202 FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
expect they had plans of bettering their fortune. Certainly 
if I had been quite in their position I would have left too. 
They were seized by Government and treated to half a 
day's imprisonment, with fresh food. How they must have 
enjoyed the change ! One was a sailor and bird-stuffer, 
and another was a tall, smart young fellow, a rigger by 
trade. He was the most awful swearer I ever heard, 
so we were somewhat surprised afterwards to hear from 
the Diana that he had got a berth on a Missionary 
schooner, and was off* to convert the Fuegians. I think 
he is rather missed on board, not for his swearing, but in 
other ways he was well liked, and even one man leaving 
a ship's company makes a noticeable gap. The third 
was a young man of apparently not less than thirty 
summers, — a first-class sparrer. His mother brought him 
on board at Dundee with a tearful request to our mate 
to take care of her dear son. The mate is about two 
years his junior. Probably he is now taking care of 
simple sheep out in the Camp at £i, ios. a week, which 
is better any day than serving either before or aft the 
main-mast. 
This evening Mason's head popped into my bunk when 
I was dabbling in water-colours, getting on a touch at 
each roll. ' There 's some doos fleein' aboot the fore-mast,' 
he said, 1 get yer gun, sir, and co'wae forrart' I was 
prepared for any sort of bird, as we were getting into 
strange waters. Some time ago I was seriously informed 
that a cuckoo was flying over our stern, yet I hardly 
expected to see doos ; but I went forward, and fairly 
gasped with astonishment, for there were four pretty white 
