On Wednesdays flag drills;
practising with the international code of signals, so
as to communicate with stranded vessels. Thursdays,
beach apparatus again. Friday, resuscitation
of drowning men. Saturday, scrub-day; every man
except himself and the cook (each man was cook in
turn for a week) on his knees with bucket and brush,
and every floor, chair, table, and window scoured
clean. Sunday, a day of rest, except for the beach
patrol, which at night never ceased, and which by
day only ceased when the sky was clear of snow and
fog.
This night patrol would be divided into watches
of four hours each at eight, twelve, and four. Two
of the crew were to make the tramp of the beach,
separating opposite the Station, one going south two
and a half miles to meet the surfman from the next
Station, and the other going north to the inlet; exchanging
their brass checks each with the other, as
a record of their faithfulness.
In addition to these brass checks each patrol would
carry three Coston signal cartridges in a water-proof
box, and a holder into which they were fitted, the
handle having an igniter working on a spring to
explode the cartridge, which burned a red light.
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