or eight inches thick, which are not allowed to be
pulled out until the whole fire is cleaned at the usual time; this
order from the chief engineer surprised me at the time, as clinkers are
not calculated to increase the steam, so I left them there to deaden the
fire, but later on I found the solution; I was told by an old stoker
that there was sharp competition between the chief engineers as to who
could do the voyage at the least expense of coals, and that information
explained the action of our chief engineer who would often perambulate
the deck till midnight, watching the windsails that they should remain
with their backs to the wind in order to prevent a breath of cool air
reaching the fires, that would cause them to burn a few more pounds of
coals, while some of the stokers were often hauled up in the ash-bucket
fainting from the stifling heat of the foul-smelling stoke-hold. We were
all supplied with fishing-lines and hooks of three different sizes, and
extra grog when getting steam up. The method of cleaning and polishing
the engines and all bright work was very effectual, and did the stokers
great credit; after having scoured and polished the steel and bright
ironwork they were frosted, in imitation of hoar frost. A pot of hot
tallow and white lead in which a clean piece of cotton waste was dipped,
and the parts smeared evenly in line with the metal, and when this dried
it was dabbed, or patted, with another clean piece of waste also dipped
in the hot tallow, which gave the metal a good imitation of hoar frost;
the brass and copper work were burnished and shone like gold. The boat
drill and fire drill create some wonder for the passengers, as they
always happen unexpectedly; the former begins in this way: a large gong
is rapidly hit with a mallet by the quartermaster, and all those stokers
and sailors, who belong to the seventeen boats hanging from the davits,
immediately make their way towards them and commence to clear the falls,
and the word is given to lower all boats, while the men hold their oars
ready to push off, and the boats are run down nearly to the water's
edge; then it is up all boats, and those on deck run them up in a jiffy
to their places under the davits, and coil the tails up, and this ends
the boat drill. The fire drill takes place on another day, and commences
in this manner: the ship's bell is rapidly rung by the quartermaster;
the unusual rapidity of the ringing attracts the attention of al