LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
558 
gastronomic eye upon the savoury dishes, as they were placed 
before him, by the steward. The first course consisted of a 
salmon, fried and boiled; shrimp sauce was not much relished 
at the table, as it gave rise to some unpleasant associations con¬ 
nected with the flesh of the heads of lllictu and the bear, on 
which the shrimps were still feeding at no great distance from 
them; the fish having disappeared, with the exception of its 
ossified parts, which generally formed one of the perquisites 
of old Tom ; the Scotch question was generally put, by Capt. 
Ross, of “ what is Latin for goose ?” The answer is always sup¬ 
posed to be, a glass of the best Farintosh; but in default of that 
inspiring beverage, an excellent substitute was found in a dram 
of “ my friend Booth’s best cordial.” 
The first course being concluded, a salubrious pause ensued, 
and whilst yet the pungent flavour of the juniper, hung upon 
the palate of the officers, the steward entered, hearing before him 
a tureen of hare soup, or in default of the carcass of that animal 
being on board, the soup was made of pease, of barley or vegeta¬ 
bles. The barley soup, being in comparison to that served out 
to the crew, as a basin of arrow root, or tapioca, to one of water 
gruel or nettle broth. After the soup had been properly amalga¬ 
mated with the salmon, in the intestinal receptacles of Capt. 
Ross, another pause took place, preparatory to the introduction 
of a still more substantial dish, which was generally a pie, made 
of preserved meats, with beef or pork, and preserved vegetables. 
Not with greater delight could Capt. Ross make an incision into 
his favourite national compound of liver, lights, garlic, and oat¬ 
meal, yclep’d a haggis; and immortalized by Burns, by the title of 
“ the chieftain of the pudding race,” than he evinced, when mak¬ 
ing the first angular cut into the crust of the savoury pie. The 
steam, which thence issued to regale his odorat, was to him more 
delightful, than even the steam, which issued from the funnel 
of his engine; and brilliant and bright was the fire of his eyes, 
when, on lifting the farinaceous covering, the internal contents 
burst upon ius vision, swimming in their highly seasoned 
medium of Gamble’s jiiquante gravy. Not yet, however, was the 
repast complete, but as a solid superficial covering to the whole, 
24. 4 b 
