d perhaps with a trifle too much of fluids,
came singing and capering along the deck of their hulk. In the most
good-humoured way possible, they asked their neighbours how many geese
and turkeys they had discussed that day. The meagre answer called
forth shouts of merriment, and the poor fellows belonging to the other
ship were rather unhandsomely taunted with the scantiness of their
Christmas fare. "Look at that and weep, you hungry-faced rascals!"
exclaimed one of our jolly blades, holding up the drumstick of a goose
in one hand and that of a turkey in the other. He was answered by the
practical joke of having the two bones twisted from his hands and
shyed in his face, according to the most approved tarpaulin manners.
This was the signal for a general _melee_, and the officers had enough
to do to separate the contending hosts.

A few days before the next Christmas-day came round, when we were
lying in the River Canton, my steward came to me and said,--

"The people, sir, have been talking for the last two or three weeks of
hardly anything else but the 'row' at Deptford this time twelvemonth,
when you gave them a feast on Christmas-day."

"Well, what of that?"

"Oh, nothing, sir; I only thought you might like to know it. There are
plenty of ducks and geese at the Chinese village close to us."

I seized the idea in a moment; and having, as before, consulted with
the first lieutenant, I bade my steward prepare a good stock
accordingly. I took no further charge of the matter; nor did I expect
to hear anything more of the dinner or its preparations. In this,
however, I was deceived; for when daylight appeared on Christmas
morning of 1816, such a racket was heard from our little vessel as
brought up all hands on board every one of the ten or a dozen huge
East India Company's ships amongst which we were anchored, at a place
called Second Bar. Our fellows had carried the whole of their
Christmas poultry aloft, and having perched themselves at the
yard-arms and on the cross-trees, gaff, and flying jib-boom ends, they
made each of the wretched birds fast with a string six or eight feet
long, in such a manner that they could flap their wings, but could not
escape. The great difficulty, as I afterwards learned, was how to keep
the ducks and geese from making a noise till the proper moment
arrived, and this was not effected without sundry bites and scratches.
As soon as broad daylight came, the word was given, and the whole