communication between ships at sea, and from ships with the shore.

Ten separate flags, with different devices in gure and colors, are used, as, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0; the number of each being known by its device. The flags are read from the top downwards. Thus, if it is desired to make the number 15 to a distant ship, which however is sufficiently near to make out, with her glass, the emblems by which the numbers of the signal are known, the two flags which stand for No. 1 and No. 5 are set, at the gaff or other part of the ship, where the signal can most readily be made out by the distant vessel. If the No. 152 is to be communicated, the flag representing No. 2 will be set beneath the two flags already mentioned.

The signal book contains numbers from one to one thousand, more or less, and opposite each number is some nautical phrase, sentence, name of place, latitude, longitude, or other expressions, and sufficiently numerous and varied for most purposes. Therefore, when the number is made out by the distant vessel, a reference to the signal book will give the expression opposite to it, which it is the wish of one party to communicate to the other. Suppose, then, No. 15 of the signal book has opposite to it the word "yes;" No. 16, the words "if wind and weather permit;" No. 17, "Sunday" No. 18, "2 o'clock;" No. 19," Will you dine with us?" With these numbers we may illustrate the subject by a case which has already occurred on board our ship. The Commodore, desiring to invite the Commander of the John Adams to take dinner with him, directs the flag-officer to have the signal No. 19 made, which is done by setting the two flags which stand for the numbers one and nine. This being read on board the Adams, an answering pennant, which means, "We have made out the number," is run up and again hauled down. The number of the first signal having been read, the second or No. 18, in like manner with the first, is made by the two flags representing one and eight. This answered, as being understood on board the other vessel, No. 17 is made by the flags No. 1 and No. 7. No further signals following from the Columbia, the Commander of the Adams, by referring to the signal book, finds it to read,

"No. 19. Will you dine with us?"

"No. 18. Sunday."

"No. 17. 2 o'clock."

The Commander of the Adams, accepting the invitation, replies by making the numbers 16 and 15, which will read, "Yes, if wind and weather permit."

Signals, in the night-time, are often made by lights of different colors, and by adjusting them in different positions, at various angles; by rockets and by fires.

The signal book of the navy has attached to it a heavy piece of lead, which would immediately sink it if thrown overboard.

I quote, at random, the following numbers from the "American Signal Book," which is generally used in the American merchant service:

219. What are you about?" "313. A mutiny on board."

"716. If we have not immediate assistance." "962. All's lost."

"718. We will send assistance."

"188. Heave all aback."

"332. Mutiny is quelled." "40. All's well."

"327. Adieu."

"I tell you what," says Lieutenant W. (the subject of shooting the aborigines of our land being under discussion,) if you would kill an Indian, you must proceed somewhat after the manner of cooking a dolphin." "How is that?" "Why, catch him first."

It is not unusual for the young gentlemen of the ship to avail themselves of any innocent occasion for creating a smile at the expense of one of their messmates. As we left the Roads without the usual number of Lieutenants, it was presumed that some of the passed Midshipmen would receive acting appointments. By consequence, these young gentlemen were on tiptoe expectation for the announcement of their acceptable good fortune. One of the Lieutenants, a young gentleman of wit and worth, caught a pen at my desk, and scribbled an acting appointment for one of these expectants, for whom there was no doubt but that an acting appointment had been made out by the Com

modore, who yet, for the present, retained the paper. Having finished the fictitious appointment, it was regularly enclosed within the official fawn-colored envelope, and conveyed to the Master (who is a passed Midshipman) by the orderly, who generally bears the particularly official messages from the Commodore. The orderly knocked at the door of the Master, who was in his room, busily making out the reckonings of the day's sailing. "Come in, sir," echoed a voice from within, while the Lieutenant and some others were standing at a distance without to witness the effect. The Master's door was opened. The fawn-colored envelope acted like a spell. The Master dropped his figuring utensils, and hopped into " the country" of the ward-room, as its open space is called, holding up his fawn-colored envelope and exclaiming in abundant exultation, in the possession of an acting Lieutenancy, "I writes no more of these Master's figurations, gentlemen," shaking the fawn-colored, with three significant configurations above his head, and at the same time opening the seal, read as follows:

"U. S. Frigate Columbia, May 1st, 1838. "SIR,-You are hereby appointed acting Jemmy Ducks of this ship until it shall please the Hon. the Secretary of the Navy, to confirm the appoint

ment.

"To

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"CORINTHIAN TOM,' "Commander in chief of all the U. S. poultry in the China seas.

&c. &c."

The joke went off with a round peal of laughter from Corinthian Tom; and the same evening the acceptable appointments were distributed to the young gentlemen, so worthily deserving them, in view of the arduous duties which lay before them on a long and critical voyage.

66

"What olden poet," it was asked at the mess-table today, while an antique chicken was under both discussion and dissection," does one think of when masticating the drumstick of a tough one?" "I have it," said another, as he gave the experimental answer, with a delicate morsel of the antique gentleman between his teeth. "Chauser," was the reply, as the chewer took breath, to save him from premature exhaustion.

If these are trifles, they yet show that trifles are not always excluded from shipboard, any more than from the society of triflers on land. And they further show that men, thrown together within the narrow compass of a ward-room, with dispositions and tastes perhaps alike in no two instances, can yet make themselves agreeable and become true and lasting friends.

The weather being fair on Sunday, we had divine service on the upper deck. Such a service on board a manof-war is characteristic and interesting.

At half-past ten o'clock, the decks of the ship having been cleared, as usual, and the men having been inspected at their quarters, they are piped, on Sunday morning, in their best dresses, to muster.

A frigate's company, in all, generally consists of five hundred persons. At the call to muster, the men take their position on the quarter-deck. In warm weather, they are generally dressed in white duck trousers, white shirts, with blue collars and bosoms. The broad blue collar is turned down, with a star upon each corner, and the blue bosom exposes three stripes of narrow white tape, edging the inserted blue. A black silk neck-cloth, beneath the overturned collar, is knotted on the bosom, or tied with a piece of white tape, leaving the neck open and exposed. A blue jacket, unbuttoned, polished shoes, with tarpaulin hat, or a lighter straw one in warm weather, complete the uniform and characteristic dress of an American seaman. The whole appearance of the sailors on this day is expected to be such as to pass the particular examination by the officers-an inspection which they invariably go through on this day, after the religious services are over-their names being called, one by one, as they pass from their positions in review directly before the officers, who still retain their places until the muster-roll is finished. Should the shoes of any one of the men be found unpolished, or any portion of the dress be characteristic of negligence, the man is directed to stop at the mainmast. It is known that such an offence incurs a penalty of half a dozen lashes at the gangway, and most frequently it is inflicted. This tends to render the appearance of the whole crew strikingly neat on the Sabbath, in their uniform sailor-dresses.