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The sun was out bright , the sea of a deep blue , fringed with the white foam of the waves which ran high before a strong southwester ; our solitary ship tore on through the water , as though glad to be out of her confinement ; and the ice islands lay scattered upon the ocean here and there , of various sizes and shapes , reflecting the bright rays of the sun , and drifting slowly northward before the gale . Some of the boys got so sleepy and stupefied , that they actually fell asleep at their posts ; and the young third mate , whose station was the exposed one of standing on the fore scuttle , was so stiff , when he was relieved , that he could not bend his knees to get down . was asked by every one ; and from questions , it soon grew into complaints and murmurings . An oven , exposed to every wind and change of weather , is no place to take calomel ; but nothing else would do , and strong remedies must be used , or he was gone . The situation was offered him only a few hours before we sailed ; and though he must give up returning to America , yet I have no doubt that the change from a dog 's berth to an officer 's , was too agreeable to his feelings to be declined . At night too , when supper was called , he stood in the waist for some time , hoping to be asked down with the officers , but they went below , one after another , and left him .