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He 'll carry all these things to the college , and if they are better than any that they have had before , he 'll be head of the college . The forecastles of most of our ships are small , black , and wet holes , which few landsmen would believe held a crew of ten or twelve men on a voyage of months or years ; and often , indeed in most cases , the provisions are not good enough to make a meal anything more than a necessary part of a day 's duty ; * and on the score of sleep , I fully believe that the lives of merchant seamen are shortened by the want of it . Toward night the wind hauled to the southward , and headed us off our course a little , and blew a tremendous gale ; but this we did not mind , as there was no rain nor snow , and we were already under close sail . This , to be sure , was no place to keep the fourth of July . Two men at the wheel had as much as they could do to keep her within three points of her course , for she steered as wild as a young colt . The studding-sails must now be cleared away , and set up in the tops , and on the booms . To keep ourselves warm , and the ship out of the ice , was as much as we could do . Some blamed the captain for loading his ship so deep , when he knew what he must expect ; while others said that the wind was always southwest , off the Cape , in the winter ; and that , running before it , we should not mind the seas so much . The applications , internal and external , were powerful , and I gave him strict directions to keep warm and sheltered , telling him it was his only chance for life . The darky tried to butt him , but the mate got him down , and held him , the steward singing out , " Let me go , Mr. Brown , or there 'll be blood spilt ! It is usual , in voyages round the Cape from the Pacific , to keep to the eastward of the Falkland Islands ; but as it had now set in a strong , steady , and clear south-wester , with every prospect of its lasting , and we had had enough of high latitudes , the captain determined to stand immediately to the northward , running inside the Falkland Islands . Yet no one puts on a jacket or cap ; for if it is only warm , a sailor does not mind a ducking ; and the sun will soon be out again . Upon the whole , ours was the best berth ; for though the water was nipping cold , early in the morning and late at night , and being so continually wet was rather an exposure , yet we got rid of the constant dust and dirt from the beating of the hides , and being all of us young and hearty , did not mind the exposure .