Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-07-23

resi-, AL, rom their character rs well as du-
ties, never high Ia favor with the star" In
port, Al scrgeant's guard, consisting at thir-
teen, i, always kept, during the day, IN uni
form, OH the quarter deck; the remainder
take turns at guard in different parts of the |
ship; two at the gangways; perhaps, one at
the bow, one at the cabin door; one at the |
water cistorn; one over the prisoners and one
at the store rooms. AT seq the lower guards
arc the same; the rest pull and haul on the
*par-deck, and arc, there, subject TO the same
orders as the sailor
a ship lihc this is entitled to about sixty
marines, and three hundred and eighty sail
oIs; and the proper selection and distribution
al tho latter, which belongs To the first lieu
tenant, and is Il matter OF great Importance,
* always considered as an excellent trial of
ms tact They are formed into several grades.
The first * called Seamcn, and comprises
those capable Of doing any ships duty aloll,
and on deck; they amount 20 about one
hundred, and receive twelve dollars per
month, with IL ration. The second class re-
ceives two dollars less, and includes what
arc dcnominatcd ordinary seamen, men nc.
rustomed TO salt water, but act SO expert as
the former. They are about one hundred
and fifty IN number, and TO them with the
seamcn arc assigned the yards, the (orccas-
tic, and all the difficult and dangerous parts
"i"@S11en, or green hands, here, Amounting
to about one hundred-and for eight doIlars
pay, performing the less honorable services
al the after gucrd and masters
fhe after guard comprise the better cha
ractcrs among these, and have their station
on the quarter deck; the waisters settle de-
gree lower. and occupy the gun-deck; a set
oi men generally, whose boated features
and iniiamcd eyes tell the whole history of
riraFrr-~ ,Tlg.F. l. -
nothing else he IS made sc1isfer, and set 10
sweeping on the gun-deck: sometimes, also.
It's inflicted as u punishment, with very good
effect. The last class is that OF boys, not
universally youths, as their name would sig
n'fY, but those who wait upon the officers
and seldom do other duty, except when ''all
hands are called: they are often nicknamed
ldlers, term OF reproach frequently given
10 all IN the ship who do not keep watch
Inc boys receive six dollars, with 4 ration,
and are about twenty in number.
All men are employed during the day; in
port, half watch is called every four hours
at nlg,ht; bat they, generally, are permitted
10 'fad corner on the gua-deck for a nap:
ana frequently they even turn into their ham.
IN )cks, "ail Standing" that is, with their
clothes on. The officers alone are seen
ABOVE. At sea, however, the whole watch. /
comprising one half of the men. must be on
Heck at night; and if the weather is stormy.
no hammocks are piped down at all. They
are divided INTO watches, denominated star
board and larboard: each is called every
four hours, and every man has his place and
duty assigned him in book kept in some
public part of the ship. 1t is called the sta
ron d'I There are generally four such books:
lheir use wall be evident from their titles.
winch are, 'quarter BILL" "station bilIn
"tacAipg and vecring bill,'' and ignoring
and anchorlng biii;'' each man thus, in every
case, knows Just exactly where he should be. |
and what IS his deity: and amid apparent con !
iuSi'h there Is always the most perfect or
der, PromPtness and efficiency Of action.
Could you stand on our deck i'm mort. Won
would see an old man, in sailor. riG ns,,:lIy
"h the quarter deck, but often at the ganI
tVays; you observe him hurrying frequently a. /
long the deck, touching his hat Whenever he (
passes the companion way or an officer; and
YET he has an air Of considerable consc-
qEcnce; usually, also, good stout person to
support 1t; lac carries a spy glass, which he
has frequently at his eye, and which he often
drops suddenly to tap h5 hat, and say some
thing to the officer of the deck. His com
inunications appear to be important; for
they frequently produce Il general movement
on the deck. This is a q,mrter muster. We
have eight Of them, they arc taken from the
most experienced and orderly of the scainen.
and have eighteen dollars with ration. for
pay; their duty is to take turns on the quar-
ter deck, where, in port, they keep con
slant lookout on things abroad; they give
notice when boat approaches; and arc the
medium Ui communication between the nanO-
way scntries and the deck officer they have
ii bed struck every half hour; and form alto |
griher an exceedingly useful set of men. Att
ser they attend the wheel; keep the shin to
her couJsc--wlicn she is close hauled take
N-ailoo IA the quarter boats 20 sec her kept
- the wind; and their cries, "luF there, lulf:"
so, steady" dice, no higher form ma
'eral part Of our deck music at such times
they also sound when we go into port.
Asrangcr on board is frequently struck /
al night, with person on the gun deck, |
who, while AL around orc sunk in sleep, is |.
seen creeping silently about among The |