CHAP. XX.] CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S EVE. 
437 
With the new overpowering impression which nature and 
people exerted on those of us, who now for the first time 
visited Japan, China, India, Borneo, and Ceylon, it was how¬ 
ever specially difficult, during a stay of a few days at each place, 
to preserve this side of the Vega expedition. I therefore 
determined after leaving Ceylon to let it drop completely, 
that is, from that point merely to travel home, Regarding 
this part of the voyage of the Vega I would thus have very 
little to say, were it not that an obligation of gratitude compels 
me to express in a few words the thanks of the Vega men for 
all the honours bestowed upon them, and all the goodwill they 
enjoyed during the last part of the voyage. For many of my 
readers this sketch may perhaps be of interest as reminding 
them of some happy days which they themselves have lived 
through, and it may even happen that it will not be unwelcome 
to the friends of geography in a future time to read this 
description of the way in which the first circumnavigators of 
Asia and Europe were feted in the ports and capitals of the 
civilised countries. In this sketch however I am compelled 
to be as brief as possible, and I must therefore sue for pardon 
if every instance of hospitality shown us cannot be mentioned. 
We started from Point de Galle on the 22nd December, and 
arrived at Aden on the 7th January. The passage was tedious 
in consequence of light winds or calms. Christmas Eve we 
did not celebrate on this occasion, tired as we were of 
entertainments, in such a festive way as at Pitlekaj, but 
only with a few Christmas-boxes and some extra treating. 
On New Year s Eve, on the other hand, the officers in the gun¬ 
room were surprised by a deputation from the forecastle 
clad in fesks as Chukches, who came, in good Swedish, mixed 
with a few words of the Pitlekaj lingua franca not yet forgotten, 
to bring us a salutation from our friends among the ice of the 
north, thanks for the past and good wishes for the coming year, 
mixed with Chukch complaints of the great heat hereaway 
