FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 47 
with harmonious colouring, sounds soften and tune them- 
selves ; even the wheezy spasmodic notes that the mate 
draws from his melodeon are sweet and beautiful to-night. 
Nicholas is having another shoppie aft in the cabin. 
He has brought out a miscellaneous collection of articles 
for sale — Arctic mits, whalers' caps, broad-brimmed straw 
hats for the tropics, snow spectacles, red handkerchiefs, 
tobacco, pipes, sea-boots, and carpet-slippers. If any one 
wants straw hats or light dungarees, now is the time to 
get them, for there is quite a rush upon thin clothing for 
the tropics ; our Arctic men look forward with dread to 
the heat on the line. The South Spainers amongst us 
who have crossed the line as often as the Arctic circle, 
have brought old topies and karkee jackets, so they do no 
trade, but look on and throw in advice to the youngsters 
and old men who have not been south, but have served 
their time in the seventies and eighties North latitude. 
Wednesday, 21st Sept — Lat. 50.15; long. 15.49. The 
doctor has got the scientific interest of the expedition 
well in hand now. Lately science and art have scarcely 
had the attention from us that we believe to be their due. 
When a man neglects his pipe these high interests must 
suffer. The last two days of fine weather and sunshine 
have worked a great change, and now the pipes are 
smoking gaily, and the scientific instruments are being 
polished up and attended to with great regularity and 
solemnity. The possible results from the notes of the 
men of science of this expedition may, and probably will 
be, of the greatest interest to all peoples, and may 
