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White Jacket - or, the World on a Man-of-War by Herman Melville
page 36 of 536 (06%)
hardly think I shall ever forgive him; every twinge of the rheumatism,
which I still occasionally feel, is directly referable to him. The
Immortals have a reputation for clemency; and _they_ may pardon him;
but he must not dun me to be merciful. But my personal feelings toward
the man shall not prevent me from here doing him justice. In most
things he was an excellent seaman; prompt, loud, and to the point; and
as such was well fitted for his station. The First Lieutenancy of a
frigate demands a good disciplinarian, and, every way, an energetic man.
By the captain he is held responsible for everything; by that magnate,
indeed, he is supposed to be omnipresent; down in the hold, and up
aloft, at one and the same time.

He presides at the head of the Ward-room officers' table, who are so
called from their messing together in a part of the ship thus designated.
In a frigate it comprises the after part of the berth-deck. Sometimes it
goes by the name of the Gun-room, but oftener is called the Ward-room.
Within, this Ward-room much resembles a long, wide corridor in a large
hotel; numerous doors opening on both hands to the private apartments
of the officers. I never had a good interior look at it but once; and
then the Chaplain was seated at the table in the centre, playing chess
with the Lieutenant of Marines. It was mid-day, but the place was
lighted by lamps.

Besides the First Lieutenant, the Ward-room officers include the junior
lieutenants, in a frigate six or seven in number, the Sailing-master,
Purser, Chaplain, Surgeon, Marine officers, and Midshipmen's Schoolmaster,
or "the Professor." They generally form a very agreeable club of good
fellows; from their diversity of character, admirably calculated to form
an agreeable social whole. The Lieutenants discuss sea-fights, and tell
anecdotes of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton; the Marine officers talk of
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