e following routine orders, and their
correspondent evolutions:--"Reef topsails!" "Stand by the hammocks!"
"Pipe down!" "Roll up the cloths!" "Call the watch!" "Pipe the
sweepers!" And thus, at last, the first day of the week at sea, in a
man-of-war, is at an end.

In old times, I recollect, the fashion was for the men to press aft
in a disorganised crowd; but of late years the following more
appropriate and orderly arrangement has been universally adopted. The
men are distributed in a close double row round the quarter-deck
gangways and forecastle, each standing in his place according to the
order of his name on the Open List. A small table is then brought up,
on which are spread the muster-books; and the captain's clerk, who is
the only person seated, begins calling over the names. Each man, as
his turn comes, pulls off his hat, smooths down his hair, and passes
over from the lee side of the deck to the weather side, stepping
across the gratings just before the binnacle. The captain stands to
windward, so that the men advance directly up towards him, and then
pass forward in review. By this means, not only the captain, but the
officers, who, of course, are all present, become better acquainted
with the men, learn their names, and ascertain their respective
ratings and merits. The first lieutenant plants himself at the
captain's elbow to furnish such general information as may be
required, or to appeal for more minute details to the other
lieutenants, warrant-officers, mates, or midshipmen, as the case may
be.

The captain avails himself of this public opportunity of telling any
of the men that they have been advanced a step on the books since the
last muster; and if these intimations be given without parade, and in
good taste, they afford great satisfaction to the people, though it
may often happen that the changes of rating are almost nominal. It is
a great point gained in all discipline, if the persons we wish to
influence can be made duly sensible that their merits and exertions
are not neglected. It is obvious, too, that if giving a man a higher
rating be a source of encouragement, to disrate him may readily be
used as a means of punishment. I remember, in the Lyra, on my way home
from China, in 1817, that the captain of the foretop, a fine active
lad from North Shields, got into some scrape, not quite bad enough to
bring him within the reach of the terrible gangway, but close to it,
and I was rather perplexed