Just before morning church some one turned on the water in the nursery
bath, and forgot to turn it off again, so that when we came aft from
the saloon we had the pleasure of finding everything in the children's
cabins afloat, and that a good deal of water had got down into the
hold. It was rather annoying at the time, but, I dare say, like many
other present troubles, it was a good thing in the end. It obliged us,
at any rate, to have all the stores brought up on deck, and led to our
taking an inventory of our resources sooner than we should otherwise
have done. I am sorry to say we found that, owing to the departure of
our head steward and the illness of his successor, they have not been
husbanded as carefully as they should have been, especially those
provided for use forward. Sailors are more like children than grown-up
men, and require as much looking after. While there is water in the
tanks, for instance, they will use it in the most extravagant manner,
without thought for the morrow; and they are quite as reckless with
their other stores.

I find, however, that one of the drawbacks to taking a very close
personal interest in the housekeeping arrangements on board is the too
intimate acquaintance one makes with the various individuals composing
the live stock, the result being that the private particular history
of every chicken, duck, turkey, and joint of mutton is apt to be
remembered with a damaging effect to appetite.

In the afternoon two boobies, the first birds we have seen for some
days, paid us a visit. I suppose we are too far out to see anything
more of our pretty little friends, the petrels.

_Monday, November 13th_.--We had a regular turn-out and re-arrangement
of our stores to-day, and discovered that the waste and mismanagement