MORNING WATCH. 67 



wind blowing steadily and constantly 

 from one point of the compass, little 

 or no alteration in the trim of the 

 sails or quantity of canvas was necessary, 

 under a sky sparkling with a brilliancy 

 unknown in the northern hemisphere, 

 and nothing was heard but the reply of 

 the man at the helm to the quartermaster. 

 This officer would assemble us on the poop, 

 and, sending to his cabin for a liquor-case, 

 he would invite us all to fill our glasses, 

 and then cause each of us to sing a 

 song, himself joining in the chorus ; 

 sometimes varying the amusement by 

 exercising his wit good-humouredly on my 

 Hibernian friend ; at others with anec- 

 dotes gained from his own experience in 

 the service, or by some happy allusion 

 to those we had left behind. 



The greater part of the morning watch 

 in those warm latitudes and comparatively 

 smooth seas I spent in climbing the 

 masts and rigging ; and I had now 



F2 



