lant stay.
The tar-pot fell to the deck, and I very nearly accompanied
it. There was much commotion caused by this mishap, as part
of the contents of the bucket had splashed on the covering
board and white-painted bulwarks. The exhibition of grief
was far-reaching. The captain and his devoted officers made
a great noise at me; they asked with passionate emotion why
I didn't let my body fall instead--"there would have been
less mischief done," said they! Of course they did not mean
that exactly, though to the uninitiated it would have seemed
uncommonly like it. The indications of combined grief and
fearful swearing might have meant anything of a violent
nature. I could not be disrated, as I was only a cabin-boy,
but a substitutionary penalty was invoked against me. The
chief officer, who had a voice and an eye that indicated
whiskey, was a real artist in profane language. He vowed
that as sure as "Hell was in Moses" I would never become
worthy the name of a British sailor. This outburst of
alcoholic eloquence touched me keenly, and ever since that
time I have wondered wherein this original gentleman saw
connection between the great Hebrew law-giver and the nether
regions.

The cabin-boy's duties were not only numerous, but arduous.
Under serious physical penalties he had to keep the cabin,
its lamps and brass-work clean, and wash the towels and
table-cloths. (The latter were usually made of canvas.) The
skipper's and mate's beds had to be made, and washing done
for them; small stores such as coffee, tea, sugar, biscuits,
&c., were under the combined care of him and the commander.
In addition to this, he had to keep all the deck brass-work
shining; keep his watch and look-out; and, when he had
learned how to steer, take his trick at the helm. If any of
the small sails, such as royals, top-gallant sails, main
top-gallant stay-sail, or flying jib had to be taken in, he
was expected to be the first to spring into the rigging or
along the jib-boom to do it, provided it was his watch on
deck. It was really a sensational sight to witness these
mannikins spinning up aloft and handling the flapping sail.
I wonder now that more of them did not come to grief because
of the stupid aversion many of the skippers had to allowing
them to pass through what is known as the lubber hole--that
is, a hole in the main-and fore-tops leading to the top-mast
rigging. Occasionally both men and boys would lose their
hold and fall on the rail