The lieutenant and commander

A dog is the most obvious and natural pet for a gentleman; but still, a dog, with all his familiarity, is a selfish sort of companion, for he generally bestows his whole sociabi...

The strange and almost savage ceremonies used at sea on crossing the equator have been so often described that a voyager, at this time of day, may be well excused for omitting a...

One day, after we had lost the north-east Trade wind, a furious squall, unperceived till it reached us, swept through the fleet. These violent tornadoes are generally called whi...

In the course of a week or ten days after a ship is commissioned, the officers are collected on board their hulk, and they bestir themselves to gather their comforts about them....

As our merry little ship approached the far-famed Cape of Good Hope, I often remained on deck after the watch was out, feasting my eyes on the sight of constellations known to m...

In the summer of 1814, Sir Samuel Hood made a voyage, in his Majesty's ship Minden, to the eastern parts of his station. We called first at Acheen, on the north end of the islan...

There are few things more curious in the history of human knowledge than the establishment of extensive errors as to matters of fact, and the perverse tenacity with which they r...

The dinner-hour on Sunday is noon, the same as on other days; but there is this distinction, which ought to mark the afternoon in every well-regulated ship, the people are never...

The first article of war runs as follows:--"All commanders, captains, and officers, in or belonging to any of His Majesty's ships or vessels of war, shall cause the public worsh...

Most people are curious to know how, from a state of total inaction, or what is called "laid up in ordinary," a ship is brought forward into real service. I have therefore thoug...

The canoes of Ceylon, as far as I remember, are not described by any writer, nor have I met with any professional men who are aware of their peculiar construction, and of the ad...

I trust that most of my brother-officers who have commanded ships can lay their hands upon their hearts and conscientiously declare they have never inflicted an unjust punishmen...

From Ceylon we proceeded after a time to Madras roads, where we soon became well acquainted with all the outs and ins of the celebrated surf of that place. This surf, after all,...

The fervid activity of our excellent admiral, Sir Samuel Hood, in whose flag-ship I served as lieutenant, from 1812 to 1815, was unceasing. There was a boyish hilarity about thi...

There sailed along with us in the Volage, from Spithead, the Princess Caroline, 74, and the Theban frigate, to aid in protecting a fleet of East India Company's ships, all for C...

Let people say what they please of the fine bracing weather of a cold climate, I have never seen any truth-speaking persons who, on coming fairly to the trial, did not complain...

It is a far easier thing to get into a house in Ireland than to get out of it again; for there is an attractive and retentive witchery about the hospitality of the natives of th...

A curious and vastly pleasing fashion prevails in that part of Ireland where I was so nearly bewitched as almost to forget my ship, my duties, and everything else, but beauty! W...

That there is a tide in the affairs of men, has very naturally become a figure of frequent and almost hackneyed use in the cockpits, gun-rooms, and even the captains' cabins of...

The carpenters and the watch on deck soon carry aft their benches and mess-stools; but these not being sufficient to afford accommodation for all hands, as many capstan-bars as...

As soon as the Volage was refitted, and her crew refreshed, after our voyage from England of four months and a half, we sailed from Bombay to the southward along the western coa...

In the midst of these gay doings, which were all very well for a time, but rather profitless on the whole, an extremely favourable opening for promotion suddenly occurred. The l...

On the evening of the 18th of November, 1812, we sailed, in his Majesty's ship Illustrious, from the magnificent harbour of Trincomalee. In attempting to get out we were sadly b...

Early on the morning of the 11th of August, 1812, we first made the coast of Asia; and, on steering towards the shore, discovered, close under the land, a single sail, as white...

Sailors' pets--Purchasing a monkey--Jacko's attractions--Gets monkey's allowance--Jacko and the marines--Jacko's revenge--Jacko turns on his friend--Spills the grog--Is pursued,...

Doubling the Cape--Southern constellations--Intelligent chief officer--Sailors and their friends--Parting company--The cape--Simon's town--A fresh breeze--Rising to a gale--All...

Visit to the Sultan of Pontiana, in Borneo--Sir Samuel Hood--Borneo--A floating grove--Pontiana--Chinese in Borneo--The sultan and his audience room--Interior of the palace--The...

A man overboard--Crossing the line--Duty of officers--Rival Neptunes--A boy overboard--Affecting incident--A true-hearted sailor--Bathing at sea--A well-timed action--Swimming--...

Ceylonese canoes--Peruvian balsas--The floating windlass of the Coromandel fishermen--American pilot-boats--Balsas of Peru--Man-of-war boats--Ceylonese canoes--Canoe mast and sa...

Naval ratings and sea pay--Mustering clothes--Between decks on Sunday--Piping to supper--Mustering by lists--A seaman disrated and rerated--Ratings of seamen--Tendency to do rig...

Suggestions towards diminishing the number and severity of Naval punishments--Corporal punishment--The author's own case--An old shipmate--Admiralty regulations--Appeal to offic...

The Trade-winds--The monsoons--Theory of the Trade-winds--Explanations--Tropical winds--Motion of cold air--Direction of clouds--Equatorial Trades--Calms and variables--South-ea...

Sunday on board a man-of-war--Mustering by divisions--The fourth commandment--Short services recommended--Order for rigging--Scrubbing and sweeping--Sunday muster--Jack's dandyi...

Commissioning a ship--Receiving-hulk--Marines and gunners--Choice of sailors--The ship's company--Choice of officers--Stowing the ballast--Importance of obedience--Complement of...