how to chastise the offender. The first
Sunday in the month was close at hand, so I waited till this man's
name was called, and then, after a suitable lecture, desired the
clerk, in the hearing of the whole ship's company, to change his
rating to that of able seaman from captain of the top. The poor fellow
looked bewildered, and, instead of passing on when another name was
called, stood stock-still half-way across the deck.

"Don't you hear?" I said; "you are no longer captain of the foretop,
you are disrated on the ship's books."

I then turned to the clerk to see the entry properly made; but on
looking again at the disrated seaman, I observed, to my astonishment,
that he was in tears!

I certainly had not reckoned upon such a scene; but it at once flashed
upon me that here was an opportunity of gaining two important points.
The first and most obvious of which was to secure this particular
man's future good services by enlisting all that was hearty in his
nature at the instant of its strongest expression; and the next, to
avail myself of the circumstance to stamp a still higher degree of
importance in the eyes of the men than before upon the value of these
ratings. I therefore instantly called out to the clerk to stop his
pen; and then addressing the man, in a voice loud enough to be heard
by all the crew, said, I was quite sure any one who felt so sensibly
the degradation implied in the loss of rank which he had just incurred
was never likely to expose himself again to such a risk. I should
therefore not only give him back his former rating, and replace him in
his station as captain of the top, but assure him that all trace both
of his offence and its punishment should from that moment be entirely
forgotten.

It is hardly within the range of popular explanation to show in what
particulars the different shades of technical merit consist, by which
many of these ratings are awarded. The letters A.B., which mean Able
Seaman, are placed against the names of those only who are
thorough-bred sailors, or who, in sea phrase, can not only "hand,
reef, and steer," but are likewise capable of heaving the lead in the
darkest night, as well as in the day-time; who can use the palm and
needle of a sail-maker; and who are versed in every part of a ship's
rigging, in the stowage of the hold, and in the exercise of the great
guns. Of course, an A.B. must be able to pull an oar, as well as use
it in sculling, understand the managem