struck one more than the strong tendency to talk of
home, and England: it became quite a disease. We, for the most part,
spoke as if all the most affectionate husbands, dutiful sons, and
attached brothers, had found their way into the Arctic expeditions.
From these maudlins, to which the most strong-minded occasionally gave
way, we gladly sought refuge in amusements,--such as theatres and
balls. To give an idea of the zest with which all entered these
gayeties, I will recount a list of the characters assumed by the
officers, at the first fancy dress ball.

Capt. Austin _Old Chairs to mend._
Ommanney _Mayor of Griffith's Island._
Lieut. Aldrich _Fancy dress._
Cator _Old English Gentleman._
M'Clintock _Blue Demon._
Osborn _Black Domino._
Brown _Red Devil._
Mecham _Blue and White Domino._
Dr. Donnet _A Lady, then a Friar._
Bradford _A Capuchin._
Ward _A Beadle._
Mr. King _Jockey._
Rearse _Smuggler._
May _Roman Soldier._
Hamilton _A Spinster._
Eds _Spanish Dancing Girl._
Markham _As Allegory._
Cheyne _Miss Maria._
M'Dougall _Vivandiere._
Lewis _Farmer Wapstraw._
Mr. Allard _Mahomet Ali._
Webb _Bedouin Arab._
Harwood _Miss Tabitha Flick._
Allen _Greenwich Pensioner._
Brooman _Punch._
Crabbe _Sir Charles Grandison._
Richards _A Scot._

Whilst pirates, Turks, gipsies, and ghosts, without number, chequered
the ball-room.

These our amusements; but the main object of our coming to the North
was kept constantly in view, and nothing that labour or ingenuity could
devise towards the successful accomplishment of our mission was
wanting.

Some turned their attention to obtaining information for the general
good, upon all that related to travelling in frozen regions; others
plodded through many a volume, for meteorological information upon
which to arrange a safe period of departure for the travellers in the
spring; others tried to found some reasonable theory as to the
geography of the unexplored regions around us; whilst a portion more
actively employed themselves in bringing into action divers practical
means of commun