held securely in its place by
being strung, or threaded, as it were, on two strong perpendicular
iron rods fixed to the taffrail, and inserted in holes piercing the
framework of the buoy. The apparatus is kept in its place by what is
called a slip-stopper, a sort of catch-bolt or detent, which can be
unlocked at pleasure, by merely pulling a trigger. Upon withdrawing
the stopper, the whole machine slips along the rods, and falls at once
into the ship's wake. The trigger which unlocks the slip-stopper is
furnished with a lanyard, passing through a hole in the stern, and
having at its inner end a large knob, marked "Life-Buoy;" this alone
is used in the day-time. Close at hand is another wooden knob, marked
"Lock," fastened to the end of a line fixed to the trigger of a
gunlock primed with powder: and so arranged, that, when the line is
pulled, the port-fire is instantly ignited, while, at the same
moment, the life-buoy descends, and floats merrily away, blazing like
a lighthouse. It would surely be an improvement to have both these
operations always performed simultaneously, that is, by one pull of
the string. The port-fire would thus be lighted in every case of
letting go the buoy; and I suspect the smoke in the day-time would
often be as useful in guiding the boat, as the blaze always is at
night.

The gunner who has charge of the life-buoy lock sees it freshly and
carefully primed every evening at quarters, of which he makes a report
to the captain. In the morning the priming is taken out, and the lock
uncocked. During the night a man is always stationed at this part of
the ship, and every half-hour, when the bell strikes, he calls out
"Life-buoy!" to show that he is awake and at his post, exactly in the
same manner as the look-out-men abaft, on the beam, and forward, call
out "Starboard quarter!" "Starboard gangway!" "Starboard bow!" and so
on, completely round the ship, to prove that they are not napping.

After all, however, it must be owned, that some of the most important
considerations, when a man falls overboard, have as yet scarcely been
mentioned. These are,--

First, the quickest and most effectual method of arresting the ship's
progress, and how to keep her as near the spot where the man fell as
possible.

Secondly, to preserve entire, during these evolutions, the general
discipline of the ship, to maintain silence, and to enforce the most
prompt obedience, without permitting foolhardy volunteering of