Scene 3 Lawn of Gruffin's house.

God save the Queen.

This, the first appearance of the "Hyperboreans," was eminently successful, and elicited both laughter and applause from our very appreciative and demonstrative audience. Mademoiselle Blanc (Mr. White) made a fascinating little Dinah of six feet high, dressed in a Dolly Varden costume, whilst the other ladies were all that could be desired, and looked charming in their gorgeous silk and muslin dresses.

In this respect we had a decided advantage over our consort, the "Discovery;" for her space on board being somewhat limited, the building of an ice theatre on the floe became necessary. Here, though the building was spacious and elegant, the temperature was rarely above zero! The ladies were therefore unable to indulge in low dresses, and a close observer might have detected underclothing composed of seal-skins beneath their otherwise gay and brilliant costumes.

Occasionally, as the two following bills will show, we were agreeably surprised by the announcement of an entire change of programme.

H.M.S. "ALERT."

THURSDAY POPS.

December 16th, 1875.

Great attraction! The latest novelty of the season!! The Wizard of the North!!! [finger symbol] For one night only!!!!

PROGRAMME:

The entertainment will commence with A FEW WORDS ON STEAM . . Mr. Wootton. After which the only and veritable

WIZARD OF THE NORTH,

_en route_ to his hyperborean domicile,

will exhibit and expound some of his original and inimitable illusions and feats of prestidigitation, consisting of the following wonderful and startling tricks:--

The vanishing egg. The magic die. The mysterious sixpence. The magic shawl. A startling surgical operation. The marvellous watch trick. Tricks with cards. The magic bag trick. The wonderful generating hat. The astounding prestidigitorial metamorphosis, performed with an egg and silk handkerchief. The inexhaustible bottle. Our very able and renowned pianist, Lieut. Aldrich, will, as usual, preside at the orchestra. To commence at 7.30 precisely.

God save the Queen.

Messrs. Giffard and Symons, Printing Office, Trap Lane.

THURSDAY POPS.

H.M.S. "ALERT."

January 20th, 1876.

GRAND PHANTASMAGORIAL EXHIBITION and MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT.

To commence with A FEW WORDS ON ASTRONOMY, by Com. Markham, Illustrated by the aid of a magic lantern. To be followed by a series of

DISSOLVING VIEWS,

Consisting of coloured representations of Remarkable places in England, Photographic sketches of foreign countries, etc. After which, the wonderful and startling adventures of

SINDBAD THE SAILOR

Will be related by the Rev. H. W. Pullen. In the next place Com. Markham will give a life-like and entertaining display of various specimens in

NATURAL HISTORY; and Lieut. Aldrich will recite the true and touching TALE OF A TUB.

To conclude with some highly amusing

COMIC SCENES.

To commence at 7.30 precisely.

God save the Queen.

Messrs. Giffard and Symons, Printing Office, Trap Lane.

These amusements may be considered light and frivolous, for men engaged in such a serious undertaking as that upon which we were embarked; still they all tended to one point--namely, the successful issue of the enterprise. For they kept the minds of the men employed with pleasant and agreeable thoughts, drove away all feelings of tedium and dulness, and thus assisted largely in promoting the general well-being and satisfactory sanitary condition of the expedition during the long night of nearly one hundred and fifty days. They effectually banished despondency, and assisted in making all hands cheerful, happy, and contented.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Lieutenant Giffard and Robert Symons, A.B.

[2] Petersen, the Danish interpreter, and the ship's cook Dominick a native of Gibraltar.