The officers and quartermasters were divided into four watches,
which were regularly kept as at sea, while the remainder of the
ships' company were allowed to enjoy their night's rest
undisturbed. The hands were turned up at a quarter before six, and
both decks were well rubbed with stones and warm sand before eight
o'clock, at which time, as usual at sea, both officers and men
went to breakfast. Three quarters of an hour being allowed after
breakfast for the men to prepare themselves for muster, we then
beat to divisions punctually at a quarter past nine, when every
person on board attended on the quarter deck, and a strict
inspection of the men took place as to their personal cleanliness,
and the good condition, as well as sufficient warmth of their
clothing. The reports of the officers having been made to me, the
people were then allowed to walk about, or, more usually, to run
round the upper deck, while I went down to examine the state of
that below. The state of this deck may be said, indeed, to have
constituted the chief source of our anxiety, and to have occupied
by far the greatest share of our attention at this period.
Whenever any dampness appeared, or, what more frequently happened,
any accumulation of ice had taken place during the preceding
night, the necessary means were immediately adopted for removing
it; in the former case usually by rubbing the wood with cloths,
and then directing the warm airpipe towards the place; and in the
latter by scraping off the ice, so as to prevent its wetting the
deck by any accidental increase of temperature.
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