Chapter 39 - Page 2

line-of-battle ship transplanted ashore? They are all
one--all, as King David, men-of-war from their youth.

Ay, behold now the Neversink at her anchors, in many respects
presenting a different appearance from what she presented at sea.
Nor is the routine of life on board the same.

At sea there is more to employ the sailors, and less temptation to
violations of the law. Whereas, in port, unless some particular
service engages them, they lead the laziest of lives, beset by all
the allurements of the shore, though perhaps that shore they may
never touch.

Unless you happen to belong to one of the numerous boats, which,
in a man-of-war in harbour, are continually plying to and from
the land, you are mostly thrown upon your own resources to while
away the time. Whole days frequently pass without your being
individually called upon to lift a finger; for though, in the
merchant-service, they make a point of keeping the men always
busy about something or other, yet, to employ five hundred
sailors when there is nothing definite to be done wholly
surpasses the ingenuity of any First Lieutenant in the Navy.

As mention has just been made of the numerous boats employed in
harbour, something more may as well be put down concerning them.
Our frigate carried a very large boat--as big as a small sloop--
called a _launch_, which was generally used for getting off wood,
water, and other bulky articles. Besides this, she carried four
boats of an arithmetical progression in point of size--the largest
being known as the first cutter, the next largest the second cutter,
then the third and fourth cutters. She also carried a Commodore's
Barge, a Captain's Gig, and a "dingy," a small yawl, with a crew
of apprentice boys. All these boats, except the "dingy," had their
regular crews, who were subordinate to their cockswains--_petty
officers_, receiving pay in addition to their seaman's wages.

The _launch_ was manned by the old Tritons of the fore-castle, who were
no ways particular about their dress, while the other boats--commissioned
for genteeler duties--were rowed by young follows, mostly, who had a
dandy eye to their personal appearance. Above all, the officers see to
it that the Commodore's Barge and the Captain's Gig are manned by
gentlemanly youths, who may do credit to their country, and form
agreeable objects for the eyes of the Commodore or Captain to repose
upon as he tranquilly sits in the stern, when pulled ashore by his
barge-men or gig-men, as the case may be. Some sailors are very fond of
belonging to the boats, and deem it a great honour to be a _Commodore's
barge-man_; but others, perceiving no particular distinction in that
office, do not court it so much.

On