Geer May 24 1862 ...

I wish you could see the bodys of some of these old saylors: they are regular Picture Books. [They] have India Ink pricked all over their body. One has a Snake coiled around his leg, some have splendid done pieces of Coats of Arms of states, American Flags, and most all have the Crusifiction of Christ on some part of their Body. ...I think in my last I had just finished discribing the Beef for Dinner. Wall, I will not have to discribe any Pies or Puddings, as we are not troubled with any Desert. We have nothing to drink, or any thing to drink out of. After dinner it is the same thing do nothing and sleeping untill five, when Supper is Piped, and such a supper. I am shure I will get the Gout on such high licing. Our Supper consists of Tea and Crackers. The Tea is made by taking, for twelve of us, about three times as much Black Tea or Grass as you would take to make a cup of Tea for you and me, and about a tea cup full of that muscovada shugar that has such a bad taste; you recollect I got some once and we could hardly use it. Wall, it is put in the mess kettle and Boiling Water put on it twenty moments before we want to drink it, and we are surved out a tin Pot full and can eat as many crackers as we may wish, which for me is usuly one.