162 NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 



sure," said I, " I do not know ; you ought to know best what party 

 you belong to." " So I do, Sir ; but I'm no hartificialer, I'm in the 

 swab-making party." " Oh ! well, well, artificers include all the 

 parties ; so get your men up, and into the boat." " Aye, aye, Sir," 

 and away he went. The boatswain's mate and Will Gibbon made 

 their way forward, looking at each other as if in doubt whether I 

 was not humbugging them. I could not stand it any longer, but 

 burst out laughing, and the first-lieutenant coming up at the moment, 

 caught me (as he thought) skylarking, instead of attending to my 

 duty, and, of course, reprimanded me rather severely ; at the same 

 time pointing to the mast-head, by way of hinting that there was 

 such a place of elevation. I told him what had excited my risible 

 faculties, and he appeared as much amused as myself; and while we 

 were talking about it the sail-maker came aft to inquire of the 

 " hofficer" of the watch whether he was to go to the dock-yard as 

 usual. The first-lieutenant heard him, and asked him if he had not 

 heard himself called away. " No, Sir," said the sail-maker, <e I've 

 been a waiting on the gangway ever since the hands were turned 

 up, and no parties have been piped away whatsomever." " Then 

 pray," says the first-lieutenant, " what did the boatswain' s-mate pipe 

 away just now ?" " Nothing, Sir, I assure you, but the hartificialers." 

 " Well, and what is that ?" " I don't know, Sir ; but I don't belong 

 to no such party." "Well, well," said the first-lieutenant, "go, then, 

 and tell the boatswain's-mate to pipe the sail-makers away." We 

 now piped all the parties away by name, and they soon shoved off 

 from the ship. For the future we always gave them all their proper 

 names ; but it remained a good joke for the men a long time after. 

 They were constantly heard to say to each other, " Don't speak to 

 me, you're a hartificialer." Indeed, on their return to the ship 

 (having, I suppose, managed to smuggle a little too much liquor on 

 board), just as they came alongside, they all, with one accord, sung, 

 " hurrah, there, my lads, three cheers for the hartificialers." This was 

 contrary to all discipline, and would have been a matter of black list ; 

 but the captain not being on board, the first-lieutenant good-naturedly 

 looked over it, in consideration of the general good conduct and ala- 

 crity of the ship's company, who were, certainly, in better order than 

 that of any ship on the station. And the men, themselves, as happy 

 as could possibly be, they liked their captain and trusted him ; know- 

 ing him to be a thorough sailor, they were confident that if they 

 were in danger he would extricate them from it, if human means 

 could avail. The officers were treated like gentlemen, and made as 

 comfortable as the nature of the service would permit, did their duty 

 cheerfully, and, not being ill-treated themselves, felt no inclination 

 to ill-treat any one else. I think it may be safely said, that never 

 was there a ship in commission in which every body on board was so 

 thoroughly contented, or so determined to do their duty and obey 



their orders, in spite of every obstacle, as the . It now drew near 



the evening the different working parties had returned on board the 

 sails furled top-gallant yards were down boats up it was four 

 bells (six o'clock), the commencement of the last dog-watch I had 

 looked anxiously forward to the time when I should hear the sequel 



