SKETCHES OF SEA-LIFE. 341 



as a talisman on similar emergencies at school, he heeded not in 

 the least. " If I ever catch you," said he, " stowing yourself 

 away again, I'll haul you out by the ears. Now remember it." 

 And I did remember it, Mr. White, not only to preserve those 

 tender organs from the rough tug you threatened, but also to 

 give no occasion for them to hear more such kind remarks. "And 

 you, young Dutch chunk," he continued, "if you ever stay 

 away again half the night, looking him up, I'll lash you by the 

 ears to the main-mast." " Yeth thir," coolly replied Harry. 



At eight bells again, four o'clock for the bell was struck 

 every half hour we had the extreme felicity of yelling at the 

 forecastle door, "Larbowlines a-hoy." Thus through the twenty- 

 four hours, except six in the afternoon, we had an alternation of 

 watches at each " eight bells ; " the " dog watch," of two hours 

 in the evening, serving to alternate the succession of watches 

 every other night. On Sundays and stormy days we usually had 

 "watch and watch" that is, an alternation of watches through- 

 out the entire day. A storm never comes amiss to poor Jack ; 

 for as well as the excitement which he longs for, it brings him 

 more resting spells. 



Let me now present to you, kind reader, our crew at meals. 

 Around the forecastle sit, each on his own chest, one or both 

 watches, as may be. Out from among the dirty clothes in his 

 bunk, each one pulls a basin, quart cup, and spoon. The boys 

 bring in from the galley and set down in the middle of the floor, 

 two or three kids of food, out of which all help themselves. At 

 eight o'clock comes breakfast ; but such a breakfast ! That eter- 

 nal " scouse ! " a mushy mess of sea-biscuit or potatoes boiled 

 up with bits of salt meat. Then each had his "pot" of the 

 black extract of burnt peas, with a little molasses in it, vulgarly 

 called coffee. These, without butter, salt, or seasoning of any 

 kind, for we never had those luxuries, constituted our unvarying 

 morning repast. At noon we fared a little better, for variety at 

 least. Twice a week we had molasses with " duff " a bag of 

 flour boiled solid in salt water ; twice, vinegar with beans i. e. 

 water-gruel with a sprinkling of beans in it ; twice, corn meal 

 mush ; and for the odd time, boiled potatoes, which relished re- 



