ashion.

Then, there was the heaving of the log at stated intervals to ascertain
the speed of the ship through the water, and the constant trimming of
the sails; for more canvas was piled on as the breeze fell light during
the afternoon, as we wanted everything spread that could draw in order
to catch the slightest breath of wind there was.

Oh, yes, there was plenty to see for a novice like me! The _Josephine_
was fresh out of port, and there were lots of things that had to be done
to make her ship-shape for the long voyage before her; and, besides, had
there been nothing else for the hands to do beyond taking their trick at
the wheel and attending to the braces--the ordinary routine of their
duty with a fair wind such as we had--the captain and first mate would
have felt bound to find them something to keep their minds from
mischief. Sailors are never allowed a minute to be idle on a vessel at
sea save on Sundays, and then they find work for themselves, as a rule,
in the way of mending their clothes and putting their chests in order.

I noticed this device on Captain Miles's part to provide employment for
the men when he came on deck after luncheon; when, seeing some of the
seamen lounging about in the waist, he immediately set them to pump out
the bilge. This, however, did not occupy them very long, the ship being
pretty dry; for, after a thick dirty stream of ill-smelling water, mixed
with a portion of molasses, leakage from the casks of sugar below, had
poured into the scuppers for a few minutes, the pumps sucked, thus
showing that the hold was clear down to the well bottom.

A second washing-down decks followed, to efface the traces of the nasty
bilge-water; and then, Captain Miles looked about for another task to
keep the hands busy.

"How is she going?" he asked Mr Marline, who had just seen to the
heaving of the log, the man assisting him having not quite yet reeled in
the line.

"Six knots, sir," answered the chief mate.

"By Jingo! that'll never do with this breeze," said the captain. "We
must get the starboard stunsails on her."

"All right, sir," responded Mr Marline; and thereupon a couple of men
went aloft to reeve the studding-sail halliards through the jewel blocks
at the end of the yard-arms, while others stood below preparing the
tackle and getting the booms ready, with tacks rove for hoisting, sail
after sail being speedily packed on in addition to the canvas we were
already carrying.