300 
FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
The bo'sun of the Jason had been appointed to serve 
out the schnaps and the been He was a tall man with a 
wild, black beard and a canvas apron tied from his 
shoulders and waist He poured out the grog into 
tumblers on the head of a cask with tremendous ceremony, 
and between every glass took a pull at the bottle himself, 
so he had difficulty in keeping his post. 
Some of the men got themselves up as Christy minstrels 
and sang negro songs, accompanied by a melodeon ; 
others danced waltzes on deck, but with the oil and ice 
the floor was too slipper}-. Some of our party tried a 
reel, that was positively dangerous. 
Some of these Norwegian sailors were superior sort of 
men, and I was surprised to find myself discussing books 
and music with one of the focsle hands. He took me down 
