Engraving showing the scene on the deck of a Royal Navy Warship in the Mediterranean, at Christmas. The women have come onto the warship to sell figs, nuts, apples, shellfish and other delicacies to the crew. They were known as 'bumboat women' due to the nature of their trading craft; the character 'Buttercup' in the opera 'HMS Pinafore' being the most famous of these peddlars. The warship's mascot, 'Bruin' the bear, is seen taking an interest in proceedings; prior to obtaining some of the wares