y the breech. So! In at last;
yet, with that eternal sentinel walking his rounds within a few paces of
my ear, how is it possible to sleep? Exhausted, however, by the novelty
and excitement of the past day, at length wearied nature asserted her
rights; and I had just begun to sink into a refreshing slumber, when
"Quarter," rang in my ears: again I start; ducks cackle, geese scream,
pigs grunt, cocks crow, men bawl; all the horrors of the incantation
scene in Der Freyschuetz would seem to accompany that same striking of
the bells.

"A ship is a thing you never can sleep quiet in,"

says an old song; and most feelingly did I subscribe to the veracious
assertion: at length, towards morning, by dint, I think, of conning over
that very line, I once more fell asleep.

But my slumbers were of short duration, for with daylight came the
order, "Wash decks." Then began slushing and swabbing, and bumping my
cot. All the live stock, too, were again in motion, and in fact, I soon
perceived it would be better at once to turn out. This was neither easy
nor agreeable, the deck being drenched with wet. However, I made up for
my night's restlessness by a hearty breakfast, and appeared on the
quarter-deck with a face exhibiting no symptoms of squeamishness. We are
making for Stromboli, which was visible in the horizon.

[Sidenote: SUNDAY ON BOARD.] _Sunday, 7th._--This morning, after the
crew had appeared at quarters,--that is, every man to his station,--the
bell rang for divine service, and all the chairs and benches above and
below, were put in requisition. The captain then read prayers on the
main deck, in a manner at once solemn and impressive. It may here be
remarked, that, when the ship carries out an ambassador, the youngsters
are exempt from school duties, and their holidays on the present
occasion are likely to be of considerable duration. The schoolmaster of
the Actaeon is a Scotchman, and his office cannot be an enviable one, if
half the tricks in store for him be ever put in practice; while the fact
of his hammock being swung close alongside those of his pupils, by no
means diminishes the facility of their execution. To-day being Sunday,
we dined at three o'clock; and our band, consisting of a drummer and
amateur fifer, played us to table with the well-known enlivening air of
"The roast beef of old England."

[Sidenote: MUSTER OF THE CREW.] In the evening we had a general muster,
and I am confident very few ships ever p