O.s and ordered them to scrub out the 

 boat which hung miserably at the davits, so covered with fish 

 scales that she appeared to be under snow, 



Christmas 19^0 was spent in Victoria, where this festival is 

 celebrated in the old-fashioned way. The trees are easy to get 

 from the woods and on Christmas Eve everyone is out visiting 

 everyone else, carrying gifts to the Christmas trees, 



A 'friend' of the ship put a personal advertisement in the local 

 paper to the effect that Challenger, whose badge is a challenging 



