254* JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



writing up our journals. Some newspapers 

 and magazines, that we had received from 

 England with our letters, were read again 

 and again, and commented upon, at our 

 meals ; and we often exercised ourselves 

 with conjecturing the changes that might 

 take place in the world before we could 

 hear from it again. The probability of our 

 receiving letters, and the period of their 

 arrival, were calculated to a nicety. We 

 occasionally paid the woodmen a visit, or 

 took a walk for a mile or two on the river. 



In the evenings we joined the men in the 

 hall, and took a part in their games, which 

 generally continued till a late hour ; in 

 short, we never found the time to hang 

 heavy upon our hands ; and the peculiar 

 occupations of each of the officers afforded 

 them more employment than might at first 

 be supposed. I re-calculated the observa- 

 tions made on our route; Mr. Hood pro- 

 tracted the charts, and made those draw- 

 ings of birds, plants, and fishes, which can- 

 not appear in this v^ork, but which have 

 been the admiration of every one who has 



