acteristic feature. Groups of men may
be seen sitting on the deck chatting over very old stories, a few are
reading, and many are stretched out flat on their backs fast asleep,
or dosing with their heads laid on their arms on the mess-table. But
the habit of locomotion amongst sailors is so strong, that there are
always numerous parties walking on the main deck in pairs, or in
threes and fours, along a short space, backwards and forwards,
although there seems no reason why their walk should not be twice or
thrice as long. Both sides of the forecastle, too, and the
lee-gangway, are generally filled with these walking philosophers, as
they may in truth be called; for they enjoy the hour that passes, and
are ready to take whatever comes in good part. The weather-gangway is
usually left for the occasional transits of that most restless of
mortals, the officer of the watch, who, as in duty bound, is eternally
fidgeting about the trim of the sails, and must often step forward to
the chestree, from whence, while resting his foot on the tack-block of
the mainsail, he may cast his eye aloft to detect something to alter
in the position of the head-yards. Or if he hears any noise in the
galley, or even on the lower deck, he can walk forward till he is able
to peer down the fore-hatchway, by stooping under the bows of the boat
on the booms. Most of this fidget probably arises, not so much from
any wish to find fault with what is wrong, as to maintain what is
right. The true preventive service of an officer is to interpose his
superintending vigilance between the temptation, on the part of the
men, to err, and their first motion towards offence. Were this
principle fully acted up to in all ships, how rapidly might not our
punishments subside!

At four, or half-past four in the afternoon, the merry pipe to supper
awakes the sleepers, arrests the peripatetics, and once more clusters
young and old round the mess-table. At sunset the drum beats to
quarters, when the men's names are carefully called over, and the
sobriety of each ascertained. Other duties may be intermitted on the
day of rest, but not that of the guns, which are minutely examined,
and all their appendages got ready every evening with as much earnest
care as if the ship were that instant sailing into action. A moment's
reflection, indeed, will show that there can, of course, be no
difference in this respect between Sunday and any other evening. Then
come in succession th