reserved this apartment for his own use.
At six o'clock every morning the slaves were roused up and began
their day with prayers, which the chaplain conducted, taking
particular care that the Huguenots were hearty in their responses.
The Turks--or _Vogue-avants_ as they were called--were never molested
on the score of religion; but while Mass was being said were put out
of the galley into a long-boat, where they diverted themselves by
smoking and talking till the Christians were through with their
exercises.
When these were done the daily portion of biscuit--pretty good,
though coarse--was doled out to each man, and at ten o'clock a
porringer of soup. Also, on days when the galleys were taken for a
cruise, each slave received something less than a pint of wine,
morning and evening, to keep up his strength. But it must not be
imagined from this that their work was light during the rest of the
week. When the weather kept them in harbour, all such as knew any
useful trade were taken off the galley to the town of Dunkirk, and
there set to work under guard, some at the making of new clothes or
the repairing of old ones; others at carpentry, plumbing, or
shoemaking; others, again, at repairing the fortifications, and so
on--thus allowing room for the residue to scrub out the galley, wash
down the benches and decks, and set all ship-shape and in order: of
which residue Tristram was one, being versed in no trade but that of
gardening, for which there seemed to be no demand. But at length,
having an eye for colour, he was given a paint-pot and brushes,
slung over the galley's stern, and set to work to touch up the
window-frames of the Commodore's cabin. The position was
uncomfortable at first, since the board on which he was slung was but
eight inches wide, and the galley's stern rose to a considerable
height above the water. Looking down, he reflected that, with the
heavy chain on his leg, he was safe to drown if he slipped; and in
spite of his miserable situation, he had not the least desire to die,
being full of trust in Providence and assured that, so long as he
lived, there would always be a chance of regaining his beloved
Sophia. And pretty soon he grew to delight in the work, not for its
own sake alone, but because it separated him for a time from the
sight of his companions and their misery. The paint was blue, which
reminded him of the Pavilions at home, and he began to throw his soul
into the job, with t
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