We felt as though our situation was a call upon our
superiors to give us occasional relaxations, and to make our yoke
easier. But the contrary policy was pursued. We were kept at work
all day when in port; which, together with a watch at night, made us
glad to turn-in as soon as we got below. Thus we got no time for
reading, or- which was of more importance to us- for washing and
mending our clothes. And then, when we were at sea, sailing from port
to port, instead of giving us "watch and watch," as was the custom on
board every other vessel on the coast, we were all kept on deck and at
work, rain or shine, making spun-yarn and rope, and at other work in
good weather, and picking oakum, when it was too wet for anything
else. All hands were called to "come up and see it rain," and kept on
deck hour after hour in a drenching rain, standing round the deck so
far apart as to prevent our talking with one another, with our
tarpaulins and oil-cloth jackets on, picking old rope to pieces, or
laying up gaskets and robands. This was often done, too, when we
were lying in port with two anchors down, and no necessity for more
than one man on deck as a look-out.
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