When the sailors have used up a barrel of tar, they have sport in
putting kerosene in the barrel, lighting it, and dropping it to
leeward. It blazes, vehemently, and while we sail away from it we
cannot persuade ourselves that it is not moving rapidly from us.
The swell of the sea causes it to disappear now and then, rising up
occasionally very far astern. Some on shore have thought that this
might be a false light to vessels. Sailors are too well accustomed to
the practice to be deceived by it; but apart from this, in mid ocean
there is no danger of mistaking it for a light house.--Having spoken of
dropping the barrel to leeward rather than to windward where it might
be blown against the ship, I am reminded of a prudential maxim at sea:
Never throw anything overboard to windward but 1. Ashes; 2. Hot water.