86 THE SICK-LIST. Chap. V. 



was the custom on such occasions ? " To hoist 

 the colours and serve out an extra half-gill, 

 sir," was the ready reply : accordingly, the 

 Harwich lion soon fluttered in a breeze cool 

 enough to stiffen the limbs of ordinary lions, and 

 in the evening the grog was issued. 



ZQth. — Our messmate Pussy is unwell, and 

 won't eat ; in vain has Hobson tempted her with 

 raw seal's flesh, preserved salmon, preserved 

 milk, &c. ; at length castor-oil was forcibly ad- 

 ministered. Puss is a great favourite. Our 

 finest dog. Sultan, is also sick, and his coat is 

 in bad order ; blubber has been prescribed for 

 him ; — and poor old Mary has fits, not uncom- 

 mon after the long winter. Petersen imme- 

 diately ordered her to be bled by slitting her 

 ear ; but Christian, in his fright and haste, 

 cropped the tip of it off. These are our only 

 medical cases. A dovekie, in its white winter 

 plumage, and two seals have been seen lately. 



15#A Feh. — The returning daylight cheers 

 us up wonderfully — not that we were suffering, 

 either mentally or bodily, but the change is 

 most agreeable; we can take much longer 

 walks than was possible during the dark period. 

 The men have been supplied with muskets, and 

 go out sporting as ardently as schoolboys. I 

 took a long w^lk towards one of our iceberg 



