At the
end of each watch, when we came below, we took off our clothes and
wrung them out; two taking hold of a pair of trowsers,- one at each
end,- and jackets in the same way. Stockings, mittens, and all, were
wrung out also and then hung up to drain and chafe dry against the
bulk-heads. Then, feeling of all our clothes, we picked out those
which were the least wet, and put them on, so as to be ready for a
call, and turned-in, covered ourselves up with blankets, and slept
until three knocks on the scuttle and the dismal sound of "All
starbowlines ahoy! Eight bells, there below! Do you hear the news?"
drawled out from on deck, and the sulky answer of "Aye, aye!" from
below, sent us up again.
On deck, all was as dark as a pocket, and either a dead calm, with
the rain pouring steadily down, or, more generally, a violent gale
dead ahead, with rain pelting horizontally, and occasional
variations of hail and sleet;- decks afloat with water swashing from
side to side, and constantly wet feet; for boots could not be wrung
out like drawers, and no composition could stand the constant soaking.
In fact, wet and cold feet are inevitable in such weather, and are not
the least of those little items which go to make up the grand total of
the discomforts of a winter passage round the Cape.
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