great honors and privileges. Any person, by paying a few cash, can shake the box and obtain a similar receipt. After chin-chinning the principal god in the room, she departed. In all the Chinese houses which we visited Josh-sticks are kept continually burning, to drive away the evil spirits, and keep them from harm. While a part of the ship’s company were on shore enjoying themselves, the remainder, on board ship, were continually devising means to “kill time.” On one occasion, Tom W., our old joker, made his appearance on deck, presenting a most comical figure. He had on a pair of pants that came within six inches of his ankles, with a narrow piece of leather passing around the bottom of his feet for straps; a coat with the waist between his shoulders, and the skirts trailing the decks; the whole surmounted by a tall, bell-crowned hat, with narrow rim. About his neck was suspended a boatswain’s whistle. Rigged out in this style, he mounted the “hurricane deck,” and commenced pacing to and fro with great dignity. On board the “Susquehanna” they were exercising the men in loosing and furling the sails, and every time the whistle of the boatswain sounded on board, Tom replied, imitating them as nearly as possible, and turning “full front” to the frigate, over whose sides were seen sundry heads, peering at the whaler to see what could be the matter. To all this, however, Tom paid no attention, but continued his dignified strut, interspersing his walk with all manner of “calls” on his boatswain’s whistle. The quarter-master of the frigate now leveled his glass at the whaler’s “boatswain,” and took a long squint. Perceiving this, Tom called for his glass, and one of the boys passed him a _handspike_. Bringing it to bear, he “squinted” in return at the quarter-master; then would take a turn or two fore and aft the deck, give a shrill whistle, and again level his “glass.” By this time most of the officers of the “Susquehanna” were gathered on the quarter-deck of that vessel, staring at us, and probably thinking all hands drunk or crazy. Tom, who knew how far to carry the joke, now came down from his elevated position. The sails having been loosed to dry during the day, toward evening the watch were sent up to furl them. Every thing in readiness, Tom’s whistle sounded, all hands sprang into the rigging, and mounted aloft. The sail was rolled on the yard at the sound of the whistle; the men descended from aloft, and mounted, furled a second, then a third sail, and so on through the whole programme: all was done at the sound of the boatswain’s whistle. This proceeding “astonished the natives;” the officers and crews of the several men-of-war and other vessels gazing at the new “wrinkle,” and systematic style of performing work on board a _Yankee sperm whaler_!