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diff --git a/old/4277a.txt b/old/4277a.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e70d79f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/4277a.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15704 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Two Years Before the Mast +by Richard Henry Dana + +Also see another Project Gutenberg edition of this book at: +Feb 2000 Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Henry Dana [2yb4mxxx.xxx]2055 + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before distributing this or any other +Project Gutenberg file. + +We encourage you to keep this file, exactly as it is, on your +own disk, thereby keeping an electronic path open for future +readers. Please do not remove this. + +This header should be the first thing seen when anyone starts to +view the etext. 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In presenting the first `author's edition' to the +public, I have been encouraged to add an account of a visit to the +old scenes, made twenty-four years after, together with notices of +the subsequent story and fate of the vessels, and of some of the +persons with whom the reader is made acquainted.'' + +The popularity of this book has been so great and continued that +it is now proposed to make an illustrated edition with new +material. I have prepared a concluding chapter to continue my +father's ``Twenty-four Years After.'' This will give all that we +have since learned of the fate of crew and vessels, and a brief +account of Mr. Dana himself and his important lifework, which +appears more fully in his published biography[1] and printed +speeches and letters.[2] This concluding chapter will take the place +of the biographic sketch prefixed to the last authorized edition. +There is also added an appendix with a list of the crews of the +two vessels in which Mr. Dana sailed, extracts from a log, and +also plates of spars, rigging and sails, with names, to aid the +reader. + +In the winter of 1879-80 I sailed round Cape Horn in a full-rigged +ship from New York to California. At the latter place I visited +the scenes of ``Two Years Before the Mast.'' At the old town of +San Diego I met Jack Stewart, my father's old shipmate, and as we +were looking at the dreary landscape and the forlorn adobe houses +and talking of California of the thirties, he burst out into an +encomium of the accuracy and fidelity to details of my father's +book. He said, ``I have read it again and again. It all comes back +to me, everything just as it happened. The seamanship is +perfect.'' And then as if to emphasize it all, with the exception +that proves the rule, he detailed one slight case where he thought +my father was at fault,---a detail so slight that I now forget +what it is. In reading the Log kept by the discharged mate, +Amerzeen, on the return trip in the Alert, I find that every +incident there recorded, from running aground at the start at San +Diego Harbor, through the perilous icebergs round the Horn, the +St. Elmo's fire, the scurvy of the crew and the small matters like +the painting of the vessel, to the final sail up Boston Harbor, +confirms my father's record. His former shipmate, the late B. G. +Stimson, a distinguished citizen of Detroit, said the account of +the flogging was far from an exaggeration, and Captain Faucon of +the Alert also during his lifetime frequently confirmed all that +came under his observation. Such truth in the author demands truth +in illustration, and I have cooperated with the publishers in +securing a painting of the Alert under full sail and other +illustrations, both colored and in pen and ink, faithful to the +text in every detail. + +Accuracy, however, is not the secret of the success of this book. +Its flowing style, the use of short Anglo-Saxon words,[3] its +picturesqueness, the power of description, the philosophic +arrangement all contribute to it, but chiefly, I believe, the +enthusiasm of the young Dana, his sympathy for his fellows and +interest in new scenes and strange peoples, and with it all, the +real poetry that runs through the whole. As to its poetry, I will +quote from Mrs. Bancroft's ``Letters from England,'' giving the +opinion of the poet Samuel Rogers: + +``London, June 20, 1847. + +``The 19th, Sat. we breakfasted with Lady Byron and my friend Miss +Murray, at Mr. Rogers'. . . . After breakfast he had been +repeating some lines of poetry which he thought fine, when he +suddenly exclaimed, `But there is a bit of American prose, which, +I think, has more poetry in it, than almost any modern verse.' He +then repeated, I should think, more than a page from Dana's `Two +Years Before the Mast' describing the falling overboard of one of +the crew, and the effect it produced, not only at the moment, but +for some time afterward. I wondered at his memory, which enabled +him to recite so beautifully a long prose passage, so much more +difficult than verse. Several of those present, with whom the book +was a favorite, were so glad to hear from me that it was as true +as interesting, for they had regarded it as partly a work of +imagination.'' + +In writing the book Mr. Dana had a motive which inspired him to +put into it his very best. The night after the flogging of his two +fellow-sailors off San Pedro, California, Mr. Dana, lying in his +berth, ``vowed that, if God should ever give me the means, I would +do something to redress the grievances and relieve the sufferings +of that class of beings with whom my lot has been so long cast.'' +This vow he carried out in no visionary scheme of mutiny or +foolish ``paying back'' to the captain, but by awakening a +``strong sympathy'' for the sailors ``by a voice from the +forecastle,'' in his ``Two Years Before the Mast.'' + +While at sea he made entries almost daily in a pocket notebook and +at leisure hours wrote these out fully. This full account of his +voyage was lost with his trunk containing sailors' clothes and all +souvenirs and presents for family and friends by the carelessness +of a relative who took charge of his things at the wharf when he +landed in Boston in 1836. Later, while in the Law School, Mr. Dana +re-wrote this account from the notebook, which, fortunately, he +had not entrusted to the lost trunk. This account he read to his +father and Washington Allston, artist and poet, his uncle by +marriage. Both advised its publication and the manuscript was sent +to William Cullen Bryant, who had then moved to New York. Mr. +Bryant, after looking it over, took it to a prominent publisher of +his city, as the publishers at that time most able to give the +book a large sale. They offered to buy the book outright but +refused the author any share in the profits. The firm had +submitted the manuscript to Alonzo Potter, afterwards Bishop of +Pennsylvania, then acting as one of their readers. Bishop Potter, +meeting Dana in England years later, told him most emphatically +that he had advised the purchase at any price necessary to secure +it. The most, however, that the elder Dana and Bryant were able to +get from the publishers was $250, so that modest sum with two +dozen printed copies was all the author received at that time for +this most successful book. Incidentally, however, the publication +brought Mr. Dana law practice, especially among sailors, and was +an introduction to him not only in this country but in England. +Editions were published in Great Britain and France. Moxon, the +London publisher, sent Mr. Dana not only presentation copies but +as a voluntary honorarium, there being no international copyright +law at that time, a sum of money larger than the publisher gave +him for the manuscript. He also received kindly words of +appreciation from Rogers, Brougham, Moore, Bulwer, Dickens and +others, and fifteen years later his reputation secured him a large +social and literary reception in England in 1856. At last, in +1868, the original copyright expired and my father brought out the +``author's edition'' thoroughly revised and with many important +additions to the text including the ``Twenty-four Years After'' +under a fair arrangement for percentage of sales with Fields, +Osgood and Co., the predecessors of the present publishers. + +In reading the story of this Harvard College undergraduate's +experience, one should bear in mind, to appreciate the dangers of +his rounding the Cape, that the brig Pilgrim was only one hundred +and eighty tons burden and eighty-six feet and six inches long, +shorter on the water line than many of our summer-sailing sloop +and schooner yachts. + +Richard Henry Dana. + +[1] ``Richard Henry Dana, Jr.'' A Biography. By Charles Francis Adams. +In two volumes. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. + +[2] ``Speeches in Stirring Times and Letters to a Son.'' Richard Henry +Dana, Jr., with introduction and notes by Richard Henry Dana, 3rd. +In one volume. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. + +[3] Extracts from this book were chosen by the oculists of the +United States for use in testing eyes on account of its clearness +in style and freedom from long words. + +CHAPTER I + +The fourteenth of August[1] was the day fixed upon for the sailing +of the brig Pilgrim, on her voyage from Boston, round Cape Horn, +to the Western coast of North America. As she was to get under way +early in the afternoon, I made my appearance on board at twelve +o'clock, in full sea-rig, with my chest, containing an outfit for +a two or three years' voyage, which I had undertaken from a +determination to cure, if possible, by an entire change of life, +and by a long absence from books, with a plenty of hard work, +plain food, and open air, a weakness of the eyes, which had +obliged me to give up my studies, and which no medical aid seemed +likely to remedy. + +The change from the tight frock-coat, silk cap, and kid gloves of +an undergraduate at Harvard, to the loose duck trousers, checked +shirt, and tarpaulin hat of a sailor, though somewhat of a +transformation, was soon made; and I supposed that I should pass +very well for a Jack tar. But it is impossible to deceive the +practised eye in these matters; and while I thought myself to be +looking as salt as Neptune himself, I was, no doubt, known for a +landsman by every one on board as soon as I hove in sight. A +sailor has a peculiar cut to his clothes, and a way of wearing +them which a green hand can never get. The trousers, tight round +the hips, and thence hanging long and loose round the feet, a +superabundance of checked shirt, a low-crowned, well-varnished +black hat, worn on the back of the head, with half a fathom of +black ribbon hanging over the left eye, and a slip-tie to the +black silk neckerchief, with sundry other minutiae, are signs, the +want of which betrays the beginner at once. Besides the points in +my dress which were out of the way, doubtless my complexion and +hands were quite enough to distinguish me from the regular salt +who, with a sunburnt cheek, wide step, and rolling gait, swings +his bronzed and toughened hands athwart-ships, half opened, as +though just ready to grasp a rope. + +``With all my imperfections on my head,'' I joined the crew, and +we hauled out into the stream, and came to anchor for the night. +The next day we were employed in preparation for sea, reeving +studding-sail gear, crossing royal yards, putting on chafing gear, +and taking on board our powder. On the following night, I stood my +first watch. I remained awake nearly all the first part of the +night from fear that I might not hear when I was called; and when +I went on deck, so great were my ideas of the importance of my +trust, that I walked regularly fore and aft the whole length of +the vessel, looking out over the bows and taffrail at each turn, +and was not a little surprised at the coolness of the old seaman +whom I called to take my place, in stowing himself snugly away +under the long-boat for a nap. That was a sufficient lookout, he +thought, for a fine night, at anchor in a safe harbor. + +The next morning was Saturday, and, a breeze having sprung up from +the southward, we took a pilot on board, hove up our anchor, and +began beating down the bay. I took leave of those of my friends +who came to see me off, and had barely opportunity for a last look +at the city and well-known objects, as no time is allowed on board +ship for sentiment. As we drew down into the lower harbor, we +found the wind ahead in the bay, and were obliged to come to +anchor in the roads. We remained there through the day and a part +of the night. My watch began at eleven o'clock at night, and I +received orders to call the captain if the wind came out from the +westward. About midnight the wind became fair, and, having +summoned the captain, I was ordered to call all hands. How I +accomplished this, I do not know, but I am quite sure that I did +not give the true hoarse boatswain call of ``A-a-ll ha-a-a-nds ! +up anchor, a-ho-oy!'' In a short time every one was in motion, the +sails loosed, the yards braced, and we began to heave up the +anchor, which was our last hold upon Yankee land. I could take but +small part in these preparations. My little knowledge of a vessel +was all at fault. Unintelligible orders were so rapidly given, and +so immediately executed; there was such a hurrying about, and such +an intermingling of strange cries and stranger actions, that I was +completely bewildered. There is not so helpless and pitiable an +object in the world as a landsman beginning a sailor's life. At +length those peculiar, long-drawn sounds which denote that the +crew are heaving at the windlass began, and in a few minutes we +were under way. The noise of the water thrown from the bows was +heard, the vessel leaned over from the damp night-breeze, and +rolled with the heavy groundswell, and we had actually begun our +long, long journey. This was literally bidding good night to my +native land. + +[1] [In the year 1834.] + +CHAPTER II + +The first day we passed at sea was Sunday. As we were just from +port, and there was a great deal to be done on board, we were kept +at work all day, and at night the watches were set, and everything +was put into sea order. When we were called aft to be divided into +watches, I had a good specimen of the manner of a sea-captain. +After the division had been made, he gave a short characteristic +speech, walking the quarter-deck with a cigar in his mouth, and +dropping the words out between the puffs. + +``Now, my men, we have begun a long voyage. If we get along well +together, we shall have a comfortable time; if we don't, we shall +have hell afloat. All you have got to do is to obey your orders, +and do your duty like men,-- then you will fare well enough; if +you don't, you will fare hard enough,-- I can tell you. If we pull +together, you will find me a clever fellow; if we don't, you will +find me a bloody rescal. That's all I've got to say. Go below, the +larboard[1] watch!'' + +I, being in the starboard or second mate's watch, had the +opportunity of keeping the first watch at sea. Stimson, a young +man making, like myself, his first voyage, was in the same watch, +and as he was the son of a professional man, and had been in a +merchant's counting-room in Boston, we found that we had some +acquaintances and topics in common. We talked these matters over-- +Boston, what our friends were probably doing, our voyage, &c.-- +until he went to take his turn at the lookout, and left me to +myself. I had now a good opportunity for reflection. I felt for +the first time the perfect silence of the sea. The officer was +walking the quarter-deck, where I had no right to go, one or two +men were talking on the forecastle, whom I had little inclination +to join, so that I was left open to the full impression of +everything about me. However much I was affected by the beauty of +the sea, the bright stars, and the clouds driven swiftly over +them, I could not but remember that I was separating myself from +all the social and intellectual enjoyments of life. Yet, strange +as it may seem, I did then and afterwards take pleasure in these +reflections, hoping by them to prevent my becoming insensible to +the value of what I was losing. + +But all my dreams were soon put to flight by an order from the +officer to trim the yards, as the wind was getting ahead; and I +could plainly see by the looks the sailors occasionally cast to +windward, and by the dark clouds that were fast coming up, that we +had bad weather to prepare for, and I had heard the captain say +that he expected to be in the Gulf Stream by twelve o'clock. In a +few minutes eight bells were struck, the watch called, and we went +below. I now began to feel the first discomforts of a sailor's +life. The steerage, in which I lived, was filled with coils of +rigging, spare sails, old junk, and ship stores, which had not +been stowed away. Moreover, there had been no berths put up for us +to sleep in, and we were not allowed to drive nails to hang our +clothes upon. The sea, too, had risen, the vessel was rolling +heavily, and everything was pitched about in grand confusion. +There was a complete ``hurrah's nest,'' as the sailors say, +``everything on top and nothing at hand.'' A large hawser had been +coiled away on my chest; my hats, boots, mattress, and blankets +had all fetched away and gone over to leeward, and were jammed and +broken under the boxes and coils of rigging. To crown all, we were +allowed no light to find anything with, and I was just beginning +to feel strong symptoms of sea-sickness, and that listlessness and +inactivity which accompany it. Giving up all attempts to collect +my things together, I lay down on the sails, expecting every +moment to hear the cry, ``All hands ahoy!'' which the approaching +storm would make necessary. I shortly heard the raindrops falling +on deck thick and fast, and the watch evidently had their hands +full of work, for I could hear the loud and repeated orders of the +mate, trampling of feet, creaking of the blocks, and all the +accompaniments of a coming storm. In a few minutes the slide of +the hatch was thrown back, which let down the noise and tumult of +the deck still louder, the cry of ``All hands ahoy! tumble up here +and take in sail,'' saluted our ears, and the hatch was quickly +shut again. When I got upon deck, a new scene and a new experience +was before me. + +The little brig was close-hauled upon the wind, and lying over, as +it then seemed to me, nearly upon her beam ends. The heavy head +sea was beating against her bows with the noise and force almost +of a sledgehammer, and flying over the deck, drenching us +completely through. The topsail halyards had been let go, and the +great sails were filling out and backing against the masts with a +noise like thunder; the wind was whistling through the rigging; +loose ropes were flying about; loud and, to me, unintelligible +orders constantly given, and rapidly executed; and the sailors +``singing out'' at the ropes in their hoarse and peculiar strains. + +In addition to all this, I had not got my ``sea legs on,'' was +dreadfully sea-sick, with hardly strength enough to hold on to +anything, and it was ``pitch dark.'' This was my condition when I +was ordered aloft, for the first time, to reef topsails. + +How I got along, I cannot now remember. I ``laid out'' on the +yards and held on with all my strength. I could not have been of +much service, for I remember having been sick several times before +I left the topsail yard, making wild vomits into the black night, +to leeward. Soon all was snug aloft, and we were again allowed to +go below. This I did not consider much of a favor, for the +confusion of everything below, and that inexpressible sickening +smell, caused by the shaking up of bilge water in the hold, made +the steerage but an indifferent refuge from the cold, wet decks. I +had often read of the nautical experiences of others, but I felt +as though there could be none worse than mine; for, in addition to +every other evil, I could not but remember that this was only the +first night of a two years' voyage. When we were on deck, we were +not much better off, for we were continually ordered about by the +officer, who said that it was good for us to be in motion. Yet +anything was better than the horrible state of things below. I +remember very well going to the hatchway and putting my head down, +when I was oppressed by nausea, and always being relieved +immediately. It was an effectual emetic. + +This state of things continued for two days. + +Wednesday, August 20th. We had the watch on deck from four till +eight, this morning. When we came on deck at four o'clock, we +found things much changed for the better. The sea and wind had +gone down, and the stars were out bright. I experienced a +corresponding change in my feelings, yet continued extremely weak +from my sickness. I stood in the waist on the weather side, +watching the gradual breaking of the day, and the first streaks of +the early light. Much has been said of the sunrise at sea; but it +will not compare with the sunrise on shore. It lacks the +accompaniments of the songs of birds, the awakening hum of +humanity, and the glancing of the first beams upon trees, hills, +spires, and house-tops, to give it life and spirit. There is no +scenery. But, although the actual rise of the sun at sea is not so +beautiful, yet nothing will compare for melancholy and dreariness +with the early breaking of day upon ``Old Ocean's gray and +melancholy waste.'' + +There is something in the first gray streaks stretching along the +eastern horizon and throwing an indistinct light upon the face of +the deep, which combines with the boundlessness and unknown depth +of the sea around, and gives one a feeling of loneliness, of +dread, and of melancholy foreboding, which nothing else in nature +can. This gradually passes away as the light grows brighter, and +when the sun comes up, the ordinary monotonous sea day begins. + +From such reflections as these, I was aroused by the order from +the officer, ``Forward there! rig the headpump!'' I found that no +time was allowed for daydreaming, but that we must ``turn to'' at +the first light. Having called up the ``idlers,'' namely, +carpenter, cook, and steward, and rigged the pump, we began +washing down the decks. This operation, which is performed every +morning at sea, takes nearly two hours; and I had hardly strength +enough to get through it. After we had finished, swabbed down +decks, and coiled up the rigging, I sat on the spars, waiting for +seven bells, which was the signal for breakfast. The officer, +seeing my lazy posture, ordered me to slush the mainmast, from the +royal-mast-head down. The vessel was then rolling a little, and I +had taken no food for three days, so that I felt tempted to tell +him that I had rather wait till after breakfast; but I knew that I +must ``take the bull by the horns,'' and that if I showed any sign +of want of spirit or backwardness, I should be ruined at once. So +I took my bucket of grease and climbed up to the royal-mast-head. +Here the rocking of the vessel, which increases the higher you go +from the foot of the mast, which is the fulcrum of the lever, and +the smell of the grease, which offended my fastidious senses, +upset my stomach again, and I was not a little rejoiced when I had +finished my job and got upon the comparative terra firma of the +deck. In a few minutes seven bells were struck, the log hove, the +watch called, and we went to breakfast. Here I cannot but remember +the advice of the cook, a simple-hearted African. ``Now,'' says +he, ``my lad, you are well cleaned out; you haven't got a drop of +your 'long-shore swash aboard of you. You must begin on a new +tack,-- pitch all your sweetmeats overboard, and turn to upon good +hearty salt beef and ship bread, and I'll promise you, you'll have +your ribs well sheathed, and be as hearty as any of 'em, afore you +are up to the Horn.'' This would be good advice to give to +passengers, when they set their hearts on the little niceties +which they have laid in, in case of sea-sickness. + +I cannot describe the change which half a pound of cold salt beef +and a biscuit or two produced in me. I was a new being. Having a +watch below until noon, so that I had some time to myself, I got a +huge piece of strong, cold salt beef from the cook, and kept +gnawing upon it until twelve o'clock. When we went on deck, I felt +somewhat like a man, and could begin to learn my sea duty with +considerable spirit. At about two o'clock, we heard the loud cry +of ``Sail ho!'' from aloft, and soon saw two sails to windward, +going directly athwart our hawse. This was the first time that I +had seen a sail at sea. I thought then, and have always since, +that no sight exceeds it in interest, and few in beauty. They +passed to leeward of us, and out of hailing distance; but the +captain could read the names on their sterns with the glass. They +were the ship Helen Mar, of New York, and the brig Mermaid, of +Boston. They were both steering westward, and were bound in for +our ``dear native land.'' + +Thursday, August 21st. This day the sun rose clear; we had a fine +wind, and everything was bright and cheerful. I had now got my sea +legs on, and was beginning to enter upon the regular duties of a +sea life. About six bells, that is, three o'clock P.M., we saw a +sail on our larboard bow. I was very desirous, like every new sailor, +to speak her. She came down to us, backed her main-top-sail, and the +two vessels stood ``head on,'' bowing and curveting at each other like +a couple of war-horses reined in by their riders. It was the first +vessel that I had seen near, and I was surprised to find how much +she rolled and pitched in so quiet a sea. She plunged her head into +the sea, and then, her stern settling gradually down, her huge bows +rose up, showing the bright copper, and her stem and breasthooks +dripping, like old Neptune's locks, with the brine. Her decks were +filled with passengers, who had come up at the cry of ``Sail ho!'' and +who, by their dress and features, appeared to be Swiss and French +emigrants. She hailed us at first in French, but receiving no answer, +she tried us in English. She was the ship La Carolina, from Havre, +for New York. We desired her to report the brig Pilgrim, from Boston, +for the northwest coast of America, five days out. She then filled +away and left us to plough on through our waste of waters. + +There is a settled routine for hailing ships at sea: ``Ship +a-hoy!'' Answer, ``Hulloa!'' ``What ship is that, pray?'' ``The +ship Carolina, from Havre, bound to New York. Where are you +from?'' ``The brig Pilgrim, from Boston, bound to the coast of +California, five days out.'' Unless there is leisure, or something +special to say, this form is not much varied from. + +This day ended pleasantly; we had got into regular and comfortable +weather, and into that routine of sea life which is only broken by +a storm, a sail, or the sight of land. + +[1] Of late years, the British and American marine, naval and +mercantile, have adopted the word ``port'' instead of larboard, in +all cases on board ship, to avoid mistake from similarity of +sound. At this time ``port'' was used only at the helm. + + +CHAPTER III + +As we have now had a long ``spell'' of fine weather, without any +incident to break the monotony of our lives, I may have no better +place for a description of the duties, regulations, and customs of +an American merchantman, of which ours was a fair specimen. + +The captain, in the first place, is lord paramount. He stands no +watch, comes and goes when he pleases, is accountable to no one, +and must be obeyed in everything, without a question even from his +chief officer. He has the power to turn his officers off duty, and +even to break them and make them do duty as sailors in the +forecastle.[1] Where there are no passengers and no supercargo, as +in our vessel, he has no companion but his own dignity, and few +pleasures, unless he differs from most of his kind, beyond the +consciousness of possessing supreme power, and, occasionally, the +exercise of it. + +The prime minister, the official organ, and the active and +superintending officer is the chief mate. He is first lieutenant, +boatswain, sailing-master, and quartermaster. The captain tells +him what he wishes to have done, and leaves to him the care of +overseeing, of allotting the work, and also the responsibility of +its being well done. The mate (as he is always called, par +excellence) also keeps the log-book, for which he is responsible +to the owners and insurers, and has the charge of the stowage, +safe-keeping, and delivery of the cargo. He is also, ex officio, +the wit of the crew; for the captain does not condescend to joke +with the men, and the second mate no one cares for; so that when +``the mate'' thinks fit to entertain ``the people'' with a coarse +joke or a little practical wit, every one feels bound to laugh. + +The second mate is proverbially a dog's berth. He is neither +officer nor man. He is obliged to go aloft to reef and furl the +topsails, and to put his hands into the tar and slush, with the +rest, and the men do not much respect him as an officer. The crew +call him the ``sailor's waiter,'' as he has to furnish them with +spun-yarn, marline, and all other stuffs that they need in their +work, and has charge of the boatswain's locker, which includes +serving-boards, marline-spikes, &c., &c. He is expected by the +captain to maintain his dignity and to enforce obedience, and +still is kept at a great distance from the mate, and obliged to +work with the crew. He is one to whom little is given and of whom +much is required. His wages are usually double those of a common +sailor, and he eats and sleeps in the cabin; but he is obliged to +be on deck nearly all his time, and eats at the second table, that +is, makes a meal out of what the captain and chief mate leave. + +The steward is the captain's servant, and has charge of the +pantry, from which every one, even the mate himself, is excluded. +These distinctions usually find him an enemy in the mate, who does +not like to have any one on board who is not entirely under his +control; the crew do not consider him as one of their number, so +he is left to the mercy of the captain. + +The cook, whose title is ``Doctor,'' is the patron of the crew, +and those who are in his favor can get their wet mittens and +stockings dried, or light their pipes at the galley in the +night-watch. These two worthies, together with the carpenter (and +sailmaker, if there be one), stand no watch, but, being employed +all day, are allowed to ``sleep in'' at night, unless all hands +are called. + +The crew are divided into two divisions, as equally as may be, +called the watches. Of these, the chief mate commands the +larboard, and the second mate the starboard. They divide the time +between them, being on and off duty, or, as it is called, on deck +and below, every other four hours. The three night-watches are +called the first, the middle, and the morning watch. If, for +instance, the chief mate with the larboard watch have the first +night-watch from eight to twelve, at that hour the starboard watch +and the second mate take the deck, while the larboard watch and +the first mate go below until four in the morning, when they come +on deck again and remain until eight. As the larboard watch will +have been on deck eight hours out of the twelve, while the +starboard watch will have been up only four hours, the former have +what is called a ``forenoon watch below,'' that is, from eight +A.M. till twelve M. In a man-of-war, and in some merchantmen, this +alternation of watches is kept up throughout the twenty-four +hours, which is called having ``watch and watch''; but our ship, +like most merchantmen, had ``all hands'' from twelve o'clock till +dark, except in very bad weather, when we were allowed ``watch and +watch.'' + +An explanation of the ``dog-watches'' may, perhaps, be necessary +to one who has never been at sea. Their purpose is to shift the +watches each night, so that the same watch shall not be on deck at +the same hours throughout a voyage. In order to effect this, the +watch from four to eight P.M. is divided into two half-watches, +one from four to six, and the other from six to eight. By this +means they divide the twenty-four hours into seven watches instead +of six, and thus shift the hours every night. As the dog-watches +come during twilight, after the day's work is done, and before the +night-watch is set, they are the watches in which everybody is on +deck. The captain is up, walking on the weather side of the +quarter-deck, the chief mate on the lee side, and the second mate +about the weather gangway. The steward has finished his work in +the cabin, and has come up to smoke his pipe with the cook in the +galley. The crew are sitting on the windlass or lying on the +forecastle, smoking, singing, or telling long yarns. At eight +o'clock eight bells are struck, the log is hove, the watch set, +the wheel relieved, the galley shut up, and the watch off duty +goes below. + +The morning begins with the watch on deck's ``turning to'' at +daybreak and washing down, scrubbing, and swabbing the decks. +This, together with filling the ``scuttled butt'' with fresh +water, and coiling up the rigging, usually occupies the time until +seven bells (half after seven), when all hands get breakfast. At +eight the day's work begins, and lasts until sundown, with the +exception of an hour for dinner. + +Before I end my explanations, it may be well to define a day's +work, and to correct a mistake prevalent among landsmen about a +sailor's life. Nothing is more common than to hear people say, +``Are not sailors very idle at sea? What can they find to do?'' +This is a natural mistake, and, being frequently made, is one +which every sailor feels interested in having corrected. In the +first place, then, the discipline of the ship requires every man +to be at work upon something when he is on deck, except at night +and on Sundays. At all other times you will never see a man, on +board a well-ordered vessel, standing idle on deck, sitting down, +or leaning over the side. It is the officers' duty to keep every +one at work, even if there is nothing to be done but to scrape the +rust from the chain cables. In no state prison are the convicts +more regularly set to work, and more closely watched. No +conversation is allowed among the crew at their duty, and though +they frequently do talk when aloft, or when near one another, yet +they stop when an officer is nigh. + +With regard to the work upon which the men are put, it is a matter +which probably would not be understood by one who has not been at +sea. When I first left port, and found that we were kept regularly +employed for a week or two, I supposed that we were getting the +vessel into sea trim, and that it would soon be over, and we +should have nothing to do but to sail the ship; but I found that +it continued so for two years, and at the end of the two years +there was as much to be done as ever. As has often been said, a +ship is like a lady's watch, always out of repair. When first +leaving port, studding-sail gear is to be rove, all the running +rigging to be examined, that which is unfit for use to be got +down, and new rigging rove in its place; then the standing rigging +is to be overhauled, replaced, and repaired in a thousand +different ways; and wherever any of the numberless ropes or the +yards are chafing or wearing upon it, there ``chafing gear,'' as +it is called, must be put on. This chafing gear consists of +worming, parcelling, roundings, battens, and service of all kinds,-- +rope-yarns, spun-yarn, marline, and seizing-stuffs. Taking off, +putting on, and mending the chafing gear alone, upon a vessel, +would find constant employment for a man or two men, during +working hours, for a whole voyage. + +The next point to be considered is, that all the ``small stuffs'' +which are used on board a ship-- such as spun-yarn, marline, +seizing-stuff, &c., &c.-- are made on board. The owners of a +vessel buy up incredible quantities of ``old junk,'' which the +sailors unlay, and, after drawing out the yarns, knot them +together, and roll them up in balls. These ``rope-yarns'' are +constantly used for various purposes, but the greater part is +manufactured into spun-yarn. For this purpose, every vessel is +furnished with a ``spun-yarn winch''; which is very simple, +consisting of a wheel and spindle. This may be heard constantly +going on deck in pleasant weather; and we had employment, during a +great part of the time, for three hands, in drawing and knotting +yarns, and making spun-yarn. + +Another method of employing the crew is ``setting-up'' rigging. +Whenever any of the standing rigging becomes slack (which is +continually happening), the seizings and coverings must be taken +off, tackles got up, and, after the rigging is bowsed well taut, +the seizings and coverings be replaced, which is a very nice piece +of work. There is also such a connection between different parts +of a vessel, that one rope can seldom be touched without requiring +a change in another. You cannot stay a mast aft by the back stays, +without slacking up the head stays, &c., &c. If we add to this all +the tarring, greasing, oiling, varnishing, painting, scraping, and +scrubbing which is required in the course of a long voyage, and +also remember this is all to be done in addition to watching at +night, steering, reefing, furling, bracing, making and setting +sail, and pulling, hauling, and climbing in every direction, one +will hardly ask, ``What can a sailor find to do at sea?'' + +If, after all this labor,-- after exposing their lives and limbs +in storms, wet and cold,-- + + ``Wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch + The lion and the belly-pinched wolf + Keep their furs dry,''-- + +the merchants and captains think that the sailors have not earned +their twelve dollars a month (out of which they clothe +themselves), and their salt beef and hard bread, they keep them +picking oakum-- ad infinitum. This is the usual resource upon a +rainy day, for then it will not do to work upon rigging; and when +it is pouring down in floods, instead of letting the sailors stand +about in sheltered places, and talk, and keep themselves +comfortable, they are separated to different parts of the ship and +kept at work picking oakum. I have seen oakum stuff placed about +in different parts of the ship, so that the sailors might not be +idle in the snatches between the frequent squalls upon crossing +the equator. Some officers have been so driven to find work for +the crew in a ship ready for sea, that they have set them to +pounding the anchors (often done) and scraping the chain cables. +The ``Philadelphia Catechism'' is + + ``Six days shalt thou labor and do all thou art able, + And on the seventh,-- holystone the decks and scrape the cable.'' + +This kind of work, of course, is not kept up off Cape Horn, Cape +of Good Hope, and in extreme north and south latitudes; but I have +seen the decks washed down and scrubbed when the water would have +frozen if it had been fresh, and all hands kept at work upon the +rigging, when we had on our pea-jackets, and our hands so numb that +we could hardly hold our marline-spikes. + +I have here gone out of my narrative course in order that any who +read this may, at the start, form as correct an idea of a sailor's +life and duty as possible. I have done it in this place because, +for some time, our life was nothing but the unvarying repetition +of these duties, which can be better described together. Before +leaving this description, however, I would state, in order to show +landsmen how little they know of the nature of a ship, that a +ship-carpenter is kept constantly employed, during good weather, +on board vessels which are in what is called perfect sea order. + +CHAPTER IV + +After speaking the Carolina, on the 21st of August, nothing +occurred to break the monotony of our life until-- + +Friday, September 5th, when we saw a sail on our weather +(starboard) beam. She proved to be a brig under English colors, +and, passing under our stern, reported herself as forty-nine days +from Buenos Ayres, bound to Liverpool. Before she had passed us, +``Sail ho!'' was cried again, and we made another sail, broad on +our weather bow, and steering athwart our hawse. She passed out of +hail, but we made her out to be an hermaphrodite brig, with +Brazilian colors in her main rigging. By her course, she must have +been bound from Brazil to the south of Europe, probably Portugal. + +Sunday, September 7th. Fell in with the northeast trade-winds. +This morning we caught our first dolphin, which I was very eager +to see. I was disappointed in the colors of this fish when dying. +They were certainly very beautiful, but not equal to what has been +said of them. They are too indistinct. To do the fish justice, +there is nothing more beautiful than the dolphin when swimming a +few feet below the surface, on a bright day. It is the most +elegantly formed, and also the quickest, fish in salt water; and +the rays of the sun striking upon it, in its rapid and changing +motions, reflected from the water, make it look like a stray beam +from a rainbow. + +This day was spent like all pleasant Sundays at sea. The decks are +washed down, the rigging coiled up, and everything put in order; +and, throughout the day, only one watch is kept on deck at a time. +The men are all dressed in their best white duck trousers, and red +or checked shirts, and have nothing to do but to make the +necessary changes in the sails. They employ themselves in reading, +talking, smoking, and mending their clothes. If the weather is +pleasant, they bring their work and their books upon deck, and sit +down upon the forecastle and windlass. This is the only day on +which these privileges are allowed them. When Monday comes, they +put on their tarry trousers again, and prepare for six days of +labor. + +To enhance the value of Sunday to the crew, they are allowed on +that day a pudding, or, as it is called, a ``duff.'' This is +nothing more than flour boiled with water, and eaten with +molasses. It is very heavy, dark, and clammy, yet it is looked +upon as a luxury, and really forms an agreeable variety with salt +beef and pork. Many a rascally captain has made up with his crew, +for hard usage, by allowing them duff twice a week on the passage +home. + +On board some vessels Sunday is made a day of instruction and of +religious exercises; but we had a crew of swearers, from the +captain to the smallest boy; and a day of rest, and of something +like quiet, social enjoyment, was all that we could expect. + +We continued running large before the northeast trade-winds for +several days, until Monday-- + +September 22d, when, upon coming on deck at seven bells in the +morning, we found the other watch aloft throwing water upon the +sails; and, looking astern, we saw a small clipper-built brig +with a black hull heading directly after us. We went to work +immediately, and put all the canvas upon the brig which we could +get upon her, rigging out oars for extra studding-sail yards, +and continued wetting down the sails by buckets of water whipped +up to the mast-head, until about nine o'clock, when there came +on a drizzling rain. The vessel continued in pursuit, changing +her course as we changed ours, to keep before the wind. The +captain, who watched her with his glass, said that she was armed, +and full of men, and showed no colors. We continued running dead +before the wind, knowing that we sailed better so, and that +clippers are fastest on the wind. We had also another advantage. +The wind was light, and we spread more canvas than she did, +having royals and sky-sails fore and aft, and ten studding-sails; +while she, being an hermaphrodite brig, had only a gaff topsail +aft. Early in the morning she was overhauling us a little, but +after the rain came on and the wind grew lighter, we began to +leave her astern. All hands remained on deck throughout the day, +and we got our fire-arms in order; but we were too few to have +done anything with her, if she had proved to be what we feared. +Fortunately there was no moon, and the night which followed was +exceedingly dark, so that, by putting out all the lights on board +and altering our course four points, we hoped to get out of her +reach. We removed the light in the binnacle, and steered by the +stars, and kept perfect silence through the night. At daybreak +there was no sign of anything in the horizon, and we kept the +vessel off to her course. + +Wednesday, October 1st. Crossed the equator in lon. 24 24' W. +I now, for the first time, felt at liberty, according to the old +usage, to call myself a son of Neptune, and was very glad to be +able to claim the title without the disagreeable initiation which +so many have to go through. After once crossing the line, you can +never be subjected to the process, but are considered as a son of +Neptune, with full powers to play tricks upon others. This ancient +custom is now seldom allowed, unless there are passengers on +board, in which case there is always a good deal of sport. + +It had been obvious to all hands for some time that the second +mate, whose name was Foster, was an idle, careless fellow, and not +much of a sailor, and that the captain was exceedingly +dissatisfied with him. The power of the captain in these cases was +well known, and we all anticipated a difficulty. Foster (called +Mr. by virtue of his office) was but half a sailor, having always +been short voyages, and remained at home a long time between them. +His father was a man of some property, and intended to have given +his son a liberal education; but he, being idle and worthless, was +sent off to sea, and succeeded no better there; for, unlike many +scamps, he had none of the qualities of a sailor,-- he was ``not +of the stuff that they make sailors of.'' He used to hold long +yarns with the crew, and talk against the captain, and play with +the boys, and relax discipline in every way. This kind of conduct +always makes the captain suspicious, and is never pleasant, in the +end, to the men; they preferring to have an officer active, +vigilant, and distant as may be with kindness. Among other bad +practices, he frequently slept on his watch, and, having been +discovered asleep by the captain, he was told that he would be +turned off duty if he did it again. To prevent his sleeping on +deck, the hen-coops were ordered to be knocked up, for the captain +never sat down on deck himself, and never permitted an officer to +do so. + +The second night after crossing the equator, we had the watch from +eight till twelve, and it was ``my helm'' for the last two hours. +There had been light squalls through the night, and the captain +told Mr. Foster, who commanded our watch, to keep a bright +lookout. Soon after I came to the helm, I found that he was quite +drowsy, and at last he stretched himself on the companion and went +fast asleep. Soon afterwards the captain came softly on deck, and +stood by me for some time looking at the compass. The officer at +length became aware of the captain's presence, but, pretending not +to know it, began humming and whistling to himself, to show that +he was not asleep, and went forward, without looking behind him, +and ordered the main royal to be loosed. On turning round to come +aft, he pretended surprise at seeing the master on deck. This +would not do. The captain was too ``wide awake'' for him, and, +beginning upon him at once, gave him a grand blow-up, in true +nautical style: ``You're a lazy, good-for-nothing rascal; you're +neither man, boy, soger, nor sailor! you're no more than a thing +aboard a vessel! you don't earn your salt! you're worse than a +Mahon soger!'' and other still more choice extracts from the +sailor's vocabulary. After the poor fellow had taken this +harangue, he was sent into his state-room, and the captain stood +the rest of the watch himself. + +At seven bells in the morning, all hands were called aft, and told +that Foster was no longer an officer on board, and that we might +choose one of our own number for second mate. It is not uncommon +for the captain to make this offer, and it is good policy, for the +crew think themselves the choosers, and are flattered by it, but +have to obey, nevertheless. Our crew, as is usual, refused to take +the responsibility of choosing a man of whom we would never be +able to complain, and left it to the captain. He picked out an +active and intelligent young sailor, born on the banks of the +Kennebec, who had been several Canton voyages, and proclaimed him +in the following manner: ``I choose Jim Hall; he's your second +mate. All you've got to do is, to obey him as you would me; and +remember that he is Mr. Hall.'' Foster went forward into the +forecastle as a common sailor, and lost the handle to his name, +while young fore-mast Jim became Mr. Hall, and took up his +quarters in the land of knives and forks and tea-cups. + +Sunday, October 5th. It was our morning watch; when, soon after +the day began to break, a man on the forecastle called out, ``Land +ho!'' I had never heard the cry before, and did not know what it +meant (and few would suspect what the words were, when hearing the +strange sound for the first time); but I soon found, by the +direction of all eyes, that there was land stretching along on our +weather beam. We immediately took in studding-sails and hauled our +wind, running in for the land. This was done to determine our +longitude; for by the captain's chronometer we were in 25 W., but +by his observations we were much farther; and he had been for some +time in doubt whether it was his chronometer or his sextant which +was out of order. This land-fall settled the matter, and the +former instrument was condemned, and, becoming still worse, was +never afterwards used. + +As we ran in towards the coast, we found that we were directly off +the port of Pernambuco, and could see with the telescope the roofs +of the houses, and one large church, and the town of Olinda. We +ran along by the mouth of the harbor, and saw a full-rigged brig +going in. At two P.M. we again stood out to sea, leaving the land +on our quarter, and at sundown it was out of sight. It was here +that I first saw one of those singular things called catamarans. +They are composed of logs lashed together upon the water, the men +sitting with their feet in the water; have one large sail, are +quite fast, and, strange as it may seem, are trusted as good sea +boats. We saw several, with from one to three men in each, boldly +putting out to sea, after it had become almost dark. The Indians +go out in them after fish, and as the weather is regular in +certain seasons, they have no fear. After taking a new departure +from Olinda, we kept off on our way to Cape Horn. + +We met with nothing remarkable until we were in the latitude of +the river La Plata. Here there are violent gales from the +southwest, called Pamperos, which are very destructive to the +shipping in the river, and are felt for many leagues at sea. They +are usually preceded by lightning. The captain told the mates to +keep a bright lookout, and if they saw lightning at the southwest, +to take in sail at once. We got the first touch of one during my +watch on deck. I was walking in the lee gangway, and thought that +I saw lightning on the lee bow. I told the second mate, who came +over and looked out for some time. It was very black in the +southwest, and in about ten minutes we saw a distinct flash. The +wind, which had been southeast, had now left us, and it was dead +calm. We sprang aloft immediately and furled the royals and +top-gallant-sails, and took in the flying jib, hauled up the +mainsail and trysail, squared the after yards, and awaited the +attack. A huge mist capped with black clouds came driving towards +us, extending over that portion of the horizon, and covering the +stars, which shone brightly in the other part of the heavens. It +came upon us at once with a blast, and a shower of hail and rain, +which almost took our breath from us. The hardiest was obliged to +turn his back. We let the halyards run, and fortunately were not +taken aback. The little vessel ``paid off'' from the wind, and ran +on for some time directly before it, tearing through the water +with everything flying. Having called all hands, we close-reefed +the topsails and trysail, furled the courses and jib, set the +fore-topmast staysail, and brought her up nearly to her course, +with the weather braces hauled in a little, to ease her. + +This was the first blow I had met, which could really be called a +gale. We had reefed our topsails in the Gulf Stream, and I thought +it something serious, but an older sailor would have thought +nothing of it. As I had now become used to the vessel and to my +duty, I was of some service on a yard, and could knot my +reef-point as well as anybody. I obeyed the order to lay[1] aloft +with the rest, and found the reefing a very exciting scene; for +one watch reefed the fore-topsail, and the other the main, and +every one did his utmost to get his topsail hoisted first. We had +a great advantage over the larboard watch, because the chief mate +never goes aloft, while our new second mate used to jump into the +rigging as soon as we began to haul out the reef-tackle, and have +the weather earing passed before there was a man upon the yard. In +this way we were almost always able to raise the cry of ``Haul out +to leeward'' before them; and, having knotted our points, would +slide down the shrouds and back-stays, and sing out at the topsail +halyards, to let it be known that we were ahead of them. Reefing +is the most exciting part of a sailor's duty. All hands are +engaged upon it, and after the halyards are let go, there is no +time to be lost,-- no ``sogering,'' or hanging back, then. If one +is not quick enough, another runs over him. The first on the yard +goes to the weather earing, the second to the lee, and the next +two to the ``dog's ears''; while the others lay along into the +bunt, just giving each other elbow-room. In reefing, the yard-arms +(the extremes of the yards) are the posts of honor; but in +furling, the strongest and most experienced stand in the slings +(or middle of the yard) to make up the bunt. If the second mate is +a smart fellow, he will never let any one take either of these +posts from him; but if he is wanting either in seamanship, +strength, or activity, some better man will get the bunt and +earings from him, which immediately brings him into disrepute. + +We remained for the rest of the night, and throughout the next +day, under the same close sail, for it continued to blow very +fresh; and though we had no more hail, yet there was a soaking +rain, and it was quite cold and uncomfortable; the more so, +because we were not prepared for cold weather, but had on our thin +clothes. We were glad to get a watch below, and put on our thick +clothing, boots, and southwesters. Towards sundown the gale +moderated a little, and it began to clear off in the southwest. We +shook our reefs out, one by one, and before midnight had +top-gallant sails upon her. + +We had now made up our minds for Cape Horn and cold weather, and +entered upon the necessary preparations. + +Tuesday, November 4th. At daybreak, saw land upon our larboard +quarter. There were two islands, of different size, but of the +same shape; rather high, beginning low at the water's edge, and +running with a curved ascent to the middle. They were so far off +as to be of a deep blue color, and in a few hours we sank them in +the northeast. These were the Falkland Islands. We had run between +them and the main land of Patagonia. At sunset, the second mate, +who was at the mast-head, said that he saw land on the starboard +bow. This must have been the island of Staten Land; and we were +now in the region of Cape Horn, with a fine breeze from the +northward, topmast and top-gallant studding-sails set, and every +prospect of a speedy and pleasant passage round. + +[1] This word ``lay,'' which is in such general use on board ship, +being used in giving orders instead of ``go,'' as ``Lay forward!'' +``Lay aft!'' ``Lay aloft!'' &c., I do not understand to be the +neuter verb lie, mispronounced, but to be the active verb lay, +with the objective case understood; as, ``Lay yourselves +forward!'' ``Lay yourselves aft!'' &c. At all events, lay is an +active verb at sea, and means go. + +CHAPTER V + +Wednesday, November 5th. The weather was fine during the previous +night, and we had a clear view of the Magellan Clouds and of the +Southern Cross. The Magellan Clouds consist of three small nebulae +in the southern part of the heavens,-- two bright, like the +milky-way, and one dark. They are first seen, just above the +horizon, soon after crossing the southern tropic. The Southern +Cross begins to be seen at 18 N., and, when off Cape Horn, is +nearly overhead. It is composed of four stars in that form, and is +one of the brightest constellations in the heavens. + +During the first part of this day (Wednesday) the wind was light, +but after noon it came on fresh, and we furled the royals. We +still kept the studding-sails out, and the captain said he should +go round with them if he could. Just before eight o'clock (then +about sundown, in that latitude) the cry of ``All hands ahoy!'' +was sounded down the fore scuttle and the after hatchway, and, +hurrying upon deck, we found a large black cloud rolling on toward +us from the southwest, and darkening the whole heavens. ``Here +comes Cape Horn!'' said the chief mate; and we had hardly time to +haul down and clew up before it was upon us. In a few minutes a +heavier sea was raised than I had ever seen, and as it was +directly ahead, the little brig, which was no better than a +bathing-machine, plunged into it, and all the forward part of her +was under water; the sea pouring in through the bow-ports and +hawse-holes and over the knight-heads, threatening to wash +everything overboard. In the lee scuppers it was up to a man's +waist. We sprang aloft and double-reefed the topsails, and furled +the other sails, and made all snug. But this would not do; the +brig was laboring and straining against the head sea, and the gale +was growing worse and worse. At the same time sleet and hail were +driving with all fury against us. We clewed down, and hauled out +the reef-tackles again, and close-reefed the fore-topsail, and +furled the main, and hove her to, on the starboard tack. Here was +an end to our fine prospects. We made up our minds to head winds +and cold weather; sent down the royal yards, and unrove the gear; +but all the rest of the top hamper remained aloft, even to the +sky-sail masts and studding-sail booms. + +Throughout the night it stormed violently,-- rain, hail, snow, and +sleet beating upon the vessel,-- the wind continuing ahead, and +the sea running high. At daybreak (about three A.M.) the deck was +covered with snow. The captain sent up the steward with a glass of +grog to each of the watch; and all the time that we were off the +Cape, grog was given to the morning watch, and to all hands +whenever we reefed topsails. The clouds cleared away at sunrise, +and, the wind becoming more fair, we again made sail and stood +nearly up to our course. + +Thursday, November 6th. It continued more pleasant through the +first part of the day, but at night we had the same scene over +again. This time we did not heave to, as on the night before, but +endeavored to beat to windward under close-reefed topsails, +balance-reefed trysail, and fore top-mast staysail. This night it +was my turn to steer, or, as the sailors say, my trick at the +helm, for two hours. Inexperienced as I was, I made out to steer +to the satisfaction of the officer, and neither Stimson nor I gave +up our tricks, all the time that we were off the Cape. This was +something to boast of, for it requires a good deal of skill and +watchfulness to steer a vessel close hauled, in a gale of wind, +against a heavy head sea. ``Ease her when she pitches,'' is the +word; and a little carelessness in letting her ship a heavy sea +might sweep the decks, or take a mast out of her. + +Friday, November 7th. Towards morning the wind went down, and +during the whole forenoon we lay tossing about in a dead calm, and +in the midst of a thick fog. The calms here are unlike those in +most parts of the world, for here there is generally so high a sea +running, with periods of calm so short that it has no time to go +down; and vessels, being under no command of sails or rudder, lie +like logs upon the water. We were obliged to steady the booms and +yards by guys and braces, and to lash everything well below. We +now found our top hamper of some use, for though it is liable to +be carried away or sprung by the sudden ``bringing up'' of a +vessel when pitching in a chopping sea, yet it is a great help in +steadying a vessel when rolling in a long swell,-- giving more +slowness, ease, and regularity to the motion. + +The calm of the morning reminds me of a scene which I forgot to +describe at the time of its occurrence, but which I remember from +its being the first time that I had heard the near breathing of +whales. It was on the night that we passed between the Falkland +Islands and Staten Land. We had the watch from twelve to four, +and, coming upon deck, found the little brig lying perfectly +still, enclosed in a thick fog, and the sea as smooth as though +oil had been poured upon it; yet now and then a long, low swell +rolling under its surface, slightly lifting the vessel, but +without breaking the glassy smoothness of the water. We were +surrounded far and near by shoals of sluggish whales and +grampuses, which the fog prevented our seeing, rising slowly to +the surface, or perhaps lying out at length, heaving out those +lazy, deep, and long-drawn breathings which give such an +impression of supineness and strength. Some of the watch were +asleep, and the others were quiet, so that there was nothing to +break the illusion, and I stood leaning over the bulwarks, +listening to the slow breathings of the mighty creatures,-- now +one breaking the water just alongside, whose black body I almost +fancied that I could see through the fog; and again another, which +I could just hear in the distance,-- until the low and regular +swell seemed like the heaving of the ocean's mighty bosom to the +sound of its own heavy and long-drawn respirations. + +Towards the evening of this day (Friday, 7th) the fog cleared off, +and we had every appearance of a cold blow; and soon after sundown +it came on. Again it was clew up and haul down, reef and furl, +until we had got her down to close-reefed topsails, double-reefed +trysail, and reefed fore spenser. Snow, hail, and sleet were +driving upon us most of the night, and the sea was breaking over +the bows and covering the forward part of the little vessel; but, +as she would lay her course, the captain refused to heave her to. + +Saturday, November 8th. This day began with calm and thick fog, +and ended with hail, snow, a violent wind, and close-reefed +topsails. + +Sunday, November 9th. To-day the sun rose clear and continued so +until twelve o'clock, when the captain got an observation. This +was very well for Cape Horn, and we thought it a little remarkable +that, as we had not had one unpleasant Sunday during the whole +voyage, the only tolerable day here should be a Sunday. We got +time to clear up the steerage and forecastle, and set things to +rights, and to overhaul our wet clothes a little. But this did not +last very long. Between five and six-- the sun was then nearly +three hours high-- the cry of ``All Starbowlines[1] ahoy!'' summoned +our watch on deck, and immediately all hands were called. A true +specimen of Cape Horn was coming upon us. A great cloud of a dark +slate-color was driving on us from the southwest; and we did our +best to take in sail (for the light sails had been set during the +first part of the day) before we were in the midst of it. We had +got the light sails furled, the courses hauled up, and the topsail +reef-tackles hauled out, and were just mounting the fore-rigging +when the storm struck us. In an instant the sea, which had been +comparatively quiet, was running higher and higher; and it became +almost as dark as night. The hail and sleet were harder than I had +yet felt them; seeming almost to pin us down to the rigging. We +were longer taking in sail than ever before; for the sails were +stiff and wet, the ropes and rigging covered with snow and sleet, +and we ourselves cold and nearly blinded with the violence of the +storm. By the time we had got down upon deck again, the little +brig was plunging madly into a tremendous head sea, which at every +drive rushed in through the bow-ports and over the bows, and +buried all the forward part of the vessel. At this instant the +chief mate, who was standing on the top of the windlass, at the +foot of the spenser-mast, called out, ``Lay out there and furl the +jib!'' This was no agreeable or safe duty, yet it must be done. +John, a Swede (the best sailor on board), who belonged on the +forecastle, sprang out upon the bowsprit. Another one must go. It +was a clear case of holding back. I was near the mate, but sprang +past several, threw the downhaul over the windlass, and jumped +between the knight-heads out upon the bowsprit. The crew stood +abaft the windlass and hauled the jib down, while John and I got +out upon the weather side of the jib-boom, our feet on the +foot-ropes, holding on by the spar, the great jib flying off to +leeward and slatting so as almost to throw us off the boom. For +some time we could do nothing but hold on, and the vessel, diving +into two huge seas, one after the other, plunged us twice into the +water up to our chins. We hardly knew whether we were on or off; +when, the boom lifting us up dripping from the water, we were +raised high into the air and then plunged below again. John +thought the boom would go every moment, and called out to the mate +to keep the vessel off, and haul down the staysail; but the fury +of the wind and the breaking of the seas against the bows defied +every attempt to make ourselves heard, and we were obliged to do +the best we could in our situation. Fortunately no other seas so +heavy struck her, and we succeeded in furling the jib ``after a +fashion''; and, coming in over the staysail nettings, were not a +little pleased to find that all was snug, and the watch gone +below; for we were soaked through, and it was very cold. John +admitted that it had been a post of danger, which good sailors +seldom do when the thing is over. The weather continued nearly the +same through the night. + +Monday, November 10th. During a part of this day we were hove to, +but the rest of the time were driving on, under close-reefed +sails, with a heavy sea, a strong gale, and frequent squalls of +hail and snow. + +Tuesday, November 11th. The same. + +Wednesday. The same. + +Thursday. The same. + +We had now got hardened to Cape weather, the vessel was under +reduced sail, and everything secured on deck and below, so that we +had little to do but to steer and to stand our watch. Our clothes +were all wet through, and the only change was from wet to more +wet. There is no fire in the forecastle, and we cannot dry clothes +at the galley. It was in vain to think of reading or working +below, for we were too tired, the hatchways were closed down, and +everything was wet and uncomfortable, black and dirty, heaving and +pitching. We had only to come below when the watch was out, wring +our wet clothes, hang them up to chafe against the bulkheads, and +turn in and sleep as soundly as we could, until our watch was +called again. A sailor can sleep anywhere,-- no sound of wind, +water, canvas, rope, wood, or iron can keep him awake,-- and we +were always fast asleep when three blows on the hatchway, and the +unwelcome cry of ``All Starbowlines ahoy! eight bells there below! +do you hear the news?'' (the usual formula of calling the watch) +roused us up from our berths upon the cold, wet decks. The only +time when we could be said to take any pleasure was at night and +morning, when we were allowed a tin pot full of hot tea (or, as +the sailors significantly call it, ``water bewitched'') sweetened +with molasses. This, bad as it was, was still warm and comforting, +and, together with our sea biscuit and cold salt beef, made a +meal. Yet even this meal was attended with some uncertainty. We +had to go ourselves to the galley and take our kid of beef and tin +pots of tea, and run the risk of losing them before we could get +below. Many a kid of beef have I seen rolling in the scuppers, and +the bearer lying at his length on the decks. I remember an English +lad who was the life of the crew-- whom we afterwards lost +overboard-- standing for nearly ten minutes at the galley, with +his pot of tea in his hand, waiting for a chance to get down into +the forecastle; and, seeing what he thought was a ``smooth +spell,'' started to go forward. He had just got to the end of the +windlass, when a great sea broke over the bows, and for a moment I +saw nothing of him but his head and shoulders; and at the next +instant, being taken off his legs, he was carried aft with the +sea, until her stern lifting up, and sending the water forward, he +was left high and dry at the side of the long-boat, still holding +on to his tin pot, which had now nothing in it but salt water. But +nothing could ever daunt him, or overcome, for a moment, his +habitual good-humor. Regaining his legs, and shaking his fist at +the man at the wheel, he rolled below, saying, as he passed, ``A +man's no sailor, if he can't take a joke.'' The ducking was not +the worst of such an affair, for, as there was an allowance of +tea, you could get no more from the galley; and though the others +would never suffer a man to go without, but would always turn in a +little from their own pots to fill up his, yet this was at best +but dividing the loss among all hands. + +Something of the same kind befell me a few days after. The cook +had just made for us a mess of hot ``scouse,''-- that is, biscuit +pounded fine, salt beef cut into small pieces, and a few potatoes, +boiled up together and seasoned with pepper. This was a rare +treat, and I, being the last at the galley, had it put in my +charge to carry down for the mess. I got along very well as far as +the hatchway, and was just going down the steps, when a heavy sea, +lifting the stern out of water, and, passing forward, dropping it +again, threw the steps from their place, and I came down into the +steerage a little faster than I meant to, with the kid on top of +me, and the whole precious mess scattered over the floor. Whatever +your feelings may be, you must make a joke of everything at sea; +and if you were to fall from aloft and be caught in the belly of a +sail, and thus saved from instant death, it would not do to look +at all disturbed, or to treat it as a serious matter. + +Friday, November 14th. We were now well to the westward of the +Cape, and were changing our course to northward as much as we +dared, since the strong southwest winds, which prevailed then, +carried us in towards Patagonia. At two P.M. we saw a sail on our +larboard beam, and at four we made it out to be a large ship, +steering our course, under single-reefed topsails. We at that time +had shaken the reefs out of our topsails, as the wind was lighter, +and set the main top-gallant sail. As soon as our captain saw what +sail she was under, he set the fore top-gallant sail and flying +jib; and the old whaler-- for such his boats and short sail showed +him to be-- felt a little ashamed, and shook the reefs out of his +topsails, but could do no more, for he had sent down his +top-gallant masts off the Cape. He ran down for us, and answered +our hail as the whale-ship New England, of Poughkeepsie, one +hundred and twenty days from New York. Our captain gave our name, +and added, ninety-two days from Boston. They then had a little +conversation about longitude, in which they found that they could +not agree. The ship fell astern, and continued in sight during the +night. Toward morning, the wind having become light, we crossed +our royal and skysail yards, and at daylight we were seen under a +cloud of sail, having royals and skysails fore and aft. The +``spouter,'' as the sailors call a whaleman, had sent up his main +top-gallant mast and set the sail, and made signal for us to heave +to. About half past seven their whale-boat came alongside, and +Captain Job Terry sprang on board, a man known in every port and +by every vessel in the Pacific Ocean. ``Don't you know Job Terry? +I thought everybody knew Job Terry,'' said a green hand, who came +in the boat, to me, when I asked him about his captain. He was +indeed a singular man. He was six feet high, wore thick cowhide +boots, and brown coat and trousers, and, except a sunburnt +complexion, had not the slightest appearance of a sailor; yet he +had been forty years in the whale-trade, and, as he said himself, +had owned ships, built ships, and sailed ships. His boat's crew +were a pretty raw set, just out of the bush, and, as the sailor's +phrase is, ``hadn't got the hayseed out of their hair.'' Captain +Terry convinced our captain that our reckoning was a little out, +and, having spent the day on board, put off in his boat at sunset +for his ship, which was now six or eight miles astern. He began a +``yarn'' when he came aboard, which lasted, with but little +intermission, for four hours. It was all about himself, and the +Peruvian government, and the Dublin frigate, and her captain, Lord +James Townshend, and President Jackson, and the ship Ann M'Kim, of +Baltimore. It would probably never have come to an end, had not a +good breeze sprung up, which sent him off to his own vessel. One +of the lads who came in his boat, a thoroughly countrified-looking +fellow, seemed to care very little about the vessel, rigging, or +anything else, but went round looking at the live stock, and +leaned over the pigsty, and said he wished he was back again +tending his father's pigs. + +A curious case of dignity occurred here. It seems that in a +whale-ship there is an intermediate class, called boat-steerers. +One of them came in Captain Terry's boat, but we thought he was +cockswain of the boat, and a cockswain is only a sailor. In the +whaler, the boat-steerers are between the officers and crew, a +sort of petty officers; keep by themselves in the waist, sleep +amidships, and eat by themselves, either at a separate table, or +at the cabin table, after the captain and mates are done. Of all +this hierarchy we were entirely ignorant, so the poor boat-steerer +was left to himself. The second mate would not notice him, and +seemed surprised at his keeping amidships, but his pride of office +would not allow him to go forward. With dinner-time came the +experimentum crucis. What would he do? The second mate went to the +second table without asking him. There was nothing for him but +famine or humiliation. We asked him into the forecastle, but he +faintly declined. The whale-boat's crew explained it to us, and we +asked him again. Hunger got the victory over pride of rank, and +his boat-steering majesty had to take his grub out of our kid, and +eat with his jack-knife. Yet the man was ill at ease all the time, +was sparing of his conversation, and kept up the notion of a +condescension under stress of circumstances. One would say that, +instead of a tendency to equality in human beings, the tendency is +to make the most of inequalities, natural or artificial. + +At eight o'clock we altered our course to the northward, bound for +Juan Fernandez. + +This day we saw the last of the albatrosses, which had been our +companions a great part of the time off the Cape. I had been +interested in the bird from descriptions, and Coleridge's poem, +and was not at all disappointed. We caught one or two with a +baited hook which we floated astern upon a shingle. Their long, +flapping wings, long legs, and large, staring eyes, give them a +very peculiar appearance. They look well on the wing; but one of +the finest sights that I have ever seen was an albatross asleep +upon the water, during a calm, off Cape Horn, when a heavy sea was +running. There being no breeze, the surface of the water was +unbroken, but a long, heavy swell was rolling, and we saw the +fellow, all white, directly ahead of us, asleep upon the waves, +with his head under his wing; now rising on the top of one of the +big billows, and then falling slowly until he was lost in the +hollow between. He was undisturbed for some time, until the noise +of our bows, gradually approaching, roused him, when, lifting his +head, he stared upon us for a moment, and then spread his wide +wings and took his flight. + +[1] It is the fashion to call the respective watches Starbowlines +and Larbowlines. + +CHAPTER VI + +Monday, November 17th. This was a black day in our calendar. At +seven o'clock in the morning, it being our watch below, we were +aroused from a sound sleep by the cry of ``All hands ahoy! a man +overboard!'' This unwonted cry sent a thrill through the heart of +every one, and, hurrying on deck, we found the vessel hove flat +aback, with all her studding-sails set; for, the boy who was at +the helm leaving it to throw something overboard, the carpenter, +who was an old sailor, knowing that the wind was light, put the +helm down and hove her aback. The watch on deck were lowering away +the quarter-boat, and I got on deck just in time to fling myself +into her as she was leaving the side; but it was not until out +upon the wide Pacific, in our little boat, that I knew whom we had +lost. It was George Ballmer, the young English sailor, whom I have +before spoken of as the life of the crew. He was prized by the +officers as an active and willing seaman, and by the men as a +lively, hearty fellow, and a good shipmate. He was going aloft to +fit a strap round the main topmasthead, for ringtail halyards, and +had the strap and block, a coil of halyards, and a marline-spike +about his neck. He fell from the starboard futtock shrouds, and, +not knowing how to swim, and being heavily dressed, with all those +things round his neck, he probably sank immediately. We pulled +astern, in the direction in which he fell, and though we knew that +there was no hope of saving him, yet no one wished to speak of +returning, and we rowed about for nearly an hour, without an idea +of doing anything, but unwilling to acknowledge to ourselves that +we must give him up. At length we turned the boat's head and made +towards the brig. + +Death is at all times solemn, but never so much so as at sea. A +man dies on shore; his body remains with his friends, and ``the +mourners go about the streets''; but when a man falls overboard at +sea and is lost, there is a suddenness in the event, and a +difficulty in realizing it, which give to it an air of awful +mystery. A man dies on shore,-- you follow his body to the grave, +and a stone marks the spot. You are often prepared for the event. +There is always something which helps you to realize it when it +happens, and to recall it when it has passed. A man is shot down +by your side in battle, and the mangled body remains an object, +and a real evidence; but at sea, the man is near you,-- at your +side,-- you hear his voice, and in an instant he is gone, and +nothing but a vacancy shows his loss. Then, too, at sea-- to use a +homely but expressive phrase-- you miss a man so much. A dozen men +are shut up together in a little bark upon the wide, wide sea, and +for months and months see no forms and hear no voices but their +own, and one is taken suddenly from among them, and they miss him +at every turn. It is like losing a limb. There are no new faces or +new scenes to fill up the gap. There is always an empty berth in +the forecastle, and one man wanting when the small night-watch is +mustered. There is one less to take the wheel, and one less to lay +out with you upon the yard. You miss his form, and the sound of +his voice, for habit had made them almost necessary to you, and +each of your senses feels the loss. + +All these things make such a death peculiarly solemn, and the +effect of it remains upon the crew for some time. There is more +kindness shown by the officers to the crew, and by the crew to one +another. There is more quietness and seriousness. The oath and the +loud laugh are gone. The officers are more watchful, and the crew +go more carefully aloft. The lost man is seldom mentioned, or is +dismissed with a sailor's rude eulogy,-- ``Well, poor George is +gone! His cruise is up soon! He knew his work, and did his duty, +and was a good shipmate.'' Then usually follows some allusion to +another world, for sailors are almost all believers, in their way; +though their notions and opinions are unfixed and at loose ends. +They say, ``God won't be hard upon the poor fellow,'' and seldom +get beyond the common phrase which seems to imply that their +sufferings and hard treatment here will be passed to their credit +in the books of the Great Captain hereafter,-- ``To work hard, +live hard, die hard, and go to hell after all, would be hard +indeed!'' Our cook, a simple-hearted old African, who had been +through a good deal in his day, and was rather seriously inclined, +always going to church twice a day when on shore, and reading his +Bible on a Sunday in the galley, talked to the crew about spending +the Lord's Days badly, and told them that they might go as +suddenly as George had, and be as little prepared. + +Yet a sailor's life is at best but a mixture of a little good with +much evil, and a little pleasure with much pain. The beautiful is +linked with the revolting, the sublime with the commonplace, and +the solemn with the ludicrous. + +Not long after we had returned on board with our sad report, an +auction was held of the poor man's effects. The captain had first, +however, called all hands aft and asked them if they were +satisfied that everything had been done to save the man, and if +they thought there was any use in remaining there longer. The crew +all said that it was in vain, for the man did not know how to +swim, and was very heavily dressed. So we then filled away and +kept the brig off to her course. + +The laws regulating navigation make the captain answerable for the +effects of a sailor who dies during the voyage, and it is either a +law or a custom, established for convenience, that the captain +should soon hold an auction of his things, in which they are bid +off by the sailors, and the sums which they give are deducted from +their wages at the end of the voyage. In this way the trouble and +risk of keeping his things through the voyage are avoided, and the +clothes are usually sold for more than they would be worth on +shore. Accordingly, we had no sooner got the ship before the wind, +than his chest was brought up upon the forecastle, and the sale +began. The jackets and trousers in which we had seen him dressed +so lately were exposed and bid off while the life was hardly out +of his body, and his chest was taken aft and used as a +store-chest, so that there was nothing left which could be called +his. Sailors have an unwillingness to wear a dead man's clothes +during the same voyage, and they seldom do so, unless they are in +absolute want. + +As is usual after a death, many stories were told about George. +Some had heard him say that he repented never having learned to +swim, and that he knew that he should meet his death by drowning. +Another said that he never knew any good to come of a voyage made +against the will, and the deceased man shipped and spent his +advance, and was afterwards very unwilling to go, but, not being +able to refund, was obliged to sail with us. A boy, too, who had +become quite attached to him, said that George talked to him, +during most of the watch on the night before, about his mother and +family at home, and this was the first time that he had mentioned +the subject during the voyage. + +The night after this event, when I went to the galley to get a +light, I found the cook inclined to be talkative, so I sat down on +the spars, and gave him an opportunity to hold a yarn. I was the +more inclined to do so, as I found that he was full of the +superstitions once more common among seamen, and which the recent +death had waked up in his mind. He talked about George's having +spoken of his friends, and said he believed few men died without +having a warning of it, which he supported by a great many stories +of dreams, and of unusual behavior of men before death. From this +he went on to other superstitions, the Flying Dutchman, &c., and +talked rather mysteriously, having something evidently on his +mind. At length he put his head out of the galley and looked +carefully about to see if any one was within hearing, and, being +satisfied on that point, asked me in a low tone,-- + +``I say! you know what countryman 'e carpenter be?'' + +``Yes,'' said I; ``he's a German.'' + +``What kind of a German?'' said the cook. + +``He belongs to Bremen,'' said I. + +``Are you sure o' dat?'' said he. + +I satisfied him on that point by saying that he could speak no +language but the German and English. + +``I'm plaguy glad o' dat,'' said the cook. ``I was mighty 'fraid +he was a Fin. I tell you what, I been plaguy civil to that man all +the voyage.'' + +I asked him the reason of this, and found that he was fully +possessed with the notion that Fins are wizards, and especially +have power over winds and storms. I tried to reason with him about +it, but he had the best of all arguments, that from experience, at +hand, and was not to be moved. He had been to the Sandwich Islands +in a vessel in which the sail-maker was a Fin, and could do +anything he was of a mind to. This sail-maker kept a junk bottle +in his berth, which was always just half full of rum, though he +got drunk upon it nearly every day. He had seen him sit for hours +together, talking to this bottle, which he stood up before him on +the table. The same man cut his throat in his berth, and everybody +said he was possessed. + +He had heard of ships, too, beating up the gulf of Finland against +a head wind, and having a ship heave in sight astern, overhaul, +and pass them, with as fair a wind as could blow, and all +studding-sails out, and find she was from Finland. + +``Oh, no!'' said he; ``I've seen too much o' dem men to want to +see 'em 'board a ship. If dey can't have dare own way, they'll +play the d---l with you.'' + +As I still doubted, he said he would leave it to John, who was the +oldest seaman aboard, and would know, if anybody did. John, to be +sure, was the oldest, and at the same time the most ignorant, man +in the ship; but I consented to have him called. The cook stated +the matter to him, and John, as I anticipated, sided with the +cook, and said that he himself had been in a ship where they had a +head wind for a fortnight, and the captain found out at last that +one of the men, with whom he had had same hard words a short time +before, was a Fin, and immediately told him if he didn't stop the +head wind he would shut him down in the fore peak. The Fin would +not give in, and the captain shut him down in the fore peak, and +would not give him anything to eat. The Fin held out for a day and +a half, when he could not stand it any longer, and did something +or other which brought the wind round again, and they let him up. + +``Dar,'' said the cook, ``what you tink o' dat?'' + +I told him I had no doubt it was true, and that it would have been +odd if the wind had not changed in fifteen days, Fin or no Fin. + +``O,'' says he, ``go 'way! You tink, 'cause you been to college, +you know better dan anybody. You know better dan dem as 'as seen +it wid der own eyes. You wait till you've been to sea as long as I +have, and den you'll know.'' + +CHAPTER VII + +We continued sailing along with a fair wind and fine weather until-- + +Tuesday, November 25th, when at daylight we saw the island of Juan +Fernandez directly ahead, rising like a deep blue cloud out of the +sea. We were then probably nearly seventy miles from it; and so +high and so blue did it appear that I mistook it for a cloud +resting over the island, and looked for the island under it, until +it gradually turned to a deader and greener color, and I could +mark the inequalities upon its surface. At length we could +distinguish trees and rocks; and by the afternoon this beautiful +island lay fairly before us, and we directed our course to the +only harbor. Arriving at the entrance soon after sundown, we found +a Chilian man-of-war brig, the only vessel, coming out. She hailed +us; and an officer on board, whom we supposed to be an American, +advised us to run in before night, and said that they were bound +to Valparaiso. We ran immediately for the anchorage, but, owing to +the winds which drew about the mountains and came to us in flaws +from different points of the compass, we did not come to an anchor +until nearly midnight. We had a boat ahead all the time that we +were working in, and those aboard ship were continually bracing +the yards about for every puff that struck us, until about twelve +o'clock, when we came to in forty fathoms water, and our anchor +struck bottom for the first time since we left Boston,-- one +hundred and three days. We were then divided into three watches, +and thus stood out the remainder of the night. + +I was called on deck to stand my watch at about three in the +morning, and I shall never forget the peculiar sensation which I +experienced on finding myself once more surrounded by land, +feeling the night-breeze coming from off shore, and hearing the +frogs and crickets. The mountains seemed almost to hang over us, +and apparently from the very heart of them there came out, at +regular intervals, a loud echoing sound, which affected me as +hardly human. We saw no lights, and could hardly account for the +sound, until the mate, who had been there before, told us that it +was the ``Alerta'' of the Chilian soldiers, who were stationed +over some convicts confined in caves nearly half-way up the +mountain. At the expiration of my watch, I went below, feeling not +a little anxious for the day, that I might see more nearly, and +perhaps tread upon, this romantic, I may almost say classic, +island. + +When all hands were called it was nearly sunrise, and between that +time and breakfast, although quite busy on board in getting up +water-casks, &c., I had a good view of the objects about me. The +harbor was nearly land-locked, and at the head of it was a +landing, protected by a small breakwater of stones, upon which two +large boats were hauled up, with a sentry standing over them. Near +this was a variety of huts or cottages, nearly a hundred in +number, the best of them built of mud or unburnt clay, and +whitewashed, but the greater part Robinson Crusoe like,-- only of +posts and branches of trees. The governor's house, as it is +called, was the most conspicuous, being large, with grated +windows, plastered walls, and roof of red tiles; yet, like all the +rest, only of one story. Near it was a small chapel, distinguished +by a cross; and a long, low, brown-looking building, surrounded by +something like a palisade, from which an old and dingy-looking +Chilian flag was flying. This, of course, was dignified by the +title of Presidio. A sentinel was stationed at the chapel, another +at the governor's house, and a few soldiers, armed with bayonets, +looking rather ragged, with shoes out at the toes, were strolling +about among the houses, or waiting at the landing-place for our +boat to come ashore. + +The mountains were high, but not so overhanging as they appeared +to be by starlight. They seemed to bear off towards the centre of +the island, and were green and well wooded, with some large, and, +I am told, exceedingly fertile valleys, with mule-tracks leading +to different parts of the island. + +I cannot here forget how Stimson and I got the laugh of the crew +upon us by our eagerness to get on shore. The captain having +ordered the quarter-boat to be lowered, we both, thinking it was +going ashore, sprang down into the forecastle, filled our jacket +pockets with tobacco to barter with the people ashore, and, when +the officer called for ``four hands in the boat,'' nearly broke +our necks in our haste to be first over the side, and had the +pleasure of pulling ahead of the brig with a tow-line for half an +hour, and coming on board again to be laughed at by the crew, who +had seen our manoeuvre. + +After breakfast, the second mate was ordered ashore with five +hands to fill the water-casks, and, to my joy, I was among the +number. We pulled ashore with empty casks; and here again fortune +favored me, for the water was too thick and muddy to be put into +the casks, and the governor had sent men up to the head of the +stream to clear it out for us, which gave us nearly two hours of +leisure. This leisure we employed in wandering about among the +houses, and eating a little fruit which was offered to us. Ground +apples, melons, grapes, strawberries of an enormous size, and +cherries abound here. The latter are said to have been planted by +Lord Anson. The soldiers were miserably clad, and asked with some +interest whether we had shoes to sell on board. I doubt very much +if they had the means of buying them. They were very eager to get +tobacco, for which they gave shells, fruit, &c. Knives were also +in demand, but we were forbidden by the governor to let any one +have them, as he told us that all the people there, except the +soldiers and a few officers, were convicts sent from Valparaiso, +and that it was necessary to keep all weapons from their hands. +The island, it seems, belongs to Chili, and had been used by the +government as a penal colony for nearly two years; and the +governor,-- an Englishman who had entered the Chilian navy,-- with +a priest, half a dozen taskmasters, and a body of soldiers, were +stationed there to keep them in order. This was no easy task; and, +only a few months before our arrival, a few of them had stolen a +boat at night, boarded a brig lying in the harbor, sent the +captain and crew ashore in their boat, and gone off to sea. We +were informed of this, and loaded our arms and kept strict watch +on board through the night, and were careful not to let the +convicts get our knives from us when on shore. The worst part of +the convicts, I found, were locked up under sentry, in caves dug +into the side of the mountain, nearly half-way up, with +mule-tracks leading to them, whence they were taken by day and set +to work under taskmasters upon building an aqueduct, a wharf, and +other public works; while the rest lived in the houses which they +put up for themselves, had their families with them, and seemed to +me to be the laziest people on the face of the earth. They did +nothing but take a paseo into the woods, a paseo among the houses, +a paseo at the landing-place, looking at us and our vessel, and +too lazy to speak fast; while the others were driven about, at a +rapid trot, in single file, with burdens on their shoulders, and +followed up by their taskmasters, with long rods in their hands, +and broad-brimmed straw hats upon their heads. Upon what precise +grounds this great distinction was made, I do not know, and I +could not very well know, for the governor was the only man who +spoke English upon the island, and he was out of my walk, for I +was a sailor ashore as well as on board. + +Having filled our casks we returned on board, and soon after, the +governor dressed in a uniform like that of an American militia +officer, the Padre, in the dress of the gray friars, with hood and +all complete, and the Capitan, with big whiskers and dirty +regimentals, came on board to dine. While at dinner a large ship +appeared in the offing, and soon afterwards we saw a light +whale-boat pulling into the harbor. The ship lay off and on, and a +boat came alongside of us, and put on board the captain, a plain +young Quaker, dressed all in brown. The ship was the Cortes, +whaleman, of New Bedford, and had put in to see if there were any +vessels from round the Horn, and to hear the latest news from +America. They remained aboard a short time, and had a little talk +with the crew, when they left us and pulled off to their ship, +which, having filled away, was soon out of sight. + +A small boat which came from the shore to take away the governor +and suite-- as they styled themselves-- brought, as a present to +the crew, a large pail of milk, a few shells, and a block of +sandal-wood. The milk, which was the first we had tasted since +leaving Boston, we soon despatched; a piece of the sandal-wood I +obtained, and learned that it grew on the hills in the centre of +the island. I regretted that I did not bring away other specimens; +but what I had-- the piece of sandalwood, and a small flower which +I plucked and brought on board in the crown of my tarpaulin, and +carefully pressed between the leaves of a volume of Cowper's +Letters-- were lost, with my chest and its contents, by another's +negligence, on our arrival home. + +About an hour before sundown, having stowed our water-casks, we +began getting under way, and were not a little while about it; for +we were in thirty fathoms water, and in one of the gusts which +came from off shore had let go our other bow anchor; and as the +southerly wind draws round the mountains and comes off in +uncertain flaws, we were continually swinging round, and had thus +got a very foul hawse. We hove in upon our chain, and after +stoppering and unshackling it again and again, and hoisting and +hauling down sail, we at length tripped our anchor and stood out +to sea. It was bright starlight when we were clear of the bay, and +the lofty island lay behind us in its still beauty, and I gave a +parting look and bade farewell to the most romantic spot of earth +that my eyes had ever seen. I did then, and have ever since, felt +an attachment for that island together peculiar. It was partly, no +doubt, from its having been the first land that I had seen since +leaving home, and still more from the associations which every one +has connected with it in his childhood from reading Robinson +Crusoe. To this I may add the height and romantic outline of its +mountains, the beauty and freshness of its verdure and the extreme +fertility of its soil, and its solitary position in the midst of +the wide expanse of the South Pacific, as all concurring to give +it its charm. + +When thoughts of this place have occurred to me at different times, +I have endeavored to recall more particulars with regard to it. +It is situated in about 33 30' S., and is distant a little more +than three hundred miles from Valparaiso, on the coast of Chili, +which is in the same latitude. It is about fifteen miles in length +and five in breadth. The harbor in which we anchored (called by +Lord Anson Cumberland Bay) is the only one in the island, two small +bights of land on each side of the main bay (sometimes dignified +by the name of bays) being little more than landing-places for boats. +The best anchorage is at the western side of the harbor, where we +lay at about three cables' lengths from the shore, in a little +more than thirty fathoms water. This harbor is open to the N. N. E., +and in fact nearly from N. to E.; but the only dangerous winds being +the southwest, on which side are the highest mountains, it is +considered safe. The most remarkable thing, perhaps, about it is +the fish with which it abounds. Two of our crew, who remained on +board, caught in a short time enough to last us for several days, +and one of the men, who was a Marblehead man, said that he never +saw or heard of such an abundance. There were cod, bream, +silver-fish, and other kinds, whose names they did not know, or +which I have forgotten. + +There is an abundance of the best of water upon the island, small +streams running through every valley, and leaping down from the +sides of the hills. One stream of considerable size flows through +the centre of the lawn upon which the houses are built, and +furnishes an easy and abundant supply to the inhabitants. This, by +means of a short wooden aqueduct, was brought quite down to our +boats. The convicts had also built something in the way of a +breakwater, and were to build a landing-place for boats and goods, +after which the Chilian government intended to lay port charges. + +Of the wood, I can only say that it appeared to be abundant; the +island in the month of November, when we were there, being in all +the freshness and beauty of spring, appeared covered with trees. +These were chiefly aromatic, and the largest was the myrtle. The +soil is very loose and rich, and wherever it is broken up there +spring up radishes, turnips, ground apples, and other garden +fruits. Goats, we were told, were not abundant, and we saw none, +though it was said we might, if we had gone into the interior. We +saw a few bullocks winding about in the narrow tracks upon the +sides of the mountains, and the settlement was completely overrun +with dogs of every nation, kindred, and degree. Hens and chickens +were also abundant, and seemed to be taken good care of by the +women. The men appeared to be the laziest of mortals; and indeed, +as far as my observation goes, there are no people to whom the +newly invented Yankee word of ``loafer'' is more applicable than +to the Spanish Americans. These men stood about doing nothing, +with their cloaks, little better in texture than an Indian's +blanket, but of rich colors, thrown over their shoulders with an +air which it is said that a Spanish beggar can always give to his +rags, and with politeness and courtesy in their address, though +with holes in their shoes, and without a sou in their pockets. The +only interruption to the monotony of their day seemed to be when a +gust of wind drew round between the mountains and blew off the +boughs which they had placed for roofs to their houses, and gave +them a few minutes' occupation in running about after them. One of +these gusts occurred while we were ashore, and afforded us no +little amusement in seeing the men look round, and, if they found +that their roofs had stood, conclude that they might stand too, +while those who saw theirs blown off, after uttering a few Spanish +oaths, gathered their cloaks over their shoulders, and started off +after them. However, they were not gone long, but soon returned to +their habitual occupation of doing nothing. + +It is perhaps needless to say that we saw nothing of the interior; +but all who have seen it give favorable accounts of it. Our +captain went with the governor and a few servants upon mules over +the mountains, and, upon their return, I heard the governor +request him to stop at the island on his passage home, and offer +him a handsome sum to bring a few deer with him from California, +for he said that there were none upon the island, and he was very +desirous of having it stocked. + +A steady though light southwesterly wind carried us well off from +the island, and when I came on deck for the middle watch I could +just distinguish it from its hiding a few low stars in the +southern horizon, though my unpractised eyes would hardly have +known it for land. At the close of the watch a few trade-wind +clouds which had arisen, though we were hardly yet in their +latitude, shut it out from our view, and the next day,-- + +Thursday, November 27th, upon coming on deck in the morning, we +were again upon the wide Pacific, and saw no more land until we +arrived upon the western coast of the great continent of America. + +CHAPTER VIII + +As we saw neither land nor sail from the time of leaving Juan +Fernandez until our arrival in California, nothing of interest +occurred except our own doings on board. We caught the southeast +trades, and ran before them for nearly three weeks, without so +much as altering a sail or bracing a yard. The captain took +advantage of this fine weather to get the vessel in order for +coming upon the coast. The carpenter was employed in fitting up a +part of the steerage into a trade-room; for our cargo, we now +learned, was not to be landed, but to be sold by retail on board; +and this trade-room was built for the samples and the lighter +goods to be kept in, and as a place for the general business. In +the mean time we were employed in working upon the rigging. +Everything was set up taut, the lower rigging rattled down, or +rather rattled up (according to the modern fashion), an abundance +of spun-yarn and seizing-stuff made, and finally the whole +standing-rigging, fore and aft, was tarred down. It was my first +essay at the latter business, and I had enough of it; for nearly +all of it came upon my friend Stimson and myself. The men were +needed at the other work, and Henry Mellus, the other young man +who came out with us before the mast, was laid up with the +rheumatism in his feet, and the boy Sam was rather too young and +small for the business; and as the winds were light and regular he +was kept during most of the daytime at the helm, so that we had +quite as much as we wished of it. We put on short duck frocks, +and, taking a small bucket of tar and a bunch of oakum in our +hands, went aloft, one at the main royal-mast-head, and the other +at the fore, and began tarring down. This is an important +operation, and is usually done about once in six months in vessels +upon a long voyage. It was done in our vessel several times +afterwards, but by the whole crew at once, and finished off in a +day; but at this time, as most of it, as I have said, came upon +two of us, and we were new at the business, it took several days. +In this operation they always begin at the mast-head, and work +down, tarring the shrouds, backstays, standing parts of the lifts, +the ties, runners, &c., and go out to the yard-arms, and come in, +tarring, as they come, the lifts and foot-ropes. Tarring the stays +is more difficult, and is done by an operation which the sailors +call ``riding down.'' A long piece of rope-- top-gallant-studding-sail +halyards, or something of the kind-- is taken up to the mast-head +from which the stay leads, and rove through a block for a girt-line, +or, as the sailors usually call it, a gant-line; with the end of +this, a bowline is taken round the stay, into which the man gets +with his bucket of tar and bunch of oakum; and the other end being +fast on deck, with some one to tend it, he is lowered down gradually, +and tars the stay carefully as he goes. There he ``swings aloft 'twixt +heaven and earth,'' and if the rope slips, breaks, or is let go, or +if the bowline slips, he falls overboard or breaks his neck. This, +however, is a thing which never enters into a sailor's calculation. +He only thinks of leaving no holidays (places not tarred),-- for, +in case he should, he would have to go over the whole again,-- or +of dropping no tar upon deck, for then there would be a soft word +in his ear from the mate. In this manner I tarred down all the +head-stays, but found the rigging about the jib-booms, martingale, +and spritsail yard, upon which I was afterwards put, the hardest. +Here you have to ``hang on with your eyelids'' and tar with your +hands. + +This dirty work could not last forever; and on Saturday night we +finished it, scraped all the spots from the deck and rails, and, +what was of more importance to us, cleaned ourselves thoroughly, +rolled up our tarry frocks and trousers and laid them away for the +next occasion, and put on our clean duck clothes, and had a good +comfortable sailor's Saturday night. The next day was pleasant, +and indeed we had but one unpleasant Sunday during the whole +voyage, and that was off Cape Horn, where we could expect nothing +better. On Monday we began painting, and getting the vessel ready +for port. This work, too, is done by the crew, and every sailor +who has been long voyages is a little of a painter, in addition to +his other accomplishments. We painted her, both inside and out, +from the truck to the water's edge. The outside is painted by +lowering stages over the side by ropes, and on those we sat, with +our brushes and paint-pots by us, and our feet half the time in +the water. This must be done, of course, on a smooth day, when the +vessel does not roll- much. I remember very well being over the +side painting in this way, one fine afternoon, our vessel going +quietly along at the rate of four or five knots, and a pilot-fish, +the sure precursor of a shark, swimming alongside of us. The +captain was leaning over the rail watching him, and we went +quietly on with our work. In the midst of our painting, on-- + +Friday, December 19th, we crossed the equator for the second time. +I had the sense of incongruity which all have when, for the first +time, they find themselves living under an entire change of +seasons; as, crossing the line under a burning sun in the midst of +December. + +Thursday, December 25th. This day was Christmas, but it brought us +no holiday. The only change was that we had a ``plum duff'' for +dinner, and the crew quarrelled with the steward because he did +not give us our usual allowance of molasses to eat with it. He +thought the plums would be a substitute for the molasses, but we +were not to be cheated out of our rights in that way. + +Such are the trifles which produce quarrels on shipboard. In fact, +we had been too long from port. We were getting tired of one +another, and were in an irritable state, both forward and aft. Our +fresh provisions were, of course, gone, and the captain had +stopped our rice, so that we had nothing but salt beef and salt +pork throughout the week, with the exception of a very small duff +on Sunday. This added to the discontent; and many little things, +daily and almost hourly occurring, which no one who has not +himself been on a long and tedious voyage can conceive of or +properly appreciate,-- little wars and rumors of wars, reports of +things said in the cabin, misunderstanding of words and looks, +apparent abuses,-- brought us into a condition in which everything +seemed to go wrong. Every encroachment upon the time allowed for +rest appeared unnecessary. Every shifting of the studding-sails +was only to ``haze''[1] the crew. + +In the midst of this state of things, my messmate Stimson and I +petitioned the captain for leave to shift our berths from the +steerage, where we had previously lived, into the forecastle. +This, to our delight, was granted, and we turned in to bunk and +mess with the crew forward. We now began to feel like sailors, +which we never fully did when we were in the steerage. While +there, however useful and active you may be, you are but a +mongrel,-- a sort of afterguard and ``ship's cousin.'' You are +immediately under the eye of the officers, cannot dance, sing, +play, smoke, make a noise, or growl, or take any other sailor's +pleasure; and you live with the steward, who is usually a +go-between; and the crew never feel as though you were one of +them. But if you live in the forecastle, you are ``as independent +as a wood-sawyer's clerk'' (nautice), and are a sailor. You hear +sailors' talk, learn their ways, their peculiarities of feeling as +well as speaking and acting; and, moreover, pick up a great deal +of curious and useful information in seamanship, ship's customs, +foreign countries, &c., from their long yarns and equally long +disputes. No man can be a sailor, or know what sailors are, unless +he has lived in the forecastle with them,-- turned in and out with +them, and eaten from the common kid. After I had been a week +there, nothing would have tempted me to go back to my old berth, +and never afterwards, even in the worst of weather, when in a +close and leaking forecastle off Cape Horn, did I for a moment +wish myself in the steerage. Another thing which you learn better +in the forecastle than you can anywhere else is, to make and mend +clothes, and this is indispensable to sailors. A large part of +their watches below they spend at this work, and here I learned +the art myself, which stood me in so good stead afterwards. + +But to return to the state of the crew. Upon our coming into the +forecastle, there was some difficulty about the uniting of the +allowances of bread, by which we thought we were to lose a few +pounds. This set us into a ferment. The captain would not +condescend to explain, and we went aft in a body, with John, the +Swede, the oldest and best sailor of the crew, for spokesman. The +recollection of the scene that followed always brings up a smile, +especially the quarter-deck dignity and elocution of the captain. +He was walking the weather side of the quarter-deck, and, seeing +us coming aft, stopped short in his walk, and with a voice and +look intended to annihilate us called out, ``Well, what the d---l +do you want now?'' Whereupon we stated our grievances as +respectfully as we could, but he broke in upon us, saying that we +were getting fat and lazy, didn't have enough to do, and it was +that which made us find fault. This provoked us, and we began to +give word for word. This would never answer. He clinched his fist, +stamped and swore, and ordered us all forward, saying, with oaths +enough interspersed to send the words home, ``Away with you! go +forward every one of you! I'll haze you! I'll work you up! You +don't have enough to do! If you a' n't careful I'll make a hell of +heaven! . . . . You've mistaken your man! I'm Frank Thompson, all +the way from `down east.' I've been through the mill, ground and +bolted, and come out a regular-built down-east johnny-cake, when +it's hot, d---d good, but when it's cold, d---d sour and +indigestible;-- and you'll find me so!'' The latter part of this +harangue made a strong impression, and the ``down-east +johnny-cake'' became a byword for the rest of the voyage, and on +the coast of California, after our arrival. One of his nicknames +in all the ports was ``The Down-east Johnny-cake.'' So much for +our petition for the redress of grievances. The matter was, +however, set right, for the mate, after allowing the captain due +time to cool off, explained it to him, and at night we were all +called aft to hear another harangue, in which, of course, the +whole blame of the misunderstanding was thrown upon us. We +ventured to hint that he would not give us time to explain; but it +wouldn't do. We were driven back discomfited. Thus the affair blew +over, but the irritation caused by it remained; and we never had +peace or a good understanding again so long as the captain and +crew remained together. + +We continued sailing along in the beautiful temperate climate of +the Pacific. The Pacific well deserves its name, for except in +the southern part, at Cape Horn, and in the western parts, near +the China and Indian oceans, it has few storms, and is never either +extremely hot or cold. Between the tropics there is a slight haziness, +like a thin gauze, drawn over the sun, which, without obstructing or +obscuring the light, tempers the heat which comes down with +perpendicular fierceness in the Atlantic and Indian tropics. We +sailed well to the westward to have the full advantage of the +northeast trades, and when we had reached the latitude of Point +Conception, where it is usual to make the land, we were several +hundred miles to the westward of it. We immediately changed our +course due east, and sailed in that direction for a number of +days. At length we began to heave-to after dark, for fear of +making the land at night, on a coast where there are no lighthouses +and but indifferent charts, and at daybreak on the morning of-- + +Tuesday, January 13th, 1835, we made the land at Point Conception, +lat. 34 32' N., lon. 120 06' W. The port of Santa Barbara, to +which we were bound, lying about fifty miles to the southward of +this point, we continued sailing down the coast during the day and +following night, and on the next morning, + +January 14th, we came to anchor in the spacious bay of Santa Barbara, +after a voyage of one hundred and fifty days from Boston. + +CHAPTER IX + +California extends along nearly the whole of the western coast of +Mexico, between the Gulf of California in the south and the Bay of +San Francisco on the north, or between the 22d and 38th degrees of +north latitude. It is subdivided into two provinces,-- Lower or Old +California, lying between the gulf and the 32d degree of latitude, +or near it (the division line running, I believe, between the bay +of Todos Santos and the port of San Diego), and New or Upper +California, the southernmost port of which is San Diego, in lat. +32 39', and the northernmost, San Francisco, situated in the large +bay discovered by Sir Francis Drake, in lat. 37 58', and now known +as the Bay of San Francisco, so named, I suppose, by Franciscan +missionaries. Upper California has the seat of its government at +Monterey, where is also the custom-house, the only one on the +coast, and at which every vessel intending to trade on the coast +must enter its cargo before it can begin its traffic. We were to +trade upon this coast exclusively, and therefore expected to go +first to Monterey, but the captain's orders from home were to put +in at Santa Barbara, which is the central port of the coast, and +wait there for the agent, who transacts all the business for the +firm to which our vessel belonged. + +The bay, or, as it was commonly called, the canal of Santa +Barbara, is very large, being formed by the main land on one side +(between Point Conception on the north and Point Santa +Buenaventura on the south), which here bends in like a crescent, +and by three large islands opposite to it and at the distance of +some twenty miles. These points are just sufficient to give it the +name of a bay, while at the same time it is so large and so much +exposed to the southeast and northwest winds, that it is little +better than an open roadstead; and the whole swell of the Pacific +Ocean rolls in here before a southeaster, and breaks with so heavy +a surf in the shallow waters, that it is highly dangerous to lie +near in to the shore during the southeaster season, that is, +between the months of November and April. + +This wind (the southeaster) is the bane of the coast of +California. Between the months of November and April (including a +part of each), which is the rainy season in this latitude, you are +never safe from it; and accordingly, in the ports which are open +to it, vessels are obliged, during these months, to lie at anchor +at a distance of three miles from the shore, with slip-ropes on +their cables, ready to slip and go to sea at a moment's warning. +The only ports which are safe from this wind are San Francisco and +Monterey in the north, and San Diego in the south. + +As it was January when we arrived, and the middle of the +southeaster season, we came to anchor at the distance of three +miles from the shore, in eleven fathoms water, and bent a +slip-rope and buoys to our cables, cast off the yard-arm gaskets +from the sails, and stopped them all with rope-yarns. After we had +done this, the boat went ashore with the captain, and returned +with orders to the mate to send a boat ashore for him at sundown. +I did not go in the first boat, and was glad to find that there +was another going before night; for after so long a voyage as ours +had been, a few hours seem a long time to be in sight and out of +reach of land. We spent the day on board in the usual duties; but +as this was the first time we had been without the captain, we +felt a little more freedom, and looked about us to see what sort +of a country we had got into, and were to pass a year or two of +our lives in. + +It was a beautiful day, and so warm that we wore straw hats, duck +trousers, and all the summer gear. As this was midwinter, it spoke +well for the climate; and we afterwards found that the thermometer +never fell to the freezing point throughout the winter, and that +there was very little difference between the seasons, except that +during a long period of rainy and southeasterly weather, thick +clothes were not uncomfortable. + +The large bay lay about us, nearly smooth, as there was hardly a +breath of wind stirring, though the boat's crew who went ashore +told us that the long groundswell broke into a heavy surf on the +beach. There was only one vessel in the port-- a long, sharp brig +of about three hundred tons, with raking masts, and very square +yards, and English colors at her peak. We afterwards learned that +she was built at Guayaquil, and named the Ayacucho, after the +place where the battle was fought that gave Peru her independence, +and was now owned by a Scotchman named Wilson, who commanded her, +and was engaged in the trade between Callao and other parts of +South America and California. She was a fast sailer, as we +frequently afterwards saw, and had a crew of Sandwich-Islanders on +board. Beside this vessel, there was no object to break the +surface of the bay. Two points ran out as the horns of the +crescent, one of which-- the one to the westward-- was low and +sandy, and is that to which vessels are obliged to give a wide +berth when running out for a southeaster; the other is high, bold, +and well wooded, and has a mission upon it, called Santa +Buenaventura, from which the point is named. In the middle of this +crescent, directly opposite the anchoring ground, lie the Mission +and town of Santa Barbara, on a low plain, but little above the +level of the sea, covered with grass, though entirely without +trees, and surrounded on three sides by an amphitheatre of +mountains, which slant off to the distance of fifteen or twenty +miles. The Mission stands a little back of the town, and is a +large building, or rather collection of buildings, in the centre +of which is a high tower, with a belfry of five bells. The whole, +being plastered, makes quite a show at a distance, and is the mark +by which vessels come to anchor. The town lies a little nearer to +the beach,-- about half a mile from it,-- and is composed of +one-story houses built of sun-baked clay, or adobe, some of them +whitewashed, with red tiles on the roofs. I should judge that +there were about a hundred of them; and in the midst of them +stands the Presidio, or fort, built of the same materials, and +apparently but little stronger. The town is finely situated, with +a bay in front, and an amphitheatre of hills behind. The only +thing which diminishes its beauty is, that the hills have no large +trees upon them, they having been all burnt by a great fire which +swept them off about a dozen years ago, and they had not yet grown +again. The fire was described to me by an inhabitant, as having +been a very terrible and magnificent sight. The air of the whole +valley was so heated that the people were obliged to leave the +town and take up their quarters for several days upon the beach. + +Just before sundown, the mate ordered a boat's crew ashore, and I +went as one of the number. We passed under the stern of the +English brig, and had a long pull ashore. I shall never forget the +impression which our first landing on the beach of California made +upon me. The sun had just gone down; it was getting dusky; the +damp night-wind was beginning to blow, and the heavy swell of the +Pacific was setting in, and breaking in loud and high ``combers'' +upon the beach. We lay on our oars in the swell, just outside of +the surf, waiting for a good chance to run in, when a boat, which +had put off from the Ayacucho, came alongside of us, with a crew +of dusky Sandwich-Islanders, talking and hallooing in their +outlandish tongue. They knew that we were novices in this kind of +boating, and waited to see us go in. The second mate, however, who +steered our boat, determined to have the advantage of their +experience, and would not go in first. Finding, at length, how +matters stood, they gave a shout, and taking advantage of a great +comber which came swelling in, rearing its head, and lifting up +the sterns of our boats nearly perpendicular, and again dropping +them in the trough, they gave three or four long and strong pulls, +and went in on top of the great wave, throwing their oars +overboard, and as far from the boat as they could throw them, and, +jumping out the instant the boat touched the beach, they seized +hold of her by the gunwale, on each side, and ran her up high and +dry upon the sand. We saw, at once, how the thing was to be done, +and also the necessity of keeping the boat stern out to the sea; +for the instant the sea should strike upon her broadside or +quarter, she would be driven up broadside on, and capsized. We +pulled strongly in, and as soon as we felt that the sea had got +hold of us, and was carrying us in with the speed of a race-horse, +we threw the oars as far from the boat as we could, and took hold +of the gunwales, ready to spring out and seize her when she +struck, the officer using his utmost strength, with his +steering-oar, to keep her stern out. We were shot up upon the +beach, and, seizing the boat, ran her up high and dry, and, +picking up our oars, stood by her, ready for the captain to come +down. + +Finding that the captain did not come immediately, we put our oars +in the boat, and, leaving one to watch it, walked about the beach +to see what we could of the place. The beach is nearly a mile in +length between the two points, and of smooth sand. We had taken +the only good landing-place, which is in the middle, it being more +stony toward the ends. It is about twenty yards in width from +high-water mark to a slight bank at which the soil begins, and so +hard that it is a favorite place for running horses. It was +growing dark, so that we could just distinguish the dim outlines +of the two vessels in the offing; and the great seas were rolling +in in regular lines, growing larger and larger as they approached +the shore, and hanging over the beach upon which they were to +break, when their tops would curl over and turn white with foam, +and, beginning at one extreme of the line, break rapidly to the +other, as a child's long card house falls when a card is knocked +down at one end. The Sandwich-Islanders, in the mean time, had +turned their boat round, and ran her down into the water, and were +loading her with hides and tallow. As this was the work in which +we were soon to be engaged, we looked on with some curiosity. They +ran the boat so far into the water that every large sea might +float her, and two of them, with their trousers rolled up, stood +by the bows, one on each side, keeping her in her right position. +This was hard work; for beside the force they had to use upon the +boat, the large seas nearly took them off their legs. The others +were running from the boat to the bank, upon which, out of the +reach of the water, was a pile of dry bullocks' hides, doubled +lengthwise in the middle, and nearly as stiff as boards. These +they took upon their heads, one or two at a time, and carried down +to the boat, in which one of their number stowed them away. They +were obliged to carry them on their heads, to keep them out of the +water and we observed that they had on thick woollen caps. ``Look +here, Bill, and see what you're coming to!'' said one of our men +to another who stood by the boat. ``Well, Dana,'' said the second +mate to me, ``this does not look much like Harvard College, does +it? But it is what I call `head work.''' To tell the truth, it did +not look very encouraging. + +After they had got through with the hides, the Kanakas laid hold +of the bags of tallow (the bags are made of hide, and are about +the size of a common meal-bag), and lifted each upon the shoulders +of two men, one at each end, who walked off with them to the boat, +when all prepared to go aboard. Here, too, was something for us to +learn. The man who steered shipped his oar and stood up in the +stern, and those that pulled the two after oars sat upon their +benches, with their oars shipped, ready to strike out as soon as +she was afloat. The two men remained standing at the bows; and +when, at length, a large sea came in and floated her, seized hold +of the gunwales, and ran out with her till they were up to their +armpits, and then tumbled over the gunwales into the bows, +dripping with water. The men at the oars struck out, but it +wouldn't do; the sea swept back and left them nearly high and dry. +The two fellows jumped out again; and the next time they succeeded +better, and, with the help of a deal of outlandish hallooing and +bawling, got her well off. We watched them till they were out of +the breakers, and saw them steering for their vessel, which was +now hidden in the darkness. + +The sand of the beach began to be cold to our bare feet; the frogs +set up their croaking in the marshes, and one solitary owl, from +the end of the distant point, gave out his melancholy note, +mellowed by the distance, and we began to think that it was high +time for ``the old man,'' as a shipmaster is commonly called, to +come down. In a few minutes we heard something coming towards us. +It was a man on horseback. He came on the full gallop, reined up +near us, addressed a few words to us, and, receiving no answer, +wheeled round and galloped off again. He was nearly as dark as an +Indian, with a large Spanish hat, blanket cloak or serape, and +leather leggins, with a long knife stuck in them. ``This is the +seventh city that ever I was in, and no Christian one neither,'' +said Bill Brown. ``Stand by!'' said John, ``you haven't seen the +worst of it yet.'' In the midst of this conversation the captain +appeared; and we winded the boat round, shoved her down, and +prepared to go off. The captain, who had been on the coast +before, and ``knew the ropes,'' took the steering-oar, and we went +off in the same way as the other boat. I, being the youngest, had +the pleasure of standing at the bow, and getting wet through. We +went off well, though the seas were high. Some of them lifted us +up, and, sliding from under us, seemed to let us drop through the +air like a flat plank upon the body of the water. In a few minutes +we were in the low, regular swell, and pulled for a light, which, +as we neared it, we found had been run up to our trysail gaff. + +Coming aboard, we hoisted up all the boats, and, diving down into +the forecastle, changed our wet clothes, and got our supper. After +supper the sailors lighted their pipes (cigars, those of us who +had them), and we had to tell all we had seen ashore. Then +followed conjectures about the people ashore, the length of the +voyage, carrying hides, &c., &c., until eight bells, when all +hands were called aft, and the ``anchor watch'' set. We were to +stand two in a watch, and, as the nights were pretty long, two +hours were to make a watch. The second mate was to keep the deck +until eight o'clock, all hands were to be called at daybreak, and +the word was passed to keep a bright lookout, and to call the mate +if it should come on to blow from the southeast. We had, also, +orders to strike the bells every half-hour through the night, as +at sea. My watchmate was John, the Swedish sailor, and we stood +from twelve to two, he walking the larboard side and I the +starboard. At daylight all hands were called, and we went through +the usual process of washing down, swabbing, &c., and got +breakfast at eight o'clock. In the course of the forenoon, a boat +went aboard of the Ayacucho and brought off a quarter of beef, +which made us a fresh bite for dinner. This we were glad enough to +have, and the mate told us that we should live upon fresh beef +while we were on the coast, as it was cheaper here than the salt. +While at dinner, the cook called ``Sail ho!'' and, coming on deck, +we saw two sails bearing round the point. One was a large ship +under top-gallant sails, and the other a small hermaphrodite brig. +They both backed their topsails and sent boats aboard of us. The +ship's colors had puzzled us, and we found that she was from +Genoa, with an assorted cargo, and was trading on the coast. She +filled away again, and stood out, being bound up the coast to San +Francisco. The crew of the brig's boat were Sandwich-Islanders, +but one of them, who spoke a little English, told us that she was +the Loriotte, Captain Nye, from Oahu, and was engaged in the hide +and tallow trade. She was a lump of a thing, what the sailors call +a butter-box. This vessel, as well as the Ayacucho, and others +which we afterwards saw engaged in the same trade, have English or +Americans for officers, and two or three before the mast to do the +work upon the rigging, and to be relied upon for seamanship, while +the rest of the crew are Sandwich-Islanders, who are active and +very useful in boating. + +The three captains went ashore after dinner, and came off again at +night. When in port, everything is attended to by the chief mate; +the captain, unless he is also supercargo, has little to do, and +is usually ashore much of his time. This we thought would be +pleasanter for us, as the mate was a good-natured man, and not +very strict. So it was for a time, but we were worse off in the +end; for wherever the captain is a severe, energetic man, and the +mate has neither of these qualities, there will always be trouble. +And trouble we had already begun to anticipate. The captain had +several times found fault with the mate, in presence of the crew; +and hints had been dropped that all was not right between them. +When this is the case, and the captain suspects that his chief +officer is too easy and familiar with the crew, he begins to +interfere in all the duties, and to draw the reins more taut, and +the crew have to suffer. + +CHAPTER X + +This night, after sundown, it looked black at the southward and +eastward, and we were told to keep a bright lookout. Expecting to +be called, we turned in early. Waking up about midnight, I found a +man who had just come down from his watch striking a light. He +said that it was beginning to puff from the southeast, that the +sea was rolling in, and he had called the captain; and as he threw +himself down on his chest with all his clothes on, I knew that he +expected to be called. I felt the vessel pitching at her anchor, +and the chain surging and snapping, and lay awake, prepared for an +instant summons. In a few minutes it came,-- three knocks on the +scuttle, and ``All hands ahoy! bear-a-hand[1] up and make sail.'' We +sprang for our clothes, and were about half dressed, when the mate +called out, down the scuttle, ``Tumble up here, men! tumble up! +before she drags her anchor.'' We were on deck in an instant. +``Lay aloft and loose the topsails!'' shouted the captain, as soon +as the first man showed himself. Springing into the rigging, I saw +that the Ayacucho's topsails were loosed, and heard her crew +singing out at the sheets as they were hauling them home. This had +probably started our captain; as ``Old Wilson'' (the captain of +the Ayacucho) had been many years on the coast, and knew the signs +of the weather. We soon had the topsails loosed; and one hand +remaining, as usual, in each top, to overhaul the rigging and +light the sail out, the rest of us came down to man the sheets. +While sheeting home, we saw the Ayacucho standing athwart our +hawse, sharp upon the wind, cutting through the head seas like a +knife, with her raking masts, and her sharp bows running up like +the head of a greyhound. It was a beautiful sight. She was like a +bird which had been frightened and had spread her wings in flight. +After our topsails had been sheeted home, the head yards braced +aback, the fore-topmast staysail hoisted, and the buoys streamed, +and all ready forward for slipping, we went aft and manned the +slip-rope which came through the stern port with a turn round the +timberheads. ``All ready forward?'' asked the captain. ``Aye, aye, +sir; all ready,'' answered the mate. ``Let go!'' ``All gone, +sir''; and the chain cable grated over the windlass and through +the hawse-hole, and the little vessel's head swinging off from the +wind under the force of her backed head sails brought the strain +upon the slip-rope. ``Let go aft!'' Instantly all was gone, and we +were under way. As soon as she was well off from the wind, we +filled away the head yards, braced all up sharp, set the foresail +and trysail, and left our anchorage well astern, giving the point +a good berth. ``Nye's off too,'' said the captain to the mate; +and, looking astern, we could just see the little hermaphrodite +brig under sail, standing after us. + +It now began to blow fresh; the rain fell fast, and it grew black; +but the captain would not take in sail until we were well clear of +the point. As soon as we left this on our quarter, and were +standing out to sea, the order was given, and we went aloft, +double-reefed each topsail, furled the foresail, and double-reefed +the trysail, and were soon under easy sail. In these cases of +slipping for southeasters there is nothing to be done, after you +have got clear of the coast, but to lie-to under easy sail, and +wait for the gale to be over, which seldom lasts more than two +days, and is sometimes over in twelve hours; but the wind never +comes back to the southward until there has a good deal of rain +fallen. ``Go below the watch,'' said the mate; but here was a +dispute which watch it should be. The mate soon settled it by +sending his watch below, saying that we should have our turn the +next time we got under way. We remained on deck till the +expiration of the watch, the wind blowing very fresh and the rain +coming down in torrents. When the watch came up, we wore ship, and +stood on the other tack, in towards land. When we came up again, +which was at four in the morning, it was very dark, and there was +not much wind, but it was raining as I thought I had never seen it +rain before. We had on oil-cloth suits and southwester caps, and +had nothing to do but to stand bolt upright and let it pour down +upon us. There are no umbrellas, and no sheds to go under, at sea. + +While we were standing about on deck, we saw the little brig +drifting by us, hove to under her fore topsail double reefed; and +she glided by like a phantom. Not a word was spoken, and we saw no +one on deck but the man at the wheel. Toward morning the captain +put his head out of the companion-way and told the second mate, +who commanded our watch, to look out for a change of wind, which +usually followed a calm, with heavy rain. It was well that he did; +for in a few minutes it fell dead calm, the vessel lost her +steerage-way, the rain ceased, we hauled up the trysail and +courses, squared the after-yards, and waited for the change, which +came in a few minutes, with a vengeance, from the northwest, the +opposite point of the compass. Owing to our precautions, we were +not taken aback, but ran before the wind with square yards. The +captain coming on deck, we braced up a little and stood back for +our anchorage. With the change of wind came a change of weather, +and in two hours the wind moderated into the light steady breeze, +which blows down the coast the greater part of the year, and, from +its regularity, might be called a trade-wind. The sun came up +bright, and we set royals, skysails and studding-sails, and were +under fair way for Santa Barbara. The little Loriotte was astern +of us, nearly out of sight; but we saw nothing of the Ayacucho. In +a short time she appeared, standing out from Santa Rosa Island, +under the lee of which she had been hove to all night. Our captain +was eager to get in before her, for it would be a great credit to +us, on the coast, to beat the Ayacucho, which had been called the +best sailer in the North Pacific, in which she had been known as a +trader for six years or more. We had an advantage over her in +light winds, from our royals and skysails which we carried both at +the fore and main, and also from our studding-sails; for Captain +Wilson carried nothing above top-gallant-sails, and always unbent +his studding-sails when on the coast. As the wind was light and +fair, we held our own, for some time, when we were both obliged to +brace up and come upon a taut bowline, after rounding the point; +and here he had us on his own ground, and walked away from us, as +you would haul in a line. He afterwards said that we sailed well +enough with the wind free, but that give him a taut bowline, and +he would beat us, if we had all the canvas of the Royal George. + +The Ayacucho got to the anchoring ground about half an hour before +us, and was furling her sails when we came to it. This picking up +your cables is a nice piece of work. It requires some seamanship +to do it, and to come-to at your former moorings, without letting +go another anchor. Captain Wilson was remarkable, among the +sailors on the coast, for his skill in doing this; and our captain +never let go a second anchor during all the time that I was with +him. Coming a little to windward of our buoy, we clewed up the +light sails, backed our main topsail, and lowered a boat, which +pulled off, and made fast a spare hawser to the buoy on the end of +the slip-rope. We brought the other end to the capstan, and hove +in upon it until we came to the slip-rope, which we took to the +windlass, and walked her up to her chain, occasionally helping her +by backing and filling the sails. The chain is then passed through +the hawse-hole and round the windlass, and bitted, the slip-rope +taken round outside and brought into the stern port, and she is +safe in her old berth. After we had got through, the mate told us +that this was a small touch of California, the like of which we +must expect to have through the winter. + +After we had furled the sails and got dinner, we saw the Loriotte +nearing, and she had her anchor before night. At sundown we went +ashore again, and found the Loriotte's boat waiting on the beach. +The Sandwich-Islander who could speak English told us that he had +been up to the town; that our agent, Mr. Robinson, and some other +passengers, were going to Monterey with us, and that we were to +sail the same night. In a few minutes Captain Thompson, with two +gentlemen and a lady, came down, and we got ready to go off. They +had a good deal of baggage, which we put into the bows of the +boat, and then two of us took the senora in our arms, and waded +with her through the water, and put her down safely in the stern. +She appeared much amused with the transaction, and her husband was +perfectly satisfied, thinking any arrangement good which saved his +wetting his feet. I pulled the after oar, so that I heard the +conversation, and learned that one of the men, who, as well as I +could see in the darkness, was a young-looking man, in the +European dress, and covered up in a large cloak, was the agent of +the firm to which our vessel belonged; and the other, who was +dressed in the Spanish dress of the country, was a brother of our +captain, who had been many years a trader on the coast, and that +the lady was his wife. She was a delicate, dark-complexioned young +woman, of one of the respectable families of California. I also +found that we were to sail the same night. + +As soon as we got on board, the boats were hoisted up, the sails +loosed, the windlass manned, the slip-ropes and gear cast off; and +after about twenty minutes of heaving at the windlass, making +sail, and bracing yards, we were well under way, and going with a +fair wind up the coast to Monterey. The Loriotte got under way at +the same time, and was also bound up to Monterey, but as she took +a different course from us, keeping the land aboard, while we kept +well out to sea, we soon lost sight of her. We had a fair wind, +which is something unusual when going up, as the prevailing wind +is the north, which blows directly down the coast; whence the +northern are called the windward, and the southern the leeward +ports. + +[1] ``Bear-a-hand'' is to make haste. + +CHAPTER XI + +We got clear of the islands before sunrise the next morning, and +by twelve o'clock were out of the canal, and off Point Conception, +the place where we first made the land upon our arrival. This is +the largest point on the coast, and is an uninhabited headland, +stretching out into the Pacific, and has the reputation of being +very windy. Any vessel does well which gets by it without a gale, +especially in the winter season. We were going along with +studding-sails set on both sides, when, as we came round the +point, we had to haul our wind, and take in the lee +studding-sails. As the brig came more upon the wind, she felt it +more, and we doused the skysails, but kept the weather +studding-sails on her, bracing the yards forward, so that the +swinging-boom nearly touched the spritsail yard. She now lay over +to it, the wind was freshening, and the captain was evidently +``dragging on to her.'' His brother and Mr. Robinson, looking a +little disturbed, said something to him, but he only answered that +he knew the vessel and what she would carry. He was evidently +showing off, and letting them know how he could carry sail. He +stood up to windward, holding on by the backstays, and looking up +at the sticks to see how much they would bear, when a puff came +which settled the matter. Then it was ``haul down'' and ``clew +up'' royals, flying-jib, and studding-sails, all at once. There +was what the sailors call a ``mess,''-- everything let go, nothing +hauled in, and everything flying. The poor Mexican woman came to +the companion-way, looking as pale as a ghost, and nearly +frightened to death. The mate and some men forward were trying to +haul in the lower studding-sail, which had blown over the +spritsail yard-arm and round the guys, while the +topmast-studding-sail boom, after buckling up and springing out +again like a piece of whalebone, broke off at the boom-iron. I +jumped aloft to take in the main top-gallant studding-sail, but +before I got into the top the tack parted, and away went the sail, +swinging forward of the top-gallant-sail, and tearing and slatting +itself to pieces. The halyards were at this moment let go by the +run, and such a piece of work I never had before in taking in a +sail. After great exertions I got it, or the remains of it, into +the top, and was making it fast, when the captain, looking up, +called out to me, ``Lay aloft there, Dana, and furl that main +royal.'' Leaving the studding-sail, I went up to the cross-trees; +and here it looked rather squally. The foot of the +top-gallant-mast was working between the cross and trussel trees, +and the mast lay over at a fearful angle with the topmast below, +while everything was working and cracking, strained to the utmost. + +There's nothing for Jack to do but to obey orders, and I went up +upon the yard; and there was a worse mess, if possible, than I had +left below. The braces had been let go, and the yard was swinging +about like a turnpike gate, and the whole sail, having blown out +to leeward, the lee leach was over the yard-arm, and the skysail +was all adrift and flying about my head. I looked down, but it was +in vain to attempt to make myself heard, for every one was busy +below, and the wind roared, and sails were flapping in all +directions. Fortunately, it was noon and broad daylight, and the +man at the wheel, who had his eyes aloft, soon saw my difficulty, +and after numberless signs and gestures got some one to haul the +necessary ropes taut. During this interval I took a look below. +Everything was in confusion on deck; the little vessel was tearing +through the water as if she had lost her wits, the seas flying +over her, and the masts leaning over at a wide angle from the +vertical. At the other royal-mast-head was Stimson, working away +at the sail, which was blowing from him as fast as he could gather +it in. The top-gallant sail below me was soon clewed up, which +relieved the mast, and in a short time I got my sail furled, and +went below; but I lost overboard a new tarpaulin hat, which +troubled me more than anything else. We worked for about half an +hour with might and main; and in an hour from the time the squall +struck us, from having all our flying kites abroad, we came down +to double-reefed topsails and the storm-sails. + +The wind had hauled ahead during the squall, and we were standing +directly in for the point. So, as soon as we had got all snug, we +wore round and stood off again, and had the pleasant prospect of +beating up to Monterey, a distance of a hundred miles, against a +violent head wind. Before night it began to rain; and we had five +days of rainy, stormy weather, under close sail all the time, and +were blown several hundred miles off the coast. In the midst of +this, we discovered that our fore topmast was sprung (which no +doubt happened in the squall), and were obliged to send down the +fore top-gallant-mast and carry as little sail as possible +forward. Our four passengers were dreadfully sea-sick, so that we +saw little or nothing of them during the five days. On the sixth +day it cleared off, and the sun came out bright, but the wind and +sea were still very high. It was quite like being in mid-ocean +again; no land for hundreds of miles, and the captain taking the +sun every day at noon. Our passengers now made their appearance, +and I had for the first time the opportunity of seeing what a +miserable and forlorn creature a sea-sick passenger is. Since I +had got over my own sickness, the third day from Boston, I had +seen nothing but hale, hearty men, with their sea legs on, and +able to go anywhere (for we had no passengers on our voyage out); +and I will own there was a pleasant feeling of superiority in +being able to walk the deck, and eat, and go aloft, and compare +one's self with two poor, miserable, pale creatures, staggering +and shuffling about decks, or holding on and looking up with giddy +heads, to see us climbing to the mast-heads, or sitting quietly at +work on the ends of the lofty yards. A well man at sea has little +sympathy with one who is sea-sick; he is apt to be too conscious +of a comparison which seems favorable to his own manhood. + +After a few days we made the land at Point Pinos, which is the +headland at the entrance of the bay of Monterey. As we drew in and +ran down the shore, we could distinguish well the face of the +country, and found it better wooded than that to the southward of +Point Conception. In fact, as I afterwards discovered, Point +Conception may be made the dividing-line between two different +faces of the country. As you go to the northward of the point, the +country becomes more wooded, has a richer appearance, and is +better supplied with water. This is the case with Monterey, and +still more so with San Francisco; while to the southward of the +point, as at Santa Barbara, San Pedro, and particularly San Diego, +there is very little wood, and the country has a naked, level +appearance, though it is still fertile. + +The bay of Monterey is wide at the entrance, being about +twenty-four miles between the two points, Ano Nuevo at the north, +and Pinos at the south, but narrows gradually as you approach the +town, which is situated in a bend, or large cove, at the +southeastern extremity, and from the points about eighteen miles, +which is the whole depth of the bay. The shores are extremely well +wooded (the pine abounding upon them), and as it was now the rainy +season, everything was as green as nature could make it,-- the +grass, the leaves, and all; the birds were singing in the woods, +and great numbers of wild fowl were flying over our heads. Here we +could lie safe from the southeasters. We came to anchor within two +cable lengths of the shore, and the town lay directly before us, +making a very pretty appearance; its houses being of whitewashed +adobe, which gives a much better effect than those of Santa +Barbara, which are mostly left of a mud color. The red tiles, too, +on the roofs, contrasted well with the white sides, and with the +extreme greenness of the lawn upon which the houses-- about a +hundred in number-- were dotted about, here and there, +irregularly. There are in this place, and in every other town +which I saw in California, no streets nor fences (except that here +and there a small patch might be fenced in for a garden), so that +the houses are placed at random upon the green. This, as they are +of one story, and of the cottage form, gives them a pretty effect +when seen from a little distance. + +It was a fine Saturday afternoon that we came to anchor, the sun +about an hour high, and everything looking pleasantly. The Mexican +flag was flying from the little square Presidio, and the drums and +trumpets of the soldiers, who were out on parade, sounded over the +water, and gave great life to the scene. Every one was delighted +with the appearance of things. We felt as though we had got into a +Christian (which in the sailor's vocabulary means civilized) +country. The first impression which California had made upon us +was very disagreeable,-- the open roadstead of Santa Barbara; +anchoring three miles from the shore; running out to sea before +every southeaster; landing in a high surf; with a little +dark-looking town, a mile from the beach; and not a sound to be +heard, nor anything to be seen, but Kanakas, hides, and +tallow-bags. Add to this the gale off Point Conception, and no one +can be at a loss to account for our agreeable disappointment in +Monterey. Besides, we soon learned, which was of no small +importance to us, that there was little or no surf here, and this +afternoon the beach was as smooth as a pond. + +We landed the agent and passengers, and found several persons +waiting for them on the beach, among whom were some who, though +dressed in the costume of the country, spoke English, and who, we +afterwards learned, were English and Americans who had married and +settled here. + +I also connected with our arrival here another circumstance which +more nearly concerns myself; viz., my first act of what the +sailors will allow to be seamanship,-- sending down a royal-yard. +I had seen it done once or twice at sea; and an old sailor, whose +favor I had taken some pains to gain, had taught me carefully +everything which was necessary to be done, and in its proper +order, and advised me to take the first opportunity when we were +in port, and try it. I told the second mate, with whom I had been +pretty thick when he was before the mast, that I could do it, and +got him to ask the mate to send me up the first time the +royal-yards were struck. Accordingly, I was called upon, and went +aloft, repeating the operations over in my mind, taking care to +get each thing in its order, for the slightest mistake spoils the +whole. Fortunately, I got through without any word from the +officer, and heard the ``well done'' of the mate, when the yard +reached the deck, with as much satisfaction as I ever felt at +Cambridge on seeing a ``bene'' at the foot of a Latin exercise. + +CHAPTER XII + +The next day being Sunday, which is the liberty-day among +merchantmen, when it is usual to let a part of the crew go ashore, +the sailors had depended upon a holiday, and were already +disputing who should ask to go, when, upon being called in the +morning, we were turned-to upon the rigging, and found that the +top-mast, which had been sprung, was to come down, and a new one +to go up, with top-gallant and royal masts, and the rigging to be +set. This was too bad. If there is anything that irritates +sailors, and makes them feel hardly used, it is being deprived of +their Sunday. Not that they would always, or indeed generally, +spend it improvingly, but it is their only day of rest. Then, too, +they are so often necessarily deprived of it by storms, and +unavoidable duties of all kinds, that to take it from them when +lying quietly and safely in port, without any urgent reason, bears +the more hardly. The only reason in this case was, that the +captain had determined to have the custom-house officers on board +on Monday, and wished to have his brig in order. Jack is a slave +aboard ship; but still he has many opportunities of thwarting and +balking his master. When there is danger or necessity, or when he +is well used, no one can work faster than he; but the instant he +feels that he is kept at work for nothing, or, as the nautical +phrase is, ``humbugged,'' no sloth could make less headway. He +must not refuse his duty, or be in any way disobedient, but all +the work that an officer gets out of him, he may be welcome to. +Every man who has been three months at sea knows how to ``work Tom +Cox's traverse''-- ``three turns round the long-boat, and a pull +at the scuttled butt.'' This morning everything went in this way. +``Sogering'' was the order of the day. Send a man below to get a +block, and he would capsize everything before finding it, then not +bring it up till an officer had called him twice, and take as much +time to put things in order again. Marline-spikes were not to be +found; knives wanted a prodigious deal of sharpening, and, +generally, three or four were waiting round the grindstone at a +time. When a man got to the mast-head, he would come slowly down +again for something he had left; and after the tackles were got +up, six men would pull less than three who pulled ``with a will.'' +When the mate was out of sight, nothing was done. It was all +up-hill work; and at eight o'clock, when we went to breakfast, +things were nearly where they were when we began. + +During our short meal the matter was discussed. One proposed +refusing to work; but that was mutiny, and of course was rejected +at once. I remember, too, that one of the men quoted ``Father +Taylor'' (as they call the seamen's preacher at Boston), who told +them that, if they were ordered to work on Sunday, they must not +refuse their duty, and the blame would not come upon them. After +breakfast, it leaked out, through the officers, that, if we would +get through work soon, we might have a boat in the afternoon and +go a-fishing. This bait was well thrown, and took with several who +were fond of fishing; and all began to find that as we had one +thing to do, and were not to be kept at work for the day, the +sooner we did it the better. Accordingly, things took a new +aspect; and before two o'clock, this work, which was in a fair way +to last two days, was done; and five of us went a-fishing in the +jolly-boat, in the direction of Point Pinos; but leave to go +ashore was refused. Here we saw the Loriotte, which sailed with us +from Santa Barbara, coming slowly in with a light sea-breeze, +which sets in towards afternoon, having been becalmed off the +point all the first part of the day. We took several fish of +various kinds, among which cod and perch abounded, and Foster (the +ci-devant second mate), who was of our number, brought up with his +hook a large and beautiful pearl-oyster shell. We afterwards +learned that this place was celebrated for shells, and that a +small schooner had made a good voyage by carrying a cargo of them +to the United States. + +We returned by sundown, and found the Loriotte at anchor within a +cable's length of the Pilgrim. The next day we were ``turned-to'' +early, and began taking off the hatches, overhauling the cargo, +and getting everything ready for inspection. At eight, the +officers of the customs, five in number, came on board, and began +examining the cargo, manifest, &c. The Mexican revenue laws are +very strict, and require the whole cargo to be landed, examined, +and taken on board again; but our agent had succeeded in +compounding for the last two vessels, and saving the trouble of +taking the cargo ashore. The officers were dressed in the costume +which we found prevailed through the country,-- broad-brimmed hat, +usually of a black or dark brown color, with a gilt or figured +band round the crown, and lined under the rim with silk; a short +jacket of silk, or figured calico (the European skirted body-coat +is never worn); the shirt open in the neck; rich waistcoat, if +any; pantaloons open at the sides below the knee, laced with gilt, +usually of velveteen or broadcloth; or else short breeches and +white stockings. They wear the deer-skin shoe, which is of a dark +brown color, and (being made by Indians) usually a good deal +ornamented. They have no suspenders, but always wear a sash round +the waist, which is generally red, and varying in quality with the +means of the wearer. Add to this the never-failing poncho, or the +serapa, and you have the dress of the Californian. This last +garment is always a mark of the rank and wealth of the owner. The +gente de razon, or better sort of people, wear cloaks of black or +dark blue broadcloth, with as much velvet and trimmings as may be; +and from this they go down to the blanket of the Indian, the +middle classes wearing a poncho, something like a large square +cloth, with a hole in the middle for the head to go through. This +is often as coarse as a blanket, but being beautifully woven with +various colors, is quite showy at a distance. Among the Mexicans +there is no working class (the Indians being practically serfs, +and doing all the hard work); and every rich man looks like a +grandee, and every poor scamp like a broken-down gentleman. I have +often seen a man with a fine figure and courteous manners, dressed +in broadcloth and velvet, with a noble horse completely covered +with trappings, without a real in his pockets, and absolutely +suffering for something to eat. + +CHAPTER XIII + +The next day, the cargo having been entered in due form, we began +trading. The trade-room was fitted up in the steerage, and +furnished out with the lighter goods, and with specimens of the +rest of the cargo; and Mellus, a young man who came out from +Boston with us before the mast, was taken out of the forecastle, +and made supercargo's clerk. He was well qualified for this +business, having been clerk in a counting-house in Boston; but he +had been troubled for some time with rheumatism, which unfitted +him for the wet and exposed duty of a sailor on the coast. For a +week or ten days all was life on board. The people came off to +look and to buy,-- men, women, and children; and we were +continually going in the boats, carrying goods and passengers,-- +for they have no boats of their own. Everything must dress itself +and come aboard and see the new vessel, if it were only to buy a +paper of pins. The agent and his clerk managed the sales, while we +were busy in the hold or in the boats. Our cargo was an assorted +one; that is, it consisted of everything under the sun. We had +spirits of all kinds (sold by the cask), teas, coffee, sugars, +spices, raisins, molasses, hardware, crockery-ware, tin-ware, +cutlery, clothing of all kinds, boots and shoes from Lynn, +calicoes and cotton from Lowell, crapes, silks; also, shawls, +scarfs, necklaces, jewelry, and combs for the women; furniture; +and, in fact, everything that can be imagined, from Chinese +fireworks to English cart-wheels,-- of which we had a dozen pairs +with their iron tires on. + +The Californians are an idle, thriftless people, and can make +nothing for themselves. The country abounds in grapes, yet they +buy, at a great price, bad wine made in Boston and brought round +by us, and retail it among themselves at a real (12 1/2 cents) by the +small wineglass. Their hides, too, which they value at two dollars +in money, they barter for something which costs seventy-five cents +in Boston; and buy shoes (as like as not made of their own hides, +which have been carried twice round Cape Horn) at three and four +dollars, and ``chicken-skin boots'' at fifteen dollars a pair. +Things sell, on an average, at an advance of nearly three hundred +per cent upon the Boston prices. This is partly owing to the heavy +duties which the government, in their wisdom, with an idea, no +doubt, of keeping the silver in the country, has laid upon +imports. These duties, and the enormous expenses of so long a +voyage, keep all merchants but those of heavy capital from +engaging in the trade. Nearly two thirds of all the articles +imported into the country from round Cape Horn, for the last six +years, have been by the single house of Bryant, Sturgis, & Co., to +whom our vessel belonged. + +This kind of business was new to us, and we liked it very well for +a few days, though we were hard at work every minute from daylight +to dark, and sometimes even later. + +By being thus continually engaged in transporting passengers, with +their goods, to and fro, we gained considerable knowledge of the +character, dress, and language of the people. The dress of the men +was as I have before described it. The women wore gowns of various +texture,-- silks, crape, calicoes, &c.,-- made after the European +style, except that the sleeves were short, leaving the arm bare, +and that they were loose about the waist, corsets not being in +use. They wore shoes of kid or satin, sashes or belts of bright +colors, and almost always a necklace and ear-rings. Bonnets they +had none. I only saw one on the coast, and that belonged to the +wife of an American sea-captain who had settled in San Diego, and +had imported the chaotic mass of straw and ribbon, as a choice +present to his new wife. They wear their hair (which is almost +invariably black, or a very dark brown) long in their necks, +sometimes loose, and sometimes in long braids; though the married +women often do it up on a high comb. Their only protection against +the sun and weather is a large mantle which they put over their +heads, drawing it close round their faces, when they go out of +doors, which is generally only in pleasant weather. When in the +house, or sitting out in front of it, which they often do in fine +weather, they usually wear a small scarf or neckerchief of a rich +pattern. A band, also, about the top of the head, with a cross, +star, or other ornament in front, is common. Their complexions are +various, depending-- as well as their dress and manner-- upon the +amount of Spanish blood they can lay claim to, which also settles +their social rank. Those who are of pure Spanish blood, having +never intermarried with the aborigines, have clear brunette +complexions, and sometimes even as fair as those of English women. +There are but few of these families in California, being mostly +those in official stations, or who, on the expiration of their +terms of office, have settled here upon property they have +acquired; and others who have been banished for state offences. +These form the upper class, intermarrying, and keeping up an +exclusive system in every respect. They can be distinguished, not +only by their complexion, dress, and manners, but also by their +speech; for, calling themselves Castilians, they are very +ambitious of speaking the pure Castilian, while all Spanish is +spoken in a somewhat corrupted dialect by the lower classes. From +this upper class, they go down by regular shades, growing more and +more dark and muddy, until you come to the pure Indian, who runs +about with nothing upon him but a small piece of cloth, kept up by +a wide leather strap drawn round his waist. Generally speaking, +each person's caste is decided by the quality of the blood, which +shows itself, too plainly to be concealed, at first sight. Yet the +least drop of Spanish blood, if it be only of quadroon or +octoroon, is sufficient to raise one from the position of a serf, +and entitle him to wear a suit of clothes,-- boots, hat, cloak, +spurs, long knife, all complete, though coarse and dirty as may +be,-- and to call himself Espanol, and to hold property, if he can +get any. + +The fondness for dress among the women is excessive, and is +sometimes their ruin. A present of a fine mantle, or of a necklace +or pair of ear-rings, gains the favor of the greater part. Nothing +is more common than to see a woman living in a house of only two +rooms, with the ground for a floor, dressed in spangled satin +shoes, silk gown, high comb, and gilt, if not gold, ear-rings and +necklace. If their husbands do not dress them well enough, they +will soon receive presents from others. They used to spend whole +days on board our vessel, examining the fine clothes and +ornaments, and frequently making purchases at a rate which would +have made a seamstress or waiting-maid in Boston open her eyes. + +Next to the love of dress, I was most struck with the fineness of +the voices and beauty of the intonations of both sexes. Every +common ruffian-looking fellow, with a slouched hat, blanket cloak, +dirty under-dress, and soiled leather leggins, appeared to me to +be speaking elegant Spanish. It was a pleasure simply to listen to +the sound of the language, before I could attach any meaning to +it. They have a good deal of the Creole drawl, but it is varied by +an occasional extreme rapidity of utterance, in which they seem to +skip from consonant to consonant, until, lighting upon a broad, +open vowel, they rest upon that to restore the balance of sound. +The women carry this peculiarity of speaking to a much greater +extreme than the men, who have more evenness and stateliness of +utterance. A common bullock-driver, on horseback, delivering a +message, seemed to speak like an ambassador at a royal audience. +In fact, they sometimes appeared to me to be a people on whom a +curse had fallen, and stripped them of everything but their pride, +their manners, and their voices. + +Another thing that surprised me was the quantity of silver in +circulation. I never, in my life, saw so much silver at one time, +as during the week that we were at Monterey. The truth is, they +have no credit system, no banks, and no way of investing money but +in cattle. Besides silver, they have no circulating medium but +hides, which the sailors call ``California bank-notes.'' +Everything that they buy they must pay for by one or the other of +these means. The hides they bring down dried and doubled, in +clumsy ox-carts, or upon mules' backs, and the money they carry +tied up in a handkerchief, fifty or a hundred dollars and +half-dollars. + +I had not studied Spanish at college, and could not speak a word +when at Juan Fernandez; but, during the latter part of the passage +out, I borrowed a grammar and dictionary from the cabin, and by a +continual use of these, and a careful attention to every word that +I heard spoken, I soon got a vocabulary together, and began +talking for myself. As I soon knew more Spanish than any of the +crew (who, indeed, knew none at all), and had studied Latin and +French, I got the name of a great linguist, and was always sent by +the captain and officers for provisions, or to take letters and +messages to different parts of the town. I was often sent for +something which I could not tell the name of to save my life; but +I liked the business, and accordingly never pleaded ignorance. +Sometimes I managed to jump below and take a look at my dictionary +before going ashore; or else I overhauled some English resident on +my way, and learned the word from him; and then, by signs, and by +giving a Latin or French word a twist at the end, contrived to get +along. This was a good exercise for me, and no doubt taught me +more than I should have learned by months of study and reading; it +also gave me opportunities of seeing the customs, characters, and +domestic arrangements of the people, beside being a great relief +from the monotony of a day spent on board ship. + +Monterey, as far as my observation goes, is decidedly the +pleasantest and most civilized-looking place in California. In the +centre of it is an open square, surrounded by four lines of +one-story buildings, with half a dozen cannon in the centre; some +mounted, and others not. This is the Presidio, or fort. Every town +has a presidio in its centre; or rather every presidio has a town +built around it; for the forts were first built by the Mexican +government, and then the people built near them, for protection. +The presidio here was entirely open and unfortified. There were +several officers with long titles, and about eighty soldiers, but +they were poorly paid, fed, clothed, and disciplined. The +governor-general, or, as he is commonly called, the ``general,'' +lives here, which makes it the seat of government. He is appointed +by the central government at Mexico, and is the chief civil and +military officer. In addition to him, each town has a commandant +who is its chief officer, and has charge of the fort, and of all +transactions with foreigners and foreign vessels; while two or +three alcaldes and corregidores, elected by the inhabitants, are +the civil officers. Courts strictly of law, with a system of +jurisprudence, they have not. Small municipal matters are +regulated by the alcaldes and corregidores, and everything +relating to the general government, to the military, and to +foreigners, by the commandants, acting under the governor-general. +Capital cases are decided by the latter, upon personal inspection, +if near; or upon minutes sent him by the proper officers, if the +offender is at a distant place. No Protestant has any political +rights, nor can he hold property, or, indeed, remain more than a +few weeks on shore, unless he belong to a foreign vessel. +Consequently, Americans and English, who intend to reside here, +become Papists,-- the current phrase among them being, ``A man +must leave his conscience at Cape Horn.'' + +But, to return to Monterey. The houses here, as everywhere else in +California, are of one story, built of adobes, that is, clay made +into large bricks, about a foot and a half square, and three or +four inches thick, and hardened in the sun. These are joined +together by a cement of the same material, and the whole are of a +common dirt-color. The floors are generally of earth, the windows +grated and without glass; and the doors, which are seldom shut, +open directly into the common room, there being no entries. Some +of the more wealthy inhabitants have glass to their windows and +board floors; and in Monterey nearly all the houses are +whitewashed on the outside. The better houses, too, have red tiles +upon the roofs. The common ones have two or three rooms which open +into each other, and are furnished with a bed or two, a few chairs +and tables, a looking-glass, a crucifix, and small daubs of +paintings enclosed in glass, representing some miracle or +martyrdom. They have no chimneys or fireplaces in the houses, the +climate being such as to make a fire unnecessary; and all their +cooking is done in a small kitchen, separated from the house. The +Indians, as I have said before, do all the hard work, two or three +being attached to the better house; and the poorest persons are +able to keep one, at least, for they have only to feed them, and +give them a small piece of coarse cloth and a belt for the men, +and a coarse gown, without shoes or stockings, for the women. + +In Monterey there are a number of English and Americans (English +or Ingles all are called who speak the English language) who have +married Californians, become united to the Roman Church, and +acquired considerable property. Having more industry, frugality, +and enterprise than the natives, they soon get nearly all the +trade into their hands. They usually keep shops, in which they +retail the goods purchased in larger quantities from our vessels, +and also send a good deal into the interior, taking hides in pay, +which they again barter with our ships. In every town on the coast +there are foreigners engaged in this kind of trade, while I +recollect but two shops kept by natives. The people are naturally +suspicious of foreigners, and they would not be allowed to remain, +were it not that they conform to the Church, and by marrying +natives, and bringing up their children as Roman Catholics and +Mexicans, and not teaching them the English language, they quiet +suspicion, and even become popular and leading men. The chief +alcaldes in Monterey and Santa Barbara were Yankees by birth. + +The men in Monterey appeared to me to be always on horseback. +Horses are as abundant here as dogs and chickens were in Juan +Fernandez. There are no stables to keep them in, but they are +allowed to run wild and graze wherever they please, being branded, +and having long leather ropes, called lassos, attached to their +necks and dragging along behind them, by which they can be easily +taken. The men usually catch one in the morning, throw a saddle +and bridle upon him, and use him for the day, and let him go at +night, catching another the next day. When they go on long +journeys, they ride one horse down, and catch another, throw the +saddle and bridle upon him, and, after riding him down, take a +third, and so on to the end of the journey. There are probably no +better riders in the world. They are put upon a horse when only +four or five years old, their little legs not long enough to come +half-way over his sides, and may almost be said to keep on him +until they have grown to him. The stirrups are covered or boxed up +in front, to prevent their catching when riding through the woods; +and the saddles are large and heavy, strapped very tight upon the +horse, and have large pommels, or loggerheads, in front, round +which the lasso is coiled when not in use. They can hardly go from +one house to another without mounting a horse, there being +generally several standing tied to the door-posts of the little +cottages. When they wish to show their activity, they make no use +of their stirrups in mounting, but, striking the horse, spring +into the saddle as he starts, and, sticking their long spurs into +him, go off on the full run. Their spurs are cruel things, having +four or five rowels, each an inch in length, dull and rusty. The +flanks of the horses are often sore from them, and I have seen men +come in from chasing bullocks, with their horses' hind legs and +quarters covered with blood. They frequently give exhibitions of +their horsemanship in races, bull-baitings, &c.; but as we were +not ashore during any holiday, we saw nothing of it. Monterey is +also a great place for cock-fighting, gambling of all sorts, +fandangos, and various kinds of amusement and knavery. Trappers +and hunters, who occasionally arrive here from over the Rocky +Mountains, with their valuable skins and furs, are often +entertained with amusements and dissipation, until they have +wasted their opportunities and their money, and then go back, +stripped of everything. + +Nothing but the character of the people prevents Monterey from +becoming a large town. The soil is as rich as man could wish, +climate as good as any in the world, water abundant, and situation +extremely beautiful. The harbor, too, is a good one, being subject +only to one bad wind, the north; and though the holding-ground is +not the best, yet I heard of but one vessel's being driven ashore +here. That was a Mexican brig, which went ashore a few months +before our arrival, and was a total wreck, all the crew but one +being drowned. Yet this was owing to the carelessness or ignorance +of the captain, who paid out all his small cable before he let go +his other anchor. The ship Lagoda, of Boston, was there at the +time, and rode out the gale in safety, without dragging at all, or +finding it necessary to strike her top-gallant-masts. + +The only vessel in port with us was the little Loriotte. I +frequently went on board her, and became well acquainted with her +Sandwich Island crew. One of them could speak a little English, +and from him I learned a good deal about them. They were well +formed and active, with black eyes, intelligent countenances, dark +olive, or, I should rather say, copper complexions, and coarse +black hair, but not woolly, like the negroes. They appeared to be +talking continually. In the forecastle there was a complete Babel. +Their language is extremely guttural, and not pleasant at first, +but improves as you hear it more; and it is said to have +considerable capacity. They use a good deal of gesticulation, and +are exceedingly animated, saying with their might what their +tongues find to say. They are complete water-dogs, and therefore +very good in boating. It is for this reason that there are so many +of them on the coast of California, they being very good hands in +the surf. They are also ready and active in the rigging, and good +hands in warm weather; but those who have been with them round +Cape Horn, and in high latitudes, say that they are of little use +in cold weather. In their dress, they are precisely like our +sailors. In addition to these Islanders, the Loriotte had two +English sailors, who acted as boatswains over the Islanders, and +took care of the rigging. One of them I shall always remember as +the best specimen of the thoroughbred English sailor that I ever +saw. He had been to sea from a boy, having served a regular +apprenticeship of seven years, as English sailors are obliged to +do, and was then about four or five and twenty. He was tall; but +you only perceived it when he was standing by the side of others, +for the great breadth of his shoulders and chest made him appear +but little above the middle height. His chest was as deep as it +was wide, his arm like that of Hercules, and his hand ``the fist +of a tar-- every hair a rope-yarn.'' With all this, he had one of +the pleasantest smiles I ever saw. His cheeks were of a handsome +brown, his teeth brilliantly white, and his hair, of a raven +black, waved in loose curls all over his head and fine, open +forehead; and his eyes he might have sold to a duchess at the +price of diamonds, for their brilliancy. As for their color, every +change of position and light seemed to give them a new hue; but +their prevailing color was black, or nearly so. Take him with his +well-varnished black tarpaulin, stuck upon the back of his head, +his long locks coming down almost into his eyes, his white duck +trousers and shirt, blue jacket, and black kerchief, tied loosely +round his neck, and he was a fine specimen of manly beauty. On his +broad chest was stamped with India ink ``Parting moments,''-- a +ship ready to sail, a boat on the beach, and a girl and her sailor +lover taking their farewell. Underneath were printed the initials +of his own name, and two other letters, standing for some name +which he knew better than I. The printing was very well done, +having been executed by a man who made it his business to print +with India ink, for sailors, at Havre. On one of his broad arms he +had a crucifix, and on the other, the sign of the ``foul anchor.'' + +He was fond of reading, and we lent him most of the books which we +had in the forecastle, which he read and returned to us the next +time we fell in with him. He had a good deal of information, and +his captain said he was a perfect seaman, and worth his weight in +gold on board a vessel, in fair weather and in foul. His strength +must have been great, and he had the sight of a vulture. It is +strange that one should be so minute in the description of an +unknown, outcast sailor, whom one may never see again, and whom no +one may care to hear about; yet so it is. Some persons we see +under no remarkable circumstances, but whom, for some reason or +other, we never forget. He called himself Bill Jackson; and I know +no one of all my accidental acquaintances to whom I would more +gladly give a shake of the hand than to him. Whoever falls in with +him will find a handsome, hearty fellow, and a good shipmate. + +Sunday came again while we were at Monterey; but, as before, it +brought us no holiday. The people on shore dressed and came off in +greater numbers than ever, and we were employed all day in boating +and breaking out cargo, so that we had hardly time to eat. Our +former second mate, who was determined to get liberty if it was to +be had, dressed himself in a long coat and black hat, and polished +his shoes, and went aft, and asked to go ashore. He could not have +done a more imprudent thing; for he knew that no liberty would be +given; and besides, sailors, however sure they may be of having +liberty granted them, always go aft in their working clothes, to +appear as though they had no reason to expect anything, and then +wash, dress, and shave after the matter is settled. But this poor +fellow was always getting into hot water, and if there was a wrong +way of doing a thing, was sure to hit upon it. We looked to see +him go aft, knowing pretty well what his reception would be. The +captain was walking the quarter-deck, smoking his morning cigar, +and Foster went as far as the break of the deck, and there waited +for him to notice him. The captain took two or three turns, and +then, walking directly up to him, surveyed him from head to foot, +and, lifting up his forefinger, said a word or two, in a tone too +low for us to hear, but which had a magical effect upon poor +Foster. He walked forward, jumped down into the forecastle, and in +a moment more made his appearance in his common clothes, and went +quietly to work again. What the captain said to him, we never +could get him to tell, but it certainly changed him outwardly and +inwardly in a surprising manner. + +CHAPTER XIV + +After a few days, finding the trade beginning to slacken, we hove +our anchor up, set our topsails, ran the stars and stripes up to +the peak, fired a gun, which was returned from the presidio, and +left the little town astern, standing out of the bay, and bearing +down the coast again for Santa Barbara. As we were now going to +leeward, we had a fair wind, and a plenty of it. After doubling +Point Pinos, we bore up, set studding-sails alow and aloft, and +were walking off at the rate of eight or nine knots, promising to +traverse in twenty-four hours the distance which we were nearly +three weeks in traversing on the passage up. We passed Point +Conception at a flying rate, the wind blowing so that it would +have seemed half a gale to us if we had been going the other way +and close hauled. As we drew near the islands of Santa Barbara, it +died away a little, but we came-to at our old anchoring ground in +less than thirty hours from the time of leaving Monterey. + +Here everything was pretty much as we left it,-- the large bay +without a vessel in it, the surf roaring and rolling in upon the +beach, the white Mission, the dark town, and the high, treeless +mountains. Here, too, we had our southeaster tacks aboard again,-- +slip-ropes, buoy-ropes, sails furled with reefs in them, and +rope-yarns for gaskets. We lay at this place about a fortnight, +employed in landing goods and taking off hides, occasionally, when +the surf was not high; but there did not appear to be one half the +business doing here that there was in Monterey. In fact, so far as +we were concerned, the town might almost as well have been in the +middle of the Cordilleras. We lay at a distance of three miles +from the beach, and the town was nearly a mile farther, so that we +saw little or nothing of it. Occasionally we landed a few goods, +which were taken away by Indians in large, clumsy ox-carts, with +the bow of the yoke on the ox's neck instead of under it, and with +small solid wheels. A few hides were brought down, which we +carried off in the California style. This we had now got pretty +well accustomed to, and hardened to also; for it does require a +little hardening, even to the toughest. + +The hides are brought down dry, or they will not be received. When +they are taken from the animal, they have holes cut in the ends, +and are staked out, and thus dried in the sun without shrinking. +They are then doubled once, lengthwise, with the hair side usually +in, and sent down upon mules or in carts, and piled above +high-water mark; and then we take them upon our heads, one at a +time, or two, if they are small, and wade out with them and throw +them into the boat, which, as there are no wharves, we usually +kept anchored by a small kedge, or keelek, just outside of the +surf. We all provided ourselves with thick Scotch caps, which +would be soft to the head, and at the same time protect it; for we +soon learned that, however it might look or feel at first, the +``head-work'' was the only system for California. For besides that +the seas, breaking high, often obliged us to carry the hides so, +in order to keep them dry, we found that, as they were very large +and heavy, and nearly as stiff as boards, it was the only way that +we could carry them with any convenience to ourselves. Some of the +crew tried other expedients, saying that that looked too much like +West India negroes; but they all came to it at last. The great art +is in getting them on the head. We had to take them from the +ground, and as they were often very heavy, and as wide as the arms +could stretch, and were easily taken by the wind, we used to have +some trouble with them. I have often been laughed at myself, and +joined in laughing at others, pitching ourselves down in the sand, +in trying to swing a large hide upon our heads, or nearly blown +over with one in a little gust of wind. The captain made it harder +for us, by telling us that it was ``California fashion'' to carry +two on the head at a time; and as he insisted upon it, and we did +not wish to be outdone by other vessels, we carried two for the +first few months; but after falling in with a few other ``hide +droghers,'' and finding that they carried only one at a time, we +``knocked off'' the extra one, and thus made our duty somewhat +easier. + +After our heads had become used to the weight, and we had learned +the true California style of tossing a hide, we could carry off +two or three hundred in a short time, without much trouble; but it +was always wet work, and, if the beach was stony, bad for our +feet; for we, of course, went barefooted on this duty, as no shoes +could stand such constant wetting with salt water. And after this, +we had a pull of three miles, with a loaded boat, which often took +a couple of hours. + +We had now got well settled down into our harbor duties, which, as +they are a good deal different from those at sea, it may be well +enough to describe. In the first place, all hands are called at +daylight, or rather-- especially if the days are short-- before +daylight, as soon as the first gray of the morning. The cook makes +his fire in the galley; the steward goes about his work in the +cabin; and the crew rig the head pump, and wash down the decks. +The chief mate is always on deck, but takes no active part, all +the duty coming upon the second mate, who has to roll up his +trousers and paddle about decks barefooted, like the rest of the +crew. The washing, swabbing, squilgeeing, &c. lasts, or is made to +last, until eight o'clock, when breakfast is ordered, fore and +aft. After breakfast, for which half an hour is allowed, the boats +are lowered down, and made fast astern, or out to the swinging +booms by geswarps, and the crew are turned-to upon their day's +work. This is various, and its character depends upon +circumstances. There is always more or less of boating, in small +boats; and if heavy goods are to be taken ashore, or hides are +brought down to the beach for us, then all hands are sent ashore +with an officer in the long-boat. Then there is a good deal to be +done in the hold,-- goods to be broken out, and cargo to be +shifted, to make room for hides, or to keep the trim of the +vessel. In addition to this, the usual work upon the rigging must +be going on. There is much of the latter kind of work which can +only be done when the vessel is in port. Everything, too, must be +kept taut and in good order,-- spun-yarn made, chafing gear +repaired, and all the other ordinary work. The great difference +between sea and harbor duty is in the division of time. Instead of +having a watch on deck and a watch below, as at sea, all hands are +at work together, except at mealtimes, from daylight till dark; +and at night an ``anchor watch'' is kept, which, with us, +consisted of only two at a time, all the crew taking turns. An +hour is allowed for dinner, and at dark the decks are cleared up, +the boats hoisted, supper ordered; and at eight the lights are put +out, except in the binnacle, where the glass stands; and the +anchor watch is set. Thus, when at anchor, the crew have more time +at night (standing watch only about two hours), but have no time +to themselves in the day; so that reading, mending clothes, &c., +has to be put off until Sunday, which is usually given. Some +religious captains give their crews Saturday afternoons to do +their washing and mending in, so that they may have their Sundays +free. This is a good arrangement, and goes far to account for the +preference sailors usually show for vessels under such command. We +were well satisfied if we got even Sunday to ourselves; for, if +any hides came down on that day, as was often the case when they +were brought from a distance, we were obliged to take them off, +which usually occupied half a day; besides, as we now lived on +fresh beef, and ate one bullock a week, the animal was almost +always brought down on Sunday, and we had to go ashore, kill it, +dress it, and bring it aboard, which was another interruption. +Then, too, our common day's work was protracted and made more +fatiguing by hides coming down late in the afternoon, which +sometimes kept us at work in the surf by starlight, with the +prospect of pulling on board, and stowing them all away, before +supper. + +But all these little vexations and labors would have been nothing,-- +they would have been passed by as the common evils of a sea +life, which every sailor, who is a man, will go through without +complaint,-- were it not for the uncertainty, or worse than +uncertainty, which hung over the nature and length of our voyage. +Here we were, in a little vessel, with a small crew, on a +half-civilized coast, at the ends of the earth, and with a +prospect of remaining an indefinite period,-- two or three years +at the least. When we left Boston, we supposed that ours was to be +a voyage of eighteen months, or two years, at most; but, upon +arriving on the coast, we learned something more of the trade, and +found that, in the scarcity of hides, which was yearly greater and +greater, it would take us a year, at least, to collect our own +cargo, beside the passage out and home; and that we were also to +collect a cargo for a large ship belonging to the same firm, which +was soon to come on the coast, and to which we were to act as +tender. We had heard rumors of such a ship to follow us, which had +leaked out from the captain and mate, but we passed them by as +mere ``yarns,'' till our arrival, when they were confirmed by the +letters which we brought from the owners to their agent. The ship +California, belonging to the same firm, had been nearly two years +on the coast getting a full cargo, and was now at San Diego, from +which port she was expected to sail in a few weeks for Boston; and +we were to collect all the hides we could, and deposit them at San +Diego, when the new ship, which would carry forty thousand, was to +be filled and sent home; and then we were to begin anew upon our +own cargo. Here was a gloomy prospect indeed. The Lagoda, a +smaller ship than the California, carrying only thirty-one or +thirty-two thousand, had been two years getting her cargo; and we +were to collect a cargo of forty thousand beside our own, which +would be twelve or fifteen thousand; and hides were said to be +growing scarcer. Then, too, this ship, which had been to us a +worse phantom than any flying Dutchman, was no phantom, or ideal +thing, but had been reduced to a certainty; so much so that a name +was given her, and it was said that she was to be the Alert, a +well-known Indiaman, which was expected in Boston in a few months, +when we sailed. There could be no doubt, and all looked black +enough. Hints were thrown out about three years and four years; +the older sailors said they never should see Boston again, but +should lay their bones in California; and a cloud seemed to hang +over the whole voyage. Besides, we were not provided for so long a +voyage, and clothes, and all sailors' necessaries, were +excessively dear,-- three or four hundred per cent advance upon +the Boston prices. This was bad enough for the crew; but still +worse was it for me, who did not mean to be a sailor for life, +having intended only to be gone eighteen months or two years. +Three or four years might make me a sailor in every respect, mind +and habits, as well as body, nolens volens, and would put all my +companions so far ahead of me that a college degree and a +profession would be in vain to think of; and I made up my mind +that, feel as I might, a sailor I might have to be, and to command +a merchant vessel might be the limit of my ambition. + +Beside the length of the voyage, and the hard and exposed life, we +were in the remote parts of the earth, on an almost desert coast, +in a country where there is neither law nor gospel, and where +sailors are at their captain's mercy, there being no American +consul, or any one to whom a complaint could be made. We lost all +interest in the voyage, cared nothing about the cargo, which we +were only collecting for others, began to patch our clothes, and +felt as though our fate was fixed beyond all hope of change. + +In addition to, and perhaps partly as a consequence of, this state +of things, there was trouble brewing on board the vessel. Our mate +(as the first mate is always called, par excellence) was a worthy +man.-- a more honest, upright, and kind-hearted man I never saw,-- +but he was too easy and amiable for the mate of a merchantman. He +was not the man to call a sailor a ``son of a bitch,'' and knock +him down with a handspike. Perhaps he really lacked the energy and +spirit for such a voyage as ours, and for such a captain. Captain +Thompson was a vigorous, energetic fellow. As sailors say, ``he +hadn't a lazy bone in him.'' He was made of steel and whalebone. +He was a man to ``toe the mark,'' and to make every one else step +up to it. During all the time that I was with him, I never saw him +sit down on deck. He was always active and driving, severe in his +discipline, and expected the same of his officers. The mate not +being enough of a driver for him, he was dissatisfied with him, +became suspicious that discipline was getting relaxed, and began +to interfere in everything. He drew the reins tighter; and as, in +all quarrels between officers, the sailors side with the one who +treats them best, he became suspicious of the crew. He saw that +things went wrong,-- that nothing was done ``with a will''; and in +his attempt to remedy the difficulty by severity he made +everything worse. We were in all respects unfortunately situated,-- +captain, officers, and crew, entirely unfitted for one another; +and every circumstance and event was like a two-edged sword, and +cut both ways. The length of the voyage, which made us +dissatisfied, made the captain, at the same time, see the +necessity of order and strict discipline; and the nature of the +country, which caused us to feel that we had nowhere to go for +redress, but were at the mercy of a hard master, made the captain +understand, on the other hand, that he must depend entirely upon +his own resources. Severity created discontent, and signs of +discontent provoked severity. Then, too, ill-treatment and +dissatisfaction are no ``linimenta laborum''; and many a time have +I heard the sailors say that they should not mind the length of +the voyage, and the hardships, if they were only kindly treated, +and if they could feel that something was done to make work +lighter and life easier. We felt as though our situation was a +call upon our superiors to give us occasional relaxations, and to +make our yoke easier. But the opposite policy was pursued. We were +kept at work all day when in port; which, together with a watch at +night, made us glad to turn-in as soon as we got below. Thus we +had no time for reading, or-- which was of more importance to us-- +for washing and mending our clothes. And then, when we were at +sea, sailing from port to port, instead of giving us ``watch and +watch,'' as was the custom on board every other vessel on the +coast, we were all kept on deck and at work, rain or shine, making +spun-yarn and rope, and at other work in good weather, and picking +oakum, when it was too wet for anything else. All hands were +called to ``come up and see it rain,'' and kept on deck hour after +hour in a drenching rain, standing round the deck so far apart so +as to prevent our talking with one another, with our tarpaulins +and oil-cloth jackets on, picking old rope to pieces, or laying up +gaskets and robands. This was often done, too, when we were lying +in port with two anchors down, and no necessity for more than one +man on deck as a lookout. This is what is called ``hazing'' a +crew, and ``working their old iron up.'' + +While lying at Santa Barbara, we encountered another southeaster; +and, like the first, it came on in the night; the great black +clouds moving round from the southward, covering the mountain, and +hanging down over the town, appearing almost to rest upon the +roofs of the houses. We made sail, slipped our cable, cleared the +point, and beat about for four days in the offing, under close +sail, with continual rain and high seas and winds. No wonder, +thought we, they have no rain in the other seasons, for enough +seemed to have fallen in those four days to last through a common +summer. On the fifth day it cleared up, after a few hours, as is +usual, of rain coming down like a four hours' shower-bath, and we +found ourselves drifted nearly ten leagues from the anchorage; +and, having light head winds, we did not return until the sixth +day. Having recovered our anchor, we made preparations for getting +under way to go down to leeward. We had hoped to go directly to +San Diego, and thus fall in with the California before she sailed +for Boston; but our orders were to stop at an intermediate port +called San Pedro; and, as we were to lie there a week or two, and +the California was to sail in a few days, we lost the opportunity. +Just before sailing, the captain took on board a short, +red-haired, round-shouldered, vulgar-looking fellow, who had lost +one eye and squinted with the other, and, introducing him as Mr. +Russell, told us that he was an officer on board. This was too +bad. We had lost overboard, on the passage, one of the best of our +number, another had been taken from us and appointed clerk, and +thus weakened and reduced, instead of shipping some hands to make +our work easier, he had put another officer over us, to watch and +drive us. We had now four officers, and only six in the +forecastle. This was bringing her too much down by the stern for +our comfort. + +Leaving Santa Barbara, we coasted along down, the country +appearing level or moderately uneven, and, for the most part, +sandy and treeless; until, doubling a high sandy point, we let go +our anchor at a distance of three or three and a half miles from +shore. It was like a vessel bound to St. John's, Newfoundland, +coming to anchor on the Grand Banks; for the shore, being low, +appeared to be at a greater distance than it actually was, and we +thought we might as well have stayed at Santa Barbara, and sent +our boat down for the hides. The land was of a clayey quality, +and, as far as the eye could reach, entirely bare of trees and +even shrubs; and there was no sign of a town,-- not even a house +to be seen. What brought us into such a place, we could not +conceive. No sooner had we come to anchor, than the slip-rope, and +the other preparations for southeasters, were got ready; and there +was reason enough for it, for we lay exposed to every wind that +could blow, except the northerly winds, and they came over a flat +country with a rake of more than a league of water. As soon as +everything was snug on board, the boat was lowered, and we pulled +ashore, our new officer, who had been several times in the port +before, taking the place of steersman. As we drew in, we found the +tide low, and the rocks and stones, covered with kelp and seaweed, +lying bare for the distance of nearly an eighth of a mile. Leaving +the boat, and picking our way barefooted over these, we came to +what is called the landing-place, at high-water mark. The soil +was, at it appeared at first, loose and clayey, and, except the +stalks of the mustard plant, there was no vegetation. Just in +front of the landing, and immediately over it, was a small hill, +which, from its being not more than thirty or forty feet high, we +had not perceived from our anchorage. Over this hill we saw three +men coming down, dressed partly like sailors and partly like +Californians; one of them having on a pair of untanned leather +trousers and a red baize shirt. When they reached us, we found +that they were Englishmen. They told us that they had belonged to +a small Mexican brig which had been driven ashore here in a +southeaster, and now lived in a small house just over the hill. +Going up this hill with them, we saw, close behind it, a small, +low building, with one room, containing a fireplace, +cooking-apparatus, &c., and the rest of it unfinished, and used as +a place to store hides and goods. This, they told us, was built by +some traders in the Pueblo (a town about thirty miles in the +interior, to which this was the port), and used by them as a +storehouse, and also as a lodging-place when they came down to +trade with the vessels. These three men were employed by them to +keep the house in order, and to look out for the things stored in +it. They said that they had been there nearly a year; had nothing +to do most of the time, living upon beef, hard bread, and +frijoles, a peculiar kind of bean, very abundant in California. +The nearest house, they told us, was a Rancho, or cattle-farm, +about three miles off; and one of them went there, at the request +of our officer, to order a horse to be sent down, with which the +agent, who was on board, might go up to the Pueblo. From one of +them, who was an intelligent English sailor, I learned a good +deal, in a few minutes' conversation, about the place, its trade, +and the news from the southern ports. San Diego, he said, was +about eighty miles to the leeward of San Pedro; that they had +heard from there, by a Mexican who came up on horseback, that the +California had sailed for Boston, and that the Lagoda, which had +been in San Pedro only a few weeks before, was taking in her cargo +for Boston. The Ayacucho was also there, loading for Callao; and +the little Loriotte, which had run directly down from Monterey, +where we left her. San Diego, he told me, was a small, snug place, +having very little trade, but decidedly the best harbor on the +coast, being completely land-locked, and the water as smooth as a +duck-pond. This was the depot for all the vessels engaged in the +trade; each one having a large house there, built of rough boards, +in which they stowed their hides as fast as they collected them in +their trips up and down the coast, and when they had procured a +full cargo, spent a few weeks there taking it in, smoking ship, +laying in wood and water, and making other preparations for the +voyage home. The Lagoda was now about this business. When we +should be about it was more than I could tell,-- two years, at +least, I thought to myself. + +I also learned, to my surprise, that the desolate-looking place we +were in furnished more hides than any port on the coast. It was +the only port for a distance of eighty miles, and about thirty +miles in the interior was a fine plane country, filled with herds +of cattle, in the centre of which was the Pueblo de los Angeles,-- +the largest town in California,-- and several of the wealthiest +missions; to all of which San Pedro was the seaport. + +Having made arrangements for a horse to take the agent to the +Pueblo the next day, we picked our way again over the green, +slippery rocks, and pulled toward the brig, which was so far off +that we could hardly see her, in the increasing darkness; and when +we got on board the boats were hoisted up, and the crew at supper. +Going down into the forecastle, eating our supper, and lighting +our cigars and pipes, we had, as usual, to tell what we had seen +or heard ashore. We all agreed that it was the worst place we had +seen yet, especially for getting off hides, and our lying off at +so great a distance looked as though it was bad for southeasters. +After a few disputes as to whether we should have to carry our +goods up the hill, or not, we talked of San Diego, the probability +of seeing the Lagoda before she sailed, &c., &c. + +The next day we pulled the agent ashore, and he went up to visit +the Pueblo and the neighboring missions; and in a few days, as the +result of his labors, large ox-carts, and droves of mules, loaded +with hides, were seen coming over the flat country. We loaded our +long-boat with goods of all kinds, light and heavy, and pulled +ashore. After landing and rolling them over the stones upon the +beach, we stopped, waiting for the carts to come down the hill and +take them; but the captain soon settled the matter by ordering us +to carry them all up to the top, saying that that was ``California +fashion.'' So, what the oxen would not do, we were obliged to do. +The hill was low, but steep, and the earth, being clayey and wet +with the recent rains, was but bad holding ground for our feet. +The heavy barrels and casks we rolled up with some difficulty, +getting behind and putting our shoulders to them; now and then our +feet, slipping, added to the danger of the casks rolling back upon +us. But the greatest trouble was with the large boxes of sugar. +These we had to place upon oars, and, lifting them up, rest the +oars upon our shoulders, and creep slowly up the hill with the +gait of a funeral procession. After an hour or two of hard work, +we got them all up, and found the carts standing full of hides, +which we had to unload, and to load the carts again with our own +goods; the lazy Indians, who came down with them, squatting on +their hams, looking on, doing nothing, and when we asked them to +help us, only shaking their heads, or drawling out ``no quiero.'' + +Having loaded the carts, we started up the Indians, who went off, +one on each side of the oxen, with long sticks, sharpened at the +end, to punch them with. This is one of the means of saving labor +in California,-- two Indians to two oxen. Now, the hides were to +be got down; and for this purpose we brought the boat round to a +place where the hill was steeper, and threw them off, letting them +slide over the slope. Many of them lodged, and we had to let +ourselves down and set them a-going again, and in this way became +covered with dust, and our clothes torn. After we had the hides +all down, we were obliged to take them on our heads, and walk over +the stones, and through the water, to the boat. The water and the +stones together would wear out a pair of shoes a day, and as shoes +were very scarce and very dear, we were compelled to go +barefooted. At night we went on board, having had the hardest and +most disagreeable day's work that we had yet experienced. For +several days we were employed in this manner, until we had landed +forty or fifty tons of goods, and brought on board about two +thousand hides, when the trade began to slacken, and we were kept +at work on board during the latter part of the week, either in the +hold or upon the rigging. On Thursday night there was a violent +blow from the northward; but as this was off-shore, we had only to +let go our other anchor and hold on. We were called up at night to +send down the royal-yards. It was as dark as a pocket, and the +vessel pitching at her anchors. I went up to the fore, and Stimson +to the main, and we soon had them down ``ship-shape and Bristol +fashion''; for, as we had now become used to our duty aloft, +everything above the cross-trees was left to us, who were the +youngest of the crew, except one boy. + +CHAPTER XV + +For several days the captain seemed very much out of humor. +Nothing went right, or fast enough for him. He quarrelled with the +cook, and threatened to flog him for throwing wood on deck, and +had a dispute with the mate about reeving a Spanish burton; the +mate saying that he was right, and had been taught how to do it by +a man who was a sailor! This the captain took in dudgeon, and they +were at swords' points at once. But his displeasure was chiefly +turned against a large, heavy-moulded fellow from the Middle +States, who was called Sam. This man hesitated in his speech, was +rather slow in his motions, and was only a tolerably good sailor, +but usually seemed to do his best; yet the captain took a dislike +to him, thought he was surly and lazy, and ``if you once give a +dog a bad name,''-- as the sailor-phrase is,-- ``he may as well +jump overboard.'' The captain found fault with everything this man +did, and hazed him for dropping a marline-spike from the +main-yard, where he was at work. This, of course, was an accident, +but it was set down against him. The captain was on board all day +Friday, and everything went on hard and disagreeably. ``The more +you drive a man, the less he will do,'' was as true with us as +with any other people. We worked late Friday night, and were +turned-to early Saturday morning. About ten o'clock the captain +ordered our new officer, Russell, who by this time had become +thoroughly disliked by all the crew, to get the gig ready to take +him ashore. John, the Swede, was sitting in the boat alongside, +and Mr. Russell and I were standing by the main hatchway, waiting +for the captain, who was down in the hold, where the crew were at +work, when we heard his voice raised in violent dispute with +somebody, whether it was with the mate or one of the crew I could +not tell, and then came blows and scuffling. I ran to the side and +beckoned to John, who came aboard, and we leaned down the +hatchway, and though we could see no one, yet we knew that the +captain had the advantage, for his voice was loud and clear:-- + +``You see your condition! You see your condition! Will you ever +give me any more of your jaw?'' No answer; and then came wrestling +and heaving, as though the man was trying to turn him. ``You may +as well keep still, for I have got you,'' said the captain. Then +came the question, ``Will you ever give me any more of your jaw?'' + +``I never gave you any, sir,'' said Sam; for it was his voice that +we heard, though low and half choked. + +``That's not what I ask you. Will you ever be impudent to me +again?'' + +``I never have been, sir,'' said Sam. + +``Answer my question, or I'll make a spread eagle of you! I'll +flog you, by G---d.'' + +``I'm no negro slave,'' said Sam. + +``Then I'll make you one,'' said the captain; and he came to the +hatchway, and sprang on deck, threw off his coat, and, rolling up +his sleeves, called out to the mate: ``Seize that man up, Mr. +Amerzene! Seize him up! Make a spread eagle of him! I'll teach you +all who is master aboard!'' + +The crew and officers followed the captain up the hatchway; but it +was not until after repeated orders that the mate laid hold of +Sam, who made no resistance, and carried him to the gangway. + +``What are you going to flog that man for, sir?'' said John, the +Swede, to the captain. + +Upon hearing this, the captain turned upon John; but, knowing him +to be quick and resolute, he ordered the steward to bring the +irons, and, calling upon Russell to help him, went up to John. + +``Let me alone,'' said John. ``I'm willing to be put in irons. You +need not use any force''; and, putting out his hands, the captain +slipped the irons on, and sent him aft to the quarter-deck. Sam, +by this time, was seized up, as it is called, that is, placed +against the shrouds, with his wrists made fast to them, his jacket +off, and his back exposed. The captain stood on the break of the +deck, a few feet from him, and a little raised, so as to have a +good swing at him, and held in his hand the end of a thick, strong +rope. The officers stood round, and the crew grouped together in +the waist. All these preparations made me feel sick and almost +faint, angry and excited as I was. A man-- a human being, made in +God's likeness-- fastened up and flogged like a beast! A man, too, +whom I had lived with, eaten with, and stood watch with for +months, and knew so well! If a thought of resistance crossed the +minds of any of the men, what was to be done? Their time for it +had gone by. Two men were fast, and there were left only two men +besides Stimson and myself, and a small boy of ten or twelve years +of age; and Stimson and I would not have joined the men in a +mutiny, as they knew. And then, on the other side, there were +(beside the captain) three officers, steward, agent, and clerk, +and the cabin supplied with weapons. But beside the numbers, what +is there for sailors to do? If they resist, it is mutiny; and if +they succeed, and take the vessel, it is piracy. If they ever +yield again, their punishment must come; and if they do not yield, +what are they to be for the rest of their lives? If a sailor +resist his commander, he resists the law, and piracy or submission +is his only alternative. Bad as it was, they saw it must be borne. +It is what a sailor ships for. Swinging the rope over his head, +and bending his body so as to give it full force, the captain +brought it down upon the poor fellow's back. Once, twice,-- six +times. ``Will you ever give me any more of your jaw?'' The man +writhed with pain, but said not a word. Three times more. This was +too much, and he muttered something which I could not hear; this +brought as many more as the man could stand, when the captain +ordered him to be cut down, and to go forward. + +``Now for you,'' said the captain, making up to John, and taking +his irons off. As soon as John was loose, he ran forward to the +forecastle. ``Bring that man aft!'' shouted the captain. The +second mate, who had been in the forecastle with these men the +early part of the voyage, stood still in the waist, and the mate +walked slowly forward; but our third officer, anxious to show his +zeal, sprang forward over the windlass, and laid hold of John; but +John soon threw him from him. The captain stood on the +quarter-deck, bareheaded, his eyes flashing with rage, and his +face as red as blood, swinging the rope, and calling out to his +officers: ``Drag him aft!-- Lay hold of him! I'll sweeten him!'' +&c., &c. The mate now went forward, and told John quietly to go +aft; and he, seeing resistance vain, threw the blackguard third +mate from him, said he would go aft of himself, that they should +not drag him, and went up to the gangway and held out his hands; +but as soon as the captain began to make him fast, the indignity +was too much, and he struggled; but, the mate and Russell holding +him, he was soon seized up. When he was made fast, he turned to +the captain, who stood rolling up his sleeves and getting ready +for the blow, and asked him what he was to be flogged for. ``Have +I ever refused my duty, sir? Have you ever known me to hang back, +or to be insolent, or not to know my work?'' + +``No,'' said the captain, ``it is not that that I flog you for; I +flog you for your interference, for asking questions.'' + +``Can't a man ask a question here without being flogged?'' + +``No,'' shouted the captain; ``nobody shall open his mouth aboard +this vessel but myself,'' and began laying the blows upon his +back, swinging half round between each blow, to give it full +effect. As he went on, his passion increased, and he danced about +the deck, calling out, as he swung the rope: ``If you want to know +what I flog you for, I'll tell you. It's because I like to do it!-- +because I like to do it!-- It suits me! That's what I do it for!'' + +The man writhed under the pain until he could endure it no longer, +when he called out, with an exclamation more common among +foreigners than with us: ``O Jesus Christ! O Jesus Christ!'' + +``Don't call on Jesus Christ,'' shouted the captain; ``he can't +help you. Call on Frank Thompson! He's the man! He can help you! +Jesus Christ can't help you now!'' + +At these words, which I never shall forget, my blood ran cold. I +could look on no longer. Disgusted, sick, I turned away, and +leaned over the rail, and looked down into the water. A few rapid +thoughts, I don't know what,-- our situation, a resolution to see +the captain punished when we got home,-- crossed my mind; but the +falling of the blows and the cries of the man called me back once +more. At length they ceased, and, turning round, I found that the +mate, at a signal from the captain, had cast him loose. Almost +doubled up with pain, the man walked slowly forward, and went down +into the forecastle. Every one else stood still at his post, while +the captain, swelling with rage, and with the importance of his +achievement, walked the quarter-deck, and at each turn, as he came +forward, calling out to us: ``You see your condition! You see +where I've got you all, and you know what to expect!''-- ``You've +been mistaken in me; you didn't know what I was! Now you know what +I am!''-- ``I'll make you toe the mark, every soul of you, or I'll +flog you all, fore and aft, from the boy up!''-- ``You've got a +driver over you! Yes, a slave-driver,-- a nigger-driver! I'll see +who'll tell me he isn't a NIGGER slave!'' With this and the like +matter, equally calculated to quiet us, and to allay any +apprehensions of future trouble, he entertained us for about ten +minutes, when he went below. Soon after, John came aft, with his +bare back covered with stripes and wales in every direction, and +dreadfully swollen, and asked the steward to ask the captain to +let him have some salve, or balsam, to put upon it. ``No,'' said +the captain, who heard him from below; ``tell him to put his shirt +on; that's the best thing for him, and pull me ashore in the boat. +Nobody is going to lay-up on board this vessel.'' He then called +to Mr. Russell to take those two men and two others in the boat, +and pull him ashore. I went for one. The two men could hardly bend +their backs, and the captain called to them to ``give way,'' +``give way!'' but, finding they did their best, he let them alone. +The agent was in the stern sheets, but during the whole pull-- a +league or more-- not a word was spoken. We landed; the captain, +agent, and officer went up to the house, and left us with the +boat. I, and the man with me, stayed near the boat, while John and +Sam walked slowly away, and sat down on the rocks. They talked +some time together, but at length separated, each sitting alone. I +had some fears of John. He was a foreigner, and violently +tempered, and under suffering; and he had his knife with him, and +the captain was to come down alone to the boat. But nothing +happened; and we went quietly on board. The captain was probably +armed, and if either of them had lifted a hand against him, they +would have had nothing before them but flight, and starvation in +the woods of California, or capture by the soldiers and Indians, +whom the offer of twenty dollars would have set upon them. + +After the day's work was done, we went down into the forecastle, +and ate our plain supper; but not a word was spoken. It was +Saturday night; but there was no song,-- no ``sweethearts and +wives.'' A gloom was over everything. The two men lay in their +berths, groaning with pain, and we all turned in, but, for myself, +not to sleep. A sound coming now and then from the berths of the +two men showed that they were awake, as awake they must have been, +for they could hardly lie in one posture long; the dim, swinging +lamp shed its light over the dark hole in which we lived, and many +and various reflections and purposes coursed through my mind. I +had no apprehension that the captain would try to lay a hand on +me; but our situation, living under a tyranny, with an ungoverned, +swaggering fellow administering it; of the character of the +country we were in; the length of the voyage; the uncertainty +attending our return to America; and then, if we should return, +the prospect of obtaining justice and satisfaction for these poor +men; and I vowed that, if God should ever give me the means, I +would do something to redress the grievances and relieve the +sufferings of that class of beings with whom my lot had so long +been cast. + +The next day was Sunday. We worked, as usual, washing decks, &c., +until breakfast-time. After breakfast we pulled the captain +ashore, and, finding some hides there which had been brought down +the night before, he ordered me to stay ashore and watch them, +saying that the boat would come again before night. They left me, +and I spent a quiet day on the hill, eating dinner with the three +men at the little house. Unfortunately they had no books; and, +after talking with them, and walking about, I began to grow tired +of doing nothing. The little brig, the home of so much hardship +and suffering, lay in the offing, almost as far as one could see; +and the only other thing which broke the surface of the great bay +was a small, dreary-looking island, steep and conical, of a clayey +soil, and without the sign of vegetable life upon it, yet which +had a peculiar and melancholy interest, for on the top of it were +buried the remains of an Englishman, the commander of a small +merchant brig, who died while lying in this port. It was always a +solemn and affecting spot to me. There it stood, desolate, and in +the midst of desolation; and there were the remains of one who +died and was buried alone and friendless. Had it been a common +burying-place, it would have been nothing. The single body +corresponded well with the solitary character of everything +around. It was the only spot in California that impressed me with +anything like poetic interest. Then, too, the man died far from +home, without a friend near him,-- by poison, it was suspected, +and no one to inquire into it,-- and without proper funeral rites; +the mate (as I was told), glad to have him out of the way, +hurrying him up the hill and into the ground, without a word or a +prayer. + +I looked anxiously for a boat, during the latter part of the +afternoon, but none came; until toward sundown, when I saw a speck +on the water, and as it drew near I found it was the gig, with the +captain. The hides, then, were not to go off. The captain came up +the hill, with a man, bringing my monkey jacket and a blanket. He +looked pretty black, but inquired whether I had enough to eat; +told me to make a house out of the hides, and keep myself warm, as +I should have to sleep there among them, and to keep good watch +over them. I got a moment to speak to the man who brought my +jacket. + +``How do things go aboard?'' said I. + +``Bad enough,'' said he; ``hard work and not a kind word spoken.'' + +``What!'' said I, ``have you been at work all day?'' + +``Yes! no more Sunday for us. Everything has been moved in the +hold, from stem to stern, and from the water-ways to the +keelson.'' + +I went up to the house to supper. We had frijoles (the perpetual +food of the Californians, but which, when well cooked, are the +best bean in the world), coffee made of burnt wheat, and hard +bread. After our meal, the three men sat down by the light of a +tallow candle, with a pack of greasy Spanish cards, to the +favorite game of ``treinte uno,'' a sort of Spanish +``everlasting.'' I left them and went out to take up my bivouac +among the hides. It was now dark; the vessel was hidden from +sight, and except the three men in the house there was not a +living soul within a league. The coyotes (a wild animal of a +nature and appearance between that of the fox and the wolf) set up +their sharp, quick bark, and two owls, at the end of two distant +points running out into the bay, on different sides of the hill +where I lay, kept up their alternate dismal notes. I had heard +the sound before at night, but did not know what it was, until +one of the men, who came down to look at my quarters, told me it +was the owl. Mellowed by the distance, and heard alone, at night, +it was a most melancholy and boding sound. Through nearly all the +night they kept it up, answering one another slowly at regular +intervals. This was relieved by the noisy coyotes, some of which +came quite near to my quarters, and were not very pleasant +neighbors. The next morning, before sunrise, the long-boat came +ashore, and the hides were taken off. + +We lay at San Pedro about a week, engaged in taking off hides and +in other labors, which had now become our regular duties. I spent +one more day on the hill, watching a quantity of hides and goods, +and this time succeeded in finding a part of a volume of Scott's +Pirate in a corner of the house; but it failed me at a most +interesting moment, and I betook myself to my acquaintances on +shore, and from them learned a good deal about the customs of the +country, the harbors, &c. This, they told me, was a worse harbor +than Santa Barbara for southeasters, the bearing of the headland +being a point and a half more to windward, and it being so shallow +that the sea broke often as far out as where we lay at anchor. The +gale for which we slipped at Santa Barbara had been so bad a one +here, that the whole bay, for a league out, was filled with the +foam of the breakers, and seas actually broke over the Dead Man's +Island. The Lagoda was lying there, and slipped at the first +alarm, and in such haste that she was obliged to leave her launch +behind her at anchor. The little boat rode it out for several +hours, pitching at her anchor, and standing with her stern up +almost perpendicularly. The men told me that they watched her till +towards night, when she snapped her cable and drove up over the +breakers high and dry upon the beach. + +On board the Pilgrim everything went on regularly, each one trying +to get along as smoothly as possible; but the comfort of the +voyage was evidently at an end. ``That is a long lane which has no +turning,'' ``Every dog must have his day, and mine will come by +and by,'' and the like proverbs, were occasionally quoted; but no +one spoke of any probable end to the voyage, or of Boston, or +anything of the kind; or, if he did, it was only to draw out the +perpetual surly reply from his shipmate: ``Boston, is it? You may +thank your stars if you ever see that place. You had better have +your back sheathed, and your head coppered, and your feet shod, +and make out your log for California for life!'' or else something +of this kind: ``Before you get to Boston, the hides will wear all +the hair off your head, and you'll take up all your wages in +clothes, and won't have enough left to buy a wig with!'' + +The flogging was seldom, if ever, alluded to by us in the +forecastle. If any one was inclined to talk about it, the others, +with a delicacy which I hardly expected to find among them, always +stopped him, or turned the subject. But the behavior of the two +men who were flogged toward one another showed a consideration +which would have been worthy of admiration in the highest walks of +life. Sam knew John had suffered solely on his account; and in all +his complaints he said that, if he alone had been flogged, it +would have been nothing; but he never could see him without +thinking that he had been the means of bringing this disgrace upon +him; and John never, by word or deed, let anything escape him to +remind the other that it was by interfering to save his shipmate +that he had suffered. Neither made it a secret that they thought +the Dutchman Bill and Foster might have helped them; but they did +not expect it of Stimson or me. While we showed our sympathy for +their suffering, and our indignation at the captain's violence, we +did not feel sure that there was only one side to the beginning of +the difficulty, and we kept clear of any engagement with them, +except our promise to help them when they got home.[1] + +Having got all our spare room filled with hides, we hove up our +anchor, and made sail for San Diego. In no operation can the +disposition of a crew be better discovered than in getting under +way. Where things are done ``with a will,'' every one is like a +cat aloft; sails are loosed in an instant; each one lays out his +strength on his handspike, and the windlass goes briskly round +with the loud cry of ``Yo heave ho! Heave and pawl! Heave hearty, +ho!'' and the chorus of ``Cheerly, men!'' cats the anchor. But +with us, at this time, it was all dragging work. No one went aloft +beyond his ordinary gait, and the chain came slowly in over the +windlass. The mate, between the knight-heads, exhausted all his +official rhetoric in calls of ``Heave with a will!''-- ``Heave +hearty, men!-- heave hearty!''-- ``Heave, and raise the dead!''-- +``Heave, and away!'' &c., &c.; but it would not do. Nobody broke +his back or his handspike by his efforts. And when the +cat-tackle-fall was strung along, and all hands-- cook, steward, +and all-- laid hold, to cat the anchor, instead of the lively song +of ``Cheerly, men!'' in which all hands join in the chorus, we +pulled a long, heavy, silent pull, and, as sailors say a song is +as good as ten men, the anchor came to the cat-head pretty slowly. +``Give us `Cheerly!''' said the mate; but there was no ``cheerly'' +for us, and we did without it. The captain walked the +quarter-deck, and said not a word. He must have seen the change, +but there was nothing which he could notice officially. + +We sailed leisurely down the coast before a light, fair wind, +keeping the land well aboard, and saw two other missions, looking +like blocks of white plaster, shining in the distance; one of +which, situated on the top of a high hill, was San Juan +Capistrano, under which vessels sometimes come to anchor, in the +summer season, and take off hides. At sunset on the second day we +had a large and well-wooded headland directly before us, behind +which lay the little harbor of San Diego. We were becalmed off +this point all night, but the next morning, which was Saturday, +the 14th of March, having a good breeze, we stood round the point, +and, hauling our wind, brought the little harbor, which is rather +the outlet of a small river, right before us. Every one was +desirous to get a view of the new place. A chain of high hills, +beginning at the point (which was on our larboard hand coming in), +protected the harbor on the north and west, and ran off into the +interior, as far as the eye could reach. On the other sides the +land was low and green, but without trees. The entrance is so +narrow as to admit but one vessel at a time, the current swift, +and the channel runs so near to a low, stony point that the ship's +sides appeared almost to touch it. There was no town in sight, but +on the smooth sand beach, abreast, and within a cable's length of +which three vessels lay moored, were four large houses, built of +rough boards, and looking like the great barns in which ice is +stored on the borders of the large ponds near Boston, with piles +of hides standing round them, and men in red shirts and large +straw hats walking in and out of the doors. These were the Hide +Houses. Of the vessels: one, a short, clumsy little hermaphrodite +brig, we recognized as our old acquaintance, the Loriotte; +another, with sharp bows and raking masts, newly painted and +tarred, and glittering in the morning sun, with the blood-red +banner and cross of St. George at her peak, was the handsome +Ayacucho. The third was a large ship, with top-gallant-masts +housed and sails unbent, and looking as rusty and worn as two +years' ``hide droghing'' could make her. This was the Lagoda. As +we drew near, carried rapidly along by the current, we overhauled +our chain, and clewed up the topsails. ``Let go the anchor!'' said +the captain; but either there was not chain enough forward of the +windlass, or the anchor went down foul, or we had too much headway +on, for it did not bring us up. ``Pay out chain!'' shouted the +captain; and we gave it to her; but it would not do. Before the +other anchor could be let go, we drifted down, broadside on, and +went smash into the Lagoda. Her crew were at breakfast in the +forecastle, and her cook, seeing us coming, rushed out of his +galley, and called up the officers and men. + +Fortunately, no great harm was done. Her jib-boom passed between +our fore and main masts, carrying away some of our rigging, and +breaking down the rail. She lost her martingale. This brought us +up, and, as they paid out chain, we swung clear of them, and let +go the other anchor; but this had as bad luck as the first, for, +before any one perceived it, we were drifting down upon the +Loriotte. The captain now gave out his orders rapidly and +fiercely, sheeting home the topsails, and backing and filling the +sails, in hope of starting or clearing the anchors; but it was all +in vain, and he sat down on the rail, taking it very leisurely, +and calling out to Captain Nye that he was coming to pay him a +visit. We drifted fairly into the Loriotte, her larboard bow into +our starboard quarter, carrying away a part of our starboard +quarter railing, and breaking off her larboard bumpkin, and one or +two stanchions above the deck. We saw our handsome sailor, +Jackson, on the forecastle, with the Sandwich-Islanders, working +away to get us clear. After paying out chain, we swung clear, but +our anchors were, no doubt, afoul of hers. We manned the windlass, +and hove, and hove away, but to no purpose. Sometimes we got a +little upon the cable, but a good surge would take it all back +again. We now began to drift down toward the Ayacucho; when her +boat put off, and brought her commander, Captain Wilson, on board. +He was a short, active, well-built man, about fifty years of age; +and being some twenty years older than our captain, and a thorough +seaman, he did not hesitate to give his advice, and, from giving +advice, he gradually came to taking the command; ordering us when +to heave and when to pawl, and backing and filling the topsails, +setting and taking in jib and trysail, whenever he thought best. +Our captain gave a few orders, but as Wilson generally +countermanded them, saying, in an easy, fatherly kind of way, ``O +no! Captain Thompson, you don't want the jib on her,'' or ``It +isn't time yet to heave!'' he soon gave it up. We had no +objections to this state of things, for Wilson was a kind man, and +had an encouraging and pleasant way of speaking to us, which made +everything go easily. After two or three hours of constant labor +at the windlass, heaving and yo-ho-ing with all our might, we +brought up an anchor, with the Loriotte's small bower fast to it. +Having cleared this, and let it go, and cleared our hawse, we got +our other anchor, which had dragged half over the harbor. ``Now,'' +said Wilson, ``I'll find you a good berth''; and, setting both the +topsails, he carried us down, and brought us to anchor, in +handsome style, directly abreast of the hide-house which we were +to use. Having done this, he took his leave, while we furled the +sails, and got our breakfast, which was welcome to us, for we had +worked hard, and eaten nothing since yesterday afternoon, and it +was nearly twelve o'clock. After breakfast, and until night, we +were employed in getting out the boats and mooring ship. + +After supper, two of us took the captain on board the Lagoda. As +he came alongside, he gave his name, and the mate, in the gangway, +called out to Captain Bradshaw, down the companion-way, ``Captain +Thompson has come aboard, sir!'' ``Has he brought his brig with +him?'' asked the rough old fellow, in a tone which made itself +heard fore and aft. This mortified our captain not a little, and +it became a standing joke among us, and, indeed, over the coast, +for the rest of the voyage. The captain went down into the cabin, +and we walked forward and put our heads down the forecastle, where +we found the men at supper. ``Come down, shipmates![2] come down!'' +said they, as soon as they saw us; and we went down, and found a +large, high forecastle, well lighted, and a crew of twelve or +fourteen men eating out of their kids and pans, and drinking their +tea, and talking and laughing, all as independent and easy as so +many ``woodsawyer's clerks.'' This looked like comfort and +enjoyment, compared with the dark little forecastle, and scanty, +discontented crew of the brig. It was Saturday night; they had got +through their work for the week, and, being snugly moored, had +nothing to do until Monday again. After two years' hard service, +they had seen the worst, and all, of California; had got their +cargo nearly stowed, and expected to sail, in a week or two, for +Boston. + +We spent an hour or more with them, talking over California +matters, until the word was passed,-- ``Pilgrims, away!'' and we +went back to our brig. The Lagodas were a hardy, intelligent set, +a little roughened, and their clothes patched and old, from +California wear; all able seamen, and between the ages of twenty +and thirty-five or forty. They inquired about our vessel, the +usage on board, &c., and were not a little surprised at the story +of the flogging. They said there were often difficulties in +vessels on the coast, and sometimes knock-downs and fightings, but +they had never heard before of a regular seizing-up and flogging. +``Spread eagles'' were a new kind of bird in California. + +Sunday, they said, was always given in San Diego, both at the +hide-houses and on board the vessels, a large number usually going +up to the town, on liberty. We learned a good deal from them about +the curing and stowing of hides, &c., and they were desirous to +have the latest news (seven months old) from Boston. One of their +first inquiries was for Father Taylor, the seamen's preacher in +Boston. Then followed the usual strain of conversation, inquiries, +stories, and jokes, which one must always hear in a ship's +forecastle, but which are, perhaps, after all, no worse, though +more gross and coarse, than those one may chance to hear from some +well dressed gentlemen around their tables. + +[1] Owing to the change of vessels that afterwards took place, +Captain Thompson arrived in Boston nearly a year before the +Pilgrim, and was off on another voyage, and beyond the reach of +these men. Soon after the publication of the first edition of this +book, in 1841, I received a letter from Stimson, dated at Detroit, +Michigan, where he had reentered mercantile life, from which I +make this extract: ``As to your account of the flogging scene, I +think you have given a fair history of it, and, if anything, been +too lenient towards Captain Thompson for his brutal, cowardly +treatment of those men. As I was in the hold at the time the +affray commenced, I will give you a short history of it as near as +I can recollect. We were breaking out goods in the fore hold, and, +in order to get at them, we had to shift our hides from forward to +aft. After having removed part of them, we came to the boxes, and +attempted to get them out without moving any more of the hides. +While doing so, Sam accidentally hurt his hand, and, as usual, +began swearing about it, and was not sparing of his oaths, +although I think he was not aware that Captain Thompson was so +near him at the time. Captain Thompson asked him, in no moderate +way, what was the matter with him. Sam, on account of the +impediment in his speech, could not answer immediately, although +he endeavored to, but as soon as possible answered in a manner +that almost any one would, under the like circumstances, yet, I +believe, not with the intention of giving a short answer; but +being provoked, and suffering pain from the injured hand, he +perhaps answered rather short, or sullenly. Thus commenced the +scene you have so vividly described, and which seems to me exactly +the history of the whole affair without any exaggeration.'' + +[2] ``Shipmate'' is the term by which sailors address one another +when not acquainted. + + +CHAPTER XVI + +The next day being Sunday, after washing and clearing decks, and +getting breakfast, the mate came forward with leave for one watch +to go ashore, on liberty. We drew lots, and it fell to the +larboard, which I was in. Instantly all was preparation. Buckets +of fresh water (which we were allowed in port), and soap, were put +in use; go-ashore jackets and trousers got out and brushed; pumps, +neckerchiefs, and hats overhauled, one lending to another; so that +among the whole each got a good fit-out. A boat was called to pull +the ``liberty-men'' ashore, and we sat down in the stern sheets, +``as big as pay-passengers,'' and, jumping ashore, set out on our +walk for the town, which was nearly three miles off. + +It is a pity that some other arrangement is not made in merchant +vessels with regard to the liberty-day. When in port, the crews +are kept at work all the week, and the only day they are allowed +for rest or pleasure is Sunday; and unless they go ashore on that +day, they cannot go at all. I have heard of a religious captain +who gave his crew liberty on Saturdays, after twelve o'clock. This +would be a good plan, if shipmasters would bring themselves to +give their crews so much time. For young sailors especially, many +of whom have been brought up with a regard for the sacredness of +the day, this strong temptation to break it is exceedingly +injurious. As it is, it can hardly be expected that a crew, on a +long and hard voyage, will refuse a few hours of freedom from toil +and the restraints of a vessel, and an opportunity to tread the +ground and see the sights of society and humanity, because it is a +Sunday. They feel no objection to being drawn out of a pit on the +Sabbath day. + +I shall never forget the delightful sensation of being in the open +air, with the birds singing around me, and escaped from the +confinement, labor, and strict rule of a vessel,-- of being once +more in my life, though only for a day, my own master. A sailor's +liberty is but for a day; yet while it lasts it is entire. He is +under no one's eye, and can do whatever, and go wherever, he +pleases. This day, for the first time, I may truly say, in my +whole life, I felt the meaning of a term which I had often heard,-- +the sweets of liberty. Stimson was with me, and, turning our +backs upon the vessels, we walked slowly along, talking of the +pleasure of being our own masters, of the times past, when we were +free and in the midst of friends, in America, and of the prospect +of our return; and planning where we would go, and what we would +do, when we reached home. It was wonderful how the prospect +brightened, and how short and tolerable the voyage appeared, when +viewed in this new light. Things looked differently from what they +did when we talked them over in the little dark forecastle, the +night after the flogging, at San Pedro. It is not the least of the +advantages of allowing sailors occasionally a day of liberty, that +it gives them a spring, and makes them feel cheerful and +independent, and leads them insensibly to look on the bright side +of everything for some time after. + +Stimson and I determined to keep as much together as possible, +though we knew that it would not do to cut our shipmates; for, +knowing our birth and education, they were a little suspicious +that we would try to put on the gentleman when we got ashore, and +would be ashamed of their company; and this won't do with Jack. +When the voyage is at an end, you do as you please; but so long as +you belong to the same vessel, you must be a shipmate to him on +shore, or he will not be a shipmate to you on board. Being +forewarned of this before I went to sea, I took no ``long togs'' +with me; and being dressed like the rest, in white duck trousers, +blue jacket, and straw hat, which would prevent my going into +better company, and showing no disposition to avoid them, I set +all suspicion at rest. Our crew fell in with some who belonged to +the other vessels, and, sailor-like, steered for the first +grog-shop. This was a small adobe building, of only one room, in +which were liquors, ``dry-goods,'' West India goods, shoes, bread, +fruits, and everything which is vendible in California. It was +kept by a Yankee, a one-eyed man, who belonged formerly to Fall +River, came out to the Pacific in a whale-ship, left her at the +Sandwich Islands, and came to California and set up a pulperia. +Stimson and I followed in our shipmates' wake, knowing that to +refuse to drink with them would be the highest affront, but +determining to slip away at the first opportunity. It is the +universal custom with sailors for each one, in his turn, to treat +the whole, calling for a glass all round, and obliging every one +who is present, even to the keeper of the shop, to take a glass +with him. When we first came in, there was some dispute between +our crew and the others, whether the newcomers or the old +California rangers should treat first; but it being settled in +favor of the latter, each of the crews of the other vessels +treated all round in their turn, and as there were a good many +present (including some ``loafers'' who had dropped in, knowing +what was going on, to take advantage of Jack's hospitality), and +the liquor was a real (12 1/2 cents) a glass, it made somewhat of a +hole in their lockers. It was now our ship's turn, and Stimson and +I, desirous to get away, stepped up to call for glasses; but we +soon found that we must go in order,-- the oldest first, for the +old sailors did not choose to be preceded by a couple of +youngsters; and bon gre, mal gre, we had to wait our turn, with +the twofold apprehension of being too late for our horses, and of +getting too much; for drink you must, every time; and if you drink +with one, and not with another, it is always taken as an insult. + +Having at length gone through our turns and acquitted ourselves of +all obligations, we slipped out, and went about among the houses, +endeavoring to find horses for the day, so that we might ride +round and see the country. At first we had but little success, all +that we could get out of the lazy fellows, in reply to our +questions, being the eternal drawling Quien sabe? (``Who knows?'') +which is an answer to all questions. After several efforts, we at +length fell in with a little Sandwich Island boy, who belonged to +Captain Wilson, of the Ayacucho, and was well acquainted in the +place; and he, knowing where to go, soon procured us two horses, +ready saddled and bridled, each with a lasso coiled over the +pommel. These we were to have all day, with the privilege of +riding them down to the beach at night, for a dollar, which we had +to pay in advance. Horses are the cheapest thing in California; +very fair ones not being worth more than ten dollars apiece, and +the poorer being often sold for three and four. In taking a day's +ride, you pay for the use of the saddle, and for the labor and +trouble of catching the horses. If you bring the saddle back safe, +they care but little what becomes of the horse. Mounted on our +horses, which were spirited beasts (and which, by the way, in this +country, are always steered in the cavalry fashion, by pressing +the contrary rein against the neck, and not by pulling on the +bit), we started off on a fine run over the country. The first +place we went to was the old ruinous presidio, which stands on a +rising ground near the village, which it overlooks. It is built in +the form of an open square, like all the other presidios, and was +in a most ruinous state, with the exception of one side, in which +the commandant lived, with his family. There were only two guns, +one of which was spiked, and the other had no carriage. Twelve +half-clothed and half-starved looking fellows composed the +garrison; and they, it was said, had not a musket apiece. The +small settlement lay directly below the fort, composed of about +forty dark brown looking huts, or houses, and three or four larger +ones, whitewashed, which belonged to the ``gente de razon.'' This +town is not more than half as large as Monterey, or Santa Barbara, +and has little or no business. From the presidio, we rode off in +the direction of the Mission, which we were told was three miles +distant. The country was rather sandy, and there was nothing for +miles which could be called a tree, but the grass grew green and +rank, there were many bushes and thickets, and the soil is said to +be good. After a pleasant ride of a couple of miles, we saw the +white walls of the Mission, and, fording a small stream, we came +directly before it. The Mission is built of adobe and plastered. +There was something decidedly striking in its appearance: a number +of irregular buildings, connected with one another, and, disposed +in the form of a hollow square, with a church at one end, rising +above the rest, with a tower containing five belfries, in each of +which hung a large bell, and with very large rusty iron crosses at +the tops. Just outside of the buildings, and under the walls, +stood twenty or thirty small huts, built of straw and of the +branches of trees, grouped together, in which a few Indians lived, +under the protection and in the service of the Mission. + +Entering a gateway, we drove into the open square, in which the +stillness of death reigned. On one side was the church; on +another, a range of high buildings with grated windows; a third +was a range of smaller buildings, or offices, and the fourth +seemed to be little more than a high connecting wall. Not a living +creature could we see. We rode twice round the square, in the hope +of waking up some one; and in one circuit saw a tall monk, with +shaven head, sandals, and the dress of the Gray Friars, pass +rapidly through a gallery, but he disappeared without noticing us. +After two circuits, we stopped our horses, and at last a man +showed himself in front of one of the small buildings. We rode up +to him, and found him dressed in the common dress of the country, +with a silver chain round his neck, supporting a large bunch of +keys. From this, we took him to be the steward of the Mission, +and, addressing him as ``Mayor-domo,'' received a low bow and an +invitation to walk into his room. Making our horses fast, we went +in. It was a plain room, containing a table, three or four chairs, +a small picture or two of some saint, or miracle, or martyrdom, +and a few dishes and glasses. ``Hay alguna cosa de comer?'' said +I, from my grammar. ``Si, Senor!'' said he. ``Que gusta usted?'' +Mentioning frijoles, which I knew they must have if they had +nothing else, and beef and bread, with a hint for wine, if they +had any, he went off to another building across the court, and +returned in a few minutes with a couple of Indian boys bearing +dishes and a decanter of wine. The dishes contained baked meats, +frijoles stewed with peppers and onions, boiled eggs, and +California flour baked into a kind of macaroni. These, together +with the wine, made the most sumptuous meal we had eaten since we +left Boston; and, compared with the fare we had lived upon for +seven months, it was a regal banquet. After despatching it, we +took out some money and asked him how much we were to pay. He +shook his head, and crossed himself, saying that it was charity,-- +that the Lord gave it to us. Knowing the amount of this to be that +he did not sell, but was willing to receive a present, we gave him +ten or twelve reals, which he pocketed with admirable nonchalance, +saying, ``Dios se lo pague.'' Taking leave of him, we rode out to +the Indians' huts. The little children were running about among +the huts, stark naked, and the men were not much more; but the +women had generally coarse gowns of a sort of tow cloth. The men +are employed, most of the time, in tending the cattle of the +Mission, and in working in the garden, which is a very large one, +including several acres, and filled, it is said, with the best +fruits of the climate. The language of these people, which is +spoken by all the Indians of California, is the most brutish, +without any exception, that I ever heard, or that could well be +conceived of. It is a complete slabber. The words fall off of the +ends of their tongues, and a continual slabbering sound is made in +the cheeks, outside of the teeth. It cannot have been the language +of Montezuma and the independent Mexicans. + +Here, among the huts, we saw the oldest man that I had ever met +with; and, indeed, I never supposed that a person could retain +life and exhibit such marks of age. He was sitting out in the sun, +leaning against the side of a hut; and his legs and arms, which +were bare, were of a dark red color, the skin withered and shrunk +up like burnt leather, and the limbs not larger round than those +of a boy of five years. He had a few gray hairs, which were tied +together at the back of his head, and he was so feeble that, when +we came up to him, he raised his hands slowly to his face, and, +taking hold of his lids with his fingers, lifted them up to look +at us; and, being satisfied, let them drop again. All command over +the lids seemed to have gone. I asked his age, but could get no +answer but ``Quien sabe?'' and they probably did not know it. + +Leaving the Mission, we returned to the village, going nearly all +the way on a full run. The California horses have no medium gait, +which is pleasant, between walking and running; for as there are +no streets and parades, they have no need of the genteel trot, and +their riders usually keep them at the top of their speed until +they are tired, and then let them rest themselves by walking. The +fine air of the afternoon, the rapid gait of the animals, who +seemed almost to fly over the ground, and the excitement and +novelty of the motion to us, who had been so long confined on +shipboard, were exhilarating beyond expression, and we felt +willing to ride all day long. Coming into the village, we found +things looking very lively. The Indians, who always have a holiday +on Sunday, were engaged at playing a kind of running game of ball, +on a level piece of ground, near the houses. The old ones sat down +in a ring, looking on, while the young ones-- men, boys, and girls-- +were chasing the ball, and throwing it with all their might. +Some of the girls ran like greyhounds. At every accident, or +remarkable feat, the old people set up a deafening screaming and +clapping of hands. Several blue jackets were reeling about among +the houses, which showed that the pulperias had been well +patronized. One or two of the sailors had got on horseback, but +being rather indifferent horsemen, and the Mexicans having given +them vicious beasts, they were soon thrown, much to the amusement +of the people. A half-dozen Sandwich-Islanders, from the +hide-houses and the two brigs, bold riders, were dashing about on +the full gallop, hallooing and laughing like so many wild men. + +It was now nearly sundown, and Stimson and I went into a house and +sat quietly down to rest ourselves before going to the beach. +Several people soon collected to see ``los marineros ingleses,'' +and one of them, a young woman, took a great fancy to my +pocket-handkerchief, which was a large silk one that I had before +going to sea, and a handsomer one than they had been in the habit +of seeing. Of course, I gave it to her, which brought me into high +favor; and we had a present of some pears and other fruits, which +we took down to the beach with us. When we came to leave the +house, we found that our horses, which we had tied at the door, +were both gone. We had paid for them to ride down to the beach, +but they were not to be found. We went to the man of whom we hired +them, but he only shrugged his shoulders, and to our question, +``Where are the horses?'' only answered, ``Quien sabe?'' but as he +was very easy, and made no inquiries for the saddles, we saw that +he knew very well where they were. After a little trouble, +determined not to walk to the beach,-- a distance of three miles,-- +we procured two, at four reals more apiece, with two Indian boys +to run behind and bring them back. Determined to have ``the go'' +out of the horses, for our trouble, we went down at full speed, +and were on the beach in a few minutes. Wishing to make our +liberty last as long as possible, we rode up and down among the +hide-houses, amusing ourselves with seeing the men as they arrived +(it was now dusk), some on horseback and others on foot. The +Sandwich-Islanders rode down, and were in ``high snuff.'' We +inquired for our shipmates, and were told that two of them had +started on horseback, and been thrown, or had fallen off, and were +seen heading for the beach, but steering pretty wild, and, by the +looks of things, would not be down much before midnight. + +The Indian boys having arrived, we gave them our horses, and, +having seen them safely off, hailed for a boat, and went aboard. +Thus ended our first liberty-day on shore. We were well tired, but +had had a good time, and were more willing to go back to our old +duties. About midnight we were waked up by our two watch-mates, +who had come aboard in high dispute. It seems they had started to +come down on the same horse, double-backed; and each was accusing +the other of being the cause of his fall. They soon, however, +turned-in and fell asleep, and probably forgot all about it, for +the next morning the dispute was not renewed. + +CHAPTER XVII + +The next sound that we heard was ``All hands ahoy!'' and, looking +up the scuttle, saw that it was just daylight. Our liberty had now +truly taken flight, and with it we laid away our pumps, stockings, +blue jackets, neckerchiefs, and other go-ashore paraphernalia, and +putting on old duck trousers, red shirts, and Scotch caps, began +taking out and landing our hides. For three days we were hard at +work in this duty, from the gray of the morning until starlight, +with the exception of a short time allowed for meals. For landing +and taking on board hides, San Diego is decidedly the best place +in California. The harbor is small and land-locked; there is no +surf; the vessels lie within a cable's length of the beach, and +the beach itself is smooth, hard sand, without rocks or stones. +For these reasons, it is used by all the vessels in the trade as a +depot; and, indeed, it would be impossible, when loading with the +cured hides for the passage home, to take them on board at any of +the open ports, without getting them wet in the surf, which would +spoil them. We took possession of one of the hide-houses, which +belonged to our firm, and had been used by the California. It was +built to hold forty thousand hides, and we had the pleasing +prospect of filling it before we could leave the coast; and toward +this our thirty-five hundred, which we brought down with us, would +do but little. There was scarce a man on board who did not go +often into the house, looking round, reflecting, and making some +calculation of the time it would require. + +The hides, as they come rough and uncured from the vessels, are +piled up outside of the houses, whence they are taken and carried +through a regular process of pickling, drying, and cleaning, and +stowed away in the house, ready to be put on board. This process +is necessary in order that they may keep during a long voyage and +in warm latitudes. For the purpose of curing and taking care of +them, an officer and a part of the crew of each vessel are usually +left ashore; and it was for this business, we found, that our new +officer had joined us. As soon as the hides were landed, he took +charge of the house, and the captain intended to leave two or +three of us with him, hiring Sandwich-Islanders in our places on +board; but he could not get any Sandwich-Islanders to go, although +he offered them fifteen dollars a month; for the report of the +flogging had got among them, and he was called ``aole maikai'' (no +good); and that was an end of the business. They were, however, +willing to work on shore, and four of them were hired and put with +Mr. Russell to cure the hides. + +After landing our hides, we next sent ashore our spare spars and +rigging, all the stores which we did not need in the course of one +trip to windward, and, in fact, everything which we could spare, +so as to make room on board for hides; among other things, the +pigsty, and with it ``old Bess.'' This was an old sow that we had +brought from Boston, and who lived to get round Cape Horn, where +all the other pigs died from cold and wet. Report said that she +had been a Canton voyage before. She had been the pet of the cook +during the whole passage, and he had fed her with the best of +everything, and taught her to know his voice, and to do a number +of strange tricks for his amusement. Tom Cringle says that no one +can fathom a negro's affection for a pig; and I believe he is +right, for it almost broke our poor darky's heart when he heard +that Bess was to be taken ashore, and that he was to have the care +of her no more. He had depended upon her as a solace, during the +long trips up and down the coast. ``Obey orders, if you break +owners!'' said he,-- ``break hearts,'' he might have said,-- and +lent a hand to get her over the side, trying to make it as easy +for her as possible. We got a whip on the main-yard, and, hooking +it to a strap round her body, swayed away, and, giving a wink to +one another, ran her chock up to the yard-arm. ``'Vast there! +'vast!'' said the mate; ``none of your skylarking! Lower away!'' +But he evidently enjoyed the joke. The pig squealed like the +``crack of doom,'' and tears stood in the poor darky's eyes; and +he muttered something about having no pity on a dumb beast. ``Dumb +beast!'' said Jack, ``if she's what you call a dumb beast, then my +eyes a'n't mates.'' This produced a laugh from all but the cook. +He was too intent upon seeing her safe in the boat. He watched her +all the way ashore, where, upon her landing, she was received by a +whole troop of her kind, who had been set ashore from the other +vessels, and had multiplied and formed a large commonwealth. From +the door of his galley the cook used to watch them in their +manoeuvres, setting up a shout and clapping his hands whenever +Bess came off victorious in the struggles for pieces of raw hide +and half-picked bones which were lying about the beach. During the +day, he saved all the nice things, and made a bucket of swill, and +asked us to take it ashore in the gig, and looked quite +disconcerted when the mate told him that he would pitch the swill +overboard, and him after it, if he saw any of it go into the +boats. We told him that he thought more about the pig than he did +about his wife, who lived down in Robinson's Alley; and, indeed, +he could hardly have been more attentive, for he actually, on +several nights, after dark, when he thought he would not be seen, +sculled himself ashore in a boat, with a bucket of nice swill, and +returned like Leander from crossing the Hellespont. + +The next Sunday the other half of our crew went ashore on liberty, +and left us on board, to enjoy the first quiet Sunday we had had +upon the coast. Here were no hides to come off, and no +southeasters to fear. We washed and mended our clothes in the +morning, and spent the rest of the day in reading and writing. +Several of us wrote letters to send home by the Lagoda. At twelve +o'clock, the Ayacucho dropped her fore topsail, which was a signal +for her sailing. She unmoored and warped down into the bight, from +which she got under way. During this operation her crew were a +long time heaving at the windlass, and I listened to the musical +notes of a Sandwich-Islander named Mahanna, who ``sang out'' for +them. Sailors, when heaving at a windlass, in order that they may +heave together, always have one to sing out, which is done in high +and long-drawn notes, varying with the motion of the windlass. +This requires a clear voice, strong lungs, and much practice, to +be done well. This fellow had a very peculiar, wild sort of note, +breaking occasionally into a falsetto. The sailors thought that it +was too high, and not enough of the boatswain hoarseness about it; +but to me it had a great charm. The harbor was perfectly still, +and his voice rang among the hills as though it could have been +heard for miles. Toward sundown, a good breeze having sprung up, +the Ayacucho got under way, and with her long, sharp head cutting +elegantly through the water on a taut bowline, she stood directly +out of the harbor, and bore away to the southward. She was bound +to Callao, and thence to the Sandwich Islands, and expected to be +on the coast again in eight or ten months. + +At the close of the week we were ready to sail, but were delayed a +day or two by the running away of Foster, the man who had been our +second mate and was turned forward. From the time that he was +``broken,'' he had had a dog's berth on board the vessel, and +determined to run away at the first opportunity. Having shipped +for an officer when he was not half a seaman, he found little pity +with the crew, and was not man enough to hold his ground among +them. The captain called him a ``soger,''[1] and promised to ``ride +him down as he would the main tack''; and when officers are once +determined to ``ride a man down,'' it is a gone case with him. He +had had several difficulties with the captain, and asked leave to +go home in the Lagoda; but this was refused him. One night he was +insolent to an officer on the beach, and refused to come aboard in +the boat. He was reported to the captain; and, as he came aboard,-- +it being past the proper hour-- he was called aft, and told that +he was to have a flogging. Immediately he fell down on deck, +calling out, ``Don't flog me, Captain Thompson, don't flog me!'' +and the captain, angry and disgusted with him, gave him a few +blows over the back with a rope's end, and sent him forward. He +was not much hurt, but a good deal frightened, and made up his +mind to run away that night. This was managed better than anything +he ever did in his life, and seemed really to show some spirit and +forethought. He gave his bedding and mattress to one of the +Lagoda's crew, who promised to keep it for him, and took it aboard +his ship as something which he had bought. He then unpacked his +chest, putting all his valuable clothes into a large canvas bag, +and told one of us who had the watch to call him at midnight. +Coming on deck at midnight, and finding no officer on deck, and +all still aft, he lowered his bag into a boat, got softly down +into it, cast off the painter, and let it drop down silently with +the tide until he was out of hearing, when he sculled ashore. + +The next morning, when all hands were mustered, there was a great +stir to find Foster. Of course, we would tell nothing, and all +they could discover was that he had left an empty chest behind +him, and that he went off in a boat; for they saw the boat lying +high and dry on the beach. After breakfast, the captain went up to +the town, and offered a reward of twenty dollars for him; and for +a couple of days the soldiers, Indians, and all others who had +nothing to do, were scouring the country for him, on horseback, +but without effect; for he was safely concealed, all the time, +within fifty rods of the hide-houses. As soon as he had landed, he +went directly to the Lagoda's hide-house, and a part of her crew, +who were living there on shore, promised to conceal him and his +traps until the Pilgrim should sail, and then to intercede with +Captain Bradshaw to take him on board his ship. Just behind the +hide-houses, among the thickets and underwood, was a small cave, +the entrance to which was known only to two men on the beach, and +which was so well concealed that though, when I afterwards came to +live on shore, it was shown to me two or three times, I was never +able to find it alone. To this cave he was carried before daybreak +in the morning, and supplied with bread and water, and there +remained until he saw us under way and well round the point. + +Friday, March 27th. The captain having given up all hope of +finding Foster, and being unwilling to delay any longer, gave +orders for unmooring ship, and we made sail, dropping slowly down +with the tide and light wind. We left letters with Captain +Bradshaw to take to Boston, and were made miserable by hearing him +say that he should be back again before we left the coast. The +wind, which was very light, died away soon after we doubled the +point, and we lay becalmed for two days, not moving three miles +the whole time, and a part of the second day were almost within +sight of the vessels. On the third day, about noon, a cool +sea-breeze came rippling and darkening the surface of the water, +and by sundown we were off San Juan, which is about forty miles +from San Diego, and is called half-way to San Pedro, where we were +bound. Our crew was now considerably weakened. One man we had lost +overboard, another had been taken aft as clerk, and a third had +run away; so that, beside Stimson and myself, there were only +three able seamen and one boy of twelve years of age. With this +diminished and discontented crew, and in a small vessel, we were +now to battle the watch through a couple of years of hard service; +yet there was not one who was not glad that Foster had escaped; +for, shiftless and good for nothing as he was, no one could wish +to see him dragging on a miserable life, cowed down and +disheartened; and we were all rejoiced to hear, upon our return to +San Diego, about two months afterwards, that he had been +immediately taken aboard the Lagoda, and had gone home in her, on +regular seaman's wages. + +After a slow passage of five days, we arrived on Wednesday, the +first of April, at our old anchoring-ground at San Pedro. The bay +was as deserted and looked as dreary as before, and formed no +pleasing contrast with the security and snugness of San Diego, and +the activity and interest which the loading and unloading of four +vessels gave to that scene. In a few days the hides began to come +slowly down, and we got into the old business of rolling goods up +the hill, pitching hides down, and pulling our long league off and +on. Nothing of note occurred while we were lying here, except that +an attempt was made to repair the small Mexican brig which had +been cast away in a southeaster, and which now lay up, high and +dry, over one reef of rocks and two sand-banks. Our carpenter +surveyed her, and pronounced her capable of being refitted, and in +a few days the owners came down from the Pueblo, and having waited +for the high spring tides, with the help of our cables, kedges, +and crew, hauled her off after several trials. The three men at +the house on shore, who had formerly been a part of her crew, now +joined her, and seemed glad enough at the prospect of getting off +the coast. + +On board our own vessel, things went on in the common monotonous +way. The excitement which immediately followed the flogging scene +had passed off, but the effect of it upon the crew, and especially +upon the two men themselves, remained. The different manner in +which these men were affected, corresponding to their different +characters, was not a little remarkable. John was a foreigner and +high-tempered, and though mortified, as any one would be at having +had the worst of an encounter, yet his chief feeling seemed to be +anger; and he talked much of satisfaction and revenge, if he ever +got back to Boston. But with the other it was very different. He +was an American, and had had some education; and this thing coming +upon him seemed completely to break him down. He had a feeling of +the degradation that had been inflicted upon him, which the other +man was incapable of. Before that, he had a good deal of fun in +him, and amused us often with queer negro stories (he was from a +Slave State); but afterwards he seldom smiled, seemed to lose all +life and elasticity, and appeared to have but one wish, and that +was for the voyage to be at an end. I have often known him to draw +a long sigh when he was alone, and he took but little part or +interest in John's plans of satisfaction and retaliation. + +After a stay of about a fortnight, during which we slipped for one +southeaster, and were at sea two days, we got under way for Santa +Barbara. It was now the middle of April, the southeaster season +was nearly over, and the light, regular winds, which blow down the +coast, began to set steadily in, during the latter part of each +day. Against these we beat slowly up to Santa Barbara-- a distance +of about ninety miles-- in three days. There we found, lying at +anchor, the large Genoese ship which we saw in the same place on +the first day of our coming upon the coast. She had been up to San +Francisco, or, as it is called, ``chock up to windward,'' had +stopped at Monterey on her way down, and was shortly to proceed to +San Pedro and San Diego, and thence, taking in her cargo, to sail +for Valparaiso and Cadiz. She was a large, clumsy ship, and, with +her topmasts stayed forward, and high poop-deck, looked like an +old woman with a crippled back. It was now the close of Lent, and +on Good Friday she had all her yards a'-cock-bill, which is +customary among Catholic vessels. Some also have an effigy of +Judas, which the crew amuse themselves with keel-hauling and +hanging by the neck from the yard-arms. + +[1] Soger (soldier) is the worst term of reproach that can be +applied to a sailor. It signifies a skulk, a shirk,-- one who is +always trying to get clear of work, and is out of the way, or +hanging back, when duty is to be done. ``Marine'' is the term +applied more particularly to a man who is ignorant and clumsy +about seaman's work,-- a greenhorn, a land-lubber. To make a +sailor shoulder a handspike, and walk fore and aft the deck, like +a sentry, is as ignominious a punishment as can be put upon him. +Such a punishment inflicted upon an able seaman in a vessel of war +might break down his spirit more than a flogging. + +CHAPTER XVIII + +The next Sunday was Easter, and as there had been no liberty at +San Pedro, it was our turn to go ashore and misspend another +Sunday. Soon after breakfast, a large boat, filled with men in +blue jackets, scarlet caps, and various-colored under-clothes, +bound ashore on liberty, left the Italian ship, and passed under +our stern, the men singing beautiful Italian boat-songs all the +way, in fine, full chorus. Among the songs I recognized the +favorite, ``O Pescator dell' onda.'' It brought back to my mind +piano-fortes, drawing-rooms, young ladies singing, and a thousand +other things which as little befitted me, in my situation, to be +thinking upon. Supposing that the whole day would be too long a +time to spend ashore, as there was no place to which we could take +a ride, we remained quietly on board until after dinner. We were +then pulled ashore in the stern of the boat,-- for it is a point +with liberty-men to be pulled off and back as passengers by their +shipmates,-- and, with orders to be on the beach at sundown, we +took our way for the town. There, everything wore the appearance +of a holiday. The people were dressed in their best; the men +riding about among the houses, and the women sitting on carpets +before the doors. Under the piazza of a pulperia two men were +seated, decked out with knots of ribbons and bouquets, and playing +the violin and the Spanish guitar. These are the only instruments, +with the exception of the drums and trumpets at Monterey, that I +ever heard in California; and I suspect they play upon no others, +for at a great fandango at which I was afterwards present, and +where they mustered all the music they could find, there were +three violins and two guitars, and no other instruments. As it was +now too near the middle of the day to see any dancing, and hearing +that a bull was expected down from the country, to be baited in +the presidio square, in the course of an hour or two, we took a +stroll among the houses. Inquiring for an American who, we had +been told, had married in the place, and kept a shop, we were +directed to a long, low building, at the end of which was a door, +with a sign over it, in Spanish. Entering the shop, we found no +one in it, and the whole had an empty, deserted air. In a few +minutes the man made his appearance, and apologized for having +nothing to entertain us with, saying that he had had a fandango at +his house the night before, and the people had eaten and drunk up +everything. + +``O yes!'' said I, ``Easter holidays!'' + +``No!'' said he, with a singular expression on his face; ``I had a +little daughter die the other day, and that's the custom of the +country.'' + +At this I felt somewhat awkwardly, not knowing what to say, and +whether to offer consolation or not, and was beginning to retire, +when he opened a side-door and told us to walk in. Here I was no +less astonished; for I found a large room, filled with young +girls, from three or four years of age up to fifteen and sixteen, +dressed all in white, with wreaths of flowers on their heads, and +bouquets in their hands. Following our conductor among these +girls, who were playing about in high spirits, we came to a table, +at the end of the room, covered with a white cloth, on which lay a +coffin, about three feet long, with the body of his child. The +coffin was covered with white cloth, and lined with white satin, +and was strewn with flowers. Through an open door, we saw, in +another room, a few elderly people in common dresses; while the +benches and tables thrown up in a corner, and the stained walls, +gave evident signs of the last night's ``high go.'' Feeling, like +Garrick, between Tragedy and Comedy, an uncertainty of purpose, I +asked the man when the funeral would take place, and being told +that it would move toward the Mission in about an hour, took my +leave. + +To pass away the time, we hired horses and rode to the beach, and +there saw three or four Italian sailors, mounted, and riding up +and down on the hard sand at a furious rate. We joined them, and +found it fine sport. The beach gave us a stretch of a mile or +more, and the horses flew over the smooth, hard sand, apparently +invigorated and excited by the salt sea-breeze, and by the +continual roar and dashing of the breakers. From the beach we +returned to the town, and, finding that the funeral procession had +moved, rode on and overtook it, about half-way to the Mission. +Here was as peculiar a sight as we had seen before in the house, +the one looking as much like a funeral procession as the other did +like a house of mourning. The little coffin was borne by eight +girls, who were continually relieved by others running forward +from the procession and taking their places. Behind it came a +straggling company of girls, dressed, as before, in white and +flowers, and including, I should suppose by their numbers, nearly +all the girls between five and fifteen in the place. They played +along on the way, frequently stopping and running all together to +talk to some one, or to pick up a flower, and then running on +again to overtake the coffin. There were a few elderly women in +common colors; and a herd of young men and boys, some on foot and +others mounted, followed them, or walked or rode by their side, +frequently interrupting them by jokes and questions. But the most +singular thing of all was, that two men walked, one on each side +of the coffin, carrying muskets in their hands, which they +continually loaded, and fired into the air. Whether this was to +keep off the evil spirits or not, I do not know. It was the only +interpretation that I could put upon it. + +As we drew near the Mission, we saw the great gate thrown open, +and the padre standing on the steps, with a crucifix in his hand. +The Mission is a large and deserted-looking place, the +out-buildings going to ruin, and everything giving one the +impression of decayed grandeur. A large stone fountain threw out +pure water, from four mouths, into a basin, before the church +door; and we were on the point of riding up to let our horses +drink, when it occurred to us that it might be consecrated, and we +forebore. Just at this moment, the bells set up their harsh, +discordant clangor, and the procession moved into the court. I +wished to follow, and see the ceremony, but the horse of one of my +companions had become frightened, and was tearing off toward the +town; and, having thrown his rider, and got one of his hoofs +caught in the tackling of the saddle, which had slipped, was fast +dragging and ripping it to pieces. Knowing that my shipmate could +not speak a word of Spanish, and fearing that he would get into +difficulty, I was obliged to leave the ceremony and ride after +him. I soon overtook him, trudging along, swearing at the horse, +and carrying the remains of the saddle, which he had picked up on +the road. Going to the owner of the horse, we made a settlement +with him, and found him surprisingly liberal. All parts of the +saddle were brought back, and, being capable of repair, he was +satisfied with six reals. We thought it would have been a few +dollars. We pointed to the horse, which was now half-way up one of +the mountains; but he shook his head, saying, ``No importa!'' and +giving us to understand that he had plenty more. + +Having returned to the town, we saw a crowd collected in the +square before the principal pulperia, and, riding up, found that +all these people-- men, women, and children-- had been drawn +together by a couple of bantam cocks. The cocks were in full tilt, +springing into one another, and the people were as eager, laughing +and shouting, as though the combatants had been men. There had +been a disappointment about the bull; he had broken his bail, and +taken himself off, and it was too late to get another, so the +people were obliged to put up with a cock-fight. One of the +bantams having been knocked in the head, and having an eye put +out, gave in, and two monstrous prize-cocks were brought on. These +were the object of the whole affair; the bantams having been +merely served up as a first course, to collect the people +together. Two fellows came into the ring holding the cocks in +their arms, and stroking them, and running about on all-fours, +encouraging and setting them on. Bets ran high, and, like most +other contests, it remained for some time undecided. Both cocks +showed great pluck, and fought probably better and longer than +their masters would have done. Whether, in the end, it was the +white or the red that beat, I do not recollect, but whichever it +was, he strutted off with the true veni-vidi-vici look, leaving +the other lying panting on his beam-ends. + +This matter having been settled, we heard some talk about +``caballos'' and ``carrera,'' and seeing the people streaming off +in one direction, we followed, and came upon a level piece of +ground, just out of the town, which was used as a race-course. +Here the crowd soon became thick again, the ground was marked off, +the judges stationed, and the horses led up to one end. Two +fine-looking old gentlemen-- Don Carlos and Don Domingo, so called-- +held the stakes, and all was now ready. We waited some time, +during which we could just see the horses twisting round and +turning, until, at length, there was a shout along the lines, and +on they came, heads stretched out and eyes starting,-- working all +over, both man and beast. The steeds came by us like a couple of +chain shot,-- neck and neck; and now we could see nothing but +their backs and their hind hoofs flying in the air. As fast as the +horses passed, the crowd broke up behind them, and ran to the +goal. When we got there, we found the horses returning on a slow +walk, having run far beyond the mark, and heard that the long, +bony one had come in head and shoulders before the other. The +riders were light-built men, had handkerchiefs tied round their +heads, and were bare-armed and bare-legged. The horses were +noble-looking beasts, not so sleek and combed as our Boston stable +horses, but with fine limbs and spirited eyes. After this had been +settled, and fully talked over, the crowd scattered again, and +flocked back to the town. + +Returning to the large pulperia, we heard the violin and guitar +screaming and twanging away under the piazza, where they had been +all day. As it was now sundown, there began to be some dancing. +The Italian sailors danced, and one of our crew exhibited himself +in a sort of West India shuffle, much to the amusement of the +bystanders, who cried out, ``Bravo!'' ``Otra vez!'' and ``Vivan +los marineros!'' but the dancing did not become general, as the +women and the ``gente de razon'' had not yet made their +appearance. We wished very much to stay and see the style of +dancing; but, although we had had our own way during the day, yet +we were, after all, but 'fore-mast Jacks; and, having been ordered +to be on the beach by sunset, did not venture to be more than an +hour behind the time, so we took our way down. We found the boat +just pulling ashore through the breakers, which were running high, +there having been a heavy fog outside, which, from some cause or +other, always brings on, or precedes, a heavy sea. Liberty-men are +privileged from the time they leave the vessel until they step on +board again; so we took our places in the stern sheets, and were +congratulating ourselves upon getting off dry, when a great comber +broke fore and aft the boat, and wet us through and through, +filling the boat half full of water. Having lost her buoyancy by +the weight of the water, she dropped heavily into every sea that +struck her, and by the time we had pulled out of the surf into +deep water, she was but just afloat, and we were up to our knees. +By the help of a small bucket and our hats, we bailed her out, got +on board, hoisted the boats, eat our supper, changed our clothes, +gave (as is usual) the whole history of our day's adventures to +those who had stayed on board, and, having taken a night-smoke, +turned in. Thus ended our second day's liberty on shore. + +On Monday morning, as an offset to our day's sport, we were all +set to work ``tarring down'' the rigging. Some got girt-lines up +for riding down the stays and back-stays, and others tarred the +shrouds, lifts, &c., laying out on the yards, and coming down the +rigging. We overhauled our bags, and took out our old tarry +trousers and frocks, which we had used when we tarred down before, +and were all at work in the rigging by sunrise. After breakfast, +we had the satisfaction of seeing the Italian ship's boat go +ashore, filled with men, gayly dressed, as on the day before, and +singing their barcarollas. The Easter holidays are kept up on +shore for three days; and, being a Catholic vessel, her crew had +the advantage of them. For two successive days, while perched up +in the rigging, covered with tar and engaged in our disagreeable +work, we saw these fellows going ashore in the morning, and coming +off again at night, in high spirits. So much for being +Protestants. There's no danger of Catholicism's spreading in New +England, unless the Church cuts down her holidays; Yankees can't +afford the time. American shipmasters get nearly three weeks' more +labor out of their crews, in the course of a year, than the +masters of vessels from Catholic countries. As Yankees don't +usually keep Christmas, and shipmasters at sea never know when +Thanksgiving comes, Jack has no festival at all. + +About noon, a man aloft called out ``Sail ho!'' and, looking off, +we saw the head sails of a vessel coming round the point. As she +drew round, she showed the broadside of a full-rigged brig, with +the Yankee ensign at her peak. We ran up our stars and stripes, +and, knowing that there was no American brig on the coast but +ours, expected to have news from home. She rounded-to and let go +her anchor; but the dark faces on her yards, when they furled the +sails, and the Babel on deck, soon made known that she was from +the Islands. Immediately afterwards, a boat's crew came aboard, +bringing her skipper, and from them we learned that she was from +Oahu, and was engaged in the same trade with the Ayacucho and +Loriotte, between the coast, the Sandwich Islands, and the leeward +coast of Peru and Chili. Her captain and officers were Americans, +and also a part of her crew; the rest were Islanders. She was +called the Catalina, and, like the vessels in that trade, except +the Ayacucho, her papers and colors were from Uncle Sam. They, of +course, brought us no news, and we were doubly disappointed, for +we had thought, at first, it might be the ship which we were +expecting from Boston. + +After lying here about a fortnight, and collecting all the hides +the place afforded, we set sail again for San Pedro. There we +found the brig which we had assisted in getting off lying at +anchor, with a mixed crew of Americans, English, +Sandwich-Islanders, Spaniards, and Spanish Indians; and though +much smaller than we, yet she had three times the number of men; +and she needed them, for her officers were Californians. No +vessels in the world go so sparingly manned as American and +English; and none do so well. A Yankee brig of that size would +have had a crew of four men, and would have worked round and round +her. The Italian ship had a crew of thirty men, nearly three times +as many as the Alert, which was afterwards on the coast, and was +of the same size; yet the Alert would get under way and come-to in +half the time, and get two anchors, while they were all talking at +once,-- jabbering like a parcel of ``Yahoos,'' and running about +decks to find their cat-block. + +There was only one point in which they had the advantage over us, +and that was in lightening their labors in the boats by their +songs. The Americans are a time and money saving people, but have +not yet, as a nation, learned that music may be ``turned to +account.'' We pulled the long distances to and from the shore, +with our loaded boats, without a word spoken, and with +discontented looks, while they not only lightened the labor of +rowing, but actually made it pleasant and cheerful, by their +music. So true is it, that:-- + + ``For the tired slave, song lifts the languid oar, + And bids it aptly fall, with chime + That beautifies the fairest shore, + And mitigates the harshest clime.'' + +After lying about a week in San Pedro, we got under way for San +Diego, intending to stop at San Juan, as the southeaster season +was nearly over, and there was little or no danger. + +This being the spring season, San Pedro, as well as all the other +open ports upon the coast, was filled with whales, that had come +in to make their annual visit upon soundings. For the first few +days that we were here and at Santa Barbara, we watched them with +great interest, calling out ``There she blows!'' every time we saw +the spout of one breaking the surface of the water; but they soon +became so common that we took little notice of them. They often +``broke'' very near us, and one thick, foggy night, during a dead +calm, while I was standing anchor-watch, one of them rose so near +that he struck our cable, and made all surge again. He did not +seem to like the encounter much himself, for he sheered off, and +spouted at a good distance. We once came very near running one +down in the gig, and should probably have been knocked to pieces +or thrown sky-high. We had been on board the little Spanish brig, +and were returning, stretching out well at our oars, the little +boat going like a swallow; our faces were turned aft (as is always +the case in pulling), and the captain, who was steering, was not +looking out when, all at once, we heard the spout of a whale +directly ahead. ``Back water! back water, for your lives!'' +shouted the captain; and we backed our blades in the water, and +brought the boat to in a smother of foam. Turning our heads, we +saw a great, rough, hump-backed whale slowly crossing our fore +foot, within three or four yards of the boat's stem. Had we not +backed water just as we did, we should inevitably have gone smash +upon him, striking him with our stem just about amidships. He took +no notice of us, but passed slowly on, and dived a few yards +beyond us, throwing his tail high in the air. He was so near that +we had a perfect view of him, and, as may be supposed, had no +desire to see him nearer. He was a disgusting creature, with a +skin rough, hairy, and of an iron-gray color. This kind differs +much from the sperm, in color and skin, and is said to be fiercer. +We saw a few sperm whales; but most of the whales that come upon +the coast are fin-backs and hump-backs, which are more difficult +to take, and are said not to give oil enough to pay for the +trouble. For this reason, whale-ships do not come upon the coast +after them. Our captain, together with Captain Nye of the +Loriotte, who had been in a whale-ship, thought of making an +attempt upon one of them with two boats' crews; but as we had only +two harpoons, and no proper lines, they gave it up. + +During the months of March, April, and May, these whales appear in +great numbers in the open ports of Santa Barbara, San Pedro, &c., +and hover off the coast, while a few find their way into the close +harbors of San Diego and Monterey. They are all off again before +midsummer, and make their appearance on the ``off-shore ground.'' +We saw some fine ``schools'' of sperm whales, which are easily +distinguished by their spout, blowing away, a few miles to +windward, on our passage to San Juan. + +Coasting along on the quiet shore of the Pacific, we came to +anchor in twenty fathoms' water, almost out at sea, as it were, +and directly abreast of a steep hill which overhung the water, and +was twice as high as our royal-mast-head. We had heard much of +this place from the Lagoda's crew, who said it was the worst place +in California. The shore is rocky, and directly exposed to the +southeast, so that vessels are obliged to slip and run for their +lives on the first sign of a gale; and late as it was in the +season, we got up our slip-rope and gear, though we meant to stay +only twenty-four hours. We pulled the agent ashore, and were +ordered to wait for him, while he took a circuitous way round the +hill to the Mission, which was hidden behind it. We were glad of +the opportunity to examine this singular place, and hauling the +boat up, and making her well fast, took different directions up +and down the beach, to explore it. + +San Juan is the only romantic spot on the coast. The country here +for several miles is high table-land, running boldly to the shore, +and breaking off in a steep cliff, at the foot of which the waters +of the Pacific are constantly dashing. For several miles the water +washes the very base of the hill, or breaks upon ledges and +fragments of rocks which run out into the sea. Just where we +landed was a small cove, or bight, which gave us, at high tide, a +few square feet of sand-beach between the sea and the bottom of +the hill. This was the only landing-place. Directly before us rose +the perpendicular height of four or five hundred feet. How we were +to get hides down, or goods up, upon the table-land on which the +Mission was situated, was more than we could tell. The agent had +taken a long circuit, and yet had frequently to jump over breaks, +and climb steep places, in the ascent. No animal but a man or a +monkey could get up it. However, that was not our lookout; and, +knowing that the agent would be gone an hour or more, we strolled +about, picking up shells, and following the sea where it tumbled +in, roaring and spouting, among the crevices of the great rocks. +What a sight, thought I, must this be in a southeaster! The rocks +were as large as those of Nahant or Newport, but, to my eye, more +grand and broken. Beside, there was a grandeur in everything +around, which gave a solemnity to the scene, a silence and +solitariness which affected every part! Not a human being but +ourselves for miles, and no sound heard but the pulsations of the +great Pacific! and the great steep hill rising like a wall, and +cutting us off from all the world, but the ``world of waters'' ! +I separated myself from the rest, and sat down on a rock, just +where the sea ran in and formed a fine spouting horn. Compared +with the plain, dull sand-beach of the rest of the coast, this +grandeur was as refreshing as a great rock in a weary land. It was +almost the first time that I had been positively alone-- free from +the sense that human beings were at my elbow, if not talking with +me-- since I had left home. My better nature returned strong upon +me. Everything was in accordance with my state of feeling, and I +experienced a glow of pleasure at finding that what of poetry and +romance I ever had in me had not been entirely deadened by the +laborious life, with its paltry, vulgar associations, which I had +been leading. Nearly an hour did I sit, almost lost in the luxury +of this entire new scene of the play in which I had been so long +acting, when I was aroused by the distant shouts of my companions, +and saw that they were collecting together, as the agent had made +his appearance, on his way back to our boat. + +We pulled aboard, and found the long-boat hoisted out, and nearly +laden with goods; and, after dinner, we all went on shore in the +quarter-boat, with the long-boat in tow. As we drew in, we +descried an ox-cart and a couple of men standing directly on the +brow of the hill; and having landed, the captain took his way +round the hill, ordering me and one other to follow him. We +followed, picking our way out, and jumping and scrambling up, +walking over briers and prickly pears, until we came to the top. +Here the country stretched out for miles, as far as the eye could +reach, on a level, table surface, and the only habitation in sight +was the small white mission of San Juan Capistrano, with a few +Indian huts about it, standing in a small hollow, about a mile +from where we were. Reaching the brow of the hill, where the cart +stood, we found several piles of hides, and Indians sitting round +them. One or two other carts were coming slowly on from the +Mission, and the captain told us to begin and throw the hides +down. This, then, was the way they were to be got down,-- thrown +down, one at a time, a distance of four hundred feet! This was +doing the business on a great scale. Standing on the edge of the +hill, and looking down the perpendicular height, the sailors + + ``That walked upon the beach + Appeared like mice; and our tall anchoring bark + Diminished to her cock; her cock a buoy + Almost too small for sight.'' + +Down this height we pitched the hides, throwing them as far out +into the air as we could; and as they were all large, stiff, and +doubled, like the cover of a book, the wind took them, and they +swayed and eddied about, plunging and rising in the air, like a +kite when it has broken its string. As it was now low tide, there +was no danger of their falling into the water; and, as fast as +they came to ground, the men below picked them up, and, taking +them on their heads, walked off with them to the boat. It was +really a picturesque sight: the great height, the scaling of the +hides, and the continual walking to and fro of the men, who looked +like mites, on the beach. This was the romance of hide droghing! + +Some of the hides lodged in cavities under the bank and out of our +sight, being directly under us; but by pitching other hides in the +same direction, we succeeded in dislodging them. Had they remained +there, the captain said he should have sent on board for a couple +of pairs of long halyards, and got some one to go down for them. +It was said that one of the crew of an English brig went down in +the same way, a few years before. We looked over, and thought it +would not be a welcome task, especially for a few paltry hides; +but no one knows what he will do until he is called upon; for, six +months afterwards, I descended the same place by a pair of +top-gallant studding-sail halyards, to save half a dozen hides +which had lodged there. + +Having thrown them all over, we took our way back again, and found +the boat loaded and ready to start. We pulled off, took the hides +all aboard, hoisted in the boats, hove up our anchor, made sail, +and before sundown were on our way to San Diego. + +Friday, May 8th, 1835. Arrived at San Diego. We found the little +harbor deserted. The Lagoda, Ayacucho, Loriotte, all had sailed +from the coast, and we were left alone. All the hide-houses on the +beach but ours were shut up, and the Sandwich-Islanders, a dozen +or twenty in number, who had worked for the other vessels, and +been paid off when they sailed, were living on the beach, keeping +up a grand carnival. There was a large oven on the beach, which, +it seems, had been built by a Russian discovery-ship, that had +been on the coast a few years ago, for baking her bread. This the +Sandwich-Islanders took possession of, and had kept ever since, +undisturbed. It was big enough to hold eight or ten men, and had a +door at the side, and a vent-hole at top. They covered the floor +with Oahu mats for a carpet, stopped up the vent-hole in bad +weather, and made it their head-quarters. It was now inhabited by +as many as a dozen or twenty men, crowded together, who lived +there in complete idleness,-- drinking, playing cards, and +carousing in every way. They bought a bullock once a week, which +kept them in meat, and one of them went up to the town every day +to get fruit, liquor, and provisions. Besides this, they had +bought a cask of ship-bread, and a barrel of flour from the +Lagoda, before she sailed. There they lived, having a grand time, +and caring for nobody. Captain Thompson wished to get three or +four of them to come on board the Pilgrim, as we were so much +diminished in numbers, and went up to the oven, and spent an hour +or two trying to negotiate with them. One of them,-- a finely +built, active, strong, and intelligent fellow,-- who was a sort of +king among them, acted as spokesman. He was called Mannini,-- or +rather, out of compliment to his known importance and influence, +Mr. Mannini,-- and was known all over California. Through him, the +captain offered them fifteen dollars a month, and one month's pay +in advance; but it was like throwing pearls before swine, or, +rather, carrying coals to Newcastle. So long as they had money, +they would not work for fifty dollars a month, and when their +money was gone, they would work for ten. + +``What do you do here, Mr. Mannini?''[1] said the captain. + +``Oh! we play cards, get drunk, smoke,-- do anything we're a mind +to.'' + +``Don't you want to come aboard and work?'' + +``Aole! aole make make makou i ka hana. Now, got plenty money; no +good, work. Mamule, money pau-- all gone. Ah! very good, work!-- +maikai, hana hana nui!'' + +``But you'll spend all your money in this way,'' said the captain. + +``Aye! me know that. By-'em-by money pau-- all gone; then Kanaka +work plenty.'' + +This was a hopeless case, and the captain left them, to wait +patiently until their money was gone. + +We discharged our hides and tallow, and in about a week were ready +to set sail again for the windward. We unmoored, and got +everything ready, when the captain made another attempt upon the +oven. This time he had more regard to the ``mollia tempora +fandi,'' and succeeded very well. He won over Mr. Mannini to his +interest, and as the shot was getting low in the locker at the +oven, prevailed upon him and three others to come on board with +their chests and baggage, and sent a hasty summons to me and the +boy to come ashore with our things, and join the gang at the +hide-house. This was unexpected to me; but anything in the way of +variety I liked; so we made ready, and were pulled ashore. I stood +on the beach while the brig got under way, and watched her until +she rounded the point, and then went to the hide-house to take up +my quarters for a few months. + +[1] The vowels in the Sandwich Island language have the sound of +those in the languages of Continental Europe. + +CHAPTER XIX + +Here was a change in my life as complete as it had been sudden. In +the twinkling of an eye I was transformed from a sailor into a +``beach-comber'' and a hide-curer; yet the novelty and the +comparative independence of the life were not unpleasant. Our +hide-house was a large building, made of rough boards, and +intended to hold forty thousand hides. In one corner of it a small +room was parted off, in which four berths were made, where we were +to live, with mother earth for our floor. It contained a table, a +small locker for pots, spoons, plates, &c., and a small hole cut +to let in the light. Here we put our chests, threw our bedding +into the berths, and took up our quarters. Over our heads was +another small room, in which Mr. Russell lived, who had charge of +the hide-house, the same man who was for a time an officer of the +Pilgrim. There he lived in solitary grandeur, eating and sleeping +alone (and these were his principal occupations), and communing +with his own dignity. The boy, a Marblehead hopeful, whose name +was Sam, was to act as cook; while I, a giant of a Frenchman named +Nicholas, and four Sandwich-Islanders were to cure the hides. Sam, +Nicholas, and I lived together in the room, and the four +Sandwich-Islanders worked and ate with us, but generally slept at +the oven. My new messmate, Nicholas, was the most immense man that +I had ever seen. He came on the coast in a vessel which was +afterwards wrecked, and now let himself out to the different +houses to cure hides. He was considerably over six feet, and of a +frame so large that he might have been shown for a curiosity. But +the most remarkable thing about him was his feet. They were so +large that he could not find a pair of shoes in California to fit +him, and was obliged to send to Oahu for a pair; and when he got +them, he was compelled to wear them down at the heel. He told me +once that he was wrecked in an American brig on the Goodwin Sands, +and was sent up to London, to the charge of the American consul, +with scant clothing to his back and no shoes to his feet, and was +obliged to go about London streets in his stocking-feet three or +four days, in the month of January, until the consul could have a +pair of shoes made for him. His strength was in proportion to his +size, and his ignorance to his strength,-- ``strong as an ox, and +ignorant as strong.'' He knew how neither to read nor to write. He +had been to sea from a boy, had seen all kinds of service, and +been in all sorts of vessels,-- merchantmen, men-of-war, +privateers, and slavers; and from what I could gather from his +accounts of himself, and from what he once told me, in confidence, +after we had become better acquainted, he had been in even worse +business than slave-trading. He was once tried for his life in +Charleston, South Carolina, and, though acquitted, was so +frightened that he never would show himself in the United States +again. I was not able to persuade him that he could not be tried a +second time for the same offence. He said he had got safe off from +the breakers, and was too good a sailor to risk his timbers again. + +Though I knew what his life had been, yet I never had the +slightest fear of him. We always got along very well together, +and, though so much older, stronger, and larger than I, he showed +a marked respect for me, on account of my education, and of what +he had heard of my situation before coming to sea, such as may be +expected from a European of the humble class. ``I'll be good +friends with you,'' he used to say, ``for by and by you'll come +out here captain, and then you'll haze me well!'' By holding +together, we kept the officer in good order, for he was evidently +afraid of Nicholas, and never interfered with us, except when +employed upon the hides. My other companions, the +Sandwich-Islanders, deserve particular notice. + +A considerable trade has been carried on for several years between +California and the Sandwich Islands, and most of the vessels are +manned with Islanders, who, as they for the most part sign no +articles, leave whenever they chose, and let themselves out to +cure hides at San Diego, and to supply the places of the men left +ashore from the American vessels while on the coast. In this way a +little colony of them had become settled at San Diego, as their +head-quarters. Some of these had recently gone off in the Ayacucho +and Loriotte, and the Pilgrim had taken Mr. Mannini and three +others, so that there were not more than twenty left. Of these, +four were on pay at the Ayacucho's house, four more working with +us, and the rest were living at the oven in a quiet way; for their +money was nearly gone, and they must make it last until some other +vessel came down to employ them. + +During the four months that I lived here, I got well acquainted +with all of them, and took the greatest pains to become familiar +with their language, habits, and characters. Their language I +could only learn orally, for they had not any books among them, +though many of them had been taught to read and write by the +missionaries at home. They spoke a little English, and, by a sort +of compromise, a mixed language was used on the beach, which could +be understood by all. The long name of Sandwich-Islanders is +dropped, and they are called by the whites, all over the Pacific +Ocean, ``Kanakas,'' from a word in their own language,-- +signifying, I believe, man, human being,-- which they apply to +themselves, and to all South-Sea-Islanders, in distinction from +whites, whom they call ``Haole.'' This name, ``Kanaka,'' they +answer to, both collectively and individually. Their proper names +in their own language being difficult to pronounce and remember, +they are called by any names which the captains or crews may +choose to give them. Some are called after the vessel they are in; +others by our proper names, as Jack, Tom, Bill; and some have +fancy names, as Ban-yan, Fore-top, Rope-yarn, Pelican, &c., &c. Of +the four who worked at our house, one was named ``Mr. Bingham,'' +after the missionary at Oahu; another, Hope, after a vessel that +he had been in; a third, Tom Davis, the name of his first captain; +and the fourth, Pelican, from his fancied resemblance to that +bird. Then there was Lagoda-Jack, California-Bill, &c., &c. But by +whatever names they might be called, they were the most +interesting, intelligent, and kind-hearted people that I ever fell +in with. I felt a positive attachment for almost all of them; and +many of them I have, to this day, a feeling for, which would lead +me to go a great way for the pleasure of seeing them, and which +will always make me feel a strong interest in the mere name of a +Sandwich-Islander. + +Tom Davis knew how to read, write, and cipher in common +arithmetic; had been to the United States, and spoke English quite +well. His education was as good as that of three quarters of the +Yankees in California, and his manners and principles a good deal +better; and he was so quick of apprehension that he might have +been taught navigation, and the elements of many of the sciences, +with ease. Old ``Mr. Bingham'' spoke very little English,-- almost +none, and could neither read nor write; but he was the +best-hearted old fellow in the world. He must have been over fifty +years of age. He had two of his front teeth knocked out, which was +done by his parents as a sign of grief at the death of Kamehameha, +the great king of the Sandwich Islands. We used to tell him that +he ate Captain Cook, and lost his teeth in that way. That was the +only thing that ever made him angry. He would always be quite +excited at that, and say: ``Aole!'' (No.) ``Me no eatee Cap'nee +Cook! Me pickaninny-- small-- so high-- no more! My fader see +Cap'nee Cook! Me-- no!'' None of them liked to have anything said +about Captain Cook, for the sailors all believe that he was eaten, +and that they cannot endure to be taunted with. ``New Zealand +Kanaka eatee white man; Sandwich Island Kanaka,-- no. Sandwich +Island Kanaka ua like pu na haole,-- all 'e same a' you!'' + +Mr. Bingham was a sort of patriarch among them, and was treated +with great respect, though he had not the education and energy +which gave Mr. Mannini his power over them. I have spent hours in +talking with this old fellow about Kamehameha, the Charlemagne of +the Sandwich Islands; his son and successor, Riho Riho, who died +in England, and was brought to Oahu in the frigate Blonde, Captain +Lord Byron, and whose funeral he remembered perfectly; and also +about the customs of his boyhood, and the changes which had been +made by the missionaries. He never would allow that human beings +had been eaten there; and, indeed, it always seemed an insult to +tell so affectionate, intelligent, and civilized a class of men +that such barbarities had been practised in their own country +within the recollection of many of them. Certainly, the history of +no people on the globe can show anything like so rapid an advance +from barbarism. I would have trusted my life and all I had in the +hands of any one of these people; and certainly, had I wished for +a favor or act of sacrifice, I would have gone to them all, in +turn, before I should have applied to one of my own countrymen on +the coast, and should have expected to see it done, before my own +countrymen had got half through counting the cost. Their customs, +and manner of treating one another, show a simple, primitive +generosity which is truly delightful, and which is often a +reproach to our own people. Whatever one has they all have. Money, +food, clothes, they share with one another, even to the last piece +of tobacco to put in their pipes. I once heard old Mr. Bingham +say, with the highest indignation, to a Yankee trader who was +trying to persuade him to keep his money to himself, ``No! we no +all 'e same a' you!-- Suppose one got money, all got money. You,-- +suppose one got money-- lock him up in chest.-- No good!''-- +``Kanaka all 'e same a' one!'' This principle they carry so far +that none of them will eat anything in sight of others without +offering it all round. I have seen one of them break a biscuit, +which had been given him, into five parts, at a time when I knew +he was on a very short allowance, as there was but little to eat +on the beach. + +My favorite among all of them, and one who was liked by both +officers and men, and by whomever he had anything to do with, was +Hope. He was an intelligent, kind-hearted little fellow, and I +never saw him angry, though I knew him for more than a year, and +have seen him imposed upon by white people, and abused by insolent +mates of vessels. He was always civil, and always ready, and never +forgot a benefit. I once took care of him when he was ill, getting +medicines from the ship's chests, when no captain or officer would +do anything for him, and he never forgot it. Every Kanaka has one +particular friend, whom he considers himself bound to do +everything for, and with whom he has a sort of contract,-- an +alliance offensive and defensive,-- and for whom he will often +make the greatest sacrifices. This friend they call aikane; and +for such did Hope adopt me. I do not believe I could have wanted +anything which he had, that he would not have given me. In return +for this, I was his friend among the Americans, and used to teach +him letters and numbers; for he left home before he had learned +how to read. He was very curious respecting Boston (as they called +the United States), asking many questions about the houses, the +people, &c., and always wished to have the pictures in books +explained to him. They were all astonishingly quick in catching at +explanations, and many things which I had thought it utterly +impossible to make them understand they often seized in an +instant, and asked questions which showed that they knew enough to +make them wish to go farther. The pictures of steamboats and +railroad cars, in the columns of some newspapers which I had, gave +me great difficulty to explain. The grading of the road, the +rails, the construction of the carriages, they could easily +understand, but the motion produced by steam was a little too +refined for them. I attempted to show it to them once by an +experiment upon the cook's coppers, but failed,-- probably as much +from my own ignorance as from their want of apprehension, and, I +have no doubt, left them with about as clear an idea of the +principle as I had myself. This difficulty, of course, existed in +the same force with respect to the steamboats; and all I could do +was to give them some account of the results, in the shape of +speed; for, failing in the reason, I had to fall back upon the +fact. In my account of the speed, I was supported by Tom, who had +been to Nantucket, and seen a little steamboat which ran over to +New Bedford. And, by the way, it was strange to hear Tom speak of +America, when the poor fellow had been all the way round Cape Horn +and back, and had seen nothing but Nantucket. + +A map of the world, which I once showed them, kept their attention +for hours; those who knew how to read pointing out the places and +referring to me for the distances. I remember being much amused +with a question which Hope asked me. Pointing to the large, +irregular place which is always left blank round the poles, to +denote that it is undiscovered, he looked up and asked, ``Pau?'' +(Done? ended?) + +The system of naming the streets and numbering the houses they +easily understood, and the utility of it. They had a great desire +to see America, but were afraid of doubling Cape Horn, for they +suffer much in cold weather, and had heard dreadful accounts of +the Cape from those of their number who had been round it. + +They smoke a great deal, though not much at a time, using pipes +with large bowls, and very short stems, or no stems at all. These +they light, and, putting them to their mouths, take a long +draught, getting their mouths as full as they can hold of smoke, +and their cheeks distended, and then let it slowly out through +their mouths and nostrils. The pipe is then passed to others, who +draw in the same manner,-- one pipe-full serving for half a dozen. +They never take short, continuous draughts, like Europeans, but +one of these ``Oahu puffs,'' as the sailors call them, serves for +an hour or two, until some one else lights his pipe, and it is +passed round in the same manner. Each Kanaka on the beach had a +pipe, flint, steel, tinder, a hand of tobacco, and a jack-knife, +which he always carried about with him.[1] + +That which strikes a stranger most peculiarly is their style of +singing. They run on, in a low, guttural, monotonous sort of +chant, their lips and tongues seeming hardly to move, and the +sounds apparently modulated solely in the throat. There is very +little tune to it, and the words, so far as I could learn, are +extempore. They sing about persons and things which are around +them, and adopt this method when they do not wish to be understood +by any but themselves; and it is very effectual, for with the most +careful attention I never could detect a word that I knew. I have +often heard Mr. Mannini, who was the most noted improvisatore +among them, sing for an hour together, when at work in the midst +of Americans and Englishmen; and, by the occasional shouts and +laughter of the Kanakas, who were at a distance, it was evident +that he was singing about the different men that he was at work +with. They have great powers of ridicule, and are excellent +mimics, many of them discovering and imitating the peculiarities +of our own people before we had observed them ourselves. + +These were the people with whom I was to spend a few months, and +who, with the exception of the officer, Nicholas, the Frenchman, +and the boy, made the whole population of the beach. I ought, +perhaps, to except the dogs, for they were an important part of +our settlement. Some of the first vessels brought dogs out with +them, who, for convenience, were left ashore, and there +multiplied, until they came to be a great people. While I was on +the beach, the average number was about forty, and probably an +equal, or greater, number are drowned, or killed in some other +way, every year. They are very useful in guarding the beach, the +Indians being afraid to come down at night; for it was impossible +for any one to get within half a mile of the hide-houses without a +general alarm. The father of the colony, old Sachem, so called +from the ship in which he was brought out, died while I was there, +full of years, and was honorably buried. Hogs and a few chickens +were the rest of the animal tribe, and formed, like the dogs, a +common company, though they were all known, and usually fed at the +houses to which they belonged. + +I had been but a few hours on the beach, and the Pilgrim was +hardly out of sight, when the cry of ``Sail ho!'' was raised, and +a small hermaphrodite brig rounded the point, bore up into the +harbor, and came to anchor. It was the Mexican brig Fazio, which +we had left at San Pedro, and which had come down to land her +tallow, try it all over, and make new bags, and then take it in +and leave the coast. They moored ship, erected their try-works on +shore, put up a small tent, in which they all lived, and commenced +operations. This addition gave a change and variety to our +society, and we spent many evenings in their tent, where, amid the +Babel of English, Spanish, French, Indian, and Kanaka, we found +some words that we could understand in common. + +The morning after my landing, I began the duties of hide-curing. +In order to understand these, it will be necessary to give the +whole history of a hide, from the time it is taken from a bullock +until it is put on board the vessel to be carried to Boston. When +the hide is taken from the bullock, holes are cut round it, near +the edge, by which it is staked out to dry. In this manner it +dries without shrinking. After the hides are thus dried in the +sun, and doubled with the skin out, they are received by the +vessels at the different ports on the coast, and brought down to +the depot at San Diego. The vessels land them, and leave them in +large piles near the houses. Then begins the hide-curer's duty. + +The first thing is to put them in soak. This is done by carrying +them down at low tide, and making them fast, in small piles, by +ropes, and letting the tide come up and cover them. Every day we +put in soak twenty-five for each man, which, with us, made a +hundred and fifty. There they lie forty-eight hours, when they are +taken out, and rolled up, in wheelbarrows, and thrown into the +vats. These vats contain brine, made very strong,-- being +sea-water, with great quantities of salt thrown in. This pickles +the hides, and in this they lie forty-eight hours; the use of the +sea-water, into which they are first put, being merely to soften +and clean them. From these vats they are taken, and lie on a +platform for twenty-four hours, and then are spread upon the +ground, and carefully stretched and staked out, with the skin up, +that they may dry smooth. After they had been staked, and while +yet wet and soft, we used to go upon them with our knives, and +carefully cut off all the bad parts,-- the pieces of meat and fat, +which would corrupt and infect the whole if stowed away in a +vessel for many months, the large flippers, the ears, and all +other parts which would prevent close stowage. This was the most +difficult part of our duty, as it required much skill to take off +everything that ought to come off, and not to cut or injure the +hide. It was also a long process, as six of us had to clean a +hundred and fifty, most of which required a great deal to be done +to them, as the Spaniards are very careless in skinning their +cattle. Then, too, as we cleaned them while they were staked out, +we were obliged to kneel down upon them, which always gives +beginners the back-ache. The first day I was so slow and awkward +that I cleaned only eight; at the end of a few days I doubled my +number; and, in a fortnight or three weeks, could keep up with the +others, and clean my twenty-five. + +This cleaning must be got through with before noon, for by that +time the hides get too dry. After the sun has been upon them a few +hours, they are carefully gone over with scrapers, to get off all +the grease which the sun brings out. This being done, the stakes +are pulled up, and the hides carefully doubled, with the hair side +out, and left to dry. About the middle of the afternoon they are +turned over, for the other side to dry, and at sundown piled up +and covered over. The next day they are spread out and opened +again, and at night, if fully dry, are thrown upon a long, +horizontal pole, five at a time, and beaten with flails. This +takes all the dust from them. Then, having been salted, scraped, +cleaned, dried, and beaten, they are stowed away in the house. +Here ends their history, except that they are taken out again when +the vessel is ready to go home, beaten, stowed away on board, +carried to Boston, tanned, made into shoes and other articles for +which leather is used, and many of them, very probably, in the +end, brought back again to California in the shape of shoes, and +worn out in pursuit of other bullocks, or in the curing of other +hides. + +By putting a hundred and fifty in soak every day, we had the same +number at each stage of curing on each day; so that we had, every +day, the same work to do upon the same number,-- a hundred and +fifty to put in soak, a hundred and fifty to wash out and put in +the vat, the same number to haul from the vat and put on the +platform to drain, the same number to spread, and stake out, and +clean, and the same number to beat and stow away in the house. I +ought to except Sunday; for, by a prescription which no captain or +agent has yet ventured to break in upon, Sunday has been a day of +leisure on the beach for years. On Saturday night, the hides, in +every stage of progress, are carefully covered up, and not +uncovered until Monday morning. On Sundays we had absolutely no +work to do, unless it might be to kill a bullock, which was sent +down for our use about once a week, and sometimes came on Sunday. +Another advantage of the hide-curing life was, that we had just so +much work to do, and when that was through, the time was our own. +Knowing this, we worked hard, and needed no driving. We ``turned +out'' every morning with the first signs of daylight, and allowing +a short time, at about eight o'clock, for breakfast, generally got +through our labor between one and two o'clock, when we dined, and +had the rest of the time to ourselves, until just before sundown, +when we beat the dry hides and put them in the house, and covered +over all the others. By this means we had about three hours to +ourselves every afternoon, and at sundown we had our supper, and +our work was done for the day. There was no watch to stand, and no +topsails to reef. The evenings we generally spent at one another's +houses, and I often went up and spent an hour or so at the oven, +which was called the ``Kanaka Hotel,'' and the ``Oahu +Coffeehouse.'' Immediately after dinner we usually took a short +siesta, to make up for our early rising, and spent the rest of the +afternoon according to our own fancies. I generally read, wrote, +and made or mended clothes; for necessity, the mother of +invention, had taught me these two latter arts. The Kanakas went +up to the oven, and spent the time in sleeping, talking, and +smoking, and my messmate, Nicholas, who neither knew how to read +nor write, passed away the time by a long siesta, two or three +smokes with his pipe, and a paseo to the other houses. This +leisure time is never interfered with, for the captains know that +the men earn it by working hard and fast, and that, if they +interfered with it, the men could easily make their twenty-five +hides apiece last through the day. We were pretty independent, +too, for the master of the house-- ``capitan de la casa''-- had +nothing to say to us, except when we were at work on the hides; +and although we could not go up to the town without his +permission, this was seldom or never refused. + +The great weight of the wet hides, which we were obliged to roll +about in wheelbarrows; the continual stooping upon those which +were pegged out to be cleaned; and the smell of the nasty vats, +into which we were often obliged to wade, knee-deep, to press down +the hides,-- all made the work disagreeable and fatiguing; but we +soon became hardened to it, and the comparative independence of +our life reconciled us to it, for there was nobody to haze us and +find fault; and when we were through for the day, we had only to +wash and change our clothes, and our time was our own. There was, +however, one exception to the time's being our own, which was, +that on two afternoons of every week we were obliged to go off for +wood for the cook to use in the galley. Wood is very scarce in the +vicinity of San Diego, there being no trees of any size for miles. +In the town, the inhabitants burn the small wood which grows in +thickets, and for which they send out Indians, in large numbers, +every few days. Fortunately, the climate is so fine that they have +no need of a fire in their houses, and only use it for cooking. +With us, the getting of wood was a great trouble; for all that in +the vicinity of the houses had been cut down, and we were obliged +to go off a mile or two, and to carry it some distance on our +backs, as we could not get the hand-cart up the hills and over the +uneven places. Two afternoons in the week, generally Monday and +Thursday, as soon as we were through dinner, we started off for +the bush, each of us furnished with a hatchet and a long piece of +rope, and dragging the hand-cart behind us, and followed by the +whole colony of dogs, who were always ready for the bush, and were +half mad whenever they saw our preparations. We went with the +hand-cart as far as we could conveniently drag it, and, leaving it +in an open, conspicuous place, separated ourselves, each taking +his own course, and looking about for some good place to begin +upon. Frequently, we had to go nearly a mile from the hand-cart +before we could find any fit place. Having lighted upon a good +thicket, the next thing was to clear away the underbrush, and have +fair play at the trees. These trees are seldom more than five or +six feet high, and the highest that I ever saw in these +expeditions could not have been more than twelve, so that, with +lopping off the branches and clearing away the underwood, we had a +good deal of cutting to do for a very little wood. Having cut +enough for a ``back-load,'' the next thing was to make it well +fast with the rope, and heaving the bundle upon our backs, and +taking the hatchet in hand, to walk off, up hill and down dale, to +the hand-cart. Two good back-loads apiece filled the hand-cart, +and that was each one's proportion. When each had brought down his +second load, we filled the hand-cart, and took our way again +slowly back to the beach. It was generally sundown when we got +back; and unloading, covering the hides for the night, and, +getting our supper, finished the day's work. + +These wooding excursions had always a mixture of something rather +pleasant in them. Roaming about in the woods with hatchet in hand, +like a backwoodsman, followed by a troop of dogs, starting up +birds, snakes, hares, and foxes, and examining the various kinds +of trees, flowers, and birds'-nests, was, at least, a change from +the monotonous drag and pull on shipboard. Frequently, too, we had +some amusement and adventure. The coyotes, of which I have before +spoken,-- a sort of mixture of the fox and wolf breeds,-- fierce +little animals, with bushy tails and large heads, and a quick, +sharp bark, abound here, as in all other parts of California. +These the dogs were very watchful for, and, whenever they saw +them, started off in full run after them. We had many fine chases; +yet, although our dogs ran fast, the rascals generally escaped. +They are a match for the dog,-- one to one,-- but as the dogs +generally went in squads, there was seldom a fair fight. A smaller +dog, belonging to us, once attacked a coyote single, and was +considerably worsted, and might, perhaps, have been killed, had we +not come to his assistance. We had, however, one dog which gave +them a good deal of trouble and many hard runs. He was a fine, +tall fellow, and united strength and agility better than any dog +that I have ever seen. He was born at the Islands, his father +being an English mastiff and his mother a greyhound. He had the +high head, long legs, narrow body, and springing gait of the +latter, and the heavy jaw, thick jowls, and strong fore-quarters +of the mastiff. When he was brought to San Diego, an English +sailor said that he looked, about the face, like the Duke of +Wellington, whom he had once seen at the Tower; and, indeed, there +was something about him which resembled the portraits of the Duke. +From this time he was christened ``Welly,'' and became the +favorite and bully of the beach. He always led the dogs by several +yards in the chase, and had killed two coyotes at different times +in single combats. We often had fine sport with these fellows. A +quick, sharp bark from a coyote, and in an instant every dog was +at the height of his speed. A few minutes made up for an unfair +start, and gave each dog his right place. Welly, at the head, +seemed almost to skim over the bushes, and after him came Fanny, +Feliciana, Childers, and the other fleet ones,-- the spaniels and +terriers; and then, behind, followed the heavy corps,-- bull-dogs, +&c., for we had every breed. Pursuit by us was in vain, and in +about half an hour the dogs would begin to come panting and +straggling back. + +Beside the coyotes, the dogs sometimes made prizes of rabbits and +hares, which are plentiful here, and numbers of which we often +shot for our dinners. Among the other animals there was a reptile +I was not so much disposed to find amusement from, the +rattlesnake. These snakes are very abundant here, especially +during the spring of the year. The latter part of the time that I +was on shore, I did not meet with so many, but for the first two +months we seldom went into ``the bush'' without one of our number +starting some of them. I remember perfectly well the first one +that I ever saw. I had left my companions, and was beginning to +clear away a fine clump of trees, when, just in the midst of the +thicket, but a few yards from me, one of these fellows set up his +hiss. It is a sharp, continuous sound, and resembles very much the +letting off of the steam from the small pipe of a steamboat, +except that it is on a smaller scale. I knew, by the sound of an +axe, that one of my companions was near, and called out to him, to +let him know what I had fallen upon. He took it very lightly, and +as he seemed inclined to laugh at me for being afraid, I +determined to keep my place. I knew that so long as I could hear +the rattle I was safe, for these snakes never make a noise when +they are in motion. Accordingly I continued my work, and the noise +which I made with cutting and breaking the trees kept him in +alarm; so that I had the rattle to show me his whereabouts. Once +or twice the noise stopped for a short time, which gave me a +little uneasiness, and, retreating a few steps, I threw something +into the bush, at which he would set his rattle agoing, and, +finding that he had not moved from his first place, I was easy +again. In this way I continued at my work until I had cut a full +load, never suffering him to be quiet for a moment. Having cut my +load, I strapped it together, and got everything ready for +starting. I felt that I could now call the others without the +imputation of being afraid, and went in search of them. In a few +minutes we were all collected, and began an attack upon the bush. +The big Frenchman, who was the one that I had called to at first, +I found as little inclined to approach the snake as I had been. +The dogs, too, seemed afraid of the rattle, and kept up a barking +at a safe distance; but the Kanakas showed no fear, and, getting +long sticks, went into the bush, and, keeping a bright lookout, +stood within a few feet of him. One or two blows struck near him, +and a few stones thrown started him, and we lost his track, and +had the pleasant consciousness that he might be directly under our +feet. By throwing stones and chips in different directions, we +made him spring his rattle again, and began another attack. This +time we drove him into the clear ground, and saw him gliding off, +with head and tail erect, when a stone, well aimed, knocked him +over the bank, down a declivity of fifteen or twenty feet, and +stretched him at his length. Having made sure of him by a few more +stones, we went down, and one of the Kanakas cut off his rattle. +These rattles vary in number, it is said, according to the age of +the snake; though the Indians think they indicate the number of +creatures they have killed. We always preserved them as trophies, +and at the end of the summer had a considerable collection. None +of our people were bitten by them, but one of our dogs died of a +bite, and another was supposed to have been bitten, but recovered. +We had no remedy for the bite, though it was said that the Indians +of the country had, and the Kanakas professed to have an herb +which would cure it, but it was fortunately never brought to the +test. + +Hares and rabbits, as I said before, were abundant, and, during +the winter months, the waters are covered with wild ducks and +geese. Crows, too, abounded, and frequently alighted in great +numbers upon our hides, picking at the pieces of dried meat and +fat. Bears and wolves are numerous in the upper parts of the +coast, and in the interior (and, indeed, a man was killed by a +bear within a few miles of San Pedro, while we were there), but +there were none in our immediate neighborhood. The only other +animals were horses. More than a dozen of these were owned by men +on the beach, and were allowed to run loose among the hills, with +a long lasso attached to them, to pick up feed wherever they could +find it. We were sure of seeing them once a day, for there was no +water among the hills, and they were obliged to come down to the +well which had been dug upon the beach. These horses were bought +at from two to six and eight dollars apiece, and were held very +much as common property. We generally kept one fast to one of the +houses, so that we could mount him and catch any of the others. +Some of them were really fine animals, and gave us many good runs +up to the presidio and over the country. + +[1] Matches had not come into use then. I think there were none on +board any vessel on the coast. We used the tinder box in our +forecastle. + +CHAPTER XX + +After we had been a few weeks on shore, and had begun to feel +broken into the regularity of our life, its monotony was +interrupted by the arrival of two vessels from the windward. We +were sitting at dinner in our little room, when we heard the cry +of ``Sail ho!'' This, we had learned, did not always signify a +vessel, but was raised whenever a woman was seen coming down from +the town, or an ox-cart, or anything unusual, hove in sight upon +the road; so we took no notice of it. But it soon became so loud +and general from all parts of the beach that we were led to go to +the door; and there, sure enough, were two sails coming round the +point, and leaning over from the strong northwest wind, which +blows down the coast every afternoon. The headmost was a ship, and +the other a brig. Everybody was alive on the beach, and all manner +of conjectures were abroad. Some said it was the Pilgrim, with the +Boston ship, which we were expecting; but we soon saw that the +brig was not the Pilgrim, and the ship, with her stump +top-gallant-masts and rusty sides, could not be a dandy Boston +Indiaman. As they drew nearer, we discovered the high poop, and +top-gallant forecastle, and other marks of the Italian ship Rosa, +and the brig proved to be the Catalina, which we saw at Santa +Barbara, just arrived from Valparaiso. They came to anchor, moored +ship, and began discharging hides and tallow. The Rosa had +purchased the house occupied by the Lagoda, and the Catalina took +the other spare one between ours and the Ayacucho's, so that now +each house was occupied, and the beach, for several days, was all +animation. The Catalina had several Kanakas on board, who were +immediately laid hold of by the others, and carried up to the +oven, where they had a long pow-wow and a smoke. Two Frenchmen, +who belonged to the Rosa's crew, came in every evening to see +Nicholas; and from them we learned that the Pilgrim was at San +Pedro, and was the only vessel from the United States now on the +coast. Several of the Italians slept on shore at their hide-house; +and there, and at the tent in which the Fazio's crew lived, we had +some singing almost every evening. The Italians sang a variety of +songs,-- barcarollas, provincial airs, &c.; in several of which I +recognized parts of our favorite operas and sentimental songs. +They often joined in a song, taking the different parts, which +produced a fine effect, as many of them had good voices, and all +sang with spirit. One young man, in particular, had a falsetto as +clear as a clarionet. + +The greater part of the crews of the vessels came ashore every +evening, and we passed the time in going about from one house to +another, and listening to all manner of languages. The Spanish was +the common ground upon which we all met; for every one knew more +or less of that. We had now, out of forty or fifty, +representatives from almost every nation under the sun,-- two +Englishmen, three Yankees, two Scotchmen, two Welshmen, one +Irishman, three Frenchmen (two of whom were Normans, and the third +from Gascony), one Dutchman, one Austrian, two or three Spaniards +(from old Spain), half a dozen Spanish-Americans and half-breeds, +two native Indians from Chili and the Island of Chiloe, one negro, +one mulatto, about twenty Italians, from all parts of Italy, as +many more Sandwich-Islanders, one Tahitian, and one Kanaka from +the Marquesas Islands. + +The night before the vessels were ready to sail, all the Europeans +united and had an entertainment at the Rosa's hide-house, and we +had songs of every nation and tongue. A German gave us ``Ach! mein +lieber Augustin!'' the three Frenchmen roared through the +Marseilles Hymn; the English and Scotchmen gave us ``Rule +Britannia,'' and ``Wha'll be King but Charlie?'' the Italians and +Spaniards screamed through some national affairs, for which I was +none the wiser; and we three Yankees made an attempt at the +``Star-spangled Banner.'' After these national tributes had been +paid, the Austrian gave us a pretty little love-song, and the +Frenchmen sang a spirited thing,-- ``Sentinelle! O prenez garde a +vous!''-- and then followed the melange which might have been +expected. When I left them, the aguardiente and annisou were +pretty well in their heads, they were all singing and talking at +once, and their peculiar national oaths were getting as plenty as +pronouns. + +The next day, the two vessels got under way for the windward, and +left us in quiet possession of the beach. Our numbers were +somewhat enlarged by the opening of the new houses, and the +society of the beach was a little changed. In charge of the +Catalina's house was an old Scotchman, Robert, who, like most of +his countrymen, had some education, and, like many of them, was +rather pragmatical, and had a ludicrously solemn conceit of +himself. He employed his time in taking care of his pigs, +chickens, turkeys, dogs, &c., and in smoking his long pipe. +Everything was as neat as a pin in the house, and he was as +regular in his hours as a chronometer, but, as he kept very much +by himself, was not a great addition to our society. He hardly +spent a cent all the time he was on the beach, and the others said +he was no shipmate. He had been a petty officer on board the +British frigate Dublin, Captain Lord James Townshend, and had +great ideas of his own importance. The man in charge of the Rosa's +house, Schmidt, was an Austrian, but spoke, read, and wrote four +languages with ease and correctness. German was his native tongue, +but being born near the borders of Italy, and having sailed out of +Genoa, the Italian was almost as familiar to him as his own +language. He was six years on board of an English man-of-war, +where he learned to speak our language easily, and also to read +and write it. He had been several years in Spanish vessels, and +had acquired that language so well that he could read books in it. +He was between forty and fifty years of age, and was a singular +mixture of the man-of-war's-man and Puritan. He talked a great +deal about propriety and steadiness, and gave good advice to the +youngsters and Kanakas, but seldom went up to the town without +coming down ``three sheets in the wind.'' One holiday, he and old +Robert (the Scotchman from the Catalina) went up to the town, and +got so cosey, talking over old stories and giving each other good +advice, that they came down, double-backed, on a horse, and both +rolled off into the sand as soon as the horse stopped. This put an +end to their pretensions, and they never heard the last of it from +the rest of the men. On the night of the entertainment at the +Rosa's house, I saw old Schmidt (that was the Austrian's name) +standing up by a hogshead, holding on by both hands, and calling +out to himself: ``Hold on, Schmidt! hold on, my good fellow, or +you'll be on your back!'' Still, he was an intelligent, +good-natured old fellow, and had a chest full of books, which he +willingly lent me to read. In the same house with him were a +Frenchman and an Englishman, the latter a regular-built +``man-o'-war Jack,'' a thorough seaman, a hearty, generous fellow, +and, at the same time, a drunken, dissolute dog. He made it a +point to get drunk every time he went to the presidio, when he +always managed to sleep on the road, and have his money stolen +from him. These, with a Chilian and half a dozen Kanakas, formed +the addition to our company. + +In about six weeks from the time when the Pilgrim sailed, we had +all the hides which she left us cured and stowed away; and having +cleared up the ground and emptied the vats, and set everything in +order, had nothing more to do, until she should come down again, +but to supply ourselves with wood. Instead of going twice a week +for this purpose, we determined to give one whole week to getting +wood, and then we should have enough to last us half through the +summer. Accordingly we started off every morning, after an early +breakfast, with our hatchets in hand, and cut wood until the sun +was over the point,-- which was our mark for noon, as there was +not a watch on the beach,-- and then came back to dinner, and +after dinner started off again with our hand-cart and ropes, and +carted and ``backed'' it down until sunset. This we kept up for a +week, until we had collected several cords,-- enough to last us +for six or eight weeks,-- when we ``knocked off'' altogether, much +to my joy; for, though I liked straying in the woods, and cutting, +very well, yet the backing the wood for so great a distance, over +an uneven country, was, without exception, the hardest work I had +ever done. I usually had to kneel down, and contrive to heave the +load, which was well strapped together, upon my back, and then +rise up and start off with it, up the hills and down the vales, +sometimes through thickets,-- the rough points sticking into the +skin and tearing the clothes, so that, at the end of the week I +had hardly a whole shirt to my back. + +We were now through all our work, and had nothing more to do until +the Pilgrim should come down again. We had nearly got through our +provisions too, as well as our work; for our officer had been very +wasteful of them, and the tea, flour, sugar, and molasses were all +gone. We suspected him of sending them up to the town; and he +always treated the squaws with molasses when they came down to the +beach. Finding wheat-coffee and dry bread rather poor living, we +clubbed together, and I went to the town on horseback, with a +great salt-bag behind the saddle, and a few reals in my pocket, +and brought back the bag full of onions, beans, pears, +watermelons, and other fruits; for the young woman who tended the +garden, finding that I belonged to the American ship, and that we +were short of provisions, put in a larger portion. With these we +lived like fighting-cocks for a week or two, and had, besides, +what the sailors call a ``blow-out on sleep,'' not turning out in +the morning until breakfast was ready. I employed several days in +overhauling my chest, and mending up all my old clothes, until I +had put everything in order,-- ``patch upon patch, like a +sand-barge's mainsail.'' Then I took hold of Bowditch's Navigator, +which I had always with me. I had been through the greater part of +it, and now went carefully over it from beginning to end, working +out most of the examples. That done, and there being no signs of +the Pilgrim, I made a descent upon old Schmidt, and borrowed and +read all the books there were upon the beach. Such a dearth was +there of these latter articles, that anything, even a little +child's story-book, or the half of a shipping calendar, seemed a +treasure. I actually read a jest-book through, from beginning to +end, in one day, as I should a novel, and enjoyed it much. At +last, when I thought that there were no more to be had, I found at +the bottom of old Schmidt's chest, ``Mandeville, a Romance, by +Godwin, in five volumes.'' This I had never read, but Godwin's +name was enough, and, after the wretched trash I had devoured, +anything bearing the name of an intellectual man was a prize +indeed. I bore it off, and for two days I was up early and late, +reading with all my might, and actually drinking in delight. It is +no extravagance to say that it was like a spring in a desert land. + +From the sublime to the ridiculous-- so, with me, from Mandeville +to hide-curing-- was but a step; for-- + +Wednesday, July 18th, brought us the brig Pilgrim from the +windward. As she came in, we found that she was a good deal +altered in her appearance. Her short top-gallant-masts were up, +her bowlines all unrove (except to the courses), the quarter +boom-irons off her lower yards, her jack-cross-trees sent down, +several blocks got rid of, running rigging rove in new places, and +numberless other changes of the same character. Then, too, there +was a new voice giving orders, and a new face on the quarter-deck,-- +a short, dark-complexioned man, in a green jacket and a high +leather cap. These changes, of course, set the whole beach on the +qui-vive, and we were all waiting for the boat to come ashore, +that we might have things explained. At length, after the sails +were furled and the anchor carried out, her boat pulled ashore, +and the news soon flew that the expected ship had arrived at Santa +Barbara, and that Captain Thompson had taken command of her, and +her captain, Faucon, had taken the Pilgrim, and was the +green-jacketed man on the quarter-deck. The boat put directly off +again, without giving us time to ask any more questions, and we +were obliged to wait till night, when we took a little skiff, that +lay on the beach, and paddled off. When I stepped aboard, the +second mate called me aft, and gave me a large bundle, directed to +me, and marked ``Ship Alert.'' This was what I had longed for, yet +I refrained from opening it until I went ashore. Diving down into +the forecastle, I found the same old crew, and was really glad to +see them again. Numerous inquiries passed as to the new ship, the +latest news from Boston, &c., &c. Stimson had received letters +from home, and nothing remarkable had happened. The Alert was +agreed on all hands to be a fine ship, and a large one: ``Larger +than the Rosa,''-- ``Big enough to carry off all the hides in +California,''-- ``Rail as high as a man's head,''-- ``A crack +ship,''-- ``A regular dandy,'' &c., &c. Captain Thompson took +command of her, and she went directly up to Monterey; thence she +was to go to San Francisco, and probably would not be in San Diego +under two or three months. Some of the Pilgrim's crew found old +shipmates aboard of her, and spent an hour or two in her +forecastle the evening before she sailed. They said her decks were +as white as snow,-- holystoned every morning, like a man-of-war's; +everything on board ``ship-shape and Bristol fashion''; a fine +crew, three mates, a sailmaker and carpenter, and all complete. +``They've got a man for mate of that ship, and not a bloody sheep +about decks!''-- ``A mate that knows his duty, and makes everybody +do theirs, and won't be imposed upon by either captain or crew.'' +After collecting all the information we could get on this point, +we asked something about their new captain. He had hardly been on +board long enough for them to know much about him, but he had +taken hold strong, as soon as he took command,-- shifting the +top-gallant-masts, and unreeving all the studding-sail gear and +half the running rigging, the very first day. + +Having got all the news we could, we pulled ashore; and as soon as +we reached the house, I, as might be supposed, fell directly to +opening my bundle, and found a reasonable supply of duck, flannel +shirts, shoes, &c., and, what was still more valuable, a packet of +eleven letters. These I sat up nearly all night reading, and put +them carefully away, to be re-read again and again at my leisure. +Then came half a dozen newspapers, the last of which gave notice +of Thanksgiving, and of the clearance of ``ship Alert, Edward H. +Faucon, master, for Callao and California, by Bryant, Sturgis, & +Co.'' Only those who have been on distant voyages, and after a +long absence received a newspaper from home, can understand the +delight that they give one. I read every part of them,-- the +houses to let, things lost or stolen, auction sales, and all. +Nothing carries you so entirely to a place, and makes you feel so +perfectly at home, as a newspaper. The very name of ``Boston Daily +Advertiser'' ``sounded hospitably upon the ear.'' + +The Pilgrim discharged her hides, which set us at work again, and +in a few days we were in the old routine of dry hides, wet hides, +cleaning, beating, &c. Captain Faucon came quietly up to me, as I +was sitting upon a stretched hide, cutting the meat from it with +my knife, and asked me how I liked California, and repeated,-- + + ``Tityre, tu patulae recubans subtegmine fagi.'' + +Very apropos, thought I, and, at the same time, shows that you +have studied Latin. However, it was kind of him, and an attention +from a captain is a thing not to be slighted. Thompson's majesty +could not have bent to it, in the sight of so many mates and men; +but Faucon was a man of education, literary habits, and good +social position, and held things at their right value. + +Saturday, July 11th. The Pilgrim set sail for the windward, and +left us to go on in our old way. Having laid in such a supply of +wood, and the days being now long, and invariably pleasant, we had +a good deal of time to ourselves. The duck I received from home I +soon made up into trousers and frocks, and, having formed the +remnants of the duck into a cap, I displayed myself, every Sunday, +in a complete suit of my own make, from head to foot. Reading, +mending, sleeping, with occasional excursions into the bush, with +the dogs, in search of coyotes, hares, and rabbits, or to +encounter a rattlesnake, and now and then a visit to the presidio, +filled up our spare time after hide-curing was over for the day. +Another amusement which we sometimes indulged in was ``burning the +water'' for craw-fish. For this purpose we procured a pair of +grains, with a long staff like a harpoon, and, making torches with +tarred rope twisted round a long pine stick, took the only boat on +the beach, a small skiff, and with a torch-bearer in the bow, a +steersman in the stern, and one man on each side with the grains, +went off, on dark nights, to burn the water. This is fine sport. +Keeping within a few rods of the shore, where the water is not +more than three or four feet deep, with a clear, sandy bottom, the +torches light everything up so that one could almost have seen a +pin among the grains of sand. The craw-fish are an easy prey, and +we used soon to get a load of them. The other fish were more +difficult to catch, yet we frequently speared a number of them, of +various kinds and sizes. The Pilgrim brought us a supply of +fish-hooks, which we had never had before on the beach, and for +several days we went down to the Point, and caught a quantity of +cod and mackerel. On one of these expeditions, we saw a battle +between two Sandwich-Islanders and a shark. ``Johnny'' had been +playing about our boat for some time, driving away the fish, and +showing his teeth at our bait, when we missed him, and in a few +minutes heard a great shouting between two Kanakas who were +fishing on the rock opposite to us: ``E hana hana make i ka ia +nui!'' ``E pii mai Aikane!'' &c., &c.; and saw them pulling away +on a stout line, and ``Johnny Shark'' floundering at the other +end. The line soon broke; but the Kanakas would not let him off so +easily, and sprang directly into the water after him. Now came the +tug of war. Before he could get into deep water, one of them +seized him by the tail, and ran up with him upon the beach; but +Johnny twisted round, and turning his head under his body, and +showing his teeth in the vicinity of the Kanaka's hand, made him +let go and spring out of the way. The shark now turned tail and +made the best of his way, by flapping and floundering, toward deep +water; but here again, before he was fairly off, the other Kanaka +seized him by the tail, and made a spring toward the beach, his +companion at the same time paying away upon him with stones and a +large stick. As soon, however, as the shark could turn, the man +was obliged to let go his hold; but the instant he made toward +deep water, they were both behind him, watching their chance to +seize him. In this way the battle went on for some time, the +shark, in a rage, splashing and twisting about, and the Kanakas, +in high excitement, yelling at the top of their voices. But the +shark at last got off, carrying away a hook and line, and not a +few severe bruises. + +CHAPTER XXI + +We kept up a constant connection with the presidio, and by the +close of the summer I had added much to my vocabulary, beside +having made the acquaintance of nearly everybody in the place, and +acquired some knowledge of the character and habits of the people, +as well as of the institutions under which they live. + +California was discovered in 1534 by Ximenes, or in 1536 by +Cortes, I cannot settle which, and was subsequently visited by +many other adventurers, as well as commissioned voyagers of the +Spanish crown. It was found to be inhabited by numerous tribes of +Indians, and to be in many parts extremely fertile; to which, of +course, were added rumors of gold mines, pearl fishery, &c. No +sooner was the importance of the country known, than the Jesuits +obtained leave to establish themselves in it, to Christianize and +enlighten the Indians. They established missions in various parts +of the country toward the close of the seventeenth century, and +collected the natives about them, baptizing them into the Church, +and teaching them the arts of civilized life. To protect the +Jesuits in their missions, and at the same time to support the +power of the crown over the civilized Indians, two forts were +erected and garrisoned,-- one at San Diego, and the other at +Monterey. These were called presidios, and divided the command of +the whole country between them. Presidios have since been +established at Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and other places, +dividing the country into large districts, each with its presidio, +and governed by a commandante. The soldiers, for the most part, +married civilized Indians; and thus, in the vicinity of each +presidio, sprung up, gradually, small towns. In the course of +time, vessels began to come into the ports to trade with the +missions and received hides in return; and thus began the great +trade of California. Nearly all the cattle in the country belonged +to the missions, and they employed their Indians, who became, in +fact, their serfs, in tending their vast herds. In the year 1793, +when Vancouver visited San Diego, the missions had obtained great +wealth and power, and are accused of having depreciated the +country with the sovereign, that they might be allowed to retain +their possessions. On the expulsion of the Jesuits from the +Spanish dominions, the missions passed into the hands of the +Franciscans, though without any essential change in their +management. Ever since the independence of Mexico, the missions +had been going down; until, at last, a law was passed, stripping +them of all their possessions, and confining the priests to their +spiritual duties, at the same time declaring all the Indians free +and independent Rancheros. The change in the condition of the +Indians was, as may be supposed, only nominal; they are virtually +serfs, as much as they ever were. But in the missions the change +was complete. The priests have now no power, except in their +religious character, and the great possessions of the missions are +given over to be preyed upon by the harpies of the civil power, +who are sent there in the capacity of administradores, to settle +up the concerns; and who usually end, in a few years, by making +themselves fortunes, and leaving their stewardships worse than +they found them. The dynasty of the priests was much more +acceptable to the people of the country, and, indeed, to every one +concerned with the country, by trade or otherwise, than that of +the administradores. The priests were connected permanently to one +mission, and felt the necessity of keeping up its credit. +Accordingly the debts of the missions were regularly paid, and the +people were, in the main, well treated, and attached to those who +had spent their whole lives among them. But the administradores +are strangers sent from Mexico, having no interest in the country; +not identified in any way with their charge, and, for the most +part, men of desperate fortunes,-- broken-down politicians and +soldiers,-- whose only object is to retrieve their condition in as +short a time as possible. The change had been made but a few years +before our arrival upon the coast, yet, in that short time, the +trade was much diminished, credit impaired, and the venerable +missions were going rapidly to decay. + +The external political arrangements remain the same. There are +four or more presidios, having under their protection the various +missions, and the pueblos, which are towns formed by the civil +power and containing no mission or presidio. The most northerly +presidio is San Francisco, the next Monterey, the next Santa +Barbara, including the mission of the same, San Luis Obispo, and +Santa Buenaventura, which is said to be the best mission in the +whole country, having fertile soil and rich vineyards. The last, +and most southerly, is San Diego, including the mission of the +same, San Juan Capistrano, the Pueblo de los Angeles, the largest +town in California, with the neighboring mission of San Gabriel. +The priests, in spiritual matters, are subject to the Archbishop +of Mexico, and in temporal matters to the governor-general, who is +the great civil and military head of the country. + +The government of the country is an arbitrary democracy, having no +common law, and nothing that we should call a judiciary. Their +only laws are made and unmade at the caprice of the legislature, +and are as variable as the legislature itself. They pass through +the form of sending representatives to the congress at Mexico, but +as it takes several months to go and return, and there is very +little communication between the capital and this distant +province, a member usually stays there as permanent member, +knowing very well that there will be revolutions at home before he +can write and receive an answer; and if another member should be +sent, he has only to challenge him, and decide the contested +election in that way. + +Revolutions are matters of frequent occurrence in California. They +are got up by men who are at the foot of the ladder and in +desperate circumstances, just as a new political organization may +be started by such men in our own country. The only object, of +course, is the loaves and fishes; and instead of caucusing, +paragraphing, libelling, feasting, promising, and lying, they take +muskets and bayonets, and, seizing upon the presidio and +custom-house, divide the spoils, and declare a new dynasty. As for +justice, they know little law but will and fear. A Yankee, who had +been naturalized, and become a Catholic, and had married in the +country, was sitting in his house at the Pueblo de los Angeles, +with his wife and children, when a Mexican, with whom he had had a +difficulty, entered the house, and stabbed him to the heart before +them all. The murderer was seized by some Yankees who had settled +there, and kept in confinement until a statement of the whole +affair could be sent to the governor-general. The governor-general +refused to do anything about it, and the countrymen of the +murdered man, seeing no prospect of justice being administered, +gave notice that, if nothing was done, they should try the man +themselves. It chanced that, at this time, there was a company of +some thirty or forty trappers and hunters from the Western States, +with their rifles, who had made their head-quarters at the Pueblo; +and these, together with the Americans and Englishmen in the +place, who were between twenty and thirty in number, took +possession of the town, and, waiting a reasonable time, proceeded +to try the man according to the forms in their own country. A +judge and jury were appointed, and he was tried, convicted, +sentenced to be shot, and carried out before the town blindfolded. +The names of all the men were then put into a hat, and each one +pledging himself to perform his duty, twelve names were drawn out, +and the men took their stations with their rifles, and, firing at +the word, laid him dead. He was decently buried, and the place was +restored quietly to the proper authorities. A general, with titles +enough for an hidalgo, was at San Gabriel, and issued a +proclamation as long as the fore-top-bowline, threatening +destruction to the rebels, but never stirred from his fort; for +forty Kentucky hunters, with their rifles, and a dozen of Yankees +and Englishmen, were a match for a whole regiment of hungry, +drawling, lazy half-breeds. This affair happened while we were at +San Pedro (the port of the Pueblo), and we had the particulars +from those who were on the spot. A few months afterwards, another +man was murdered on the high-road between the Pueblo and San Luis +Rey by his own wife and a man with whom she ran off. The +foreigners pursued and shot them both, according to one story. +According to another version, nothing was done about it, as the +parties were natives, and a man whom I frequently saw in San Diego +was pointed out as the murderer. Perhaps they were two cases, that +had got mixed. + +When a crime has been committed by Indians, justice, or rather +vengeance, is not so tardy. One Sunday afternoon, while I was at +San Diego, an Indian was sitting on his horse, when another, with +whom he had had some difficulty, came up to him, drew a long +knife, and plunged it directly into the horse's heart. The Indian +sprang from his falling horse, drew out the knife, and plunged it +into the other Indian's breast, over his shoulder, and laid him +dead. The fellow was seized at once, clapped into the calabozo, +and kept there until an answer could be received from Monterey. A +few weeks afterwards I saw the poor wretch, sitting on the bare +ground, in front of the calabozo, with his feet chained to a +stake, and handcuffs about his wrists. I knew there was very +little hope for him. Although the deed was done in hot blood, the +horse on which he was sitting being his own, and a favorite with +him, yet he was an Indian, and that was enough. In about a week +after I saw him, I heard that he had been shot. These few +instances will serve to give one a notion of the distribution of +justice in California. + +In their domestic relations, these people are not better than in +their public. The men are thriftless, proud, extravagant, and very +much given to gaming; and the women have but little education, and +a good deal of beauty, and their morality, of course, is none of +the best; yet the instances of infidelity are much less frequent +than one would at first suppose. In fact, one vice is set over +against another; and thus something like a balance is obtained. If +the women have but little virtue, the jealousy of their husbands +is extreme, and their revenge deadly and almost certain. A few +inches of cold steel has been the punishment of many an unwary +man, who has been guilty, perhaps, of nothing more than +indiscretion. The difficulties of the attempt are numerous, and +the consequences of discovery fatal, in the better classes. With +the unmarried women, too, great watchfulness is used. The main +object of the parents is to marry their daughters well, and to +this a fair name is necessary. The sharp eyes of a duena, and the +ready weapons of a father or brother, are a protection which the +characters of most of them-- men and women-- render by no means +useless; for the very men who would lay down their lives to avenge +the dishonor of their own family would risk the same lives to +complete the dishonor of another. + +Of the poor Indians very little care is taken. The priests, +indeed, at the missions, are said to keep them very strictly, and +some rules are usually made by the alcaldes to punish their +misconduct; yet it all amounts to but little. Indeed, to show the +entire want of any sense of morality or domestic duty among them, +I have frequently known an Indian to bring his wife, to whom he +was lawfully married in the church, down to the beach, and carry +her back again, dividing with her the money which she had got from +the sailors. If any of the girls were discovered by the alcalde to +be open evil livers, they were whipped, and kept at work sweeping +the square of the presidio, and carrying mud and bricks for the +buildings; yet a few reals would generally buy them off. +Intemperance, too, is a common vice among the Indians. The +Mexicans, on the contrary, are abstemious, and I do not remember +ever having seen a Mexican intoxicated. + +Such are the people who inhabit a country embracing four or five +hundred miles of sea-coast, with several good harbors; with fine +forests in the north; the waters filled with fish, and the plains +covered with thousands of herds of cattle; blessed with a climate +than which there can be no better in the world; free from all +manner of diseases, whether epidemic or endemic; and with a soil +in which corn yields from seventy to eighty fold. In the hands of +an enterprising people, what a country this might be! we are ready +to say. Yet how long would a people remain so, in such a country? +The Americans (as those from the United States are called) and +Englishmen, who are fast filling up the principal towns, and +getting the trade into their hands, are indeed more industrious +and effective than the Mexicans; yet their children are brought up +Mexicans in most respects, and if the ``California fever'' +(laziness) spares the first generation, it is likely to attack the +second. + +CHAPTER XXII + +Saturday, July 18th. This day sailed the Mexican hermaphrodite +brig Fazio, for San Blas and Mazatlan. This was the brig which was +driven ashore at San Pedro in a southeaster, and had been lying at +San Diego to repair and take in her cargo. The owner of her had +had a good deal of difficulty with the government about the +duties, &c., and her sailing had been delayed for several weeks; +but everything having been arranged, she got under way with a +light breeze, and was floating out of the harbor, when two +horsemen came dashing down to the beach at full speed, and tried +to find a boat to put off after her; but there being none then at +hand, they offered a handful of silver to any Kanaka who would +swim off and take a letter on board. One of the Kanakas, an +active, well-made young fellow, instantly threw off everything but +his duck trousers, and, putting the letter into his hat, swam off, +after the vessel. Fortunately the wind was very light, and the +vessel was going slowly, so that, although she was nearly a mile +off when he started, he gained on her rapidly. He went through the +water leaving a wake like a small steamboat. I certainly never saw +such swimming before. They saw him coming from the deck, but did +not heave-to, suspecting the nature of his errand; yet, the wind +continuing light, he swam alongside, and got on board, and +delivered his letter. The captain read the letter, told the Kanaka +there was no answer, and, giving him a glass of brandy, left him +to jump overboard and find the best of his way to the shore. The +Kanaka swam in for the nearest point of land, and in about an hour +made his appearance at the hide-house. He did not seem at all +fatigued, had made three or four dollars, got a glass of brandy, +and was in high spirits. The brig kept on her course, and the +government officers, who had come down to forbid her sailing, went +back, each with something very like a flea in his ear, having +depended upon extorting a little more money from the owner. + +It was now nearly three months since the Alert arrived at Santa +Barbara, and we began to expect her daily. About half a mile +behind the hide-house was a high hill, and every afternoon, as +soon as we had done our work, some one of us walked up to see if +there was a sail in sight, coming down before the regular trades. +Day after day we went up the hill, and came back disappointed. I +was anxious for her arrival, for I had been told by letter, that +the owners in Boston, at the request of my friends, had written to +Captain Thompson to take me on board the Alert, in case she +returned to the United States before the Pilgrim; and I, of +course, wished to know whether the order had been received, and +what was the destination of the ship. One year, more or less, +might be of small consequence to others, but it was everything to +me. It was now just a year since we sailed from Boston, and, at +the shortest, no vessel could expect to get away under eight or +nine months, which would make our absence two years in all. This +would be pretty long, but would not be fatal. It would not +necessarily be decisive of my future life. But one year more might +settle the matter. I might be a sailor for life; and although I +had pretty well made up my mind to it before I had my letters from +home, yet, as soon as an opportunity was held out to me of +returning, and the prospect of another kind of life was opened to +me, my anxiety to return, and, at least, to have the chance of +deciding upon my course for myself, was beyond measure. Beside +that, I wished to be ``equal to either fortune,'' and to qualify +myself for an officer's berth, and a hide-house was no place to +learn seamanship in. I had become experienced in hide-curing, and +everything went on smoothly, and I had many opportunities of +becoming acquainted with the people, and much leisure for reading +and studying navigation; yet practical seamanship could only be +got on board ship, therefore I determined to ask to be taken on +board the ship when she arrived. By the first of August we +finished curing all our hides, stored them away, cleaned out our +vats (in which latter work we spent two days, up to our knees in +mud and the sediments of six months' hide-curing, in a stench +which would drive a donkey from his breakfast), and got all in +readiness for the arrival of the ship, and had another leisure +interval of three or four weeks. I spent these, as usual, in +reading, writing, studying, making and mending my clothes, and +getting my wardrobe in complete readiness in case I should go on +board the ship; and in fishing, ranging the woods with the dogs, +and in occasional visits to the presidio and mission. A good deal +of my time was passed in taking care of a little puppy, which I +had selected from thirty-six that were born within three days of +one another at our house. He was a fine, promising pup, with four +white paws, and all the rest of his body of a dark brown. I built +a little kennel for him, and kept him fastened there, away from +the other dogs, feeding and disciplining him myself. In a few +weeks I brought him into complete subjection, and he grew nicely, +was much attached to me, and bade fair to be one of the leading +dogs on the beach. I called him Bravo, and all I regretted at the +thought of leaving the beach was parting from him and the Kanakas. + +Day after day we went up the hill, but no ship was to be seen, and +we began to form all sorts of conjectures as to her whereabouts; +and the theme of every evening's conversation at the different +houses, and in our afternoon's paseo upon the beach, was the ship,-- +where she could be, had she been to San Francisco, how many +hides she would bring, &c., &c. + +Tuesday, August 25th. This morning the officer in charge of our +house went off beyond the point a-fishing, in a small canoe, with +two Kanakas; and we were sitting quietly in our room at the +hide-house, when, just before noon, we heard a complete yell of +``Sail ho!'' breaking out from all parts of the beach at once,-- +from the Kanakas' oven to the Rosa's hide-house. In an instant +every one was out of his house, and there was a tall, gallant +ship, with royals and skysails set, bending over before the strong +afternoon breeze, and coming rapidly round the point. Her yards +were braced sharp up; every sail was set, and drew well; the stars +and stripes were flying from her mizzen-peak, and, having the tide +in her favor, she came up like a race-horse. It was nearly six +months since a new vessel had entered San Diego, and, of course, +every one was wide awake. She certainly made a fine appearance. +Her light sails were taken in, as she passed the low, sandy tongue +of land, and clewing up her head sails, she rounded handsomely to +under her mizzen topsail, and let go her anchor at about a cable's +length from the shore. In a few minutes the topsail yards were +manned, and all three of the topsails furled at once. From the +fore top-gallant yard, the men slid down the stay to furl the jib, +and from the mizzen top-gallant yard, by the stay, into the +main-top, and thence to the yard; and the men on the topsail yards +came down the lifts to the yard-arms of the courses. The sails +were furled with great care, the bunts triced up by jiggers, and +the jibs stowed in cloth. The royal-yards were then struck, +tackles got upon the yard-arms and the stay, the long-boat hoisted +out, a large anchor carried astern, and the ship moored. This was +the Alert. + +The gig was lowered away from the quarter, and a boat's crew of +fine lads, between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, pulled the +captain ashore. The gig was a light whale-boat, handsomely +painted, and fitted up with cushions and tiller-ropes in the stern +sheets. We immediately attacked the boat's crew, and got very +thick with them in a few minutes. We had much to ask about Boston, +their passage out, &c., and they were very curious to know about +the kind of life we were leading upon the beach. One of them +offered to exchange with me, which was just what I wanted, and we +had only to get the permission of the captain. + +After dinner the crew began discharging their hides, and, as we +had nothing to do at the hide-houses, we were ordered aboard to +help them. I had now my first opportunity of seeing the ship which +I hoped was to be my home for the next year. She looked as well on +board as she did from without. Her decks were wide and roomy +(there being no poop, or house on deck, which disfigures the after +part of most of our vessels), flush fore and aft, and as white as +flax, which the crew told us was from constant use of holystones. +There was no foolish gilding and gingerbread work, to take the eye +of landsmen and passengers, but everything was ``ship-shape.'' +There was no rust, no dirt, no rigging hanging slack, no fag-ends +of ropes and ``Irish pendants'' aloft, and the yards were squared +``to a t'' by lifts and braces. The mate was a hearty fellow, with +a roaring voice, and always wide awake. He was ``a man, every inch +of him,'' as the sailors said; and though ``a bit of a horse,'' +and ``a hard customer,'' yet he was generally liked by the crew. +There was also a second and third mate, a carpenter, sailmaker, +steward, and cook, and twelve hands before the mast. She had on +board seven thousand hides, which she had collected at the +windward, and also horns and tallow. All these we began +discharging from both gangways at once into the two boats, the +second mate having charge of the launch, and the third mate of the +pinnace. For several days we were employed in this way, until all +the hides were taken out, when the crew began taking in ballast, +and we returned to our old work, hide-curing. + +Saturday, August 29th. Arrived, brig Catalina, from the windward. + +Sunday, August 30th. This was the first Sunday that the Alert's +crew had been in San Diego, and of course they were all for going +up to see the town. The Indians came down early, with horses to +let for the day, and those of the crew who could obtain liberty +went off to the Presidio and Mission, and did not return until +night. I had seen enough of San Diego, and went on board and spent +the day with some of the crew, whom I found quietly at work in the +forecastle, either mending and washing their clothes, or reading +and writing. They told me that the ship stopped at Callao on the +passage out, and lay there three weeks. She had a passage of a +little over eighty days from Boston to Callao, which is one of the +shortest on record. There they left the Brandywine frigate, and +some smaller American ships of war, and the English frigate +Blonde, and a French seventy-four. From Callao they came directly +to California, and had visited every port on the coast, including +San Francisco. The forecastle in which they lived was large, +tolerably well lighted by bull's-eyes, and, being kept perfectly +clean, had quite a comfortable appearance; at least, it was far +better than the little, black, dirty hole in which I had lived so +many months on board the Pilgrim. By the regulations of the ship, +the forecastle was cleaned out every morning; and the crew, being +very neat, kept it clean by some regulations of their own, such as +having a large spit-box always under the steps and between the +bits, and obliging every man to hang up his wet clothes, &c. In +addition to this, it was holystoned every Saturday morning. In the +after part of the ship was a handsome cabin, a dining-room, and a +trade-room, fitted out with shelves, and furnished with all sorts +of goods. Between these and the forecastle was the +``between-decks,'' as high as the gun-deck of a frigate, being six +feet and a half, under the beams. These between-decks were +holystoned regularly, and kept in the most perfect order; the +carpenter's bench and tools being in one part, the sailmaker's in +another, and boatswain's locker, with the spare rigging, in a +third. A part of the crew slept here, in hammocks swung fore and +aft from the beams, and triced up every morning. The sides of the +between-decks were clapboarded, the knees and stanchions of iron, +and the latter made to unship. The crew said she was as tight as a +drum, and a fine sea boat, her only fault being-- that of most +fast ships-- that she was wet forward. When she was going, as she +sometimes would, eight or nine knots on a wind, there would not be +a dry spot forward of the gangway. The men told great stories of +her sailing, and had entire confidence in her as a ``lucky ship.'' +She was seven years old, had always been in the Canton trade, had +never met with an accident of any consequence, nor made a passage +that was not shorter than the average. The third mate, a young man +about eighteen years of age, nephew of one of the owners, had been +in the ship from a small boy, and ``believed in the ship''; and +the chief mate thought as much of her as he would of a wife and +family. + +The ship lay about a week longer in port, when, having discharged +her cargo and taken in ballast, she prepared to get under way. I +now made my application to the captain to go on board. He told me +that I could go home in the ship when she sailed (which I knew +before); and, finding that I wished to be on board while she was +on the coast, said he had no objection, if I could find one of my +own age to exchange with me for the time. This I easily +accomplished, for they were glad to change the scene by a few +months on shore, and, moreover, escape the winter and the +southeasters; and I went on board the next day, with my chest and +hammock, and found myself once more afloat. + +CHAPTER XXIII + +Tuesday, September 8th, 1835. This was my first day's duty on +board the ship; and though a sailor's life is a sailor's life +wherever it may be, yet I found everything very different here +from the customs of the brig Pilgrim. After all hands were called +at daybreak, three minutes and a half were allowed for the men to +dress and come on deck, and if any were longer than that, they +were sure to be overhauled by the mate, who was always on deck, +and making himself heard all over the ship. The head-pump was then +rigged, and the decks washed down by the second and third mates; +the chief mate walking the quarter-deck, and keeping a general +supervision, but not deigning to touch a bucket or a brush. Inside +and out, fore and aft, upper deck and between-decks, steerage and +forecastle, rail, bulwarks, and water-ways, were washed, scrubbed, +and scraped with brooms and canvas, and the decks were wet and +sanded all over, and then holystoned. The holystone is a large, +soft stone, smooth on the bottom, with long ropes attached to each +end, by which the crew keep it sliding fore and aft over the wet +sanded decks. Smaller hand-stones, which the sailors call +``prayer-books,'' are used to scrub in among the crevices and +narrow places, where the large holystone will not go. An hour or +two we were kept at this work, when the head-pump was manned, and +all the sand washed off the decks and sides. Then came swabs and +squilgees; and, after the decks were dry, each one went to his +particular morning job. There were five boats belonging to the +ship,-- launch, pinnace, jolly-boat, larboard quarter-boat, and +gig,-- each of which had a coxswain, who had charge of it, and was +answerable for the order and cleanness of it. The rest of the +cleaning was divided among the crew; one having the brass and +composition work about the capstan; another the bell, which was of +brass, and kept as bright as a gilt button; a third, the +harness-cask; another, the man-rope stanchions; others, the steps +of the forecastle and hatchways, which were hauled up and +holystoned. Each of these jobs must be finished before breakfast; +and in the mean time the rest of the crew filled the +scuttled-butt, and the cook scraped his kids (wooden tubs out of +which sailors eat), and polished the hoops, and placed them before +the galley to await inspection. When the decks were dry, the lord +paramount made his appearance on the quarter-deck, and took a few +turns, eight bells were struck, and all hands went to breakfast. +Half an hour was allowed for breakfast, when all hands were called +again; the kids, pots, bread-bags, &c., stowed away; and, this +morning, preparations were made for getting under way. We paid out +on the chain by which we swung, hove in on the other, catted the +anchor, and hove short on the first. This work was done in shorter +time than was usual on board the brig; for though everything was +more than twice as large and heavy, the cat-block being as much as +a man could lift, and the chain as large as three of the +Pilgrim's, yet there was a plenty of room to move about in, more +discipline and system, more men, and more good-will. Each seemed +ambitious to do his best. Officers and men knew their duty, and +all went well. As soon as she was hove short, the mate, on the +forecastle, gave the order to loose the sails! and, in an instant +all sprung into the rigging, up the shrouds, and out on the yards, +scrambling by one another,-- the first up, the best fellow,-- cast +off the yard-arm gaskets and bunt gaskets, and one man remained on +each yard, holding the bunt jigger with a turn round the tye, all +ready to let go, while the rest laid down to man the sheets and +halyards. The mate then hailed the yards,-- ``All ready forward?''-- +``All ready the cross-jack yards?'' &c., &c.; and ``Aye, aye, +sir!'' being returned from each, the word was given to let go; +and, in the twinkling of an eye, the ship, which had shown nothing +but her bare yards, was covered with her loose canvas, from the +royal-mast-heads to the decks. All then came down, except one man +in each top, to overhaul the rigging, and the topsails were +hoisted and sheeted home, the three yards going to the mast-head +at once, the larboard watch hoisting the fore, the starboard watch +the main, and five light hands (of whom I was one), picked from +the two watches, the mizzen. The yards were then trimmed, the +anchor weighed, the cat-block hooked on, the fall stretched out, +manned by ``all hands and the cook,'' and the anchor brought to +the head with ``cheerly, men!'' in full chorus. The ship being now +under way, the light sails were set, one after another, and she +was under full sail before she had passed the sandy point. The +fore royal, which fell to my lot (as I was in the mate's watch), +was more than twice as large as that of the Pilgrim, and, though I +could handle the brig's easily, I found my hands full with this, +especially as there were no jacks to the ship, everything being +for neatness, and nothing left for Jack to hold on by but his +``eyelids.'' + +As soon as we were beyond the point, and all sail out, the order +was given, ``Go below, the watch!'' and the crew said that, ever +since they had been on the coast, they had had ``watch and watch'' +while going from port to port; and, in fact, all things showed +that, though strict discipline was kept, and the utmost was +required of every man in the way of his duty, yet, on the whole, +there was good usage on board. Each one knew that he must be a +man, and show himself such when at his duty, yet all were +satisfied with the treatment; and a contented crew, agreeing with +one another, and finding no fault, was a contrast indeed with the +small, hard-used, dissatisfied, grumbling, desponding crew of the +Pilgrim. + +It being the turn of our watch to go below, the men set themselves +to work, mending their clothes, and doing other little things for +themselves; and I, having got my wardrobe in complete order at San +Diego, had nothing to do but to read. I accordingly overhauled the +chests of the crew, but found nothing that suited me exactly, +until one of the men said he had a book which ``told all about a +great highwayman,'' at the bottom of his chest, and, producing it, +I found, to my surprise and joy, that it was nothing else than +Bulwer's Paul Clifford. I seized it immediately, and, going to my +hammock, lay there, swinging and reading, until the watch below +was out. The between-decks clear, the hatchways open, a cool +breeze blowing through them, the ship under easy way,-- everything +was comfortable. I had just got well into the story when eight +bells were struck, and we were all ordered to dinner. After dinner +came our watch on deck for four hours, and at four o'clock I went +below again, turned into my hammock and read until the dog watch. +As lights were not allowed after eight o'clock, there was no +reading in the night watch. Having light winds and calms, we were +three days on the passage, and each watch below, during the +daytime, I spent in the same manner, until I had finished my book. +I shall never forget the enjoyment I derived from it. To come +across anything with the slightest claims to literary merit was so +unusual that this was a feast to me. The brilliancy of the book, +the succession of capital hits, and the lively and characteristic +sketches, kept me in a constant state of pleasing sensations. It +was far too good for a sailor. I could not expect such fine times +to last long. + +While on deck, the regular work of the ship went on. The sailmaker +and carpenter worked between decks, and the crew had their work to +do upon the rigging, drawing yarns, making spun-yarn, &c., as +usual in merchantmen. The night watches were much more pleasant +than on board the Pilgrim. There, there were so few in a watch, +that, one being at the wheel and another on the lookout, there was +no one left to talk with; but here we had seven in a watch, so +that we had long yarns in abundance. After two or three night +watches, I became well acquainted with the larboard watch. The +sailmaker was the head man of the watch, and was generally +considered the most experienced seaman on board. He was a +thorough-bred old man-of-war's-man, had been at sea twenty-two +years, in all kinds of vessels,-- men-of-war, privateers, slavers, +and merchantmen,-- everything except whalers, which a thorough +man-of-war or merchant seaman looks down upon, and will always +steer clear of if he can. He had, of course, been in most parts of +the world, and was remarkable for drawing a long bow. His yarns +frequently stretched through a watch, and kept all hands awake. +They were amusing from their improbability, and, indeed, he never +expected to be believed, but spun them merely for amusement; and +as he had some humor and a good supply of man-of-war slang and +sailor's salt phrases, he always made fun. Next to him in age and +experience, and, of course, in standing in the watch, was an +Englishman named Harris, of whom I shall have more to say +hereafter. Then came two or three Americans, who had been the +common run of European and South American voyages, and one who had +been in a ``spouter,'' and, of course, had all the whaling stories +to himself. Last of all was a broad-backed, thick-headed, Cape +Cod[1] boy, who had been in mackerel schooners, and was making his +first voyage in a square-rigged vessel. He was born in Hingham, +and of course was called ``Bucket-maker.'' The other watch was +composed of about the same number. A tall, fine-looking Frenchman, +with coal-black whiskers and curly hair, a first-rate seaman, +named John (one name is enough for a sailor), was the head man of +the watch. Then came two Americans (one of whom had been a +dissipated young man of some property and respectable connections, +and was reduced to duck trousers and monthly wages), a German, an +English lad, named Ben, who belonged on the mizzen-topsail yard +with me, and was a good sailor for his years, and two Boston boys +just from the public schools. The carpenter sometimes mustered in +the starboard watch, and was an old sea-dog, a Swede by birth, and +accounted the best helmsman in the ship. This was our ship's +company, beside cook and steward, who were blacks, three mates, +and the captain. + +The second day out, the wind drew ahead, and we had to beat up the +coast; so that, in tacking ship, I could see the regulations of +the vessel. Instead of going wherever was most convenient, and +running from place to place, wherever work was to be done, each +man had his station. A regular tacking and wearing bill was made +out. The chief mate commanded on the forecastle, and had charge of +the head sails and the forward part of the ship. Two of the best +men in the ship, the sailmaker from our watch, and John, the +Frenchman, from the other, worked the forecastle. The third mate +commanded in the waist, and, with the carpenter and one man, +worked the main tack and bowline; the cook, ex officio, the fore +sheet, and the steward the main. The second mate had charge of the +after yards, and let go the lee fore and main braces. I was +stationed at the weather cross-jack braces; three other light +hands at the lee; one boy at the spanker-sheet and guy; a man and +a boy at the main topsail, top-gallant, and royal braces; and all +the rest of the crew-- men and boys-- tallied on to the main +brace. Every one here knew his station, must be there when all +hands were called to put the ship about, and was answerable for +the ropes committed to him. Each man's rope must be let go and +hauled in at the order, properly made fast, and neatly coiled away +when the ship was about. As soon as all hands are at their +stations, the captain, who stands on the weather side of the +quarter-deck, makes a sign to the man at the wheel to put it down, +and calls out ``Helm's a lee'!'' ``Helm's a lee'!'' answers the +mate on the forecastle, and the head sheets are let go. ``Raise +tacks and sheets!'' says the captain; ``tacks and sheets!'' is +passed forward, and the fore tack and main sheet are let go. The +next thing is to haul taut for a swing. The weather cross-jack +braces and the lee main braces are belayed together upon two pins, +and ready to be let go, and the opposite braces hauled taut. +``Main topsail haul!'' shouts the captain; the braces are let go; +and if he has chosen his time well, the yards swing round like a +top; but if he is too late, or too soon, it is like drawing teeth. +The after yards are then braced up and belayed, the main sheet +hauled aft, the spanker eased over to leeward, and the men from +the braces stand by the head yards. ``Let go and haul!'' says the +captain; the second mate lets go the weather fore braces, and the +men haul in to leeward. The mate, on the forecastle, looks out for +the head yards. ``Well the fore topsail yard!'' ``Top-gallant +yard's well!'' ``Royal yard too much! Haul in to windward! So! +well that!'' ``Well all!'' Then the starboard watch board the main +tack, and the larboard watch lay forward and board the fore tack +and haul down the jib sheet, clapping a tackle upon it if it blows +very fresh. The after yards are then trimmed, the captain +generally looking out for them himself. ``Well the cross-jack[2] +yard!'' ``Small pull the main top-gallant yard!'' ``Well that!'' +``Well the mizzen topsail yard!'' ``Cross-jack yards all well!'' +``Well all aft!'' ``Haul taut to windward!'' Everything being now +trimmed and in order, each man coils up the rigging at his own +station, and the order is given, ``Go below the watch!'' + +During the last twenty-four hours of the passage, we beat off and +on the land, making a tack about once in four hours, so that I had +sufficient opportunity to observe the working of the ship; and +certainly it took no more men to brace about this ship's lower +yards, which were more than fifty feet square, than it did those +of the Pilgrim, which were not much more than half the size; so +much depends upon the manner in which the braces run, and the +state of the blocks; and Captain Wilson, of the Ayacucho, who was +afterwards a passenger with us, upon a trip to windward, said he +had no doubt that our ship worked two men lighter than his brig. +This light working of the ship was owing to the attention and +seamanship of Captain Faucon. He had reeved anew nearly all the +running rigging of the ship, getting rid of useless blocks, +putting single blocks for double wherever he could, using pendent +blocks, and adjusting the purchases scientifically. + +Friday, September 11th. This morning, at four o'clock, went below, +San Pedro point being about two leagues ahead, and the ship going +on under studding-sails. In about an hour we were waked up by the +hauling of the chain about decks, and in a few minutes ``All hands +ahoy!'' was called; and we were all at work, hauling in and making +up the studding-sails, overhauling the chain forward, and getting +the anchors ready. ``The Pilgrim is there at anchor,'' said some +one, as we were running about decks; and, taking a moment's look +over the rail, I saw my old friend, deeply laden, lying at anchor +inside of the kelp. In coming to anchor, as well as in tacking +ship, each one had his station and duty. The light sails were +clewed up and furled, the courses hauled up, and the jibs down; +then came the topsails in the buntlines, and the anchor let go. As +soon as she was well at anchor, all hands lay aloft to furl the +topsails; and this, I soon found, was a great matter on board this +ship; for every sailor knows that a vessel is judged of, a good +deal, by the furl of her sails. The third mate, sailmaker, and the +larboard watch, went upon the fore topsail yard; the second mate, +carpenter, and the starboard watch, upon the main; and I, and the +English lad, and the two Boston boys, and the young Cape Cod man, +furled the mizzen topsail. This sail belonged to us altogether to +reef and to furl, and not a man was allowed to come upon our yard. +The mate took us under his special care, frequently making us furl +the sail over three or four times, until we got the bunt up to a +perfect cone, and the whole sail without a wrinkle. As soon as +each sail was hauled up and the bunt made, the jigger was bent on +to the slack of the buntlines, and the bunt triced up, on deck. +The mate then took his place between the knight-heads to ``twig'' +the fore, on the windlass to twig the main, and at the foot of the +mainmast for the mizzen; and if anything was wrong,-- too much +bunt on one side, clews too taut or too slack, or any sail abaft +the yard,-- the whole must be dropped again. When all was right, +the bunts were triced well up, the yard-arm gaskets passed, so as +not to leave a wrinkle forward of the yard-- short gaskets, with +turns close together. + +From the moment of letting go the anchor, when the captain ceases +his care of things, the chief mate is the great man. With a voice +like a young lion, he was hallooing in all directions, making +everything fly, and, at the same time, doing everything well. He +was quite a contrast to the worthy, quiet, unobtrusive mate of the +Pilgrim, not a more estimable man, perhaps, but a far better mate +of a vessel; and the entire change in Captain Thompson's conduct, +since he took command of the ship, was owing, no doubt, in a great +measure, to this fact. If the chief officer wants force, +discipline slackens, everything gets out of joint, and the captain +interferes continually; that makes a difficulty between them, +which encourages the crew, and the whole ends in a three-sided +quarrel. But Mr. Brown (a Marblehead man) wanted no help from +anybody, took everything into his own hands, and was more likely +to encroach upon the authority of the master than to need any +spurring. Captain Thompson gave his directions to the mate in +private, and, except in coming to anchor, getting under way, +tacking, reefing topsails, and other ``all-hands-work,'' seldom +appeared in person. This is the proper state of things; and while +this lasts, and there is a good understanding aft, everything will +go on well. + +Having furled all the sails, the royal yards were next to be sent +down. The English lad and myself sent down the main, which was +larger than the Pilgrim's main top-gallant yard; two more light +hands the fore, and one boy the mizzen. This order we kept while +on the coast, sending them up and down every time we came in and +went out of port. They were all tripped and lowered together, the +main on the starboard side, and the fore and mizzen to port. No +sooner was she all snug, than tackles were got up on the yards and +stays, and the long-boat and pinnace hove out. The swinging booms +were then guyed out, and the boats made fast by geswarps, and +everything in harbor style. After breakfast, the hatches were +taken off, and everything got ready to receive hides from the +Pilgrim. All day, boats were passing and repassing, until we had +taken her hides from her, and left her in ballast trim. These +hides made but little show in our hold, though they had loaded the +Pilgrim down to the water's edge. This changing of the hides +settled the question of the destination of the two vessels, which +had been one of some speculation with us. We were to remain in the +leeward ports, while the Pilgrim was to sail, the next morning, +for San Francisco. After we had knocked off work, and cleared up +decks for the night, my friend Stimson came on board, and spent an +hour with me in our berth between decks. The Pilgrim's crew envied +me my place on board the ship, and seemed to think that I had got +a little to windward of them, especially in the matter of going +home first. Stimson was determined to go home in the Alert, by +begging or buying. If Captain Thompson would not let him come on +other terms, he would purchase an exchange with some one of the +crew. The prospect of another year after the Alert should sail was +rather ``too much of the monkey.'' About seven o'clock the mate +came down into the steerage in fine trim for fun, roused the boys +out of the berth, turned up the carpenter with his fiddle, sent +the steward with lights to put in the between-decks, and set all +hands to dancing. The between-decks were high enough to allow of +jumping, and being clear, and white, from holystoning, made a good +dancing-hall. Some of the Pilgrim's crew were in the forecastle, +and they all turned-to and had a regular sailor's shuffle till +eight bells. The Cape Cod boy could dance the true fisherman's +jig, barefooted, knocking with his heels, and slapping the decks +with his bare feet, in time with the music. This was a favorite +amusement of the mate's, who used to stand at the steerage door, +looking on, and if the boys would not dance, hazed them round with +a rope's end, much to the entertainment of the men. + +The next morning, according to the orders of the agent, the +Pilgrim set sail for the windward, to be gone three or four +months. She got under way with no fuss, and came so near us as to +throw a letter on board, Captain Faucon standing at the tiller +himself, and steering her as he would a mackerel smack. When +Captain Thompson was in command of the Pilgrim, there was as much +preparation and ceremony as there would be in getting a +seventy-four under way. Captain Faucon was a sailor, every inch of +him. He knew what a ship was, and was as much at home in one as a +cobbler in his stall. I wanted no better proof of this than the +opinion of the ship's crew, for they had been six months under his +command, and knew him thoroughly, and if sailors allow their +captain to be a good seaman, you may be sure he is one, for that +is a thing they are not usually ready to admit. To find fault with +the seamanship of the captain is a crew's reserved store for +grumbling. + +After the Pilgrim left us, we lay three weeks at San Pedro, from +the 11th of September until the 2d of October, engaged in the +usual port duties of landing cargo, taking off hides, &c., &c. +These duties were much easier, and went on much more agreeably, +than on board the Pilgrim. ``The more the merrier'' is the +sailor's maxim, and, by a division of labor, a boat's crew of a +dozen could take off all the hides brought down in a day without +much trouble; and on shore, as well as on board, a good-will, and +no discontent or grumbling, make everything go well. The officer, +too, who usually went with us, the third mate, was a pleasant +young fellow, and made no unnecessary trouble; so that we +generally had a sociable time, and were glad to be relieved from +the restraint of the ship. While here, I often thought of the +miserable, gloomy weeks we had spent in this dull place, in the +brig; discontent and hard usage on board, and four hands to do all +the work on shore. Give me a big ship. There is more room, better +outfit, better regulation, more life, and more company. Another +thing was better arranged here: we had a regular gig's crew. A +light whale-boat, handsomely painted, and fitted out with stern +seats, yoke and tiller-ropes, hung on the starboard quarter, and +was used as the gig. The youngest lad in the ship, a Boston boy +about fourteen years old, was coxswain of this boat, and had the +entire charge of her, to keep her clean and have her in readiness +to go and come at any hour. Four light hands, of about the same +size and age, of whom I was one, formed her crew. Each had his oar +and seat numbered, and we were obliged to be in our places, have +our oars scraped white, our tholepins in, and the fenders over the +side. The bowman had charge of the boat-hook and painter, and the +coxswain of the rudder, yoke, and stern-sheets. Our duty was to +carry the captain and agent about, and passengers off and on, +which last was no trifling duty, as the people on shore have no +boats, and every purchaser, from the boy who buys his pair of +shoes, to the trader who buys his casks and bales, was to be +brought off and taken ashore in our boat. Some days, when people +were coming and going fast, we were in the boat, pulling off and +on, all day long, with hardly time for our meals, making, as we +lay nearly three miles off shore, from thirty to forty miles' +rowing in a day. Still, we thought it the best berth in the ship; +for when the gig was employed, we had nothing to do with the +cargo, except with small bundles which the passengers took with +them, and no hides to carry. Besides, we had the opportunity of +seeing everybody, making acquaintances, and hearing the news. +Unless the captain or agent was in the boat, we had no officer +with us, and often had fine times with the passengers, who were +always willing to talk and joke with us. Frequently, too, we were +obliged to wait several hours on shore, when we would haul the +boat up on the beach, and, leaving one to watch her, go to the +nearest house, or spend the time in strolling about the beach, +picking up shells, or playing hop-scotch, and other games, on the +hard sand. The others of the crew never left the ship, except for +bringing heavy goods and taking off hides; and though we were +always in the water, the surf hardly leaving us a dry thread from +morning till night, yet we were young, and the climate was good, +and we thought it much better than the quiet, humdrum drag and +pull on board ship. We made the acquaintance of nearly half +California; for, besides carrying everybody in our boat,-- men, +women, and children,-- all the messages, letters, and light +packages went by us, and, being known by our dress, we found a +ready reception everywhere. + +At San Pedro, we had none of this amusement, for, there being but +one house in the place, there was nothing to see and no company. +All the variety that I had was riding, once a week, to the nearest +rancho,[3] to order a bullock down to the ship. + +The brig Catalina came in from San Diego, and, being bound to +windward, we both got under way at the same time, for a trial of +speed up to Santa Barbara, a distance of about eighty miles. We +hove up and got under sail about eleven o'clock at night, with a +light land-breeze, which died away toward morning, leaving us +becalmed only a few miles from our anchoring-place. The Catalina, +being a small vessel, of less than half our size, put out sweeps +and got a boat ahead, and pulled out to sea during the night, so +that she had the sea-breeze earlier and stronger than we did, and +we had the mortification of seeing her standing up the coast with +a fine breeze, the sea all ruffled about her, while we were +becalmed in-shore. When the sea-breeze died away, she was nearly +out of sight; and, toward the latter part of the afternoon, the +regular northwest wind setting in fresh, we braced sharp upon it, +took a pull at every sheet, tack, and halyard, and stood after her +in fine style, our ship being very good upon a taut bowline. We +had nearly five hours of splendid sailing, beating up to windward +by long stretches in and off shore, and evidently gaining upon the +Catalina at every tack. When this breeze left us, we were so near +as to count the painted ports on her side. Fortunately, the wind +died away when we were on our inward tack, and she on her outward, +so we were in-shore, and caught the land-breeze first, which came +off upon our quarter, about the middle of the first watch. All +hands were turned up, and we set all sail, to the skysails and the +royal studding-sails; and with these, we glided quietly through +the water, leaving the Catalina, which could not spread so much +canvas as we, gradually astern, and, by daylight, were off Santa +Buenaventura, and our competitor nearly out of sight. The +sea-breeze, however, favored her again, while we were becalmed +under the headland, and laboring slowly along, and she was abreast +of us by noon. Thus we continued, ahead, astern, and abreast of +each other, alternately; now far out at sea, and again close in +under the shore. On the third morning we came into the great bay +of Santa Barbara two hours behind the brig, and thus lost the bet; +though if the race had been to the point, we should have beaten +her by five or six hours. This, however, settled the relative +sailing of the vessels, for it was admitted that although she, +being small and light, could gain upon us in very light winds, yet +whenever there was breeze enough to set us agoing, we walked away +from her like hauling in a line; and, in beating to windward, +which is the best trial of a vessel, had much the advantage. + +Sunday, October 4th. This was the day of our arrival; and, somehow +or other, our captain seemed to manage, not only to sail, but to +come into port, on a Sunday. The main reason for sailing on Sunday +is not, as many people suppose, because it is thought a lucky day +but because it is a leisure day. During the six days the crew are +employed upon the cargo and other ship's works, and, Sunday being +their only day of rest, whatever additional work can be thrown +into it is so much gain to the owners. This is the reason of our +coasters and packets generally sailing on Sunday. Thus it was with +us nearly all the time we were on the coast, and many of our +Sundays were lost entirely to us. The Catholics on shore do not, +as a general thing, do regular trading or make journeys on Sunday, +but the American has no national religion, and likes to show his +independence of priestcraft by doing as he chooses on the Lord's +Day. + +Santa Barbara looked very much as it did when I left it five +months before: the long sand beach, with the heavy rollers, +breaking upon it in a continual roar, and the little town, +embedded on the plain, girt by its amphitheatre of mountains. Day +after day the sun shone clear and bright upon the wide bay and the +red roofs of the houses, everything being as still as death, the +people hardly seeming to earn their sunlight. Daylight was thrown +away upon them. We had a few visitors, and collected about a +hundred hides, and every night, at sundown, the gig was sent +ashore to wait for the captain, who spent his evenings in the +town. We always took our monkey-jackets with us, and flint and +steel, and made a fire on the beach with the driftwood and the +bushes which we pulled from the neighboring thickets, and lay down +by it, on the sand. Sometimes we would stray up to the town, if +the captain was likely to stay late, and pass the time at some of +the houses, in which we were almost always well received by the +inhabitants. Sometimes earlier and sometimes later, the captain +came down; when, after a good drenching in the surf, we went +aboard, changed our clothes, and turned-in for the night,-- yet +not for all the night, for there was the anchor watch to stand. + +This leads me to speak of my watchmate for nine months,-- and, +taking him all in all, the most remarkable man I had ever seen,-- +Tom Harris. An hour, every night, while lying in port, Harris and +I had the deck to ourselves, and walking fore and aft, night after +night, for months, I learned his character and history, and more +about foreign nations, the habits of different people, and +especially the secrets of sailors' lives and hardships, and also +of practical seamanship (in which he was abundantly capable of +instructing me), than I could ever have learned elsewhere. His +memory was perfect, seeming to form a regular chain, reaching from +his earliest childhood up to the time I knew him, without a link +wanting. His power of calculation, too, was extraordinary. I +called myself pretty quick at figures, and had been through a +course of mathematical studies; but, working by my head, I was +unable to keep within sight of this man, who had never been beyond +his arithmetic. He carried in his head, not only a log-book of the +voyage, which was complete and accurate, and from which no one +thought of appealing, but also an accurate registry of the cargo, +knowing where each thing was stowed, and how many hides we took in +at each port. + +One night he made a rough calculation of the number of hides that +could be stowed in the lower hold, between the fore and main +masts, taking the depth of hold and breadth of beam (for he knew +the dimensions of every part of a ship before he had been long on +board), and the average area and thickness of a hide; and he came +surprisingly near the number, as it afterwards turned out. The +mate frequently came to him to know the capacity of different +parts of the vessel, and he could tell the sailmaker very nearly +the amount of canvas he would want for each sail in the ship; for +he knew the hoist of every mast, and spread of each sail, on the +head and foot, in feet and inches. When we were at sea, he kept a +running account, in his head, of the ship's way,-- the number of +knots and the courses; and, if the courses did not vary much +during the twenty-four hours, by taking the whole progress and +allowing so many eights southing or northing, to so many easting +or westing, he would make up his reckoning just before the captain +took the sun at noon, and often came very near the mark. He had, +in his chest, several volumes giving accounts of inventions in +mechanics, which he read with great pleasure, and made himself +master of. I doubt if he forgot anything that he read. The only +thing in the way of poetry that he ever read was Falconer's +Shipwreck, which he was charmed with, and pages of which he could +repeat. He said he could recall the name of every sailor that had +ever been his shipmate, and also of every vessel, captain, and +officer, and the principal dates of each voyage; and a sailor whom +we afterwards fell in with, who had been in a ship with Harris +nearly twelve years before, was much surprised at having Harris +tell him things about himself which he had entirely forgotten. His +facts, whether dates or events, no one thought of disputing; and +his opinions few of the sailors dared to oppose, for, right or +wrong, he always had the best of the argument with them. His +reasoning powers were striking. I have had harder work maintaining +an argument with him in a watch, even when I knew myself to be +right, and he was only doubting, than I ever had before, not from +his obstinacy, but from his acuteness. Give him only a little +knowledge of his subject, and, among all the young men of my +acquaintance at college, there is not one whom I had not rather +meet in an argument than this man. I never answered a question +from him, or advanced an opinion to him, without thinking more +than once. With an iron memory, he seemed to have your whole past +conversation at command, and if you said a thing now which ill +agreed with something you had said months before, he was sure to +have you on the hip. In fact, I felt, when with him, that I was +with no common man. I had a positive respect for his powers of +mind, and thought, often, that if half the pains had been spent +upon his education which are thrown away yearly, in our colleges, +he would have made his mark. Like many self-taught men of real +merit, he overrated the value of a regular education; and this I +often told him, though I had profited by his error; for he always +treated me with respect, and often unnecessarily gave way to me, +from an overestimate of my knowledge. For the intellectual +capacities of all the rest of the crew,-- captain and all,-- he +had a sovereign contempt. He was a far better sailor, and probably +a better navigator, than the captain, and had more brains than all +the after part of the ship put together. The sailors said, ``Tom's +got a head as long as the bowsprit,'' and if any one fell into an +argument with him, they would call out: ``Ah, Jack! you had better +drop that as you would a hot potato, for Tom will turn you inside +out before you know it!'' + +I recollect his posing me once on the subject of the Corn Laws. I +was called to stand my watch, and, coming on deck, found him there +before me; and we began, as usual, to walk fore and aft, in the +waist. He talked about the Corn Laws; asked me my opinion about +them, which I gave him, and my reasons, my small stock of which I +set forth to the best advantage, supposing his knowledge on the +subject must be less than mine, if, indeed, he had any at all. +When I had got through, he took the liberty of differing from me, +and brought arguments and facts which were new to me, and to which +I was unable to reply. I confessed that I knew almost nothing of +the subject, and expressed my surprise at the extent of his +information. He said that, a number of years before, while at a +boarding-house in Liverpool, he had fallen in with a pamphlet on +the subject, and, as it contained calculations, had read it very +carefully, and had ever since wished to find some one who could +add to his stock of knowledge on the question. Although it was +many years since he had seen the book, and it was a subject with +which he had had no previous acquaintance, yet he had the chain of +reasoning, founded upon principles of political economy, fully in +his memory; and his facts, so far as I could judge, were correct; +at least, he stated them with precision. The principles of the +steam-engine, too, he was familiar with, having been several +months on board a steamboat, and made himself master of its +secrets. He knew every lunar star in both hemispheres, and was a +master of the quadrant and sextant. The men said he could take a +meridian altitude of the sun from a tar bucket. Such was the man, +who, at forty, was still a dog before the mast, at twelve dollars +a month. The reason of this was to be found in his past life, as I +had it, at different times, from himself. + +He was an Englishman, a native of Ilfracomb, in Devonshire. His +father was skipper of a small coaster from Bristol, and, dying, +left him, when quite young, to the care of his mother, by whose +exertions he received a common-school education, passing his +winters at school and his summers in the coasting trade until his +seventeenth year, when he left home to go upon foreign voyages. Of +this mother he spoke with the greatest respect, and said that she +was a woman of a strong mind, and had an excellent system of +education, which had made respectable men of his three brothers, +and failed in him only from his own indomitable obstinacy. One +thing he mentioned, in which he said his mother differed from all +other mothers that he had ever seen disciplining their children; +that was, that when he was out of humor and refused to eat, +instead of putting his plate away, saying that his hunger would +bring him to it in time, she would stand over him and oblige him +to eat it,-- every mouthful of it. It was no fault of hers that he +was what I saw him; and so great was his sense of gratitude for +her efforts, though unsuccessful, that he determined, when the +voyage should end, to embark for home with all the wages he should +get, to spend with and for his mother, if perchance he should find +her alive. + +After leaving home, he had spent nearly twenty years sailing upon +all sorts of voyages, generally out of the ports of New York and +Boston. Twenty years of vice! Every sin that a sailor knows, he +had gone to the bottom of. Several times he had been hauled up in +the hospitals, and as often the great strength of his constitution +had brought him out again in health. Several times, too, from his +acknowledged capacity, he had been promoted to the office of chief +mate, and as often his conduct when in port, especially his +drunkenness, which neither fear nor ambition could induce him to +abandon, put him back into the forecastle. One night, when giving +me an account of his life, and lamenting the years of manhood he +had thrown away, ``There,'' said he, ``in the forecastle, at the +foot of those steps, a chest of old clothes, is the result of +twenty-two years of hard labor and exposure-- worked like a horse, +and treated like a dog.'' As he had grown older, he began to feel +the necessity of some provision for his later years, and came +gradually to the conviction that rum had been his worst enemy. One +night, in Havana, a young shipmate of his was brought aboard +drunk, with a dangerous gash in his head, and his money and new +clothes stripped from him. Harris had been in hundreds of such +scenes as these, but in his then state of mind it fixed his +determination, and he resolved never to taste a drop of strong +drink of any kind. He signed no pledge, and made no vow, but +relied on his own strength of purpose. The first thing with him +was a reason, and then a resolution, and the thing was done. The +date of his resolution he knew, of course, to the very hour. It +was three years before I became acquainted with him, and during +all that time nothing stronger than cider or coffee had passed his +lips. The sailors never thought of enticing Tom to take a glass, +any more than they would of talking to the ship's compass. He was +now a temperate man for life, and capable of filling any berth in +a ship, and many a high station there is on shore which is held by +a meaner man. + +He understood the management of a ship upon scientific principles, +and could give the reason for hauling every rope; and a long +experience, added to careful observation at the time, gave him a +knowledge of the expedients and resorts for times of hazard, for +which I became much indebted to him, as he took the greatest +pleasure in opening his stores of information to me, in return for +what I was enabled to do for him. Stories of tyranny and hardship +which had driven men to piracy; of the incredible ignorance of +masters and mates, and of horrid brutality to the sick, dead, and +dying; as well as of the secret knavery and impositions practised +upon seamen by connivance of the owners, landlords, and officers,-- +all these he had, and I could not but believe them; for he made +the impression of an exact man, to whom exaggeration was +falsehood; and his statements were always credited. I remember, +among other things, his speaking of a captain whom I had known by +report, who never handed a thing to a sailor, but put it on deck +and kicked it to him; and of another, who was highly connected in +Boston, who absolutely murdered a lad from Boston who went out +with him before the mast to Sumatra, by keeping him hard at work +while ill of the coast fever, and obliging him to sleep in the +close steerage. (The same captain has since died of the same fever +on the same coast.) + +In fact, taking together all that I learned from him of +seamanship, of the history of sailors' lives, of practical wisdom, +and of human nature under new circumstances and strange forms of +life,-- a great history from which many are shut out,-- I would +not part with the hours I spent in the watch with that man for the +gift of many hours to be passed in study and intercourse with even +the best of society. + +[1] Sailors call men from any part of the coast of Massachusetts +south of Boston Cape Cod men. + +[2] Pronounced croj-ac. + +[3] This was Sepulveda's rancho, where there was a fight, during our +war with Mexico in 1846, between some United States troops and the +Mexicans, under Don Andreas Pico. + +CHAPTER XXIV + +Sunday, October 11th. Set sail this morning for the leeward; +passed within sight of San Pedro, and, to our great joy, did not +come to anchor, but kept directly on to San Diego, where we +arrived and moored ship on-- + +Thursday, October 15th. Found here the Italian ship La Rosa, from +the windward, which reported the brig Pilgrim at San Francisco, +all well. Everything was as quiet here as usual. We discharged our +hides, horns, and tallow, and were ready to sail again on the +following Sunday. I went ashore to my old quarters, and found the +gang at the hide-house going on in the even tenor of their way, +and spent an hour or two, after dark, at the oven, taking a whiff +with my old Kanaka friends, who really seemed glad to see me +again, and saluted me as the Aikane of the Kanakas. I was grieved +to find that my poor dog Bravo was dead. He had sickened and died +suddenly the very day after I sailed in the Alert. + +Sunday was again, as usual, our sailing day, and we got under way +with a stiff breeze, which reminded us that it was the latter part +of the autumn, and time to expect southeasters once more. We beat +up against a strong head wind, under reefed topsails, as far as +San Juan, where we came to anchor nearly three miles from the +shore, with slip-ropes on our cables, in the old southeaster style +of last winter. On the passage up, we had an old sea-captain on +board, who had married and settled in California, and had not been +on salt water for more than fifteen years. He was surprised at the +changes and improvements that had been made in ships, and still +more at the manner in which we carried sail; for he was really a +little frightened, and said that while we had top-gallant-sails +on, he should have been under reefed topsails. The working of the +ship, and her progress to windward, seemed to delight him, for he +said she went to windward as though she were kedging. + +Tuesday, October 20th. Having got everything ready, we set the +agent ashore, who went up to the Mission to hurry down the hides +for the next morning. This night we had the strictest orders to +look out for southeasters; and the long, low clouds seemed rather +threatening. But the night passed over without any trouble, and +early the next morning we hove out the long-boat and pinnace, +lowered away the quarter-boats, and went ashore to bring off our +hides. Here we were again, in this romantic spot,-- a +perpendicular hill, twice the height of the ship's mast-head, with +a single circuitous path to the top, and long sand-beach at its +base, with the swell of the whole Pacific breaking high upon it, +and our hides ranged in piles on the overhanging summit. The +captain sent me, who was the only one of the crew that had ever +been there before, to the top to count the hides and pitch them +down. There I stood again, as six months before, throwing off the +hides, and watching them, pitching and scaling, to the bottom, +while the men, dwarfed by the distance, were walking to and fro on +the beach, carrying the hides, as they picked them up, to the +distant boats, upon the tops of their heads. Two or three +boat-loads were sent off, until at last all were thrown down, and +the boats nearly loaded again, when we were delayed by a dozen or +twenty hides which had lodged in the recesses of the bank, and +which we could not reach by any missiles, as the general line of +the side was exactly perpendicular, and these places were caved +in, and could not be seen or reached from the top. As hides are +worth in Boston twelve and a half cents a pound, and the captain's +commission was one per cent, he determined not to give them up, +and sent on board for a pair of top-gallant studding-sail +halyards, and requested some one of the crew to go to the top and +come down by the halyards. The older sailors said the boys, who +were light and active, ought to go; while the boys thought that +strength and experience were necessary. Seeing the dilemma, and +feeling myself to be near the medium of these requisites, I +offered my services, and went up, with one man to tend the rope, +and prepared for the descent. + +We found a stake fastened strongly into the ground, and apparently +capable of holding my weight, to which we made one end of the +halyard well fast, and, taking the coil, threw it over the brink. +The end, we saw, just reached to a landing-place, from which the +descent to the beach was easy. Having nothing on but shirt, +trousers, and hat, the common sea rig of warm weather, I had no +stripping to do, and began my descent by taking hold of the rope +with both hands, and slipping down, sometimes with hands and feet +round the rope, and sometimes breasting off with one hand and foot +against the precipice, and holding on to the rope with the other. +In this way I descended until I came to a place which shelved in, +and in which the hides were lodged. Keeping hold of the rope with +one hand, I scrambled in, and by aid of my feet and the other hand +succeeded in dislodging all the hides, and continued on my way. +Just below this place, the precipice projected again, and, going +over the projection, I could see nothing below me but the sea and +the rocks upon which it broke, and a few gulls flying in mid-air. +I got down in safety, pretty well covered with dirt; and for my +pains was told, ``What a d---d fool you were to risk your life for +half a dozen hides!'' + +While we were carrying the hides to the boat, I perceived, what I +had been too busy to observe before, that heavy black clouds were +rolling up from seaward, a strong swell heaving in, and every sign +of a southeaster. The captain hurried everything. The hides were +pitched into the boats, and, with some difficulty, and by wading +nearly up to our armpits, we got the boats through the surf, and +began pulling aboard. Our gig's crew towed the pinnace astern of +the gig, and the launch was towed by six men in the jolly-boat. +The ship was lying three miles off, pitching at her anchor, and +the farther we pulled, the heavier grew the swell. Our boat stood +nearly up and down several times; the pinnace parted her tow-line, +and we expected every moment to see the launch swamped. At length +we got alongside, our boats half full of water; and now came the +greatest trouble of all,-- unloading the boats in a heavy sea, +which pitched them about so that it was almost impossible to stand +in them, raising them sometimes even with the rail, and again +dropping them below the bends. With great difficulty we got all +the hides aboard and stowed under hatches, the yard and stay +tackles hooked on, and the launch and pinnace hoisted, chocked, +and griped. The quarter-boats were then hoisted up, and we began +heaving in on the chain. Getting the anchor was no easy work in +such a sea, but as we were not coming back to this port, the +captain determined not to slip. The ship's head pitched into the +sea, and the water rushed through the hawse-holes, and the chain +surged so as almost to unship the barrel of the windlass. ``Hove +short, sir!'' said the mate. ``Aye, aye! Weather-bit your chain +and loose the topsails! Make sail on her, men,-- with a will!'' A +few moments served to loose the topsails, which were furled with +reefs, to sheet them home, and hoist them up. ``Bear a hand!'' was +the order of the day; and every one saw the necessity of it, for +the gale was already upon us. The ship broke out her own anchor, +which we catted and fished, after a fashion, and were soon +close-hauled, under reefed sails, standing off from the lee shore +and rocks against a heavy head sea. The fore course was given to +her, which helped her a little; but as she hardly held her own +against the sea, which was setting her to leeward-- ``Board the +main tack!'' shouted the captain, when the tack was carried +forward and taken to the windlass, and all hands called to the +handspikes. The great sail bellied out horizontally, as though it +would lift up the main stay; the blocks rattled and flew about; +but the force of machinery was too much for her. ``Heave ho! Heave +and pawl! Yo, heave, hearty, ho!'' and, in time with the song, by +the force of twenty strong arms, the windlass came slowly round, +pawl after pawl, and the weather clew of the sail was brought down +to the water-ways. The starboard watch hauled aft the sheet, and +the ship tore through the water like a mad horse, quivering and +shaking at every joint, and dashing from her head the foam, which +flew off at each blow, yards and yards to leeward. A half-hour of +such sailing served our turn, when the clews of the sail were +hauled up, the sail furled, and the ship, eased of her press, went +more quietly on her way. Soon after, the foresail was reefed, and +we mizzen-top men were sent up to take another reef in the mizzen +topsail. This was the first time I had taken a weather earing, and +I felt not a little proud to sit astride of the weather yard-arm, +pass the earing, and sing out, ``Haul out to leeward!'' From this +time until we got to Boston the mate never suffered any one but +our own gang to go upon the mizzen topsail yard, either for +reefing or furling, and the young English lad and I generally took +the earings between us. + +Having cleared the point and got well out to sea, we squared away +the yards, made more sail, and stood on, nearly before the wind, +for San Pedro. It blew strong, with some rain, nearly all night, +but fell calm toward morning, and the gale having blown itself +out, we came-to,-- + +Thursday, October 22d, at San Pedro, in the old southeaster berth, +a league from shore, with a slip-rope on the cable, reefs in the +topsails, and rope-yarns for gaskets. Here we lay ten days, with +the usual boating, hide-carrying, rolling of cargo up the steep +hill, walking barefooted over stones, and getting drenched in salt +water. + +The third day after our arrival, the Rosa came in from San Juan, +where she went the day after the southeaster. Her crew said it was +as smooth as a mill-pond after the gale, and she took off nearly a +thousand hides, which had been brought down for us, and which we +lost in consequence of the southeaster. This mortified us: not +only that an Italian ship should have got to windward of us in the +trade, but because every thousand hides went towards completing +the forty thousand which we were to collect before we could say +good by to California. + +While lying here, we shipped one new hand, an Englishman, of about +six-and-twenty years, who was an acquisition, as he proved to be a +good sailor, could sing tolerably, and, what was of more +importance to me, had a good education and a somewhat remarkable +history. He called himself George P. Marsh; professed to have been +at sea from a small boy, and to have served his time in the +smuggling trade between Germany and the coasts of France and +England. Thus he accounted for his knowledge of the French +language, which he spoke and read as well as he did English; but +his cutter education would not account for his English, which was +far too good to have been learned in a smuggler; for he wrote an +uncommonly handsome hand, spoke with great correctness, and +frequently, when in private talk with me, quoted from books, and +showed a knowledge of the customs of society, and particularly of +the formalities of the various English courts of law and of +Parliament, which surprised me. Still he would give no other +account of himself than that he was educated in a smuggler. A man +whom we afterwards fell in with, who had been a shipmate of +George's a few years before, said that he heard, at the +boarding-house from which they shipped, that George had been at a +college (probably a naval one, as he knew no Latin or Greek), +where he learned French and mathematics. He was not the man by +nature that Harris was. Harris had made everything of his mind and +character in spite of obstacles; while this man had evidently been +born in a different rank, and educated early in life accordingly, +but had been a vagabond, and done nothing for himself since. +Neither had George the character, strength of mind, or memory of +Harris; yet there was about him the remains of a pretty good +education, which enabled him to talk quite up to his brains, and a +high spirit and amenability to the point of honor which years of a +dog's life had not broken. After he had been a little while on +board, we learned from him his adventures of the last two years, +which we afterwards heard confirmed in such a manner as put the +truth of them beyond a doubt. + +He sailed from New York in the year 1833, if I mistake not, before +the mast, in the brig Lascar, for Canton. She was sold in the East +Indies, and he shipped at Manilla, in a small schooner, bound on a +trading voyage among the Ladrone and Pelew Islands. On one of the +latter islands their schooner was wrecked on a reef, and they were +attacked by the natives, and, after a desperate resistance, in +which all their number, except the captain, George, and a boy, +were killed or drowned, they surrendered, and were carried bound, +in a canoe, to a neighboring island. In about a month after this, +an opportunity occurred by which one of their number might get +away. I have forgotten the circumstances, but only one could go, +and they gave way to the captain, upon his promising to send them +aid if he escaped. He was successful in his attempt; got on board +an American vessel, went back to Manilla, and thence to America, +without making any effort for their rescue, or, indeed, as George +afterwards discovered, without even mentioning their case to any +one in Manilla. The boy that was with George died, and he being +alone, and there being no chance for his escape, the natives soon +treated him with kindness, and even with attention. They painted +him, tattooed his body (for he would never consent to be marked in +the face or hands), gave him two or three wives, and, in fact, +made a pet of him. In this way he lived for thirteen months, in a +delicious climate, with plenty to eat, half naked, and nothing to +do. He soon, however, became tired, and went round the island, on +different pretences, to look out for a sail. One day he was out +fishing in a small canoe with another man, when he saw a large +sail to windward, about a league and a half off, passing abreast +of the island and standing westward. With some difficulty, he +persuaded the islander to go off with him to the ship, promising +to return with a good supply of rum and tobacco. These articles, +which the islanders had got a taste of from American traders, were +too strong a temptation for the fellow, and he consented. They +paddled off in the track in which the ship was bound, and lay-to +until she came down to them. George stepped on board the ship, +nearly naked, painted from head to foot, and in no way +distinguishable from his companion until he began to speak. Upon +this the people on board were not a little astonished, and, having +learned his story, the captain had him washed and clothed, and, +sending away the poor astonished native with a knife or two and +some tobacco and calico, took George with him on the voyage. This +was the ship Cabot, of New York, Captain Low. She was bound to +Manilla, from across the Pacific; and George did seaman's duty in +her until her arrival in Manilla, when he left her, and shipped in +a brig bound to the Sandwich Islands. From Oahu, he came, in the +British brig Clementine, to Monterey, as second officer, where, +having some difficulty with the captain, he left her, and, coming +down the coast, joined us at San Pedro. Nearly six months after +this, among some papers we received by an arrival from Boston, we +found a letter from Captain Low, of the Cabot, published +immediately upon his arrival at New York, giving all the +particulars just as we had them from George. The letter was +published for the information of the friends of George, and +Captain Low added that he left him at Manilla to go to Oahu, and +he had heard nothing of him since. + +George had an interesting journal of his adventures in the Pelew +Islands, which he had written out at length, in a handsome hand, +and in correct English.[1] + +[1] In the spring of 1841, a sea-faring man called at my rooms, in +Boston and said he wished to see me, as he knew something about a +man I had spoken of in my book. He then told me that he was second +mate of the bark Mary Frazer, which sailed from Batavia in company +with the Cabot, bound to Manilla, that when off the Pelew Islands +they fell in with a canoe with two natives on board, who told them +that there was an American ship ahead, out of sight, and that they +had put a white man on board of her. The bark gave the canoe a tow +for a short distance. When the Mary Frazer arrived at Manilla, they +found the Cabot there; and my informant said that George came on +board several times, and told the same story that I had given of +him in this book. He said the name of George's schooner was the +Dash, and that she was wrecked, and attacked by the natives, as +George had told me. + +This man, whose name was Beauchamp, was second mate of the Mary +Frazer when she took the missionaries to Oahu. He became religious +during the passage, and joined the mission church at Oahu upon his +arrival. When I saw him, he was master of a bark. + +CHAPTER XXV + +Sunday, November 1st. Sailed this day (Sunday again) for Santa +Barbara, where we arrived on the 5th. Coming round Santa +Buenaventura, and nearing the anchorage, we saw two vessels in +port, a large full-rigged, and a small, hermaphrodite brig. The +former, the crew said, must be the Pilgrim; but I had been too +long in the Pilgrim to be mistaken in her, and I was right in +differing from them, for, upon nearer approach, her long, low, +shear, sharp bows, and raking masts, told quite another story. +``Man-of-war brig,'' said some of them; ``Baltimore clipper,'' +said others; the Ayacucho, thought I; and soon the broad folds of +the beautiful banner of St. George-- white field with blood-red +border and cross-- were displayed from her peak. A few minutes put +it beyond a doubt, and we were lying by the side of the Ayacucho, +which had sailed from San Diego about nine months before, while we +were lying there in the Pilgrim. She had since been to Valparaiso, +Callao, and the Sandwich Islands, and had just come upon the +coast. Her boat came on board, bringing Captain Wilson; and in +half an hour the news was all over the ship that there was a war +between the United States and France. Exaggerated accounts reached +the forecastle. Battles had been fought, a large French fleet was +in the Pacific, &c., &c.; and one of the boat's crew of the +Ayacucho said that, when they left Callao, a large French frigate +and the American frigate Brandywine, which were lying there, were +going outside to have a battle, and that the English frigate +Blonde was to be umpire, and see fair play. Here was important +news for us. Alone, on an unprotected coast, without an American +man-of-war within some thousands of miles, and the prospect of a +voyage home through the whole length of the Pacific and Atlantic +Oceans! A French prison seemed a much more probable place of +destination than the good port of Boston. However, we were too +salt to believe every yarn that comes into the forecastle, and +waited to hear the truth of the matter from higher authority. By +means of the supercargo's clerk I got the amount of the matter, +which was, that the governments had had a difficulty about the +payment of a debt; that war had been threatened and prepared for, +but not actually declared, although it was pretty generally +anticipated. This was not quite so bad, yet was no small cause of +anxiety. But we cared very little about the matter ourselves. +``Happy go lucky'' with Jack! We did not believe that a French +prison would be much worse than ``hide droghing'' on the coast of +California; and no one who has not been a long, dull voyage, shut +up in one ship, can conceive of the effect of monotony upon one's +thoughts and wishes. The prospect of a change is a green spot in +the desert, and the probability of great events and exciting +scenes creates a feeling of delight, and sets life in motion, so +as to give a pleasure which any one not in the same state would be +unable to explain. In fact, a more jovial night we had not passed +in the forecastle for months. All seemed in unaccountably high +spirits. An undefined anticipation of radical changes, of new +scenes and great doings, seemed to have possessed every one, and +the common drudgery of the vessel appeared contemptible. Here was +a new vein opened,-- a grand theme of conversation and a topic for +all sorts of discussions. National feeling was wrought up. Jokes +were cracked upon the only Frenchman in the ship, and comparisons +made between ``old horse'' and ``soup meagre,'' &c., &c. + +We remained in uncertainty as to this war for more than two +months, when an arrival from the Sandwich Islands brought us the +news of an amicable arrangement of the difficulties. + +The other vessel which we found in port was the hermaphrodite brig +Avon, from the Sandwich Islands. She was fitted up in handsome +style; fired a gun, and ran her ensign up and down at sunrise and +sunset; had a band of four or five pieces of music on board, and +appeared rather like a pleasure yacht than a trader; yet, in +connection with the Loriotte, Clementine, Bolivar, Convoy, and +other small vessels, belonging to sundry Americans at Oahu, she +carried on a considerable trade,-- legal and illegal, in +otter-skins, silks, teas, &c., as well as hides and tallow. + +The second day after our arrival, a full-rigged brig came round +the point from the northward, sailed leisurely through the bay, +and stood off again for the southeast in the direction of the +large island of Catalina. The next day the Avon got under way, and +stood in the same direction, bound for San Pedro. This might do +for marines and Californians, but we knew the ropes too well. The +brig was never again seen on the coast, and the Avon went into San +Pedro in about a week with a replenished cargo of Canton and +American goods. + +This was one of the means of escaping the heavy duties the +Mexicans lay upon all imports. A vessel comes on the coast, enters +a moderate cargo at Monterey, which is the only custom-house, and +commences trading. In a month or more, having sold a large part of +her cargo, she stretches over to Catalina, or other of the large, +uninhabited islands which lie off the coast, in a trip from port +to port, and supplies herself with choice goods from a vessel from +Oahu, which has been lying off and on the islands, waiting for +her. Two days after the sailing of the Avon, the Loriotte came in +from the leeward, and without doubt had also a snatch at the +brig's cargo. + +Tuesday, November 10th. Going ashore, as usual, in the gig, just +before sundown, to bring off the captain, we found, upon taking in +the captain and pulling off again, that our ship, which lay the +farthest out, had run up her ensign. This meant ``Sail ho!'' of +course, but as we were within the point we could see nothing. +``Give way, boys! Give way! Lay out on your oars, and long +stroke!'' said the captain; and stretching to the whole length of +our arms, bending back again so that our backs touched the +thwarts, we sent her through the water like a rocket. A few +minutes of such pulling opened the islands, one after another, in +range of the point, and gave us a view of the Canal, where was a +ship, under top-gallant-sails, standing in, with a light breeze, +for the anchorage. Putting the boat's head in the direction of the +ship, the captain told us to lay out again; and we needed no +spurring, for the prospect of boarding a new ship, perhaps from +home, hearing the news, and having something to tell of when we +got back, was excitement enough for us, and we gave way with a +will. Captain Nye, of the Loriotte, who had been an old whaleman, +was in the stern-sheets, and fell mightily into the spirit of it. +``Bend your backs, and break your oars!'' said he. ``Lay me on, +Captain Bunker!'' ``There she flukes!'' and other exclamations +current among whalemen. In the mean time it fell flat calm, and, +being within a couple of miles of the ship, we expected to board +her in a few minutes, when a breeze sprung up, dead ahead for the +ship, and she braced up and stood off toward the islands, sharp on +the larboard tack, making good way through the water. This, of +course, brought us up, and we had only to ``ease larboard oars, +pull round starboard!'' and go aboard the Alert, with something +very like a flea in the ear. There was a light land-breeze all +night, and the ship did not come to anchor until the next morning. + +As soon as her anchor was down we went aboard, and found her to be +the whale-ship Wilmington and Liverpool Packet, of New Bedford, +last from the ``off-shore ground,'' with nineteen hundred barrels +of oil. A ``spouter'' we knew her to be, as soon as we saw her, by +her cranes and boats, and by her stump top-gallant-masts, and a +certain slovenly look to the sails, rigging, spars, and hull; and +when we got on board, we found everything to correspond,-- spouter +fashion. She had a false deck, which was rough and oily, and cut +up in every direction by the chines of oil casks; her rigging was +slack, and turning white, paint worn off the spars and blocks, +clumsy seizings, straps without covers, and ``homeward-bound +splices'' in every direction. Her crew, too, were not in much +better order. Her captain was a slab-sided Quaker, in a suit of +brown, with a broad-brimmed hat, bending his long legs as he moved +about decks, with his head down, like a sheep, and the men looked +more like fishermen and farmers than they did like sailors. + +Though it was by no means cold weather (we having on only our red +shirts and duck trousers), they all had on woollen trousers,-- not +blue and ship-shape, but of all colors,-- brown, drab, gray, aye, +and green,-- with suspenders over their shoulders, and pockets to +put their hands in. This, added to Guernsey frocks, striped +comforters about the neck, thick cowhide boots, woollen caps, and +a strong, oily smell, and a decidedly green look, will complete +the description. Eight or ten were on the fore topsail yard, and +as many more in the main, furling the topsails, while eight or ten +were hanging about the forecastle, doing nothing. This was a +strange sight for a vessel coming to anchor; so we went up to +them, to see what was the matter. One of them, a stout, +hearty-looking fellow, held out his leg and said he had the +scurvy; another had cut his hand; and others had got nearly well, +but said that there were plenty aloft to furl the sails, so they +were sogering on the forecastle. There was only one ``splicer'' on +board, a fine-looking old tar, who was in the bunt of the fore +topsail. He was probably the only thorough marline-spike seaman in +the ship, before the mast. The mates, of course, and the +boat-steerers, and also two or three of the crew, had been to sea +before, but only on whaling voyages; and the greater part of the +crew were raw hands, just from the bush, and had not yet got the +hay-seed out of their hair. The mizzen topsail hung in the +buntlines until everything was furled forward. Thus a crew of +thirty men were half an hour in doing what would have been done in +the Alert, with eighteen hands to go aloft, in fifteen or twenty +minutes.[1] + +We found they had been at sea six or eight months, and had no news +to tell us, so we left them, and promised to get liberty to come +on board in the evening for some curiosities. Accordingly, as soon +as we were knocked off in the evening and were through supper, we +obtained leave, took a boat, and went aboard and spent an hour or +two. They gave us pieces of whalebone, and the teeth and other +parts of curious sea animals, and we exchanged books with them,-- +a practice very common among ships in foreign ports, by which you +get rid of the books you have read and re-read, and a supply of +new ones in their stead, and Jack is not very nice as to their +comparative value.[2] + +Thursday, November 12th. This day was quite cool in the early +part, and there were black clouds about; but as it was often so in +the morning, nothing was apprehended, and all the captains went +ashore together to spend the day. Towards noon the clouds hung +heavily over the mountains, coming half-way down the hills that +encircle the town of Santa Barbara, and a heavy swell rolled in +from the southeast. The mate immediately ordered the gig's crew +away, and, at the same time, we saw boats pulling ashore from the +other vessels. Here was a grand chance for a rowing-match, and +every one did his best. We passed the boats of the Ayacucho and +Loriotte, but could not hold our own with the long six-oared boat +of the whale-ship. They reached the breakers before us; but here +we had the advantage of them, for, not being used to the surf, +they were obliged to wait to see us beach our boat, just as, in +the same place, nearly a year before, we, in the Pilgrim, were +glad to be taught by a boat's crew of Kanakas. + +We had hardly got the boats beached, and their heads pointed out +to sea, before our old friend, Bill Jackson, the handsome English +sailor, who steered the Loriotte's boat, called out that his brig +was adrift; and, sure enough, she was dragging her anchors, and +drifting down into the bight of the bay. Without waiting for the +captain (for there was no one on board the brig but the mate and +steward), he sprung into the boat, called the Kanakas together, +and tried to put off. But the Kanakas, though capital water-dogs, +were frightened by their vessel's being adrift, and by the +emergency of the case, and seemed to lose their faculties. Twice +their boat filled, and came broadside upon the beach. Jackson +swore at them for a parcel of savages, and promised to flog every +one of them. This made the matter no better; when we came forward, +told the Kanakas to take their seats in the boat, and, going two +on each side, walked out with her till it was up to our shoulders, +and gave them a shove, when, giving way with their oars, they got +her safely into the long, regular swell. In the mean time, boats +had put off to the Loriotte from our ship and the whaler, and, +coming all on board the brig together, they let go the other +anchor, paid out chain, braced the yards to the wind, and brought +the vessel up. + +In a few minutes, the captains came hurrying down, on the run; and +there was no time to be lost, for the gale promised to be a severe +one, and the surf was breaking upon the beach, three deep, higher +and higher every instant. The Ayacucho's boat, pulled by four +Kanakas, put off first, and as they had no rudder or steering-oar, +would probably never have got off, had we not waded out with them +as far as the surf would permit. The next that made the attempt +was the whale-boat, for we, being the most experienced +``beach-combers,'' needed no help, and stayed till the last. +Whalemen make the best boats' crews in the world for a long pull, +but this landing was new to them, and, notwithstanding the +examples they had had, they slewed round and were hove up-- boat, +oars, and men-- all together, high and dry upon the sand. The +second time they filled, and had to turn their boat over, and set +her off again. We could be of no help to them, for they were so +many as to be in one another's way, without the addition of our +numbers. The third time they got off, though not without shipping +a sea which drenched them all, and half filled their boat, keeping +them baling until they reached their ship. We now got ready to go +off, putting the boat's head out; English Ben and I, who were the +largest, standing on each side of the bows to keep her head out to +the sea, two more shipping and manning the two after oars, and the +captain taking the steering oar. Two or three Mexicans, who stood +upon the beach looking at us, wrapped their cloaks about them, +shook their heads, and muttered ``Caramba!'' They had no taste for +such doings; in fact, the hydrophobia is a national malady, and +shows itself in their persons as well as their actions. + +Watching for a ``smooth chance,'' we determined to show the other +boats the way it should be done, and, as soon as ours floated, ran +out with her, keeping her head out, with all our strength, and the +help of the captain's oar, and the two after oarsmen giving way +regularly and strongly, until our feet were off the ground, we +tumbled into the bows, keeping perfectly still, from fear of +hindering the others. For some time it was doubtful how it would +go. The boat stood nearly up and down in the water, and the sea, +rolling from under her, let her fall upon the water with a force +which seemed almost to stave her bottom in. By quietly sliding two +oars forward, along the thwarts, without impeding the rowers, we +shipped two bow oars, and thus, by the help of four oars and the +captain's strong arm, we got safely off, though we shipped several +seas, which left us half full of water. We pulled alongside of the +Loriotte, put her skipper on board, and found her making +preparations for slipping, and then pulled aboard our own ship. +Here Mr. Brown, always ``on hand,'' had got everything ready, so +that we had only to hook on the gig and hoist it up, when the +order was given to loose the sails. While we were on the yards, we +saw the Loriotte under way, and, before our yards were +mast-headed, the Ayacucho had spread her wings, and, with yards +braced sharp up, was standing athwart our hawse. There is no +prettier sight in the world than a full-rigged, clipper-built +brig, sailing sharp on the wind. In a minute more our slip-rope +was gone, the head-yards filled away, and we were off. Next came +the whaler; and in half an hour from the time when four vessels +were lying quietly at anchor, without a rag out, or a sign of +motion, the bay was deserted, and four white clouds were moving +over the water to seaward. Being sure of clearing the point, we +stood off with our yards a little braced in, while the Ayacucho +went off with a taut bowline, which brought her to windward of us. +During all this day, and the greater part of the night, we had the +usual southeaster entertainment, a gale of wind, with occasional +rain, and finally topped off with a drenching rain of three or +four hours. At daybreak the clouds thinned off and rolled away, +and the sun came up clear. The wind, instead of coming out from +the northward, as is usual, blew steadily and freshly from the +anchoring-ground. This was bad for us, for, being ``flying +light,'' with little more than ballast trim, we were in no +condition for showing off on a taut bowline, and had depended upon +a fair wind, with which, by the help of our light sails and +studding-sails, we meant to have been the first at the +anchoring-ground; but the Ayacucho was a good league to windward +of us, and was standing in in fine style. The whaler, however, was +as far to leeward of us, and the Loriotte was nearly out of sight, +among the islands, up the Canal. By hauling every brace and +bowline, and clapping watch-tackles upon all the sheets and +halyards, we managed to hold our own, and drop the leeward vessels +a little in every tack. When we reached the anchoring-ground, the +Ayacucho had got her anchor, furled her sails, squared her yards, +and was lying as quietly as if nothing had happened. + +We had our usual good luck in getting our anchor without letting +go another, and were all snug, with our boats at the boom-ends, in +half an hour. In about two hours more the whaler came in, and made +a clumsy piece of work in getting her anchor, being obliged to let +go her best bower, and, finally, to get out a kedge and a hawser. +They were heave-ho-ing, stopping and unstopping, pawling, catting, +and fishing for three hours; and the sails hung from the yards all +the afternoon, and were not furled until sundown. The Loriotte +came in just after dark, and let go her anchor, making no attempt +to pick up the other until the next day. + +This affair led to a dispute as to the sailing of our ship and the +Ayacucho. Bets were made between the captains, and the crews took +it up in their own way; but as she was bound to leeward and we to +windward, and merchant captains cannot deviate, a trial never took +place; and perhaps it was well for us that it did not, for the +Ayacucho had been eight years in the Pacific, in every part of it,-- +Valparaiso, Sandwich Islands, Canton, California, and all,-- and +was called the fastest merchant-man that traded in the Pacific, +unless it was the brig John Gilpin, and perhaps the ship Ann +McKim, of Baltimore. + +Saturday, November 14th. This day we got under way, with the agent +and several Mexicans of note, as passengers, bound up to Monterey. +We went ashore in the gig to bring them off with their baggage, +and found them waiting on the beach, and a little afraid about +going off, as the surf was running very high. This was nuts to us, +for we liked to have a Mexican wet with salt water; and then the +agent was very much disliked by the crew, one and all; and we +hoped, as there was no officer in the boat, to have a chance to +duck them, for we knew that they were such ``marines'' that they +would not know whether it was our fault or not. Accordingly, we +kept the boat so far from shore as to oblige them to wet their +feet in getting into her; and then waited for a good high comber, +and, letting the head slue a little round, sent the whole force of +the sea into the stern-sheets, drenching them from head to feet. +The Mexicans sprang out of the boat, swore, and shook themselves, +and protested against trying it again; and it was with the +greatest difficulty that the agent could prevail upon them to make +another attempt. The next time we took care, and went off easily +enough, and pulled aboard. The crew came to the side to hoist in +their baggage, and heartily enjoyed the half-drowned looks of the +company. + +Everything being now ready, and the passengers aboard, we ran up +the ensign and broad pennant (for there was no man-of-war, and we +were the largest vessel on the coast), and the other vessels ran +up their ensigns. Having hove short, cast off the gaskets, and +made the bunt of each sail fast by the jigger, with a man on each +yard, at the word the whole canvas of the ship was loosed, and +with the greatest rapidity possible everything was sheeted home +and hoisted up, the anchor tripped and cat-headed, and the ship +under headway. We were determined to show the ``spouter'' how +things could be done in a smart ship, with a good crew, though not +more than half his numbers. The royal yards were all crossed at +once, and royals and sky-sails set, and, as we had the wind free, +the booms were run out, and all were aloft, active as cats, laying +out on the yards and booms, reeving the studding-sail gear; and +sail after sail the captain piled upon her, until she was covered +with canvas, her sails looking like a great white cloud resting +upon a black speck. Before we doubled the point, we were going at +a dashing rate, and leaving the shipping far astern. We had a fine +breeze to take us through the Canal, as they call this bay of +forty miles long by ten wide. The breeze died away at night, and +we were becalmed all day on Sunday, about half-way between Santa +Barbara and Point Conception. Sunday night we had a light, fair +wind, which set us up again; and having a fine sea-breeze on the +first part of Monday we had the prospect of passing, without any +trouble, Point Conception,-- the Cape Horn of California, where, +the sailors say, it begins to blow the first of January, and blows +until the last of December. Toward the latter part of the +afternoon, however, the regular northwest wind, as usual, set in, +which brought in our studding-sails, and gave us the chance of +beating round the Point, which we were now just abreast of, and +which stretched off into the Pacific, high, rocky, and barren, +forming the central point of the coast for hundreds of miles north +and south. A cap-full of wind will be a bag-full here, and before +night our royals were furled, and the ship was laboring hard under +her top-gallant-sails. At eight bells our watch went below, +leaving her with as much sail as she could stagger under, the +water flying over the forecastle at every plunge. It was evidently +blowing harder, but then there was not a cloud in the sky, and the +sun had gone down bright. + +We had been below but a short time, before we had the usual +premonitions of a coming gale,-- seas washing over the whole +forward part of the vessel, and her bows beating against them with +a force and sound like the driving of piles. The watch, too, +seemed very busy trampling about decks, and singing out at the +ropes. A sailor can tell, by the sound, what sail is coming in; +and, in a short time, we heard the top-gallant-sails come in, one +after another, and then the flying jib. This seemed to ease her a +good deal, and we were fast going off to the land of Nod, when-- +bang, bang, bang-- on the scuttle, and ``All hands, reef topsails, +ahoy!'' started us out of our berths; and, it not being very cold +weather, we had nothing extra to put on, and were soon on deck. I +shall never forget the fineness of the sight. It was a clear, and +rather a chilly night; the stars were twinkling with an intense +brightness, and as far as the eye could reach there was not a +cloud to be seen. The horizon met the sea in a defined line. A +painter could not have painted so clear a sky. There was not a +speck upon it. Yet it was blowing great guns from the northwest. +When you can see a cloud to windward, you feel that there is a +place for the wind to come from; but here it seemed to come from +nowhere. No person could have told from the heavens, by their +eyesight alone, that it was not a still summer's night. One reef +after another we took in the topsails, and before we could get +them hoisted up we heard a sound like a short, quick rattling of +thunder, and the jib was blown to atoms out of the bolt-rope. We +got the topsails set, and the fragments of the jib stowed away, +and the fore topmast staysail set in its place, when the great +mainsail gaped open, and the sail ripped from head to foot. ``Lay +up on that main yard and furl the sail, before it blows to +tatters!'' shouted the captain; and in a moment we were up, +gathering the remains of it upon the yard. We got it wrapped round +the yard, and passed gaskets over it as snugly as possible, and +were just on deck again, when, with another loud rent, which was +heard throughout the ship, the fore topsail, which had been +double-reefed, split in two athwartships, just below the +reef-band, from earing to earing. Here again it was-- down yard, +haul out reef-tackles, and lay out upon the yard for reefing. By +hauling the reef-tackles chock-a-block we took the strain from the +other earings, and passing the close-reef earing, and knotting the +points carefully, we succeeded in setting the sail, close reefed. + +We had but just got the rigging coiled up, and were waiting to +hear ``Go below the watch!'' when the main royal worked loose from +the gaskets, and blew directly out to leeward, flapping, and +shaking the mast like a wand. Here was a job for somebody. The +royal must come in or be cut adrift, or the mast would be snapped +short off. All the light hands in the starboard watch were sent up +one after another, but they could do nothing with it. At length, +John, the tall Frenchman, the head of the starboard watch (and a +better sailor never stepped upon a deck), sprang aloft, and, by +the help of his long arms and legs, succeeded, after a hard +struggle,-- the sail blowing over the yard-arm to leeward, and the +skysail adrift directly over his head,-- in smothering it and +frapping it with long pieces of sinnet. He came very near being +blown or shaken from the yard several times, but he was a true +sailor, every finger a fish-hook. Having made the sail snug, he +prepared to send the yard down, which was a long and difficult +job; for, frequently, he was obliged to stop, and hold on with all +his might for several minutes, the ship pitching so as to make it +impossible to do anything else at that height. The yard at length +came down safe, and, after it, the fore and mizzen royal yards +were sent down. All hands were then sent aloft, and for an hour or +two we were hard at work, making the booms well fast, unreeving +the studding-sail and royal and skysail gear, getting +rolling-ropes on the yard, setting up the weather +breast-backstays, and making other preparations for a storm. It +was a fine night for a gale; just cool and bracing enough for +quick work, without being cold, and as bright as day. It was sport +to have a gale in such weather as this. Yet it blew like a +hurricane. The wind seemed to come with a spite, an edge to it, +which threatened to scrape us off the yards. The force of the wind +was greater than I had ever felt it before; but darkness, cold, +and wet are the worst parts of a storm, to a sailor. + +Having got on deck again, we looked round to see what time of +night it was, and whose watch. In a few minutes the man at the +wheel struck four bells, and we found that the other watch was +out, and our own half out. Accordingly, the starboard watch went +below, and left the ship to us for a couple of hours, yet with +orders to stand by for a call. + +Hardly had they got below, before away went the fore topmast +staysail, blown to ribands. This was a small sail, which we could +manage in the watch, so that we were not obliged to call up the +other watch. We laid out upon the bowsprit, where we were under +water half the time, and took in the fragments of the sail, and, +as she must have some head sail on her, prepared to bend another +staysail. We got the new one out into the nettings; seized on the +tack, sheets, and halyards, and the hanks; manned the halyards, +cut adrift the frapping-lines, and hoisted away; but before it was +half-way up the stay it was blown all to pieces. When we belayed +the halyards, there was nothing left but the bolt-rope. Now large +eyes began to show themselves in the foresail, and, knowing that +it must soon go, the mate ordered us upon the yard to furl it. +Being unwilling to call up the watch who had been on deck all +night, he roused out the carpenter, sailmaker, cook, and steward, +and with their help we manned the fore yard, and, after nearly +half an hour's struggle, mastered the sail, and got it well furled +round the yard. The force of the wind had never been greater than +at this moment. In going up the rigging, it seemed absolutely to +pin us down to the shrouds; and, on the yard, there was no such +thing as turning a face to windward. Yet here was no driving +sleet, and darkness, and wet, and cold, as off Cape Horn; and +instead of stiff oil-cloth suits, southwester caps, and thick +boots, we had on hats, round jackets, duck trousers, light shoes, +and everything light and easy. These things make a great +difference to a sailor. When we got on deck, the man at the wheel +struck eight bells (four o'clock in the morning), and ``All +Starbowlines, ahoy!'' brought the other watch up, but there was no +going below for us. The gale was now at its height, ``blowing like +scissors and thumb-screws''; the captain was on deck; the ship, +which was light, rolling and pitching as though she would shake +the long sticks out of her, and the sails were gaping open and +splitting in every direction. The mizzen topsail, which was a +comparatively new sail, and close reefed, split from head to foot, +in the bunt; the fore topsail went, in one rent, from clew to +earing, and was blowing to tatters; one of the chain bobstays +parted; the spritsail yard sprung in the slings; the martingale +had slued away off to leeward; and, owing to the long dry weather, +the lee rigging hung in large bights at every lurch. One of the +main top-gallant shrouds had parted; and, to crown all, the galley +had got adrift, and gone over to leeward, and the anchor on the +lee bow had worked loose, and was thumping the side. Here was work +enough for all hands for half a day. Our gang laid out on the +mizzen topsail yard, and after more than half an hour's hard work, +furled the sail, though it bellied out over our heads, and again, +by a slat of the wind, blew in under the yard with a fearful jerk, +and almost threw us off from the foot-ropes. + +Double gaskets were passed round the yards, rolling tackles and +other gear bowsed taut, and everything made as secure as it could +be. Coming down, we found the rest of the crew just coming down +the fore rigging, having furled the tattered topsail, or, rather, +swathed it round the yard, which looked like a broken limb, +bandaged. There was no sail now on the ship, but the spanker and +the close-reefed main topsail, which still held good. But this was +too much after sail, and order was given to furl the spanker. The +brails were hauled up, and all the light hands in the starboard +watch sent out on the gaff to pass the gaskets; but they could do +nothing with it. The second mate swore at them for a parcel of +``sogers,'' and sent up a couple of the best men; but they could +do no better, and the gaff was lowered down. All hands were now +employed in setting up the lee rigging, fishing the spritsail +yard, lashing the galley, and getting tackles upon the martingale, +to bowse it to windward. Being in the larboard watch, my duty was +forward, to assist in setting up the martingale. Three of us were +out on the martingale guys and back-ropes for more than half an +hour, carrying out, hooking and unhooking the tackles, several +times buried in the seas, until the mate ordered us in, from fear +of our being washed off. The anchors were then to be taken up on +the rail, which kept all hands on the forecastle for an hour, +though every now and then the seas broke over it, washing the +rigging off to leeward, filling the lee scuppers breast-high, and +washing chock aft to the taffrail. + +Having got everything secure again, we were promising ourselves +some breakfast, for it was now nearly nine o'clock in the +forenoon, when the main topsail showed evident signs of giving +way. Some sail must be kept on the ship, and the captain ordered +the fore and main spencer gaffs to be lowered down, and the two +spencers (which were storm sails, bran-new, small, and made of the +strongest canvas) to be got up and bent; leaving the main topsail +to blow away, with a blessing on it, if it would only last until +we could set the spencers. These we bent on very carefully, with +strong robands and seizings, and, making tackles fast to the +clews, bowsed them down to the water-ways. By this time the main +topsail was among the things that have been, and we went aloft to +stow away the remnant of the last sail of all those which were on +the ship twenty-four hours before. The spencers were now the only +whole sails on the ship, and, being strong and small, and near the +deck, presenting but little surface to the wind above the rail, +promised to hold out well. Hove-to under these, and eased by +having no sail above the tops, the ship rose and fell, and drifted +off to leeward like a line-of-battle ship. + +It was now eleven o'clock, and the watch was sent below to get +breakfast, and at eight bells (noon), as everything was snug, +although the gale had not in the least abated, the watch was set, +and the other watch and idlers sent below. For three days and +three nights the gale continued with unabated fury, and with +singular regularity. There were no lulls, and very little +variation in its fierceness. Our ship, being light, rolled so as +almost to send the fore yard-arm under water, and drifted off +bodily to leeward. All this time there was not a cloud to be seen +in the sky, day or night; no, not so large as a man's hand. Every +morning the sun rose cloudless from the sea, and set again at +night in the sea, in a flood of light. The stars, too, came out of +the blue one after another, night after night, unobscured, and +twinkled as clear as on a still, frosty night at home, until the +day came upon them. All this time the sea was rolling in immense +surges, white with foam, as far as the eye could reach, on every +side, for we were now leagues and leagues from shore. + +The between-decks being empty, several of us slept there in +hammocks, which are the best things in the world to sleep in +during a storm; it not being true of them, as it is of another +kind of bed, ``when the wind blows the cradle will rock''; for it +is the ship that rocks, while they hang vertically from the beams. +During these seventy-two hours we had nothing to do but to turn in +and out, four hours on deck, and four below, eat, sleep, and keep +watch. The watches were only varied by taking the helm in turn, +and now and then by one of the sails, which were furled, blowing +out of the gaskets, and getting adrift, which sent us up on the +yards, and by getting tackles on different parts of the rigging, +which were slack. Once the wheel-rope parted, which might have +been fatal to us, had not the chief mate sprung instantly with a +relieving tackle to windward, and kept the tiller up, till a new +rope could be rove. On the morning of the twentieth, at daybreak, +the gale had evidently done its worst, and had somewhat abated; so +much so that all hands were called to bend new sails, although it +was still blowing as hard as two common gales. One at a time, and +with great difficulty and labor, the old sails were unbent and +sent down by the buntlines, and three new topsails, made for the +homeward passage round Cape Horn, which had never been bent, were +got up from the sail-room, and, under the care of the sailmaker, +were fitted for bending, and sent up by the halyards into the +tops, and, with stops and frapping-lines, were bent to the yards, +close-reefed, sheeted home, and hoisted. These were bent one at a +time, and with the greatest care and difficulty. Two spare courses +were then got up and bent in the same manner and furled, and a +storm-jib, with the bonnet off, bent and furled to the boom. It +was twelve o'clock before we got through, and five hours of more +exhausting labor I never experienced; and no one of that ship's +crew, I will venture to say, will ever desire again to unbend and +bend five large sails in the teeth of a tremendous northwester. +Towards night a few clouds appeared in the horizon, and, as the +gale moderated, the usual appearance of driving clouds relieved +the face of the sky. The fifth day after the commencement of the +storm, we shook a reef out of each topsail, and set the reefed +foresail, jib, and spanker, but it was not until after eight days +of reefed topsails that we had a whole sail on the ship, and then +it was quite soon enough, for the captain was anxious to make up +for leeway, the gale having blown us half the distance to the +Sandwich Islands. + +Inch by inch, as fast as the gale would permit, we made sail on +the ship, for the wind still continued ahead, and we had many +days' sailing to get back to the longitude we were in when the +storm took us. For eight days more we beat to windward under a +stiff top-gallant breeze, when the wind shifted and became +variable. A light southeaster, to which we could carry a reefed +topmast studding-sail, did wonders for our dead reckoning. + +Friday, December 4th. After a passage of twenty days, we arrived +at the mouth of the Bay of San Francisco. + +[1] I have been told that this description of a whaleman has given +offence to the whale-trading people of Nantucket, New Bedford, and +the Vineyard. It is not exaggerated; and the appearance of such a +ship and crew might well impress a young man trained in the ways +of a ship of the style of the Alert. Long observation has +satisfied me that there are no better seamen, so far as handling a +ship is concerned, and none so venturous and skilful navigators, +as the masters and officers of our whalemen. But never, either on +this voyage, or in a subsequent visit to the Pacific and its +islands, was it my fortune to fall in with a whaleship whose +appearance, and the appearance of whose crew, gave signs of +strictness of discipline and seaman-like neatness. Probably these +things are impossibilities, from the nature of the business, and I +may have made too much of them. + +[2] This visiting between the crews of ships at sea is called, among +whalemen, ``gamming.'' + +CHAPTER XXVI + +Our place of destination had been Monterey, but as we were to the +northward of it when the wind hauled ahead, we made a fair wind for +San Francisco. This large bay, which lies in latitude 37 58', was +discovered by Sir Francis Drake, and by him represented to be (as +indeed it is) a magnificent bay, containing several good harbors, +great depth of water, and surrounded by a fertile and finely wooded +country. About thirty miles from the mouth of the bay, and on the +southeast side, is a high point, upon which the Presidio is built. +Behind this point is the little harbor, or bight, called Yerba +Buena, in which trading-vessels anchor, and, near it, the Mission +of Dolores. There was no other habitation on this side of the Bay, +except a shanty of rough boards put up by a man named Richardson, +who was doing a little trading between the vessels and the +Indians.[1] Here, at anchor, and the only vessel, was a brig under +Russian colors, from Sitka, in Russian America, which had come down +to winter, and to take in a supply of tallow and grain, great +quantities of which latter article are raised in the Missions at +the head of the bay. The second day after our arrival we went on +board the brig, it being Sunday, as a matter of curiosity; and +there was enough there to gratify it. Though no larger than the +Pilgrim, she had five or six officers, and a crew of between twenty +and thirty; and such a stupid and greasy-looking set, I never saw +before. Although it was quite comfortable weather and we had nothing +on but straw hats, shirts, and duck trousers, and were barefooted, +they had, every man of them, doubled-soled boots, coming up to the +knees, and well greased; thick woollen trousers, frocks, +waistcoats, pea-jackets, woollen caps, and everything in true Nova +Zembla rig; and in the warmest days they made no change. The +clothing of one of these men would weigh nearly as much as that +of half our crew. They had brutish faces, looked like the antipodes +of sailors, and apparently dealt in nothing but grease. They lived +upon grease; eat it, drank it, slept in the midst of it, and their +clothes were covered with it. To a Russian, grease is the greatest +luxury. They looked with greedy eyes upon the tallow-bags as they +were taken into the vessel, and, no doubt, would have eaten one up +whole, had not the officer kept watch over it. The grease appeared +to fill their pores, and to come out in their hair and on their +faces. It seems as if it were this saturation which makes them +stand cold and rain so well. If they were to go into a warm climate, +they would melt and die of the scurvy. + +The vessel was no better than the crew. Everything was in the +oldest and most inconvenient fashion possible: running trusses and +lifts on the yards, and large hawser cables, coiled all over the +decks, and served and parcelled in all directions. The topmasts, +top-gallant-masts, and studding-sail booms were nearly black for +want of scraping, and the decks would have turned the stomach of a +man-of-war's-man. The galley was down in the forecastle; and there +the crew lived, in the midst of the steam and grease of the +cooking, in a place as hot as an oven, and apparently never +cleaned out. Five minutes in the forecastle was enough for us, and +we were glad to get into the open air. We made some trade with +them, buying Indian curiosities, of which they had a great number; +such as bead-work, feathers of birds, fur moccasons, &c. I +purchased a large robe, made of the skins of some animal, dried +and sewed nicely together, and covered all over on the outside +with thick downy feathers, taken from the breasts of various +birds, and arranged with their different colors so as to make a +brilliant show. + +A few days after our arrival the rainy season set in, and for +three weeks it rained almost every hour, without cessation. This +was bad for our trade, for the collecting of hides is managed +differently in this port from what it is in any other on the +coast. The Mission of Dolores, near the anchorage, has no trade at +all; but those of San Jose, Santa Clara, and others situated on +the large creeks or rivers which run into the bay, and distant +between fifteen and forty miles from the anchorage, do a greater +business in hides than any in California. Large boats, or +launches, manned by Indians, and capable of carrying from five to +six hundred hides apiece, are attached to the Missions, and sent +down to the vessels with hides, to bring away goods in return. +Some of the crews of the vessels are obliged to go and come in the +boats, to look out for the hides and goods. These are favorite +expeditions with the sailors in fine weather; but now, to be gone +three or four days, in open boats, in constant rain, without any +shelter, and with cold food, was hard service. Two of our men went +up to Santa Clara in one of these boats, and were gone three days, +during all which time they had a constant rain, and did not sleep +a wink, but passed three long nights walking fore and aft the +boat, in the open air. When they got on board they were completely +exhausted, and took a watch below of twelve hours. All the hides, +too, that came down in the boats were soaked with water, and unfit +to put below, so that we were obliged to trice them up to dry, in +the intervals of sunshine or wind, upon all parts of the vessel. +We got up tricing-lines from the jib-boom-end to each arm of the +fore yard, and thence to the main and cross-jack yard-arms. +Between the tops, too, and the mast-heads, from the fore to the +main swifters, and thence to the mizzen rigging, and in all +directions athwartships, tricing-lines were run, and strung with +hides. The head stays and guys, and the spritsail yard were lined, +and, having still more, we got out the swinging-booms, and strung +them and the forward and after guys with hides. The rail, fore and +aft, the windlass, capstan, the sides of the ship, and every +vacant place on deck, were covered with wet hides, on the least +sign of an interval for drying. Our ship was nothing but a mass of +hides, from the cat-harpins to the water's edge, and from the +jib-boom-end to the taffrail. + +One cold, rainy evening, about eight o'clock, I received orders to +get ready to start for San Jose at four the next morning, in one +of these Indian boats, with four days' provisions. I got my +oil-cloth clothes, southwester, and thick boots ready, and turned +into my hammock early, determined to get some sleep in advance, as +the boat was to be alongside before daybreak. I slept on till all +hands were called in the morning; for, fortunately for me, the +Indians, intentionally, or from mistaking their orders, had gone +off alone in the night, and were far out of sight. Thus I escaped +three or four days of very uncomfortable service. + +Four of our men, a few days afterwards, went up in one of the +quarter-boats to Santa Clara, to carry the agent, and remained out +all night in a drenching rain, in the small boat, in which there +was not room for them to turn round; the agent having gone up to +the Mission and left the men to their fate, making no provision +for their accommodation, and not even sending them anything to +eat. After this they had to pull thirty miles, and when they got +on board were so stiff that they could not come up the gangway +ladder. This filled up the measure of the agent's unpopularity, +and never after this could he get anything done for him by the +crew; and many a delay and vexation, and many a good ducking in +the surf, did he get to pay up old scores, or ``square the yards +with the bloody quill-driver.'' + +Having collected nearly all the hides that were to be procured, we +began our preparations for taking in a supply of wood and water, +for both of which San Francisco is the best place on the coast. A +small island, about two leagues from the anchorage, called by us +``Wood Island,'' and by the Mexicans ``Isla de los Angeles,'' was +covered with trees to the water's edge; and to this two of our +crew, who were Kennebec men, and could handle an axe like a +plaything, were sent every morning to cut wood, with two boys to +pile it up for them. In about a week they had cut enough to last +us a year, and the third mate, with myself and three others, were +sent over in a large, schooner-rigged, open launch, which we had +hired of the Mission, to take in the wood, and bring it to the +ship. We left the ship about noon, but owing to a strong head +wind, and a tide which here runs four or five knots, did not get +into the harbor, formed by two points of the island, where the +boats lie, until sundown. No sooner had we come-to, than a strong +southeaster, which had been threatening us all day, set in, with +heavy rain and a chilly air. We were in rather a bad situation: an +open boat, a heavy rain, and a long night; for in winter, in this +latitude, it was dark nearly fifteen hours. Taking a small skiff +which we had brought with us, we went ashore, but discovered no +shelter, for everything was open to the rain; and, collecting a +little wood, which we found by lifting up the leaves and brush, +and a few mussels, we put aboard again, and made the best +preparations in our power for passing the night. We unbent the +mainsail, and formed an awning with it over the after part of the +boat, made a bed of wet logs of wood, and, with our jackets on, +lay down, about six o'clock, to sleep. Finding the rain running +down upon us, and our jackets getting wet through, and the rough, +knotty logs rather indifferent couches, we turned out; and, taking +an iron pan which we brought with us, we wiped it out dry, put +some stones around it, cut the wet bark from some sticks, and, +striking a light, made a small fire in the pan. Keeping some +sticks near to dry, and covering the whole over with a roof of +boards, we kept up a small fire, by which we cooked our mussels, +and ate them, rather for an occupation than from hunger. Still it +was not ten o'clock, and the night was long before us, when one of +the party produced an old pack of Spanish cards from his +monkey-jacket pocket, which we hailed as a great windfall; and, +keeping a dim, flickering light by our fagots, we played game +after game, till one or two o'clock, when, becoming really tired, +we went to our logs again, one sitting up at a time, in turn, to +keep watch over the fire. Toward morning the rain ceased, and the +air became sensibly colder, so that we found sleep impossible, and +sat up, watching for daybreak. No sooner was it light than we went +ashore, and began our preparations for loading our vessel. We were +not mistaken in the coldness of the weather, for a white frost was +on the ground, and-- a thing we had never seen before in +California-- one or two little puddles of fresh water were skimmed +over with a thin coat of ice. In this state of the weather, and +before sunrise, in the gray of the morning, we had to wade off, +nearly up to our hips in water, to load the skiff with the wood by +armfuls. The third mate remained on board the launch, two more men +stayed in the skiff to load and manage it, and all the water-work, +as usual, fell upon the two youngest of us; and there we were with +frost on the ground, wading forward and back, from the beach to +the boat, with armfuls of wood, barefooted, and our trousers +rolled up. When the skiff went off with her load, we could only +keep our feet from freezing by racing up and down the beach on the +hard sand, as fast as we could go. We were all day at this work, +and toward sundown, having loaded the vessel as deep as she would +bear, we hove up our anchor and made sail, beating out of the bay. +No sooner had we got into the large bay than we found a strong +tide setting us out to seaward, a thick fog which prevented our +seeing the ship, and a breeze too light to set us against the +tide, for we were as deep as a sand-barge. By the utmost +exertions, we saved ourselves from being carried out to sea, and +were glad to reach the leewardmost point of the island, where we +came-to, and prepared to pass another night more uncomfortable +than the first, for we were loaded up to the gunwale, and had only +a choice among logs and sticks for a resting-place. The next +morning we made sail at slack water, with a fair wind, and got on +board by eleven o'clock, when all hands were turned-to to unload +and stow away the wood, which took till night. + +Having now taken in all our wood, the next morning a water-party +was ordered off with all the casks. From this we escaped, having +had a pretty good siege with the wooding. The water-party were +gone three days, during which time they narrowly escaped being +carried out to sea, and passed one day on an island, where one of +them shot a deer, great numbers of which overrun the islands and +hills of San Francisco Bay. + +While not off on these wood and water parties, or up the rivers to +the Missions, we had easy times on board the ship. We were moored, +stem and stern, within a cable's length of the shore, safe from +southeasters, and with little boating to do; and, as it rained +nearly all the time, awnings were put over the hatchways, and all +hands sent down between decks, where we were at work, day after +day, picking oakum, until we got enough to calk the ship all over, +and to last the whole voyage. Then we made a whole suit of gaskets +for the voyage home, a pair of wheel-ropes from strips of green +hide, great quantities of spun-yarn, and everything else that +could be made between decks. It being now midwinter and in high +latitude, the nights were very long, so that we were not turned-to +until seven in the morning, and were obliged to knock off at five +in the evening, when we got supper; which gave us nearly three +hours before eight bells, at which time the watch was set. + +As we had now been about a year on the coast, it was time to think +of the voyage home; and, knowing that the last two or three months +of our stay would be very busy ones, and that we should never have +so good an opportunity to work for ourselves as the present, we +all employed our evenings in making clothes for the passage home, +and more especially for Cape Horn. As soon as supper was over and +the kids cleared away, and each man had taken his smoke, we seated +ourselves on our chests round the lamp, which swung from a beam, +and went to work each in his own way, some making hats, others +trousers, others jackets, &c., &c., and no one was idle. The boys +who could not sew well enough to make their own clothes laid up +grass into sinnet for the men, who sewed for them in return. +Several of us clubbed together and bought a large piece of twilled +cotton, which we made into trousers and jackets, and, giving them +several coats of linseed oil, laid them by for Cape Horn. I also +sewed and covered a tarpaulin hat, thick and strong enough to sit +upon, and made myself a complete suit of flannel underclothing for +bad weather. Those who had no southwester caps made them; and +several of the crew got up for themselves tarpaulin jackets and +trousers, lined on the inside with flannel. Industry was the order +of the day, and every one did something for himself; for we knew +that as the season advanced, and we went further south, we should +have no evenings to work in. + +Friday, December 25th. This day was Christmas; and, as it rained +all day long, and there were no hides to take in, and nothing +especial to do, the captain gave us a holiday (the first we had +had, except Sundays, since leaving Boston), and plum-duff for +dinner. The Russian brig, following the Old Style, had celebrated +their Christmas eleven days before, when they had a grand blow-out, +and (as our men said) drank, in the forecastle, a barrel of gin, +ate up a bag of tallow, and made a soup of the skin. + +Sunday, December 27th. We had now finished all our business at +this port, and, it being Sunday, we unmoored ship and got under +way, firing a salute to the Russian brig, and another to the +presidio, which were both answered. The commandante of the +presidio, Don Guadalupe Vallejo, a young man, and the most +popular, among the Americans and English, of any man in +California, was on board when we got under way. He spoke English +very well, and was suspected of being favorably inclined to +foreigners. + +We sailed down this magnificent bay with a light wind, the tide, +which was running out, carrying us at the rate of four or five +knots. It was a fine day; the first of entire sunshine we had had +for more than a month. We passed directly under the high cliff on +which the presidio is built, and stood into the middle of the bay, +from whence we could see small bays making up into the interior, +large and beautifully wooded islands, and the mouths of several +small rivers. If California ever becomes a prosperous country, +this bay will be the centre of its prosperity. The abundance of +wood and water; the extreme fertility of its shores; the +excellence of its climate, which is as near to being perfect as +any in the world; and its facilities for navigation, affording the +best anchoring-grounds in the whole western coast of America,-- +all fit it for a place of great importance. + +The tide leaving us, we came to anchor near the mouth of the bay, +under a high and beautifully sloping hill, upon which herds of +hundreds and hundreds of red deer, and the stag, with his high +branching antlers, were bounding about, looking at us for a +moment, and then starting off, affrighted at the noises which we +made for the purpose of seeing the variety of their beautiful +attitudes and motions. + +At midnight, the tide having turned, we hove up our anchor and +stood out of the bay, with a fine starry heaven above us,-- the +first we had seen for many weeks. Before the light northerly +winds, which blow here with the regularity of trades, we worked +slowly along, and made Point Ano Nuevo, the northerly point of the +Bay of Monterey, on Monday afternoon. We spoke, going in, the brig +Diana, of the Sandwich Islands, from the Northwest Coast, last +from Sitka. She was off the point at the same time with us, but +did not get in to the anchoring-ground until an hour or two after +us. It was ten o'clock on Tuesday morning when we came to anchor. +Monterey looked just as it did when I saw it last, which was +eleven months before, in the brig Pilgrim. The pretty lawn on +which it stands, as green as sun and rain could make it; the pine +wood on the south; the small river on the north side; the adobe +houses, with their white walls and red-tiled roofs, dotted about +on the green; the low, white presidio, with its soiled tri-colored +flag flying, and the discordant din of drums and trumpets of the +noon parade,-- all brought up the scene we had witnessed here with +so much pleasure nearly a year before, when coming from a long +voyage, and from our unprepossessing reception at Santa Barbara. +It seemed almost like coming to a home. + +[1] The next year Richardson built a one-story adobe house on the +same spot, which was long afterwards known as the oldest house in +the great city of San Francisco. + +CHAPTER XXVII + +The only other vessel in the port was a Russian government bark +from Sitka, mounting eight guns (four of which we found to be +quakers), and having on board the ex-governor, who was going in +her to Mazatlan, and thence overland to Vera Cruz. He offered to +take letters, and deliver them to the American consul at Vera +Cruz, whence they could be easily forwarded to the United States. +We accordingly made up a packet of letters, almost every one +writing, and dating them ``January 1st, 1836.'' The governor was +true to his promise, and they all reached Boston before the middle +of March; the shortest communication ever yet made across the +country. + +The brig Pilgrim had been lying in Monterey through the latter +part of November, according to orders, waiting for us. Day after +day Captain Faucon went up to the hill to look out for us, and at +last gave us up, thinking we must have gone down in the gale which +we experienced off Point Conception, and which had blown with +great fury over the whole coast, driving ashore several vessels in +the snuggest ports. An English brig, which had put into San +Francisco, lost both her anchors, the Rosa was driven upon a mud +bank in San Diego, and the Pilgrim, with great difficulty, rode +out the gale in Monterey, with three anchors ahead. She sailed +early in December for San Diego and intermedios. + +As we were to be here over Sunday, and Monterey was the best place +to go ashore on the whole coast, and we had had no liberty-day for +nearly three months, every one was for going ashore. On Sunday +morning as soon as the decks were washed, and we were through +breakfast, those who had obtained liberty began to clean +themselves, as it is called, to go ashore. Buckets of fresh water, +cakes of soap, large coarse towels, and we went to work scrubbing +one another, on the forecastle. Having gone through this, the next +thing was to step into the head,-- one on each side,-- with a +bucket apiece, and duck one another, by drawing up water and +heaving over each other, while we were stripped to a pair of +trousers. Then came the rigging up. The usual outfit of pumps, +white stockings, loose white duck trousers, blue jackets, clean +checked shirts, black kerchiefs, hats well varnished, with a +fathom of black ribbon over the left eye, a silk handkerchief +flying from the outside jacket pocket, and four or five dollars +tied up in the back of the neckerchief, and we were ``all right.'' +One of the quarter-boats pulled us ashore, and we streamed up to +the town. I tried to find the church, in order to see the worship, +but was told that there was no service, except a mass early in the +morning; so we went about the town, visiting the Americans and +English, and the Mexicans whom we had known when we were here +before. Toward noon we procured horses, and rode out to the Carmel +Mission, which is about a league from the town, where we got +something in the way of a dinner-- beef, eggs, frijoles, +tortillas, and some middling wine-- from the mayor-domo, who, of +course, refused to make any charge, as it was the Lord's gift, yet +received our present, as a gratuity, with a low bow, a touch of +the hat, and ``Dios se lo pague!'' + +After this repast we had a fine run, scouring the country on our +fleet horses, and came into town soon after sundown. Here we found +our companions, who had refused to go to ride with us, thinking +that a sailor has no more business with a horse than a fish has +with a balloon. They were moored, stem and stern, in a grog-shop, +making a great noise, with a crowd of Indians and hungry +half-breeds about them, and with a fair prospect of being stripped +and dirked, or left to pass the night in the calabozo. With a +great deal of trouble we managed to get them down to the boats, +though not without many angry looks and interferences from the +Mexicans, who had marked them out for their prey. The Diana's crew-- +a set of worthless outcasts who had been picked up at the +islands from the refuse of whale-ships-- were all as drunk as +beasts, and had a set-to on the beach with their captain, who was +in no better state than themselves. They swore they would not go +aboard, and went back to the town, were robbed and beaten, and +lodged in the calabozo, until the next day, when the captain +brought them out. Our forecastle, as usual after a liberty-day, +was a scene of tumult all night long, from the drunken ones. They +had just got to sleep toward morning, when they were turned-up +with the rest, and kept at work all day in the water, carrying +hides, their heads aching so that they could hardly stand. This is +sailor's pleasure. + +Nothing worthy of remark happened while we were here, except a +little boxing-match on board our own ship, which gave us something +to talk about. Our broad-backed, big-headed Cape Cod boy, about +sixteen years old, had been playing the bully, for the whole +voyage, over a slender, delicate-looking boy from one of the +Boston schools, and over whom he had much the advantage in +strength, age, and experience in the ship's duty, for this was the +first time the Boston boy had been on salt water. The latter, +however, had ``picked up his crumbs,'' was learning his duty, and +getting strength and confidence daily, and began to assert his +rights against his oppressor. Still, the other was his master, +and, by his superior strength, always tackled with him and threw +him down. One afternoon, before we were turned-to, these boys got +into a violent squabble in the between-decks, when George (the +Boston boy) said he would fight Nat if he could have fair play. +The chief mate heard the noise, dove down the hatchway, hauled +them both up on deck, and told them to shake hands and have no +more trouble for the voyage, or else they should fight till one +gave in for beaten. Finding neither willing to make an offer of +reconciliation, he called all hands up (for the captain was +ashore, and he could do as he chose aboard), ranged the crew in +the waist, marked a line on the deck, brought the two boys up to +it, making them ``toe the mark''; then made the bight of a rope +fast to a belaying-pin, and stretched it across the deck, bringing +it just above their waists. ``No striking below the rope!'' And +there they stood, one on each side of it, face to face, and went +at it like two game-cocks. The Cape Cod boy, Nat, put in his +double-fisters, starting the blood, and bringing the +black-and-blue spots all over the face and arms of the other, whom +we expected to see give in every moment; but, the more he was +hurt, the better he fought. Again and again he was knocked nearly +down, but up he came again and faced the mark, as bold as a lion, +again to take the heavy blows, which sounded so as to make one's +heart turn with pity for him. At length he came up to the mark the +last time, his shirt torn from his body, his face covered with +blood and bruises, and his eyes flashing fire, and swore he would +stand there until one or the other was killed, and set-to like a +young fury. ``Hurrah in the bow!'' said the men, cheering him on. +``Never say die, while there's a shot in the locker!'' Nat tried +to close with him, knowing his advantage, but the mate stopped +that, saying there should be fair play, and no fingering. Nat then +came up to the mark, but looked white about the mouth, and his +blows were not given with half the spirit of his first. Something +was the matter. I was not sure whether he was cowed, or, being +good-natured, he did not care to beat the boy any more. At all +events he faltered. He had always been master, and had nothing to +gain and everything to lose; while the other fought for honor and +freedom, and under a sense of wrong. It was soon over. Nat gave +in,-- apparently not much hurt,-- and never afterwards tried to +act the bully over the boy. We took George forward, washed him in +the deck-tub, complimented his pluck, and from this time he became +somebody on board, having fought himself into notice. Mr. Brown's +plan had a good effect, for there was no more quarrelling among +the boys for the rest of the voyage. + +Wednesday, January 6th, 1836. Set sail from Monterey, with a +number of Mexicans as passengers, and shaped our course for Santa +Barbara. The Diana went out of the bay in company with us, but +parted from us off Point Pinos, being bound to the Sandwich +Islands. We had a smacking breeze for several hours, and went +along at a great rate until night, when it died away, as usual, +and the land-breeze set in, which brought us upon a taut bowline. +Among our passengers was a young man who was a good representation +of a decayed gentleman. He reminded me much of some of the +characters in Gil Blas. He was of the aristocracy of the country, +his family being of pure Spanish blood, and once of considerable +importance in Mexico. His father had been governor of the +province, and, having amassed a large property, settled at San +Diego, where he built a large house with a court-yard in front, +kept a retinue of Indians, and set up for the grandee of that part +of the country. His son was sent to Mexico, where he received an +education, and went into the first society of the capital. +Misfortune, extravagance, and the want of any manner of getting +interest on money, soon ate the estate up, and Don Juan Bandini +returned from Mexico accomplished, poor, and proud, and without +any office or occupation, to lead the life of most young men of +the better families,-- dissipated and extravagant when the means +are at hand; ambitious at heart, and impotent in act; often +pinched for bread; keeping up an appearance of style, when their +poverty is known to each half-naked Indian boy in the street, and +standing in dread of every small trader and shopkeeper in the +place. He had a slight and elegant figure, moved gracefully, +danced and waltzed beautifully, spoke good Castilian, with a +pleasant and refined voice and accent, and had, throughout, the +bearing of a man of birth and figure. Yet here he was, with his +passage given him (as I afterwards learned), for he had not the +means of paying for it, and living upon the charity of our agent. +He was polite to every one, spoke to the sailors, and gave four +reals-- I dare say the last he had in his pocket-- to the steward, +who waited upon him. I could not but feel a pity for him, +especially when I saw him by the side of his fellow-passenger and +townsman, a fat, coarse, vulgar, pretentious fellow of a Yankee +trader, who had made money in San Diego, and was eating out the +vitals of the Bandinis, fattening upon their extravagance, +grinding them in their poverty; having mortgages on their lands, +forestalling their cattle, and already making an inroad upon their +jewels, which were their last hope. + +Don Juan had with him a retainer, who was as much like many of the +characters in Gil Blas as his master. He called himself a private +secretary, though there was no writing for him to do, and he lived +in the steerage with the carpenter and sailmaker. He was certainly +a character; could read and write well; spoke good Spanish; had +been over the greater part of Spanish America, and lived in every +possible situation, and served in every conceivable capacity, +though generally in that of confidential servant to some man of +figure. I cultivated this man's acquaintance, and during the five +weeks that he was with us,-- for he remained on board until we +arrived at San Diego,-- I gained a greater knowledge of the state +of political parties in Mexico, and the habits and affairs of the +different classes of society, than I could have learned from +almost any one else. He took great pains in correcting my Spanish, +and supplying me with colloquial phrases, and common terms and +exclamations, in speaking. He lent me a file of late newspapers +from the city of Mexico, which were full of the triumphal +reception of Santa Ana, who had just returned from Tampico after a +victory, and with the preparations for his expedition against the +Texans. ``Viva Santa Ana!'' was the byword everywhere, and it had +even reached California, though there were still many here, among +whom was Don Juan Bandini, who were opposed to his government, and +intriguing to bring in Bustamente. Santa Ana, they said, was for +breaking down the Missions; or, as they termed it, ``Santa Ana no +quiere religion.'' Yet I had no doubt that the office of +administrador of San Diego would reconcile Don Juan to any +dynasty, and any state of the church. In these papers, too, I +found scraps of American and English news; but which was so +unconnected, and I was so ignorant of everything preceding them +for eighteen months past, that they only awakened a curiosity +which they could not satisfy. One article spoke of Taney as +Justicia Mayor de los Estados Unidos, (what had become of +Marshall? was he dead, or banished?) and another made known, by +news received from Vera Cruz, that ``El Vizconde Melbourne'' had +returned to the office of ``primer ministro,'' in place of Sir +Roberto Peel. (Sir Robert Peel had been minister, then? and where +were Earl Grey and the Duke of Wellington?) Here were the outlines +of grand political overturns, the filling up of which I was left +to imagine at my leisure. + +The second morning after leaving Monterey, we were off Point +Conception. It was a bright, sunny day, and the wind, though +strong, was fair; and everything was in striking contrast with our +experience in the same place two months before, when we were +drifting off from a northwester under a fore and main spencer. +``Sail ho!'' cried a man who was rigging out a top-gallant +studding-sail boom.-- ``Where away?''-- ``Weather beam, sir!'' and +in a few minutes a full-rigged brig was seen standing out from +under Point Conception. The studding-sail halyards were let go, +and the yards boom-ended, the after yards braced aback, and we +waited her coming down. She rounded to, backed her main topsail, +and showed her decks full of men, four guns on a side, hammock +nettings, and everything man-of-war fashion, except that there was +no boatswain's whistle, and no uniforms on the quarter-deck. A +short, square-built man, in a rough gray jacket, with a +speaking-trumpet in hand, stood in the weather hammock nettings. +``Ship ahoy!''-- ``Hallo!''-- ``What ship is that, pray?''-- +``Alert.''-- ``Where are you from, pray?'' &c., &c. She proved to +be the brig Convoy, from the Sandwich Islands, engaged in +otter-hunting among the islands which lie along the coast. Her +armament was because of her being a contrabandista. The otter are +very numerous among these islands, and, being of great value, the +government require a heavy sum for a license to hunt them, and lay +a high duty upon every one shot or carried out of the country. +This vessel had no license, and paid no duty, besides being +engaged in smuggling goods on board other vessels trading on the +coast, and belonging to the same owners in Oahu. Our captain told +him to look out for the Mexicans, but he said that they had not an +armed vessel of his size in the whole Pacific. This was without +doubt the same vessel that showed herself off Santa Barbara a few +months before. These vessels frequently remain on the coast for +years, without making port, except at the islands for wood and +water, and an occasional visit to Oahu for a new outfit. + +Sunday, January 10th. Arrived at Santa Barbara, and on the +following Wednesday slipped our cable and went to sea, on account +of a southeaster. Returned to our anchorage the next day. We were +the only vessel in the port. The Pilgrim had passed through the +Canal and hove-to off the town, nearly six weeks before, on her +passage down from Monterey, and was now at the leeward. She heard +here of our safe arrival at San Francisco. + +Great preparations were making on shore for the marriage of our +agent, who was to marry Dona Anita de la Guerra de Noriego y +Corillo, youngest daughter of Don Antonio Noriego, the grandee of +the place, and the head of the first family in California. Our +steward was ashore three days, making pastry and cake, and some of +the best of our stores were sent off with him. On the day +appointed for the wedding, we took the captain ashore in the gig, +and had orders to come for him at night, with leave to go up to +the house and see the fandango. Returning on board, we found +preparations making for a salute. Our guns were loaded and run +out, men appointed to each, cartridges served out, matches +lighted, and all the flags ready to be run up. I took my place at +the starboard after gun, and we all waited for the signal from on +shore. At ten o'clock the bride went up with her sister to the +confessional, dressed in deep black. Nearly an hour intervened, +when the great doors of the Mission church opened, the bells rang +out a loud, discordant peal, the private signal for us was run up +by the captain ashore, the bride, dressed in complete white, came +out of the church with the bridegroom, followed by a long +procession. Just as she stepped from the church door, a small +white cloud issued from the bows of our ship, which was full in +sight, the loud report echoed among the surrounding hills and over +the bay, and instantly the ship was dressed in flags and pennants +from stem to stern. Twenty-three guns followed in regular +succession, with an interval of fifteen seconds between each, when +the cloud blew off, and our ship lay dressed in her colors all +day. At sundown another salute of the same number of guns was +fired, and all the flags run down. This we thought was pretty well-- +a gun every fifteen seconds-- for a merchantman with only four +guns and a dozen or twenty men. + +After supper, the gig's crew were called, and we rowed ashore, +dressed in our uniform, beached the boat, and went up to the +fandango. The bride's father's house was the principal one in the +place, with a large court in front, upon which a tent was built, +capable of containing several hundred people. As we drew near, we +heard the accustomed sound of violins and guitars, and saw a great +motion of the people within. Going in, we found nearly all the +people of the town-- men, women, and children-- collected and +crowded together, leaving barely room for the dancers; for on +these occasions no invitations are given, but every one is +expected to come, though there is always a private entertainment +within the house for particular friends. The old women sat down in +rows, clapping their hands to the music, and applauding the young +ones. The music was lively, and among the tunes we recognized +several of our popular airs, which we, without doubt, have taken +from the Spanish. In the dancing I was much disappointed. The +women stood upright, with their hands down by their sides, their +eyes fixed upon the ground before them, and slided about without +any perceptible means of motion; for their feet were invisible, +the hem of their dresses forming a circle about them, reaching to +the ground. They looked as grave as though they were going through +some religious ceremony, their faces as little excited as their +limbs; and on the whole, instead of the spirited, fascinating +Spanish dances which I had expected, I found the Californian +fandango, on the part of the women at least, a lifeless affair. +The men did better. They danced with grace and spirit, moving in +circles round their nearly stationary partners, and showing their +figures to advantage. + +A great deal was said about our friend Don Juan Bandini, and when +he did appear, which was toward the close of the evening, he +certainly gave us the most graceful dancing that I had ever seen. +He was dressed in white pantaloons, neatly made, a short jacket of +dark silk, gayly figured, white stockings and thin morocco +slippers upon his very small feet. His slight and graceful figure +was well adapted to dancing, and he moved about with the grace and +daintiness of a young fawn. An occasional touch of the toe to the +ground seemed all that was necessary to give him a long interval +of motion in the air. At the same time he was not fantastic or +flourishing, but appeared to be rather repressing a strong +tendency to motion. He was loudly applauded, and danced frequently +toward the close of the evening. After the supper, the waltzing +began, which was confined to a very few of the ``gente de razon,'' +and was considered a high accomplishment, and a mark of +aristocracy. Here, too, Don Juan figured greatly, waltzing with +the sister of the bride (Dona Angustias, a handsome woman and a +general favorite) in a variety of beautiful figures, which lasted +as much as half an hour, no one else taking the floor. They were +repeatedly and loudly applauded, the old men and women jumping out +of their seats in admiration, and the young people waving their +hats and handkerchiefs. The great amusement of the evening-- owing +to its being the Carnival-- was the breaking of eggs filled with +cologne, or other essences, upon the heads of the company. The +women bring a great number of these secretly about them, and the +amusement is to break one upon the head of a gentleman when his +back is turned. He is bound in gallantry to find out the lady and +return the compliment, though it must not be done if the person +sees you. A tall, stately Don, with immense gray whiskers, and a +look of great importance, was standing before me, when I felt a +light hand on my shoulder, and, turning round, saw Dona Angustias +(whom we all knew, as she had been up to Monterey, and down again, +in the Alert), with her finger upon her lip, motioning me gently +aside. I stepped back a little, when she went up behind the Don, +and with one hand knocked off his huge sombrero, and at the same +instant, with the other, broke the egg upon his head, and, +springing behind me, was out of sight in a moment. The Don turned +slowly round, the cologne running down his face and over his +clothes, and a loud laugh breaking out from every quarter. He +looked round in vain for some time, until the direction of so many +laughing eyes showed him the fair offender. She was his niece, and +a great favorite with him, so old Don Domingo had to join in the +laugh. A great many such tricks were played, and many a war of +sharp manoeuvring was carried on between couples of the younger +people, and at every successful exploit a general laugh was +raised. + +Another of their games I was for some time at a loss about. A +pretty young girl was dancing, named-- after what would appear to +us an almost sacrilegious custom of the country-- Espiritu Santo, +when a young man went behind her and placed his hat directly upon +her head, letting it fall down over her eyes, and sprang back +among the crowd. She danced for some time with the hat on, when +she threw it off, which called forth a general shout, and the +young man was obliged to go out upon the floor and pick it up. +Some of the ladies, upon whose heads hats had been placed, threw +them off at once, and a few kept them on throughout the dance, and +took them off at the end, and held them out in their hands, when +the owner stepped out, bowed, and took it from them. I soon began +to suspect the meaning of the thing, and was afterwards told that +it was a compliment, and an offer to become the lady's gallant for +the rest of the evening, and to wait upon her home. If the hat was +thrown off, the offer was refused, and the gentleman was obliged +to pick up his hat amid a general laugh. Much amusement was caused +sometimes by gentlemen putting hats on the ladies' heads, without +permitting them to see whom it was done by. This obliged them to +throw them off, or keep them on at a venture, and when they came +to discover the owner the laugh was turned upon one or the other. + +The captain sent for us about ten o'clock, and we went aboard in +high spirits, having enjoyed the new scene much, and were of great +importance among the crew, from having so much to tell, and from +the prospect of going every night until it was over; for these +fandangos generally last three days. The next day, two of us were +sent up to the town, and took care to come back by way of Senor +Noriego's, and take a look into the booth. The musicians were +again there, upon their platform, scraping and twanging away, and +a few people, apparently of the lower classes, were dancing. The +dancing is kept up, at intervals, throughout the day, but the +crowd, the spirit, and the elite come in at night. The next night, +which was the last, we went ashore in the same manner, until we +got almost tired of the monotonous twang of the instruments, the +drawling sounds which the women kept up, as an accompaniment, and +the slapping of the hands in time with the music, in place of +castanets. We found ourselves as great objects of attention as any +persons or anything at the place. Our sailor dresses-- and we took +great pains to have them neat and ship-shape-- were much admired, +and we were invited, from every quarter, to give them an American +dance; but after the ridiculous figure some of our countrymen cut +in dancing after the Mexicans, we thought it best to leave it to +their imaginations. Our agent, with a tight, black, swallow-tailed +coat just imported from Boston, a high stiff cravat, looking as if +he had been pinned and skewered, with only his feet and hands left +free, took the floor just after Bandini, and we thought they had +had enough of Yankee grace. + +The last night they kept it up in great style, and were getting +into a high-go, when the captain called us off to go aboard, for, +it being southeaster season, he was afraid to remain on shore +long; and it was well he did not, for that night we slipped our +cables, as a crowner to our fun ashore, and stood off before a +southeaster, which lasted twelve hours, and returned to our +anchorage the next day. + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +Monday, February, 1st. After having been in port twenty-one days, +we sailed for San Pedro, where we arrived on the following day, +having gone ``all fluking,'' with the weather clew of the mainsail +hauled up, the yards braced in a little, and the lower +studding-sail just drawing; the wind hardly shifting a point +during the passage. Here we found the Ayacucho and the Pilgrim, +which last we had not seen since the 11th of September,-- nearly +five months; and I really felt something like an affection for the +old brig which had been my first home, and in which I had spent +nearly a year, and got the first rough and tumble of a sea life. +She, too, was associated in my mind with Boston, the wharf from +which we sailed, anchorage in the stream, leave-taking, and all +such matters, which were now to me like small links connecting me +with another world, which I had once been in, and which, please +God, I might yet see again. I went on board the first night, after +supper; found the old cook in the galley, playing upon the fife +which I had given him as a parting present; had a hearty shake of +the hand from him; and dove down into the forecastle, where were +my old shipmates, the same as ever, glad to see me; for they had +nearly given us up as lost, especially when they did not find us +in Santa Barbara. They had been at San Diego last, had been lying +at San Pedro nearly a month, and had received three thousand hides +from the pueblo. But-- + + ``Sic vos non vobis'' + +these we took from her the next day, which filled us up, and we +both got under way on the 4th, she bound to San Francisco again, +and we to San Diego, where we arrived on the 6th. + +We were always glad to see San Diego; it being the depot, and a +snug little place, and seeming quite like home, especially to me, +who had spent a summer there. There was no vessel in port, the +Rosa having sailed for Valparaiso and Cadiz, and the Catalina for +Callao, nearly a month before. We discharged our hides, and in +four days were ready to sail again for the windward; and, to our +great joy-- for the last time! Over thirty thousand hides had been +already collected, cured, and stowed away in the house, which, +together with what we should collect, and the Pilgrim would bring +down from San Francisco, would make out our cargo. The thought +that we were actually going up for the last time, and that the +next time we went round San Diego point it would be ``homeward +bound,'' brought things so near a close that we felt as though we +were just there, though it must still be the greater part of a +year before we could see Boston. + +I spent one evening, as had been my custom, at the oven with the +Sandwich-Islanders; but it was far from being the usual noisy, +laughing time. It has been said that the greatest curse to each of +the South Sea Islands was the first man who discovered it; and +every one who knows anything of the history of our commerce in +those parts knows how much truth there is in this; and that the +white men, with their vices, have brought in diseases before +unknown to the islanders, which are now sweeping off the native +population of the Sandwich Islands at the rate of one fortieth of +the entire population annually. They seem to be a doomed people. +The curse of a people calling themselves Christians seems to +follow them everywhere; and even here, in this obscure place, lay +two young islanders, whom I had left strong, active young men, in +the vigor of health, wasting away under a disease which they would +never have known but for their intercourse with people from +Christian America and Europe. One of them was not so ill, and was +moving about, smoking his pipe, and talking, and trying to keep up +his spirits; but the other, who was my friend and aikane, Hope, +was the most dreadful object I had ever seen in my life,-- his +eyes sunken and dead, his cheeks fallen in against his teeth, his +hands looking like claws; a dreadful cough, which seemed to rack +his whole shattered system, a hollow, whispering voice, and an +entire inability to move himself. There he lay, upon a mat, on the +ground, which was the only floor of the oven, with no medicine, no +comforts, and no one to care for or help him but a few Kanakas, +who were willing enough, but could do nothing. The sight of him +made me sick and faint. Poor fellow! During the four months that I +lived upon the beach, we were continually together, in work, and +in our excursions in the woods and upon the water. I felt a strong +affection for him, and preferred him to any of my own countrymen +there; and I believe there was nothing which he would not have +done for me. When I came into the oven he looked at me, held out +his hand, and said, in a low voice, but with a delightful smile, +``Aloha, Aikane! Aloha nui!'' I comforted him as well as I could, +and promised to ask the captain to help him from the +medicine-chest, and told him I had no doubt the captain would do +what he could for him, as he had worked in our employ for several +years, both on shore and aboard our vessels on the coast. I went +aboard and turned into my hammock, but I could not sleep. + +Thinking, from my education, that I must have some knowledge of +medicine, the Kanakas had insisted upon my examining him +carefully; and it was not a sight to be forgotten. One of our +crew, an old man-of-war's-man of twenty years' standing, who had +seen sin and suffering in every shape, and whom I afterwards took +to see Hope, said it was dreadfully worse than anything he had +ever seen, or even dreamed of. He was horror-struck, as his +countenance showed; yet he had been among the worst cases in our +naval hospitals. I could not get the thought of the poor fellow +out of my head all night,-- his dreadful suffering, and his +apparently inevitable horrible end. + +The next day I told Captain Thompson of Hope's state, and asked +him if he would be so kind as to go and see him. + +``What? a d---d Kanaka?'' + +``Yes, sir,'' said I; ``but he has worked four years for our +vessels, and has been in the employ of our owners, both on shore +and aboard.'' + +``Oh! he be d---d!'' said the captain, and walked off. + +This man died afterwards of a fever on the deadly coast of +Sumatra; and God grant he had better care taken of him in his +sufferings than he ever gave to any one else. + +Finding nothing was to be got from the captain, I consulted an old +shipmate, who had much experience in these matters, and got a +recipe from him, which he kept by him. With this I went to the +mate, and told him the case. Mr. Brown had been intrusted with the +general care of the medicine-chest, and although a driving fellow, +and a taut hand in a watch, he had good feelings, and was inclined +to be kind to the sick. He said that Hope was not strictly one of +the crew, but, as he was in our employ when taken sick, he should +have the medicines; and he got them and gave them to me, with +leave to go ashore at night. Nothing could exceed the delight of +the Kanakas, when I came, bringing the medicines. All their terms +of affection and gratitude were spent upon me, and in a sense +wasted (for I could not understand half of them), yet they made +all known by their manner. Poor Hope was so much revived at the +bare thought of anything being done for him that he seemed already +stronger and better. I knew he must die as he was, and he could +but die under the medicines, and any chance was worth running. An +oven exposed to every wind and change of weather is no place to +take calomel; but nothing else would do, and strong remedies must +be used, or he was gone. The applications, internal and external, +were powerful, and I gave him strict directions to keep warm and +sheltered, telling him it was his only chance for life. Twice +after this, I visited him, having only time to run up, while +waiting in the boat. He promised to take his medicines regularly +while we were up the coast, until we returned, and insisted upon +it that he was doing better. + +We got under way on the 10th, bound up to San Pedro, and had three +days of calm and head winds, making but little progress. On the +fourth, we took a stiff southeaster, which obliged us to reef our +topsails. While on the yard, we saw a sail on the weather bow, and +in about half an hour passed the Ayacucho, under double-reefed +topsails, beating down to San Diego. Arrived at San Pedro on the +fourth day, and came-to in the old place, a league from shore, +with no other vessel in port, and the prospect of three weeks or +more of dull life, rolling goods up a slippery hill, carrying +hides on our heads over sharp stones, and, perhaps, slipping for a +southeaster. + +There was but one man in the only house here, and him I shall +always remember as a good specimen of a California ranger. He had +been a tailor in Philadelphia, and, getting intemperate and in +debt, joined a trapping party, and went to the Columbia River, and +thence down to Monterey, where he spent everything, left his +party, and came to the Pueblo de los Angeles to work at his trade. +Here he went dead to leeward among the pulperias, gambling-rooms, +&c., and came down to San Pedro to be moral by being out of +temptation. He had been in the house several weeks, working hard +at his trade, upon orders which he had brought with him, and +talked much of his resolution, and opened his heart to us about +his past life. After we had been here some time, he started off +one morning, in fine spirits, well dressed, to carry the clothes +which he had been making to the pueblo, and saying that he would +bring back his money and some fresh orders the next day. The next +day came, and a week passed, and nearly a fortnight, when one day, +going ashore, we saw a tall man, who looked like our friend the +tailor, getting out of the back of an Indian's cart, which had +just come down from the pueblo. He stood for the house, but we +bore up after him; when, finding that we were overhauling him, he +hove-to and spoke us. Such a sight! Barefooted, with an old pair +of trousers tied round his waist by a piece of green hide, a +soiled cotton shirt, and a torn Indian hat; ``cleaned out'' to the +last real, and completely ``used up.'' He confessed the whole +matter; acknowledged that he was on his back; and now he had a +prospect of a fit of the horrors for a week, and of being worse +than useless for months. This is a specimen of the life of half of +the Americans and English who are adrift along the coasts of the +Pacific and its islands,-- commonly called ``beach-combers.'' One +of the same stamp was Russell, who was master of the hide-house at +San Diego while I was there, but had been afterwards dismissed for +his misconduct. He spent his own money, and nearly all the stores +among the half-bloods upon the beach, and went up to the presidio, +where he lived the life of a desperate ``loafer,'' until some +rascally deed sent him off ``between two days,'' with men on +horseback, dogs, and Indians in full cry after him, among the +hills. One night he burst into our room at the hide-house, +breathless, pale as a ghost, covered with mud, and torn by thorns +and briers, nearly naked, and begged for a crust of bread, saying +he had neither eaten nor slept for three days. Here was the great +Mr. Russell, who a month before was ``Don Tomas,'' ``Capitan de la +playa,'' ``Maestro de la casa,'' &c., &c., begging food and +shelter of Kanakas and sailors. He stayed with us till he had +given himself up, and was dragged off to the calabozo. + +Another, and a more amusing, specimen was one whom we saw at San +Francisco. He had been a lad on board the ship California, in one +of her first voyages, and ran away and commenced Ranchero, +gambling, stealing horses, &c. He worked along up to San +Francisco, and was living on a rancho near there while we were in +port. One morning, when we went ashore in the boat, we found him +at the landing-place, dressed in California style,-- a wide hat, +faded velveteen trousers, and a blanket thrown over his shoulders,-- +and wishing to go off in the boat, saying he was going to pasear +with our captain a little. We had many doubts of the reception he +would meet with; but he seemed to think himself company for any +one. We took him aboard, landed him at the gangway, and went about +our work, keeping an eye upon the quarter-deck, where the captain +was walking. The lad went up to him with complete assurance, and, +raising his hat, wished him a good afternoon. Captain Thompson +turned round, looked at him from head to foot, and, saying coolly, +``Hallo! who the hell are you?'' kept on his walk. This was a +rebuff not to be mistaken, and the joke passed about among the +crew by winks and signs at different parts of the ship. Finding +himself disappointed at head-quarters, he edged along forward to +the mate, who was overseeing some work upon the forecastle, and +tried to begin a yarn; but it would not do. The mate had seen the +reception he had met with aft, and would have no cast-off company. +The second mate was aloft, and the third mate and myself were +painting the quarter-boat, which hung by the davits, so he betook +himself to us; but we looked at each other, and the officer was +too busy to say a word. From us, he went to one and another of the +crew, but the joke had got before him, and he found everybody busy +and silent. Looking over the rail a few moments afterward, we saw +him at the galley-door talking with the cook. This was indeed a +come-down, from the highest seat in the synagogue to a seat in the +galley with the black cook. At night, too, when supper was called, +he stood in the waist for some time, hoping to be asked down with +the officers, but they went below, one after another, and left +him. His next chance was with the carpenter and sailmaker, and he +lounged round the after hatchway until the last had gone down. We +had now had fun enough out of him, and, taking pity on him, +offered him a pot of tea, and a cut at the kid, with the rest, in +the forecastle. He was hungry, and it was growing dark, and he +began to see that there was no use in playing the caballero any +longer, and came down into the forecastle, put into the ``grub'' +in sailor's style, threw off all his airs, and enjoyed the joke as +much as any one; for a man must take a joke among sailors. He gave +us an account of his adventures in the country,-- roguery and all,-- +and was very entertaining. He was a smart, unprincipled fellow, +was in many of the rascally doings of the country, and gave us a +great deal of interesting information as to the ways of the world +we were in. + +Saturday, February 13th. Were called up at midnight to slip for a +violent northeaster; for this miserable hole of San Pedro is +thought unsafe in almost every wind. We went off with a flowing +sheet, and hove-to under the lee of Catalina Island, where we lay +three days, and then returned to our anchorage. + +Tuesday, February 23d. This afternoon a signal was made from the +shore, and we went off in the gig, and found the agent's clerk, +who had been up to the pueblo, waiting at the landing-place, with +a package under his arm, covered with brown paper and tied +carefully with twine. No sooner had we shoved off than he told us +there was good news from Santa Barbara. ``What's that?'' said one +of the crew; ``has the bloody agent slipped off the hooks? Has the +old bundle of bones got him at last?''-- ``No; better than that. +The California has arrived.'' Letters, papers, news, and, perhaps,-- +friends, on board! Our hearts were all up in our mouths, and we +pulled away like good fellows, for the precious packet could not +be opened except by the captain. As we pulled under the stern, the +clerk held up the package, and called out to the mate, who was +leaning over the taffrail; that the California had arrived. + +``Hurrah!'' said the mate, so as to be heard fore and aft; +``California come, and news from Boston!'' + +Instantly there was a confusion on board which no one would +understand who had not been in the same situation. All discipline +seemed for a moment relaxed. + +``What's that, Mr. Brown?'' said the cook, putting his head out of +the galley; ``California come?'' + +``Aye, aye! you angel of darkness, and there's a letter for you +from Bullknop 'treet, number two-two-five,-- green door and brass +knocker!'' + +The packet was sent down into the cabin, and every one waited to +hear of the result. As nothing came up, the officers began to feel +that they were acting rather a child's part, and turned the crew +to again; and the same strict discipline was restored, which +prohibits speech between man and man while at work on deck; so +that, when the steward came forward with letters for the crew, +each man took his letters, carried them below to his chest, and +came up again immediately, and not a letter was read until we had +cleared up decks for the night. + +An overstrained sense of manliness is the characteristic of +sea-faring men. This often gives an appearance of want of feeling, +and even of cruelty. From this, if a man comes within an ace of +breaking his neck and escapes, it is made a joke of; and no notice +must be taken of a bruise or a cut; and any expression of pity, or +any show of attention, would look sisterly, and unbecoming a man +who has to face the rough and tumble of such a life. From this +cause, too, the sick are neglected at sea, and, whatever sailors +may be ashore, a sick man finds little sympathy or attention, +forward or aft. A man, too, can have nothing peculiar or sacred on +board ship; for all the nicer feelings they take pride in +disregarding, both in themselves and others. A thin-skinned man +could hardly live on shipboard. One would be torn raw unless he +had the hide of an ox. A moment of natural feeling for home and +friends, and then the frigid routine of sea life returned. Jokes +were made upon those who showed any interest in the expected news, +and everything near and dear was made common stock for rude jokes +and unfeeling coarseness, to which no exception could be taken by +any one. + +Supper, too, must be eaten before the letters were read; and when, +at last, they were brought out, they all got round any one who had +a letter, and expected to hear it read aloud, and have it all in +common. If any one went by himself to read, it was-- ``Fair play, +there, and no skulking!'' I took mine and went into the +sailmaker's berth where I could read it without interruption. It +was dated August, just a year from the time I had sailed from +home, and every one was well, and no great change had taken place. +Thus, for one year, my mind was set at ease, yet it was already +six months from the date of the letter, and what another year +would bring to pass who could tell? Every one away from home +thinks that some great thing must have happened, while to those at +home there seems to be a continued monotony and lack of incident. + +As much as my feelings were taken up by my own news from home, I +could not but be amused by a scene in the steerage. The carpenter +had been married just before leaving Boston, and during the voyage +had talked much about his wife, and had to bear and forbear, as +every man, known to be married, must, aboard ship; yet the +certainty of hearing from his wife by the first ship seemed to +keep up his spirits. The California came, the packet was brought +on board, no one was in higher spirits than he; but when the +letters came forward, there was none for him. The captain looked +again, but there was no mistake. Poor ``Chips'' could eat no +supper. He was completely down in the mouth. ``Sails'' (the +sailmaker) tried to comfort him, and told him he was a bloody fool +to give up his grub for any woman's daughter, and reminded him +that he had told him a dozen times that he'd never see or hear +from his wife again. + +``Ah!'' said Chips, ``you don't know what it is to have a wife, +and-- '' + +``Don't I?'' said Sails; and then came, for the hundredth time, +the story of his coming ashore at New York, from the Constellation +frigate, after a cruise of four years round the Horn,-- being paid +off with over five hundred dollars,-- marrying, and taking a +couple of rooms in a four-story house,-- furnishing the rooms +(with a particular account of the furniture, including a dozen +flag-bottomed chairs, which he always dilated upon whenever the +subject of furniture was alluded to),-- going off to sea again, +leaving his wife half-pay like a fool,-- coming home and finding +her ``off, like Bob's horse, with nobody to pay the reckoning''; +furniture gone, flag-bottomed chairs and all,-- and with it his +``long togs,'' the half-pay, his beaver hat, and white linen +shirts. His wife he never saw or heard of from that day to this, +and never wished to. Then followed a sweeping assertion, not much +to the credit of the sex, in which he has Pope to back him. +``Come, Chips, cheer up like a man, and take some hot grub! Don't +be made a fool of by anything in petticoats! As for your wife, +you'll never see her again; she was `up keeleg and off' before you +were outside of Cape Cod. You've hove your money away like a fool; +but every man must learn once, just as I did; so you'd better +square the yards with her, and make the best of it.'' + +This was the best consolation ``Sails'' had to offer, but it did +not seem to be just the thing the carpenter wanted; for, during +several days, he was very much dejected, and bore with difficulty +the jokes of the sailors, and with still more difficulty their +attempts at advice and consolation, of most of which the sailmaker's +was a good specimen. + +Thursday, February 25th. Set sail for Santa Barbara, where we +arrived on Sunday, the 28th. We just missed seeing the California, +for she had sailed three days before, bound to Monterey, to enter +her cargo and procure her license, and thence to San Francisco, +&c. Captain Arthur left files of Boston papers for Captain +Thompson, which, after they had been read and talked over in the +cabin, I procured from my friend the third mate. One file was of +all the Boston Transcripts for the month of August, 1835, and the +rest were about a dozen Daily Advertisers and Couriers of +different dates. After all, there is nothing in a strange land +like a newspaper from home. Even a letter, in many respects, is +nothing in comparison with it. It carries you back to the spot +better than anything else. It is almost equal to clairvoyance. The +names of the streets, with the things advertised, are almost as +good as seeing the signs; and while reading ``Boy lost!'' one can +almost hear the bell and well-known voice of ``Old Wilson,'' +crying the boy as ``strayed, stolen, or mislaid!'' Then there was +the Commencement at Cambridge, and the full account of the +exercises at the graduating of my own class. A list of all those +familiar names (beginning as usual with Abbot, and ending with W), +which, as I read them over, one by one, brought up their faces and +characters as I had known them in the various scenes of college +life. Then I imagined them upon the stage, speaking their +orations, dissertations, colloquies, &c., with the familiar +gestures and tones of each, and tried to fancy the manner in which +each would handle his subject. ----, handsome, showy, and +superficial; ----, with his strong head, clear brain, cool +self-possession; ----, modest, sensitive, and underrated; ----, the +mouth-piece of the debating clubs, noisy, vaporous, and +democratic; and, so, following. Then I could see them receiving +their A.B.'s from the dignified, feudal-looking President, with +his ``auctoritate mihi commissa,'' and walking off the stage with +their diplomas in their hands; while upon the same day their +classmate was walking up and down California beach with a hide +upon his head. + +Every watch below, for a week, I pored over these papers, until I +was sure there could be nothing in them that had escaped my +attention, and was ashamed to keep them any longer. + +Saturday, March 5th. This was an important day in our almanac, for +it was on this day that we were first assured that our voyage was +really drawing to a close. The captain gave orders to have the +ship ready for getting under way; and observed that there was a +good breeze to take us down to San Pedro. Then we were not going +up to windward. Thus much was certain, and was soon known fore and +aft; and when we went in the gig to take him off, he shook hands +with the people on the beach, and said that he did not expect to +see Santa Barbara again. This settled the matter, and sent a +thrill of pleasure through the heart of every one in the boat. We +pulled off with a will, saying to ourselves (I can speak for +myself at least), ``Good by, Santa Barbara! This is the last pull +here! No more duckings in your breakers, and slipping from your +cursed southeasters!'' The news was soon known aboard, and put +life into everything when we were getting under way. Each one was +taking his last look at the Mission, the town, the breakers on the +beach, and swearing that no money would make him ship to see them +again; and when all hands tallied on to the cat-fall, the chorus +of ``Time for us to go!'' was raised for the first time, and +joined in, with full swing, by everybody. One would have thought +we were on our voyage home, so near did it seem to us, though +there were yet three months for us on the coast. + +We left here the young Englishman, George Marsh, of whom I have +before spoken, who was wrecked upon the Pelew Islands. He left us +to take the berth of second mate on board the Ayacucho, which was +lying in port. He was well qualified for this post, and his +education would enable him to rise to any situation on board ship. +I felt really sorry to part from him. There was something about +him which excited my curiosity; for I could not, for a moment, +doubt that he was well born, and, in early life, well bred. There +was the latent gentleman about him, and the sense of honor, and no +little of the pride, of a young man of good family. The situation +was offered him only a few hours before we sailed; and though he +must give up returning to America, yet I have no doubt that the +change from a dog's berth to an officer's was too agreeable to his +feelings to be declined. We pulled him on board the Ayacucho, and +when he left the boat he gave each of its crew a piece of money +except myself, and shook hands with me, nodding his head, as much +as to say ``We understand each other,'' and sprang on board. Had I +known, an hour sooner, that he was to leave us, I would have made +an effort to get from him the true history of his birth and early +life. He knew that I had no faith in the story which he told the +crew about them, and perhaps, in the moment of parting from me, +probably forever, he would have given me the true account. Whether +I shall ever meet him again, or whether his manuscript narrative +of his adventures in the Pelew Islands, which would be creditable +to him and interesting to the world, will ever see the light, I +cannot tell. His is one of those cases which are more numerous +than those suppose who have never lived anywhere but in their own +homes, and never walked but in one line from their cradles to +their graves. We must come down from our heights, and leave our +straight paths for the by-ways and low places of life, if we would +learn truths by strong contrasts; and in hovels, in forecastles, +and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, see what has been +wrought among our fellow-creatures by accident, hardship, or vice. + +Two days brought us to San Pedro, and two days more (to our no +small joy) gave us our last view of that place, which was +universally called the hell of California, and seemed designed in +every way for the wear and tear of sailors. Not even the last view +could bring out one feeling of regret. No thanks, thought I, as we +left the hated shores in the distance, for the hours I have walked +over your stones barefooted, with hides on my head,-- for the +burdens I have carried up your steep, muddy hill,-- for the +duckings in your surf; and for the long days and longer nights +passed on your desolate hill, watching piles of hides, hearing the +sharp bark of your eternal coyotes, and the dismal hooting of your +owls. + +As I bade good by to each successive place, I felt as though one +link after another were struck from the chain of my servitude. +Having kept close in shore for the land-breeze, we passed the +Mission of San Juan Capistrano the same night, and saw distinctly, +by the bright moonlight, the cliff which I had gone down by a pair +of halyards in search of a few paltry hides. + + ``Forsan et haec olim,'' + +thought I, and took my last look of that place too. And on the +next morning we were under the high point of San Diego. The flood +tide took us swiftly in, and we came-to opposite our hide-house, +and prepared to get everything in trim for a long stay. This was +our last port. Here we were to discharge everything from the ship, +clean her out, smoke her, take in our hides, wood, and water, and +set sail for Boston. While all this was doing, we were to lie +still in one place, the port a safe one, and no fear of +southeasters. Accordingly, having picked out a good berth in the +stream, with a smooth beach opposite for a landing-place, and +within two cables' length of our hide-house, we moored ship, +unbent the sails, sent down the top-gallant-yards and the +studding-sail booms, and housed the top-gallant-masts. The boats +were then hove out and all the sails, the spare spars, the stores, +the rigging not rove, and, in fact, everything which was not in +daily use, sent ashore, and stowed away in the house. Then went +our hides and horns, and we left hardly anything in the ship but +her ballast, and this we made preparations to heave out the next +day. At night, after we had knocked off, and were sitting round in +the forecastle, smoking and talking, and taking sailor's pleasure, +we congratulated ourselves upon being in that situation in which +we had wished ourselves every time we had come into San Diego. +``If we were only here for the last time,'' we had often said, +``with our top-gallant-masts housed and our sails unbent!''-- and +now we had our wish. Six weeks, or two months, of the hardest work +we had yet seen, but not the most disagreeable or trying, was +before us, and then-- ``Good by to California!'' + +CHAPTER XXIX + +We turned-in early, knowing that we might expect an early call; +and sure enough, before the stars had quite faded, ``All hands +ahoy!'' and we were turned-to, heaving out ballast. A regulation +of the port forbids any ballast to be thrown overboard; +accordingly, our long-boat was lined inside with rough boards and +brought alongside the gangway, but where one tubful went into the +boat twenty went overboard. This is done by every vessel, as it +saves more than a week of labor, which would be spent in loading +the boats, rowing them to the point, and unloading them. When any +people from the presidio were on board, the boat was hauled up and +the ballast thrown in; but when the coast was clear, she was +dropped astern again, and the ballast fell overboard. This is one +of those petty frauds which many vessels practise in ports of +inferior foreign nations, and which are lost sight of among the +deeds of greater weight which are hardly less common. Fortunately, +a sailor, not being a free agent in work aboard ship, is not +accountable; yet the fact of being constantly employed, without +thought, in such things, begets an indifference to the rights of +others. + +Friday, and a part of Saturday, we were engaged in this work, +until we had thrown out all but what we wanted under our cargo on +the passage home; when, as the next day was Sunday, and a good day +for smoking ship, we cleared everything out of the cabin and +forecastle, made a slow fire of charcoal, birch bark, brimstone, +and other matters, on the ballast in the bottom of the hold, +calked up the hatches and every open seam, and pasted over the +cracks of the windows, and the slides of the scuttles and +companion-way. Wherever smoke was seen coming out, we calked and +pasted and, so far as we could, made the ship smoke tight. The +captain and officers slept under the awning which was spread over +the quarter-deck; and we stowed ourselves away under an old +studding-sail, which we drew over one side of the forecastle. The +next day, from fear that something might happen in the way of +fire, orders were given for no one to leave the ship, and, as the +decks were lumbered up, we could not wash them down, so we had +nothing to do all day long. Unfortunately, our books were where we +could not get at them, and we were turning about for something to +do, when one man recollected a book he had left in the galley. He +went after it, and it proved to be Woodstock. This was a great +windfall, and as all could not read it at once, I, being the +scholar of the company, was appointed reader. I got a knot of six +or eight about me, and no one could have had a more attentive +audience. Some laughed at the ``scholars,'' and went over the +other side of the forecastle to work and spin their yarns; but I +carried the day, and had the cream of the crew for my hearers. +Many of the reflections, and the political parts, I omitted, but +all the narrative they were delighted with; especially the +descriptions of the Puritans, and the sermons and harangues of the +Round-head soldiers. The gallantry of Charles, Dr. Radcliffe's +plots, the knavery of ``trusty Tompkins,''-- in fact, every part +seemed to chain their attention. Many things which, while I was +reading, I had a misgiving about, thinking them above their +tastes, I was surprised to find them enter into completely. + +I read nearly all day, until sundown; when, as soon as supper was +over, as I had nearly finished, they got a light from the galley; +and, by skipping what was less interesting, I carried them through +to the marriage of Everard, and the restoration of Charles the +Second, before eight o'clock. + +The next morning, we took the battens from the hatches, and opened +the ship. A few stifled rats were found; and what bugs, +cockroaches, fleas, and other vermin there might have been on +board must have unrove their life-lines before the hatches were +opened. The ship being now ready, we covered the bottom of the +hold over, fore and aft, with dried brush for dunnage, and, having +levelled everything away, we were ready to take in our cargo. All +the hides that had been collected since the California left the +coast (a little more than two years), amounting to about forty +thousand, had been cured, dried, and stowed away in the house, +waiting for our good ship to take them to Boston. + +Now began the operation of taking in our cargo, which kept us hard +at work, from the gray of the morning till starlight, for six +weeks, with the exception of Sundays, and of just time to swallow +our meals. To carry the work on quicker, a division of labor was +made. Two men threw the hides down from the piles in the house, +two more picked them up and put them on a long horizontal pole, +raised a few feet from the ground, where they were beaten by two +more with flails, somewhat like those used in threshing wheat. +When beaten, they were taken from this pole by two more, and +placed upon a platform of boards; and ten or a dozen men, with +their trousers rolled up, and hides upon their heads, were +constantly going back and forth from the platform to the boat, +which was kept off where she would just float. The throwing the +hides upon the pole was the most difficult work, and required a +sleight of hand which was only to be got by long practice. As I +was known for a hide-curer, this post was assigned to me, and I +continued at it for six or eight days, tossing, in that time, from +eight to ten thousand hides, until my wrists became so lame that I +gave in, and was transferred to the gang that was employed in +filling the boats, where I remained for the rest of the time. As +we were obliged to carry the hides on our heads from fear of their +getting wet, we each had a piece of sheepskin sewed into the +inside of our hats, with the wool next our heads, and thus were +able to bear the weight, day after day, which might otherwise have +worn off our hair, and borne hard upon our skulls. Upon the whole +ours was the best berth, for though the water was nipping cold, +early in the morning and late at night, and being so continually +wet was rather an exposure, yet we got rid of the constant dust +and dirt from the beating of the hides, and, being all of us young +and hearty, did not mind the exposure. The older men of the crew, +whom it would have been imprudent to keep in the water, remained +on board with the mate, to stow the hides away, as fast as they +were brought off by the boats. + +We continued at work in this manner until the lower hold was +filled to within four feet of the beams, when all hands were +called aboard to begin steeving. As this is a peculiar operation, +it will require a minute description. + +Before stowing the hides, as I have said, the ballast is levelled +off, just above the keelson, and then loose dunnage is placed upon +it, on which the hides rest. The greatest care is used in stowing, +to make the ship hold as many hides as possible. It is no mean +art, and a man skilled in it is an important character in +California. Many a dispute have I heard raging high between +professed ``beach-combers,'' as to whether the hides should be +stowed ``shingling,'' or ``back-to-back and flipper-to-flipper''; +upon which point there was an entire and bitter division of +sentiment among the savans. We adopted each method at different +periods of the stowing, and parties ran high in the forecastle, +some siding with ``old Bill'' in favor of the former, and others +scouting him and relying upon ``English Bob'' of the Ayacucho, who +had been eight years in California, and was willing to risk his +life and limb for the latter method. At length a compromise was +effected, and a middle course of shifting the ends and backs at +every lay was adopted, which worked well, and which each party +granted was better than that of the other, though inferior to its +own. + +Having filled the ship up, in this way, to within four feet of her +beams, the process of steeving began, by which a hundred hides are +got into a place where scarce one could be forced by hand, and +which presses the hides to the utmost, sometimes starting the +beams of the ship,-- resembling in its effects the jack-screws +which are used in stowing cotton. Each morning we went ashore, and +beat and brought off as many hides as we could steeve in a day, +and, after breakfast, went down into the hold, where we remained +at work until night, except a short spell for dinner. The length +of the hold, from stem to stern, was floored off level; and we +began with raising a pile in the after part, hard against the +bulkhead of the run, and filling it up to the beams, crowding in +as many as we could by hand and pushing in with oars, when a large +``book'' was made of from twenty-five to fifty hides, doubled at +the backs, and placed one within another, so as to leave but one +outside hide for the book. An opening was then made between two +hides in the pile, and the back of the outside hide of the book +inserted. Above and below this book were placed smooth strips of +wood, well greased, called ``ways,'' to facilitate the sliding in +of the book. Two long, heavy spars, called steeves, made of the +strongest wood, and sharpened off like a wedge at one end, were +placed with their wedge ends into the inside of the hide which was +the centre of the book, and to the other end of each straps were +fitted, into which large tackles[1] were hooked, composed each of +two huge purchase blocks, one hooked to the strap on the end of +the steeve, and the other into a dog, fastened into one of the +beams, as far aft as it could be got. When this was arranged, and +the ways greased upon which the book was to slide, the falls of +the tackles were stretched forward, and all hands tallied on, and +bowsed away upon them until the book was well entered, when these +tackles were nippered, straps and toggles clapped upon the falls, +and two more luff tackles hooked on, with dogs, in the same +manner; and thus, by luff upon luff, the power was multiplied, +until into a pile in which one hide more could not be crowded by +hand a hundred or a hundred and fifty were often driven by this +complication of purchases. When the last luff was hooked on, all +hands were called to the rope,-- cook, steward, and all,-- and +ranging ourselves at the falls, one behind the other, sitting down +on the hides, with our heads just even with the beams, we set taut +upon the tackles, and striking up a song, and all lying back at +the chorus, we bowsed the tackles home, and drove the large books +chock in out of sight. + +The sailors' songs for capstans and falls are of a peculiar kind, +having a chorus at the end of each line. The burden is usually +sung by one alone, and, at the chorus, all hands join in,-- and, +the louder the noise, the better. With us, the chorus seemed +almost to raise the decks of the ship, and might be heard at a +great distance ashore. A song is as necessary to sailors as the +drum and fife to a soldier. They must pull together as soldiers +must step in time, and they can't pull in time, or pull with a +will, without it. Many a time, when a thing goes heavy, with one +fellow yo-ho-ing, a lively song, like ``Heave, to the girls!'' +``Nancy O!'' ``Jack Crosstree,'' ``Cheerly, men,'' &c., has put +life and strength into every arm. We found a great difference in +the effect of the various songs in driving in the hides. Two or +three songs would be tried, one after the other, with no effect,-- +not an inch could be got upon the tackles; when a new song, struck +up, seemed to hit the humor of the moment, and drove the tackles +``two blocks'' at once. ``Heave round hearty!'' ``Captain gone +ashore!'' ``Dandy ship and a dandy crew,'' and the like, might do +for common pulls, but on an emergency, when we wanted a heavy, +``raise-the-dead pull,'' which should start the beams of the ship, +there was nothing like ``Time for us to go!'' ``Round the +corner,'' ``Tally high ho! you know,'' or ``Hurrah! hurrah! my +hearty bullies!'' + +This was the most lively part of our work. A little boating and +beach work in the morning; then twenty or thirty men down in a +close hold, where we were obliged to sit down and slide about, +passing hides, and rowsing about the great steeves, tackles, and +dogs, singing out at the falls, and seeing the ship filling up +every day. The work was as hard as it could well be. There was not +a moment's cessation from Monday morning till Saturday night, when +we were generally beaten out, and glad to have a full night's +rest, a wash and shift of clothes, and a quiet Sunday. During all +this time-- which would have startled Dr. Graham-- we lived upon +almost nothing but fresh beef; fried beefsteaks, three times a +day,-- morning, noon, and night. At morning and night we had a +quart of tea to each man, and an allowance of about a pound of +hard bread a day; but our chief article of food was beef. A mess, +consisting of six men, had a large wooden kid piled up with +beefsteaks, cut thick, and fried in fat, with the grease poured +over them. Round this we sat, attacking it with our jack-knives +and teeth, and with the appetite of young lions, and sent back an +empty kid to the galley. This was done three times a day. How many +pounds each man ate in a day I will not attempt to compute. A +whole bullock (we ate liver and all) lasted us but four days. Such +devouring of flesh, I will venture to say, is not often seen. What +one man ate in a day, over a hearty man's allowance, would make an +English peasant's heart leap into his mouth. Indeed, during all +the time we were upon the coast, our principal food was fresh +beef, and every man had perfect health; but this was a time of +especial devouring, and what we should have done without meat I +cannot tell. Once or twice, when our bullocks failed, and we were +obliged to make a meal upon dry bread and water, it seemed like +feeding upon shavings. Light and dry, feeling unsatisfied, and, at +the same time, full, we were glad to see four quarters of a +bullock, just killed, swinging from the fore-top. Whatever +theories may be started by sedentary men, certainly no men could +have gone through more hard work and exposure for sixteen months +in more perfect health, and without ailings and failings, than our +ship's crew, let them have lived upon Hygeia's own baking and +dressing. + +Friday, April 15th. Arrived, brig Pilgrim, from the windward. It +was a sad sight for her crew to see us getting ready to go off the +coast, while they, who had been longer on the coast than the +Alert, were condemned to another year's hard service. I spent an +evening on board, and found them making the best of the matter, +and determined to rough it out as they might. But Stimson, after +considerable negotiating and working, had succeeded in persuading +my English friend, Tom Harris,-- my companion in the anchor watch,-- +for thirty dollars, some clothes, and an intimation from Captain +Faucon that he should want a second mate before the voyage was +over, to take his place in the brig as soon as she was ready to go +up to windward. + +The first opportunity I could get to speak to Captain Faucon, I +asked him to step up to the oven and look at Hope, whom he knew +well, having had him on board his vessel. He went to see him at +once, and said that he was doing pretty well, but there was so +little medicine on board the brig, and she would be so long on the +coast, that he could spare none for him, but that Captain Arthur +would take care of him when he came down in the California, which +would be in a week or more. I had been to see Hope the first night +after we got into San Diego this last time, and had frequently +since spent the early part of a night in the oven. I hardly +expected, when I left him to go to windward, to find him alive +upon my return. He was certainly as low as he could well be when I +left him, and what would be the effect of the medicines that I +gave him I hardly then dared to conjecture. Yet I knew that he +must die without them. I was not a little rejoiced, therefore, and +relieved, upon our return, to see him decidedly better. The +medicines were strong, and took hold and gave a check to the +disorder which was destroying him; and, more than that, they had +begun the work of exterminating it. I shall never forget the +gratitude that he expressed. All the Kanakas attributed his escape +solely to my knowledge, and would not be persuaded that I had not +all the secrets of the physical system open to me and under my +control. My medicines, however, were gone, and no more could be +got from the ship, so that his life was left to hang upon the +arrival of the California. + +Sunday, April 24th. We had now been nearly seven weeks in San +Diego, and had taken in the greater part of our cargo, and were +looking out every day for the arrival of the California, which had +our agent on board; when, this afternoon, some Kanakas, who had +been over the hill for rabbits and to fight rattlesnakes, came +running down the path, singing out ``Kail ho!'' with all their +might. Mr. Hatch, our third mate, was ashore, and, asking them +particularly about the size of the sail, &c., and learning that it +was ``Moku-- Nui Moku,'' hailed our ship, and said that the +California was on the other side of the point. Instantly, all +hands were turned up, the bow guns run out and loaded, the ensign +and broad pennant set, the yards squared by lifts and braces, and +everything got ready to make a fair appearance. The instant she +showed her nose round the point we began our salute. She came in +under top-gallant-sails, clewed up and furled her sails in good +order, and came-to within swinging distance of us. It being +Sunday, and nothing to do, all hands were on the forecastle, +criticising the new comer. She was a good, substantial ship, not +quite so long as the Alert, wall-sided and kettle-bottomed, after +the latest fashion of south-shore cotton and sugar wagons; strong, +too, and tight, and a good average sailer, but with no pretensions +to beauty, and nothing in the style of a ``crack ship.'' Upon the +whole, we were perfectly satisfied that the Alert might hold up +her head with a ship twice as smart as she. + +At night some of us got a boat and went on board, and found a +large, roomy forecastle (for she was squarer forward than the +Alert), and a crew of a dozen or fifteen men and boys sitting +around on their chests, smoking and talking, and ready to give a +welcome to any of our ship's company. It was just seven months +since they left Boston, which seemed but yesterday to us. +Accordingly, we had much to ask; for though we had seen the +newspapers which she had brought, yet these were the very men who +had been in Boston, and seen everything with their own eyes. One +of the green hands was a Boston boy, from one of the public +schools, and, of course, knew many things which we wished to ask +about, and, on inquiring the names of our two Boston boys, found +that they had been school-mates of his. Our men had hundreds of +questions to ask about Ann Street, the boarding-houses, the ships +in port, the rate of wages, and other matters. + +Among her crew were two English man-of-war's-men, so that, of +course, we soon had music. They sang in the true sailor's style, +and the rest of the crew, which was a remarkably musical one, +joined in the choruses. They had many of the latest sailor songs, +which had not yet got about among our merchantmen, and which they +were very choice of. They began soon after we came on board, and +kept it up until after two bells, when the second mate came +forward and called ``the Alerts away!'' Battle-songs, +drinking-songs, boat-songs, love-songs, and everything else, they +seemed to have a complete assortment of, and I was glad to find +that ``All in the Downs,'' ``Poor Tom Bowline,'' ``The Bay of +Biscay,'' ``List, ye Landsmen!'' and other classical songs of the +sea, still held their places. In addition to these, they had +picked up at the theatres and other places a few songs of a little +more genteel cast, which they were very proud of; and I shall +never forget hearing an old salt, who had broken his voice by hard +drinking on shore, and bellowing from the mast-head in a hundred +northwesters, singing-- with all manner of ungovernable trills and +quavers, in the high notes breaking into a rough falsetto, and in +the low ones growling along like the dying away of the boatswain's +``All hands ahoy!'' down the hatchway-- ``O no, we never mention +him.'' + + ``Perhaps, like me, he struggles with + Each feeling of regret; + But if he's loved as I have loved, + He never can forget!'' + +The last line he roared out at the top of his voice, breaking each +word into half a dozen syllables. This was very popular, and Jack +was called upon every night to give them his ``sentimental song.'' +No one called for it more loudly than I, for the complete +absurdity of the execution, and the sailors' perfect satisfaction +in it, were ludicrous beyond measure. + +The next day the California began unloading her cargo; and her +boats' crews, in coming and going, sang their boat-songs, keeping +time with their oars. This they did all day long for several days, +until their hides were all discharged, when a gang of them were +sent on board the Alert to help us steeve our hides. This was a +windfall for us, for they had a set of new songs for the capstan +and fall, and ours had got nearly worn out by six weeks' constant +use. I have no doubt that this timely re-enforcement of songs +hastened our work several days. + +Our cargo was now nearly all taken in, and my old friend, the +Pilgrim, having completed her discharge, unmoored, to set sail the +next morning on another long trip to windward. I was just thinking +of her hard lot, and congratulating myself upon my escape from +her, when I received a summons into the cabin. I went aft, and +there found, seated round the cabin table, my own captain, Captain +Faucon of the Pilgrim, and Mr. Robinson, the agent. Captain +Thompson turned to me and asked abruptly,-- + +``Dana, do you want to go home in the ship?'' + +``Certainly, sir,'' said I; ``I expect to go home in the ship.'' + +``Then,'' said he, ``you must get some one to go in your place on +board the Pilgrim.'' + +I was so completely ``taken aback'' by this sudden intimation that +for a moment I could make no reply. I thought it would be hopeless +to attempt to prevail upon any of the ship's crew to take twelve +months more upon California in the brig. I knew, too, that Captain +Thompson had received orders to bring me home in the Alert, and he +had told me, when I was at the hide-house, that I was to go home +in her; and even if this had not been so, it was cruel to give me +no notice of the step they were going to take, until a few hours +before the brig would sail. As soon as I had got my wits about me, +I put on a bold front, and told him plainly that I had a letter in +my chest informing me that he had been written to by the owners in +Boston to bring me home in the ship; and, moreover, that he had +told me that he had such instructions, and that I was to return in +the ship. + +To have this told him, and to be opposed in such a manner, was +more than my lord paramount had been used to. He turned fiercely +upon me, and tried to look me down, and face me out of my +statement; but finding that that wouldn't do, and that I was +entering upon my defence in such a way as would show to the other +two that he was in the wrong, he changed his ground, and pointed +to the shipping-papers of the Pilgrim, from which my name had +never been erased, and said that there was my name,-- that I +belonged to her,-- that he had an absolute discretionary power,-- +and, in short, that I must be on board the Pilgrim by the next +morning with my chest and hammock, or have some one ready to go in +my place, and that he would not hear another word from me. No +court of star chamber could proceed more summarily with a poor +devil than this trio was about to do with me; condemning me to a +punishment worse than a Botany Bay exile, and to a fate which +might alter the whole current of my future life; for two years +more in California might have made me a sailor for the rest of my +days. I felt all this, and saw the necessity of being determined. +I repeated what I had said, and insisted upon my right to return +in the ship. + + ``I raised my arm, and tauld my crack, + Before them a'.'' + +But it would have all availed me nothing had I been ``some poor +body'' before this absolute, domineering tribunal. But they saw +that I would not go, unless ``vi et armis,'' and they knew that I +had friends and interest enough at home to make them suffer for +any injustice they might do me. It was probably this that turned +the scale; for the captain changed his tone entirely, and asked me +if, in case any one went in my place, I would give him the same +sum that Stimson gave Harris to exchange with him. I told them +that if any one was sent on board the brig I should pity him, and +be willing to help him to that, or almost any amount; but would +not speak of it as an exchange. + +``Very well,'' said he. ``Go forward about your business, and send +English Ben here to me!'' + +I went forward with a light heart, but feeling as much anger and +contempt as I could well contain between my teeth. English Ben was +sent aft, and in a few moments came forward, looking as though he +had received his sentence to be hanged. The captain had told him +to get his things ready to go on board the brig next morning; and +that I would give him thirty dollars and a suit of clothes. The +hands had ``knocked off'' for dinner, and were standing about the +forecastle, when Ben came forward and told his story. I could see +plainly that it made a great excitement, and that, unless I +explained the matter to them, the feeling would be turned against +me. Ben was a poor English boy, a stranger in Boston, and without +friends or money; and, being an active, willing lad, and a good +sailor for his years, was a general favorite. ``O yes!'' said the +crew; ``the captain has let you off because you are a gentleman's +son, and taken Ben because he is poor, and has got nobody to say a +word for him.'' I knew that this was too true to be answered, but +I excused myself from any blame, and told them that I had a right +to go home, at all events. This pacified them a little, but Jack +had got a notion that a poor lad was to be imposed upon, and did +not distinguish very clearly; and though I knew that I was in no +fault, and, in fact, had barely escaped the grossest injustice, +yet I felt that my berth was getting to be a disagreeable one. The +notion that I was not ``one of them,'' which, by a participation +in all their labor and hardships, and having no favor shown me, +and never asserting myself among them, had been laid asleep, was +beginning to revive. But far stronger than any feeling for myself +was the pity I felt for the poor lad. He had depended upon going +home in the ship; and from Boston was going immediately to +Liverpool, to see his friends. Besides this, having begun the +voyage with very few clothes, he had taken up the greater part of +his wages in the slop-chest, and it was every day a losing concern +to him; and, like all the rest of the crew, he had a hearty hatred +of California, and the prospect of eighteen months or two years +more of hide droghing seemed completely to break down his spirit. +I had determined not to go myself, happen what would, and I knew +that the captain would not dare to attempt to force me. I knew, +too, that the two captains had agreed together to get some one, +and that unless I could prevail upon somebody to go voluntarily, +there would be no help for Ben. From this consideration, though I +had said that I would have nothing to do with an exchange, I did +my best to get some one to go voluntarily. I offered to give an +order upon the owners in Boston for six months' wages, and also +all the clothes, books, and other matters which I should not want +upon the voyage home. When this offer was published in the ship, +and the case of poor Ben set forth in strong colors, several, who +would not dream of going themselves, were busy in talking it up to +others, who, they thought, might be tempted to accept it; and, at +length, a Boston boy, a harum-scarum lad, a great favorite, Harry +May, whom we called Harry Bluff, and who did not care what country +or ship he was in, if he had clothes enough and money enough,-- +partly from pity for Ben, and partly from the thought he should +have ``cruising money'' for the rest of his stay,-- came forward, +and offered to go and ``sling his hammock in the bloody hooker.'' +Lest his purpose should cool, I signed an order for the sum upon +the owners in Boston, gave him all the clothes I could spare, and +sent him aft to the captain, to let him know what had been done. +The skipper accepted the exchange, and was, doubtless, glad to +have it pass off so easily. At the same time he cashed the order, +which was indorsed to him,[2] and the next morning the lad went +aboard the brig, apparently in good spirits, having shaken hands +with each of us and wished us a pleasant passage home, jingling +the money in his pockets, and calling out ``Never say die, while +there's a shot in the locker.'' The same boat carried off Harris, +my old watchmate, who had previously made an exchange with my +friend Stimson. + +I was sorry to part with Harris. Nearly two hundred hours (as we +had calculated it) had we walked the ship's deck together, at +anchor watch, when all hands were below, and talked over and over +every subject which came within the ken of either of us. He gave +me a strong gripe with his hand; and I told him, if he came to +Boston, not to fail to find me out, and let me see my old +watchmate. The same boat brought on board Stimson, who had begun +the voyage with me from Boston, and, like me, was going back to +his family and to the society in which he had been born and +brought up. We congratulated each other upon finding what we had +long talked over and wished for thus brought about; and none on +board the ship were more glad than ourselves to see the old brig +standing round the point, under full sail. As she passed abreast +of us, we all collected in the waist, and gave her three loud, +hearty cheers, waving our hats in the air. Her crew sprang into +the rigging and chains, and answered us with three as loud, to +which we, after the nautical custom, gave one in return. I took my +last look of their familiar faces as they passed over the rail, +and saw the old black cook put his head out of the galley, and +wave his cap over his head. Her crew flew aloft to loose the +top-gallant-sails and royals; the two captains waved their hands +to each other; and, in ten minutes, we saw the last inch of her +white canvas, as she rounded the point. + +Relieved as I was to see her well off (and I felt like one who had +just sprung from an iron trap which was closing upon him), I had +yet a feeling of regret at taking the last look at the old craft +in which I had spent a year, and the first year, of my sailor's +life, which had been my first home in the new world into which I +had entered, and with which I had associated so many events,-- my +first leaving home, my first crossing the equator, Cape Horn, Juan +Fernandez, death at sea, and other things, serious and common. +Yet, with all this, and the sentiment I had for my old shipmates +condemned to another term of California life, the thought that we +were done with it, and that one week more would see us on our way +to Boston, was a cure for everything. + +Friday, May 6th, completed the getting in of our cargo, and was a +memorable day in our calendar. The time when we were to take in +our last hide we had looked forward to, for sixteen months, as the +first bright spot. When the last hide was stowed away, the hatches +calked down, the tarpaulins battened on to them, the long-boat +hoisted in and secured, and the decks swept down for the night,-- +the chief mate sprang upon the top of the long-boat, called all +hands into the waist, and, giving us a signal by swinging his cap +over his head, we gave three long, loud cheers, which came from +the bottom of our hearts, and made the hills and valleys ring +again. In a moment we heard three in answer from the California's +crew, who had seen us taking in our long-boat; ``the cry they +heard,-- its meaning knew.'' + +The last week we had been occupied in taking in a supply of wood +and water for the passage home, and in bringing on board the spare +spars, sails, &c. I was sent off with a party of Indians to fill +the water-casks, at a spring about three miles from the shipping +and near the town, and was absent three days, living at the town, +and spending the daytime in filling the casks and transporting +them on ox-carts to the landing-place, whence they were taken on +board by the crew with boats. This being all done with, we gave +one day to bending our sails, and at night every sail, from the +courses to the skysails, was bent, and every studding-sail ready +for setting. + +Before our sailing an unsuccessful attempt was made by one of the +crew of the California to effect an exchange with one of our +number. It was a lad, between fifteen and sixteen years of age, +who went by the name of the ``reefer,'' having been a midshipman +in an East India Company's ship. His singular character and story +had excited our interest ever since the ship came into the port. +He was a delicate, slender little fellow, with a beautiful pearly +complexion, regular features; forehead as white as marble, black +hair curling beautifully round it; tapering, delicate fingers; +small feet, soft voice, gentle manners, and, in fact, every sign +of having been well born and bred. At the same time there was +something in his expression which showed a slight deficiency of +intellect. How great the deficiency was, or what it resulted from; +whether he was born so; whether it was the result of disease or +accident; or whether, as some said, it was brought on by his +distress of mind during the voyage,-- I cannot say. From his +account of himself, and from many circumstances which were known +in connection with his story, he must have been the son of a man +of wealth. His mother was an Italian. He was probably a natural +son, for in scarcely any other way could the incidents of his +early life be accounted for. He said that his parents did not live +together, and he seemed to have been ill treated by his father. +Though he had been delicately brought up, and indulged in every +way (and he had then with him trinkets which had been given him at +home), yet his education had been sadly neglected; and when only +twelve years old, he was sent as midshipman in the Company's +service. His own story was, that he afterwards ran away from home, +upon a difficulty which he had with his father, and went to +Liverpool, whence he sailed in the ship Rialto, Captain Holmes, +for Boston. Captain Holmes endeavored to get him a passage back, +but, there being no vessel to sail for some time, the boy left +him, and went to board at a common sailor's boarding-house in Ann +Street, where he supported himself for a few weeks by selling some +of his valuables. At length, according to his own account, being +desirous of returning home, he went to a shipping-office, where +the shipping articles of the California were open. Upon asking +where the ship was going, he was told by the shipping-master that +she was bound to California. Not knowing where that was, he told +him that he wanted to go to Europe, and asked if California was in +Europe. The shipping-master answered him in a way which the boy +did not understand, and advised him to ship. The boy signed the +articles, received his advance, laid out a little of it in +clothes, and spent the rest, and was ready to go on board, when, +upon the morning of sailing, he heard that the ship was bound upon +the Northwest Coast, on a two or three years' voyage, and was not +going to Europe. Frightened at this prospect, he slipped away when +the crew were going aboard, wandered up into another part of the +town, and spent all the forenoon in straying about the Common, and +the neighboring streets. Having no money, and all his clothes and +other things being in his chest on board, and being a stranger, he +became tired and hungry, and ventured down toward the shipping, to +see if the vessel had sailed. He was just turning the corner of a +street, when the shipping-master, who had been in search of him, +popped upon him, seized him, and carried him on board. He cried +and struggled, and said he did not wish to go in the ship; but the +topsails were at the mast-head, the fasts just ready to be cast +off, and everything in the hurry and confusion of departure, so +that he was hardly noticed; and the few who did inquire about the +matter were told that it was merely a boy who had spent his +advance and tried to run away. Had the owners of the vessel known +anything of the matter, they would doubtless have interfered; but +they either knew nothing of it, or heard, like the rest, that it +was only an unruly boy who was sick of his bargain. As soon as the +boy found himself actually at sea, and upon a voyage of two or +three years in length, his spirits failed him; he refused to work, +and became so miserable that Captain Arthur took him into the +cabin, where he assisted the steward, and occasionally pulled and +hauled about decks. He was in this capacity when we saw him; and +though it was much better for him than the life in a forecastle, +and the hard work, watching, and exposure, which his delicate +frame could not have borne, yet, to be joined with a black fellow +in waiting upon a man whom he probably looked upon as but little, +in point of education and manners, above one of his father's +servants, was almost too much for his spirit to bear. Had he +entered upon this situation of his own free will, he could have +endured it; but to have been deceived, and, in addition to that, +forced into it, was intolerable. He made every effort to go home +in our ship, but his captain refused to part with him except in +the way of exchange, and that he could not effect. If this account +of the whole matter, which we had from the boy, and which was +confirmed by the crew, be correct, I cannot understand why Captain +Arthur should have refused to let him go, especially as he had the +name, not only with that crew, but with all he had ever commanded, +of an unusually kind-hearted man. The truth is, the unlimited +power which merchant captains have upon long voyages on strange +coasts takes away the sense of responsibility, and too often, even +in men otherwise well disposed, gives growth to a disregard for +the rights and feelings of others. The lad was sent on shore to +join the gang at the hide-house, from whence, I was afterwards +rejoiced to hear, he effected his escape, and went down to Callao +in a small Spanish schooner; and from Callao he probably returned +to England. + +Soon after the arrival of the California, I spoke to Captain +Arthur about Hope, the Kanaka; and as he had known him on the +voyage before, and liked him, he immediately went to see him, gave +him proper medicines, and, under such care, he began rapidly to +recover. The Saturday night before our sailing I spent an hour in +the oven, and took leave of my Kanaka friends; and, really, this +was the only thing connected with leaving California which was in +any way unpleasant. I felt an interest and affection for many of +these simple, true-hearted men, such as I never felt before but +for a near relation. Hope shook me by the hand; said he should +soon be well again, and ready to work for me when I came upon the +coast, next voyage, as officer of the ship; and told me not to +forget, when I became captain, how to be kind to the sick. Old +``Mr. Bingham'' and ``King Mannini'' went down to the boat with +me, shook me heartily by the hand, wished us a good voyage, and +went back to the oven, chanting one of their deep, monotonous, +improvised songs, the burden of which I gathered to be about us +and our voyage. + +Sunday, May 8th, 1836. This promised to be our last day in +California. Our forty thousand hides and thirty thousand horns, +besides several barrels of otter and beaver skins, were all stowed +below, and the hatches calked down.[3] All our spare spars were +taken on board and lashed, our water-casks secured, and our live +stock, consisting of four bullocks, a dozen sheep, a dozen or more +pigs, and three or four dozens of poultry, were all stowed away in +their different quarters; the bullocks in the long-boat, the sheep +in a pen on the fore hatch, the pigs in a sty under the bows of +the long-boat, and the poultry in their proper coop, and the +jolly-boat was full of hay for the sheep and bullocks. Our +unusually large cargo, together with the stores for a five months' +voyage, brought the ship channels down into the water. In addition +to this, she had been steeved so thoroughly, and was so bound by +the compression of her cargo, forced into her by machinery so +powerful, that she was like a man in a strait-jacket, and would be +but a dull sailer until she had worked herself loose. + +The California had finished discharging her cargo, and was to get +under way at the same time with us. Having washed down decks and +got breakfast, the two vessels lay side by side, in complete +readiness for sea, our ensigns hanging from the peaks, and our +tall spars reflected from the glassy surface of the river, which, +since sunrise, had been unbroken by a ripple. At length a few +whiffs came across the water, and, by eleven o'clock the regular +northwest wind set steadily in. There was no need of calling all +hands, for we had all been hanging about the forecastle the whole +forenoon, and were ready for a start upon the first sign of a +breeze. Often we turned our eyes aft upon the captain, who was +walking the deck, with every now and then a look to windward. He +made a sign to the mate, who came forward, took his station +deliberately between the knight-heads, cast a glance aloft, and +called out ``All hands, lay aloft and loose the sails!'' We were +half in the rigging before the order came, and never since we left +Boston were the gaskets off the yards, and the rigging overhauled, +in a shorter time. ``All ready forward, sir!''-- ``All ready the +main!''-- ``Cross-jack yards all ready, sir!''-- ``Lay down, all +hands but one on each yard!'' The yard-arm and bunt gaskets were +cast off; and each sail hung by the jigger, with one man standing +by the tie to let it go. At the same moment that we sprang aloft, +a dozen hands sprang into the rigging of the California, and in an +instant were all over her yards; and her sails, too, were ready to +be dropped at the word. In the mean time our bow gun had been +loaded and run out, and its discharge was to be the signal for +dropping the sails. A cloud of smoke came out of our bows; the +echoes of the gun rattled our farewell among the hills of +California, and the two ships were covered, from head to foot, +with their white canvas. For a few minutes all was uproar and +apparent confusion; men jumping about like monkeys in the rigging; +ropes and blocks flying, orders given and answered amid the +confused noises of men singing out at the ropes. The topsails came +to the mast-heads with ``Cheerly, men!'' and, in a few minutes, +every sail was set, for the wind was light. The head sails were +backed, the windlass came round ``slip-- slap'' to the cry of the +sailors;-- ``Hove short, sir,'' said the mate;-- ``Up with him!''-- +``Aye, aye, sir.'' A few hearty and long heaves, and the anchor +showed its head. ``Hook cat!'' The fall was stretched along the +decks; all hands laid hold;-- ``Hurrah, for the last time,'' said +the mate; and the anchor came to the cat-head to the tune of +``Time for us to go,'' with a rollicking chorus. Everything was +done quick, as though it was for the last time. The head yards +were filled away, and our ship began to move through the water on +her homeward-bound course. + +The California had got under way at the same moment, and we sailed +down the narrow bay abreast, and were just off the mouth, and, +gradually drawing ahead of her, were on the point of giving her +three parting cheers, when suddenly we found ourselves stopped +short, and the California ranging fast ahead of us. A bar +stretches across the mouth of the harbor, with water enough to +float common vessels, but, being low in the water, and having kept +well to leeward, as we were bound to the southward, we had stuck +fast, while the California, being light, had floated over. + +We kept all sail on, in the hope of forcing over, but, failing in +this, we hove aback, and lay waiting for the tide, which was on +the flood, to take us back into the channel. This was something of +a damper to us, and the captain looked not a little mortified and +vexed. ``This is the same place where the Rosa got ashore, sir,'' +observed our red-headed second mate, most malapropos. A +malediction on the Rosa, and him too, was all the answer he got, +and he slunk off to leeward. In a few minutes the force of the +wind and the rising of the tide backed us into the stream, and we +were on our way to our old anchoring-place, the tide setting +swiftly up, and the ship barely manageable in the light breeze. We +came-to in our old berth opposite the hide-house, whose inmates +were not a little surprised to see us return. We felt as though we +were tied to California; and some of the crew swore that they +never should get clear of the bloody[4] coast. + +In about half an hour, which was near high water, the order was +given to man the windlass, and again the anchor was catted; but +there was no song, and not a word was said about the last time. +The California had come back on finding that we had returned, and +was hove-to, waiting for us, off the point. This time we passed +the bar safely, and were soon up with the California, who filled +away, and kept us company. She seemed desirous of a trial of +speed, and our captain accepted the challenge, although we were +loaded down to the bolts of our chain-plates, as deep as a +sand-barge, and bound so taut with our cargo that we were no more +fit for a race than a man in fetters; while our antagonist was in +her best trim. Being clear of the point, the breeze became stiff, +and the royal-masts bent under our sails, but we would not take +them in until we saw three boys spring aloft into the rigging of +the California; when they were all furled at once, but with orders +to our boys to stay aloft at the top-gallant mast-heads and loose +them again at the word. It was my duty to furl the fore royal; +and, while standing by to loose it again, I had a fine view of the +scene. From where I stood, the two vessels seemed nothing but +spars and sails, while their narrow decks, far below, slanting +over by the force of the wind aloft, appeared hardly capable of +supporting the great fabrics raised upon them. The California was +to windward of us, and had every advantage; yet, while the breeze +was stiff, we held our own. As soon as it began to slacken, she +ranged a little ahead, and the order was given to loose the +royals. In an instant the gaskets were off and the bunt dropped. +``Sheet home the fore royal!-- Weather sheet's home!''-- ``Lee +sheet's home!''-- ``Hoist away, sir!'' is bawled from aloft. +``Overhaul your clew-lines!'' shouts the mate. ``Aye, aye, sir! +all clear!''-- ``Taut leech! belay! Well the lee brace; haul taut +to windward,''-- and the royals are set. These brought us up +again; but, the wind continuing light, the California set hers, +and it was soon evident that she was walking away from us. Our +captain then hailed, and said that he should keep off to his +course; adding, ``She isn't the Alert now. If I had her in your +trim she would have been out of sight by this time.'' This was +good-naturedly answered from the California, and she braced sharp +up, and stood close upon the wind up the coast; while we squared +away our yards, and stood before the wind to the south-southwest. +The California's crew manned her weather rigging, waved their hats +in the air, and gave us three hearty cheers, which we answered as +heartily, and the customary single cheer came back to us from over +the water. She stood on her way, doomed to eighteen months' or two +years' hard service upon that hated coast, while we were making +our way to our home, to which every hour and every mile was +bringing us nearer. + +As soon as we parted company with the California, all hands were +sent aloft to set the studding-sails. Booms were rigged out, tacks +and halyards rove, sail after sail packed upon her, until every +available inch of canvas was spread, that we might not lose a +breath of the fair wind. We could now see how much she was cramped +and deadened by her cargo; for with a good breeze on her quarter, +and every stitch of canvas spread, we could not get more than six +knots out of her. She had no more life in her than if she were +water-logged. The log was hove several times; but she was doing +her best. We had hardly patience with her, but the older sailors +said, ``Stand by! you'll see her work herself loose in a week or +two, and then she'll walk up to Cape Horn like a race-horse.'' + +When all sail had been set, and the decks cleared up, the +California was a speck in the horizon, and the coast lay like a +low cloud along the northeast. At sunset they were both out of +sight, and we were once more upon the ocean, where sky and water +meet. + +[1] This word, when used to signify a pulley or purchase formed by +blocks and a rope, is always by seamen pronounced ta-kl. + +[2] When our crew were paid off in Boston, the owners answered the +orders of Stimson and me, but refused to deduct the amount from the +pay-roll, saying that the exchanges were made under compulsion. + +[3] We had also a small quantity of gold dust, which Mexicans or +Indians had brought down to us from the interior. It was not +uncommon for our ships to bring a little, as I have since learned +from the owners. I heard rumors of gold discoveries, but they +attracted little or no attention, and were not followed up. + +[4] This is a common expletive among sailors, and suits any purpose. + +CHAPTER XXX + +At eight o'clock all hands were called aft, and the watches set +for the voyage. Some changes were made; but I was glad to find +myself still in the larboard watch. Our crew was somewhat +diminished; for a man and a boy had gone in the Pilgrim; another +was second mate of the Ayacucho; and a fourth, Harry Bennett, the +oldest man of the crew, had broken down under the hard work and +constant exposure on the coast, and, having had a stroke of the +palsy, was left behind at the hide-house, under the charge of +Captain Arthur. The poor fellow wished very much to come home in +the ship; and he ought to have been brought home in her. But a +live dog is better than a dead lion, and a sick sailor belongs to +nobody's mess; so he was sent ashore with the rest of the lumber, +which was only in the way. He had come on board, with his chest, +in the morning, and tried to make himself useful about decks; but +his shuffling feet and weak arms led him into trouble, and some +words were said to him by the mate. He had the spirit of a man, +and had become a little tender, perhaps weakened in mind, and +said, ``Mr. Brown, I always did my duty aboard until I was sick. +If you don't want me, say so, and I'll go ashore.'' ``Bring up his +chest,'' said Mr. Brown, and poor Bennett went down into a boat +and was taken ashore, with tears in his eyes. He loved the ship +and the crew, and wished to get home, but could not bear to be +treated as a soger or loafer on board. This was the only +hard-hearted thing I ever knew Mr. Brown to do. + +By these diminutions, we were short-handed for a voyage round Cape +Horn in the dead of winter. Beside Stimson and myself, there were +only five in the forecastle; who, together with four boys in the +steerage, the sailmaker, carpenter, cook, and steward, composed +the crew. In addition to this, we were only four days out, when +the sailmaker, who was the oldest and best seaman on board, was +taken with the palsy, and was useless for the rest of the voyage. +The constant wading in the water, in all weathers, to take off +hides, together with the other labors, is too much for men even in +middle life, and for any who have not good constitutions. (Beside +these two men of ours, the second officer of the California and +the carpenter of the Pilgrim, as we afterwards learned, broke down +under the work, and the latter died at Santa Barbara. The young +man, too, Henry Mellus, who came out with us from Boston in the +Pilgrim, had to be taken from his berth before the mast and made +clerk, on account of a fit of rheumatism which attacked him soon +after he came upon the coast.) By the loss of the sailmaker, our +watch was reduced to five, of whom two were boys, who never +steered but in fine weather, so that the other two and myself had +to stand at the wheel four hours apiece out of every twenty-four; +and the other watch had only four helmsmen. ``Never mind,-- we're +homeward bound!'' was the answer to everything; and we should not +have minded this, were it not for the thought that we should be +off Cape Horn in the very dead of winter. It was now the first +part of May; and two months would bring us off the Cape in July, +which is the worst month in the year there; when the sun rises at +nine and sets at three, giving eighteen hours night, and there is +snow and rain, gales and high seas, in abundance. + +The prospect of meeting this in a ship half manned, and loaded so +deep that every heavy sea must wash her fore and aft, was by no +means pleasant. The Alert, in her passage out, doubled the Cape in +the month of February, which is midsummer; and we came round in +the Pilgrim in the latter part of October, which we thought was +bad enough. There was only one of our crew who had been off there +in the winter, and that was in a whale-ship, much lighter and +higher than our ship; yet he said they had man-killing weather for +twenty days without intermission, and their decks were swept +twice, and they were all glad enough to see the last of it. The +Brandywine frigate, also, in her recent passage round, had sixty +days off the Cape, and lost several boats by the heavy seas. All +this was for our comfort; yet pass it we must; and all hands +agreed to make the best of it. + +During our watches below we overhauled our clothes, and made and +mended everything for bad weather. Each of us had made for himself +a suit of oil-cloth or tarpaulin, and these we got out, and gave +thorough coatings of oil or tar, and hung upon the stays to dry. +Our stout boots, too, we covered over with a thick mixture of +melted grease and tar. Thus we took advantage of the warm sun and +fine weather of the Pacific to prepare for its other face. In the +forenoon watches below, our forecastle looked like the workshop of +what a sailor is,-- a Jack-at-all-trades. Thick stockings and +drawers were darned and patched; mittens dragged from the bottom +of the chest and mended; comforters made for the neck and ears; +old flannel shirts cut up to line monkey-jackets; southwesters +were lined with flannel, and a pot of paint smuggled forward to +give them a coat on the outside; and everything turned to hand; so +that, although two years had left us but a scanty wardrobe, yet +the economy and invention which necessity teaches a sailor soon +put each of us in pretty good trim for bad weather, before we had +seen the last of the fine. Even the cobbler's art was not out of +place. Several old shoes were very decently repaired, and with +waxed ends, an awl, and the top of an old boot, I made me quite a +respectable sheath for my knife. + +There was one difficulty, however, which nothing that we could do +would remedy; and that was the leaking of the forecastle, which +made it very uncomfortable in bad weather, and rendered half of +the berths tenantless. The tightest ships, in a long voyage, from +the constant strain which is upon the bowsprit, will leak more or +less round the heel of the bowsprit and the bitts, which come down +into the forecastle; but, in addition to this, we had an +unaccountable leak on the starboard bow, near the cat-head, which +drove us from the forward berths on that side, and, indeed, when +she was on the starboard tack, from all the forward berths. One of +the after berths, too, leaked in very bad weather; so that in a +ship which was in other respects unusually tight, and brought her +cargo to Boston perfectly dry, we had, after every effort made to +prevent it, in the way of calking and leading, a forecastle with +only three dry berths for seven of us. However, as there is never +but one watch below at a time, by ``turning in and out,'' we did +pretty well. And there being in our watch but three of us who +lived forward, we generally had a dry berth apiece in bad +weather.[1] + +All this, however, was but anticipation. We were still in fine +weather in the North Pacific, running down the northeast trades, +which we took on the second day after leaving San Diego. + +Sunday, May 15th, one week out, we were in latitude 14 56' N., +lon. 116 14' W., having gone, by reckoning, over thirteen hundred +miles in seven days. In fact, ever since leaving San Diego, we had +had a fair wind, and as much as we wanted of it. For seven days our +lower and topmast studding-sails were set all the time, +and our royals and top-gallant studding-sails whenever she could +stagger under them. Indeed, the captain had shown, from the moment +we got to sea, that he was to have no boy's play, but that the ship +was to carry all she could, and that he was going to make up by +``cracking on'' to her what she wanted in lightness. In this way we +frequently made three degrees of latitude, besides something in +longitude, in the course of twenty-four hours. Our days we spent in +the usual ship's work. The rigging which had become slack from +being long in port was to be set up; breast backstays got up; +studding-sail booms rigged upon the main yard; and royal +studding-sails got ready for the light trades; ring-tail set; and +new rigging fitted, and sails made ready for Cape Horn. For, with +a ship's gear, as well as a sailor's wardrobe, fine weather must +be improved to get ready for the bad to come. Our forenoon watch +below, as I have said, was given to our own work, and our night +watches were spent in the usual manner,-- a trick at the wheel, +a lookout on the forecastle, a nap on a coil of rigging under the +lee of the rail; a yarn round the windlass-end; or, as was +generally my way, a solitary walk fore and aft, in the weather +waist, between the windlass-end and the main tack. Every wave that +she threw aside brought us nearer home, and every day's +observation at noon showed a progress which, if it continued, +would, in less than five months, take us into Boston Bay. This is +the pleasure of life at sea,-- fine weather, day after day, +without interruption,-- fair wind, and a plenty of it,-- and +homeward bound. Every one was in good humor; things went right; +and all was done with a will. At the dog watch, all hands came on +deck, and stood round the weather side of the forecastle, or sat +upon the windlass, and sung sea-songs and those ballads of pirates +and highwaymen which sailors delight in. Home, too, and what we +should do when we got there, and when and how we should arrive, +was no infrequent topic. Every night, after the kids and pots were +put away, and we had lighted our pipes and cigars at the galley, +and gathered about the windlass, the first question was,-- + +``Well, Dana, what was the latitude to-day?'' + +``Why, fourteen, north; and she has been going seven knots ever +since.'' + +``Well, this will bring us to the line in five days.'' + +``Yes, but these trades won't last twenty-four hours longer,'' +says an old salt, pointing with the sharp of his hand to leeward; +``I know that by the look of the clouds.'' + +Then came all manner of calculations and conjectures as to the +continuance of the wind, the weather under the line, the southeast +trades, &c., and rough guesses as to the time the ship would be up +with the Horn; and some, more venturous, gave her so many days to +Boston Light, and offered to bet that she would not exceed it. + +``You'd better wait till you get round Cape Horn,'' says an old +croaker. + +``Yes,'' says another, ``you may see Boston, but you've got to +`smell hell' before that good day.'' + +Rumors also of what had been said in the cabin, as usual, found +their way forward. The steward had heard the captain say something +about the Straits of Magellan, and the man at the wheel fancied he +had heard him tell the ``passenger'' that, if he found the wind +ahead and the weather very bad off the Cape, he should stick her +off for New Holland, and come home round the Cape of Good Hope. + +This passenger-- the first and only one we had had, except to go +from port to port, on the coast-- was no one else than a gentleman +whom I had known in my smoother days, and the last person I should +have expected to see on the coast of California,-- Professor +Nuttall, of Cambridge. I had left him quietly seated in the chair +of Botany and Ornithology in Harvard University, and the next I +saw of him, he was strolling about San Diego beach, in a sailor's +pea-jacket, with a wide straw hat, and barefooted, with his +trousers rolled up to his knees, picking up stones and shells. He +had travelled overland to the Northwest Coast, and come down in a +small vessel to Monterey. There he learned that there was a ship +at the leeward about to sail for Boston, and, taking passage in +the Pilgrim, which was then at Monterey, he came slowly along, +visiting the intermediate ports, and examining the trees, plants, +earths, birds, &c., and joined us at San Diego shortly before we +sailed. The second mate of the Pilgrim told me that they had an +old gentleman on board who knew me, and came from the college that +I had been in. He could not recollect his name, but said he was a +``sort of an oldish man,'' with white hair, and spent all his time +in the bush, and along the beach, picking up flowers and shells +and such truck, and had a dozen boxes and barrels full of them. I +thought over everybody who would be likely to be there, but could +fix upon no one; when, the next day, just as we were about to +shove off from the beach, he came down to the boat in the rig I +have described, with his shoes in his hand, and his pockets full +of specimens. I knew him at once, though I should hardly have been +more surprised to have seen the Old South steeple shoot up from +the hide-house. He probably had no more difficulty in recognizing +me. As we left home about the same time, we had nothing to tell +each other; and, owing to our different situations on board, I saw +but little of him on the passage home. Sometimes, when I was at +the wheel of a calm night, and the steering required little +attention, and the officer of the watch was forward, he would come +aft and hold a short yarn with me; but this was against the rules +of the ship, as is, in fact, all intercourse between passengers +and the crew. I was often amused to see the sailors puzzled to +know what to make of him, and to hear their conjectures about him +and his business. They were as much at a loss as our old sailmaker +was with the captain's instruments in the cabin. He said there +were three,-- the chro-nometer, the chre-nometer, and the +the-nometer. The Pilgrim's crew called Mr. Nuttall ``Old +Curious,'' from his zeal for curiosities; and some of them said +that he was crazy, and that his friends let him go about and amuse +himself in this way. Why else a rich man (sailors call every man +rich who does not work with his hands, and who wears a long coat +and cravat) should leave a Christian country and come to such a +place as California to pick up shells and stones, they could not +understand. One of them, however, who had seen something more of +the world ashore, set all to rights, as he thought; ``O, 'vast +there! You don't know anything about them craft. I've seen them +colleges and know the ropes. They keep all such things for +cur'osities, and study 'em, and have men a purpose to go and get +'em. This old chap knows what he's about. He a'n't the child you +take him for. He'll carry all these things to the college, and if +they are better than any that they have had before, he'll be head +of the college. Then, by and by, somebody else will go after some +more, and if they beat him he'll have to go again, or else give up +his berth. That's the way they do it. This old covey knows the +ropes. He has worked a traverse over 'em, and come 'way out here +where nobody's ever been afore, and where they'll never think of +coming.'' This explanation satisfied Jack; and as it raised Mr. +Nuttall's credit, and was near enough to the truth for common +purposes, I did not disturb it. + +With the exception of Mr. Nuttall, we had no one on board but the +regular ship's company and the live stock. Upon the stock we had +made a considerable inroad. We killed one of the bullocks every +four days, so that they did not last us up to the line. We, or +rather the cabin, then began upon the sheep and the poultry, for +these never come into Jack's mess.[2] The pigs were left for the +latter part of the voyage, for they are sailors, and can stand all +weathers. We had an old sow on board, the mother of a numerous +progeny, who had been twice round the Cape of Good Hope and once +round Cape Horn. The last time going round was very nearly her +death. We heard her squealing and moaning one dark night after it +had been snowing and hailing for several hours, and, climbing over +into the sty, we found her nearly frozen to death. We got some +straw, an old sail, and other things, and wrapped her up in a +corner of the sty, where she stayed until we came into fine +weather again. + +Wednesday, May 18th. Lat. 9 54' N., lon. 113 17' W. The northeast +trades had now left us, and we had the usual variable winds, the +``doldrums,'' which prevail near the line, together with some rain. +So long as we were in these latitudes, we had but little rest in +our watch on deck at night; for, as the winds were light and +variable, and we could not lose a breath, we were all the watch +bracing the yards, and taking in and making sail, and ``humbugging'' +with our flying kites. A little puff of wind on the larboard +quarter, and then-- ``larboard fore braces!''-- and studding-sail +booms were rigged out, studding-sails set alow and aloft, the yards +trimmed, and jibs and spanker in; when it would come as calm as a +duck-pond, the man at the wheel standing with the palm of his hand +up, feeling for the wind. ``Keep her off a little!'' ``All aback +forward, sir!'' cries a man from the forecastle. Down go the braces +again; in come the studding-sails, all in a mess, which half an +hour won't set right; yards braced sharp up, and she's on the +starboard tack, close-hauled. The studding-sails must now be +cleared away, and set up in the tops and on the booms, and the +gear cut off and made fast. By the time this is done, and you are +looking out for a soft plank for a nap,-- ``Lay aft here, and square +in the head yards!'' and the studding-sails are all set again on the +starboard side. So it goes until it is eight bells,-- call the +watch,-- heave the log,-- relieve the wheel, and go below the +larboard watch. + +Sunday, May 22d. Lat. 5 14' N., lon. 166 45' W. We were now a +fortnight out, and within five degrees of the line, to which two +days of good breeze would take us; but we had, for the most part, +what the sailors call ``an Irishman's hurricane,-- right up and +down.'' This day it rained nearly all day, and, being Sunday and +nothing to do, we stopped up the scuppers and filled the decks with +rain water, and, bringing all our clothes on deck, had a grand wash, +fore and aft. When this was through, we stripped to our drawers, +and taking pieces of soap, with strips of canvas for towels, we +turned-to and soaped, washed, and scrubbed one another down, to +get off, as we said, the California grime; for the common wash in +salt water, which is all that Jack can get, being on an allowance +of fresh, had little efficacy, and was more for taste than +utility. The captain was below all the afternoon, and we had +something nearer to Saturnalia than anything we had yet seen; for +the mate came into the scuppers, with a couple of boys to scrub +him, and got into a contest with them in heaving water. By +unplugging the holes, we let the soapsuds off the decks, and in a +short time had a new supply of clear rain water, in which we had a +grand rinsing. It was surprising to see how much soap and fresh +water did for the complexions of many of us; how much of what we +supposed to be tan and sea-blacking we got rid of. The next day, +the sun rising clear, the ship was covered, fore and aft, with +clothes of all sorts, hanging out to dry. + +As we approached the line, the wind became more easterly, and the +weather clearer, and in twenty days from San Diego,-- + +Saturday, May 28th, at about three P.M., with a fine breeze from +the east-southeast, we crossed the equator. In twenty-four hours +after crossing the line, we took, which was very unusual, the +regular southeast trades. These winds come a little from the +eastward of southeast, and with us they blew directly from the +east-southeast, which was fortunate for us, as our course was +south-by-west, and we could thus go one point free. The yards were +braced so that every sail drew, from the spanker to the +flying-jib; and, the upper yards being squared in a little, the +fore and main top-gallant studding-sails were set, and drew +handsomely. For twelve days this breeze blew steadily, not varying +a point, and just so fresh that we could carry our royals; and +during the whole time we hardly started a brace. Such progress did +we make that at the end of seven days from the time we took the +breeze, on-- + +Sunday, June 5th, we were in lat. 19 29' S., and lon. 118 01' W., +having made twelve hundred miles in seven days, very nearly upon a +taut bowline. Our good ship was getting to be herself again, and had +increased her rate of sailing more than one third since leaving San +Diego. The crew ceased complaining of her, and the officers hove the +log every two hours with evident satisfaction. This was glorious +sailing. A steady breeze; the light tradewind clouds over our heads; +the incomparable temperature of the Pacific,-- neither hot nor cold; +a clear sun every day, and clear moon and stars every night, and new +constellations rising in the south, and the familiar ones sinking +in the north, as we went on our course,-- ``stemming nightly +toward the pole.'' Already we had sunk the North Star and the +Great Bear, while the Southern Cross appeared well above the +southern horizon, and all hands looked out sharp to the southward +for the Magellan Clouds, which, each succeeding night, we expected +to make. ``The next time we see the North Star,'' said one, ``we +shall be standing to the northward, the other side of the Horn.'' +This was true enough, and no doubt it would be a welcome sight, +for sailors say that in coming home from round Cape Horn, or the +Cape of Good Hope, the North Star is the first land you make. + +These trades were the same that in the passage out in the Pilgrim +lasted nearly all the way from Juan Fernandez to the line; blowing +steadily on our starboard quarter for three weeks, without our +starting a brace, or even brailing down the skysails. Though we +had now the same wind, and were in the same latitude with the +Pilgrim on her passage out, yet we were nearly twelve hundred +miles to the westward of her course; for the captain, depending +upon the strong southwest winds which prevail in high southern +latitudes during the winter months, took the full advantage of the +trades, and stood well to the westward, so far that we passed +within about two hundred miles of Ducie's Island. + +It was this weather and sailing that brought to my mind a little +incident that occurred on board the Pilgrim, while we were in the +same latitude. We were going along at a great rate, dead before +the wind, with studding-sails out on both sides, alow and aloft, +on a dark night, just after midnight, and everything as still as +the grave, except the washing of the water by the vessel's side; +for, being before the wind, with a smooth sea, the little brig, +covered with canvas, was doing great business with very little +noise. The other watch was below, and all our watch, except myself +and the man at the wheel, were asleep under the lee of the boat. +The second mate, who came out before the mast, and was always very +thick with me, had been holding a yarn with me, and just gone aft +to his place on the quarter-deck, and I had resumed my usual walk +to and from the windlass-end, when, suddenly, we heard a loud +scream coming from ahead, apparently directly from under the bows. +The darkness, and complete stillness of the night, and the +solitude of the ocean, gave to the sound a dreadful and almost +supernatural effect. I stood perfectly still, and my heart beat +quick. The sound woke up the rest of the watch, who stood looking +at one another. ``What, in the name of God, is that?'' said the +second mate, coming slowly forward. The first thought I had was, +that it might be a boat, with the crew of some wrecked vessel, or +perhaps the boat of some whale-ship, out over night, and we had +run it down in the darkness. Another scream! but less loud than +the first. This started us, and we ran forward, and looked over +the bows, and over the sides, to leeward, but nothing was to be +seen or heard. What was to be done? Heave the ship aback, and call +the captain? Just at this moment, in crossing the forecastle, one +of the men saw a light below, and, looking down the scuttle, saw +the watch all out of their berths, and afoul of one poor fellow, +dragging him out of his berth, and shaking him, to wake him out of +a nightmare. They had been waked out of their sleep, and as much +alarmed at the scream as we were, and were hesitating whether to +come on deck, when the second sound, proceeding directly from one +of the berths, revealed the cause of the alarm. The fellow got a +good shaking for the trouble he had given. We made a joke of the +matter; and we could well laugh, for our minds were not a little +relieved by its ridiculous termination. + +We were now close upon the southern tropical line, and, with so +fine a breeze, were daily leaving the sun behind us, and drawing +nearer to Cape Horn, for which it behooved us to make every +preparation. Our rigging was all overhauled and mended, or changed +for new, where it was necessary; new and strong bobstays fitted in +the place of the chain ones, which were worn out; the spritsail +yard and martingale guys and back-ropes set well taut; bran-new +fore and main braces rove; top-gallant sheets, and wheelropes, +made of green hide, laid up in the form of rope, were stretched +and fitted; and new topsail clew-lines, &c. rove; new fore-topmast +backstays fitted; and other preparations made in good season, that +the ropes might have time to stretch and become limber before we +got into cold weather. + +Sunday, June 12th. Lat. 26 04' S., lon. 116 31' W. We had now lost +the regular trades, and had the winds variable, principally from the +westward, and kept on in a southerly course, sailing very nearly +upon a meridian, and at the end of the week,-- + +Sunday, June 19th, were in lat. 34 15' S., and lon. 116 38' W. + +[1] On removing the cat-head, after the ship arrived at Boston, it +was found that there were two holes under it which had been bored +for the purpose of driving treenails, and which, accidentally, had +not been plugged up when the cat-head was placed over them. This +provoking little piece of negligence caused us great discomfort. + +[2] The customs as to the allowance of ``grub'' are very nearly the +same in all American merchantmen. Whenever a pig is killed, the +sailors have one mess from it. The rest goes to the cabin. The +smaller live stock, poultry, &c. the sailors never taste. And +indeed they do not complain of this, for it would take a great +deal to supply them with a good meal; and without the +accompaniments (which could hardly be furnished to them), it would +not be much better than salt beef. But even as to the salt beef +they are scarcely dealt fairly with; for whenever a barrel is +opened, before any of the beef is put into the harness-cask, the +steward comes up and picks it all over, and takes out the best +pieces (those that have any fat in them) for the cabin. This was +done in both the vessels I was in, and the men said that it was +usual in other vessels. Indeed, it is made no secret, and some of +the crew are usually called to help in assorting and putting away +the pieces. By this arrangement the hard, dry pieces, which the +sailors call ``old horse,'' come to their share. + +There is a singular piece of rhyme, traditional among sailors, +which they say over such pieces of beef. I do not know that it +ever appeared in print before. When seated round the kid, if a +particularly bad piece is found, one of them takes it up, and +addresses it thus:-- + + ```Old horse! old horse! what brought you here?' + `From Sacarap to Portland Pier + I've carted stone this many a year; + Till, killed by blows and sore abuse, + They salted me down for sailors' use. + The sailors they do me despise; + They turn me over and damn my eyes; + Cut off my meat, and scrape my bones, + And pitch me over to Davy Jones.''' + +There is a story current among seamen, that a beef-dealer was +convicted, at Boston, of having sold old horse for ship's stores, +instead of beef, and had been sentenced to be confined in jail +until he should eat the whole of it; and that he is now lying in +Boston jail. I have heard this story often, on board other vessels +besides those of our own nation. It is very generally believed, +and is always highly commended, as a fair instance of retaliatory +justice. + +CHAPTER XXXI + +There began now to be a decided change in the appearance of things. +The days became shorter and shorter; the sun running lower in its +course each day, and giving less and less heat, and the nights so +cold as to prevent our sleeping on deck; the Magellan Clouds in +sight, of a clear, moonless night; the skies looking cold and angry; +and, at times, a long, heavy, ugly sea, setting in from the +southward, told us what we were coming to. Still, however, we had a +fine, strong breeze, and kept on our way under as much sail as our +ship would bear. Toward the middle of the week, the wind hauled to +the southward, which brought us upon a taut bowline, made the ship +meet, nearly head-on, the heavy swell which rolled from that +quarter; and there was something not at all encouraging in the +manner in which she met it. Being still so deep and heavy, she +wanted the buoyancy which should have carried her over the seas, +and she dropped heavily into them, the water washing over the +decks; and every now and then, when an unusually large sea met her +fairly upon the bows, she struck it with a sound as dead and heavy +as that with which a sledge-hammer falls upon the pile, and took +the whole of it in upon the forecastle, and, rising, carried it +aft in the scuppers, washing the rigging off the pins, and +carrying along with it everything which was loose on deck. She had +been acting in this way all of our forenoon watch below; as we +could tell by the washing of the water over our heads, and the +heavy breaking of the seas against her bows, only the thickness of +a plank from our heads, as we lay in our berths, which are +directly against the bows. At eight bells, the watch was called, +and we came on deck, one hand going aft to take the wheel, and +another going to the galley to get the grub for dinner. I stood on +the forecastle, looking at the seas, which were rolling high, as +far as the eye could reach, their tops white with foam, and the +body of them of a deep indigo blue, reflecting the bright rays of +the sun. Our ship rose slowly over a few of the largest of them, +until one immense fellow came rolling on, threatening to cover +her, and which I was sailor enough to know, by the ``feeling of +her'' under my feet, she would not rise over. I sprang upon the +knight-heads, and, seizing hold of the fore-stay, drew myself up +upon it. My feet were just off the stanchion when the bow struck +fairly into the middle of the sea, and it washed the ship fore and +aft, burying her in the water. As soon as she rose out of it, I +looked aft, and everything forward of the mainmast, except the +long-boat, which was griped and double-lashed down to the +ring-bolts, was swept off clear. The galley, the pigsty, the +hen-coop, and a large sheep-pen which had been built upon the +fore-hatch, were all gone in the twinkling of an eye,-- leaving +the deck as clean as a chin new reaped,-- and not a stick left to +show where anything had stood. In the scuppers lay the galley, +bottom up, and a few boards floating about,-- the wreck of the +sheep-pen,-- and half a dozen miserable sheep floating among them, +wet through, and not a little frightened at the sudden change that +had come upon them. As soon as the sea had washed by, all hands +sprang up out of the forecastle to see what had become of the +ship; and in a few moments the cook and Old Bill crawled out from +under the galley, where they had been lying in the water, nearly +smothered, with the galley over them. Fortunately, it rested +against the bulwarks, or it would have broken some of their bones. +When the water ran off, we picked the sheep up, and put them in +the long-boat, got the galley back in its place, and set things a +little to rights; but, had not our ship had uncommonly high +bulwarks and rail, everything must have been washed overboard, not +excepting Old Bill and the cook. Bill had been standing at the +galley-door, with the kid of beef in his hand for the forecastle +mess, when away he went, kid, beef, and all. He held on to the kid +to the last, like a good fellow, but the beef was gone, and when +the water had run off we saw it lying high and dry, like a rock at +low tide,-- nothing could hurt that. We took the loss of our beef +very easily, consoling ourselves with the recollection that the +cabin had more to lose than we; and chuckled not a little at +seeing the remains of the chicken-pie and pancakes floating in the +scuppers. ``This will never do!'' was what some said, and every +one felt. Here we were, not yet within a thousand miles of the +latitude of Cape Horn, and our decks swept by a sea not one half +so high as we must expect to find there. Some blamed the captain +for loading his ship so deep when he knew what he must expect; +while others said that the wind was always southwest, off the +Cape, in the winter, and that, running before it, we should not +mind the seas so much. When we got down into the forecastle, Old +Bill, who was somewhat of a croaker,-- having met with a great +many accidents at sea,-- said that, if that was the way she was +going to act, we might as well make our wills, and balance the +books at once, and put on a clean shirt. ``'Vast there, you bloody +old owl! you're always hanging out blue lights! You're frightened +by the ducking you got in the scuppers, and can't take a joke! +What's the use in being always on the lookout for Davy Jones?'' +``Stand by!'' says another, ``and we'll get an afternoon watch +below, by this scrape''; but in this they were disappointed, for +at two bells all hands were called and set to work, getting +lashings upon everything on deck; and the captain talked of +sending down the long top-gallant-masts; but as the sea went down +toward night, and the wind hauled abeam, we left them standing, +and set the studding-sails. + +The next day all hands were turned-to upon unbending the old +sails, and getting up the new ones; for a ship, unlike people on +shore, puts on her best suit in bad weather. The old sails were +sent down, and three new topsails, and new fore and main courses, +jib, and fore-topmast staysail, which were made on the coast and +never had been used, were bent, with a complete set of new +earings, robands, and reef-points; and reef-tackles were rove to +the courses, and spilling-lines to the topsails. These, with new +braces and clew-lines fore and aft, gave us a good suit of running +rigging. + +The wind continued westerly, and the weather and sea less rough +since the day on which we shipped the heavy sea, and we were +making great progress under studding-sails, with our light sails +all set, keeping a little to the eastward of south; for the +captain, depending upon westerly winds off the Cape, had kept so +far to the westward that, though we were within about five hundred +miles of the latitude of Cape Horn, we were nearly seventeen +hundred miles to the westward of it. Through the rest of the week +we continued on with a fair wind, gradually, as we got more to the +southward, keeping a more easterly course, and bringing the wind +on our larboard quarter, until-- + +Sunday, June 26th, when, having a fine, clear day, the captain got +a lunar observation, as well as his meridian altitude, which made +us in lat. 47 50' S., lon. 113 49' W.; Cape Horn bearing, +according to my calculations, E. S. E. 1/2 E., and distant eighteen +hundred miles. + +Monday, June 27th. During the first part of this day the wind +continued fair, and, as we were going before it, it did not feel +very cold, so that we kept at work on deck in our common clothes +and round jackets. Our watch had an afternoon watch below for the +first time since leaving San Diego; and, having inquired of the +third mate what the latitude was at noon, and made our usual +guesses as to the time she would need to be up with the Horn, we +turned-in for a nap. We were sleeping away ``at the rate of +knots,'' when three knocks on the scuttle and ``All hands, ahoy!'' +started us from our berths. What could be the matter? It did not +appear to be blowing hard, and, looking up through the scuttle, we +could see that it was a clear day overhead; yet the watch were +taking in sail. We thought there must be a sail in sight, and that +we were about to heave-to and speak her; and were just +congratulating ourselves upon it,-- for we had seen neither sail +nor land since we left port,-- when we heard the mate's voice on +deck (he turned-in ``all-standing,'' and was always on deck the +moment he was called) singing out to the men who were taking in +the studding-sails, and asking where his watch were. We did not +wait for a second call, but tumbled up the ladder; and there, on +the starboard bow, was a bank of mist, covering sea and sky, and +driving directly for us. I had seen the same before in my passage +round in the Pilgrim, and knew what it meant, and that there was +no time to be lost. We had nothing on but thin clothes, yet there +was not a moment to spare, and at it we went. + +The boys of the other watch were in the tops, taking in the +top-gallant studding-sails and the lower and topmast +studding-sails were coming down by the run. It was nothing but +``haul down and clew up,'' until we got all the studding-sails in, +and the royals, flying jib, and mizzen top-gallant-sail furled, +and the ship kept off a little, to take the squall. The fore and +main top-gallant sails were still on her, for the ``old man'' did +not mean to be frightened in broad daylight, and was determined to +carry sail till the last minute. We all stood waiting for its +coming, when the first blast showed us that it was not to be +trifled with. Rain, sleet, snow, and wind enough to take our +breath from us, and make the toughest turn his back to windward! +The ship lay nearly over upon her beam-ends; the spars and rigging +snapped and cracked; and her top-gallant-masts bent like +whip-sticks. ``Clew up the fore and main top-gallant-sails!'' +shouted the captain, and all hands sprang to the clew-lines. The +decks were standing nearly at an angle of forty-five degrees, and +the ship going like a mad steed through the water, the whole +forward part of her in a smother of foam. The halyards were let +go, and the yard clewed down, and the sheets started, and in a few +minutes the sails smothered and kept in by clewlines and +buntlines. ``Furl 'em, sir?'' asked the mate. ``Let go the topsail +halyards, fore and aft!'' shouted the captain in answer, at the +top of his voice. Down came the topsail yards, the reef-tackles +were manned and hauled out, and we climbed up to windward, and +sprang into the weather rigging. The violence of the wind, and the +hail and sleet, driving nearly horizontally across the ocean, +seemed actually to pin us down to the rigging. It was hard work +making head against them. One after another we got out upon the +yards. And here we had work to do; for our new sails had hardly +been bent long enough to get the stiffness out of them, and the +new earings and reef-points, stiffened with the sleet, knotted +like pieces of iron wire. Having only our round jackets and straw +hats on, we were soon wet through, and it was every moment growing +colder. Our hands were soon numbed, which, added to the stiffness +of everything else, kept us a good while on the yard. After we had +got the sail hauled upon the yard, we had to wait a long time for +the weather earing to be passed; but there was no fault to be +found, for French John was at the earing, and a better sailor +never laid out on a yard; so we leaned over the yard and beat our +hands upon the sail to keep them from freezing. At length the word +came, ``Haul out to leeward,'' and we seized the reef-points and +hauled the band taut for the lee earing. ``Taut band-- knot +away,'' and we got the first reef fast, and were just going to lay +down, when-- ``Two reefs-- two reefs!'' shouted the mate, and we +had a second reef to take, in the same way. When this was fast we +went down on deck, manned the halyards to leeward, nearly up to +our knees in water, set the topsail, and then laid aloft on the +main topsail yard, and reefed that sail in the same manner; for, +as I have before stated, we were a good deal reduced in numbers, +and, to make it worse, the carpenter, only two days before, had +cut his leg with an axe, so that he could not go aloft. This +weakened us so that we could not well manage more than one topsail +at a time, in such weather as this, and, of course, each man's +labor was doubled. From the main topsail yard, we went upon the +main yard, and took a reef in the mainsail. No sooner had we got +on deck than-- ``Lay aloft there, and close-reef mizzen topsail!'' +This called me; and, being nearest to the rigging, I got first +aloft, and out to the weather earing. English Ben was up just +after me, and took the lee earing, and the rest of our gang were +soon on the yard, and began to fist the sail, when the mate +considerately sent up the cook and steward to help us. I could now +account for the long time it took to pass the other earings, for, +to do my best, with a strong hand to help me at the dog's ear, I +could not get it passed until I heard them beginning to complain +in the bunt. One reef after another we took in, until the sail was +close-reefed, when we went down and hoisted away at the halyards. +In the mean time, the jib had been furled and the staysail set, +and the ship under her reduced sail had got more upright, and was +under management; but the two top-gallant-sails were still hanging +in the buntlines, and slatting and jerking as though they would +take the masts out of her. We gave a look aloft, and knew that our +work was not done yet; and, sure enough, no sooner did the mate +see that we were on deck than-- ``Lay aloft there, four of you, +and furl the top-gallant-sails!'' This called me again, and two of +us went aloft up the fore rigging, and two more up the main, upon +the top-gallant yards. The shrouds were now iced over, the sleet +having formed a crust round all the standing rigging, and on the +weather side of the masts and yards. When we got upon the yard, my +hands were so numb that I could not have cast off the knot of the +gasket if it were to save my life. We both lay over the yard for a +few seconds, beating our hands upon the sail, until we started the +blood into our fingers' ends, and at the next moment our hands +were in a burning heat. My companion on the yard was a lad (the +boy, George Somerby), who came out in the ship a weak, puny boy, +from one of the Boston schools,-- ``no larger than a +spritsail-sheet knot,'' nor ``heavier than a paper of +lamp-black,'' and ``not strong enough to haul a shad off a +gridiron,'' but who was now ``as long as a spare topmast, strong +enough to knock down an ox, and hearty enough to eat him.'' We +fisted the sail together, and, after six or eight minutes of hard +hauling and pulling and beating down the sail, which was about as +stiff as sheet-iron, we managed to get it furled; and snugly +furled it must be, for we knew the mate well enough to be certain +that if it got adrift again we should be called up from our watch +below, at any hour of the night, to furl it. + +I had been on the lookout for a chance to jump below and clap on a +thick jacket and southwester; but when we got on deck we found +that eight bells had been struck, and the other watch gone below, +so that there were two hours of dog watch for us, and a plenty of +work to do. It had now set in for a steady gale from the +southwest; but we were not yet far enough to the southward to make +a fair wind of it, for we must give Terra del Fuego a wide berth. +The decks were covered with snow, and there was a constant driving +of sleet. In fact, Cape Horn had set in with good earnest. In the +midst of all this, and before it became dark, we had all the +studding-sails to make up and stow away, and then to lay aloft and +rig in all the booms, fore and aft, and coil away the tacks, +sheets, and halyards. This was pretty tough work for four or five +hands, in the face of a gale which almost took us off the yards, +and with ropes so stiff with ice that it was almost impossible to +bend them. I was nearly half an hour out on the end of the fore +yard, trying to coil away and stop down the topmast studding-sail +tack and lower halyards. It was after dark when we got through, +and we were not a little pleased to hear four bells struck, which +sent us below for two hours, and gave us each a pot of hot tea +with our cold beef and bread, and, what was better yet, a suit of +thick, dry clothing, fitted for the weather, in place of our thin +clothes, which were wet through and now frozen stiff. + +This sudden turn, for which we were so little prepared, was as +unacceptable to me as to any of the rest; for I had been troubled +for several days with a slight toothache, and this cold weather +and wetting and freezing were not the best things in the world for +it. I soon found that it was getting strong hold, and running over +all parts of my face; and before the watch was out I went aft to +the mate, who had charge of the medicine-chest, to get something +for it. But the chest showed like the end of a long voyage, for +there was nothing that would answer but a few drops of laudanum, +which must be saved for an emergency; so I had only to bear the +pain as well as I could. + +When we went on deck at eight bells, it had stopped snowing, and +there were a few stars out, but the clouds were still black, and +it was blowing a steady gale. Just before midnight, I went aloft +and sent down the mizzen royal yard, and had the good luck to do +it to the satisfaction of the mate, who said it was done ``out of +hand and ship-shape.'' The next four hours below were but little +relief to me, for I lay awake in my berth the whole time, from the +pain in my face, and heard every bell strike, and, at four +o'clock, turned out with the watch, feeling little spirit for the +hard duties of the day. Bad weather and hard work at sea can be +borne up against very well if one only has spirit and health; but +there is nothing brings a man down, at such a time, like bodily +pain and want of sleep. There was, however, too much to do to +allow time to think; for the gale of yesterday, and the heavy seas +we met with a few days before, while we had yet ten degrees more +southing to make, had convinced the captain that we had something +before us which was not to be trifled with, and orders were given +to send down the long top-gallant-masts. The top-gallant and royal +yards were accordingly struck, the flying jib-boom rigged in, and +the top-gallant-masts sent down on deck, and all lashed together +by the side of the long-boat. The rigging was then sent down and +coiled away below, and everything made snug aloft. There was not a +sailor in the ship who was not rejoiced to see these sticks come +down; for, so long as the yards were aloft, on the least sign of a +lull, the top-gallant-sails were loosed, and then we had to furl +them again in a snow-squall, and shin up and down single ropes +caked with ice, and send royal yards down in the teeth of a gale +coming right from the south pole. It was an interesting sight, +too, to see our noble ship, dismantled of all her top-hamper of +long tapering masts and yards, and boom pointed with spear-head, +which ornamented her in port; and all that canvas, which a few +days before had covered her like a cloud, from the truck to the +water's edge, spreading far out beyond her hull on either side, +now gone; and she stripped, like a wrestler for the fight. It +corresponded, too, with the desolate character of her situation,-- +alone, as she was, battling with storms, wind, and ice, at this +extremity of the globe, and in almost constant night. + +Friday, July 1st. We were now nearly up to the latitude of Cape +Horn, and having over forty degrees of easting to make, we squared +away the yards before a strong westerly gale, shook a reef out of +the fore topsail, and stood on our way, east-by-south, with the +prospect of being up with the Cape in a week or ten days. As for +myself, I had had no sleep for forty-eight hours; and the want of +rest, together with constant wet and cold, had increased the +swelling, so that my face was nearly as large as two, and I found +it impossible to get my mouth open wide enough to eat. In this +state, the steward applied to the captain for some rice to boil +for me, but he only got a-- ``No! d--- you! Tell him to eat salt +junk and hard bread, like the rest of them.'' This was, in truth, +what I expected. However, I did not starve, for Mr. Brown, who was +a man as well as a sailor, and had always been a good friend to +me, smuggled a pan of rice into the galley, and told the cook to +boil it for me, and not let the ``old man'' see it. Had it been +fine weather, or in port, I should have gone below and lain by +until my face got well; but in such weather as this, and +short-handed as we were, it was not for me to desert my post; so I +kept on deck, and stood my watch and did my duty as well as I +could. + +Saturday, July 2d. This day the sun rose fair, but it ran too low +in the heavens to give any heat, or thaw out our sails and +rigging; yet the sight of it was pleasant; and we had a steady +``reef-topsail breeze'' from the westward. The atmosphere, which +had previously been clear and cold, for the last few hours grew +damp, and had a disagreeable, wet chilliness in it; and the man +who came from the wheel said he heard the captain tell ``the +passenger'' that the thermometer had fallen several degrees since +morning, which he could not account for in any other way than by +supposing that there must be ice near us; though such a thing was +rarely heard of in this latitude at this season of the year. At +twelve o'clock we went below, and had just got through dinner, +when the cook put his head down the scuttle and told us to come on +deck and see the finest sight that we had ever seen. ``Where away, +Doctor?''[1] asked the first man who was up. ``On the larboard +bow.'' And there lay, floating in the ocean, several miles off, an +immense, irregular mass, its top and points covered with snow, and +its centre of a deep indigo color. This was an iceberg, and of the +largest size, as one of our men said who had been in the Northern +Ocean. As far as the eye could reach, the sea in every direction +was of a deep blue color, the waves running high and fresh, and +sparkling in the light, and in the midst lay this immense +mountain-island, its cavities and valleys thrown into deep shade, +and its points and pinnacles glittering in the sun. All hands were +soon on deck, looking at it, and admiring in various ways its +beauty and grandeur. But no description can give any idea of the +strangeness, splendor, and, really, the sublimity, of the sight. +Its great size,-- for it must have been from two to three miles in +circumference, and several hundred feet in height,-- its slow +motion, as its base rose and sank in the water, and its high +points nodded against the clouds; the dashing of the waves upon +it, which, breaking high with foam, lined its base with a white +crust; and the thundering sound of the cracking of the mass, and +the breaking and tumbling down of huge pieces; together with its +nearness and approach, which added a slight element of fear,-- all +combined to give to it the character of true sublimity. The main +body of the mass was, as I have said, of an indigo color, its base +crusted with frozen foam; and as it grew thin and transparent +toward the edges and top, its color shaded off from a deep blue to +the whiteness of snow. It seemed to be drifting slowly toward the +north, so that we kept away and avoided it. It was in sight all +the afternoon; and when we got to leeward of it the wind died +away, so that we lay-to quite near it for a greater part of the +night. Unfortunately, there was no moon, but it was a clear night, +and we could plainly mark the long, regular heaving of the +stupendous mass, as its edges moved slowly against the stars, now +revealing them, and now shutting them in. Several times in our +watch loud cracks were heard, which sounded as though they must +have run through the whole length of the iceberg, and several +pieces fell down with a thundering crash, plunging heavily into +the sea. Toward morning a strong breeze sprang up, and we filled +away, and left it astern, and at daylight it was out of sight. The +next day, which was-- + +Sunday, July 3d, the breeze continued strong, the air exceedingly +chilly, and the thermometer low. In the course of the day we saw +several icebergs of different sizes, but none so near as the one +which we saw the day before. Some of them, as well as we could +judge, at the distance at which we were, must have been as large +as that, if not larger. At noon we were in latitude 55 12' south, +and supposed longitude 89 5' west. Toward night the wind hauled +to the southward, and headed us off our course a little, and blew +a tremendous gale; but this we did not mind, as there was no rain +nor snow, and we were already under close sail. + +Monday, July 4th. This was ``Independence Day'' in Boston. What +firing of guns, and ringing of bells, and rejoicings of all sorts, +in every part of our country! The ladies (who have not gone down to +Nahant, for a breath of cool air and sight of the ocean) walking the +streets with parasols over their heads, and the dandies in their +white pantaloons and silk stockings! What quantities of ice-cream +have been eaten, and how many loads of ice brought into the city from +a distance, and sold out by the lump and the pound! The smallest +of the islands which we saw to-day would have made the fortune of +poor Jack, if he had had it in Boston; and I dare say he would have +had no objection to being there with it. This, to be sure, was no +place to keep the Fourth of July. To keep ourselves warm, and the +ship out of the ice, was as much as we could do. Yet no one forgot +the day; and many were the wishes and conjectures and comparisons, +both serious and ludicrous, which were made among all hands. The sun +shone bright as long as it was up, only that a scud of black clouds +was ever and anon driving across it. At noon we were in +lat. 54 27' S., and lon. 85 5' W., having made a good deal of +easting, but having lost in our latitude by the heading off of the +wind. Between daylight and dark-- that is, between nine o'clock and +three-- we saw thirty-four ice islands of various sizes; some no +bigger than the hull of our vessel, and others apparently nearly as +large as the one that we first saw; though, as we went on, the +islands became smaller and more numerous; and, at sundown of this +day, a man at the mast-head saw large tracts of floating ice, called +``field-ice,'' at the southeast. This kind of ice is much more +dangerous than the large islands, for those can be seen at a +distance, and kept away from; but the field-ice, floating in great +quantities, and covering the ocean for miles and miles, in pieces +of every size,-- large, flat, and broken cakes, with here and there +an island rising twenty and thirty feet, and as large as the ship's +hull,-- this it is very difficult to sheer clear of. A constant +lookout was necessary; for many of these pieces, coming with the +heave of the sea, were large enough to have knocked a hole in the +ship, and that would have been the end of us; for no boat (even if +we could have got one out) could have lived in such a sea; and no +man could have lived in a boat in such weather. To make our +condition still worse, the wind came out due east, just after +sundown, and it blew a gale dead ahead, with hail and sleet and a +thick fog, so that we could not see half the length of the ship. Our +chief reliance, the prevailing westerly gales, was thus cut off; and +here we were, nearly seven hundred miles to the westward of the +Cape, with a gale dead from the eastward, and the weather so thick +that we could not see the ice, with which we were surrounded, until +it was directly under our bows. At four P.M. (it was then quite +dark) all hands were called, and sent aloft, in a violent squall +of hail and rain, to take in sail. We had now all got on our ``Cape +Horn rig,''-- thick boots, southwesters coming down over our neck +and ears, thick trousers and jackets, and some with oil-cloth suits +over all. Mittens, too, we wore on deck, but it would not do to go +aloft with them, as, being wet and stiff, they might let a man +slip overboard, for all the hold he could get upon a rope: so we +were obliged to work with bare hands, which, as well as our faces, +were often cut with the hailstones, which fell thick and large. +Our ship was now all cased with ice,-- hull, spars, and standing +rigging; and the running rigging so stiff that we could hardly +bend it so as to belay it, or, still less, take a knot with it; +and the sails frozen. One at a time (for it was a long piece of +work and required many hands) we furled the courses, mizzen +topsail, and fore-topmast staysail, and close-reefed the fore and +main topsails, and hove the ship to under the fore, with the main +hauled up by the clew-lines and buntlines, and ready to be sheeted +home, if we found it necessary to make sail to get to windward of +an ice island. A regular lookout was then set, and kept by each +watch in turn, until the morning. It was a tedious and anxious +night. It blew hard the whole time, and there was an almost +constant driving of either rain, hail, or snow. In addition to +this, it was ``as thick as muck,'' and the ice was all about us. +The captain was on deck nearly the whole night, and kept the cook +in the galley, with a roaring fire, to make coffee for him, which +he took every few hours, and once or twice gave a little to his +officers; but not a drop of anything was there for the crew. The +captain, who sleeps all the daytime, and comes and goes at night +as he chooses, can have his brandy-and-water in the cabin, and his +hot coffee at the galley; while Jack, who has to stand through +everything, and work in wet and cold, can have nothing to wet his +lips or warm his stomach. This was a ``temperance ship'' by her +articles, and, like too many such ships, the temperance was all in +the forecastle. The sailor, who only takes his one glass as it is +dealt out to him, is in danger of being drunk; while the captain, +upon whose self-possession and cool judgment the lives of all +depend, may be trusted with any amount, to drink at his will. +Sailors will never be convinced that rum is a dangerous thing by +taking it away from them and giving it to the officers; nor can +they see a friend in that temperance which takes from them what +they have always had, and gives them nothing in the place of it. +By seeing it allowed to their officers, they will not be convinced +that it is taken from them for their good; and by receiving +nothing in its place they will not believe that it is done in +kindness. On the contrary, many of them look upon the change as a +new instrument of tyranny. Not that they prefer rum. I never knew +a sailor, who had been a month away from the grog shops, who would +not prefer a pot of hot coffee or chocolate, in a cold night, to +all the rum afloat. They all say that rum only warms them for a +time; yet, if they can get nothing better, they will miss what +they have lost. The momentary warmth and glow from drinking it; +the break and change which it makes in a long, dreary watch by the +mere calling all hands aft and serving of it out; and the simply +having some event to look forward to and to talk about,-- all give +it an importance and a use which no one can appreciate who has not +stood his watch before the mast. On my passage out, the Pilgrim +was not under temperance articles, and grog was served out every +middle and morning watch, and after every reefing of topsails; +and, though I had never drunk rum before, nor desire to again, I +took my allowance then at the capstan, as the rest did, merely for +the momentary warmth it gave the system, and the change in our +feelings and aspect of our duties on the watch. At the same time, +as I have said, there was not a man on board who would not have +pitched the rum to the dogs (I have heard them say so a dozen +times) for a pot of coffee or chocolate; or even for our common +beverage,-- ``water bewitched and tea begrudged,'' as it was.[2] +The temperance reform is the best thing that ever was undertaken for +the sailor; but when the grog is taken from him, he ought to have +something in its place. As it is now, in most vessels, it is a +mere saving to the owners; and this accounts for the sudden +increase of temperance ships, which surprised even the best +friends of the cause. If every merchant, when he struck grog from +the list of the expenses of his ship, had been obliged to +substitute as much coffee, or chocolate, as would give each man a +pot-full when he came off the topsail yard, on a stormy night,-- +I fear Jack might have gone to ruin on the old road.[3] + +But this is not doubling Cape Horn. Eight hours of the night our +watch was on deck, and during the whole of that time we kept a +bright lookout: one man on each bow, another in the bunt of the +fore yard, the third mate on the scuttle, one man on each quarter, +and another always standing by the wheel. The chief mate was +everywhere, and commanded the ship when the captain was below. +When a large piece of ice was seen in our way, or drifting near +us, the word was passed along, and the ship's head turned one way +and another; and sometimes the yards squared or braced up. There +was little else to do than to look out; and we had the sharpest +eyes in the ship on the forecastle. The only variety was the +monotonous voice of the lookout forward,-- ``Another island!''-- +``Ice ahead!''-- ``Ice on the lee bow!''-- ``Hard up the helm!''-- +``Keep her off a little!''-- ``Stead-y!'' + +In the mean time the wet and cold had brought my face into such a +state that I could neither eat nor sleep; and though I stood it +out all night, yet, when it became light, I was in such a state +that all hands told me I must go below, and lie-by for a day or +two, or I should be laid up for a long time. When the watch was +changed I went into the steerage, and took off my hat and +comforter, and showed my face to the mate, who told me to go below +at once, and stay in my berth until the swelling went down, and +gave the cook orders to make a poultice for me, and said he would +speak to the captain. + +I went below and turned-in, covering myself over with blankets and +jackets, and lay in my berth nearly twenty-four hours, half asleep +and half awake, stupid from the dull pain. I heard the watch +called, and the men going up and down, and sometimes a noise on +deck, and a cry of ``ice,'' but I gave little attention to +anything. At the end of twenty-four hours the pain went down, and +I had a long sleep, which brought me back to my proper state; yet +my face was so swollen and tender that I was obliged to keep my +berth for two or three days longer. During the two days I had been +below, the weather was much the same that it had been,-- head +winds, and snow and rain; or, if the wind came fair, too foggy, +and the ice too thick, to run. At the end of the third day the ice +was very thick; a complete fog-bank covered the ship. It blew a +tremendous gale from the eastward, with sleet and snow, and there +was every promise of a dangerous and fatiguing night. At dark, the +captain called all hands aft, and told them that not a man was to +leave the deck that night; that the ship was in the greatest +danger, any cake of ice might knock a hole in her, or she might +run on an island and go to pieces. No one could tell whether she +would be a ship the next morning. The lookouts were then set, and +every man was put in his station. When I heard what was the state +of things, I began to put on my clothes to stand it out with the +rest of them, when the mate came below, and, looking at my face, +ordered me back to my berth, saying that if we went down, we +should all go down together, but if I went on deck I might lay +myself up for life. This was the first word I had heard from aft; +for the captain had done nothing, nor inquired how I was, since I +went below. + +In obedience to the mate's orders, I went back to my berth; but a +more miserable night I never wish to spend. I never felt the curse +of sickness so keenly in my life. If I could only have been on +deck with the rest where something was to be done and seen and +heard, where there were fellow-beings for companions in duty and +danger; but to be cooped up alone in a black hole, in equal +danger, but without the power to do, was the hardest trial. +Several times, in the course of the night, I got up, determined to +go on deck; but the silence which showed that there was nothing +doing, and the knowledge that I might make myself seriously ill, +for no purpose, kept me back. It was not easy to sleep, lying, as +I did, with my head directly against the bows, which might be +dashed in by an island of ice, brought down by the very next sea +that struck her. This was the only time I had been ill since I +left Boston, and it was the worst time it could have happened. I +felt almost willing to bear the plagues of Egypt for the rest of +the voyage, if I could but be well and strong for that one night. +Yet it was a dreadful night for those on deck. A watch of eighteen +hours, with wet and cold and constant anxiety, nearly wore them +out; and when they came below at nine o'clock for breakfast, they +almost dropped asleep on their chests, and some of them were so +stiff that they could with difficulty sit down. Not a drop of +anything had been given them during the whole time (though the +captain, as on the night that I was on deck, had his coffee every +four hours), except that the mate stole a pot-full of coffee for +two men to drink behind the galley, while he kept a lookout for +the captain. Every man had his station, and was not allowed to +leave it; and nothing happened to break the monotony of the night, +except once setting the main topsail, to run clear of a large +island to leeward, which they were drifting fast upon. Some of the +boys got so sleepy and stupefied that they actually fell asleep at +their posts; and the young third mate, Mr. Hatch, whose post was +the exposed one of standing on the fore scuttle, was so stiff, +when he was relieved, that he could not bend his knees to get +down. By a constant lookout, and a quick shifting of the helm, as +the islands and pieces came in sight, the ship went clear of +everything but a few small pieces, though daylight showed the +ocean covered for miles. At daybreak it fell a dead calm, and with +the sun the fog cleared a little, and a breeze sprung up from the +westward, which soon grew into a gale. We had now a fair wind, +daylight, and comparatively clear weather; yet, to the surprise of +every one, the ship continued hove-to. ``Why does not he run?'' +``What is the captain about?'' was asked by every one; and from +questions it soon grew into complaints and murmurings. When the +daylight was so short, it was too bad to lose it, and a fair wind, +too, which every one had been praying for. As hour followed hour, +and the captain showed no sign of making sail, the crew became +impatient, and there was a good deal of talking and consultation +together on the forecastle. They had been beaten out with the +exposure and hardship, and impatient to get out of it, and this +unaccountable delay was more than they could bear in quietness, in +their excited and restless state. Some said the captain was +frightened,-- completely cowed by the dangers and difficulties +that surrounded us, and was afraid to make sail; while others said +that in his anxiety and suspense he had made a free use of brandy +and opium, and was unfit for his duty. The carpenter, who was an +intelligent man, and a thorough seaman, and had great influence +with the crew, came down into the forecastle, and tried to induce +them to go aft and ask the captain why he did not run, or request +him, in the name of all hands, to make sail. This appeared to be a +very reasonable request, and the crew agreed that if he did not +make sail before noon they would go aft. Noon came, and no sail +was made. A consultation was held again, and it was proposed to +take the ship from the captain and give the command of her to the +mate, who had been heard to say that if he could have his way the +ship would have been half the distance to the Cape before night,-- +ice or no ice. And so irritated and impatient had the crew become, +that even this proposition, which was open mutiny, was +entertained, and the carpenter went to his berth, leaving it +tacitly understood that something serious would be done if things +remained as they were many hours longer. When the carpenter left, +we talked it all over, and I gave my advice strongly against it. +Another of the men, too, who had known something of the kind +attempted in another ship by a crew who were dissatisfied with +their captain, and which was followed with serious consequences, +was opposed to it. Stimson, who soon came down, joined us, and we +determined to have nothing to do with it. By these means the crew +were soon induced to give it up for the present, though they said +they would not lie where they were much longer without knowing the +reason. + +The affair remained in this state until four o'clock, when an +order came forward for all hands to come aft upon the +quarter-deck. In about ten minutes they came forward again, and +the whole affair had been blown. The carpenter, prematurely, and +without any authority from the crew, had sounded the mate as to +whether he would take command of the ship, and intimated an +intention to displace the captain; and the mate, as in duty bound, +had told the whole to the captain, who immediately sent for all +hands aft. Instead of violent measures, or, at least, an outbreak +of quarter-deck bravado, threats, and abuse, which they had every +reason to expect, a sense of common danger and common suffering +seemed to have tamed his spirit, and begotten in him something +like a humane fellow-feeling; for he received the crew in a manner +quiet, and even almost kind. He told them what he had heard, and +said that he did not believe that they would try to do any such +thing as was intimated; that they had always been good men,-- +obedient, and knew their duty, and he had no fault to find with +them, and asked them what they had to complain of; said that no +one could say that he was slow to carry sail (which was true +enough), and that, as soon as he thought it was safe and proper, +he should make sail. He added a few words about their duty in +their present situation, and sent them forward, saying that he +should take no further notice of the matter; but, at the same +time, told the carpenter to recollect whose power he was in, and +that if he heard another word from him he would have cause to +remember him to the day of his death. + +This language of the captain had a very good effect upon the crew, +and they returned quietly to their duty. + +For two days more the wind blew from the southward and eastward, +and in the short intervals when it was fair, the ice was too thick +to run; yet the weather was not so dreadfully bad, and the crew +had watch and watch. I still remained in my berth, fast +recovering, yet not well enough to go safely on deck. And I should +have been perfectly useless; for, from having eaten nothing for +nearly a week, except a little rice which I forced into my mouth +the last day or two, I was as weak as an infant. To be sick in a +forecastle is miserable indeed. It is the worst part of a dog's +life, especially in bad weather. The forecastle, shut up tight to +keep out the water and cold air; the watch either on deck or +asleep in their berths; no one to speak to; the pale light of the +single lamp, swinging to and fro from the beam, so dim that one +can scarcely see, much less read, by it; the water dropping from +the beams and carlines and running down the sides, and the +forecastle so wet and dark and cheerless, and so lumbered up with +chests and wet clothes, that sitting up is worse than lying in the +berth. These are some of the evils. Fortunately, I needed no help +from any one, and no medicine; and if I had needed help I don't +know where I should have found it. Sailors are willing enough, but +it is true, as is often said,-- no one ships for nurse on board a +vessel. Our merchant ships are always undermanned, and if one man +is lost by sickness, they cannot spare another to take care of +him. A sailor is always presumed to be well, and if he's sick he's +a poor dog. One has to stand his wheel, and another his lookout, +and the sooner he gets on deck again the better. + +Accordingly, as soon as I could possibly go back to my duty, I put +on my thick clothes and boots and southwester, and made my +appearance on deck. I had been but a few days below, yet +everything looked strangely enough. The ship was cased in ice,-- +decks, sides, masts, yards, and rigging. Two close-reefed topsails +were all the sail she had on, and every sail and rope was frozen +so stiff in its place that it seemed as though it would be +impossible to start anything. Reduced, too, to her topmasts, she +had altogether a most forlorn and crippled appearance. The sun had +come up brightly; the snow was swept off the decks and ashes +thrown upon them so that we could walk, for they had been as +slippery as glass. It was, of course, too cold to carry on any +ship's work, and we had only to walk the deck and keep ourselves +warm. The wind was still ahead, and the whole ocean, to the +eastward, covered with islands and field-ice. At four bells the +order was given to square away the yards, and the man who came +from the helm said that the captain had kept her off to N. N. E. +What could this mean? The wildest rumors got adrift. Some said +that he was going to put into Valparaiso and winter, and others +that he was going to run out of the ice and cross the Pacific, and +go home round the Cape of Good Hope. Soon, however, it leaked out, +and we found that we were running for the Straits of Magellan. The +news soon spread through the ship, and all tongues were at work +talking about it. No one on board had been through the straits; +but I had in my chest an account of the passage of the ship A. J. +Donelson, of New York, through those straits a few years before. +The account was given by the captain, and the representation was +as favorable as possible. It was soon read by every one on board, +and various opinions pronounced. The determination of our captain +had at least this good effect; it gave us something to think and +talk about, made a break in our life, and diverted our minds from +the monotonous dreariness of the prospect before us. Having made a +fair wind of it, we were going off at a good rate, and leaving the +thickest of the ice behind us. This, at least, was something. + +Having been long enough below to get my hands well warmed and +softened, the first handling of the ropes was rather tough; but a +few days hardened them, and as soon as I got my mouth open wide +enough to take in a piece of salt beef and hard bread, I was all +right again. + +Sunday, July 10th. Lat. 54 10', lon. 79 07'. This was our position +at noon. The sun was out bright; the ice was all left behind, and +things had quite a cheering appearance. We brought our wet +pea-jackets and trousers on deck, and hung them up in the rigging, +that the breeze and the few hours of sun might dry them a little; +and, by leave of the cook, the galley was nearly filled with +stockings and mittens, hung round to be dried. Boots, too, were +brought up; and, having got a little tar and slush from below, we +gave them thick coats. After dinner all hands were turned-to, to get +the anchors over the bows, bend on the chains, &c. The fish-tackle +was got up, fish-davit rigged out, and, after two or three hours of +hard and cold work, both the anchors were ready for instant use, a +couple of kedges got up, a hawser coiled away upon the fore-hatch, +and the deep-sea-lead-line overhauled and made ready. Our spirits +returned with having something to do; and when the tackle was +manned to bowse the anchor home, notwithstanding the desolation of +the scene, we struck up ``Cheerly, men!'' in full chorus. This +pleased the mate, who rubbed his hands and cried out, ``That's +right, my boys; never say die! That sounds like the old crew!'' +and the captain came up, on hearing the song, and said to the +passenger, within hearing of the man at the wheel, ``That sounds +like a lively crew. They'll have their song so long as there're +enough left for a chorus!'' + +This preparation of the cable and anchors was for the passage of +the straits; for, as they are very crooked, and with a variety of +currents, it is necessary to come frequently to anchor. This was +not, by any means, a pleasant prospect; for, of all the work that +a sailor is called upon to do in cold weather, there is none so +bad as working the ground-tackle. The heavy chain cables to be +hauled and pulled about decks with bare hands; wet hawsers, +slip-ropes, and buoy-ropes to be hauled aboard, dripping in water, +which is running up your sleeves, and freezing; clearing hawse +under the bows; getting under way and coming-to at all hours of +the night and day, and a constant lookout for rocks and sands and +turns of tides,-- these are some of the disagreeables of such a +navigation to a common sailor. Fair or foul, he wants to have +nothing to do with the ground-tackle between port and port. One of +our hands, too, had unluckily fallen upon a half of an old +newspaper which contained an account of the passage, through the +straits, of a Boston brig, called, I think, the Peruvian, in which +she lost every cable and anchor she had, got aground twice, and +arrived at Valparaiso in distress. This was set off against the +account of the A. J. Donelson, and led us to look forward with +less confidence to the passage, especially as no one on board had +ever been through, and we heard that the captain had no very +satisfactory charts. However, we were spared any further +experience on the point; for the next day, when we must have been +near the Cape of Pillars, which is the southwest point of the +mouth of the straits, a gale set in from the eastward, with a +heavy fog, so that we could not see half the ship's length ahead. +This, of course, put an end to the project for the present; for a +thick fog and a gale blowing dead ahead are not the most favorable +circumstances for the passage of difficult and dangerous straits. +This weather, too, seemed likely to last for some time, and we +could not think of beating about the mouth of the straits for a +week or two, waiting for a favorable opportunity; so we braced up +on the larboard tack, put the ship's head due south, and stuck her +off for Cape Horn again. + +[1] The cook's title in all vessels. + +[2] The proportions of the ingredients of the tea that was made for +us (and ours, as I have before stated, was a favorable specimen of +American merchantmen) were a pint of tea and a pint and a half of +molasses to about three gallons of water. These are all boiled +down together in the ``coppers,'' and, before serving it out, the +mess is stirred up with a stick, so as to give each man his fair +share of sweetening and tea-leaves. The tea for the cabin is, of +course, made in the usual way, in a teapot, and drunk with sugar. + +[3] I do not wish these remarks, so far as they relate to the saving +of expense in the outfit, to be applied to the owners of our ship, +for she was supplied with an abundance of stores of the best kind +that are given to seamen; though the dispensing of them is +necessarily left to the captain. And I learned, on our return, +that the captain withheld many of the stores from us, from mere +ugliness. He brought several barrels of flour home, but would not +give us the usual twice-a-week duff, and so as to other stores. +Indeed, so high was the reputation of ``the employ'' among men and +officers for the character and outfit of their vessels, and for +their liberality in conducting their voyages, that when it was +known that they had the Alert fitting out for a long voyage, and +that hands were to be shipped at a certain time,-- a half hour +before the time, as one of the crew told me, sailors were steering +down the wharf, hopping over the barrels, like a drove of sheep. + +CHAPTER XXXII + +In our first attempt to double the Cape, when we came up to the +latitude of it, we were nearly seventeen hundred miles to the +westward, but, in running for the Straits of Magellan, we stood so +far to the eastward that we made our second attempt at a distance +of not more than four or five hundred miles; and we had great +hopes, by this means, to run clear of the ice; thinking that the +easterly gales, which had prevailed for a long time, would have +driven it to the westward. With the wind about two points free, +the yards braced in a little, and two close-reefed topsails and a +reefed foresail on the ship, we made great way toward the +southward; and almost every watch, when we came on deck, the air +seemed to grow colder, and the sea to run higher. Still we saw no +ice, and had great hopes of going clear of it altogether, when, +one afternoon, about three o'clock, while we were taking a siesta +during our watch below, ``All hands!'' was called in a loud and +fearful voice. ``Tumble up here, men!-- tumble up!-- don't stop +for your clothes-- before we're upon it!'' We sprang out of our +berths and hurried upon deck. The loud, sharp voice of the captain +was heard giving orders, as though for life or death, and we ran +aft to the braces, not waiting to look ahead, for not a moment was +to be lost. The helm was hard up, the after yards shaking, and the +ship in the act of wearing. Slowly, with the stiff ropes and iced +rigging, we swung the yards round, everything coming hard and with +a creaking and rending sound, like pulling up a plank which has +been frozen into the ice. The ship wore round fairly, the yards +were steadied, and we stood off on the other tack, leaving behind +us, directly under our larboard quarter, a large ice island, +peering out of the mist, and reaching high above our tops; while +astern, and on either side of the island, large tracts of +field-ice were dimly seen, heaving and rolling in the sea. We were +now safe, and standing to the northward; but, in a few minutes +more, had it not been for the sharp lookout of the watch, we +should have been fairly upon the ice, and left our ship's old +bones adrift in the Southern Ocean. After standing to the +northward a few hours, we wore ship, and, the wind having hauled, +we stood to the southward and eastward. All night long a bright +lookout was kept from every part of the deck; and whenever ice was +seen on the one bow or the other the helm was shifted and the +yards braced, and, by quick working of the ship, she was kept +clear. The accustomed cry of ``Ice ahead!''-- ``Ice on the lee +bow!''-- ``Another island!'' in the same tones, and with the same +orders following them, seemed to bring us directly back to our old +position of the week before. During our watch on deck, which was +from twelve to four, the wind came out ahead, with a pelting storm +of hail and sleet, and we lay hove-to, under a close-reefed fore +topsail, the whole watch. During the next watch it fell calm with +a drenching rain until daybreak, when the wind came out to the +westward, and the weather cleared up, and showed us the whole +ocean, in the course which we should have steered, had it not been +for the head wind and calm, completely blocked up with ice. Here, +then, our progress was stopped, and we wore ship, and once more +stood to the northward and eastward; not for the Straits of +Magellan, but to make another attempt to double the Cape, still +farther to the eastward; for the captain was determined to get +round if perseverance could do it, and the third time, he said, +never failed. + +With a fair wind we soon ran clear of the field-ice, and by noon +had only the stray islands floating far and near upon the ocean. +The sun was out bright, the sea of a deep blue, fringed with the +white foam of the waves, which ran high before a strong +southwester; our solitary ship tore on through the open water as +though glad to be out of her confinement; and the ice islands lay +scattered here and there, of various sizes and shapes, reflecting +the bright rays of the sun, and drifting slowly northward before +the gale. It was a contrast to much that we had lately seen, and a +spectacle not only of beauty, but of life; for it required but +little fancy to imagine these islands to be animate masses which +had broken loose from the ``thrilling regions of thick-ribbed +ice,'' and were working their way, by wind and current, some +alone, and some in fleets, to milder climes. No pencil has ever +yet given anything like the true effect of an iceberg. In a +picture, they are huge, uncouth masses, stuck in the sea, while +their chief beauty and grandeur-- their slow, stately motion, the +whirling of the snow about their summits, and the fearful groaning +and cracking of their parts-- the picture cannot give. This is the +large iceberg,-- while the small and distant islands, floating on +the smooth sea, in the light of a clear day, look like little +floating fairy isles of sapphire. + +From a northeast course we gradually hauled to the eastward, and +after sailing about two hundred miles, which brought us as near to +the western coast of Terra del Fuego as was safe, and having lost +sight of the ice altogether,-- for the third time we put the +ship's head to the southward, to try the passage of the Cape. The +weather continued clear and cold, with a strong gale from the +westward, and we were fast getting up with the latitude of the +Cape, with a prospect of soon being round. One fine afternoon, a +man who had gone into the fore-top to shift the rolling tackles +sung out at the top of his voice, and with evident glee, ``Sail +ho!'' Neither land nor sail had we seen since leaving San Diego; +and only those who have traversed the length of a whole ocean +alone can imagine what an excitement such an announcement produced +on board. ``Sail ho!'' shouted the cook, jumping out of his +galley; ``Sail ho!'' shouted a man, throwing back the slide of the +scuttle, to the watch below, who were soon out of their berths and +on deck; and ``Sail ho!'' shouted the captain down the +companion-way to the passenger in the cabin. Beside the pleasure +of seeing a ship and human beings in so desolate a place, it was +important for us to speak a vessel, to learn whether there was ice +to the eastward, and to ascertain the longitude; for we had no +chronometer, and had been drifting about so long that we had +nearly lost our reckoning; and opportunities for lunar +observations are not frequent or sure in such a place as Cape +Horn. For these various reasons the excitement in our little +community was running high, and conjectures were made, and +everything thought of for which the captain would hail, when the +man aloft sung out-- ``Another sail, large on the weather bow!'' +This was a little odd, but so much the better, and did not shake +our faith in their being sails. At length the man in the top +hailed, and said he believed it was land, after all. ``Land in +your eye!'' said the mate, who was looking through the telescope; +``they are ice islands, if I can see a hole through a ladder''; +and a few moments showed the mate to be right; and all our +expectations fled; and instead of what we most wished to see we +had what we most dreaded, and what we hoped we had seen the last +of. We soon, however, left these astern, having passed within +about two miles of them, and at sundown the horizon was clear in +all directions. + +Having a fine wind, we were soon up with and passed the latitude +of the Cape, and, having stood far enough to the southward to give +it a wide berth, we began to stand to the eastward, with a good +prospect of being round and steering to the northward, on the +other side, in a very few days. But ill luck seemed to have +lighted upon us. Not four hours had we been standing on in this +course before it fell dead calm, and in half an hour it clouded +up, a few straggling blasts, with spits of snow and sleet, came +from the eastward, and in an hour more we lay hove-to under a +close-reefed main topsail, drifting bodily off to leeward before +the fiercest storm that we had yet felt, blowing dead ahead, from +the eastward. It seemed as though the genius of the place had been +roused at finding that we had nearly slipped through his fingers, +and had come down upon us with tenfold fury. The sailors said that +every blast, as it shook the shrouds, and whistled through the +rigging, said to the old ship, ``No, you don't!''-- ``No, you +don't!'' + +For eight days we lay drifting about in this manner. Sometimes-- +generally towards noon-- it fell calm; once or twice a round +copper ball showed itself for a few moments in the place where the +sun ought to have been, and a puff or two came from the westward, +giving some hope that a fair wind had come at last. During the +first two days we made sail for these puffs, shaking the reefs out +of the topsails and boarding the tacks of the courses; but finding +that it only made work for us when the gale set in again, it was +soon given up, and we lay-to under our close-reefs. We had less +snow and hail than when we were farther to the westward, but we +had an abundance of what is worse to a sailor in cold weather,-- +drenching rain. Snow is blinding, and very bad when coming upon a +coast, but, for genuine discomfort, give me rain with freezing +weather. A snowstorm is exciting, and it does not wet through the +clothes (a fact important to a sailor); but a constant rain there +is no escaping from. It wets to the skin, and makes all protection +vain. We had long ago run through all our dry clothes, and as +sailors have no other way of drying them than by the sun, we had +nothing to do but to put on those which were the least wet. At the +end of each watch, when we came below, we took off our clothes and +wrung them out; two taking hold of a pair of trousers, one at each +end,-- and jackets in the same way. Stockings, mittens, and all, +were wrung out also, and then hung up to drain and chafe dry +against the bulkheads. Then, feeling of all our clothes, we picked +out those which were the least wet, and put them on, so as to be +ready for a call, and turned-in, covered ourselves up with +blankets, and slept until three knocks on the scuttle and the +dismal sound of ``All Starbowlines ahoy! Eight bells, there below! +Do you hear the news?'' drawled out from on deck, and the sulky +answer of ``Aye, aye!'' from below, sent us up again. + +On deck all was dark, and either a dead calm, with the rain +pouring steadily down, or, more generally, a violent gale dead +ahead, with rain pelting horizontally, and occasional variations +of hail and sleet; decks afloat with water swashing from side to +side, and constantly wet feet, for boots could not be wrung out +like drawers, and no composition could stand the constant soaking. +In fact, wet and cold feet are inevitable in such weather, and are +not the least of those items which go to make up the grand total +of the discomforts of a winter passage round Cape Horn. Few words +were spoken between the watches as they shifted; the wheel was +relieved, the mate took his place on the quarter-deck, the +lookouts in the bows; and each man had his narrow space to walk +fore and aft in, or rather to swing himself forward and back in, +from one belaying-pin to another, for the decks were too slippery +with ice and water to allow of much walking. To make a walk, which +is absolutely necessary to pass away the time, one of us hit upon +the expedient of sanding the decks; and afterwards, whenever the +rain was not so violent as to wash it off, the weather-side of the +quarter-deck, and a part of the waist and forecastle were +sprinkled with the sand which we had on board for holystoning, and +thus we made a good promenade, where we walked fore and aft, two +and two, hour after hour, in our long, dull, and comfortless +watches. The bells seemed to be an hour or two apart, instead of +half an hour, and an age to elapse before the welcome sound of +eight bells. The sole object was to make the time pass on. Any +change was sought for which would break the monotony of the time; +and even the two hours' trick at the wheel, which came round to us +in turn, once in every other watch, was looked upon as a relief. +The never-failing resource of long yarns, which eke out many a +watch, seemed to have failed us now; for we had been so long +together that we had heard each other's stories told over and over +again till we had them by heart; each one knew the whole history +of each of the others, and we were fairly and literally talked +out. Singing and joking we were in no humor for; and, in fact, any +sound of mirth or laughter would have struck strangely upon our +ears, and would not have been tolerated any more than whistling or +a wind instrument. The last resort, that of speculating upon the +future, seemed now to fail us; for our discouraging situation, and +the danger we were really in (as we expected every day to find +ourselves drifted back among the ice), ``clapped a stopper'' upon +all that. From saying ``when we get home,'' we began insensibly to +alter it to ``if we get home,'' and at last the subject was +dropped by a tacit consent. + +In this state of things, a new light was struck out, and a new +field opened, by a change in the watch. One of our watch was laid +up for two or three days by a bad hand (for in cold weather the +least cut or bruise ripens into a sore), and his place was +supplied by the carpenter. This was a windfall, and there was a +contest who should have the carpenter to walk with him. As +``Chips'' was a man of some little education, and he and I had had +a good deal of intercourse with each other, he fell in with me in +my walk. He was a Fin, but spoke English well, and gave me long +accounts of his country,-- the customs, the trade, the towns, what +little he knew of the government (I found he was no friend of +Russia), his voyages, his first arrival in America, his marriage +and courtship; he had married a countrywoman of his, a +dress-maker, whom he met with in Boston. I had very little to tell +him of my quiet, sedentary life at home; and in spite of our best +efforts, which had protracted these yarns through five or six +watches, we fairly talked each other out, and I turned him over to +another man in the watch, and put myself upon my own resources. + +I commenced a deliberate system of time-killing, which united some +profit with a cheering up of the heavy hours. As soon as I came on +deck, and took my place and regular walk, I began with repeating +over to myself in regular order a string of matters which I had in +my memory,-- the multiplication table and the tables of weights +and measures; the Kanaka numerals; then the States of the Union, +with their capitals; the counties of England, with their shire +towns, and the kings of England in their order, and other things. +This carried me through my facts, and, being repeated +deliberately, with long intervals, often eked out the first two +bells. Then came the Ten Commandments, the thirty-ninth chapter of +Job, and a few other passages from Scripture. The next in the +order, which I seldom varied from, came Cowper's Castaway, which +was a great favorite with me; its solemn measure and gloomy +character, as well as the incident it was founded upon, making it +well suited to a lonely watch at sea. Then his lines to Mary, his +address to the Jackdaw, and a short extract from Table Talk (I +abounded in Cowper, for I happened to have a volume of his poems +in my chest); ``Ille et nefasto'' from Horace, and Goethe's Erl +Konig. After I had got through these, I allowed myself a more +general range among everything that I could remember, both in +prose and verse. In this way, with an occasional break by +relieving the wheel, heaving the log, and going to the +scuttle-butt for a drink of water, the longest watch was passed +away; and I was so regular in my silent recitations that, if there +was no interruption by ship's duty, I could tell very nearly the +number of bells by my progress. + +Our watches below were no more varied than the watch on deck. All +washing, sewing, and reading was given up, and we did nothing but +eat, sleep, and stand our watch, leading what might be called a +Cape Horn life. The forecastle was too uncomfortable to sit up in; +and whenever we were below, we were in our berths. To prevent the +rain and the sea-water which broke over the bows from washing +down, we were obliged to keep the scuttle closed, so that the +forecastle was nearly air-tight. In this little, wet, leaky hole, +we were all quartered, in an atmosphere so bad that our lamp, +which swung in the middle from the beams, sometimes actually +burned blue, with a large circle of foul air about it. Still, I +was never in better health than after three weeks of this life. I +gained a great deal of flesh, and we all ate like horses. At every +watch when we came below, before turning in, the bread barge and +beef kid were overhauled. Each man drank his quart of hot tea +night and morning, and glad enough we were to get it; for no +nectar and ambrosia were sweeter to the lazy immortals than was a +pot of hot tea, a hard biscuit, and a slice of cold salt beef to +us after a watch on deck. To be sure, we were mere animals, and, +had this life lasted a year instead of a month, we should have +been little better than the ropes in the ship. Not a razor, nor a +brush, nor a drop of water, except the rain and the spray, had +come near us all the time; for we were on an allowance of fresh +water; and who would strip and wash himself in salt water on deck, +in the snow and ice, with the thermometer at zero? + +After about eight days of constant easterly gales, the wind hauled +occasionally a little to the southward, and blew hard, which, as +we were well to the southward, allowed us to brace in a little, +and stand on under all the sail we could carry. These turns lasted +but a short while, and sooner or later it set in again from the +old quarter; yet at each time we made something, and were +gradually edging along to the eastward. One night, after one of +these shifts of the wind, and when all hands had been up a great +part of the time, our watch was left on deck, with the mainsail +hanging in the buntlines, ready to be set if necessary. It came on +to blow worse and worse, with hail and snow beating like so many +furies upon the ship, it being as dark and thick as night could +make it. The mainsail was blowing and slatting with a noise like +thunder, when the captain came on deck and ordered it to be +furled. The mate was about to call all hands, when the captain +stopped him, and said that the men would be beaten out if they +were called up so often; that, as our watch must stay on deck, it +might as well be doing that as anything else. Accordingly, we went +upon the yard; and never shall I forget that piece of work. Our +watch had been so reduced by sickness, and by some having been +left in California, that, with one man at the wheel, we had only +the third mate and three beside myself to go aloft; so that at +most we could only attempt to furl one yard-arm at a time. We +manned the weather yard-arm, and set to work to make a furl of it. +Our lower masts being short, and our yards very square, the sail +had a head of nearly fifty feet, and a short leech, made still +shorter by the deep reef which was in it, which brought the clew +away out on the quarters of the yard, and made a bunt nearly as +square as the mizzen royal yard. Beside this difficulty, the yard +over which we lay was cased with ice, the gaskets and rope of the +foot and leech of the sail as stiff and hard as a piece of leather +hose, and the sail itself about as pliable as though it had been +made of sheets of sheathing copper. It blew a perfect hurricane, +with alternate blasts of snow, hail, and rain. We had to fist the +sail with bare hands. No one could trust himself to mittens, for +if he slipped he was a gone man. All the boats were hoisted in on +deck, and there was nothing to be lowered for him. We had need of +every finger God had given us. Several times we got the sail upon +the yard, but it blew away again before we could secure it. It +required men to lie over the yard to pass each turn of the +gaskets, and when they were passed it was almost impossible to +knot them so that they would hold. Frequently we were obliged to +leave off altogether and take to beating our hands upon the sail +to keep them from freezing. After some time-- which seemed forever-- +we got the weather side stowed after a fashion, and went over to +leeward for another trial. This was still worse, for the body of +the sail had been blown over to leeward, and, as the yard was +a-cock-bill by the lying over of the vessel, we had to light it +all up to windward. When the yard-arms were furled, the bunt was +all adrift again, which made more work for us. We got all secure +at last, but we had been nearly an hour and a half upon the yard, +and it seemed an age. It had just struck five bells when we went +up, and eight were struck soon after we came down. This may seem +slow work; but considering the state of everything, and that we +had only five men to a sail with just half as many square yards of +canvas in it as the mainsail of the Independence, sixty-gun ship, +which musters seven hundred men at her quarters, it is not +wonderful that we were no quicker about it. We were glad enough to +get on deck, and still more to go below. The oldest sailor in the +watch said, as he went down, ``I shall never forget that main +yard; it beats all my going a-fishing. Fun is fun, but furling one +yard-arm of a course at a time, off Cape Horn, is no better than +man-killing.'' + +During the greater part of the next two days, the wind was pretty +steady from the southward. We had evidently made great progress, +and had good hope of being soon up with the Cape, if we were not +there already. We could put but little confidence in our +reckoning, as there had been no opportunities for an observation, +and we had drifted too much to allow of our dead reckoning being +anywhere near the mark. If it would clear off enough to give a +chance for an observation, or if we could make land, we should +know where we were; and upon these, and the chances of falling in +with a sail from the eastward, we depended almost entirely. + +Friday, July 22d. This day we had a steady gale from the +southward, and stood on under close sail, with the yards eased a +little by the weather braces, the clouds lifting a little, and +showing signs of breaking away. In the afternoon, I was below with +Mr. Hatch, the third mate, and two others, filling the bread +locker in the steerage from the casks, when a bright gleam of +sunshine broke out and shone down the companionway, and through +the skylight, lighting up everything below, and sending a warm +glow through the hearts of all. It was a sight we had not seen for +weeks,-- an omen, a godsend. Even the roughest and hardest face +acknowledged its influence. Just at that moment we heard a loud +shout from all parts of the deck, and the mate called out down the +companion-way to the captain, who was sitting in the cabin. What +he said we could not distinguish, but the captain kicked over his +chair, and was on deck at one jump. We could not tell what it was; +and, anxious as we were to know, the discipline of the ship would +not allow of our leaving our places. Yet, as we were not called, +we knew there was no danger. We hurried to get through with our +job, when, seeing the steward's black face peering out of the +pantry, Mr. Hatch hailed him to know what was the matter. ``Lan' +o, to be sure, sir! No you hear 'em sing out, `Lan' o?' De cap'em +say 'im Cape Horn!'' + +This gave us a new start, and we were soon through our work and on +deck; and there lay the land, fair upon the larboard beam, and +slowly edging away upon the quarter. All hands were busy looking +at it,-- the captain and mates from the quarter-deck, the cook +from his galley, and the sailors from the forecastle; and even Mr. +Nuttall, the passenger, who had kept in his shell for nearly a +month, and hardly been seen by anybody, and whom we had almost +forgotten was on board, came out like a butterfly, and was hopping +round as bright as a bird. + +The land was the island of Staten Land, just to the eastward of +Cape Horn; and a more desolate-looking spot I never wish to set +eyes upon,-- bare, broken, and girt with rocks and ice, with here +and there, between the rocks and broken hillocks, a little stunted +vegetation of shrubs. It was a place well suited to stand at the +junction of the two oceans, beyond the reach of human cultivation, +and encounter the blasts and snows of a perpetual winter. Yet, +dismal as it was, it was a pleasant sight to us; not only as being +the first land we had seen, but because it told us that we had +passed the Cape,-- were in the Atlantic,-- and that, with +twenty-four hours of this breeze, we might bid defiance to the +Southern Ocean. It told us, too, our latitude and longitude better +than any observation; and the captain now knew where we were, as +well as if we were off the end of Long Wharf. + +In the general joy, Mr. Nuttall said he should like to go ashore +upon the island and examine a spot which probably no human being +had ever set foot upon; but the captain intimated that he would +see the island, specimens and all, in-- another place, before he +would get out a boat or delay the ship one moment for him. + +We left the land gradually astern; and at sundown had the Atlantic +Ocean clear before us. + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +It is usual, in voyages round the Cape from the Pacific, to keep +to the eastward of the Falkland Islands; but as there had now set +in a strong, steady, and clear southwester, with every prospect of +its lasting, and we had had enough of high latitudes, the captain +determined to stand immediately to the northward, running inside +the Falkland Islands. Accordingly, when the wheel was relieved at +eight o'clock, the order was given to keep her due north, and all +hands were turned up to square away the yards and make sail. In a +moment the news ran through the ship that the captain was keeping +her off, with her nose straight for Boston, and Cape Horn over her +taffrail. It was a moment of enthusiasm. Every one was on the +alert, and even the two sick men turned out to lend a hand at the +halyards. The wind was now due southwest, and blowing a gale to +which a vessel close hauled could have shown no more than a single +close-reefed sail; but as we were going before it, we could carry +on. Accordingly, hands were sent aloft, and a reef shaken out of +the topsails, and the reefed foresail set. When we came to +mast-head the topsail yards, with all hands at the halyards, we +struck up ``Cheerly, men,'' with a chorus which might have been +heard half-way to Staten Land. Under her increased sail, the ship +drove on through the water. Yet she could bear it well; and the +captain sang out from the quarter-deck, ``Another reef out of that +fore topsail, and give it to her!'' Two hands sprang aloft; the +frozen reef-points and earings were cast adrift, the halyards +manned, and the sail gave out her increased canvas to the gale. +All hands were kept on deck to watch the effect of the change. It +was as much as she could well carry, and with a heavy sea astern +it took two men at the wheel to steer her. She flung the foam from +her bows, the spray breaking aft as far as the gangway. She was +going at a prodigious rate. Still everything held. Preventer +braces were reeved and hauled taut, tackles got upon the +backstays, and everything done to keep all snug and strong. The +captain walked the deck at a rapid stride, looked aloft at the +sails, and then to windward; the mate stood in the gangway, +rubbing his hands, and talking aloud to the ship, ``Hurrah, old +bucket! the Boston girls have got hold of the tow-rope!'' and the +like; and we were on the forecastle, looking to see how the spars +stood it, and guessing the rate at which she was going, when the +captain called out ``Mr. Brown, get up the topmast studding-sail! +What she can't carry she may drag!'' The mate looked a moment; but +he would let no one be before him in daring. He sprang forward. +``Hurrah, men! rig out the topmast studding-sail boom! Lay aloft, +and I'll send the rigging up to you!'' We sprang aloft into the +top; lowered a girt-line down, by which we hauled up the rigging; +rove the tacks and halyards; ran out the boom and lashed it fast, +and sent down the lower halyards as a preventer. It was a clear +starlight night, cold and blowing; but everybody worked with a +will. Some, indeed, looked as though they thought the ``old man'' +was mad, but no one said a word. We had had a new topmast +studding-sail made with a reef in it,-- a thing hardly ever heard +of, and which the sailors had ridiculed a good deal, saying that +when it was time to reef a studding-sail it was time to take it +in. But we found a use for it now; for, there being a reef in the +topsail, the studding-sail could not be set without one in it +also. To be sure, a studding-sail with reefed topsails was rather +a novelty; yet there was some reason in it, for if we carried that +away we should lose only a sail and a boom; but a whole topsail +might have carried away the mast and all. + +While we were aloft the sail had been got out, bent to the yard, +reefed, and ready for hoisting. Waiting for a good opportunity, +the halyards were manned and the yard hoisted fairly up to the +block; but when the mate came to shake the catspaw out of the +downhaul, and we began to boom-end the sail, it shook the ship to +her centre. The boom buckled up and bent like a whip-stick, and we +looked every moment to see something go; but, being of the short, +tough upland spruce, it bent like whalebone, and nothing could +break it. The carpenter said it was the best stick he had ever +seen. The strength of all hands soon brought the tack to the +boom-end, and the sheet was trimmed down, and the preventer and +the weather brace hauled taut to take off the strain. Every +rope-yarn seemed stretched to the utmost, and every thread of +canvas; and with this sail added to her, the ship sprang through +the water like a thing possessed. The sail being nearly all +forward, it lifted her out of the water, and she seemed actually +to jump from sea to sea. From the time her keel was laid, she had +never been so driven; and had it been life or death with every one +of us, she could not have borne another stitch of canvas. + +Finding that she would bear the sail, the hands were sent below, +and our watch remained on deck. Two men at the wheel had as much +as they could do to keep her within three points of her course, +for she steered as wild as a young colt. The mate walked the deck, +looking at the sails, and then over the side to see the foam fly +by her,-- slapping his hands upon his thighs and talking to the +ship,-- ``Hurrah, you jade, you've got the scent!-- you know where +you're going!'' And when she leaped over the seas, and almost out +of the water, and trembled to her very keel, the spars and masts +snapping and creaking,-- ``There she goes!-- There she goes,-- +handsomely?-- As long as she cracks she holds!''-- while we stood +with the rigging laid down fair for letting go, and ready to take +in sail and clear away, if anything went. At four bells we hove +the log, and she was going eleven knots fairly; and had it not +been for the sea from aft which sent the chip home, and threw her +continually off her course, the log would have shown her to have +been going somewhat faster. I went to the wheel with a young +fellow from the Kennebec, Jack Stewart, who was a good helmsman, +and for two hours we had our hands full. A few minutes showed us +that our monkey-jackets must come off; and, cold as it was, we +stood in our shirt-sleeves in a perspiration, and were glad enough +to have it eight bells, and the wheel relieved. We turned-in and +slept as well as we could, though the sea made a constant roar +under her bows, and washed over the forecastle like a small +cataract. + +At four o'clock we were called again. The same sail was still on +the vessel, and the gale, if there was any change, had increased a +little. No attempt was made to take the studding-sail in; and, +indeed, it was too late now. If we had started anything toward +taking it in, either tack or halyards, it would have blown to +pieces, and carried something away with it. The only way now was +to let everything stand, and if the gale went down, well and good; +if not, something must go,-- the weakest stick or rope first,-- +and then we could get it in. For more than an hour she was driven +on at such a rate that she seemed to crowd the sea into a heap +before her; and the water poured over the spritsail yard as it +would over a dam. Toward daybreak the gale abated a little, and +she was just beginning to go more easily along, relieved of the +pressure, when Mr. Brown, determined to give her no respite, and +depending upon the wind's subsiding as the sun rose, told us to +get along the lower studding-sail. This was an immense sail, and +held wind enough to last a Dutchman a week,-- hove-to. It was soon +ready, the boom topped up, preventer guys rove, and the idlers +called up to man the halyards; yet such was still the force of the +gale that we were nearly an hour setting the sail; carried away +the outhaul in doing it, and came very near snapping off the +swinging boom. No sooner was it set than the ship tore on again +like one mad, and began to steer wilder than ever. The men at the +wheel were puffing and blowing at their work, and the helm was +going hard up and hard down, constantly. Add to this, the gale did +not lessen as the day came on, but the sun rose in clouds. A +sudden lurch threw the man from the weather wheel across the deck +and against the side. The mate sprang to the wheel, and the man, +regaining his feet, seized the spokes, and they hove the wheel up +just in time to save the ship from broaching to, though as she +came up the studding-sail boom stood at an angle of forty-five +degrees. She had evidently more on her than she could bear; yet it +was in vain to try to take it in,-- the clew-line was not strong +enough, and they were thinking of cutting away, when another wide +yaw and a come-to snapped the guys, and the swinging boom came in +with a crash against the lower rigging. The outhaul block gave +way, and the topmast studding-sail boom bent in a manner which I +never before supposed a stick could bend. I had my eye on it when +the guys parted, and it made one spring and buckled up so as to +form nearly a half-circle, and sprang out again to its shape. The +clew-line gave way at the first pull; the cleat to which the +halyards were belayed was wrenched off, and the sail blew round +the spritsail yard and head guys, which gave us a bad job to get +it in. A half-hour served to clear all away, and she was suffered +to drive on with her topmast studding-sail set, it being as much +as she could stagger under. + +During all this day and the next night we went on under the same +sail, the gale blowing with undiminished violence; two men at the +wheel all the time; watch and watch, and nothing to do but to +steer and look out for the ship, and be blown along;-- until the +noon of the next day,-- + +Sunday, July 24th, when we were in lat. 50 27' S., lon. 62 13' W., +having made four degrees of latitude in the last twenty-four hours. +Being now to the northward of the Falkland Islands, the ship was +kept off, northeast, for the equator; and with her head for the +equator, and Cape Horn over her taffrail, she went gloriously +on; every heave of the sea leaving the Cape astern, and every hour +bringing us nearer to home and to warm weather. Many a time, when +blocked up in the ice, with everything dismal and discouraging +about us, had we said, if we were only fairly round, and standing +north on the other side, we should ask for no more; and now we had +it all, with a clear sea and as much wind as a sailor could pray +for. If the best part of a voyage is the last part, surely we had +all now that we could wish. Every one was in the highest spirits, +and the ship seemed as glad as any of us at getting out of her +confinement. At each change of the watch, those coming on deck +asked those going below, ``How does she go along?'' and got, for +answer, the rate, and the customary addition, ``Aye! and the +Boston girls have had hold of the tow-rope all the watch.'' Every +day the sun rose higher in the horizon, and the nights grew +shorter; and at coming on deck each morning there was a sensible +change in the temperature. The ice, too, began to melt from off +the rigging and spars, and, except a little which remained in the +tops and round the hounds of the lower masts, was soon gone. As we +left the gale behind us, the reefs were shaken out of the +topsails, and sail made as fast as she could bear it; and every +time all hands were sent to the halyards a song was called for, +and we hoisted away with a will. + +Sail after sail was added, as we drew into fine weather; and in +one week after leaving Cape Horn, the long top-gallant-masts were +got up, top-gallant and royal yards crossed, and the ship restored +to her fair proportions. + +The Southern Cross and the Magellan Clouds settled lower and lower +in the horizon; and so great was our change of latitude that each +succeeding night we sank some constellation in the south, and +raised another in the northern horizon. + +Sunday, July 31st. At noon we were in lat. 36 41' S., +lon. 38 08' W.; having traversed the distance of two thousand +miles, allowing for changes of course, in nine days. A thousand +miles in four days and a half! This is equal to steam. + +Soon after eight o'clock the appearance of the ship gave evidence +that this was the first Sunday we had yet had in fine weather. As +the sun came up clear, with the promise of a fair, warm day, and, +as usual on Sunday, there was no work going on, all hands +turned-to upon clearing out the forecastle. The wet and soiled +clothes which had accumulated there during the past month were +brought up on deck; the chests moved; brooms, buckets of water, +swabs, scrubbing-brushes, and scrapers carried down and applied, +until the forecastle floor was as white as chalk, and everything +neat and in order. The bedding from the berths was then spread on +deck, and dried and aired; the deck-tub filled with water; and a +grand washing begun of all the clothes which were brought up. +Shirts, frocks, drawers, trousers, jackets, stockings, of every +shape and color, wet and dirty,-- many of them mouldy from having +been lying a long time wet in a foul corner,-- these were all +washed and scrubbed out, and finally towed overboard for half an +hour; and then made fast in the rigging to dry. Wet boots and +shoes were spread out to dry in sunny places on deck; and the +whole ship looked like a back yard on a washing-day. After we had +done with our clothes, we began upon our persons. A little fresh +water, which we had saved from our allowance, was put in buckets, +and, with soap and towels, we had what sailors call a fresh-water +wash. The same bucket, to be sure, had to go through several +hands, and was spoken for by one after another, but as we rinsed +off in salt water, pure from the ocean, and the fresh was used +only to start the accumulated grime and blackness of five weeks, +it was held of little consequence. We soaped down and scrubbed one +another with towels and pieces of canvas, stripping to it; and +then, getting into the head, threw buckets of water upon each +other. After this came shaving, and combing, and brushing; and +when, having spent the first part of the day in this way, we sat +down on the forecastle, in the afternoon, with clean duck trousers +and shirts on, washed, shaved, and combed, and looking a dozen +shades lighter for it, reading, sewing, and talking at our ease, +with a clear sky and warm sun over our heads, a steady breeze over +the larboard quarter, studding-sails out alow and aloft, and all +the flying kites abroad,-- we felt that we had got back into the +pleasantest part of a sailor's life. At sunset the clothes were +all taken down from the rigging,-- clean and dry,-- and stowed +neatly away in our chests; and our southwesters, thick boots, +Guernsey frocks, and other accompaniments of bad weather, put out +of the way, we hoped, for the rest of the voyage, as we expected +to come upon the coast early in the autumn. + +Notwithstanding all that has been said about the beauty of a ship +under full sail, there are very few who have ever seen a ship, +literally, under all her sail. A ship coming in or going out of +port, with her ordinary sails, and perhaps two or three +studding-sails, is commonly said to be under full sail; but a ship +never has all her sail upon her, except when she has a light, +steady breeze, very nearly, but not quite, dead aft, and so +regular that it can be trusted, and is likely to last for some +time. Then, with all her sails, light and heavy, and +studding-sails, on each side, alow and aloft, she is the most +glorious moving object in the world. Such a sight very few, even +some who have been at sea a good deal, have ever beheld; for from +the deck of your own vessel you cannot see her, as you would a +separate object. + +One night, while we were in these tropics, I went out to the end +of the flying-jib-boom upon some duty, and, having finished it, +turned round, and lay over the boom for a long time, admiring the +beauty of the sight before me. Being so far out from the deck, I +could look at the ship as at a separate vessel; and there rose up +from the water, supported only by the small black hull, a pyramid +of canvas, spreading out far beyond the hull, and towering up +almost, as it seemed in the indistinct night air, to the clouds. +The sea was as still as an inland lake; the light trade-wind was +gently and steadily breathing from astern; the dark blue sky was +studded with the tropical stars; there was no sound but the +rippling of the water under the stem; and the sails were spread +out, wide and high,-- the two lower studding-sails stretching on +each side far beyond the deck; the topmast studding-sails like +wings to the topsails; the top-gallant studding-sails spreading +fearlessly out above them; still higher, the two royal +studding-sails, looking like two kites flying from the same +string; and, highest of all, the little skysail, the apex of the +pyramid, seeming actually to touch the stars, and to be out of +reach of human hand. So quiet, too, was the sea, and so steady the +breeze, that if these sails had been sculptured marble they could +not have been more motionless. Not a ripple upon the surface of +the canvas; not even a quivering of the extreme edges of the sail, +so perfectly were they distended by the breeze. I was so lost in +the sight that I forgot the presence of the man who came out with +me, until he said (for he, too, rough old man-of-war's-man as he +was, had been gazing at the show), half to himself, still looking +at the marble sails,-- ``How quietly they do their work!'' + +The fine weather brought work with it, as the ship was to be put +in order for coming into port. To give a landsman some notion of +what is done on board ship, it may be truly said that all the +first part of a passage is spent in getting a ship ready for sea, +and the last part in getting her ready for port. She is, as +sailors say, like a lady's watch, always out of repair. The new, +strong sails, which we had up off Cape Horn, were to be sent down, +and the old set, which were still serviceable in fine weather, to +be bent in their place; all the rigging to be set up, fore and +aft; the masts stayed; the standing rigging to be tarred down; +lower and topmast rigging to be rattled down, fore and aft; the +ship scraped inside and out, and painted; decks varnished; new and +neat knots, seizings and coverings, to be fitted; and every part +put in order, to look well to the owner's eye, and to all critics, +on coming into Boston. This, of course, was a long matter; and all +hands were kept on deck at work for the whole of each day, during +the rest of the voyage. Sailors call this hard usage; but the ship +must be in crack order; and ``We're homeward bound'' was the +answer to everything. + +We went on for several days, employed in this way, nothing +remarkable occurring; and, at the latter part of the week, fell in +with the southeast trades, blowing about east-southeast, which +brought them nearly two points abaft our beam. They blew strong +and steady, so that we hardly started a rope, until we were beyond +their latitude. The first day of ``all hands'' one of those little +incidents occurred, which are nothing in themselves, but are great +matters in the eyes of a ship's company, as they serve to break +the monotony of a voyage, and afford conversation to the crew for +days afterwards. These things, too, are often interesting, as they +show the customs and states of feeling on shipboard. + +In merchant vessels, the captain gives his orders, as to the +ship's work, to the mate, in a general way, and leaves the +execution of them, with the particular ordering, to him. This has +become so fixed a custom that it is like a law, and is never +infringed upon by a wise master, unless his mate is no seaman; in +which case the captain must often oversee things for himself. +This, however, could not be said of our chief mate, and he was +very jealous of any encroachment upon the borders of his +authority. + +On Monday morning the captain told him to stay the fore topmast +plumb. He accordingly came forward, turned all hands to, with +tackles on the stays and backstays, coming up with the seizings, +hauling here, belaying there, and full of business, standing +between the knight-heads to sight the mast,-- when the captain +came forward, and also began to give orders. This made confusion, +and the mate left his place and went aft, saying to the captain:-- + + +``If you come forward, sir, I'll go aft. One is enough on the +forecastle.'' + +This produced a reply, and another fierce answer; and the words +flew, fists were doubled up, and things looked threateningly. + +``I'm master of this ship.'' + +``Yes, sir, and I'm mate of her, and know my place! My place is +forward, and yours is aft.'' + +``My place is where I choose! I command the whole ship, and you +are mate only so long as I choose!'' + +``Say the word, Captain Thompson, and I'm done! I can do a man's +work aboard! I didn't come through the cabin windows! If I'm not +mate, I can be man,'' &c., &c. + +This was all fun for us, who stood by, winking at each other, and +enjoying the contest between the higher powers. The captain took +the mate aft; and they had a long talk, which ended in the mate's +returning to his duty. The captain had broken through a custom, +which is a part of the common law of a ship, and without reason, +for he knew that his mate was a sailor, and needed no help from +him; and the mate was excusable for being angry. Yet, in strict +law, he was wrong, and the captain right. Whatever the captain +does is right, ipso facto, and any opposition to it is wrong on +board ship; and every officer and man knows this when he signs the +ship's articles. It is a part of the contract. Yet there has grown +up in merchant vessels a series of customs, which have become a +well-understood system, and have somewhat the force of +prescriptive law. To be sure, all power is in the captain, and the +officers hold their authority only during his will, and the men +are liable to be called upon for any service; yet, by breaking in +upon these usages, many difficulties have occurred on board ship, +and even come into courts of justice, which are perfectly +unintelligible to any one not acquainted with the universal nature +and force of these customs. Many a provocation has been offered, +and a system of petty oppression pursued towards men, the force +and meaning of which would appear as nothing to strangers, and +doubtless do appear so to many ``'long-shore'' juries and judges. + +The next little diversion was a battle on the forecastle, one +afternoon, between the mate and the steward. They had been on bad +terms the whole voyage, and had threatened a rupture several +times. Once, on the coast, the mate had seized the steward, when +the steward suddenly lowered his head, and pitched it straight +into Mr. Brown's stomach, butting him against the galley, grunting +at every shove, and calling out ``You Brown!'' Mr. Brown looked +white in the face, and the heaviest blows he could give seemed to +have no effect on the negro's head. He was pulled off by the +second mate, and Mr. Brown was going at him again, when the +captain separated them; and Mr. Brown told his tale to the +captain, adding ``and, moreover, he called me Brown!'' From this +time ``moreover, he called me Brown,'' became a by-word on board. +Mr. Brown went aft, saying, ``I've promised it to you, and now +you've got it.'' But he did not seem to be sure which had ``got +it''; nor did we. We knew Mr. Brown would not leave the thing in +that equivocal position all the voyage, if he could help it. This +afternoon the mate asked the steward for a tumbler of water, and +he refused to get it for him, saying that he waited upon nobody +but the captain; and here he had the custom on his side. But, in +answering, he committed the unpardonable offence of leaving off +the handle to the mate's name. This enraged the mate, who called +him a ``black soger,'' and at it they went, clenching, striking, +and rolling over and over; while we stood by, looking on and +enjoying the fun. The darkey tried to butt him, as before, but the +mate got him down, and held him, the steward singing out, ``Let me +go, Mr. Brown, or there'll be blood spilt!'' In the midst of this, +the captain came on deck, separated them, took the steward aft, +and gave him half a dozen with a rope's end. The steward tried to +justify himself, but he had been heard to talk of spilling blood, +and that was enough to earn him his flogging; and the captain did +not choose to inquire any further. Mr. Brown was satisfied to let +him alone after that, as he had, on the whole, vindicated his +superiority in the eyes of the crew. + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +The same day, I met with one of those narrow escapes which are so +often happening in a sailor's life. I had been aloft nearly all +the afternoon, at work, standing for as much as an hour on the +fore top-gallant yard, which was hoisted up, and hung only by the +tie; when, having got through my work, I balled up my yarns, took +my serving-board in my hand, laid hold deliberately of the +top-gallant rigging, took one foot from the yard, and was just +lifting the other, when the tie parted, and down the yard fell. I +was safe, by my hold upon the rigging, but it made my heart beat +quick. Had the tie parted one instant sooner, or had I stood an +instant longer on the yard, I should inevitably have been thrown +violently from the height of ninety or a hundred feet, overboard; +or, what is worse, upon the deck. However, ``a miss is as good as +a mile''; a saying which sailors very often have occasion to use. +An escape is always a joke on board ship. A man would be ridiculed +who should make a serious matter of it. A sailor knows too well +that his life hangs upon a thread, to wish to be often reminded of +it; so, if a man has an escape, he keeps it to himself, or makes a +joke of it. I have often known a man's life to be saved by an +instant of time, or by the merest chance,-- the swinging of a +rope,-- and no notice taken of it. One of our boys, off Cape Horn, +reefing topsails of a dark night when there were no boats to be +lowered away, and where, if a man fell overboard, he must be left +behind, lost his hold of the reef-point, slipped from the +foot-rope, and would have been in the water in a moment, when the +man who was next to him on the yard, French John, caught him by +the collar of his jacket, and hauled him up upon the yard, with, +``Hold on, another time, you young monkey, and be d---d to you!''-- +and that was all that was heard about it. + +Sunday, August 7th. Lat. 25 59' S., lon. 27 0' W. Spoke the +English bark Mary Catherine, from Bahia, bound to Calcutta. This +was the first sail we had fallen in with, and the first time we +had seen a human form or heard the human voice, except of our own +number, for nearly a hundred days. The very yo-ho-ing of the sailors +at the ropes sounded sociably upon the ear. She was an old, +damaged-looking craft, with a high poop and top-gallant forecastle, +and sawed off square, stem and stern, like a true English +``tea-wagon,'' and with a run like a sugar-box. She had +studding-sails out alow and aloft, with a light but steady breeze, +and her captain said he could not get more than four knots out of +her, and thought he should have a long passage. We were going six +on an easy bowline. + +The next day, about three P.M., passed a large corvette-built +ship, close upon the wind, with royals and skysails set fore and +aft, under English colors. She was standing south-by-east, +probably bound round Cape Horn. She had men in her tops, and black +mast-heads; heavily sparred, with sails cut to a t, and other +marks of a man-of-war. She sailed well, and presented a fine +appearance; the proud, feudal-looking banner of St. George-- the +cross in a blood-red field-- waving from the mizzen. We probably +were nearly as fine a sight, with our studding-sails spread far +out beyond the ship on either side, and rising in a pyramid to +royal studding-sails and skysails, burying the hull in canvas and +looking like what the whalemen on the Banks, under their stump +top-gallant-masts, call ``a Cape Horn-er under a cloud of sail.'' + +Friday, August 12th. At daylight made the island of Trinidad, +situated in lat. 20 28' S., lon. 29 08' W. At twelve M., it +bore N.W. 1/2 N., distant twenty-seven miles. It was a beautiful +day, the sea hardly ruffled by the light trades, and the island +looking like a small blue mound rising from a field of glass. +Such a fair and peaceful-looking spot is said to have been, for +a long time, the resort of a band of pirates, who ravaged the +tropical seas. + +Thursday, August 18th. At three P.M., made the island of Fernando +Naronha, lying in lat. 3 55' S., lon. 32 35' W.; and between +twelve o'clock Friday night and one o'clock Saturday morning +crossed the equator, for the fourth time since leaving Boston, +in lon. 35 W.; having been twenty-seven days from Staten Land,-- +a distance, by the courses we had made, of more than four thousand +miles. + +We were now to the northward of the line, and every day added to +our latitude. The Magellan Clouds, the last sign of south +latitude, had long been sunk, and the North Star, the Great Bear, +and the familiar signs of northern latitudes, were rising in the +heavens. Next to seeing land, there is no sight which makes one +realize more that he is drawing near home, than to see the same +heavens, under which he was born, shining at night over his head. +The weather was extremely hot, with the usual tropical +alternations of a scorching sun and squalls of rain; yet not a +word was said in complaint of the heat, for we all remembered that +only three or four weeks before we would have given our all to be +where we now were. We had a plenty of water, too, which we caught +by spreading an awning, with shot thrown in to make hollows. These +rain squalls came up in the manner usual between the tropics. A +clear sky; burning, vertical sun; work going lazily on, and men +about decks with nothing but duck trousers, checked shirts, and +straw hats; the ship moving as lazily through the water; the man +at the helm resting against the wheel, with his hat drawn over his +eyes; the captain below, taking an afternoon nap; the passenger +leaning over the taffrail, watching a dolphin following slowly in +our wake; the sailmaker mending an old topsail on the lee side of +the quarter-deck; the carpenter working at his bench, in the +waist; the boys making sinnet; the spun-yarn winch whizzing round +and round, and the men walking slowly fore and aft with the yarns. +A cloud rises to windward, looking a little black; the skysails +are brailed down; the captain puts his head out of the +companion-way, looks at the cloud, comes up, and begins to walk +the deck. The cloud spreads and comes on; the tub of yarns, the +sail, and other matters, are thrown below, and the sky-light and +booby-hatch put on, and the slide drawn over the forecastle. +``Stand by the royal halyards''; and the man at the wheel keeps a +good weather helm, so as not to be taken aback. The squall strikes +her. If it is light, the royal yards are clewed down, and the ship +keeps on her way; but if the squall takes strong hold, the royals +are clewed up, fore and aft; light hands lay aloft and furl them; +top-gallant yards are clewed down, flying-jib hauled down, and the +ship kept off before it,-- the man at the helm laying out his +strength to heave the wheel up to windward. At the same time a +drenching rain, which soaks one through in an instant. Yet no one +puts on a jacket or cap; for if it is only warm, a sailor does not +mind a ducking; and the sun will soon be out again. As soon as the +force of the squall has passed, though to a common eye the ship +would seem to be in the midst of it,-- ``Keep her up to her course +again!''-- ``Keep her up, sir,'' (answer.)[1]-- ``Hoist away the +top-gallant yards!''-- ``Run up the flying-jib!''-- ``Lay aloft, +you boys, and loose the royals!'' and all sail is on her again +before she is fairly out of the squall; and she is going on in her +course. The sun comes out once more, hotter than ever, dries up +the decks and the sailors' clothes; the hatches are taken off; the +sail got up and spread on the quarter-deck; spun-yarn winch set a +whirling again; rigging coiled up; captain goes below; and every +sign of an interruption disappears. + +These scenes, with occasional dead calms, lasting for hours, and +sometimes for days, are fair specimens of the Atlantic tropics. +The nights were fine; and as we had all hands all day, the watch +were allowed to sleep on deck at night, except the man at the +wheel, and one lookout on the forecastle. This was not so much +expressly allowed as winked at. We could do it if we did not ask +leave. If the lookout was caught napping, the whole watch was kept +awake. We made the most of this permission, and stowed ourselves +away upon the rigging, under the weather rail, on the spars, under +the windlass, and in all the snug corners; and frequently slept +out the watch, unless we had a wheel or a lookout. And we were +glad enough to get this rest; for under the ``all-hands'' system, +out of every other thirty-six hours we had only four below; and +even an hour's sleep was a gain not to be neglected. One would +have thought so to have seen our watch some nights, sleeping +through a heavy rain. And often have we come on deck, and, finding +a dead calm and a light, steady rain, and determined not to lose +our sleep, have laid a coil of rigging down so as to keep us out +of the water which was washing about decks, and stowed ourselves +away upon it, covering a jacket over us, and slept as soundly as a +Dutchman between two feather-beds. + +For a week or ten days after crossing the line, we had the usual +variety of calms, squalls, head winds, and fair winds,-- at one +time braced sharp upon the wind, with a taut bowline, and in an +hour after slipping quietly along, with a light breeze over the +taffrail, and studding-sails set out on both sides,-- until we +fell in with the northeast trade-winds; which we did on the +afternoon of-- + +Sunday, August 28th, in lat. 12 N. The trade-wind clouds had been +in sight for a day or two previously, and we expected to take the +trades every hour. The light southerly breeze, which had been +breathing languidly during the first part of the day, died away +toward noon, and in its place came puffs from the northeast, which +caused us to take in our studding-sails and brace up; and, in a +couple of hours more, we were bowling gloriously along, dashing +the spray far ahead and to leeward, with the cool, steady +northeast trades freshening up the sea, and giving us as much as +we could carry our royals to. These winds blew strong and steady, +keeping us generally upon a bowline, as our course was about +north-northwest; and, sometimes, as they veered a little to the +eastward, giving us a chance at a main top-gallant studding-sail, +and sending us well to the northward, until-- + +Sunday, September 4th, when they left us in lat. 22 N., lon. 51 +W., directly under the tropic of Cancer. + +For several days we lay ``humbugging about'' in the Horse +latitudes, with all sorts of winds and weather, and occasionally, +as we were in the latitude of the West Indies,-- a thunder-storm. +It was hurricane month, too, and we were just in the track of the +tremendous hurricane of 1830, which swept the North Atlantic, +destroying almost everything before it. + +The first night after the trade-winds left us, while we were in +the latitude of the island of Cuba, we had a specimen of a true +tropical thunder-storm. A light breeze had been blowing from aft +during the first part of the night, which gradually died away, and +before midnight it was dead calm, and a heavy black cloud had +shrouded the whole sky. When our watch came on deck at twelve +o'clock, it was as black as Erebus; the studding-sails were all +taken in, and the royals furled; not a breath was stirring; the +sails hung heavy and motionless from the yards; and the stillness +and the darkness, which was almost palpable, were truly appalling. +Not a word was spoken, but every one stood as though waiting for +something to happen. In a few minutes the mate came forward, and +in a low tone, which was almost a whisper, told us to haul down +the jib. The fore and mizzen top-gallant sails were taken in in +the same silent manner; and we lay motionless upon the water, with +an uneasy expectation, which, from the long suspense, became +actually painful. We could hear the captain walking the deck, but +it was too dark to see anything more than one's hand before the +face. Soon the mate came forward again, and gave an order, in a +low tone, to clew up the main top-gallant-sail; and so infectious +was the awe and silence that the clew-lines and buntlines were +hauled up without any singing out at the ropes. An English lad and +myself went up to furl it; and we had just got the bunt up, when +the mate called out to us something, we did not hear what,-- but, +supposing it to be an order to bear-a-hand, we hurried and made +all fast, and came down, feeling our way among the rigging. When +we got down we found all hands looking aloft, and there, directly +over where we had been standing, upon the main top-gallant +mast-head, was a ball of light, which the sailors call a corposant +(corpus sancti), and which the mate had called out to us to look +at. They were all watching it carefully, for sailors have a notion +that if the corposant rises in the rigging it is a sign of fair +weather, but if it comes lower down there will be a storm. +Unfortunately, as an omen, it came down, and showed itself on the +top-gallant yard-arm. We were off the yard in good season, for it +is held a fatal sign to have the pale light of the corposant +thrown upon one's face. As it was, the English lad did not feel +comfortably at having had it so near him, and directly over his +head. In a few minutes it disappeared, and showed itself again on +the fore top-gallant yard; and, after playing about for some time, +disappeared once more, when the man on the forecastle pointed to +it upon the flying-jib-boom-end. But our attention was drawn from +watching this, by the falling of some drops of rain, and by a +perceptible increase of the darkness, which seemed suddenly to add +a new shade of blackness to the night. In a few minutes, low, +grumbling thunder was heard, and some random flashes of lightning +came from the southwest. Every sail was taken in but the topsails; +still, no squall appeared to be coming. A few puffs lifted the +topsails, but they fell again to the mast, and all was as still as +ever. A moment more, and a terrific flash and peal broke +simultaneously upon us, and a cloud appeared to open directly over +our heads, and let down the water in one body, like a falling +ocean. We stood motionless, and almost stupefied; yet nothing had +been struck. Peal after peal rattled over our heads, with a sound +which seemed actually to stop the breath in the body, and the +``speedy gleams'' kept the whole ocean in a glare of light. The +violent fall of rain lasted but a few minutes, and was followed by +occasional drops and showers; but the lightning continued +incessant for several hours, breaking the midnight darkness with +irregular and blinding flashes. During all this time there was not +a breath stirring, and we lay motionless, like a mark to be shot +at, probably the only object on the surface of the ocean for miles +and miles. We stood hour after hour, until our watch was out, and +we were relieved, at four o'clock. During all this time hardly a +word was spoken; no bells were struck, and the wheel was silently +relieved. The rain fell at intervals in heavy showers, and we +stood drenched through and blinded by the flashes, which broke the +Egyptian darkness with a brightness that seemed almost malignant; +while the thunder rolled in peals, the concussion of which +appeared to shake the very ocean. A ship is not often injured by +lightning, for the electricity is separated by the great number of +points she presents, and the quantity of iron which she has +scattered in various parts. The electric fluid ran over our +anchors, topsail sheets and ties; yet no harm was done to us. We +went below at four o'clock, leaving things in the same state. It +is not easy to sleep when the very next flash may tear the ship in +two, or set her on fire; or where the deathlike calm may be broken +by the blast of a hurricane, taking the masts out of the ship. But +a man is no sailor if he cannot sleep when he turns-in, and turn +out when he's called. And when, at seven bells, the customary +``All the larboard watch, ahoy!'' brought us on deck, it was a +fine, clear, sunny morning, the ship going leisurely along, with a +soft breeze and all sail set. + +[1] A man at the wheel is required to repeat every order given him. +A simple ``Aye, aye, sir,'' is not enough there. + +CHAPTER XXXV + +From the latitude of the West Indies, until we got inside the +Bermudas, where we took the westerly and southwesterly winds, +which blow steadily off the coast of the United States early in +the autumn, we had every variety of weather, and two or three +moderate gales, or, as sailors call them, double-reef-topsail +breezes, which came on in the usual manner, and of which one is a +specimen of all. A fine afternoon; all hands at work, some in the +rigging, and others on deck; a stiff breeze, and ship close upon +the wind, and skysails brailed down. Latter part of the afternoon, +breeze increases, ship lies over to it, and clouds look windy. +Spray begins to fly over the forecastle, and wets the yarns the +boys are knotting;-- ball them up and put them below. Mate knocks +off work and clears up decks earlier than usual, and orders a man +who has been employed aloft to send the royal halyards over to +windward, as he comes down. Breast back-stays hauled taut, and a +tackle got upon the martingale back-rope. One of the boys furls +the mizzen royal. Cook thinks there is going to be ``nasty work,'' +and has supper ready early. Mate gives orders to get supper by the +watch, instead of all hands, as usual. While eating supper, hear +the watch on deck taking in the royals. Coming on deck, find it is +blowing harder, and an ugly head sea running. Instead of having +all hands on the forecastle in the dog watch, smoking, singing, +and telling yarns, one watch goes below and turns-in, saying that +it's going to be an ugly night, and two hours' sleep is not to be +lost. Clouds look black and wild; wind rising, and ship working +hard against a heavy head sea, which breaks over the forecastle, +and washes aft through the scuppers. Still, no more sail is taken +in, for the captain is a driver, and, like all drivers, very +partial to his top-gallant-sails. A top-gallant-sail, too, makes +the difference between a breeze and a gale. When a +top-gallant-sail is on a ship, it is only a breeze, though I have +seen ours set over a reefed topsail, when half the bowsprit was +under water, and it was up to a man's knees in the lee scuppers. +At eight bells, nothing is said about reefing the topsails, and +the watch go below, with orders to ``stand by for a call.'' We +turn-in, growling at the ``old man'' for not reefing the topsails +when the watch was changed, but putting it off so as to call all +hands, and break up a whole watch below-- turn-in ``all +standing,'' and keep ourselves awake, saying there is no use in +going to sleep to be waked up again. Wind whistles on deck, and +ship works hard, groaning and creaking, and pitching into a heavy +head sea, which strikes against the bows, with a noise like +knocking upon a rock. The dim lamp in the forecastle swings to and +fro, and things ``fetch away'' and go over to leeward. ``Doesn't +that booby of a second mate ever mean to take in his +top-gallant-sails? He'll have the sticks out of her soon,'' says +Old Bill, who was always growling, and, like most old sailors, did +not like to see a ship abused. By and by, an order is given; +``Aye, aye, sir!'' from the forecastle; rigging is thrown down on +deck; the noise of a sail is heard fluttering aloft, and the +short, quick cry which sailors make when hauling upon clew-lines. +``Here comes his fore top-gallant-sail in!'' We are wide awake, +and know all that's going on as well as if we were on deck. A +well-known voice is heard from the mast-head singing out to the +officer of the watch to haul taut the weather brace. ``Hallo! +There's Ben Stimson aloft to furl the sail!'' Next thing, rigging +is thrown down directly over our heads, and a long-drawn cry and a +rattling of hanks announce that the flying-jib has come in. The +second mate holds on to the main top-gallant-sail until a heavy +sea is shipped, and washes over the forecastle as though the whole +ocean had come aboard; when a noise further aft shows that that +sail, too, is taking in. After this the ship is more easy for a +time; two bells are struck, and we try to get a little sleep. By +and by,-- bang, bang, bang, on the scuttle,-- ``All ha-a-ands, +aho-o-y!'' We spring out of our berths, clap on a monkey-jacket +and southwester, and tumble up the ladder. Mate up before us, and +on the forecastle, singing out like a roaring bull; the captain +singing out on the quarter-deck, and the second mate yelling, like +a hyena, in the waist. The ship is lying over half upon her +beam-ends; lee scuppers under water, and forecastle all in a +smother of foam. Rigging all let go, and washing about decks; +topsail yards down upon the caps, and sails flapping and beating +against the masts; and starboard watch hauling out the +reef-tackles of the main topsail. Our watch haul out the fore, and +lay aloft and put two reefs into it, and reef the foresail, and +race with the starboard watch to see which will mast-head its +topsail first. All hands tally-on to the main tack, and while some +are furling the jib and hoisting the staysail, we mizzen-top-men +double-reef the mizzen topsail and hoist it up. All being made +fast,-- ``Go below, the watch!'' and we turn-in to sleep out the +rest of the time, which is perhaps an hour and a half. During all +the middle, and for the first part of the morning watch, it blows +as hard as ever, but toward daybreak it moderates considerably, +and we shake a reef out of each topsail, and set the +top-gallant-sails over them; and when the watch come up, at seven +bells, for breakfast, shake the other reefs out, turn all hands to +upon the halyards, get the watch-tackle upon the top-gallant +sheets and halyards, set the flying-jib, and crack on to her +again. + +Our captain had been married only a few weeks before he left +Boston, and, after an absence of over two years, it may be +supposed he was not slow in carrying sail. The mate, too, was not +to be beaten by anybody; and the second mate, though he was afraid +to press sail, was still more afraid of the captain, and, being +between two fears, sometimes carried on longer than any of them. +We snapped off three flying-jib-booms in twenty-four hours, as +fast as they could be fitted and rigged out; sprung the spritsail +yard, and made nothing of studding-sail booms. Beside the natural +desire to get home, we had another reason for urging the ship on. +The scurvy had begun to show itself on board. One man had it so +badly as to be disabled and off duty, and the English lad, Ben, +was in a dreadful state, and was daily growing worse. His legs +swelled and pained him so that he could not walk; his flesh lost +its elasticity, so that if pressed in it would not return to its +shape; and his gums swelled until he could not open his mouth. His +breath, too, became very offensive; he lost all strength and +spirit; could eat nothing; grew worse every day; and, in fact, +unless something was done for him, would be a dead man in a week, +at the rate at which he was sinking. The medicines were all, or +nearly all, gone, and if we had had a chest-full, they would have +been of no use, for nothing but fresh provisions and terra firma +has any effect upon the scurvy. This disease is not so common now +as formerly, and is attributed generally to salt provisions, want +of cleanliness, the free use of grease and fat (which is the +reason of its prevalence among whalemen), and, last of all, to +laziness. It never could have been from the last cause on board +our ship; nor from the second, for we were a very cleanly crew, +kept our forecastle in neat order, and were more particular about +washing and changing clothes than many better-dressed people on +shore. It was probably from having none but salt provisions, and +possibly from our having run very rapidly into hot weather, after +our having been so long in the extremest cold. + +Depending upon the westerly winds which prevail off the coast in +the autumn, the captain stood well to the westward, to run inside +of the Bermudas, and in the hope of falling in with some vessel +bound to the West Indies or the Southern States. The scurvy had +spread no further among the crew, but there was danger that it +might; and these cases were bad ones. + +Sunday, September 11th. Lat. 30 04' N., lon. 63 23' W.; the +Bermudas bearing north-northwest, distant one hundred and fifty +miles. The next morning about ten o'clock, ``Sail ho!'' was cried +on deck; and all hands turned up to see the stranger. As +she drew nearer, she proved to be an ordinary-looking +hermaphrodite brig, standing south-southeast, and probably bound +out from the Northern States to the West Indies, and was just the +thing we wished to see. She hove-to for us, seeing that we wished +to speak her, and we ran down to her, boom-ended our +studding-sails, backed our main topsail, and hailed her: ``Brig +ahoy!'' ``Hallo!'' ``Where are you from, pray?'' ``From New York, +bound to Curacoa.'' ``Have you any fresh provisions to spare?'' +``Aye, aye! plenty of them!'' We lowered away the quarter-boat +instantly, and the captain and four hands sprang in, and were soon +dancing over the water and alongside the brig. In about half an +hour they returned with half a boat-load of potatoes and onions, +and each vessel filled away and kept on her course. She proved to +be the brig Solon, of Plymouth, from the Connecticut River, and +last from New York, bound to the Spanish Main, with a cargo of +fresh provisions, mules, tin bake-pans, and other notions. The +onions were fresh; and the mate of the brig told the men in the +boat, as he passed the bunches over the side, that the girls had +strung them on purpose for us the day he sailed. We had made the +mistake, on board, of supposing that a new President had been +chosen the last winter, and, as we filled away, the captain hailed +and asked who was President of the United States. They answered, +Andrew Jackson; but, thinking that the old General could not have +been elected for a third time, we hailed again, and they answered, +Jack Downing, and left us to correct the mistake at our leisure. + +Our boat's crew had a laugh upon one of our number, Joe, who was +vain and made the best show of everything. The style and gentility +of a ship and her crew depend upon the length and character of the +voyage. An India or China voyage always is the thing, and a voyage +to the Northwest coast (the Columbia River or Russian America) for +furs is romantic and mysterious, and if it takes the ship round +the world, by way of the Islands and China, it out-ranks them all. +The grave, slab-sided mate of the schooner leaned over the rail, +and spoke to the men in our boat: ``Where are you from?'' Joe +answered up quick, ``From the Nor'west coast.'' ``What's your +cargo?'' This was a poser; but Joe was ready with an equivoke. +``Skins,'' said he. ``Here and there a horn?'' asked the mate, in +the dryest manner. The boat's crew laughed out, and Joe's glory +faded. Apropos of this, a man named Sam, on board the Pilgrim, +used to tell a story of a mean little captain in a mean little +brig, in which he sailed from Liverpool to New York, who insisted +on speaking a great, homeward-bound Indiaman, with her +studding-sails out on both sides, sunburnt men in wide-brimmed +hats on her decks, and a monkey and paroquet in her rigging, +``rolling down from St. Helena.'' There was no need of his +stopping her to speak her, but his vanity led him to do it, and +then his meanness made him so awestruck that he seemed to quail. +He called out, in a small, lisping voice, ``What ship is that, +pray?'' A deep-toned voice roared through the trumpet, ``The +Bashaw, from Canton, bound to Boston. Hundred and ten days out! +Where are you from?'' ``Only from Liverpool, sir,'' he lisped, in +the most apologetic and subservient voice. But the humor will be +felt by those only who know the ritual of hailing at sea. No one +says ``sir,'' and the ``only'' was wonderfully expressive. + +It was just dinner-time when we filled away, and the steward, +taking a few bunches of onions for the cabin, gave the rest to us, +with a bottle of vinegar. We carried them forward, stowed them +away in the forecastle, refusing to have them cooked, and ate them +raw, with our beef and bread. And a glorious treat they were. The +freshness and crispness of the raw onion, with the earthy taste, +give it a great relish to one who has been a long time on salt +provisions. We were ravenous after them. It was like a scent of +blood to a hound. We ate them at every meal, by the dozen, and +filled our pockets with them, to eat in our watch on deck; and the +bunches, rising in the form of a cone, from the largest at the +bottom, to the smallest, no larger than a strawberry, at the top, +soon disappeared. The chief use, however, of the fresh provisions, +was for the men with the scurvy. One of them was able to eat, and +he soon brought himself to, by gnawing upon raw potatoes and +onions; but the other, by this time, was hardly able to open his +mouth, and the cook took the potatoes raw, pounded them in a +mortar, and gave him the juice to drink. This he swallowed, by the +teaspoonful at a time, and rinsed it about his gums and throat. +The strong earthy taste and smell of this extract of the raw +potato at first produced a shuddering through his whole frame, +and, after drinking it, an acute pain, which ran through all parts +of his body; but knowing by this that it was taking strong hold, +he persevered, drinking a spoonful every hour or so, and holding +it a long time in his mouth, until, by the effect of this drink, +and of his own restored hope (for he had nearly given up in +despair), he became so well as to be able to move about, and open +his mouth enough to eat the raw potatoes and onions pounded into a +soft pulp. This course soon restored his appetite and strength, +and in ten days after we spoke the Solon, so rapid was his +recovery that, from lying helpless and almost hopeless in his +berth, he was at the mast-head, furling a royal. + +With a fine southwest wind we passed inside of the Bermudas, and, +notwithstanding the old couplet, which was quoted again and again +by those who thought we should have one more touch of a storm +before our long absence,-- + + ``If the Bermudas let you pass, + You must beware of Hatteras,''-- + +we were to the northward of Hatteras, with good weather, and +beginning to count, not the days, but the hours, to the time when +we should be at anchor in Boston harbor. + +Our ship was in fine order, all hands having been hard at work +upon her, from daylight to dark, every day but Sunday from the +time we got into warm weather on this side the Cape. + +It is a common notion with landsmen that a ship is in her finest +condition when she leaves port to enter upon her voyage, and that +she comes home, after a long absence,-- + + ``With over-weathered ribs and ragged sails; + Lean, rent, and beggared by the strumpet wind.'' + +But so far from that, unless a ship meets with some accident, or +comes upon the coast in the dead of winter, when work cannot be +done upon the rigging, she is in her finest order at the end of +the voyage. When she sails from port, her rigging is generally +slack; the masts need staying; the decks and sides are black and +dirty from taking in cargo; riggers' seizings and overhand knots +in place of nice seamanlike work; and everything, to a sailor's +eye, adrift. But on the passage home the fine weather between the +tropics is spent in putting the ship in the neatest order. No +merchant vessel looks better than an Indiaman, or a Cape Horn-er, +after a long voyage, and captains and mates stake their reputation +for seamanship upon the appearance of their ships when they haul +into the dock. All our standing rigging, fore and aft, was set up +and tarred, the masts stayed, the lower and topmast rigging +rattled down (or up, as the fashion now is); and so careful were +our officers to keep the ratlines taut and straight, that we were +obliged to go aloft upon the ropes and shearpoles with which the +rigging was swifted in; and these were used as jury ratlines until +we got close upon the coast. After this, the ship was scraped, +inside and out, decks, masts, booms, and all; a stage being rigged +outside, upon which we scraped her down to the water-line, +pounding the rust off the chains, bolts, and fastenings. Then, +taking two days of calm under the line, we painted her on the +outside, giving her open ports in her streak, and finishing off +the nice work upon the stern, where sat Neptune in his car, +holding his trident, drawn by sea horses; and retouched the +gilding and coloring of the cornucopia which ornamented her +billet-head. The inside was then painted, from the skysail truck +to the waterways,-- the yards, black; mast-heads and tops, white; +monkey-rail, black, white, and yellow; bulwarks, green; +plank-shear, white; waterways, lead-color, &c., &c. The anchors +and ring-bolts, and other iron work, were blackened with coal-tar; +and the steward was kept at work, polishing the brass of the +wheel, bell, capstan, &c. The cabin, too, was scraped, varnished, +and painted; and the forecastle scraped and scrubbed, there being +no need of paint and varnish for Jack's quarters. The decks were +then scraped and varnished, and everything useless thrown +overboard; among which, the empty tar barrels were set on fire and +thrown overboard, of a dark night, and left blazing astern, +lighting up the ocean for miles. Add to all this labor the neat +work upon the rigging,-- the knots, flemish-eyes, splices, +seizings, coverings, pointings, and graffings which show a ship in +crack order. The last preparation, and which looked still more +like coming into port, was getting the anchors over the bows, +bending the cables, rowsing the hawsers up from between decks, and +overhauling the deep-sea lead-line. + +Thursday, September 15th. This morning the temperature and +peculiar appearance of the water, the quantities of gulf-weed +floating about, and a bank of clouds lying directly before us, +showed that we were on the border of the Gulf Stream. This +remarkable current, running northeast, nearly across the ocean, is +almost constantly shrouded in clouds and is the region of storms +and heavy seas. Vessels often run from a clear sky and light wind, +with all sail, at once into a heavy sea and cloudy sky, with +double-reefed topsails. A sailor told me that, on a passage from +Gibraltar to Boston, his vessel neared the Gulf Stream with a +light breeze, clear sky, and studding-sails out, alow and aloft; +while before it was a long line of heavy, black clouds, lying like +a bank upon the water, and a vessel coming out of it, under +double-reefed topsails, and with royal yards sent down. As they +drew near, they began to take in sail after sail, until they were +reduced to the same condition; and, after twelve or fourteen hours +of rolling and pitching in a heavy sea, before a smart gale, they +ran out of the bank on the other side, and were in fine weather +again, and under their royals and skysails. As we drew into it, +the sky became cloudy, the sea high, and everything had the +appearance of the going off, or the coming on, of a storm. It was +blowing no more than a stiff breeze; yet the wind being northeast, +which is directly against the course of the current, made an ugly, +chopping sea, which heaved and pitched the vessel about, so that +we were obliged to send down the royal yards, and to take in our +light sails. At noon, the thermometer, which had been repeatedly +lowered into the water, showed the temperature to be seventy; +which was considerably above that of the air,-- as is always the +case in the centre of the Stream. A lad who had been at work at +the royal-mast-head came down upon deck, and took a turn round the +long-boat; and, looking pale, said he was so sick that he could +stay aloft no longer, but was ashamed to acknowledge it to the +officer. He went up again, but soon gave out and came down, and +leaned over the rail, ``as sick as a lady passenger.'' He had been +to sea several years, and had, he said, never been sick before. He +was made so by the irregular pitching motion of the vessel, +increased by the height to which he had been above the hull, which +is like the fulcrum of the lever. An old sailor, who was at work +on the top-gallant yard, said he felt disagreeably all the time, +and was glad, when his job was done, to get down into the top, or +upon deck. Another hand was sent to the royal-mast-head, who +stayed nearly an hour, but gave up. The work must be done, and the +mate sent me. I did very well for some time, but began at length +to feel very unpleasantly, though I never had been sick since the +first two days from Boston, and had been in all sorts of weather +and situations. Still, I kept my place, and did not come down, +until I had got through my work, which was more than two hours. +The ship certainly never acted so before. She was pitched and +jerked about in all manner of ways; the sails seeming to have no +steadying power over her. The tapering points of the masts made +various curves against the sky overhead, and sometimes, in one +sweep of an instant, described an arc of more than forty-five +degrees, bringing up with a sudden jerk, which made it necessary +to hold on with both hands, and then sweeping off in another long, +irregular curve. I was not positively sick, and came down with a +look of indifference, yet was not unwilling to get upon the +comparative terra firma of the deck. A few hours more carried us +through, and when we saw the sun go down, upon our larboard beam, +in the direction of the continent of North America, we had left +the banks of dark, stormy clouds astern, in the twilight. + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +Friday, September 16th. Lat. 38 N., lon. 69 00' W. A fine +southwest wind; every hour carrying us nearer in toward the land. +All hands on deck at the dog watch, and nothing talked about but +our getting in; where we should make the land; whether we should +arrive before Sunday; going to church; how Boston would look; +friends; wages paid; and the like. Every one was in the best +spirits; and, the voyage being nearly at an end, the strictness +of discipline was relaxed, for it was not necessary to order in +a cross tone what all were ready to do with a will. The differences +and quarrels which a long voyage breeds on board a ship were +forgotten, and every one was friendly; and two men, who had been on +the eve of a fight half the voyage, were laying out a plan together +for a cruise on shore. When the mate came forward, he talked to the +men, and said we should be on George's Bank before to-morrow noon; +and joked with the boys, promising to go and see them, and to take +them down to Marblehead in a coach. + +Saturday, 17th. The wind was light all day, which kept us back +somewhat; but a fine breeze springing up at nightfall, we were +running fast in toward the land. At six o'clock we expected to +have the ship hove-to for soundings, as a thick fog, coming up, +showed we were near them; but no order was given, and we kept on +our way. Eight o'clock came, and the watch went below, and, for +the whole of the first hour the ship was driving on, with +studding-sails out, alow and aloft, and the night as dark as a +pocket. At two bells the captain came on deck, and said a word to +the mate, when the studding-sails were hauled into the tops, or +boom-ended, the after yards backed, the deep-sea-lead carried +forward, and everything got ready for sounding. A man on the +spritsail yard with the lead, another on the cat-head with a +handful of the line coiled up, another in the fore chains, another +in the waist, and another in the main chains, each with a quantity +of the line coiled away in his hand. ``All ready there, forward?''-- +``Aye, aye, sir!''-- ``He-e-ave!''-- ``Watch! ho! watch!'' sings +out the man on the spritsail yard, and the heavy lead drops into +the water. ``Watch! ho! watch!'' bawls the man on the cat-head, as +the last fake of the coil drops from his hand, and ``Watch! ho! +watch!'' is shouted by each one as the line falls from his hold, +until it comes to the mate, who tends the lead, and has the line +in coils on the quarter-deck. Eighty fathoms and no bottom! A +depth as great as the height of St. Peters! The line is snatched +in a block upon the swifter, and three or four men haul it in and +coil it away. The after yards are braced full, the studding-sails +hauled out again, and in a few minutes more, the ship had her +whole way upon her. At four bells backed again, hove the lead, and-- +soundings! at sixty fathoms! Hurrah for Yankee land! Hand over +hand we hauled the lead in, and the captain, taking it to the +light, found black mud on the bottom. Studding-sails taken in; +after yards filled, and ship kept on under easy sail all night, +the wind dying away. + +The soundings on the American coast are so regular that a +navigator knows as well where he has made land by the soundings, +as he would by seeing the land. Black mud is the soundings of +Block Island. As you go toward Nantucket, it changes to a dark +sand; then, sand and white shells; and on George's Banks, white +sand; and so on. As our soundings showed us to be off Block +Island, our course was due east, to Nantucket Shoals and the South +Channel; but the wind died away and left us becalmed in a thick +fog, in which we lay the whole of Sunday. At noon of-- + +Sunday, 18th, Block Island bore, by calculation, N.W. 1/4 W. fifteen +miles; but the fog was so thick all day that we could see nothing. + +Having got through the ship's duty, and washed and changed our +clothes, we went below, and had a fine time overhauling our +chests, laying aside the clothes we meant to go ashore in, and +throwing overboard all that were worn out and good for nothing. +Away went the woollen caps in which we had carried hides upon our +heads, for sixteen months, on the coast of California; the duck +frocks for tarring down rigging; and the worn-out and darned +mittens and patched woollen trousers which had stood the tug of +Cape Horn. We hove them overboard with a good will; for there is +nothing like being quit of the very last appendages, remnants, and +mementos of our hard fortune. We got our chests all ready for +going ashore; ate the last ``duff'' we expected to have on board +the ship Alert; and talked as confidently about matters on shore +as though our anchor were on the bottom. + +``Who'll go to church with me a week from to-day?'' + +``I will,'' says Jack; who said aye to everything. + +``Go away, salt water!'' says Tom. ``As soon as I get both legs +ashore, I'm going to shoe my heels, and button my ears behind me, +and start off into the bush, a straight course, and not stop till +I'm out of the sight of salt water!'' + +``Oh! belay that! If you get once moored, stem and stern, in old +Barnes's grog-shop, with a coal fire ahead and the bar under your +lee, you won't see daylight for three weeks!'' + +``No!'' says Tom, ``I'm going to knock off grog and go and board +at the Home, and see if they won't ship me for a deacon!'' + +``And I,'' says Bill, ``am going to buy a quadrant and ship for +navigator of a Hingham packet!'' + +Harry White swore he would take rooms at the Tremont House and set +up for a gentleman; he knew his wages would hold out for two weeks +or so. + +These and the like served to pass the time while we were lying +waiting for a breeze to clear up the fog and send us on our way. + +Toward night a moderate breeze sprang up; the fog, however, +continuing as thick as before; and we kept on to the eastward. +About the middle of the first watch, a man on the forecastle sang +out, in a tone which showed that there was not a moment to be +lost,-- ``Hard up the helm!'' and a great ship loomed up out of +the fog, coming directly down upon us. She luffed at the same +moment, and we just passed each other, our spanker boom grazing +over her quarter. The officer of the deck had only time to hail, +and she answered, as she went into the fog again, something about +Bristol. Probably a whaleman from Bristol, Rhode Island, bound +out. The fog continued through the night, with a very light +breeze, before which we ran to the eastward, literally feeling our +way along. The lead was heaved every two hours, and the gradual +change from black mud to sand showed that we were approaching +Nantucket South Shoals. On Monday morning, the increased depth and +dark-blue color of the water, and the mixture of shells and white +sand which we brought up, upon sounding, showed that we were in +the channel, and nearing George's; accordingly, the ship's head +was put directly to the northward, and we stood on, with perfect +confidence in the soundings, though we had not taken an +observation for two days, nor seen land; and the difference of an +eighth of a mile out of the way might put us ashore. Throughout +the day a provokingly light wind prevailed, and at eight o'clock, +a small fishing schooner, which we passed, told us we were nearly +abreast of Chatham lights. Just before midnight, a light +land-breeze sprang up, which carried us well along; and at four +o'clock, thinking ourselves to the northward of Race Point, we +hauled upon the wind and stood into the bay, west-northwest, for +Boston light, and began firing guns for a pilot. Our watch went +below at four o'clock, but could not sleep, for the watch on deck +were banging away at the guns every few minutes. And indeed, we +cared very little about it, for we were in Boston Bay; and if +fortune favored us, we could all ``sleep in'' the next night, with +nobody to call the watch every four hours. + +We turned out, of our own will, at daybreak, to get a sight of +land. In the gray of the morning, one or two small fishing smacks +peered out of the mist; and when the broad day broke upon us, +there lay the low sand-hills of Cape Cod over our larboard +quarter, and before us the wide waters of Massachusetts Bay, with +here and there a sail gliding over its smooth surface. As we drew +in toward the mouth of the harbor, as toward a focus, the vessels +began to multiply, until the bay seemed alive with sails gliding +about in all directions; some on the wind, and others before it, +as they were bound to or from the emporium of trade and centre of +the bay. It was a stirring sight for us, who had been months on +the ocean without seeing anything but two solitary sails; and over +two years without seeing more than the three or four traders on an +almost desolate coast. There were the little coasters, bound to +and from the various towns along the south shore, down in the +bight of the bay, and to the eastward; here and there a +square-rigged vessel standing out to seaward; and, far in the +distance, beyond Cape Ann, was the smoke of a steamer, stretching +along in a narrow black cloud upon the water. Every sight was full +of beauty and interest. We were coming back to our homes; and the +signs of civilization and prosperity and happiness, from which we +had been so long banished, were multiplying about us. The high +land of Cape Ann and the rocks and shore of Cohasset were full in +sight, the light-houses standing like sentries in white before the +harbors; and even the smoke from the chimneys on the plains of +Hingham was seen rising slowly in the morning air. One of our boys +was the son of a bucket-maker; and his face lighted up as he saw +the tops of the well-known hills which surround his native place. +About ten o'clock a little boat came bobbing over the water, and +put a pilot on board, and sheered off in pursuit of other vessels +bound in. Being now within the scope of the telegraph stations, +our signals were run up at the fore; and in half an hour +afterwards, the owner on 'Change, or in his counting-room, knew +that his ship was below; and the landlords, runners, and sharks in +Ann Street learned that there was a rich prize for them down in +the bay,-- a ship from round the Horn, with a crew to be paid off +with two years' wages. + +The wind continuing very light, all hands were sent aloft to strip +off the chafing gear; and battens, parcellings, roundings, hoops, +mats, and leathers came flying from aloft, and left the rigging +neat and clean, stripped of all its sea bandaging. The last touch +was put to the vessel by painting the skysail poles; and I was +sent up to the fore, with a bucket of white paint and a brush, and +touched her off, from the truck to the eyes of the royal rigging. +At noon we lay becalmed off the lower light-house; and, it being +about slack water, we made little progress. A firing was heard in +the direction of Hingham, and the pilot said there was a review +there. The Hingham boy got wind of this, and said if the ship had +been twelve hours sooner he should have been down among the +soldiers, and in the booths, and having a grand time. As it was, +we had little prospect of getting in before night. About two +o'clock a breeze sprang up ahead, from the westward, and we began +beating up against it. A full-rigged brig was beating in at the +same time, and we passed each other in our tacks, sometimes one +and sometimes the other working to windward, as the wind and tide +favored or opposed. It was my trick at the wheel from two till +four; and I stood my last helm, making between nine hundred and a +thousand hours which I had spent at the helms of our two vessels. +The tide beginning to set against us, we made slow work; and the +afternoon was nearly spent before we got abreast of the inner +light. In the meanwhile, several vessels were coming down, outward +bound; among which, a fine, large ship, with yards squared, fair +wind and fair tide, passed us like a race-horse, the men running +out upon her yards to rig out the studding-sail booms. Toward +sundown the wind came off in flaws, sometimes blowing very stiff, +so that the pilot took in the royals, and then it died away; when, +in order to get us in before the tide became too strong, the +royals were set again. As this kept us running up and down the +rigging, one hand was sent aloft at each mast-head, to stand by to +loose and furl the sails at the moment of the order. I took my +place at the fore, and loosed and furled the royal five times +between Rainsford Island and the Castle. At one tack we ran so +near to Rainsford Island that, looking down from the royal yard, +the island, with its hospital buildings, nice gravelled walks, and +green plats, seemed to lie directly under our yard-arms. So close +is the channel to some of these islands, that we ran the end of +our flying-jib-boom over one of the outworks of the fortifications +on George's Island; and had an opportunity of seeing the +advantages of that point as a fortified place; for, in working up +the channel, we presented a fair stem and stern, for raking, from +the batteries, three or four times. One gun might have knocked us +to pieces. + +We had all set our hearts upon getting up to town before night and +going ashore, but the tide beginning to run strong against us, and +the wind, what there was of it, being ahead, we made but little by +weather-bowing the tide, and the pilot gave orders to cock-bill +the anchor and overhaul the chain. Making two long stretches, +which brought us into the roads, under the lee of the Castle, he +clewed up the topsails, and let go the anchor; and for the first +time since leaving San Diego,-- one hundred and thirty-five days,-- +our anchor was upon bottom. In half an hour more, we were lying +snugly, with all sails furled, safe in Boston harbor; our long +voyage ended; the well-known scene about us; the dome of the State +House fading in the western sky; the lights of the city starting +into sight, as the darkness came on; and at nine o'clock the +clangor of the bells, ringing their accustomed peals; among which +the Boston boys tried to distinguish the well-known tone of the +Old South. + +We had just done furling the sails, when a beautiful little +pleasure-boat luffed up into the wind, under our quarter, and the +junior partner of the firm to which our ship belonged, Mr. Hooper, +jumped on board. I saw him from the mizzen-topsail yard, and knew +him well. He shook the captain by the hand, and went down into the +cabin, and in a few minutes came up and inquired of the mate for +me. The last time I had seen him I was in the uniform of an +undergraduate of Harvard College, and now, to his astonishment, +there came down from aloft a ``rough alley'' looking fellow, with +duck trousers and red shirt, long hair, and face burnt as dark as +an Indian's. We shook hands, and he congratulated me upon my +return and my appearance of health and strength, and said that my +friends were all well. He had seen some of my family a few days +before. I thanked him for telling me what I should not have dared +to ask; and if-- + + ``The first bringer of unwelcome news + Hath but a losing office; and his tongue + Sounds ever after like a sullen bell,''-- + +certainly I ought ever to remember this gentleman and his words +with pleasure. + +The captain went up to town in the boat with Mr. Hooper, and left +us to pass another night on board ship, and to come up with the +morning's tide under command of the pilot. + +So much did we feel ourselves to be already at home, in +anticipation, that our plain supper of hard bread and salt beef +was barely touched; and many on board, to whom this was the first +voyage, could scarcely sleep. As for myself, by one of those +anomalous changes of feeling of which we are all the subjects, I +found that I was in a state of indifference for which I could by +no means account. A year before, while carrying hides on the +coast, the assurance that in a twelvemonth we should see Boston +made me half wild; but now that I was actually there, and in sight +of home, the emotions which I had so long anticipated feeling I +did not find, and in their place was a state of very nearly entire +apathy. Something of the same experience was related to me by a +sailor whose first voyage was one of five years upon the Northwest +Coast. He had left home a lad, and when, after so many years of +hard and trying experience, he found himself homeward bound, such +was the excitement of his feelings that, during the whole passage, +he could talk and think of nothing else but his arrival, and how +and when he should jump from the vessel and take his way directly +home. Yet, when the vessel was made fast to the wharf and the crew +dismissed, he seemed suddenly to lose all feeling about the +matter. He told me that he went below and changed his dress; took +some water from the scuttle-butt and washed himself leisurely; +overhauled his chest, and put his clothes all in order; took his +pipe from its place, filled it, and, sitting down upon his chest, +smoked it slowly for the last time. Here he looked round upon the +forecastle in which he had spent so many years, and being alone +and his shipmates scattered, began to feel actually unhappy. Home +became almost a dream; and it was not until his brother (who had +heard of the ship's arrival) came down into the forecastle and +told him of things at home, and who were waiting there to see him, +that he could realize where he was, and feel interest enough to +put him in motion toward that place for which he had longed, and +of which he had dreamed, for years. There is probably so much of +excitement in prolonged expectation that the quiet realizing of it +produces a momentary stagnation of feeling as well as of effort. +It was a good deal so with me. The activity of preparation, the +rapid progress of the ship, the first making land, the coming up +the harbor, and old scenes breaking upon the view, produced a +mental as well as bodily activity, from which the change to a +perfect stillness, when both expectation and the necessity of +labor failed, left a calmness, almost an indifference, from which +I must be roused by some new excitement. And the next morning, +when all hands were called, and we were busily at work, clearing +the decks, and getting everything in readiness for going up to the +wharves,-- loading the guns for a salute, loosing the sails, and +manning the windlass,-- mind and body seemed to wake together. + +About ten o'clock a sea-breeze sprang up, and the pilot gave +orders to get the ship under way. All hands manned the windlass, +and the long-drawn ``Yo, heave, ho!'' which we had last heard +dying away among the desolate hills of San Diego, soon brought the +anchor to the bows; and, with a fair wind and tide, a bright sunny +morning, royals and skysails set, ensign, streamer, signals, and +pennant flying, and with our guns firing, we came swiftly and +handsomely up to the city. Off the end of the wharf, we +rounded-to, and let go our anchor; and no sooner was it on the +bottom than the decks were filled with people: custom-house +officers; Topliff's agent, to inquire for news; others, inquiring +for friends on board, or left upon the coast; dealers in grease, +besieging the galley to make a bargain with the cook for his +slush; ``loafers'' in general; and, last and chief, boarding-house +runners, to secure their men. Nothing can exceed the obliging +disposition of these runners, and the interest they take in a +sailor returned from a long voyage with a plenty of money. Two or +three of them, at different times, took me by the hand; pretended +to remember me perfectly; were quite sure I had boarded with them +before I sailed; were delighted to see me back; gave me their +cards; had a hand-cart waiting on the wharf, on purpose to take my +things up; would lend me a hand to get my chest ashore; bring a +bottle of grog on board if we did not haul in immediately; and the +like. In fact, we could hardly get clear of them to go aloft and +furl the sails. Sail after sail, for the hundredth time, in fair +weather and in foul, we furled now for the last time together, and +came down and took the warp ashore, manned the capstan, and with a +chorus which waked up half North End, and rang among the buildings +in the dock, we hauled her in to the wharf.[1] The city bells were +just ringing one when the last turn was made fast and the crew +dismissed; and in five minutes more not a soul was left on board +the good ship Alert but the old ship-keeper, who had come down +from the counting-house to take charge of her. + +[1] [Sept. 21, 1836.] + +TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AFTER + +It was in the winter of 1835-6 that the ship Alert, in the +prosecution of her voyage for hides on the remote and almost +unknown coast of California, floated into the vast solitude of the +Bay of San Francisco. All around was the stillness of nature. One +vessel, a Russian, lay at anchor there, but during our whole stay +not a sail came or went. Our trade was with remote Missions, which +sent hides to us in launches manned by their Indians. Our +anchorage was between a small island, called Yerba Buena, and a +gravel beach in a little bight or cove of the same name, formed by +two small, projecting points. Beyond, to the westward of the +landing-place, were dreary sand-hills, with little grass to be +seen, and few trees, and beyond them higher hills, steep and +barren, their sides gullied by the rains. Some five or six miles +beyond the landing-place, to the right, was a ruinous Presidio, +and some three or four miles to the left was the Mission of +Dolores, as ruinous as the Presidio, almost deserted, with but few +Indians attached to it, and but little property in cattle. Over a +region far beyond our sight there were no other human habitations, +except that an enterprising Yankee, years in advance of his time, +had put up, on the rising ground above the landing, a shanty of +rough boards, where he carried on a very small retail trade +between the hide ships and the Indians. Vast banks of fog, +invading us from the North Pacific, drove in through the entrance, +and covered the whole bay; and when they disappeared, we saw a few +well-wooded islands, the sand-hills on the west, the grassy and +wooded slopes on the east, and the vast stretch of the bay to the +southward, where we were told lay the Missions of Santa Clara and +San Jose, and still longer stretches to the northward and +northeastward, where we understood smaller bays spread out, and +large rivers poured in their tributes of waters. There were no +settlements on these bays or rivers, and the few ranchos and +Missions were remote and widely separated. Not only the +neighborhood of our anchorage, but the entire region of the great +bay, was a solitude. On the whole coast of California there was +not a light-house, a beacon, or a buoy, and the charts were made +up from old and disconnected surveys by British, Russian, and +Mexican voyagers. Birds of prey and passage swooped and dived +about us, wild beasts ranged through the oak groves, and as we +slowly floated out of the harbor with the tide, herds of deer came +to the water's edge, on the northerly side of the entrance, to +gaze at the strange spectacle. + +On the evening of Saturday, the 13th of August, 1859, the superb +steamship Golden Gate, gay with crowds of passengers, and lighting +the sea for miles around with the glare of her signal lights of +red, green, and white, and brilliant with lighted saloons and +staterooms, bound up from the Isthmus of Panama, neared the +entrance to San Francisco, the great centre of a world-wide +commerce. Miles out at sea, on the desolate rocks of the +Farallones, gleamed the powerful rays of one of the most costly +and effective light-houses in the world. As we drew in through the +Golden Gate, another light-house met our eyes, and in the clear +moonlight of the unbroken California summer we saw, on the right, +a large fortification protecting the narrow entrance, and just +before us the little island of Alcatraz confronted us,-- one +entire fortress. We bore round the point toward the old +anchoring-ground of the hide ships, and there, covering the +sand-hills and the valleys, stretching from the water's edge to +the base of the great hills, and from the old Presidio to the +Mission, flickering all over with the lamps of its streets and +houses, lay a city of one hundred thousand inhabitants. Clocks +tolled the hour of midnight from its steeples, but the city was +alive from the salute of our guns, spreading the news that the +fortnightly steamer had come, bringing mails and passengers from +the Atlantic world. Clipper ships of the largest size lay at +anchor in the stream, or were girt to the wharves; and capacious +high-pressure steamers, as large and showy as those of the Hudson +or Mississippi, bodies of dazzling light, awaited the delivery of +our mails to take their courses up the Bay, stopping at Benicia +and the United States Naval Station, and then up the great +tributaries-- the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Feather Rivers-- to +the far inland cities of Sacramento, Stockton, and Marysville. + +The dock into which we drew, and the streets about it, were +densely crowded with express wagons and hand-carts to take +luggage, coaches and cabs for passengers, and with men,-- some +looking out for friends among our hundreds of passengers,-- agents +of the press, and a greater multitude eager for newspapers and +verbal intelligence from the great Atlantic and European world. +Through this crowd I made my way, along the well-built and +well-lighted streets, as alive as by day, where boys in high-keyed +voices were already crying the latest New York papers; and between +one and two o'clock in the morning found myself comfortably abed +in a commodious room, in the Oriental Hotel, which stood, as well +as I could learn, on the filled-up cove, and not far from the spot +where we used to beach our boats from the Alert. + +Sunday, August 14th. When I awoke in the morning, and looked from +my windows over the city of San Francisco, with its storehouses, +towers, and steeples; its court-houses, theatres, and hospitals; +its daily journals; its well-filled learned professions; its +fortresses and light-houses; its wharves and harbor, with their +thousand-ton clipper ships, more in number than London or +Liverpool sheltered that day, itself one of the capitals of the +American Republic, and the sole emporium of a new world, the +awakened Pacific; when I looked across the bay to the eastward, +and beheld a beautiful town on the fertile, wooded shores of the +Contra Costa, and steamers, large and small, the ferryboats to the +Contra Costa, and capacious freighters and passenger-carriers to +all parts of the great bay and its tributaries, with lines of +their smoke in the horizon,-- when I saw all these things, and +reflected on what I once was and saw here, and what now surrounded +me, I could scarcely keep my hold on reality at all, or the +genuineness of anything, and seemed to myself like one who had +moved in ``worlds not realized.'' + +I could not complain that I had not a choice of places of worship. +The Roman Catholics have an archbishop, a cathedral, and five or +six smaller churches, French, German, Spanish, and English; and +the Episcopalians a bishop, a cathedral, and three other churches; +the Methodists and Presbyterians have three or four each, and +there are Congregationalists, Baptists, a Unitarian, and other +societies. On my way to church, I met two classmates of mine at +Harvard standing in a door-way, one a lawyer and the other a +teacher, and made appointments for a future meeting. A little +farther on I came upon another Harvard man, a fine scholar and +wit, and full of cleverness and good-humor, who invited me to go +to breakfast with him at the French house,-- he was a bachelor, +and a late riser on Sundays. I asked him to show me the way to +Bishop Kip's church. He hesitated, looked a little confused, and +admitted that he was not as well up in certain classes of +knowledge as in others, but, by a desperate guess, pointed out a +wooden building at the foot of the street, which any one might +have seen could not be right, and which turned out to be an +African Baptist meeting-house. But my friend had many capital +points of character, and I owed much of the pleasure of my visit +to his attentions. + +The congregation at the Bishop's church was precisely like one you +would meet in New York, Philadelphia, or Boston. To be sure, the +identity of the service makes one feel at once at home, but the +people were alike, nearly all of the English race, though from all +parts of the Union. The latest French bonnets were at the head of +the chief pews, and business men at the foot. The music was +without character, but there was an instructive sermon, and the +church was full. + +I found that there were no services at any of the Protestant +churches in the afternoon. They have two services on Sunday; at 11 +A.M., and after dark. The afternoon is spent at home, or in +friendly visiting, or teaching of Sunday Schools, or other humane +and social duties. + +This is as much the practice with what at home are called the +strictest denominations as with any others. Indeed, I found +individuals, as well as public bodies, affected in a marked degree +by a change of oceans and by California life. One Sunday afternoon +I was surprised at receiving the card of a man whom I had last +known, some fifteen years ago, as a strict and formal deacon of a +Congregational Society in New England. He was a deacon still, in +San Francisco, a leader in all pious works, devoted to his +denomination and to total abstinence,-- the same internally, but +externally-- what a change! Gone was the downcast eye, the bated +breath, the solemn, non-natural voice, the watchful gait, stepping +as if he felt responsible for the balance of the moral universe! +He walked with a stride, an uplifted open countenance, his face +covered with beard, whiskers, and mustache, his voice strong and +natural,-- and, in short, he had put off the New England deacon +and become a human being. In a visit of an hour I learned much +from him about the religious societies, the moral reforms, the +``Dashaways,''-- total abstinence societies, which had taken +strong hold on the young and wilder parts of society,-- and then +of the Vigilance Committee, of which he was a member, and of more +secular points of interest. + +In one of the parlors of the hotel, I saw a man of about sixty +years of age, with his feet bandaged and resting in a chair, whom +somebody addressed by the name of Lies.[1] Lies! thought I, that +must be the man who came across the country from Kentucky to +Monterey while we lay there in the Pilgrim in 1835, and made a +passage in the Alert, when he used to shoot with his rifle bottles +hung from the top-gallant studding-sail-boom-ends. He married the +beautiful Dona Rosalia Vallejo, sister of Don Guadalupe. There +were the old high features and sandy hair. I put my chair beside +him, and began conversation, as any one may do in California. Yes, +he was the Mr. Lies; and when I gave my name he professed at once +to remember me, and spoke of my book. I found that almost-- I +might perhaps say quite-- every American in California had read +it; for when California ``broke out,'' as the phrase is, in 1848, +and so large a portion of the Anglo-Saxon race flocked to it, +there was no book upon California but mine. Many who were on the +coast at the time the book refers to, and afterwards read it, and +remembered the Pilgrim and Alert, thought they also remembered me. +But perhaps more did remember me than I was inclined at first to +believe, for the novelty of a collegian coming out before the mast +had drawn more attention to me than I was aware of at the time. + +Late in the afternoon, as there were vespers at the Roman Catholic +churches, I went to that of Notre Dame des Victoires. The +congregation was French, and a sermon in French was preached by an +Abbe; the music was excellent, all things airy and tasteful, and +making one feel as if in one of the chapels in Paris. The +Cathedral of St. Mary, which I afterwards visited, where the Irish +attend, was a contrast indeed, and more like one of our stifling +Irish Catholic churches in Boston or New York, with intelligence +in so small a proportion to the number of faces. During the three +Sundays I was in San Francisco, I visited three of the Episcopal +churches, and the Congregational, a Chinese Mission Chapel, and on +the Sabbath (Saturday) a Jewish synagogue. The Jews are a wealthy +and powerful class here. The Chinese, too, are numerous, and do a +great part of the manual labor and small shop-keeping, and have +some wealthy mercantile houses. + +It is noticeable that European Continental fashions prevail +generally in this city,-- French cooking, lunch at noon, and +dinner at the end of the day, with cafe noir after meals, and to a +great extent the European Sunday,-- to all which emigrants from +the United States and Great Britain seem to adapt themselves. Some +dinners which were given to me at French restaurants were, it +seemed to me,-- a poor judge of such matters, to be sure,-- as +sumptuous and as good, in dishes and wines, as I have found in +Paris. But I had a relish-maker which my friends at table did not +suspect,-- the remembrance of the forecastle dinners I ate here +twenty-four years before. + +August 17th. The customs of California are free; and any person +who knows about my book speaks to me. The newspapers have +announced the arrival of the veteran pioneer of all. I hardly walk +out without meeting or making acquaintances. I have already been +invited to deliver the anniversary oration before the Pioneer +Society, to celebrate the settlement of San Francisco. Any man is +qualified for election into this society who came to California +before 1853. What moderns they are! I tell them of the time when +Richardson's shanty of 1835-- not his adobe house of 1836-- was +the only human habitation between the Mission and the Presidio, +and when the vast bay, with all its tributaries and recesses, was +a solitude,-- and yet I am but little past forty years of age. +They point out the place where Richardson's adobe house stood, and +tell me that the first court and first town council were convened +in it, the first Protestant worship performed in it, and in it the +first capital trial by the Vigilance Committee held. I am taken +down to the wharves, by antiquaries of a ten or twelve years' +range, to identify the two points, now known as Clark's and +Rincon, which formed the little cove of Yerba Buena, where we used +to beach our boats,-- now filled up and built upon. The island we +called ``Wood Island,'' where we spent the cold days and nights of +December, in our launch, getting wood for our year's supply, is +clean shorn of trees; and the bare rocks of Alcatraz Island, an +entire fortress. I have looked at the city from the water, and at +the water and islands from the city, but I can see nothing that +recalls the times gone by, except the venerable Mission, the +ruinous Presidio, the high hills in the rear of the town, and the +great stretches of the bay in all directions. + +To-day I took a California horse of the old style,-- the run, the +loping gait,-- and visited the Presidio. The walls stand as they +did, with some changes made to accommodate a small garrison of +United States troops. It has a noble situation, and I saw from it +a clipper ship of the very largest class, coming through the Gate, +under her fore-and-aft sails. Thence I rode to the Fort, now +nearly finished, on the southern shore of the Gate, and made an +inspection of it. It is very expensive and of the latest style. +One of the engineers here is Custis Lee, who has just left West +Point at the head of his class,-- a son of Colonel Robert E. Lee, +who distinguished himself in the Mexican War.[2] + +Another morning I ride to the Mission Dolores. It has a strangely +solitary aspect, enhanced by its surroundings of the most +uncongenial, rapidly growing modernisms; the hoar of ages +surrounded by the brightest, slightest, and rapidest of modern +growths. Its old belfries still clanged with the discordant bells, +and Mass was saying within, for it is used as a place of worship +for the extreme south part of the city. + +In one of my walks about the wharves, I found a pile of dry hides +lying by the side of a vessel. Here was something to feelingly +persuade me what I had been, to recall a past scarce credible to +myself. I stood lost in reflection. What were these hides-- what +were they not?-- to us, to me, a boy, twenty-four years ago? These +were our constant labor, our chief object, our almost habitual +thought. They brought us out here, they kept us here, and it was +only by getting them that we could escape from the coast and +return to home and civilized life. If it had not been that I might +be seen, I should have seized one, slung it over my head, walked +off with it, and thrown it by the old toss-- I do not believe yet +a lost art-- to the ground. How they called up to my mind the +months of curing at San Diego, the year and more of beach and surf +work, and the steeving of the ship for home! I was in a dream of +San Diego, San Pedro,-- with its hill so steep for taking up +goods, and its stones so hard to our bare feet,-- and the cliffs +of San Juan! All this, too, is no more! The entire hide-business +is of the past, and to the present inhabitants of California a dim +tradition. The gold discoveries drew off all men from the +gathering or cure of hides, the inflowing population made an end +of the great droves of cattle; and now not a vessel pursues the-- +I was about to say dear-- the dreary, once hated business of +gathering hides upon the coast, and the beach of San Diego is +abandoned and its hide-houses have disappeared. Meeting a +respectable-looking citizen on the wharf, I inquired of him how +the hide-trade was carried on. ``O,'' said he, ``there is very +little of it, and that is all here. The few that are brought in +are placed under sheds in winter, or left out on the wharf in +summer, and are loaded from the wharves into the vessels +alongside. They form parts of cargoes of other materials.'' I +really felt too much, at the instant, to express to him the cause +of my interest in the subject, and only added, ``Then the old +business of trading up and down the coast and curing hides for +cargoes is all over?'' ``O yes, sir,'' said he, ``those old times +of the Pilgrim and Alert and California, that we read about, are +gone by.'' + +Saturday, August 20th. The steamer Senator makes regular trips up +and down the coast, between San Francisco and San Diego, calling +at intermediate ports. This is my opportunity to revisit the old +scenes. She sails to-day, and I am off, steaming among the great +clippers anchored in the harbor, and gliding rapidly round the +point, past Alcatraz Island, the light-house, and through the +fortified Golden Gate, and bending to the southward,-- all done in +two or three hours, which, in the Alert, under canvas, with head +tides, variable winds, and sweeping currents to deal with, took us +full two days. + +Among the passengers I noticed an elderly gentleman, thin, with +sandy hair and a face that seemed familiar. He took off his glove +and showed one shrivelled hand. It must be he! I went to him and +said, ``Captain Wilson, I believe.'' Yes, that was his name. ``I knew +you, sir, when you commanded the Ayacucho on this coast, in old +hide-droghing times, in 1835-6.'' He was quickened by this, and at +once inquiries were made on each side, and we were in full talk +about the Pilgrim and Alert, Ayacucho and Loriotte, the California +and Lagoda. I found he had been very much flattered by the praise +I had bestowed in my book on his seamanship, especially in bringing +the Pilgrim to her berth in San Diego harbor, after she had drifted +successively into the Lagoda and Loriotte, and was coming into him. +I had made a pet of his brig, the Ayacucho, which pleased him almost +as much as my remembrance of his bride and their wedding, which +I saw at Santa Barbara in 1836. Dona Ramona was now the mother of a +large family, and Wilson assured me that if I would visit him at his +rancho, near San Luis Obispo, I should find her still a handsome +woman, and very glad to see me. How we walked the deck together, +hour after hour, talking over the old times,-- the ships, the +captains, the crews, the traders on shore, the ladies, the Missions, +the southeasters! indeed, where could we stop? He had sold the +Ayacucho in Chili for a vessel of war, and had given up the sea, +and had been for years a ranchero. (I learned from others that he +had become one of the most wealthy and respectable farmers in the +State, and that his rancho was well worth visiting.) Thompson, he +said, hadn't the sailor in him; and he never could laugh enough at +his fiasco in San Diego, and his reception by Bradshaw. Faucon was +a sailor and a navigator. He did not know what had become of George +Marsh (ante, pp. 255-258), except that he left him in Callao; nor +could he tell me anything of handsome Bill Jackson (ante, p. 104), +nor of Captain Nye of the Loriotte. I told him all I then knew +of the ships, the masters, and the officers. I found he had kept +some run of my history, and needed little information. Old Senor +Noriego of Santa Barbara, he told me, was dead, and Don Carlos and +Don Santiago, but I should find their children there, now in +middle life. Dona Angustias, he said, I had made famous by my +praises of her beauty and dancing, and I should have from her a +royal reception. She had been a widow, and remarried since, and +had a daughter as handsome as herself. The descendants of Noriego +had taken the ancestral name of De la Guerra, as they were nobles +of Old Spain by birth; and the boy Pablo, who used to make +passages in the Alert, was now Don Pablo de la Guerra, a Senator +in the State Legislature for Santa Barbara County. + +The points in the country, too, we noticed, as we passed them,-- +Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Point Ano Nuevo, the opening to +Monterey, which to my disappointment we did not visit. No; +Monterey, the prettiest town on the coast, and its capital and +seat of customs, had got no advantage from the great changes, was +out of the way of commerce and of the travel to the mines and +great rivers, and was not worth stopping at. Point Conception we +passed in the night, a cheery light gleaming over the waters from +its tall light-house, standing on its outermost peak. Point +Conception! That word was enough to recall all our experiences and +dreads of gales, swept decks, topmast carried away, and the +hardships of a coast service in the winter. But Captain Wilson +tells me that the climate has altered; that the southeasters are +no longer the bane of the coast they once were, and that vessels +now anchor inside the kelp at Santa Barbara and San Pedro all the +year round. I should have thought this owing to his spending his +winters on a rancho instead of the deck of the Ayacucho, had not +the same thing been told me by others. + +Passing round Point Conception, and steering easterly, we opened +the islands that form, with the main-land, the canal of Santa +Barbara. There they are, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa; and there is +the beautiful point, Santa Buenaventura; and there lies Santa +Barbara on its plain, with its amphitheatre of high hills and +distant mountains. There is the old white Mission with its +belfries, and there the town, with its one-story adobe houses, +with here and there a two-story wooden house of later build; yet +little is it altered,-- the same repose in the golden sunlight and +glorious climate, sheltered by its hills; and then, more remindful +than anything else, there roars and tumbles upon the beach the +same grand surf of the great Pacific as on the beautiful day when +the Pilgrim, after her five months' voyage, dropped her weary +anchors here; the same bright blue ocean, and the surf making just +the same monotonous, melancholy roar, and the same dreamy town, +and gleaming white Mission, as when we beached our boats for the +first time, riding over the breakers with shouting Kanakas, the +three small hide-traders lying at anchor in the offing. But now we +are the only vessel, and that an unromantic, sail-less, spar-less, +engine-driven hulk! + +I landed in the surf, in the old style, but it was not high enough +to excite us, the only change being that I was somehow +unaccountably a passenger, and did not have to jump overboard and +steady the boat, and run her up by the gunwales. + +Santa Barbara has gained but little. I should not know, from +anything I saw, that she was now a seaport of the United States, a +part of the enterprising Yankee nation, and not still a lifeless +Mexican town. At the same old house, where Senor Noriego lived, on +the piazza in front of the court-yard, where was the gay scene of +the marriage of our agent, Mr. Robinson, to Dona Anita, where Don +Juan Bandini and Dona Angustias danced, Don Pablo de la Guerra +received me in a courtly fashion. I passed the day with the +family, and in walking about the place; and ate the old dinner +with its accompaniments of frijoles, native olives and grapes, and +native wines. In due time I paid my respects to Dona Angustias, +and, notwithstanding what Wilson told me, I could hardly believe +that after twenty-four years there would still be so much of the +enchanting woman about her. She thanked me for the kind and, as +she called them, greatly exaggerated compliments I had paid her; +and her daughter told me that all travellers who came to Santa +Barbara called to see her mother, and that she herself never +expected to live long enough to be a belle. + +Mr. Alfred Robinson, our agent in 1835-6, was here, with a part of +his family. I did not know how he would receive me, remembering +what I had printed to the world about him at a time when I took +little thought that the world was going to read it; but there was +no sign of offence, only a cordiality which gave him, as between +us, rather the advantage in status. + +The people of this region are giving attention to sheep-raising, +wine-making, and the raising of olives, just enough to keep the +town from going backwards. + +But evening is drawing on, and our boat sails to-night. So, +refusing a horse or carriage, I walk down, not unwilling to be a +little early, that I may pace up and down the beach, looking off +to the islands and the points, and watching the roaring, tumbling +billows. How softening is the effect of time! It touches us +through the affections. I almost feel as if I were lamenting the +passing away of something loved and dear,-- the boats, the +Kanakas, the hides, my old shipmates! Death, change, distance, +lend them a character which makes them quite another thing from +the vulgar, wearisome toil of uninteresting, forced manual labor. + +The breeze freshened as we stood out to sea, and the wild waves +rolled over the red sun, on the broad horizon of the Pacific; but +it is summer, and in summer there can be no bad weather in +California. Every day is pleasant. Nature forbids a drop of rain +to fall by day or night, or a wind to excite itself beyond a fresh +summer breeze. + +The next morning we found ourselves at anchor in the Bay of San +Pedro. Here was this hated, this thoroughly detested spot. +Although we lay near, I could scarce recognize the hill up which +we rolled and dragged and pushed and carried our heavy loads, and +down which we pitched the hides, to carry them barefooted over the +rocks to the floating long-boat. It was no longer the +landing-place. One had been made at the head of the creek, and +boats discharged and took off cargoes from a mole or wharf, in a +quiet place, safe from southeasters. A tug ran to take off +passengers from the steamer to the wharf,-- for the trade of Los +Angeles is sufficient to support such a vessel. I got the captain +to land me privately, in a small boat, at the old place by the +hill. I dismissed the boat, and, alone, found my way to the high +ground. I say found my way, for neglect and weather had left but +few traces of the steep road the hide-vessels had built to the +top. The cliff off which we used to throw the hides, and where I +spent nights watching them, was more easily found. The population +was doubled, that is to say, there were two houses, instead of +one, on the hill. I stood on the brow and looked out toward the +offing, the Santa Catalina Island, and, nearer, the melancholy +Dead Man's Island, with its painful tradition, and recalled the +gloomy days that followed the flogging, and fancied the Pilgrim at +anchor in the offing. But the tug is going toward our steamer, and +I must awake and be off. I walked along the shore to the new +landing-place, where were two or three store-houses and other +buildings, forming a small depot; and a stage-coach, I found, went +daily between this place and the Pueblo. I got a seat on the top +of the coach, to which were tackled six little less than wild +California horses. Each horse had a man at his head, and when the +driver had got his reins in hand he gave the word, all the horses +were let go at once, and away they went on a spring, tearing over +the ground, the driver only keeping them from going the wrong way, +for they had a wide, level pampa to run over the whole thirty +miles to the Pueblo. This plain is almost treeless, with no grass, +at least none now in the drought of midsummer, and is filled with +squirrel-holes, and alive with squirrels. As we changed horses +twice, we did not slacken our speed until we turned into the +streets of the Pueblo. + +The Pueblo de los Angeles I found a large and flourishing town of +about twenty thousand inhabitants, with brick sidewalks, and +blocks of stone or brick houses. The three principal traders when +we were here for hides in the Pilgrim and Alert are still among +the chief traders of the place,-- Stearns, Temple, and Warner, the +two former being reputed very rich. I dined with Mr. Stearns, now +a very old man, and met there Don Juan Bandini, to whom I had +given a good deal of notice in my book. From him, as indeed from +every one in this town, I met with the kindest attentions. The +wife of Don Juan, who was a beautiful young girl when we were on +the coast, Dona Refugio, daughter of Don Santiago Arguello, the +commandante of San Diego, was with him, and still handsome. This +is one of several instances I have noticed of the preserving +quality of the California climate. Here, too, was Henry Mellus, +who came out with me before the mast in the Pilgrim, and left the +brig to be agent's clerk on shore. He had experienced varying +fortunes here, and was now married to a Mexican lady, and had a +family. I dined with him, and in the afternoon he drove me round +to see the vineyards, the chief objects in this region. The +vintage of last year was estimated at half a million of gallons. +Every year new square miles of ground are laid down to vineyards, +and the Pueblo promises to be the centre of one of the largest +wine-producing regions in the world. Grapes are a drug here, and I +found a great abundance of figs, olives, peaches, pears, and +melons. The climate is well suited to these fruits, but is too hot +and dry for successful wheat crops. + +Towards evening, we started off in the stage-coach, with again our +relays of six mad horses, and reached the creek before dark, +though it was late at night before we got on board the steamer, +which was slowly moving her wheels, under way for San Diego. + +As we skirted along the coast, Wilson and I recognized, or thought +we did, in the clear moonlight, the rude white Mission of San Juan +Capistrano, and its cliff, from which I had swung down by a pair +of halyards to save a few hides,-- a boy who could not be +prudential, and who caught at every chance for adventure. + +As we made the high point off San Diego, Point Loma, we were +greeted by the cheering presence of a light-house. As we swept +round it in the early morning, there, before us, lay the little +harbor of San Diego, its low spit of sand, where the water runs so +deep; the opposite flats, where the Alert grounded in starting for +home; the low hills, without trees, and almost without brush; the +quiet little beach;-- but the chief objects, the hide-houses, my +eye looked for in vain. They were gone, all, and left no mark +behind. + +I wished to be alone, so I let the other passengers go up to the +town, and was quietly pulled ashore in a boat, and left to myself. +The recollections and the emotions all were sad, and only sad. + + Fugit, interea fugit irreparabile tempus. + +The past was real. The present, all about me, was unreal, +unnatural, repellant. I saw the big ships lying in the stream, the +Alert, the California, the Rosa, with her Italians; then the +handsome Ayacucho, my favorite; the poor dear old Pilgrim, the +home of hardship and hopelessness; the boats passing to and fro; +the cries of the sailors at the capstan or falls; the peopled +beach; the large hide-houses, with their gangs of men; and the +Kanakas interspersed everywhere. All, all were gone! not a vestige +to mark where one hide-house stood. The oven, too, was gone. I +searched for its site, and found, where I thought it should be, a +few broken bricks and bits of mortar. I alone was left of all, and +how strangely was I here! What changes to me! Where were they all? +Why should I care for them,-- poor Kanakas and sailors, the refuse +of civilization, the outlaws and beach-combers of the Pacific! +Time and death seemed to transfigure them. Doubtless nearly all +were dead; but how had they died, and where? In hospitals, in +fever-climes, in dens of vice, or falling from the mast, or +dropping exhausted from the wreck,-- + + ``When for a moment, like a drop of rain, + He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan, + Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown.'' + +The light-hearted boys are now hardened middle-aged men, if the +seas, rocks, fevers, and the deadlier enemies that beset a +sailor's life on shore have spared them; and the then strong men +have bowed themselves, and the earth or sea has covered them. + +Even the animals are gone,-- the colony of dogs, the broods of +poultry, the useful horses; but the coyotes bark still in the +woods, for they belong not to man, and are not touched by his +changes. + +I walked slowly up the hill, finding my way among the few bushes, +for the path was long grown over, and sat down where we used to +rest in carrying our burdens of wood, and to look out for vessels +that might, though so seldom, be coming down from the windward. + +To rally myself by calling to mind my own better fortune and +nobler lot, and cherished surroundings at home, was impossible. +Borne down by depression, the day being yet at its noon, and the +sun over the old point,-- it is four miles to the town, the +Presidio,-- I have walked it often, and can do it once more,-- I +passed the familiar objects, and it seemed to me that I remembered +them better than those of any other place I had ever been in;-- +the opening to the little cave; the low hills where we cut wood +and killed rattlesnakes, and where our dogs chased the coyotes; +and the black ground where so many of the ship's crew and +beach-combers used to bring up on their return at the end of a +liberty day, and spend the night sub Jove. + +The little town of San Diego has undergone no change whatever that +I can see. It certainly has not grown. It is still, like Santa +Barbara, a Mexican town. The four principal houses of the gente de +razon-- of the Bandinis, Estudillos, Arguellos, and Picos-- are +the chief houses now; but all the gentlemen-- and their families, +too, I believe-- are gone. The big vulgar shop-keeper and trader, +Fitch, is long since dead; Tom Wrightington, who kept the rival +pulperia, fell from his horse when drunk, and was found nearly +eaten up by coyotes; and I can scarce find a person whom I +remember. I went into a familiar one-story adobe house, with its +piazza and earthen floor, inhabited by a respectable lower-class +family by the name of Machado, and inquired if any of the family +remained, when a bright-eyed middle-aged woman recognized me, for +she had heard I was on board the steamer, and told me she had +married a shipmate of mine, Jack Stewart, who went out as second +mate the next voyage, but left the ship and married and settled +here. She said he wished very much to see me. In a few minutes he +came in, and his sincere pleasure in meeting me was extremely +grateful. We talked over old times as long as I could afford to. I +was glad to hear that he was sober and doing well. Dona Tomasa +Pico I found and talked with. She was the only person of the old +upper class that remained on the spot, if I rightly recollect. I +found an American family here, with whom I dined,-- Doyle and his +wife, nice young people, Doyle agent for the great line of coaches +to run to the frontier of the old States. + +I must complete my acts of pious remembrance, so I take a horse and +make a run out to the old Mission, where Ben Stimson and I went the +first liberty day we had after we left Boston (ante, p. 140). All has +gone to decay. The buildings are unused and ruinous, and the large +gardens show now only wild cactuses, willows, and a few olive-trees. +A fast run brings me back in time to take leave of the few I knew +and who knew me, and to reach the steamer before she sails. A last +look-- yes, last for life-- to the beach, the hills, the low point, +the distant town, as we round Point Loma and the first beams of the +light-house strike out towards the setting sun. + +Wednesday, August 24th. At anchor at San Pedro by daylight. But +instead of being roused out of the forecastle to row the long-boat +ashore and bring off a load of hides before breakfast, we were +served with breakfast in the cabin, and again took our drive with +the wild horses to the Pueblo and spent the day; seeing nearly the +same persons as before, and again getting back by dark. We steamed +again for Santa Barbara, where we only lay an hour, and passed +through its canal and round Point Conception, stopping at San Luis +Obispo to land my friend, as I may truly call him after this long +passage together, Captain Wilson, whose most earnest invitation to +stop here and visit him at his rancho I was obliged to decline. + +Friday evening, 26th August, we entered the Golden Gate, passed +the light-houses and forts, and clipper ships at anchor, and came +to our dock, with this great city, on its high hills and rising +surfaces, brilliant before us, and full of eager life. + +Making San Francisco my head-quarters, I paid visits to various +parts of the State,-- down the Bay to Santa Clara, with its live +oaks and sycamores, and its Jesuit College for boys; and San Jose, +where is the best girls' school in the State, kept by the Sisters +of Notre Dame,-- a town now famous for a year's session of ``The +legislature of a thousand drinks,''-- and thence to the rich +Almaden quicksilver mines, returning on the Contra Costa side +through the rich agricultural country, with its ranchos and the +vast grants of the Castro and Soto families, where farming and +fruit-raising are done on so large a scale. Another excursion was +up the San Joaquin to Stockton, a town of some ten thousand +inhabitants, a hundred miles from San Francisco, and crossing the +Tuolumne and Stanislaus and Merced, by the little Spanish town of +Hornitos, and Snelling's Tavern, at the ford of the Merced, where +so many fatal fights are had. Thence I went to Mariposa County, +and Colonel Fremont's mines, and made an interesting visit to +``the Colonel,'' as he is called all over the country, and Mrs. +Fremont, a heroine equal to either fortune, the salons of Paris +and the drawing-rooms of New York and Washington, or the roughest +life of the remote and wild mining regions of Mariposa,-- with +their fine family of spirited, clever children. After a rest +there, we went on to Clark's Camp and the Big Trees, where I +measured one tree ninety-seven feet in circumference without its +bark, and the bark is usually eighteen inches thick; and rode +through another which lay on the ground, a shell, with all the +insides out,-- rode through it mounted, and sitting at full height +in the saddle; then to the wonderful Yo Semite Valley,-- itself a +stupendous miracle of nature, with its Dome, its Capitan, its +walls of three thousand feet of perpendicular height,-- but a +valley of streams, of waterfalls, from the torrent to the mere +shimmer of a bridal veil, only enough to reflect a rainbow, with +their plunges of twenty-five hundred feet, or their smaller falls +of eight hundred, with nothing at the base but thick mists, which +form and trickle, and then run and at last plunge into the blue +Merced that flows through the centre of the valley. Back by the +Coulterville trail, the peaks of Sierra Nevada in sight, across +the North Fork of the Merced, by Gentry's Gulch, over hills and +through canons, to Fremont's again, and thence to Stockton and San +Francisco,-- all this at the end of August, when there has been no +rain for four months, and the air is clear and very hot, and the +ground perfectly dry; windmills, to raise water for artificial +irrigation of small patches, seen all over the landscape, while we +travel through square miles of hot dust, where they tell us, and +truly, that in winter and early spring we should be up to our +knees in flowers; a country, too, where surface gold-digging is so +common and unnoticed that the large, six-horse stage-coach, in +which I travelled from Stockton to Hornitos, turned off in the +high road for a Chinaman, who, with his pan and washer, was +working up a hole which an American had abandoned, but where the +minute and patient industry of the Chinaman averaged a few dollars +a day. + +These visits were so full of interest, with grandeurs and humors +of all sorts, that I am strongly tempted to describe them. But I +remember that I am not to write a journal of a visit over the new +California, but to sketch briefly the contrasts with the old spots +of 1835-6, and I forbear. + +How strange and eventful has been the brief history of this +marvellous city, San Francisco! In 1835 there was one board +shanty. In 1836, one adobe house on the same spot. In 1847, a +population of four hundred and fifty persons, who organized a town +government. Then came the auri sacra fames, the flocking together +of many of the worst spirits of Christendom; a sudden birth of a +city of canvas and boards, entirely destroyed by fire five times +in eighteen months, with a loss of sixteen millions of dollars, +and as often rebuilt, until it became a solid city of brick and +stone, of nearly one hundred thousand inhabitants, with all the +accompaniments of wealth and culture, and now (in 1859) the most +quiet and well-governed city of its size in the United States. But +it has been through its season of Heaven-defying crime, violence, +and blood, from which it was rescued and handed back to soberness, +morality, and good government, by that peculiar invention of +Anglo-Saxon Republican America, the solemn, awe-inspiring +Vigilance Committee of the most grave and responsible citizens, +the last resort of the thinking and the good, taken to only when +vice, fraud, and ruffianism have intrenched themselves behind the +forms of law, suffrage, and ballot, and there is no hope but in +organized force, whose action must be instant and thorough, or its +state will be worse than before. A history of the passage of this +city through those ordeals, and through its almost incredible +financial extremes, should be written by a pen which not only +accuracy shall govern, but imagination shall inspire. + +I cannot pause for the civility of referring to the many kind +attentions I received, and the society of educated men and women +from all parts of the Union I met with; where New England, the +Carolinas, Virginia, and the new West sat side by side with +English, French, and German civilization. + +My stay in California was interrupted by an absence of nearly four +months, when I sailed for the Sandwich Islands in the noble Boston +clipper ship Mastiff, which was burned at sea to the water's edge; +we escaping in boats, and carried by a friendly British bark into +Honolulu, whence, after a deeply interesting visit of three months +in that most fascinating group of islands, with its natural and +its moral wonders, I returned to San Francisco in an American +whaler, and found myself again in my quarters on the morning of +Sunday, December 11th, 1859. + +My first visit after my return was to Sacramento, a city of about +forty thousand inhabitants, more than a hundred miles inland from +San Francisco, on the Sacramento, where was the capital of the +State, and where were fleets of river steamers, and a large inland +commerce. Here I saw the inauguration of a Governor, Mr. Latham, a +young man from Massachusetts, much my junior; and met a member of +the State Senate, a man who, as a carpenter, repaired my father's +house at home some ten years before; and two more Senators from +southern California, relics of another age,-- Don Andres Pico, +from San Diego; and Don Pablo de la Guerra, whom I have mentioned +as meeting at Santa Barbara. I had a good deal of conversation +with these gentlemen, who stood alone in an assembly of Americans, +who had conquered their country, spared pillars of the past. Don +Andres had fought us at San Pazqual and Sepulveda's rancho, in +1846, and as he fought bravely, not a common thing among the +Mexicans, and, indeed, repulsed Kearney, is always treated with +respect. He had the satisfaction, dear to the proud Spanish heart, +of making a speech before a Senate of Americans, in favor of the +retention in office of an officer of our army who was wounded at +San Pazqual, and whom some wretched caucus was going to displace +to carry out a political job. Don Andres's magnanimity and +indignation carried the day. + +My last visit in this part of the country was to a new and rich +farming region, the Napa Valley, the United States Navy Yard at +Mare Island, the river gold workings, and the Geysers, and old Mr. +John Yount's rancho. On board the steamer, found Mr. Edward +Stanley, formerly member of Congress from North Carolina, who +became my companion for the greater part of my trip. I also met-- +a revival on the spot of an acquaintance of twenty years ago-- Don +Guadalupe Vallejo; I may say acquaintance, for although I was then +before the mast, he knew my story, and, as he spoke English well, +used to hold many conversations with me, when in the boat or on +shore. He received me with true earnestness, and would not hear of +my passing his estate without visiting him. He reminded me of a +remark I made to him once, when pulling him ashore in the boat, +when he was commandante at the Presidio. I learned that the two +Vallejos, Guadalupe and Salvador, owned, at an early time, nearly +all Napa and Sonoma, having princely estates. But they have not +much left. They were nearly ruined by their bargain with the +State, that they would put up the public buildings if the Capital +should be placed at Vallejo, then a town of some promise. They +spent $100,000, the Capital was moved there, and in two years +removed to San Jose on another contract. The town fell to pieces, +and the houses, chiefly wooden, were taken down and removed. I +accepted the old gentleman's invitation so far as to stop at +Vallejo to breakfast. + +The United States Navy Yard, at Mare Island, near Vallejo, is +large and well placed, with deep fresh water. The old +Independence, and the sloop Decatur, and two steamers were there, +and they were experimenting on building a despatch boat, the +Saginaw, of California timber. + +I have no excuse for attempting to describe my visit through the +fertile and beautiful Napa Valley, nor even, what exceeded that in +interest, my visit to old John Yount at his rancho, where I heard +from his own lips some of his most interesting stories of hunting +and trapping and Indian fighting, during an adventurous life of +forty years of such work, between our back settlements in Missouri +and Arkansas, and the mountains of California, trapping the +Colorado and Gila,-- and his celebrated dream, thrice repeated, +which led him to organize a party to go out over the mountains, +that did actually rescue from death by starvation the wretched +remnants of the Donner Party. + +I must not pause for the dreary country of the Geysers, the +screaming escapes of steam, the sulphur, the boiling caldrons of +black and yellow and green, and the region of Gehenna, through +which runs a quiet stream of pure water; nor for the park scenery, +and captivating ranchos of the Napa Valley, where farming is done +on so grand a scale,-- where I have seen a man plough a furrow by +little red flags on sticks, to keep his range by, until nearly out +of sight, and where, the wits tell us, he returns the next day on +the back furrow; a region where, at Christmas time, I have seen +old strawberries still on the vines, by the side of vines in full +blossom for the next crop, and grapes in the same stages, and open +windows, and yet a grateful wood fire on the hearth in early +morning; nor for the titanic operations of hydraulic surface +mining, where large mountain streams are diverted from their +ancient beds, and made to do the work, beyond the reach of all +other agents, of washing out valleys and carrying away hills, and +changing the whole surface of the country, to expose the stores of +gold hidden for centuries in the darkness of their earthy depths. + +January 10th, 1860. I am again in San Francisco, and my revisit to +California is closed. I have touched too lightly and rapidly for +much impression upon the reader on my last visit into the +interior; but, as I have said, in a mere continuation to a +narrative of a sea-faring life on the coast, I am only to carry +the reader with me on a revisit to those scenes in which the +public has long manifested so gratifying an interest. But it +seemed to me that slight notices of these entirely new parts of +the country would not be out of place, for they serve to put in +strong contrast with the solitudes of 1835-6 the developed +interior, with its mines, and agricultural wealth, and rapidly +filling population, and its large cities, so far from the coast, +with their education, religion, arts, and trade. + +On the morning of the 11th January, 1860, I passed, for the eighth +time, through the Golden Gate, on my way across the delightful +Pacific to the Oriental world, with its civilization three +thousand years older than that I was leaving behind. As the shores +of California faded in the distance, and the summits of the Coast +Range sank under the blue horizon, I bade farewell-- yes, I do not +doubt, forever-- to those scenes which, however changed or +unchanged, must always possess an ineffable interest for me. + + --------- + +It is time my fellow-travellers and I should part company. But I +have been requested by a great many persons to give some account +of the subsequent history of the vessels and their crews, with +which I had made them acquainted. I attempt the following sketches +in deference to these suggestions, and not, I trust, with any +undue estimate of the general interest my narrative may have +created. + +Something less than a year after my return in the Alert, and when, +my eyes having recovered, I was again in college life, I found one +morning in the newspapers, among the arrivals of the day before, +``The brig Pilgrim, Faucon, from San Diego, California.'' In a few +hours I was down in Ann Street, and on my way to Hackstadt's +boarding-house, where I knew Tom Harris and others would lodge. +Entering the front room, I heard my name called from amid a group +of blue-jackets, and several sunburned, tar-colored men came +forward to speak to me. They were, at first, a little embarrassed +by the dress and style in which they had never seen me, and one of +them was calling me Mr. Dana; but I soon stopped that, and we were +shipmates once more. First, there was Tom Harris, in a +characteristic occupation. I had made him promise to come and see +me when we parted in San Diego; he had got a directory of Boston, +found the street and number of my father's house, and, by a study +of the plan of the city, had laid out his course, and was +committing it to memory. He said he could go straight to the house +without asking a question. And so he could, for I took the book +from him, and he gave his course, naming each street and turn to +right or left, directly to the door. + +Tom had been second mate of the Pilgrim, and had laid up no mean +sum of money. True to his resolution, he was going to England to +find his mother, and he entered into the comparative advantages of +taking his money home in gold or in bills,-- a matter of some +moment, as this was in the disastrous financial year of 1837. He +seemed to have his ideas well arranged, but I took him to a +leading banker, whose advice he followed; and, declining my +invitation to go up and show himself to my friends, he was off for +New York that afternoon, to sail the next day for Liverpool. The +last I ever saw of Tom Harris was as he passed down Tremont Street +on the sidewalk, a man dragging a hand-cart in the street by his +side, on which were his voyage-worn chest, his mattress, and a box +of nautical instruments. + +Sam seemed to have got funny again, and he and John the Swede learned +that Captain Thompson had several months before sailed in command of +a ship for the coast of Sumatra, and that their chance of proceedings +against him at law was hopeless. Sam was afterwards lost in a brig +off the coast of Brazil, when all hands went down. Of John and the +rest of the men I have never heard. The Marblehead boy, Sam, turned +out badly; and, although he had influential friends, never allowed +them to improve his condition. The old carpenter, the Fin, of whom +the cook stood in such awe (ante, p. 47), had fallen sick and died +in Santa Barbara, and was buried ashore. Jim Hall, from the Kennebec, +who sailed with us before the mast, and was made second mate in +Foster's place, came home chief mate of the Pilgrim. I have often +seen him since. His lot has been prosperous, as he well deserved it +should be. He has commanded the largest ships, and, when I last saw +him, was going to the Pacific coast of South America, to take charge +of a line of mail steamers. Poor, luckless Foster I have twice seen. +He came into my rooms in Boston, after I had become a barrister and +my narrative had been published, and told me he was chief mate of a +big ship; that he had heard I had said some things unfavorable of him +in my book; that he had just bought it, and was going to read it that +night, and if I had said anything unfair of him, he would punish me +if he found me in State Street. I surveyed him from head to foot, and +said to him, ``Foster, you were not a formidable man when I last +knew you, and I don't believe you are now.'' Either he was of my +opinion, or thought I had spoken of him well enough, for the next +(and last) time I met him he was civil and pleasant. + +I believe I omitted to state that Mr. Andrew B. Amerzene, the +chief mate of the Pilgrim, an estimable, kind, and trustworthy +man, had a difficulty with Captain Faucon, who thought him slack, +was turned off duty, and sent home with us in the Alert. Captain +Thompson, instead of giving him the place of a mate off duty, put +him into the narrow between-decks, where a space, not over four +feet high, had been left out among the hides, and there compelled +him to live the whole wearisome voyage, through trades and +tropics, and round Cape Horn, with nothing to do,-- not allowed to +converse or walk with the officers, and obliged to get his grub +himself from the galley, in the tin pot and kid of a common +sailor. I used to talk with him as much as I had opportunity to, +but his lot was wretched, and in every way wounding to his +feelings. After our arrival, Captain Thompson was obliged to make +him compensation for this treatment. It happens that I have never +heard of him since. + +Henry Mellus, who had been in a counting-house in Boston, and left +the forecastle, on the coast, to be agent's clerk, and whom I met, +a married man, at Los Angeles in 1859, died at that place a few +years ago, not having been successful in commercial life. Ben +Stimson left the sea for the fresh water and prairies, settled in +Detroit as a merchant, and when I visited that city, in 1863, I +was rejoiced to find him a prosperous and respected man, and the +same generous-hearted shipmate as ever. + +This ends the catalogue of the Pilgrim's original crew, except her +first master, Captain Thompson. He was not employed by the same +firm again, and got up a voyage to the coast of Sumatra for +pepper. A cousin and classmate of mine, Mr. Channing, went as +supercargo, not having consulted me as to the captain. First, +Captain Thompson got into difficulties with another American +vessel on the coast, which charged him with having taken some +advantage of her in getting pepper; and then with the natives, who +accused him of having obtained too much pepper for his weights. +The natives seized him, one afternoon, as he landed in his boat, +and demanded of him to sign an order on the supercargo for the +Spanish dollars that they said were due them, on pain of being +imprisoned on shore. He never failed in pluck, and now ordered his +boat aboard, leaving him ashore, the officer to tell the +supercargo to obey no direction except under his hand. For several +successive days and nights, his ship, the Alciope, lay in the +burning sun, with rain-squalls and thunder-clouds coming over the +high mountains, waiting for a word from him. Toward evening of the +fourth or fifth day he was seen on the beach, hailing for the +boat. The natives, finding they could not force more money from +him, were afraid to hold him longer, and had let him go. He sprang +into the boat, urged her off with the utmost eagerness, leaped on +board the ship like a tiger, his eyes flashing and his face full +of blood, ordered the anchor aweigh, and the topsails set, the +four guns, two on a side, loaded with all sorts of devilish stuff, +and wore her round, and, keeping as close into the bamboo village +as he could, gave them both broadsides, slam-bang into the midst +of the houses and people, and stood out to sea! As his excitement +passed off, headache, languor, fever, set in,-- the deadly +coast-fever, contracted from the water and night-dews on shore and +his maddened temper. He ordered the ship to Penang, and never saw +the deck again. He died on the passage, and was buried at sea. Mr. +Channing, who took care of him in his sickness and delirium, +caught the fever from him, but, as we gratefully remember, did not +die until the ship made port, and he was under the kindly roof of +a hospitable family in Penang. The chief mate, also, took the +fever, and the second mate and crew deserted; and, although the +chief mate recovered and took the ship to Europe and home, the +voyage was a melancholy disaster. In a tour I made round the world +in 1859-1860, of which my revisit to California was the beginning, +I went to Penang. In that fairy-like scene of sea and sky and +shore, as beautiful as material earth can be, with its fruits and +flowers of a perpetual summer,-- somewhere in which still lurks +the deadly fever,-- I found the tomb of my kinsman, classmate, and +friend. Standing beside his grave, I tried not to think that his +life had been sacrificed to the faults and violence of another; I +tried not to think too hardly of that other, who at least had +suffered in death. + +The dear old Pilgrim herself! She was sold, at the end of this +voyage, to a merchant in New Hampshire, who employed her on short +voyages, and, after a few years, I read of her total loss at sea, +by fire, off the coast of North Carolina. + +Captain Faucon, who took out the Alert, and brought home the +Pilgrim, spent many years in command of vessels in the Indian and +Chinese seas, and was in our volunteer navy during the late war, +commanding several large vessels in succession, on the blockade of +the Carolinas, with the rank of lieutenant. He has now given up +the sea, but still keeps it under his eye, from the piazza of his +house on the most beautiful hill in the environs of Boston. I have +the pleasure of meeting him often. Once, in speaking of the +Alert's crew, in a company of gentlemen, I heard him say that that +crew was exceptional; that he had passed all his life at sea, but +whether before the mast or abaft, whether officer or master, he +had never met such a crew, and never should expect to; and that +the two officers of the Alert, long ago shipmasters, agreed with +him that, for intelligence, knowledge of duty and willingness to +perform it, pride in the ship, her appearance and sailing, and in +absolute reliableness, they never had seen their equal. Especially +he spoke of his favorite seaman, French John. John, after a few +more years at sea, became a boatman, and kept his neat boat at the +end of Granite Wharf, and was ready to take all, but delighted to +take any of us of the old Alert's crew, to sail down the harbor. +One day Captain Faucon went to the end of the wharf to board a +vessel in the stream, and hailed for John. There was no response, +and his boat was not there. He inquired, of a boatman near, where +John was. The time had come that comes to all! There was no loyal +voice to respond to the familiar call, the hatches had closed over +him, his boat was sold to another, and he had left not a trace +behind. We could not find out even where he was buried. + +Mr. Richard Brown, of Marblehead, our chief mate in the Alert, +commanded many of our noblest ships in the European trade, a +general favorite. A few years ago, while stepping on board his +ship from the wharf, he fell from the plank into the hold and was +killed. If he did not actually die at sea, at least he died as a +sailor,-- he died on board ship. + +Our second mate, Evans, no one liked or cared for, and I know +nothing of him, except that I once saw him in court, on trial for +some alleged petty tyranny towards his men,-- still a subaltern +officer. + +The third mate, Mr. Hatch, a nephew of one of the owners, though +only a lad on board the ship, went out chief mate the next voyage, +and rose soon to command some of the finest clippers in the +California and India trade, under the new order of things,-- a man +of character, good judgment, and no little cultivation. + +Of the other men before the mast in the Alert, I know nothing of +peculiar interest. When visiting, with a party of ladies and +gentlemen, one of our largest line-of-battle ships, we were escorted +about the decks by a midshipman, who was explaining various matters +on board, when one of the party came to me and told me that there +was an old sailor there with a whistle round his neck, who looked at +me and said of the officer, ``he can't show him anything aboard a +ship.'' I found him out, and, looking into his sunburnt face, covered +with hair, and his little eyes drawn up into the smallest passages +for light,-- like a man who had peered into hundreds of +northeasters,-- there was old ``Sails'' of the Alert, clothed in all +the honors of boatswain's-mate. We stood aside, out of the cun of the +officers, and had a good talk over old times. I remember the contempt +with which he turned on his heel to conceal his face, when the +midshipman (who was a grown youth) could not tell the ladies the +length of a fathom, and said it depended on circumstances. +Notwithstanding his advice and consolation to ``Chips,'' in the +steerage of the Alert, and his story of his runaway wife and the +flag-bottomed chairs (ante, p. 318), he confessed to me that he had +tried marriage again, and had a little tenement just outside the +gate of the yard. + +Harry Bennett, the man who had the palsy, and was unfeelingly left +on shore when the Alert sailed, came home in the Pilgrim, and I +had the pleasure of helping to get him into the Massachusetts +General Hospital. When he had been there about a week, I went to +see him in his ward, and asked him how he got along. ``Oh! +first-rate usage, sir; not a hand's turn to do, and all your grub +brought to you, sir.'' This is a sailor's paradise,-- not a hand's +turn to do, and all your grub brought to you. But an earthly +paradise may pall. Bennett got tired of in-doors and stillness, +and was soon out again, and set up a stall, covered with canvas, +at the end of one of the bridges, where he could see all the +passers-by, and turn a penny by cakes and ale. The stall in time +disappeared, and I could learn nothing of his last end, if it has +come. + +Of the lads who, beside myself, composed the gig's crew, I know +something of all but one. Our bright-eyed, quick-witted little +cockswain, from the Boston public schools, Harry May, or Harry +Bluff, as he was called, with all his songs and gibes, went the +road to ruin as fast as the usual means could carry him. Nat, the +``bucket-maker,'' grave and sober, left the seas, and, I believe, +is a hack-driver in his native town, although I have not had the +luck to see him since the Alert hauled into her berth at the North +End. + +One cold winter evening, a pull at the bell, and a woman in distress +wished to see me. Her poor son George,-- George Somerby,-- ``you +remember him, sir; he was a boy in the Alert; he always talks of +you,-- he is dying in my poor house.'' I went with her, and in a +small room, with the most scanty furniture, upon a mattress on the +floor,-- emaciated, ashy pale, with hollow voice and sunken eyes,-- +lay the boy George, whom we took out a small, bright boy of fourteen +from a Boston public school, who fought himself into a position on +board ship (ante, p. 295), and whom we brought home a tall, athletic +youth, that might have been the pride and support of his widowed +mother. There he lay, not over nineteen years of age, ruined by every +vice a sailor's life absorbs. He took my hand in his wasted feeble +fingers, and talked a little with his hollow, death-smitten voice. +I was to leave town the next day for a fortnight's absence, and whom +had they to see to them? The mother named her landlord,-- she knew no +one else able to do much for them. It was the name of a physician +of wealth and high social position, well known in the city as the +owner of many small tenements, and of whom hard things had been +said as to his strictness in collecting what he thought his dues. +Be that as it may, my memory associates him only with ready and +active beneficence. His name has since been known the civilized +world over, from his having been the victim of one of the most +painful tragedies in the records of the criminal law.[3] I tried the +experiment of calling upon him; and, having drawn him away from +the cheerful fire, sofa, and curtains of a luxurious parlor, I +told him this simple tale of woe, of one of his tenants, unknown +to him even by name. He did not hesitate; and I well remember how, +in that biting, eager air, and at a late hour, he drew his cloak +about his thin and bent form, and walked off with me across the +Common, and to the South End, nearly two miles of an exposed walk, +to the scene of misery. He gave his full share, and more, of +kindness and material aid; and, as George's mother told me, on my +return, had with medical aid and stores, and a clergyman, made the +boy's end as comfortable and hopeful as possible. + +The Alert made two more voyages to the coast of California, +successful, and without a mishap, as usual, and was sold by +Messrs. Bryant and Sturgis, in 1843, to Mr. Thomas W. Williams, a +merchant of New London, Connecticut, who employed her in the +whale-trade in the Pacific. She was as lucky and prosperous there +as in the merchant service. When I was at the Sandwich Islands in +1860, a man was introduced to me as having commanded the Alert on +two cruises, and his friends told me that he was as proud of it as +if he had commanded a frigate. + +I am permitted to publish the following letter from the owner of +the Alert, giving her later record and her historic end,-- +captured and burned by the rebel Alabama:-- + +New London, March 17, 1868. + +Richard H. Dana, Esq.: + +Dear Sir,-- I am happy to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of +the 14th inst., and to answer your inquiries about the good ship +Alert. I bought her of Messrs. Bryant and Sturgis, in the year +1843, for my firm of Williams and Haven, for a whaler, in which +business she was successful until captured by the rebel steamer +Alabama, September, 1862, making a period of more than nineteen +years, during which she took and delivered at New London upwards +of twenty-five thousand barrels of whale and sperm oil. She sailed +last from this port, August 30, 1862, for Hurd's Island (the newly +discovered land south of Kerguelen's), commanded by Edwin Church, +and was captured and burned on the 9th of September following, +only ten days out, near or close to the Azores, with thirty +barrels of sperm oil on board, and while her boats were off in +pursuit of whales. + +The Alert was a favorite ship with all owners, officers, and men +who had anything to do with her; and I may add almost all who +heard her name asked if that was the ship the man went in who +wrote the book called ``Two Years before the Mast''; and thus we +feel, with you, no doubt, a sort of sympathy at her loss, and +that, too, in such a manner, and by wicked acts of our own +countrymen. + +My partner, Mr. Haven, sends me a note from the office this P.M., +saying that he had just found the last log-book, and would send up +this evening a copy of the last entry on it; and if there should +be anything of importance I will enclose it to you, and if you +have any further inquiries to put, I will, with great pleasure, +endeavor to answer them. + +Remaining very respectfully and truly yours, + +Thomas W. Williams. + +P.S.-- Since writing the above I have received the extract from +the log-book, and enclose the same. + + The last Entry in the Log-Book of the Alert. + +``September 9, 1862. + +``Shortly after the ship came to the wind, with the main yard +aback, we went alongside and were hoisted up, when we found we +were prisoners of war, and our ship a prize to the Confederate +steamer Alabama. We were then ordered to give up all nautical +instruments and letters appertaining to any of us. Afterwards we +were offered the privilege, as they called it, of joining the +steamer or signing a parole of honor not to serve in the army or +navy of the United States. Thank God no one accepted the former of +these offers. We were all then ordered to get our things ready in +haste, to go on shore,-- the ship running off shore all the time. +We were allowed four boats to go on shore in, and when we had got +what things we could take in them, were ordered to get into the +boats and pull for the shore,-- the nearest land being about +fourteen miles off,-- which we reached in safety, and, shortly +after, saw the ship in flames. + +``So end all our bright prospects, blasted by a gang of +miscreants, who certainly can have no regard for humanity so long +as they continue to foster their so-called peculiar institution, +which is now destroying our country.'' + +I love to think that our noble ship, with her long record of good +service and uniform success, attractive and beloved in her life, +should have passed, at her death, into the lofty regions of +international jurisprudence and debate, forming a part of the body +of the ``Alabama Claims'';-- that, like a true ship, committed to +her element once for all at her launching, she perished at sea, +and, without an extreme use of language, we may say, a victim in +the cause of her country. + +R.H.D., Jr. + +Boston, May 6, 1869. + +[1] Pronounced Leese. + +[2] This journal was of 1859 before Colonel Robert E. Lee became the +celebrated General Lee in command of the Confederate forces in the +Civil War. + +[3] [Dr. George Parkman.] + +SEVENTY-SIX YEARS AFTER + +By the Author's Son + +In the preceding chapter, my father contrasted the solitary bay of +San Francisco in 1835, its one, or at most, two vessels and one +board hut on shore, with the city of San Francisco in 1859 of +nearly one hundred thousand inhabitants and a fleet of large +clipper ships and sail of all kind in the harbor, which he saw on +his arrival in the steamer Golden Gate bringing the +``fortnightly'' ``mails and passengers from the Atlantic world.'' +The contrast from 1859 to 1911 is hardly less striking. San +Francisco has now grown to over four hundred thousand inhabitants, +has twelve daily trains bringing mails and passengers from across +the continent and beyond, and steamers six to ten times the size +of the Golden Gate. In visiting San Pedro in 1859 he speaks of the +landing at the head of a creek where boats discharged and took off +cargoes from a mole or wharf, and of how ``a tug ran to take off +passengers from the steamer to the wharf, for the trade of Los +Angeles is sufficient to support such a vessel.'' From this +landing, a stage-coach went daily to Los Angeles, a town of about +twenty thousand inhabitants. Now there is a fine harbor at which +large steamers themselves can land at San Pedro and a four-track +electric road leading to Los Angeles, now a city of three hundred +thousand inhabitants. Trains on this road go at the rate of sixty +miles an hour. The picturesqueness, the Aladdin lamp character of +the change, would not perhaps be heightened, but certainly the +contrast is greater, if the days of 1835 be compared with 1911 +instead of 1859, while the startling growth from 1859 to the +present makes one pause to ask what will be the progress and the +changes in the next fifty-two years. + +Of the fate of the vessels since my father wrote ``Twenty-four +Years After,'' little has come to our knowledge. Of the brig +Pilgrim, he says, ``I read of her total loss at sea by fire off +the coast of North Carolina.'' On the records of the United States +Custom House at Boston is this epitaph, ``Brig Pilgrim, owner, R. +Haley, surrender of transfer 30 June 1856, broken up at Key +West.'' Is it not romantic and appropriate that this vessel, so +associated with the then Mexican-Spanish coast of California, +should have left her bones on the coast of the once Spanish colony +of Florida? + +A schoolmate of mine dwelling at Yokohama tells us of the fate of +the ship Lagoda. This is the vessel that Captain Thompson of the +Pilgrim came aboard and ``brought his brig with him'' (page 137), and +to which poor Foster fled (page 154), in fear of being flogged. The +Lagoda was under three hundred and forty tons, built at Scituate, +Mass., in 1826, of oak with ``bluff bows and square stern.'' Later +she was sold to a New Bedford owner, converted into a bark and +turned into a whaler. In 1890, she came to Yokohama much damaged, +was officially surveyed and pronounced not worth repair, was sold +at auction and bought as a coal hulk for the Canadian Pacific +Company's steamers at that port, and in 1899 was sold to the +Japanese, burned and broken up at Kanagawa. The fate of these +vessels, with that of the Alert burned at sea by the Alabama, +illustrates how vessels, as Ernest Thompson Seton says of wild +animals, seldom fail to have a hard, if not a tragic, ending. + +It may be interesting to state that the Ayacucho (pronounced +I-ah-coo-tsho) was named after the battle fought December 9, 1824, +in Peru, South America, in which the Spaniards were defeated by +the armies of Columbia and Peru, which battle ended the Spanish +rule in America. What became of her after she was sold to the +Chilian government as a vessel of war, we do not know. + +The Loriotte, we learn, was built at Plymouth, Mass., in 1828, was +ninety-two tons, originally a schooner and later changed into an +hermaphrodite brig. Gorham H. Nye, her captain and part owner, was +born in Nantucket, Mass. + +As to persons, there is little to add about Captain Thompson. +Captain Faucon gave it as his opinion that Thompson was not a good +navigator and that Thompson knew his sailors knew it, and to this +cause he attributed in some measure Thompson's hard treatment of +the men. His navigation of the Alert some twelve or fifteen +hundred miles westward of the usual course around Cape Horn on the +return passage was an instance. It was much criticised by his +sailors and officers. It not only greatly lengthened the total +distance but brought the vessel into currents that were more +antarctic and more frequented with ice than those currents nearer +the southwest coast of South America, usually taken advantage of +on the trip west to east. In 1880, on my visit to the scenes of +``Two Years Before the Mast,'' I met a nephew of Captain Thompson +at Santa Barbara. He was then the proprietor of the hotel at which +I stayed. He invited me to walk with him Sunday afternoon. When we +started out together I noticed he had a large, thick cane, while I +had none. Could it be he was to wreak vengeance on the son of the +man who had exposed his uncle? I was strong and athletic after a +year as stroke of the Freshman crew and three years as stroke of +the University crew at Harvard. I kept my weather eye open and +took care to be a little behind rather than ahead of my companion. +At last he began on my father's story, ``Two Years Before the +Mast,'' and his uncle. Now it is coming, thought I, but to my +surprise and relief he detailed a family trouble in which the +uncle had tried to get into his own possession land which belonged +in part to his brothers and of which he, the captain, had been +placed in charge, and my friend, for so I could then think of him, +wound up with saying my father had done his uncle perfect justice. +The year of Captain Thompson's death was 1837. + +The chief mate of the Pilgrim on her outward voyage, Mr. Andrew B. +Amerzeen, was born at Epsom, N.H., June 7, 1806. After returning +in the Alert in 1836, as described by my father, his mother +prevailed on him to give up long voyages, owing to the fact that +his father, a ship owner and master, had been lost at sea with his +ship a year or two before. Mr. Amerzeen then made several short +voyages to the West Indies and in the fall of 1838 his ship was +dismasted in a storm somewhere below Cape Hatteras. He was ill +with yellow fever and confined to his stateroom at the time. The +ship was worked into one of the southern ports, Savannah I am +told, and there Mr. Amerzeen died September 27, 1838, from this +fever. + +``Jim Hall,'' the sailor who was made second mate of the Pilgrim +in Foster's place, after several years' successful career as +Captain and Manager of the Pacific Steamship Navigation Company on +the west coast of South America with the title of Commodore, +returned to this country, having saved a competence, and settled +at East Braintree, Massachusetts. He called on me at my office +some ten years after my father's death. He was six feet tall, a +handsome man of striking appearance, with blue eyes, nearly white +hair, a ruddy countenance, and a very straight figure for one of +nearly eighty years of age. He was born at Pittston, Maine, July +4, 1813. He is said to have commanded twenty-seven different +vessels, steam and sail, and never to have had an accident, +``never cost the underwriters a dollar.'' He died April 22, 1904. +His wife (Mary Ann Kimball of Hookset, N.H.) survived him. + +Of George P. Marsh, the new hand shipped at San Pedro October 22, +1835, the Englishman with a strange career, we have heard in a +letter from Mr. Samuel C. Clarke of Chicago, passenger with +Captain Low on the ship Cabot when she took Marsh from the Pelew +Islands. Mr. Clarke kept a journal at the time, which confirms in +almost every detail the story as told by Marsh, with one or two +very minor exceptions but one important difference. He told them +when first rescued that he was ``a native of Providence, Rhode +Island'' in America, while to his shipmates in California he +always said he was a native of England and brought up on a +smuggler. By a letter from his nephew, Edward W. Boyd, we learn +that his real name was George Walker Marsh, that he was the eldest +son of a retired English army officer and his wife, and was born +in St. Malo, France, hence his knowledge of the French language. +He went to sea against their will but communicated with them +several times afterwards. After he left to join the Ayacucho in +Chili, all trace of him was lost at Valparaiso. + +Captain Edward Horatio Faucon, who took out the Alert and brought +back the Pilgrim, continued, after my father's last chapter, to +live at Milton Hill where he still kept ``the sea under his eye +from the piazza of his house.'' He was occasionally employed by +Boston marine underwriters on salvage cases, going to many places, +from St. Thomas, W.I., and the Bermudas, to Nova Scotia in the +north. He was a constant reader, chiefly interested in history, +political economy and sociology. He made visits, annually or +oftener, on my mother until his death on May 22, 1894. We all +remember his keen eye, erect figure, quiet reserve, and old-time +courtesy of manner, and his personal interest in those who come +and go in ships, and more particularly in those of the Alert, his +favorite ship. He was born in Boston, November 21, 1806. His +father, Nicolas Michael Faucon, was a Frenchman of Rouen, who +fought in the Napoleonic wars with distinction as Captain of the +Second Regiment of the Hussars, and came to this country, where he +married Miss Catherine Waters at Trinity Church, Boston. He was +instructor in French at Harvard, 1806-1816. Our Captain Faucon +left a widow and daughter, and a promising son, Gorham Palfrey +Faucon, a Harvard graduate, a well-trained civil engineer in the +employ of large railroads, and, like his father, interested in +literature and public problems. He died in 1897, in the early +prime of life. + +The third mate, James Byers Hatch, whom Captain Faucon in a letter +to us called ``one of the best of men,'' continued to command +large sailing vessels on deep sea voyages with some mishaps and +narrow escapes. While in California on one of these voyages he +found James Hall on board another ship at the same wharf, and in a +letter to Captain Faucon written June, 1893, says, ``I persuaded +him to take the first officer's berth, and what an officer he +was!! Everything went on like clockwork. I do not think I ever +found the least fault with him during the whole time he was with +me.'' Captain Hatch lost his only son, a lad of seven, on a voyage +to Calcutta. ``The boy,'' said he, ``fell from the top of the +house on the poop deck and died in about a week.'' His wife and +married daughter both died in 1881. He himself settled in +Springfield, Mass., his birthplace, and lost almost all he had +saved in some unsuccessful business venture in that city, and +lived a rather lonely and sad life. In the above letter he said, +``I am now ready and anxious to leave this earth and take my +chance in the next.'' He died at Springfield soon after 1894. + +Benjamin Godfrey Stimson, the young sailor about my father's age, +was born in Dedham, Mass., March 19, 1816. It came naturally to +him to go to sea, for his great-uncle Benjamin Stimson commanded +the colonial despatch vessel under Pepperell, in the siege of +Louisburg. After settling in Detroit in 1837, he married a +Canadian lady (Miss Ives), owned many lake vessels, including the +H. P. Baldwin, the largest bark of her day on the great lakes, and +was Controller of that city from 1868 to 1870, during which time +the city hall was built by him at less than estimated cost. He +died December 13, 1871, leaving a widow and two sons, Edward I. +and Arthur K. Stimson. The agent Alfred Robinson died in 1895. + +Jack Stewart I met in San Diego on my visit there in 1881, as I +have stated in the Introduction. He was quite a character in the +``old'' town and made a good deal of his being one of the crew of +the Alert. He died January 2, 1892, leaving children and +grandchildren. Henry Mellus, who went out before the mast and left +the Pilgrim to be agent's clerk ashore, and whom my father met at +Los Angeles in 1859, was made mayor of that city the very next +year. + +Last, but not least, from the point of view of friendship, was my +father's ``dear Kanaka'' (Hope), whose life my father saved (by +getting ship's medicines from the mate, after Captain Thompson had +refused to give them), and for whom he had so much real affection. +The last mention we have of Hope is found in my father's journal +under date of May 24, 1842. + +``Horatio E. Hale called. Been away four years as Philologist to +the Exploring Expedition. Was in San Francisco three months ago +and saw the Alert there collecting hides. Also saw `Hope' the +Kanaka mentioned in my `Two Years.' Hope desired his Aikane to me-- +Remembered me well. Hale said his face lighted up as soon as my +name was mentioned to him.'' + +As to all the rest of the officers and crews, they have doubtless +all handed in their last account and taken passage across the +Unknown Sea to the other world. + +Of the ``fascinating'' Dona Angustias dela Guerra, whose graceful +dancing with Don Juan Bandini in Santa Barbara during the ceremonies +attending the marriage of her sister, Dona Anita with Mr. Robinson, +the Agent, in January, 1836, my father describes (pages 300-305), +something more is to be said. + +On my visit to Santa Barbara in 1880, I had the privilege of +seeing her. I was much impressed with her graceful carriage, her +face still handsome, though she was then sixty-five years of age, +with her dignity, calm self-possession, and above all with her +true gentility of manner and evidently high character and purpose, +together with a delightful humor, which shone in her eyes. General +Sherman, in a letter as late as 1888, says of her, she ``was the +finest woman it has been my good fortune to know,'' and Bayard +Taylor in El Dorado (Putnam's edition of 1884, page 141) writes, +``she is a woman whose nobility of character, native vigor and +activity of intellect, and above all, whose instinctive +refinement,'' etc. + +In 1847, when our officers took possession of California, she, a +Mexican, of the first Mexican family of California, took care of +the first United States officer who died in Monterey, Lieutenant +Colville J. Minor, an enemy to her country, for which service she +received a letter of thanks from the First Military Governor, +dated August 21, 1848. + +She died January 21, 1890, at the age of seventy-five. The name of +her first husband was Don Manuel Jimeno and of her second Dr. Ord. +Caroline Jimeno was the daughter ``as beautiful as her mother'' +that Mr. Dana met in 1859, then a young lady of seventeen. Her +daughter by the second marriage, Rebecca R. Ord, an ``infant in +arms'' when my father saw her in 1859, married Lieutenant John H. +H. Peshine of the United States Army, who in 1893 was made First +Military Attache to the Court of Madrid. + +The dela Guerra family of California, I am told, is dying out in +the male line and will soon leave no representative. + +As to Richard Henry Dana, Jr.,[1] the author of the book, the reader +may wish to know something. He came back from his two years' trip +in 1836 ``in a state of intellectual famine, to books and study +and intercourse with educated men.'' He had left his class at +Harvard at the end of the sophomore year (1833), on account of the +trouble with his eyes and sailed about a year later. When he +returned, September, 1836, his class had graduated in the summer +of 1835, but with a little study he passed the examinations for +the then senior class, which he entered late in the autumn of +1836. On graduation in 1837 he not only stood first, but ``had the +highest marks that were given out in every branch of study.'' He +took the Bowdoin prize for English prose composition and the first +Boylston prize in elocution. He then entered the Law School and +became instructor in elocution under Professor Edward T. Channing, +and during this period wrote the ``Two Years Before the Mast.'' In +February, 1840, he went into the office of Charles G. Loring and +in the following September opened his own office and began the +active practice of law. He was born August 1, 1815, at Cambridge, +Mass., with a line of ancestors reaching back to the early days of +the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with several colonial governors in +the maternal lines. His great grandfather, Richard Dana, was one +of the early patriots, a ``Son of Liberty,'' who frequently +presided at the meetings at Faneuil Hall at which Otis, Adams and +others spoke. This man's son, my father's grandfather, Francis +Dana, was several times member of the State Colonial Legislature +and of the Continental Congress. He was one of the signers of the +Articles of Confederation and married Elizabeth Ellery, the +daughter of William Ellery, one of the signers of the Declaration +of Independence. Francis Dana had been sent abroad on a special +mission to England in 1774 before the breaking out of the +Revolutionary War, to sound English public opinion, for which he +had unusual advantages. He returned in the late spring of 1776 +advising independence, and soon after this the Declaration of +Independence was signed. Francis Dana was also appointed on a +special mission to Paris and Holland with John Adams, later was +made Minister to Russia, and after the peace with Great Britain +was made Chief Justice of Massachusetts. Mr. Dana's own father, +Richard Henry Dana, Senior, was a poet and literary critic and a +founder of the ``North American Review.'' Young Richard was +brought up in very moderate circumstances. His grandfather, who +had accumulated a good deal of property, lost the larger part of +it through unfortunate investments in canals by a relation, in +which he had himself become more deeply involved than he supposed. +I remember my father's saying that his spending money for one +whole term consisted of twenty-five cents, which he carried in his +pocket in cases of emergencies. He walked to and from Boston to +save omnibus fares, had no carpet on his college room and had no +chore-man to black his boots and fetch his water and fuel. This, +however, was the usual custom in his day with all but the rich +collegian. The necessities of life did not then demand so high a +rate of ``living wage'' as to-day. + +He entered on this sea experience with his eyes open. He had the +opportunity of going on a long voyage as a passenger, but he +refused it, and resolutely took the harder way of accomplishing +his purpose of toughening himself. A little incident of his +boyhood gives a hint of his pluck. His schoolmaster, angry at what +he chose to call ``disobedience'' on the excuse of a ``pretended'' +illness, told the boy to put out his left hand. ``Upon this +hand,'' wrote Dana years afterward, ``he inflicted six blows with +all his strength, and then six upon the right hand. I was in such +a frenzy of indignation at his injustice and his insulting +insinuation, that I could not have uttered a word for my life. I +was too small and slender to resist, and could show my spirit only +by fortitude. He called for my right hand again, and gave six more +blows in the same manner, and then six more upon the left. My +hands were swollen and in acute pain, but I did not flinch nor +show a sign of suffering. He was determined to conquer, and gave +six more blows upon each hand, with full force. Still there was no +sign from me of pain or submission. I could have gone to the stake +for what I considered my honor. The school was in an uproar of +hissing and scraping and groaning, and the master turned his +attention to the other boys and let me alone. He said not another +word to me through the day. If he had I could not have answered, +for my whole soul was in my throat and not a word could get out. . +. . I went in the afternoon to the trustees of the school, stated +my case, produced my evidence, and had an examination made. The +next morning but four boys went to school, and the day following +the career of Mr. W. ended.'' + +That Dana had a keen sense of injustice not merely when he himself +was concerned, but whenever he was brought face to face with +injustice, the reader of this book has discovered for himself, and +that a high sense of honor and right was a controlling passion of +his life will appear when one knows his career after he returned +from his long voyage. It rendered his attitude toward his +profession, that of a lawyer, very different from that of a man +merely seeking a livelihood. + +Beside his work for the sailors to which I refer later there was +another class of peculiarly helpless sufferers to make even +stronger demand upon his sense of justice. By his social relations +and by his strong antipathy to violence of every kind, Dana would +naturally have found his place amongst the men who in politics +prefer orderly and regular and especially respectable +associations. He came into active life when a small band of +earnest men and women were agitating for the abolition of slavery. +Some among them were also attacking the church, and proposing all +sorts of changes in society. But Dana was a man of strong +religious principles and feelings, and he had little faith in any +violent change in the social order. His diaries and letters of the +period show that he was annoyed by the temper of the +Abolitionists. They were not his kind. Nevertheless he was not a +man to steer between two parties. In a great moral crisis he was +sure to take sides. He took sides now and came out as a member of +the Free Soil party. He made a distinction, which was a clear one, +between the Free Soil party and the uncompromising Abolitionists. +But in the rising heat of political feeling, other people did not +make a like distinction, and Dana, a young lawyer, married now, +and with a family growing up about him, found himself put out into +the cold by the well-to-do, the successful, and the respectable. + +Dana had a keen scent for politics, and he looked with the +strongest interest upon the great political movement which was +stirring the country; but he did not espouse the cause of free +soil because he expected to profit by it politically. On the +contrary, he knew that he was shutting himself out from political +preferment by such a course, and at the same time was imperilling +his professional success. It was the act of a man who stood up for +the cause of righteousness, without counting the cost. In like +manner he now had the opportunity of illustrating afresh his +attitude toward the law, for he held that law was for the +accomplishment of justice, and that it was most glorious when its +strong arm protected and defended the weak and downtrodden. By a +natural course, therefore, he became a prominent counsel for those +unfortunate negroes who, at this time, in Boston, were held as +fugitive slaves. While the ingenuity of some was expended in +putting the law on the side of the strong and the rich, Dana, who +was convinced in his mind that the law of the state was honestly +to be invoked in defence of the fugitive slave, gave himself heart +and soul to the work of applying the law, and received no +remuneration for his services in any fugitive slave case. Instead, +he received at the close of one of the most important cases, a +blow from a blackguard which narrowly missed maiming him for life. +It is worth while to read what Dana wrote after rendering all the +aid he could in the defence of Anthony Burns: ``The labors of a +lawyer are ordinarily devoted to questions of property between man +and man. He is to be congratulated if, though but for once, in any +signal cause he can devote them to the vindication of any of the +great primal rights affecting the highest interests of man.'' He +was a member of the noted Free Soil Convention at Buffalo of 1848, +and presided at the first meeting of the Republican party in +Massachusetts. + +It may be a source of wonder to some that Dana, who achieved a +great literary success in the book which he wrote when a young +man, did not pursue literature as an avocation, if not as a +vocation. He published but one other book, a narrative of a trip +to Cuba made in 1859, and he wrote a few magazine articles. The +explanation must be found in the temperament and character of the +man. His ``Two Years Before the Mast'' is a vivid representation +of what he saw and experienced at a most impressionable age. He +put his young life into it; he was not thinking of literature when +he wrote it, and thus the book takes rank with those books which +are bits of life rather than products of art. Afterward he was +immersed in his law practice, and he was a prodigious worker. He +saw with great clearness the points in the cases he took up, and +he was untiring in his industry to cover the whole case. He did +all the work himself; he did not lay the details on others, and +avail himself of their diligence. His time, moreover, as we have +shown, was very much at the disposal of those who could pay him +little or nothing for his services, and he gave months of labor to +the unremunerative defence of the fugitive slave. Moreover, his +deep religious conviction and his high sense of legal honor often +stood in the way of his profit. So it was that his life was one of +hard work and little more than support of his family. There was +scant time for any wandering into fields of literature. + +Yet he left behind him some other writings which show well that +the hand which penned the ``Two Years'' never lost its cunning. He +made an interesting visit to Europe, and, later in life, in +1859-60, made a journey round the world. The record which he kept +on these journeys has been drawn upon largely in the biography[2] +prepared by Charles Francis Adams, who was in his early days a +student in Dana's office, and there one finds page after page of +delightfully animated description and narrative. He wrote for his +own pleasure and for that of his family, and his writing was like +brilliant talk, the outflow of a generous mind not easily saved +for more common use. He published notes to Wheaton's +``International Law,'' several of which are quoted in all new works +on the subject to this day. + +The journey which he took round the world was for the purpose of +restoring his health, which had been greatly impaired. He came +back in improved condition, and entered upon the excited period of +the war, when he held the office of United States District +Attorney. During this time he argued the famous prize causes +before the United States Supreme Court, and his argument was the +one that turned the Court, which was democratic in its politics, +to take the unanimous view that the United States Government had a +right to establish blockade and take prizes of foreign vessels +that were breaking this blockade. Had it not been for this +decision, so largely influenced, as the Court itself generously +states, by Mr. Dana's argument, the Civil War would have been +greatly prolonged, with possibly another, or at least a doubtful +issue. He afterward served in the Massachusetts legislature, and +there made several noted speeches, among others his argument on +the repeal of the usury laws, a bill for which was unexpectedly +carried in that body as the result of this speech which has been +reprinted for use before legislatures of other states. + +He accepted a nomination to Congress, chiefly as a protest against +the nomination of B. F. Butler, who was running on a paper money +and repudiation platform against the principles of his own party, +but Mr. Dana was defeated. In 1876 he was nominated by President +Grant minister to England, but his nomination was not confirmed by +the Senate, for his nomination had been made without consulting +the Senatorial cabal and also he had bitter enemies, who carried +on a warfare against him upon terms which he was too honorable to +accept. + +A selection of Mr. Dana's speeches, the most interesting +historically or those of most present value, have been published, +together with a biographical sketch,[3] supplementing the Life +written by Charles Francis Adams. + +Two years later, broken now in health, but with his mind vigorous, +he resolved to give up the practice of law and devote himself to +writing a work on international law. For this purpose, and as a +measure of economy, he went to Europe, and for two years applied +himself diligently to his plan for a book which he believed would +give some fundamentally new views on international law. He had +made many notes and had begun to write the first few chapters when +he died, after a short illness, from pneumonia, in Rome, January +6, 1882. He was buried in the beautiful Protestant cemetery of +that city. + +His wife, who was Sarah Watson of Hartford, Conn., survived him, +and he left five daughters and a son. There are now nine of his +grandchildren living (four of them Dana grandsons), and also four +great-grandchildren. + +Finally, what did Mr. Dana accomplish for sailors? In the preface +to the first edition (1840) he said, ``If it shall . . . call more +attention to the welfare of seamen, or give any information as to +their real condition which may serve to raise them in the rank of +beings, and to promote in any measure their religious and moral +improvement, and diminish the hardships of their daily life, the +end of its publication will be answered.'' And after the flogging +at San Pedro, there was his vow (page 1252), ``that, if God should +ever give me the means, I would do something to redress the +grievances and relieve the sufferings of that class of beings with +whom my lot had so long been cast.'' For redressing individual +grievances he took the part of the sailor in many a lawsuit where +his remuneration was often next to nothing, and by which action he +incurred the ill will of possible future rich and influential +clients. In his journal December 14, 1847, he says, ``I often have +a good deal to contend with in the slurs or open opposition of +masters and owners of vessels whose seamen I undertake to defend or +look after,'' though he adds there were honorable exceptions. These +cases he fought hard and bravely, and into them he put his whole +mind, heart and soul. He could not have done better in them if he +had been paid the highest fees known to the Bar. He settled as many +of these cases out of court as he could. He believed any reasonable +settlement better for the sailor than a legal contest, though his +own fees would be less. Beside taking the part of the individual +seamen, he published the ``Seamen's Friend,'' a book giving the full +legal rights of sailors as well as their duties, a set of definitions +of sea terms, which to this day is quoted in all the dictionaries, +and much information for the use of beginners. He drew up a petition +and prepared an accompanying leaflet addressed to Congress for +``The More Speedy Trial of Seamen.'' He wrote numerous articles +for the press and delivered many addresses on behalf of seamen, or +for institutions for their benefit such as ``Father'' Taylor's +Bethel and for a more cordial reception of sailors in the church. +He wrote the introduction of Leech's ``A Voice from the Main +Deck,'' but above all it was the indirect influence of his ``Two +Years Before the Mast'' which did the most to relieve their +hardships. + +While on a trip in Europe in 1875-76, I spent some weeks in London +and visited Parliament frequently to study the proceedings and see +and hear its leading men. By a strange coincidence at my very +first visit, made at the invitation of the late Sir William Vernon +Harcourt, after I had sent in my card and was ushered into the +inner lobby, I saw a man, evidently a member, rushing out into +this lobby, and, to quote from my journal written at the time, +``in a wild state of excitement, throwing about his arms and +shaking his fists, with short ejaculations such as `I'll expose +the villains, all of them,' and I heard the words `Cheats!' and I +think `Liars!''' This was a strange introduction to the then +decorous British House of Commons, for this was before the active +days of Parnell. I saw poor, blind Henry Fawcett[4] and others +trying to calm the man. The lobby was immediately cleared of +strangers, so I saw no more just then, but I was later admitted +into the House and learned that this man was the famous Plimsoll +(1824-1898). He had become enraged because his Merchants' Shipping +Bill had just been thrown out by Disraeli, then Prime Minister, on +this day of the so-called ``Slaughter of the Innocents,'' that is, +the day when the Government abandoned all bills which they were +not to carry out that session. Justin McCarthy, in his ``History +of Our Own Times'' (Vol. IV, page 24, et seq.), gives a full +account of this scene. Plimsoll's Bill was a measure for the +protection of seamen against the danger of being sent to sea in +vessels unfit for the voyage. To understand the whole situation of +the sailor in civilized countries, one must know that the only way +allowed by law or custom for him to get employment is to sign +articles sometimes without even knowing the name of the vessel, +and almost always without an opportunity to examine or even see +her. Once having signed these papers, sailors are by law compelled +to keep their contracts and can be imprisoned and sent aboard if +they try to escape. Every other person in every other kind of +employment, since the abolition of slavery, signing similar papers +has a right to refuse to carry out his agreement, with no other +penalty than a suit for damages. He cannot be forced to carry out +the contract in person. If this were not so, there would be a sort +of contract peonage or slavery endorsed by the law. It is +otherwise, however, with the sailors. The United States Supreme +Court in the case of Robertson v. Baldwin (165 U.S. 275, 1896) +decided, Judge Harlan dissenting, that notwithstanding the +thirteenth amendment to the Constitution which, it was supposed, +had prohibited involuntary servitude except as punishment for +crime, sailors could be forced on board of vessels, and the facts +that the vessel was unfit for living, the food bad, and the master +brutal were no defences. The headnote of the case says, ``The +contract of a sailor has always been treated as an exceptional one +involving to a certain extent the surrender of his personal +liberty during the life of his contract.'' Mr. Plimsoll was +rightly convinced that unseaworthy vessels left port for the sake +of insurance money on valued policies, that the lives of the +seamen were thereby imperilled, and that the poor sailor had no +redress before the law. The bill that had just been thrown out by +Disraeli provided that if one-quarter of the seamen appealed on +the ground of unseaworthiness a survey would be ordered, the +vessel detained till the survey was made, and if she were +unseaworthy or improperly provisioned the sailors would be +relieved from their contract unless those defects were cured. It +also had other minor provisions for the benefit of the sailors. In +Parliament that night, it was thought that Plimsoll's wild conduct +had destroyed his reputation as a sane man and had ruined the +chances of ever passing his bill, but outside of Parliament the +effect was just the reverse. The public was aroused to a full +understanding of the essential merits of his bill and the +government was forced to put it on the calendar and carry it +through that session in its substantial features, and the +following year (1876) a more complete and perfected act covering +the same points was passed. + +In the United States, a most interesting character, Andrew +Furuseth, a Norwegian, himself a sailor, and without much +education but a man of wonderful force, has succeeded, largely by +the aid of labor unions, in forcing through Congress bills by +which no American seaman can any longer be forced against his will +into this servitude nor any foreign seaman on domestic voyages. +Another evil tending to degrade and enslave the sailor was the +allowance made by law of three months' advance wages on beginning +a voyage. This apparently harmless and, to the credulous and +inexperienced legislator, beneficial provision gave a chance to +the sailors' boarding-house keeper and runner, or ``crimp,'' as he +or she is called, to ``shanghai'' seamen and put them aboard drunk +or drugged, with little or no clothing but what they had on their +backs and rob them of this advance money. The ``crimps''' share of +this money in San Francisco alone has been calculated at one +million dollars a year, or equal to eighty per cent of the +seamen's entire wages. Part of this had to be shared with corrupt +police and politicians and some of it has been traced to sources +``higher up.'' So common was this practice that vessels sailing +from San Francisco and New York had so few sober sailors aboard, +that it was customary to take longshoremen to set sail, heave +anchor and get the ship under way, and then send them back by tug. +This is precisely what happened on the well-equipped and new ship +on which I sailed from New York in 1879 for California, and the +same situation is described by Captain Arthur H. Clark in his +account of seamen in his ``Clipper Ship Era.'' These poor sailors, +without proper clothing, had to draw on the ship's ``slop chest'' +for necessary oilskins, thick jackets, mittens and the like, and +used up almost all the rest of their wages. The small balance was +wasted or stolen, or both, at the port of arrival, and off they +were shipped again by the ``crimp'' with no chance to save or +improve their condition. After years of agitation by the friends +of sailors the advance pay is now wholly abolished in the +coastwise trade in America and the three months' advance cut down +to one in the foreign trade, immensely to the benefit of the +sailor and the discouragement of the ``crimp.'' The argument that +without this system of bondage and ``crimpage'' it would be +impossible to secure crews is fully answered by the experience of +Great Britain since the passage of the Plimsoll Acts and in the +United States since the recent acts of Congress. On the contrary, +these measures tend to secure a better class of sailors and compel +improvement of the conditions under which they do their work. I +was told when in England that Plimsoll, who himself was not a +sailor, was influenced among other things by my father's book +``Two Years Before the Mast.'' + +THE END + +[1] He was Richard Henry Dana, Jr., when he wrote his book, and +continued to be called so through life, for his father, a poet and +litterateur, lived to the age of ninety-two, and died but three +years before his son. + +[2] Richard Henry Dana, Jr. A Biography. By Charles Francis Adams. +In two volumes. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin Company. + +[3] Speeches in Stirring Times and Letters to a Son. Richard H. +Dana, Jr. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin Company, 1910. + +[4] The political economist and M.P. + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Two Years Before the Mast +by Richard Henry Dana |