small arms, and also acted as muster master
at the setting and relieving of the watch.

The gunner, whose duties we have described at length, was privileged to
alter the ship's course in action, and may even have taken command
during a chase, or running fight. He was assisted by his mates, who
commanded the various batteries while in action, and aimed and fired
according to his directions.

The boatswain, the chief seaman of the crew, was generally an old sailor
who had been much at sea, and knew the whole art of seamanship. He had
charge of all the sea-stores, and "all the Ropes belonging to the
Rigging [more especially the fore-rigging], all her Cables, and Anchors;
all her Sayls, all her Flags, Colours, and Pendants;[23] and so to stand
answerable for them" (_Boteler_). He was captain of the long boat, which
was stowed on the booms or spare spars between the fore and main masts.
He had to keep her guns clean, her oars, mast, sails, stores, and water
ready for use, and was at all times to command and steer her when she
left the ship (_Hawkins_). He carried a silver whistle, or call, about
his neck, which he piped in various measures before repeating the
master's orders (_Monson_). The whistle had a ball at one end, and was
made curved, like a letter S laid sideways. The boatswain, when he had
summoned all hands to their duty, was expected to see that they worked
well. He kept them quiet, and "at peace one with another," probably by
knocking together the heads of those disposed to quarrel. Lastly, he was
the ship's executioner, his mates acting as assistants, and at his
hands, under the supervision of the marshal, the crew received their
"red-checked shirts," and such bilboed solitude as the captain might
direct.

[Footnote 23: He had to hang out the ship's colours on going into action
(_Monson_).]

The coxswain was the commander of the captain's row barge which he had
to keep clean, freshly painted and gilded, and fitted with the red and
white flag--"and when either the Captain or any Person of Fashion is to
use the Boat, or be carryed too and again from the Ship, he is to have
the Boat trimmed with her Cushions and Carpet and himself is to be ready
to steer her out of her Stern [in the narrow space behind the back board
of the stern-sheets] and with his Whistle to chear up and direct his
Gang of Rowers, and to keep them together when they are to wait: and
this is the lowest Officer in a Ship, that is allowed to c