{"id":"01KG8AMFYG6RTSFYV74QMPRNDX","cid":"bafkreie75sfdj6uwk6mduxm7rhxl5d3xqoredhkrwgnohh2crx3qbszfwy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3469,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.270Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":3422,"text":"at it, what more does a man-of-war’s-man absolutely require to live in\r\nthan his own skin? That’s room enough; and room enough to turn in, if\r\nhe but knew how to shift his spine, end for end, like a ramrod, without\r\ndisturbing his next neighbour.\r\n\r\nAmong all men-of-war’s-men, it is a maxim that over-neat vessels are\r\nTartars to the crew: and perhaps it may be safely laid down that, when\r\nyou see such a ship, some sort of tyranny is not very far off.\r\n\r\nIn the Neversink, as in other national ships, the business of\r\n_holy-stoning_ the decks was often prolonged, by way of punishment to\r\nthe men, particularly of a raw, cold morning. This is one of the\r\npunishments which a lieutenant of the watch may easily inflict upon the\r\ncrew, without infringing the statute which places the power of\r\npunishment solely in the hands of the Captain.\r\n\r\nThe abhorrence which men-of-war’s-men have for this protracted\r\n_holy-stoning_ in cold, comfortless weather—with their bare feet\r\nexposed to the splashing inundations—is shown in a strange story, rife\r\namong them, curiously tinctured with their proverbial superstitions.\r\n\r\nThe First Lieutenant of an English sloop of war, a severe\r\ndisciplinarian, was uncommonly particular concerning the whiteness of\r\nthe quarter-deck. One bitter winter morning at sea, when the crew had\r\nwashed that part of the vessel, as usual, and put away their\r\nholy-stones, this officer came on deck, and after inspecting it,\r\nordered the _holy-stones_ and _prayer-books_ up again. Once more\r\nslipping off the shoes from their frosted feet, and rolling up their\r\ntrowsers, the crew kneeled down to their task; and in that suppliant\r\nposture, silently invoked a curse upon their tyrant; praying, as he\r\nwent below, that he might never more come out of the ward-room alive.\r\nThe prayer seemed answered: for shortly after being visited with a\r\nparalytic stroke at his breakfast-table, the First Lieutenant next\r\nmorning was carried out of the ward-room feet foremost, dead. As they\r\ndropped him over the side—so goes the story—the marine sentry at the\r\ngangway turned his back upon the corpse.\r\n\r\nTo the credit of the humane and sensible portion of the roll of\r\nAmerican navy-captains, be it added, that _they_ are not so particular\r\nin keeping the decks spotless at all times, and in all weathers; nor do\r\nthey torment the men with scraping bright-wood and polishing\r\nring-bolts; but give all such gingerbread-work a hearty coat of black\r\npaint, which looks more warlike, is a better preservative, and exempts\r\nthe sailors from a perpetual annoyance.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJQSQQZXV8JE55Y1C2VK6","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMFYDX3NWVSZZGQV68MG2","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:38.864Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:45.259Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}