PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
29 
The regulation of permitting the crew to sleep on the gun- 
deck, with the ports open, where they have a free circulation of 
air, contributes not a little, in my opinion, to the preservation of 
their health. Most commanders are averse to this indulgence, 
in consequence of their supposing their hammocks in the way of 
the guns; but so far from finding a disadvantage in it, I find a 
great advantage in always having the men near their quarters, 
when on the slightest alarm they may be ready for action ; and 
should circumstances make it necessary for us to pipe up the 
hammocks on seeing a strange sail at night, they can bedashed 
up much sooner and with less confusion on a roomy gun-deck 5 
than from a dark and crowded birth-deck. But if it should hap¬ 
pen (which cannot be the case with a good look-out) that a ves¬ 
sel should be close on board before she is discovered, and there 
should not be time to get the hammocks on deck, it is an 
easy matter to cut away the lanyards, and throw the hammocks 
below, or on one side, clear of the guns. It must be understood 
that none are permitted to sleep on the gun-deck, but those 
who are quartered at the guns there; and they are compelled 
to sling the hammocks opposite their guns, and are account¬ 
able for the safety of every article belonging to them. Ships 
that adopt this regulation, with other proper precautions, have 
always healthy crews ; and this circumstance alone, which contri¬ 
butes so much to their comfort, and in time of action must ren¬ 
der them more efficient, should overcome the trifling, ill-founded 
apprehension of not having the hammocks stowed in time for 
action. Fifteen minutes are sufficient at any time to make every 
preparation for action; and on discovering a vessel at night, 
there can be no circumstance which should render it necessary 
to run along side of her without taking that much time to pre¬ 
pare for battle. In order' to have the hammocks in a greater 
state of readiness for stowing away, orders were given that 
every man, so soon as he turns out to take his watch, should 
lash his hammock up in readiness to take on deck. 
The sick are never permitted to remain on the gun-deck at 
night, but are brought up by their messmates every morning, 
and their hammocks are slung in some cool agreeable part of the 
