Three or four times during the four hours I would be startled from a wet doze by the hoarse cry of a fellow who did the duty of a corporal at the after-end of my file.

"_Sleepers ahoy! stand by to slew round!_" and, with a double shuffle, we all rolled in concert, and found ourselves facing the taffrail instead of the bowsprit.

But, however you turned, your nose was sure to stick to one or other of the steaming backs on your two flanks.

There was some little relief in the change of odour consequent upon this.
But what is the reason that, after battling out eight stormy hours on deck at, night, men-of-war's-men are not allowed the poor boon of a dry four hours' nap during the day following?
What is the reason?
The Commodore, Captain, and first Lieutenant, Chaplain, Purser, and scores of others, have _all night in_, just as if they were staying at a hotel on shore.

And the junior Lieutenants not only have their cots to go to at any time: but as only one of them is required to head the watch, and there are so many of them among whom to divide that duty, they are only on deck four hours to twelve hours below.