On board a man-of-war every officer, to the youngest mid, has to send a copy of his reckoning to the cabin--a good plan as it enables the Captain to compare and detect errors. These small reckonings were called “day’s works,” due at 1 P.M. Shortly after 2 P.M. officers were ordered to assemble in the Captain’s cabin. We stood before the table, small fry in front. Our chief, with his left hand full of day’s works, addressed himself to me, the most nervous and frightened of the assembled lot: “Mr. Keppel, how is it that your day’s work, unlike the others, always agrees to a second with that of the masters?” I, being unprepared, suggested that perhaps I was the only one who took a _correct_ copy. There was a small titter, which was growing into a laugh, when we were ordered to quit the cabin. [Sidenote: Dec. 18.] Sunday, 1 A.M.--It was my middle watch, when smoke was reported as issuing from under the hatch of the gunner’s storeroom. As the keys of that and other storerooms had been returned at sunset to the First Lieutenant’s cabin, and the fore magazine passage opened into said storeroom, while rushing down, I called out to beat to quarters, put ship before the wind, and reported to the Captain. Ship’s company was in order, men promptly in their station, lower sails clewed up, and water-cocks turned on. On removing the fore hatch, flames rushed up, met by a deluge of water. The fore sail-room was on fire: spare topsail however was ablaze, but extinguished before it reached the quarter-deck. The fire, by great exertions, was got under; though we had a narrow escape. Woodwork forming bulkhead of the magazine was burnt through the copper lining. At 3.45 A.M. the watch was called. [Sidenote: Dec. 23.] With the exception of a good day’s target practice, nothing particular occurred till the end of the year, when we arrived at Rio, and I once more beheld the most beautiful harbour in the world. [Sidenote: 1832. Jan. 1.] We found _Warspite_, 76, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Baker, commanded by Captain Charles Talbot; _Dublin_, 56, Lord James Townshend; _Pylades_, 18, Commander Edward Blanckley. Saluted flag of the Rear-Admiral with 11 guns, the Brazilian flag with 21. While we were here the young Prince, who was born when I was at Rio, Christmas, 1824, held a levee, which I, with the Captain, attended. [Sidenote: Jan. 5.] Weighed at daylight, and ran out of Rio Harbour with the land-breeze. We soon got into the trade winds. Communicated with a whaler off Tristan d’Achuna. Captain not caring to call at the Cape, we kept to the southward, and held our breeze the longer. [Sidenote: Jan. 30.] In 41° 30′ we had a run of 258 miles, which we thought something of. However, we were soon under close-reefed main topsail and reefed foresail, and lost a poor fellow overboard, who was putting in a deadlight. [Sidenote: Feb. 13.] Made St. Paul’s Island, which most ships like to do, to ensure their reckoning. [Sidenote: Feb. 17.]