se of weariness even in sailing
for a whole day and night. Still it is only for light airs, gentle
waves, or in deep rivers, or with long runs on the same tack, that the
captain may do his duty while he lies on a sofa. In fresh breezes and
rolling seas, or in beating to windward with frequent boards, such
indulgence is soon cut short; and indeed the muscles and energies of the
sailor are so braced up by the lively motion and refreshing blasts when
there is plenty of wind, that no _ennui_ can come; and there is quite
enough play of limb and change of position caused by the working of the
ship, while he soon learns by practice to steer by the action of any part
of his body from head to feet being in contact with the tiller, that
delicate and true sensorium of a boat to which all feeling is conveyed.

Sometimes I would sit low and out of sight, but with a glance now and
then at the compass, while the tiller pressed against my neck. At others
I would lie prone on the hatchway with my head upon both hands, and my
elbows on the deck, and my foot on the tiller; while, again, every day it
was necessary to cook and eat, all the time steering; the most difficult
operation of all being to eat a boiled egg comfortably under these
conditions, because there is the egg and the spoon, each in a hand, and
the salt and the bread, each liable to be capsized with a direful result.

Uncovered and handy for instant use there lies a sharp axe at the bottom
of the well, by which any rope may be cut, and a blow may be given to the
forelock of an anchor or other refractory point needing instant
correction, and near this again is the sounding lead, with its line wound
on a stick like that of a boy's kite. I soon found that much the best
way to tell the fathoms, especially at night, was to measure the line as
it was hauled in by opening my arms to the full stretch of one fathom
between my hands.

In two large leather pockets fixed in the well, were sundry articles,
such as a long knife, cords of various kinds, a foot measure of ivory
(best to read off at night), and a good binocular glass by Steward in the
Strand. {25}

Turning now to the left of the seat in the well, we open a door about a
foot square, hinged so as to fall downwards and thus form a cook's
"dresser;" and now the full extent is visible of our kitchen range, at p.
41, or in nautical tongue here is the caboose of the Rob Roy.

It is a zinc box with a frame holding a flat copp