noon
The sun at noon , in that part , all round the world , is overhead , and so it is just the hottest part of the world . It was hot , indeed . The pitch bubbled out of the seams in the decks , one calm day , and we could have fried a beefsteak , if we had had one , on any iron plates on the deck . I was glad when , after running for a thousand miles or so , we got cooler weather , though the sun was still hot enough at noon . Our ship was very well found , the men said , and we had no lack of food -- salt beef , and peas , and rice , and flour , and sometimes suet and raisins for puddings . They said we were much better off than many ship 's companies ; we had enough of good food , and our officers were just , and did not overwork us . I heard tales of what happens on board some ships , where the food is bad and scanty ; the men are worked well-nigh to death , often struck by the master and the mates , and treated like dogs .