64 A PORTUGUESE OVERBOARD. 



five feet from deck. A few weeks after this we had 

 another specimen of lofty tumbling whilst we were 

 gammoning with the barque Pioneer, of New Bed- 

 ford. The watch had gone aloft to furl the foretop- 

 sail, and had so far progressed as to be ready to pass 

 the yard-arm gaskets. Jose, a Portuguese, was at 

 the end of the starboard yard-arm coiling the outside 

 gasket, preparatory to encircling the sail with it, when 

 his feet slipped from the horse ; keeping firm hold of 

 the gasket, which reached about half way to the 

 water, he slid to its extreme end. The weather was 

 light, and the ship pretty steady. He remained sus- 

 pended for a moment, when, watching for the weather 

 roll, he let go, descended into the water, rose, and 

 struck out like a good fellow. The second mate ran 

 on to the house, caught up a boat's fall, made a bow- 

 ling in the end of it, and hove it to him; he slipped 

 it over his head and under his arms, and was soon 

 hauled aboard, without other damage than a good 

 wetting, of which he made very little account. 



Having recorded several instances of a serious 

 character, I shall take occasion to speak of the 

 numerous practical jokes that are enacted aboard 

 ship. The monotony of the life at sea renders a 

 hearty laugh somewhat of a relief, and assists in 

 passing away the time ; and this end is desirable on 

 the whaling-ground on account of the many hours 

 of inactivity. At night, in the vicinity of a place 

 of known resort for the fish, sail is shortened, and 

 all hands, except one boat's crew and its boatsteerer, 

 go below; the ofiicers remaining all day on deck, and 

 standing no watch at night. In a four-boat ship, the 

 night is divided into four watches. The night watch, 



