and were not
unseasonable.

"Within the tropics lime juice and sugar were made to suffice as
antiscorbutics; on reaching a higher latitude, sour-krout and vinegar
were substituted; the essence of malt was served for the passage to New
Holland, and for future occasions, on consulting with the surgeon, I had
thought it expedient to make some slight changes in the issuing of the
provisions. Oatmeal was boiled for breakfast four days in the week, as
usual; and at other times, two ounces of portable broth, in cakes, to
each man, with such additions of onions, pepper, etc., as the different
messes possessed, made a comfortable addition to their salt meat. And
neither in this passage, nor, I may add, in any subsequent part of the
voyage, were the officers or people restricted to any allowance of fresh
water. They drank freely at the scuttled cask, and took away, under the
inspection of the officer of the watch, all that was requisite for
culinary purposes; and very frequently two casks of water in the week
were given for washing their clothes. With these regulations, joined to a
due enforcement of discipline, I had the satisfaction to see my people
orderly and full of zeal for the service in which we were engaged; and in
such a state of health that no delay at the Cape was required beyond the
necessary refitment of the ship."

How wise, considerate, and farseeing this policy was! It reads like the
sageness of a gray-headed veteran. Yet Flinders had only attained his
27th birthday precisely seven months before he reached the Cape on this
voyage. He had learned how men, as well as ships, should be managed. "It
was part of my plan for preserving the health of the people to promote
active amusements amongst them," he said of the jollity on crossing the
line; and we can almost see the smile of recollection which played upon
his lips when he wrote that "the seamen were furnished with the means and
the permission to conclude the day with merriment." Seaman Smith, who
shared in the fun, tells us what occurred with his own peculiar disregard
of correct spelling and grammatical construction: "we crossd the
equinocial line and had the usuil serimony of Neptune and his attendance
hailing the ship and coming on board. The greatest part of officers and
men was shaved, not having crossd the line before. At night grog was
servd out to each watch, which causd the evening to be spent in
merriment."

At the Cape the seams were re-caulked, and