midnight
They stood in a mute and solemn row ; the officer advanced , with his memorandum-book and pencil . My casual friend , Shakings , the holder , happened to be by at the time . Touching my arm , he said , `` White-Jacket , this here reminds me of Sing-Sing , when a draft of fellows in darbies , came on from the State Prison at Auburn for a change of scene like , you know ! '' After taking down four or five names , Mr. Bridewell accosted the next man , a rather good-looking person , but , from his haggard cheek and sunken eye , he seemed to have been in the sad habit , all his life , of sitting up rather late at night ; and though all sailors do certainly keep late hours enough -- standing watches at midnight -- yet there is no small difference between keeping late hours at sea and keeping late hours ashore . `` What 's your name ? '' asked the officer , of this rather rakish-looking recruit . `` Mandeville , sir , '' said the man , courteously touching his cap .