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Instantly , all hands were turned up , the bow guns run out and loaded , the ensign and broad pennant set , the yards squared by lifts and braces , and everything got ready to make a good appearance . Toward morning , the rain ceased , and the air became sensibly colder , so that we found sleep impossible , and sat up , watching for daybreak . Bad weather and hard work at sea can be borne up against very well , if one only has spirit and health ; but there is nothing brings a man down , at such a time , like bodily pain and want of sleep . They had been waked out of their sleep , and as much alarmed at the scream as we were , and were hesitating whether to come on deck , when the second sound , coming directly from one of the berths , revealed the cause of the alarm . This was a great windfall , and as all could not read it at once , I , being the scholar of the company , was appointed reader . I got my oil-cloth clothes , south-wester , and thick boots all ready , and turned into my hammock early , determined to get some sleep in advance , as the boat was to be alongside before daybreak . Thick stockings and drawers were darned and patched ; mittens dragged from the bottom of the chest and mended ; comforters made for the neck and ears ; old flannel shirts cut up to line monkey jackets ; southwesters lined with flannel , and a pot of paint smuggled forward to give them a coat on the outside ; and everything turned to hand ; so that , although two years had left us but a scanty wardrobe , yet the economy and invention which necessity teaches a sailor , soon put each of us in pretty good trim for bad weather , even before we had seen the last of the fine . Our rigging was all examined and overhauled , and mended , or replaced with new , where it was necessary : new and strong bobstays fitted in the place of the chain ones , which were worn out ; the spritsail yard and martingale guys and back-ropes set well taught ; bran new fore and main braces rove ; top-gallant sheets , and wheel-ropes , made of green hide , laid up in the form of rope , were stretched and fitted ; and new top-sail clewlines , etc ., rove ; new fore-topmast back-stays fitted ; and other preparations made , in good season , that the ropes might have time to stretch and become limber before we got into cold weather . As for myself , I had had no sleep for forty-eight hours ; and the want of rest , together with constant wet and cold , had increased the swelling , so that my face was nearly as large as two , and I found it impossible to get my mouth open wide enough to eat .