Existing comment:
The Lower Deck:
Because men-of-war carried very large crews (a fact dictated by the need to man the guns, some of which required 10-12 men each), living space on the lower deck was at a premium, and privacy all but unknown. When not on watch, the men ate, slept, and relaxed there, often entertaining one another with music and dance or telling tall tales over a mug of beer. |