awning, instead of on the reef, which I think was almost as great a
treat to the children.

We have, I am sorry to say, had a good deal of trouble with some of
our men here. One disappeared directly we arrived, and has never been
seen since. Another came off suffering from delirium tremens and
epileptic fits, brought on by drink. His cries and struggles were
horrible to hear and witness. It took four strong men to hold him, and
the doctor was up with him all last night. Nearly all the ships that
come here have been at sea for a long time, and the men are simply
wild when they get ashore. Some of the people know only too well how
to take advantage of this state of things, and the consequence is that
it is hardly safe for a sailor to drink a glass of grog, for fear that
it should be drugged. No doubt there are respectable places to which
the men could resort, but it is not easy for a stranger to find them
out, and our men seem to have been particularly unfortunate in this
respect. Tom talks of leaving two of them behind, and shipping four
fresh hands, as our number is already rather short.

_Friday, December 8th_.--I persuaded Tom to make another excursion to
the coral reef this morning, and at five o'clock he and Mabelle and I
set off in the 'Flash,' just as the sun was rising. We had a
delightful row, past the Quarantine Island[11], to the portion of the
reef on the other side of the harbour, where we had not yet been, and
where I think the coral plants and flowers and bushes showed to
greater advantage than ever, as they were less crowded, and the
occasional patches of sandy bottom enabled one to see them better. We
were so engrossed in our examination of these marvels of the deep, and
of the fish with which the water abounded, that we found ourselves
aground several times, and our return to the yacht was consequently