222 THE SEA. 



out of your bed with a shriek, and, if a very nervous person, probably run on deck in 

 your shirt ! " 



The doctor's last description of an accumulation of these horrors is fearful to even 

 think about. The bulkheads all around your berth are black with cock and hen-roaches, 

 a few of which are nipping your toe, and running off with little bits of the skin of your 

 leg; while a troop of ants are carrying a dead one over your pillow; musquitoes and flies 

 attacking you everywhere; rats running in and rats running out; your lamp just flickering 

 and dying away into darkness, with the delicious certainty that an indefinite number of 

 earwigs and scorpions, besides two centipedes and a tarantula, are hiding themselves 

 somewhere in your cabin ! All this is possible ; still Dr. Stables describes life on other 

 vessels under more favourable auspices. 



The important addition of a chaplain to the establishment on board our ships of war 

 seems, from the following letter of George, Duke of Buckingham, to have been first 

 adopted in the year 1626 : 



" THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM TO THE UNIVERSITY or CAMBRIDGE. 



"After my hearty commendations. His Majesty having given order for preachers to goe in every of his 

 ships to sea, choyce hath been made of one Mr. Daniel Ambrose, Master of Arts and Fellow of your College, 

 to be one. Accordinglv, upon signification to me to come hither, I thought good to intimate unto you, that 

 His Majesty is so careful of such scholars as are willing to put themselves forward in so good actions, as that 

 he will expect and I doubt not but that you will accordingly take order that the said Mr. Ambrose shall suffer 

 noe detriment in his place with you, by this his employment ; but that you will rather take care that he shall 

 have all immunities and emoluments with advantage, which have been formerly, or may "be, granted to any upon 

 the like service. Wherein, not doubting of your affectionate care, I rest, 



" Your very loving friend, 



"York House, July 29CA, 1626." " G. BUCKINGHAM. 



Sailors, in spite of their outbursts of recklessness, have frequently, from the very 

 nature of their perilous calling, an amount of seriousness underlying their character, which 

 makes them particularly amenable to religious influences. The chaplain on a large modern 

 ironclad or frigate has as many men in his charge, as regards spiritual matters, as the 

 vicar of a country town or large village, whilst he has many more opportunities of reaching 

 them directly. Many of our naval chaplains are noble fellows; and to them come the 

 sailors in any distress of mind, for the soothing advice so readily given. He may not dare 

 to interfere with the powers that be when they are in danger of punishment, except in 

 very rare cases; but he can point them out their path of duty, and how to walk in it, 

 making them better sailors and happier men. He can lend them an occasional book, or 

 write for them an occasional letter home; induce them to refrain from dissipation when 

 on liberty; cheer them in the hour of greatest peril, while on the watery deep, and give 

 them an occasional reproof, but in kindness, not in anger. To his brother officers he has 

 even better opportunities of doing good than to the men. On the smaller classes of vessels 

 gun-boats and the like the captain has to perform chaplain's duties, by reading prayers 

 on the Sabbath. This is the case also on well-regulated steamships or passenger sailing- 

 vessels of the merchant service. The fine steamers of such lines as the Cunard, or White 

 Star, of the Royal Mail Company, or of the P. and 0., have, of course, frequently, some 

 clergyman, minister, or missionary on board, who is willing to celebrate divine service. 



