SHIPWRECKED ON YETORXJP 97 
upon as a good joke. The natives of the island 
make no practical use of their dogs. 
On New Year’s Eve our old merchant friend, 
Mr. Ebeko, brought us a tub of Japanese sake and 
some mochi . There was no sleep for anyone until 
the New Year had been ushered in; it is the Japanese 
custom. New Year’s Day itself was spent in making 
calls and being called upon. The quantity of sake 
consumed was enormous, all the male population 
being more or less intoxicated, but good-natured 
withal. Just as we commenced dinner, old Mr. Ebeko 
and several of his assistants called on us. We asked 
them to join us, which they did with avidity, and 
our roast pork disappeared like magic. To begin 
with, the old merchant emptied the whole of the 
contents of our butter-dish into his soup, and ate it. 
Later on the Governor and all the officials returned 
our call of the morning, and we filled them up with 
“ Old Tom,” chocolate, tinned fruits, and similar 
delicacies. As the New Year festivities were kept 
up for several days, big inroads were made into our 
stores, and short-commons were threatened. 
The weather now became very severe; everything 
that could be was frozen. Preserves, vinegar, 
sauces, and ink, froze solid. High winds with snow¬ 
storms prevailed, and we sat around the charcoal 
brazier all day in our overcoats. One day whilst 
we were all huddled round the brazier, T. dropped 
a loaded Spencer cartridge into the fire ; everybody 
jumped away, of course, and the cartridge exploded, 
sending the brass shell into the ceiling, and the 
charcoal all over the matted room. T. then realized 
the madness of what he had done, and started to 
pick up the red-hot pieces, and put them back in 
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