By day, indeed, these officers, as well as the chaplain, had the use
of the Commodore's room, a fairly spacious chamber in the stern,
shaped on the outside like a big cradle, with bulging windows and a
couple of lanterns on the taffrail above, that were lit when evening
closed in. But at night, or in foul weather, M. de la Pailletine
reserved this apartment for his own use.
At six o'clock every morning the slaves were roused up and began
their day with prayers, which the chaplain conducted, taking
particular care that the Huguenots were hearty in their responses.
The Turks--or _Vogue-avants_ as they were called--were never molested
on the score of religion; but while Mass was being said were put out
of the galley into a long-boat, where they diverted themselves by
smoking and talking till the Christians were through with their
exercises.
When these were done the daily portion of biscuit--pretty good,
though coarse--was doled out to each man, and at ten o'clock a
porringer of soup. Also, on days when the galleys were taken for a
cruise, each slave received something less than a pint of wine,
morning and evening, to keep up his strength. But it must not be
imagined from this that their work was light during the rest of the
week.
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