In ships where much pains is taken to have the hammocks stowed properly, they are lashed up, so as to preserve the same width all along, and with neither more nor fewer than seven turns with a well-blacked small lashing, carefully passed round at equal intervals.  When the hammocks are prepared in this way, and all made of the same size, (which condition may be secured by putting them through a ring of given dimensions,) they are laid in symmetrical order all round the ship, above the bulwark, on the quarter-deck and forecastle, and in the waist nettings along the gangways.  Each hammock, it may be mentioned, has a separate number painted neatly upon it on a small, white, oval patch, near one of the corners; so that, when they are all stowed in the nettings, a uniform line of numbers extends round the ship, and the hammock of any man who may be taken ill can be found by his messmates in a moment.  The bags, in like manner, of which each person has two, are numbered separately.  In rainy weather the hammocks are securely covered by painted cloths.

As a seaman’s kit generally forms his whole property, it ought to be carefully preserved, and every possible facility given that the service will allow of for his keeping it in good order.  A captain of any consideration will naturally bear in mind, that, as the comfort and health of the men under his command depend most materially upon the manner in which they are clad, and especially upon the damp or dry state of their dress, it becomes an important branch of his duty to see that their things are taken care of with as much exactness as the spare sails, cordage, or provisions.  It much too frequently happens, however, that the unfortunate sailors’ clothes are more torment to them than advantage, and they may think themselves lucky if they can catch hold of a jacket or trousers to shift withal, so eternally are they interfered with by some inconsiderate officers.  “Pipe the bags up!” “Pipe the bags down!” “Stow the bags afresh!” “Pipe to scrub the bags!” and twenty such orders are given in a day in some ships, to the endless misery of the people.  It is, no doubt, necessary that the bags should be scrubbed and stowed properly, and be piped up and down at the proper times and seasons.  But there are two ways of doing these things:  one, which gives the men no more trouble than is absolutely unavoidable; the other, which harasses and justly provokes them.  It is not enough to say that they must submit, whether they like it or not.  They will submit, it is true; but in what temper? and how will these men work when called upon to exert themselves, if they are habitually treated with disrespect, and exposed to needless, and even impertinent worry?  I have even heard of some crack ships, as they are termed, where the poor devils are obliged to pipe-clay their bags, to make them look white, forsooth!  Why, the very idea of pipe-clay is gall and wormwood to the taste of the Johnnies.  Of late years I understand there have been introduced black painted water-proof bags, which are a great comfort to the men.  Besides keeping out wet, they require no trouble to scrub and dry, and, after all, are fully as clean, and far more useful in every respect.