The afternoon was fine, and the wind got round again to the west; but although this is really the west monsoon, there is no regularity or steadiness about it, calms and breezes from every point of the compass continually occurring.
The captain, though nominally a Protestant, seemed to have no idea of Christmas-day as a festival.

Our dinner was of rice and curry as usual, and an extra glass of wine was all I could do to celebrate it.
Dec.

26th .-- Fine view of the mountains of Bouru, which we have now approached considerably.

Our crew seem rather a clumsy lot.

They do not walk the deck with the easy swing of English sailors, but hesitate and stagger like landsmen.