o sentimentality never failed to strike a penitent
chord for some real or supposed sins that had been thoughtlessly
committed. But the mood was merely of brief duration, and only required
a comic interjection by someone to send the little community into
prolonged gaiety. It was quite usual when they were in the mood to
carry their revelry far into their watch below.

When the time came for the hand-spike to be thudded on the deck over
their heads, and eight bells called them from slumber to duty, there
were found some of whom it was said they would sleep with their heads
in a bucket of water, and these were speedily brought to consciousness
by the head of their hammocks being let fly by their less somnolent
comrades. This was one of the jokes which often led to days of
estrangement between the sleeper and the supposed culprit. It was
always a mystery who committed the offence, as great caution was used
to preserve secrecy. It was a wonder no necks were broken,
notwithstanding the care taken to avoid injury in carrying out this
mode of arousing the heavy sleeper. Many were undoubtedly hurt, but as
there was a good deal of disgrace attached to sleeping on after being
called, there was rarely open revolt or complaint made. Another method
of dealing with hands who could not keep their eyes open when on watch
was to reeve a rope through the scupper-hole, attach one end to the
person, and the other to a coal basket, which was thrown overboard. If
the vessel was travelling fast, the poor culprit was rudely awakened,
and before he could extricate himself he was dragged into the lee
scuppers. As that portion of the deck was usually flooded when the
vessel had any speed on her, there were soon loud cries for mercy. When
it was not prudent to adopt this plan, a bucket of water was thrown at
the sleeper's head; this produced the idea of having to swim for it. I
have often seen the culprit after an ablution of this character strike
out on the deck until his hands or his head came in contact with
something harder than either, and made consciousness revive.

But there were methods for dealing with the habit of sleeping on deck
other than those, which were fraught with greater danger. I was serving
on a vessel whose mate was in the habit of napping when on duty. It was
arranged to stretch ropes across the deck about one or two feet from
it, and about six feet apart. It was a dark, dirty night; the top of
the sea was all alive with pho