_Chorus_: The _Rocket_ now we'll praise, For she's as good a craft As ever dashed aside the sprays, Or at the storm-king laughed. The vessel had received a liberal outfit from the owners, who expressed the wish that the sailors should not be restricted to a diet of salt beef and hard bread, believing this to be the most expensive way of provisioning a ship, as well as an unsatisfactory one to the crew. Accordingly the men were allowed "soft bread" every night; there was a good supply of potatoes, onions, and beets on board, and mackerel, herrings, tongues and sounds, dried apples, corn meal, and pickles were provided, in addition to the usual supplies of rice, beans, split peas, salt codfish and the inevitable beef, pork, and "hard-tack." Molasses and vinegar were freely served out, these condiments often making a plain meal quite palatable, and one evening in a week molasses gingerbread was furnished in place of the "soft bread." In the cabin we had a tolerable supply of canned provisions and had no reason to complain. I find, however, the following entry in my journal: "I feel a strong desire to get ashore and have something new to eat. We have a good supply of stores, but there is so much sameness necessarily in our table fare, that the very thought of meal times takes away one's appetite. We had a large stock of vegetables and still have potatoes, onions and beets, so there is no fear of scurvy. I have sometimes said that the only advantage I ever discovered in going to sea, was the ability to eat onions, without fear of offending one's associates. But after indulgence in this respect every day for three months, I feel willing to renounce this luxurious privilege of sea life, and endure the privations of civilized society for a while." Very small incidents become noteworthy at sea and one day was enlivened by the appearance of the Malay cabin boy before me, with very solemn face, exclaiming, in tragic tones: "Sir! the ginger won't live long." It proved that a jar of preserved ginger, having been left open in the pantry, the officers had treated themselves in a night-watch, thus shortening its life. Some little anxiety was caused by some doubtful islands being set down on the chart, but we sailed over their supposed locality without striking anything, or seeing any sign of shoal water. Those who have examined charts of the sea, have noticed frequent interrogation points, which indicate that dangers have been reported in the localities designated. The charts of the Pacific Ocean especially abound with these reputed rocks and shoals, and keep the navigator in continual alarm, lest one should prove to be a reality. It was a wonder to me how these false alarms, as most of them are now known to be, could ever have been given, but an occurrence, by which I myself was deceived, has suggested a plausible explanation of some of the instances.