Life on board Ship. ly 



deal of time was employed in drawing up regulations, and 

 in digesting all those instructions which had reached the 

 Commander of the Expedition from all sides, and hy which we 

 were to be guided in our future proceedings. 



The scientific gentlemen were the first who received 

 certain rules for their guidance j for, life on board a ship, 

 and especially of a man-of-war, is so entirely different from 

 that on shore, — the etiquette and usages practised appear, to 

 those unused to the sea, so vexatious and annoying, that it 

 was absolutely necessary to inform them of the regulations 

 which are essential in order to keep so singular an organi- 

 zation as that of a ship at sea in working order. Erelong every 

 one perceived, that the matutinal annoyance of holystoning 

 the decks, the daily cleaning of everything on board, &c., are 

 measures of importance, which contribute materially to the pre- 

 servation of the health of the crew, and that a strict observance 

 of discipline is absolutely necessary to exercise their powers, 

 and thus to fit them for all eventualities. 



For the better accommodation of the naturalists, a place on 

 the lower gun-deck was fitted up for those operations which, 

 on account of the limited space and noxious exhalations, 

 could not well be performed in the cabins. 



We had a large quantity of alcohol on board, destined for 

 the preservation of interesting objects of natural history. In 

 order to prevent any calamity by fire arising therefrom, the 

 whole quantity was put in a large iron tank placed in the 

 hold, and covered over with sand. It will, however, be seen 



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