So, while the CACHALOT could have fearlessly challenged
comparison with any ship afloat for cleanliness and neatness of
appearance, the hands no longer felt that they were continually
being "worked up" or "hazed" for the sole, diabolical
satisfaction of keeping them "at it." Of course, the incidence
of the work was divided, since so many of the crew were quite
unable to do any sailorizing, as we term work in sails and
rigging. Upon them, then, fell all the common labour, which can
be done by any unskilled man or woman afloat or ashore.
Of this work a sailor's duties are largely made up, but when good
people ashore wonder "whatever sailors do with their time," it
would be useful for them to remember that a ship is a huge and
complicated machine, needing constant repairs, which can only be
efficiently performed by skilled workmen. An "A.B." or able
seaman's duties are legally supposed to be defined by the three
expressions, "hand, reef, and steer." If he can do those three
things, which mean furling or making fast sails, reefing them,
and steering the ship, his wages cannot be reduced for
incompetency. Yet these things are the A B C of seamanship only.
A good SEAMAN is able to make all the various knots, splices, and
other arrangements in hempen or wire rope, without which a ship
cannot be rigged; he can make a sail, send up or down yards and
masts, and do many other things, the sum total of which need
several years of steady application to learn, although a good
seaman is ever learning.
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