Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-02

sky insured delightful day, as Arctic
days go at that season of the year. Our
breakfast came, as usual, at half-past sew
en-. At ten O'Clock the men assembled for
the customary Sabbath service. The Sc
lection of Psalms for Christmas day was
read. as we'll as the 139th and 140th
Psalms. Situated as we were upon the
verge of the world, and living in the great
more touchingly and fOrciblv than ever
the truth of those beautiful words:
! If 1 take the wings of the morning, and remain in
/ the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there also shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy
right hand hold me.
If say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me
| then shall my night be turned to day.
| Yea, the darkness is no darkness, with Thee, but
the night is clear the day; the darkness and
the light to Thee are both alike.
Need l say that our morning exercises
were closed with Praise God from Whom
All Blessings Flow" in which even the
least musical raised his voice?
| During the day nearly every man took
unusual amount of physical exercise in
view of the approaching feast, and the
three-mile course to Dutch Island and back
was, as usual. the favorite of the day. If
high noon brought to us naught but the
shining stars and circling planets of the
night, vet our eyes and senses. trained to
Arctic darkness, enabled US to keep the
rough roadway through the tangled ice
foot ard on the paleocrystic foes And if
Nature by her frosty touch had banished
every living subject from our cline and
thus silenced the hum of animal life. yet
with grand and wordless voices she spake
to US through the surging tides and crack
ling ice-foot.
Our exercise was promptly done by four
O'Clock, but the long menu of the day de-
layed dinner till an hour later, as our
cooks, Frederick and Long, were deter
mined that everything should be at its
best. All lands and chimes paid tribute 10
our table. and. if the conventional turkey
was wanting. it was we'll replaced by the
ducks and guillemots of Greenland. A
delicious tenderloin of the musk-ox of
Grinnell also graced our table; but | will
let our menu speak for itself:
FORT CONGER, GgINNELL LAND.
Christmas Dinner. 1881.
SOUP
Mock Turtle
Salmon la Paleocrystic
ENTREES.
GuillemOts la Sandersons Hope
Musk Ok Tongue-Sauce Arctique
SALAD
Grab la Grinne
ROAST
Beef a la Frederick
Elder Ducks Ia kislingbury
Tenderoin of Musk Ok
VEGETABLES
Potatoes Asparagus
Green Corn French Peas
coeoanut Pie PASTRY jelly Cake
Plum Pudding, Wine sauce
DESSERT
Grapes cns Brazil Nuts p,n Dates Figs
Vanilla Ice Cream Banana Ice Cream
Coffee Tea
The plum pudding had been a source of
distraction to the cooks until it was an
nounced that box of canned pudding had
been sent the party as a Christmas gift
from the wife of the commanding officer.
The entrance OF the under, cook with the
pudding was the feature of the dinner
The lambert, pale-blue flames of the rum
dancing about the pudding were novel
ty to some and delight to all. After the
coffee each officer and man was presented
with a Havana cigar, the gift of a thought
full army lady who appreciated the weak
ness of the rank and file for such articles
of luxury. Shortly after the dinner Ser
geant Rice appeared in the officers room.
stating that he came in behalf of the men,
who desired to express, through me, their
thanks to the ladies whose considerate
kindness had contributed so much to their
pleasure and happiness on this Christmas
dav.
A little later the ordinary Sunday allow
ance of rum was issued. The evening
passed quickly with music and appropriate
songs. At the end of one of them the
night observer called loudly out:
eleven o'clock
Christmas day at Conger was ended
The Current