She was steered by a hand wheel, and the wheel ropes were made of hide. There was not even a bridge. the navigation being done from the top of a smal) chart house near the stern. From this position it was very dificult to see ahead, espectally_ at night, and this Tack of a clear view was, responsible for more thai one collision with native craft. 'The funnel was long and thin, very much Mke-a stove pipe, s0 much 80. thal you could almost' "put" your" arms Found it.
"The accommodation for the officers and crew was very poor, and looking back, Rotten wonder how we endured {ty especially when at sea or in hol weather. "All the cabins, wardroom and crew's quarters Were. below deck. "Naturally the Captain had the best accommodation, He occupied 3 cabin across the stern, quite roomy' Sonsidering the size of the ship, the situation, right aver the propeller, made it very uncomfortable at_ sea, especially in bad weather. The he: Foam between the beams and the Moor was less than six fect, and the! only light "and ventilation provided was a small elreular skylight on deck, and a few microseople ports, which could only be opened in the smoothes, weather.
Lighting at night was provided by several short thick" fallow candles contained in a holder made of brass with a glass front. This was the com mon type of illumination used in know! "Colombs Light" named HM. Navy at that time, It was]
After a distinguished Admiral who invented it Tt had the merit of sate, bat gave very Hire Hight. Biees frie wes were. unknown inboard ren-efewar at that time, and. who the captain wanted anything, shouted through the skylight for the uartermasier on. which.
Bathrooms were unknown inthe Navy at this period and for" some {ime afterwards and ablutions were performed in round shallow tin {ub which "when not fo use was stowed overread, suspended by. books inthe beams. Certain furniture wat Supited by the. Agmiralty. it wae exceedingly simple and massive, Sous consisted of table. a chest, straight-back cane-bottomed chairs bedding other than a matrest wae supplied, and each affeer carried Tom' ship 10" ship his own blankets, sheets and towels. "Mess" gear™ wat [supplied by the Service, and. was ct excellent quality, especatiy the eleeplate. When 'a. ship paid off the femeers were. permitted to purchase Siny of the mes traps they had. 8 anes" for, and 1 still have a, plated soupstureen and. a. couple of entree dishes, bought when the ship paid off Sri years ago. They are stil inex: eetient condition. ramped Wardro The officers lived just forward of the Captain's cabin. The quarters [consisted of a very small wardroom, found the sides of which "were. the tahins. The ~wardroom "was very cramped, sicily and unbearably" hol {inthe summer, When we sat found the: dining-lable the. backs of our tales almost touched the cabin bale treads, there was no room. for the servants to pass by. and. te. food plates had to be handed round. The propeller shaft ran. tinder" the venice ofthe floor, and whea tinder issu a boron of the oars to cit the bearings, a very "incon io be removed to enable the greaser
venient proceeding which fool place every few hours, There was even "Tess light and tess venlilaion tan "in the Captains jabin, for alr and light from the port holes wore shut out by the bin bulkheads, and we depended almost entirely on the skylight for Tight' and air. Most-of' the. earl were so. small, that Ilterally, there was not room to "sling a cat." They contained nothing but a bunk with rawers beneath, a wash-stand, look: Ingeglass anda book shelf.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.