26 
LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. 
The son of a gardener at Chiswick, he first took to 
horticulture; then emigrated as a settler to the Cape, 
where he acquired his present complexion, which is of 
a grass-green; and finally served as a steward on hoard 
an Australian steam-packet. 
Thinking to draw consolation from his professional 
experiences, I heard Fitz’s voice, now very weak, say 
in a tone of coaxing cheerfulness,— 
“ Well, Wilson, I suppose this kind of thing does 
not last long? 7 ’ 
The Voice, as of the tomb. —“ I don’t know, Sir.” 
Fitz. —“ But you must have often seen passengers 
sick.” 
The Voice. —“ Often, Sir; very sick.” 
Fitz. —“ Well, and on an average, how soon did 
they recover ? 7 7 
The Voice. —“ Some of them didn’t recover, Sir.” 
Fitz. —“ Well, hut those that did?” 
The Voice. —“ X know’d a clergyman and his wife, 
as were ill all the voyage ; five months, Sir.” 
Fitz. —(Quite silent). 
The Voice; now become sepulchral. — u They some¬ 
times dies, Sir.”' 
