The author gathers anecdotal sketches and practical guides drawn from long experience at sea, combining personal memoir, mission work among sailors, and maritime folklore. Chapters range from reminiscences of moral conversion and shipboard education to portraits of forecastle life, superstitions, and pets aboard ship; interspersed are practical instructions on washing clothes, using the lead line, signalling, rules of the road, and rhymes for foretelling weather. The tone blends warm reminiscence, instruction, and pastoral concern, portraying sailors' habits, social recreation, and everyday seafaring craft.