172 



AMERICAN JOURNEY. 



[Chap. V. 



standing or sitting, how they could, many remaining in their 

 berths ; during his extempore sermon, they " were as quiet as 

 mice ! We then sang ' Lord, dismiss us,' and I offered prayer. 

 It was a very impressive meeting altogether; and, I believe, 

 gave general satisfaction, from captain to swearers. The latter 

 signified their appreciation by adjourning to the bar and getting 

 drunk. As to me, I went on deck, where the moon was shining 

 brilliantly on the water, the wind was fair, and our speed kept 

 increasing up to fourteen knots. I felt light-hearted, and 

 happier than I have been for many a weary year; and sang 

 ' Ave sanctissima,' and songs and hymns ; and did not turn in to 

 roost till near twelve : not however for much sleep, for the wind 

 freshened, carried off mainsail and sheets, and we were well 

 bounced and whacked till daybreak." On Christmas Day the 

 captain read prayers, " treating us to the Athanasian Creed, during 

 which I took my Greek Testament, and read from the first 

 Epistle of John, which I found more edifying." Instead of 

 their usual rations, they found a table spread in their cabin with 

 knives, forks, spoons, etc., and a sumptuous Christmas dinner, 

 with fifteen stewards, etc., to wait on them : he did his part as 

 carver, and "the feast went off with immense eclat" He 

 afterwards went with a deputation to present an address to the 

 captain, with whom he was much pleased ; and the evening 

 was spent by the passengers with hearty enjoyment and very 

 little drunkenness. It was the first Christmas for fifteen years 

 on which he had had a complete holiday. Philip had written 

 a number of verses to the tune of a German students' drinking 

 song. The chorus was — 



* ' Merrily, cheerily, sing we in chorus, 

 Packed in the pouch of the ' Kangaroo ' ; " 



instead of — 



"Edite, bibite, collegiales, 

 Post multa saecula, pocula nulla." 



He did not forget to refer in it to "our brothers in bonds." 

 There was no opportunity for singing it ; but he had (by invi- 

 tation) given a lecture on slavery, answering all the objections 

 to Abolition which he had heard on board. The next morning 



