About five o'clock
It appeared to me that the sailors had rather a difficult point to settle . They had three claimants upon them , the Jew for clothes , the bumboat-men for their mess in harbour , and their wives for their support during their absence ; and the money which they received was , generally speaking , not more than sufficient to meet one of the demands . As it may be supposed , the women had the best of it ; the others were paid a trifle , and promised the remainder when they came back from their cruise ; and although , as the case stood then , it might appear that two of the parties were ill-used , yet in the long run they were more than indemnified , for their charges were so extravagant , that if one-third of their bills were paid , there would still remain a profit . About five o'clock the orders were given for the ship to be cleared . All disputed points were settled by the sergeant of marines with a party , who divided their antagonists from the Jews ; and every description of persons not belonging to the ship , whether male or female , was dismissed over the side . The hammocks were piped down , those who were intoxicated were put to bed , and the ship was once more quiet . Nobody was punished for having been tipsy , as pay-day is considered , on board a man-of-war , as the winding-up of all incorrect behaviour , and from that day the sailors turn over a new leaf ; for , although some latitude is permitted , and the seamen are seldom flogged in harbour , yet the moment that the anchor is at the bows , strict discipline is exacted , and intoxication must no longer hope to be forgiven .