Our audience cheered vociferously.
After this show the table was restored for snapdragon, and a brew of
milk punch was prepared in which we drank the health of Campbell's
party and of our good friends in the _Terra Nova_. Then the table
was again removed and a set of lancers formed.
By this time the effect of stimulating liquid refreshment on men so
long accustomed to a simple life became apparent. Our biologist had
retired to bed, the silent Soldier bubbled with humour and insisted
on dancing with Anton. Evans, P.O., was imparting confidences in
heavy whispers. Pat' Keohane had grown intensely Irish and desirous
of political argument, whilst Clissold sat with a constant expansive
smile and punctuated the babble of conversation with an occasional
'Whoop' of delight or disjointed witticism. Other bright-eyed
individuals merely reached the capacity to enjoy that which under
ordinary circumstances might have passed without evoking a smile.
In the midst of the revelry Bowers suddenly appeared, followed by some
satellites bearing an enormous Christmas Tree whose branches bore
flaming candles, gaudy crackers, and little presents for all. The
presents, I learnt, had been prepared with kindly thought by Miss
Souper (Mrs. Wilson's sister) and the tree had been made by Bowers of
pieces of stick and string with coloured paper to clothe its branches;
the whole erection was remarkably creditable and the distribution of
the presents caused much amusement.
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