, and
then such of the passengers as chose came on deck and submitted
themselves to it--others meantime pumping for them. Those who had
the hose thereby acquired a right to porridge, which was distributed
about a quarter to seven, but, when the weather was colder, even the
porridge was not sufficient attraction to keep up the number of
"hosees." Breakfast was at 8-45, lunch at 1, dinner at 6. The
captain, chief officer, and doctor occupied the chief seats at the
tables. They changed their seats from time to time to prevent
jealousy, as the captain's company was much in request. Indeed, any
inconveniences we had to put up with were so much alleviated by the
kindness and consideration of Captain Mathias, that he will ever be
gratefully remembered by the passengers on this voyage. The address
of thanks to him at the end of the voyage was no mere lip-service,
but the genuine expression of our sincerest thanks. On all occasions
he managed to combine the courtesy of a gentleman with the frankness
of a sailor. After passing the equator we had to sail very much to
the west, to catch the south-east trades, and were within 100 miles
of the coast of Brazil. On the 60th day out the meridian of
Greenwich was crossed in lat. 38 degs. south. "The meridian of the
Cape of Good Hope," says the captain's log, "was crossed on the 65th
day out, in lat. 35-1/2 degs. south, and the longitude was run down
in the parallel of 42 degs. south. Light winds stuck to the barque
persistently, and as an illustration of the tedious weather, it may
be mentioned that not a topgallant sail was taken in from Biscay to
St. Paul's, and the average running in crossing the Southern Ocean
was only 161 miles per day." The last land sighted was the Island of
Trinidad--an uninhabited rock--in lat. 20 deg. 45' south, long. 29 deg.
48' west. This was on the 16th January and for seven "solid" weeks from
then we were out of sight of land. This time was redeemed from
monotony by tournaments of chess and whist, which filled up the
evenings. There were frequent small quarrels, with reconciliations
more or less sincere, which also afforded distraction. After one the
captain let off a rocket, also one of Holmes's patent "flare-ups."
This is a contrivance for saving life during the dark. It consists
of a box filled with potassium, which is pierced at both ends and
thrown into the sea fastened to a life-buoy. In contact with the
water the metal ignites, and for about half-an-