ny boards, resting on
cross-beams. The boards are loose, so that even in bed I can pull one
up, and thus get at my cellar or at the iron pigs of ballast. The bed is
of cork, about seven feet long and three feet wide. On this (for it
_was_ rather hardish) I put a plaid, {150} and then a railway rug, which
being coloured, had been substituted for a blanket, as the white wool of
the latter insisted on coming off, and gave an untidy look to my thick
blue boating-jacket.

One fold of the rug was enough for an ample covering, and I never once
was cold in the cabin.

A large pillow was encased by day in blue (the uniform colour of all my
decorations), and it was stripped at night to be soft and smooth for the
cheek of the sleeper.

Putting under this my coats and a regulation woven Jersey, with the
yacht's name worked in red across its breast in regular sailor's fashion,
the pillow became a most comfortable cushion, and the woodcut shows me
reclining in the best position for reading or writing, as if on a good
sofa. On my right hand behind is a candle-lamp, with a very heavy stand.
It rests upon a shelf, which can be put in any convenient place by a
simple arrangement.

[Picture: The Cabin]

In the sketch already given at p. 41, there is a tarpaulin spread over
the well, and this was used on one occasion when we had to cook in rain
while at anchor. {151}

On the same side, and below the boxes, "Tools" and "Eating," already
mentioned, are two large iron cases, labelled "Prog,"--a brief
announcement which vastly troubled the brains of several French visitors,
whose English etymology did not extend to such curt terms.

In these heavy boxes are cases of preserved meats, soups, and vegetables,
and these I found perfectly satisfactory in every respect, when procured
at a proper place (Morel's in Piccadilly). Here you can get little tin
cases, holding half a pint each and sealed up hermetically. {152}

To cook one of these tins full--which, with bread and wine is an ample
dinner--you cut the top circle with the lever-knife, but allowing it to
be still attached by a small part to the tin, and fold this lid part back
for a handle.

Then put the tin into a can of such a shape and size that it has about
half an inch of water all round the tin, but not reaching too high up,
else it may bubble over when boiling, and as you can use salt water or
muddy water for this water-jacket, it will not do to