down, when I state that he fell from the weather yard-arm, close by the bunt, at least forty-five feet from deck. A few weeks after this we had another specimen of lofty tumbling whilst we were gammoning with the barque Pioneer, of New Bedford. The watch had gone aloft to furl the foretopsail, and had so far progressed as to be ready to pass the yard-arm gaskets. Jose, a Portuguese, was at the end of the starboard yard-arm coiling the outside gasket, preparatory to encircling the sail with it, when his feet slipped from the horse; keeping firm hold of the gasket, which reached about half way to the water, he slid to its extreme end. The weather was light, and the ship pretty steady. He remained suspended for a moment, when, watching for the weather roll, he let go, descended into the water, rose, and struck out like a good fellow. The second mate ran on to the house, caught up a boat’s fall, made a bowling in the end of it, and hove it to him; he slipped it over his head and under his arms, and was soon hauled aboard, without other damage than a good wetting, of which he made very little account. Having recorded several instances of a serious character, I shall take occasion to speak of the numerous practical jokes that are enacted aboard ship. The monotony of the life at sea renders a hearty laugh somewhat of a relief, and assists in passing away the time; and this end is desirable on the whaling-ground on account of the many hours of inactivity. At night, in the vicinity of a place of known resort for the fish, sail is shortened, and all hands, except one boat’s crew and its boatsteerer, go below; the officers remaining all day on deck, and standing no watch at night. In a four-boat ship, the night is divided into four watches. The night watch, therefore, is so short as to be anything but onerous; hence the early part of the night is devoted to singing, yarning, &c. But I set out with the intention of telling a joke, and as I have digressed a little I hope the reader will pardon me. One fine Sunday morning Kedge Anchor expressed a desire to have his hair cut. Here was an opening--and a conspiracy was immediately formed against his cranial adornment. One went to work and cut his hair. When finished, a dozen voices exclaimed against the barbarian who had put so _outre_ a cut on his poor head; others recommended a little more off behind. The victim acquiesced, and submitted to the operation. A second, third, fourth, and fifth, lent their aid in denuding his skull, and by the time the last had finished he was a picture for a painter. The poor fellow had not a hair on his head more than a quarter of an inch in length, and, as his forehead was receding, his appearance can be better imagined than described. Suffice it to say, that for weeks after the shearing his appearance was greeted with hearty laughter; and, as with him laughter was contagious, he always joined in the shout. For a long time he did not discover that he was the butt, but