On board every lightship the life of the crew is much the same. On Sunday, at dawn, the lantern is lowered, and the lamp-lighter cleans and prepares his lamps for the next night’s work. At eight o’clock everybody must be on the alert; the hammocks are hung up, and breakfast is served. Afterwards, the men wash and put on their uniform, of which they are very proud, for on its buttons figure the arms of the Trinity House. At half-past ten they assemble in the cabin, and the captain or mate performs divine service. At sunset the lighted lantern is hoisted up—the real standard of the vessel—and the crew again meet together for prayer and the reading of the Scriptures. With the exception of the morning and evening services, the week-days close resemble the Sundays. Wednesday and Friday are the chief cleaning days, and the ship then shines with cleanliness. To watch over, and maintain in due order, the lighting apparatus; to keep watch on deck; to note seven times in every twenty-four hours the conditions of the wind and atmosphere; to attend to the condition of the mooring-chains;—such is the almost invariable circle of their occupations. Their leisure time, which is not inconsiderable, they employ in reading. A library is always kept on board, and the books are circulated from hand to hand, and ship to ship. Under such circumstances how miserable would be the condition of a man who could neither read nor write! Yet such is sometimes the case with a few on first entering the service; but whether it be the force of example, or the necessity of overcoming the oppressive ennui of idle hours, it generally happens that, with the assistance of the captain or mate, they more or less repair this absolute want of education. One of the best officers of the company is a man who taught himself reading and writing in order that he might obtain an engagement on board a lightship. The seamen also devote their leisure to all kinds of ingenious manual work, and some of them set to work as shoemakers, joiners, tailors, wood-carvers, and the like. [Illustration] CHAPTER II. LANDMARKS, BEACONS, AND BUOYS. To complete our account of the defences of our coast, we must refer to works of less pretension than lighthouses and lightships, and of less utility, though still of very considerable importance. They present themselves under various forms, and they have different names, according to their respective positions and objects.[59] [59] Founded on a chapter in M. Rénard’s “Les Phares;” and an article in _Chambers’s Journal_, February 1870.