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diff --git a/2055.txt b/2055.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebb89d6 --- /dev/null +++ b/2055.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15253 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Henry Dana + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Two Years Before the Mast + +Author: Richard Henry Dana + +Posting Date: November 19, 2008 [EBook #2055] +Release Date: February, 2000 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST *** + + + + +Produced by Robert E. Brewer. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + +TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST + +A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea + + +By + +Richard Henry Dana, Jr. + + + +With an introduction and notes by + +Homer Eaton Keyes, B.L. + +Assistant Professor of Art in Dartmouth College + + + + ----Crowded in the rank and narrow ship,-- + Housed on the wild sea with wild usages,-- + Whate'er in the inland dales the land conceals + Of fair and exquisite, O! nothing, nothing, + Do we behold of that in our rude voyage. + Coleridge's Wallenstein. + + + + +CONTENTS + + Introduction + Biographical Note + California and her Missions + Bibliographical References + Diagram of Ships + Explanation of Diagram + + Two Years Before the Mast + Twenty-Four Years After + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Biographical Note + +Two years before the mast were but an episode in the life of Richard +Henry Dana, Jr.; yet the narrative in which he details the experiences +of that period is, perhaps, his chief claim to a wide remembrance. His +services in other than literary fields occupied the greater part of his +life, but they brought him comparatively small recognition and many +disappointments. His happiest associations were literary, his +pleasantest acquaintanceships those which arose through his fame as the +author of one book. The story of his life is one of honest and +competent effort, of sincere purpose, of many thwarted hopes. The +traditions of his family forced him into a profession for which he was +intellectually but not temperamentally fitted: he should have been a +scholar, teacher, and author; instead he became a lawyer. + +Born in Cambridge, Mass., August 1, 1815, Richard Henry Dana, Jr., came +of a line of Colonial ancestors whose legal understanding and patriotic +zeal had won them distinction. His father, if possessed of less vigor +than his predecessors, was yet a man of culture and ability. He was +widely known as poet, critic, and lecturer; and endowed his son with +native qualities of intelligence, good breeding, and honesty. + +After somewhat varied and troublous school days, young Dana entered +Harvard University, where he took high rank in his classes and bid fair +to make a reputation as a scholar. But at the beginning of his third +year of college a severe attack of measles interrupted his course, and +so affected his eyes as to preclude, for a time at least, all idea of +study. The state of the family finances was not such as to permit of +foreign travel in search of health. Accordingly, prompted by necessity +and by a youthful love of adventure, he shipped as a common sailor in +the brig, Pilgrim, bound for the California coast. His term of service +lasted a trifle over two years--from August, 1834, to September, 1836. +The undertaking was one calculated to kill or cure. Fortunately it had +the latter effect; and, upon returning to his native place, physically +vigorous but intellectually starved, he reentered Harvard and worked +with such enthusiasm as to graduate in six months with honor. + +Then came the question of his life work. Though intensely religious, +he did not feel called to the ministry; business made no appeal; his +ancestors had been lawyers; it seemed best that he should follow where +they had led. Had conditions been those of to-day, he would naturally +have drifted into some field of scholarly research,--political science +or history. As it was, he entered law school, which, in 1840, he left +to take up the practice of his profession. But Dana had not the tact, +the personal magnetism, or the business sagacity to make a brilliant +success before the bar. Despite the fact that he had become a master +of legal theory, an authority upon international questions, and a +counsellor of unimpeachable integrity, his progress was painfully slow +and toilsome. Involved with his lack of tact and magnetism there was, +too, an admirable quality of sturdy obstinacy that often worked him +injury. Though far from sharing the radical ideas of the +Abolitionists, he was ardent in his anti-slavery ideas and did not +hesitate to espouse the unpopular doctrines of the Free-Soil party of +1848, or to labor for the freedom of those Boston negroes, who, under +the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, were in danger of deportation to the +South. + +His activity in the latter direction resulted in pecuniary loss, social +ostracism and worse; for upon one occasion he was set upon and nearly +killed by a pair of thugs. But Dana was not a man to be swerved from +his purpose by considerations of policy or of personal safety. He met +his problems as they came to him, took the course which he believed to +be right and then stuck to it with indomitable tenacity. Yet, +curiously enough, with none of the characteristics of the politician, +he longed for political preferment. At the hands of the people this +came to him in smallest measure only. Though at one time a member of +the Massachusetts Legislature, he was defeated as candidate for the +lower house of Congress, and in 1876 suffered the bitterest +disappointment of his life, when the libellous attacks of enemies +prevented the ratification of his nomination as Minister to England. + +Previous to this he had served his country as United States District +Attorney during the Civil War, a time when the office demanded the +highest type of ability and uprightness. That the government +appreciated this was shown in 1867 by its choice of Dana as one of its +counsel in the prosecution of Jefferson Davis for treason. The +position of legal representative before the Halifax tribunal of 1877, +which met to discuss fishery questions at issue between the United +States and Canada, was given him no doubt in part because of his +eminent fitness, in part as balm for the wound of the preceding year. + +But whatever satisfaction he may have found in such honors as time and +ripening years brought to him, his chief joy and relaxation lay in +travel. When worry and overwork began to tell upon him, he would betake +himself to shore or mountains. Upon several occasions he visited +Europe, and in 1859 made a tour of the world. At length, in 1876, he +gave up active life and took residence abroad, with the idea of finding +leisure for the preparation of a treatise on international law. He was +still engaged in collecting his material when, on January 6, 1882, +death overtook him. He was buried in Rome in the Protestant Cemetery, +whose cypresses cast their long shadows over the graves of many +distinguished foreigners who have sought a last refuge of health and +peace under the skies of Italy. + +Such a career as his would seem far enough from being a failure. Yet, +in retirement, Dana looked back upon it not without regret. As a +lawyer, he had felt a justifiable desire to see his labors crowned by +his elevation to the bench; as an active participant in public affairs, +he had felt that his services and talents rendered him deserving of a +seat in Congress. Lacking these things, he might have hoped that the +practice of his profession would yield him a fortune. Here again he +was disappointed. In seeking the fulfillment of his ambitions, he was +always on the high road to success; he never quite arrived. + +It is remarkable that, having written one successful book, Dana did not +seek further reward as a man of letters. Two Years before the Mast +appeared in 1840, while its author was still a law student. Though at +the time it created no great stir in the United States, it was most +favorably received in England, where it paved the way for many pleasant +and valuable acquaintanceships. The following year, Dana produced a +small volume on seamanship, entitled The Seaman's Friend. This, and a +short account of a trip to Cuba in 1859, constitute the sole additions +to his early venture. He was a copious letter-writer and kept full +journals of his various travels; but he never elaborated them for +publication. Yet, long before his death, he had seen the narrative of +his sailor days recognized as an American classic. Time has not +diminished its reputation. We read it to-day not merely for its +simple, unpretentious style; but for its clear picture of sea life +previous to the era of steam navigation, and for its graphic +description of conditions in California before visions of gold sent the +long lines of "prairie schooners" drifting across the plains to unfold +the hidden destiny of the West. + + +California and her Missions + +It is not easy to realize that, during the stirring days when the +eastern coast-line of North America was experiencing the ferment of +revolution, the Pacific seaboard was almost totally unexplored, its +population largely a savage one. But Spain, long established in +Mexico, was slowly pushing northward along the California coast. Her +emissaries were the Franciscan friars; her method the founding of +Indian missions round which, in due course, should arise towns intended +to afford harbor for Spanish ships and to serve as outposts against the +steady encroachments of Russia, who, from Alaska, was reaching out +toward San Francisco Bay. + +Thus began the white settlement of California. San Diego Mission was +founded in 1769; San Carlos, at Monterey, in 1770; San Francisco, in +1776; Santa Barbara, in 1786. For the general guardianship of these +missions a garrison, or presidio, was in each case provided. It was +responsible not only for the protection of the town thus created, but +for all the missions in the district. The presidio of San Diego, for +example, was in charge of the missions of San Diego, San Gabriel, San +Juan Capistrano, and San Luis Rey. So, likewise, there were garrisons +with extensive jurisdiction at Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San +Francisco. + +The Indians in the immediate vicinity of a mission were attached +thereto by a sort of gentle enslavement. They were provided special +quarters, were carefully looked after by the priests, their religious +education fostered, and their innate laziness conquered by specific +requirements of labor in agriculture, cattle raising, and simple +handicrafts. It was an arrangement which worked well for both parties +concerned. The slavery of the Indians was not unlike the obligation of +children to their parents; they were comfortable, well behaved, and for +the most part contented with the rule of the friars, who, on their +side, began to accumulate considerable wealth from the well-directed +efforts of their charges. + +The supposition was that in the course of years the Indians might +become so habituated to thrift and industry as to be released from +supervision and safely left to their own devices. But that happy +consummation had not occurred when, in 1826, Mexico succeeded in +separating herself from the mother country and began her career as an +independent republic, of which California was a part. Nevertheless, +the greed of politicians suddenly wrought the change which was to have +come as the slow development of years. By governmental decree, the +Indians were declared free of obligation to the friars; the latter were +stripped of their temporal powers, their funds seized under the guise +of a loan, and their establishments often subjected to what was little +short of pillage. This state of affairs had scarcely begun at the time +of the author's visit to California; still, as he points out in Chapter +XXI, the decline of the missions had already set in. + +The final blow to their power and usefulness came, however, with the +upheaval accompanying the Mexican war and the acquisition of California +by the United States. Although this country returned all mission +buildings to the control of the Church, their reason for being had +vanished; they were sold, or destroyed, or feebly maintained on funds +insufficient to forestall dilapidation. Fortunately the Franciscan +friars had built for beauty as well as for use; the architecture which +they devised in skillful adaptation of their native Spanish type +displayed originality and picturesque charm. Hence, of late years, +Californians have come to feel a worthy pride in the monuments of the +early history of their state, and have taken steps to preserve such of +them as survive. No less than twenty-one are today the goal of the +traveller. + +The reader who is interested in pursuing the subject thus outlined will +find its satisfactory treatment in George Wharton James's _In and out +of the old Missions of California,_ a book that combines agreeable +reading with excellent illustrations. + + +References + +The author's life is fully and sympathetically treated in Charles +Francis Adams's Richard Henry Dana. Boston, 1890. + +The most exhaustive history of California and the Pacific coast in +general is H. H. Bancroft's History of the Pacific States of North +America. San Francisco, 1882-1888. A briefer work is Josiah Royce's +California. Boston, 1886. Though this book considers mainly the +transition period, 1846-1856, its introduction gives an excellent +survey of earlier years. F. J. Turner's Rise of the New West, which is +volume XIV of the American Nation, New York, 1907, tells the story of +the development of the whole territory west of the Mississippi. + +Those who are curious to search out all the items of ship construction +will find them adequately illustrated, under the caption, "ship," in +both Standard and Century dictionaries. + + +Explanation of Diagram + +The following diagram, from which many details have been omitted, +presents sufficient data for an understanding of the more important +nautical terms which occur in the text. A number of other such terms +have been explained in the notes. In omitting reference to many more, +the editor has felt that ovarannotation would turn a straightforward +and interesting narrative into a mere excuse for a nautical dictionary, +and quite defeat the purpose of the book. The author's technical +vocabulary, even when most bewildering, serves to give force and the +vividness of local color to his descriptions. To pause in the midst of +a storm at sea for comment and definition would result merely in +checking the movement of the story and putting a damper upon the +imagination. + +Two Years before the Mast affords the teacher a somewhat unusual +opportunity. Few literary works are better calculated to stimulate +inquiry into the remarkable changes which three-quarters of a century +have wrought in the United States. Much profitable class employment in +the drawing of maps and the writing of brief themes dealing with +various phases of the romantic history of California will suggest +itself. The numerous geographical allusions should be traced with the +aid of an atlas. + + | --+-- + --+-- | |j| + /| | --+-- + / |f| | |i| + / +-- ---+--- + / /|e| | | | + / / +--- | | h| + / / | | ----+---- + /a / |d | | | | + /__/ b +---- | | g | + / /_____|c | \__|____\ + /__/ |___| | + \------+----------+------- + \_______________________/ + + a. Flying jib. + b. Jib. + c. Foresail. + d. Foretopsail. + e. Foretopgallantsail. + f. Foreroyal. + g. Mainsail. + h. Maintopsail. + i. Maintopgallantsail. + j. Mainroyal. + + + + | + |B2 + | | |C2 + |A2 6--+-- | + 3--+-- | 9--+-- + | || | + || | || + | 5--+-- | + 2---+--- |B1 |C1 + E --__ |A1 || 8---+--- + --__ || | | + --| 4----+---- || + 1----+---- | 7----+---- G __-- + | | | __-- / + |A |B |C F __-- \ / + D | | | __-- H\/ + ------______|________|________|________--------- + \_______________________________/ + + A. Mizzenmast. + A1. Mizzentopmast. + A2. Mizzentopgallant and royalmast. + B. Mainmast. + B1. Maintopmast. + B2. Maintopgallant and royalmast. + C. Foremast. + C1. Foretopmast. + C2. Foretopgallant and royalmast. + D. Spanker boom. + E. Spanker gaff. + F. Bowsprit. + G. Jib boom and flying jib boom. + H. Martingale boom. + + 1. Crossjack yard. + 2. Mizzentopsail yard. + 3. Mizzentopgallant yard. + 4. Main yard. + 5. Maintopsail yard. + 6. Maintopgallant yard. + 7. Fore yard. + 8. Foretopsail yard. + 9. Foretopgallant yard. + +[Editor: Many more numbered lifts, stays, and braces were left out of +these simplified diagrams. They are intended to be viewed using a +fixed-width font.] + +Each mast section is joined to the lower one in two places: + + | | + | | + ___|_|_ + \_____/ Mast cap. + | | | + | | | + | | | + _|_|_|_ + \_____/ Trestletree. + | | + | | + + +Each mast also sports net-like rigging from the lowest trestletree to +the deck. These are called "shrouds". + + + + + +TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST + + +CONTENTS + + I DEPARTURE + II FIRST IMPRESSIONS--"SAIL HO!" + III SHIP'S DUTIES--TROPICS + IV A ROGUE--TROUBLE ON BOARD--"LAND HO!"--POMPERO--CAPE HORN + V CAPE HORN--A VISIT + VI LOSS OF A MAN--SUPERSTITION + VII JUAN FERNANDEZ--THE PACIFIC + VIII "TARRING DOWN"--DAILY LIFE--"GOING AFT"--CALIFORNIA + IX CALIFORNIA--A SOUTH-EASTER + X A SOUTH-EASTER--PASSAGE UP THE COAST + XI PASSAGE UP THE COAST--MONTEREY + XII LIFE AT MONTEREY + XIII TRADING--A BRITISH SAILOR + XIV SANTA BARBARA--HIDE-DROGHING--HARBOR DUTIES--DISCONTENT--SAN + PEDRO + XV A FLOGGING--A NIGHT ON SHORE--THE STATE OF THINGS ON + BOARD--SAN DIEGO + XVI LIBERTY-DAY ON SHORE + XVII SAN DIEGO--A DESERTION--SAN PEDRO AGAIN--BEATING THE COAST + XVIII EASTER SUNDAY--"SAIL HO!"--WHALES--SAN JUAN--ROMANCE OF + HIDE-DROGHING--SAN DIEGO AGAIN + XIX THE SANDWICH ISLANDERS--HIDE-CURING--WOOD-CUTTING--RATTLE- + SNAKES--NEW-COMERS + XX LEISURE--NEWS FROM HOME--"BURNING THE WATER" + XXI CALIFORNIA AND ITS INHABITANTS + XXII LIFE ON SHORE--THE ALERT + XXIII NEW SHIP AND SHIPMATES--MY WATCHMATE + XXIV SAN DIEGO AGAIN--A DESCENT--HURRIED DEPARTURE--A NEW SHIPMATE + XXV RUMORS OF WAR--A SPOUTER--SLIPPING FOR A SOUTH-EASTER--A GALE + XXVI SAN FRANCISCO--MONTEREY + XXVII THE SUNDAY WASH-UP--ON SHORE--A SET-TO--A GRANDEE--"SAIL + HO!"--A FANDANGO + XXVIII AN OLD FRIEND--A VICTIM--CALIFORNIA RANGERS--NEWS FROM + XXIX LOADING FOR HOME--A SURPRISE--LAST OF AN OLD FRIEND--THE LAST + HIDE--A HARD CASE--UP ANCHOR, FOR HOME!--HOMEWARD BOUND + XXX BEGINNING THE LONG RETURN VOYAGE--A SCARE + XXXI BAD PROSPECTS--FIRST TOUCH OF CAPE HORN--ICEBERGS--TEMPERANCE + SHIPS--LYING-UP--ICE--DIFFICULTY ON BOARD--CHANGE OF + COURSE--STRAITS OF MAGELLAN + XXXII ICE AGAIN--A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON--CAPE HORN--"LAND + HO!"--HEADING FOR HOME + XXXIII CRACKING ON--PROGRESS HOMEWARD--A PLEASANT SUNDAY--A FINE + SIGHT--BY-PLAY + XXXIV NARROW ESCAPES--THE EQUATOR--TROPICAL SQUALLS--A THUNDER STORM + XXXV A DOUBLE-REEF-TOP-SAIL BREEZE--SCURVY--A FRIEND IN + NEED--PREPARING FOR PORT--THE GULF STREAM + XXXVI SOUNDINGS--SIGHTS FROM HOME--BOSTON HARBOR--LEAVING THE SHIP + CONCLUDING CHAPTER + + + + +PREFACE + +I am unwilling to present this narrative to the public without a few +words in explanation of my reasons for publishing it. Since Mr. +Cooper's Pilot and Red Rover, there have been so many stories of +sea-life written, that I should really think it unjustifiable in me to +add one to the number without being able to give reasons in some +measure warranting me in so doing. + +With the single exception, as I am quite confident, of Mr. Ames's +entertaining, but hasty and desultory work, called "Mariner's +Sketches," all the books professing to give life at sea have been +written by persons who have gained their experience as naval officers, +or passengers, and of these, there are very few which are intended to +be taken as narratives of facts. + +Now, in the first place, the whole course of life, and daily duties, +the discipline, habits and customs of a man-of-war are very different +from those of the merchant service; and in the next place, however +entertaining and well written these books may be, and however +accurately they may give sea-life as it appears to their authors, it +must still be plain to every one that a naval officer, who goes to sea +as a gentleman, "with his gloves on," (as the phrase is,) and who +associated only with his fellow-officers, and hardly speaks to a sailor +except through a boatswain's mate, must take a very different view of +the whole matter from that which would be taken by a common sailor. + +Besides the interest which every one must feel in exhibitions of life +in those forms in which he himself has never experienced it; there has +been, of late years, a great deal of attention directed toward common +seamen, and a strong sympathy awakened in their behalf. Yet I believe +that, with the single exception which I have mentioned, there has not +been a book written, professing to give their life and experiences, by +one who has been of them, and can know what their life really is. A +voice from the forecastle has hardly yet been heard. + +In the following pages I design to give an accurate and authentic +narrative of a little more than two years spent as a common sailor, +before the mast, in the American merchant service. It is written out +from a journal which I kept at the time, and from notes which I made of +most of the events as they happened; and in it I have adhered closely +to fact in every particular, and endeavored to give each thing its true +character. In so doing, I have been obliged occasionally to use strong +and coarse expressions, and in some instances to give scenes which may +be painful to nice feelings; but I have very carefully avoided doing +so, whenever I have not felt them essential to giving the true +character of a scene. My design is, and it is this which has induced me +to publish the book, to present the life of a common sailor at sea as +it really is,--the light and the dark together. + +There may be in some parts a good deal that is unintelligible to the +general reader; but I have found from my own experience, and from what +I have heard from others, that plain matters of fact in relation to +customs and habits of life new to us, and descriptions of life under +new aspects, act upon the inexperienced through the imagination, so +that we are hardly aware of our want of technical knowledge. Thousands +read the escape of the American frigate through the British channel, +and the chase and wreck of the Bristol trader in the Red Rover, and +follow the minute nautical manoeuvres with breathless interest, who do +not know the name of a rope in the ship; and perhaps with none the less +admiration and enthusiasm for their want of acquaintance with the +professional detail. + +In preparing this narrative I have carefully avoided incorporating into +it any impressions but those made upon me by the events as they +occurred, leaving to my concluding chapter, to which I shall +respectfully call the reader's attention, those views which have been +suggested to me by subsequent reflection. + +These reasons, and the advice of a few friends, have led me to give +this narrative to the press. If it shall interest the general reader, +and 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. + + R.H.D., Jr. + Boston, July, 1840. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +DEPARTURE + +The fourteenth of August 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 weigh early in the +afternoon, I made my appearance on board at twelve o'clock, in full +sea-rig, and with my chest, containing an outfit for a two or three +year 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 +and study, a weakness of the eyes, which had obliged me to give up my +pursuits, and which no medical aid seemed likely to cure. + +The change from the tight dress coat, silk cap, and kid gloves of an +undergraduate at Cambridge, to the loose duck trowsers, 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 supposed 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 trowsers, 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 peculiar tie to the black silk +neckerchief, with sundry other minutiae, are signs, the want of which +betray the beginner at once. Beside the points in my dress which were +out of the way, doubtless my complexion and hands were enough to +distinguish me from the regular salt, who, with a sun-burnt cheek, wide +step, and rolling gait, swings his bronzed and toughened hands +athwart-ships, half open, 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 preparations 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 salt whom I called to take my place, in stowing +himself snugly away under the long boat, for a nap. That was +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 to take 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 called the captain, I was ordered to call all hands. +How I accomplished this I do not know, but I am quite sure 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 little part in all 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 the windlass, +began, and in a few moments we were under weigh. The noise of the +water thrown from the bows began to be heard, the vessel leaned over +from the damp night breeze, and rolled with the heavy ground swell, and +we had actually begun our long, long journey. This was literally +bidding "good night" to my native land. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +FIRST IMPRESSIONS--"SAIL HO!" + +The first day we passed at sea was the Sabbath. 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 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've got to do is to obey your orders and do your +duty like men,--then you'll fare well enough;--if you don't, you'll +fare hard enough,--I can tell you. If we pull together, you'll find me +a clever fellow; if we don't, you'll find me a bloody rascal.--That's +all I've got to say.--Go below, the larboard watch!" + +I being in the starboard or second mate's watch, had the opportunity of +keeping the first watch at sea. S----, 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 counting-room in Boston, we +found that we had many friends and topics in common. We talked these +matters over,--Boston, what our friends were probably doing, our +voyage, etc., until he went to take his turn at the look-out, and left +me to myself. I had now a fine time 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 leaving. + +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 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 +built 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 upon 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 upon +the sails, expecting every moment to hear the cry of "all hands, ahoy," +which the approaching storm would soon make necessary. I shortly heard +the rain-drops 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, the trampling of feet, the creaking of 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 loud 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 were +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 sledge-hammer, and flying over the deck, drenching us completely +through. The topsail halyards had been let go, and the great sails +filling out and backing against the masts with a noise like thunder. +The wind was whistling through the rigging, loose ropes 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 sick, with hardly strength enough to hold on +to anything, and it was "pitch dark." This was my state 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. 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 the 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 as good as an emetic. + +This state of things continued for two days. + +Wednesday, Aug. 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 sun-rise at sea; but it will not compare with the sun-rise on +shore. It wants the accompaniments of the songs of birds, the awakening +hum of men, and the glancing of the first beams upon trees, hills, +spires, and house-tops, to give it life and spirit. But though the +actual rise of the sun at sea is not so beautiful, yet nothing will +compare with the early breaking of day upon the wide ocean. + +There is something in the first grey 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 you, and gives one a feeling of loneliness, of dread, and of +melancholy foreboding, which nothing else in nature can give. 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 head-pump!" I found that no time was +allowed for day-dreaming, but that we must "turn-to" at the first +light. Having called up the "idlers," namely carpenter, cook, steward, +etc., and rigged the pump, we commenced 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, and coiled up the rigging, I sat down on +the spars, waiting for seven bells, which was the sign for breakfast. +The officer, seeing my lazy posture, ordered me to slush the main-mast, +from the royal-mast-head, down. The vessel was then rolling a little, +and I had taken no sustenance 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 of backwardness, that 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 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 sea 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 +speak of 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. We had a watch +below until noon, so that I had some time to myself; and getting a huge +piece of strong, cold, salt beef from the cook, I 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 +always have since, that it exceeds every other sight in interest and +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, Aug. 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 anxious, 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 curvetting 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 lunged her head into the sea, and then, +her stern settling gradually down, her huge bows rose up, showing the +bright copper, and her stern, and bresthooks 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 north-west coast of +America, five days out. She then filled away and left us to plough on +through our waste of waters. 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. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +SHIP'S DUTIES--TROPICS + +As we had now a long "spell" of fine weather, without any incident to +break the monotony of our lives, there can be no better place to +describe 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, and 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. When +there are no passengers and no supercargo, as in our vessel, he has no +companion but his own dignity, and no pleasures, unless he differs from +most of his kind, but 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 quarter-master. 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's is proverbially a dog's berth. He is neither officer +nor man. The men do not respect him as an officer, and 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. 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, etc. +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 the 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 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 on 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. If, for instance, the chief mate with the larboard watch have +the first night-watch from eight to twelve; at the end of the four +hours, the starboard watch is called, and the second mate takes 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; +having what is called the morning watch. As they will have been on +deck eight hours out of the twelve, while those who had the middle +watch--from twelve to four, will only have been up four hours, they +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 +alteration of watches is kept up throughout the twenty-four hours; but +our ship, like most merchantmen, had "all hands" from twelve o'clock +till dark, except in bad weather, when we had "watch and watch." + +An explanation of the "dog watches" may, perhaps, be of use to one who +has never been at sea. They are to shift the watches each night, so +that the same watch need not be on deck at the same hours. In order to +effect this, the watch from four to eight, P.M., is divided into two +half, or dog 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 is 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 other watch goes below. + +The morning commences with the watch on deck's "turning-to" at +day-break 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 sun-down, 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 very natural +mistake, and being very frequently made, it 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. Except at these +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 always 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 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--both 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 two or +three 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, +etc.--are made on board. The owners of a vessel buy up incredible +quantities of "old junk," which the sailors unlay, 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 them +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 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 altering another. You cannot stay a mast +aft by the back stays, without slacking up the head stays, etc. 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 fur dry;--" + +the merchants and captain think that they 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 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 in constant +employ during good weather on board vessels which are in, what is +called, perfect sea order. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A ROGUE--TROUBLE ON BOARD--"LAND HO!"--POMPERO--CAPE HORN + +After speaking the Carolina, on the 21st 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, far 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, Sept. 7th. Fell in with the north-east 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 Sabbaths 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 trowsers, 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 trowsers again, and +prepare for six days of labor. + +To enhance the value of the Sabbath 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 friends of his crew by allowing them duff twice a week +on the passage home. + +On board some vessels this 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 north-east 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 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 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 and altering +our course four points, we hoped to get out of her reach. We had no +light in the binnacle, but 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 long. 24 deg. 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 F----, 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. F---- (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 sailor of." He was one of that +class of officers who are disliked by their captain and despised by the +crew. He used to hold long yarns with the crew, and talk about 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 it in every way possible, 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. +F----, who commanded our watch, to keep a bright look-out. 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 very quietly 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 the 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 +F---- was no longer an officer on board, and that we might choose one +of our own number for second mate. It is usual for the captain to make +this offer, and it is very 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 +near the Kennebee, 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." F---- 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 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 25º 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 kept off before the wind, leaving the land on our +quarter, and at sun-down, 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; 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 south-west, +called Pomperos, 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 look-out, +and if they saw lightning at the south-west, 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 south-west, and in about ten minutes we saw a +distinct flash. The wind, which had been south-east, 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 quarter 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 +job, set the fore-top-mast 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, that I had seen, 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 south-westers. +Towards sun-down the gale moderated a little, and it began to clear off +in the south-west. 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 every necessary preparation. + +Tuesday, Nov. 4th. At day-break, 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 north-east. These were +the Falkland Islands. We had run between them and the main land of +Patagonia. At sun-set the second mate, who was at the masthead, 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, top-mast 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!" etc., 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 forwards!" "Lay yourselves aft!" etc. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CAPE HORN--A VISIT + +Wednesday, Nov. 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. These are first seen, just above the horizon, soon after crossing +the southern tropic. When off Cape Horn, they are nearly overhead. The +cross is composed of four stars in that form, and is said to be the +brightest constellation 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 sun-down, 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 south-west, and +blackening the whole heavens. "Here comes the 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 moments, a heavier sea was raised than I had +ever seen before, 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-hole 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 all 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 the 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 down upon the vessel--the wind continuing to break 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 sun-rise, and the wind +becoming more fair, we again made sail and stood nearly up to our +course. + +Thursday, Nov. 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 top-sails, balance-reefed trysail, and fore +top-mast stay-sail. 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 S---- nor myself 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 knock masts out of her. + +Friday, Nov. 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 there is always such a high sea running, and the periods of +calm are 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 +it 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, surrounded by 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 over 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 peculiar +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 perfectly still, so that there was nothing to break the illusion, +and I stood leaning over the bulwarks, listening to the slow breathing +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 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 sun-down 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 forespenser. 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, Nov. 8th. This day commenced with calm and thick fog, and +ended with hail, snow, a violent wind, and close-reefed topsails. + +Sunday, Nov. 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 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 +south-west; 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 to almost 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. An old Swede, (the best sailor on board,) +who belonged on the forecastle, sprang out upon the bowsprit. Another +one must go: I was near the mate, and sprang forward, threw the +down-haul 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 we 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 of 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 +coming up, dripping from the water, we were raised high into the air. +John (that was the sailor's name) 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. The weather +continued nearly the same through the night. + +Monday, Nov. 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, Nov. 11th. The same. + +Wednesday, Nov. 12th. The same. + +Thursday, Nov. 13th. 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 steer and to stand our watch. Our clothes were all wet +through, and the only change was from wet to more wet. 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 out our wet clothes, hang them up, and turn in +and sleep as soundly as we could, until the watch was called again. A +sailor can sleep anywhere--no sound of wind, water, 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 quite 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 always the +life of the crew, but whom we afterwards lost overboard, standing for +nearly ten minutes at the galley, with this 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 of 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 sailors 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 getting down +the steps, when a heavy sea, lifting the stern out of water, and +passing forward, dropping it down 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 make a serious matter of it. + +Friday, Nov. 14th. We were now well to the westward of the Cape and +were changing our course to the northward as much as we dared, since +the strong south-west winds, which prevailed then, carried us in toward +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 royal +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 trowsers, and, except a sun-burnt 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 on board, which lasted, +with but little intermission, for four hours. It was all about himself, +and the Peruvian government, and the Dublin frigate, and 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 pig-sty, and said +he wished he was back again tending his father's pigs. + +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 which I had read of it, 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 a huge billow, 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. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +LOSS OF A MAN--SUPERSTITION + +Monday, Nov. 19th. 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 left it to throw +something overboard, and 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 heave 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, a young English sailor, +who was prized by the officers as an active lad and willing seaman, and +by the crew as a lively, hearty fellow, and a good shipmate. He was +going aloft to fit a strap round the main top-mast-head, 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 the hope 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 +vessel. + +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; +but 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 excuse them 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 their Sabbaths 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. + +We had hardly returned on board with our sad report, before an auction +was held of the poor man's clothes. 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 her 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 universal custom, established for convenience, that the captain +should immediately 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 trowsers in which we had seen him dressed but a few days +before, 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 the unusual behavior +of men before death. From this he went on to other superstitions, the +Flying Dutchman, etc., 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 in a vessel at the Sandwich Islands, 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 ho!" said he; "I've seen too much of them men to want to see 'em +'board a ship. If they can't have their 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, +whom he had had some hard words with 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, 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. + +"There," said the cook, "what do you think 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. + +"Oh," says he, "go 'way! You think, 'cause you been to college, you +know better than anybody. You know better than them as 'as seen it +with their own eyes. You wait till you've been to sea as long as I +have, and you'll know." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +JUAN FERNANDEZ--THE PACIFIC + +We continued sailing along with a fair wind and fine weather until +Tuesday, Nov. 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 sun-down, 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 every point 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 were continually bracing the yards about +for every puff that struck us, until about 12 o'clock, when we came-to +in 40 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 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 Spanish soldiers, who were stationed +over some convicts confined in caves nearly halfway 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, +etc., 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-place, 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 an hundred in number, the best of them built of mud +and white washed, but the greater part only Robinson Crusoe like--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 forget how my friend S---- and myself got the laugh of the +crew upon us for our eagerness to get on shore. The captain having +ordered the quarter-boat to be lowered, we both 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 a +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 the 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, abounded 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 any 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, fruits, etc. Knives +also were 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 sort of Botany Bay for nearly two years; and the governor--an +Englishman who had entered the Chilian navy--with a priest, half a +dozen task-masters, 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 halfway up, with +mule-tracks leading to them, whence they were taken by day and set to +work under task-masters 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 driving--or rather, driven--about, at a +rapid trot, in single file, with burdens on their shoulders, and +followed up by their task-masters, with long rods in their hands, and +broadbrimmed 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. + +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 grey 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 have always regretted +that I did not bring away other specimens of the products of the +island, having afterwards lost all that I had with me--the piece of +sandal wood, 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 book. + +About an hour before sun-down, having stowed our water casks, we +commenced getting under weigh, and were not a little while about it; +for we were in thirty fathoms water, and in one of the gusts which came +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 tipped 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 bid 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, altogether 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 their 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 +peculiar 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 33º 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 bay, 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 south-west, on which side are +the highest mountains, it is considered very 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 few minutes 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, +breams, 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 +immediately 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 people upon the face of the earth; 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 great 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 at 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 very glowing 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 south-westerly 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 unpracticed 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, Nov. 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 + +"TARRING DOWN"--DAILY LIFE--"GOING AFT"--CALIFORNIA + +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 doing on board. We caught the south-east trades, and run +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 from 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. This was my first +essay at this latter business, and I had enough of it; for nearly all +of it came upon my friend S---- and myself. The men were needed at the +other work, and M----, the other young man who came out with us, was +laid up with the rheumatism in his feet, and the boy 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 +nearly all the tarring came upon us. We put on short duck frocks, and +taking a small bucket of tar and a bunch of oakum in our hands we 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 came +upon two of us, and we were new at the business, it took us several +days. In this operation they always begin at the mast-head and work +down, tarring the shrouds, back-stays, standing parts of the lifts, the +ties, runners, etc., 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 a +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 "sings 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 thinks only of leaving no +holydays, (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 eye-lids 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 trowsers 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 commenced 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 the shark, swimming alongside of us. The captain was +leaning over the rail watching him, and we quietly went on with our +work. In the midst of our painting, on + +Friday, Dec. 19th, we crossed the equator for the second time. I had +the feeling 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, and, as I afterwards +was, beating about among ice and snow on the fourth of July. + +Thursday, Dec. 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 this 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 a thousand 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 state 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 this midst of this state of things, my messmate S---- and myself +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,--and 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, (i.e. complain,) 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 sailor's +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, +etc., 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, eaten of their dish and drank +of their cup. 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 that art 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 a 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 eloquence 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 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 that made us find +fault. This provoked us, and we began to give word for word. This +would never answer. He clenched his fist, stamped and swore, and sent +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! You've mistaken +your man. I'm F---- T----, 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, good when it's hot, but when it's cold, sour and +indigestible;--and you'll find me so!" The latter part of the harangue +I remember well, for it made a strong impression, and the "down-east +johnny-cake" became a by-word for the rest of the voyage. 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 +discomforted. 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 north-east 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 +light-houses and but indifferent charts, and at daybreak on the morning +of + +Tuesday, Jan 13th, 1835, we made the land at Point Conception, lat 34º +32' N., long 120º 06' W. The port of Santa Barbara, to which we were +bound, lying about sixty miles to the southward of this point, we +continued sailing down the coast during the day and following night, +and on the next morning, + +Jan. 14th, 1835, we came to anchor in the spacious bay of Santa +Barbara, after a voyage of one hundred and fifty days from Boston. + + +[1] Haze is a word of frequent use on board ship, and never, I believe, +used elsewhere. It is very expressive to a sailor, and means to punish +by hard work. Let an officer once say, "I'll haze you," and your fate +is fixed. You will be "worked up," if you are not a better man than he +is. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +CALIFORNIA--A SOUTH-EASTER + +California extends along nearly the whole of the western coast of +Mexico, between the gulf of California in the south and the bay of Sir +Francis Drake 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. 32º 39', and the +northernmost, San Francisco, situated in the large bay discovered by +Sir Francis Drake, in lat. 37º 58', and called after him by the +English, though the Mexicans call it Yerba Buena. 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 commence its traffic. +We were to trade upon this coast exclusively, and therefore expected to +go to Monterey at first; 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 lives there, and 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 St. Buena Ventura on the south,) +which here bends in like a crescent, and three large islands opposite +to it and at the distance of twenty miles. This is 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 south-east and north-west winds, that it is little +better than an open roadstead; and the whole swell of the Pacific ocean +rolls in here before a SOUTH-EASTER, and breaks with so heavy a surf in +the shallow waters, that it is highly dangerous to lie near to the +shore during the SOUTH-EASTER season; that is, between the months of +November and April. + +This wind (the SOUTH-EASTER) 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 SOUTH-EASTER +season, we accordingly 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 is long to pass in +sight and out of reach of land. We spent the day on board in the usual +avocations; 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 spend a year or two of +our lives in. + +In the first place, it was a beautiful day, and so warm that we had on +straw hats, duck trowsers, and all the summer gear; and as this was +mid-winter, 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 south-easterly 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 ground swell broke into a heavy surf upon the beach. There was +only one vessel in the port--a long, sharp brig of about 300 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, the +Sandwich Islands, and California. She was a fast sailer, as we +frequently afterwards perceived, 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 +SOUTH-EASTER; the other is high, bold, and well wooded, and, we were +told, has a mission upon it, called St. 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, +flat 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 a collection of buildings, in the centre of +which is a high tower, with a belfry of five bells; and 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 brown clay--some of them plastered--with red tiles on the +roofs. I should judge that there were about an 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 certainly +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 before, and they had not +yet grown up 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 sun-down 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 just after us, +came alongside of us, with a crew of dusky Sandwich Islanders, talking +and halooing 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 +stern of our boat nearly perpendicular, and again dropping it 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 that the +boat touched the beach, and then seizing hold of her and running her up +high and dry upon the sand. We saw, at once, how it was to be done, +and also the necessity of keeping the boat "stern on" to the sea; for +the instant the sea should strike upon her broad-side or quarter, she +would be driven up broad-side-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 gunwale, ready to spring out and +seize her when she struck, the officer using his utmost strength to +keep her stern on. We were shot up upon the beach like an arrow from a +bow, and seizing the boat, ran her up high and dry, and soon picked up +our oars, and 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 long card-house falls when the children knock down the +cards 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 into +the water so far that every large sea might float her, and two of them, +with their trowsers 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, where 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 woolen caps. "Look here, +Bill, and see what you're coming to!" said one of our men to another +who stood by the boat. "Well, D----," said the second mate to me, +"this does not look much like Cambridge college, does it? This is what +I call 'head work.'" To tell the truth, it did not look very +encouraging. + +After they had got through with the hides, they laid hold of the bags +of tallow, (the bags are made of hide, and are about the size of a +common meal bag,) and lifting each upon the shoulders of two men, one +at each end, walked off with them to the boat, and 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 after oars sat upon their benches, with their oars shipped, +ready to strike out as soon as she was afloat. The two men at the bows +kept their places; and when, at length, a large sea came in and floated +her, seized hold of the gunwale, and ran out with her till they were up +to their armpits, and then tumbled over the gunwale 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 the captain is generally called, to come down. In a few +minutes we heard something coming towards us. It was a man on +horseback. He came up on the full gallop, reined up near us, addressed +a few words to us, and receiving no answer, wheeled around and galloped +off again. He was nearly as dark as an Indian, with a large Spanish +hat, blanket cloak or surreppa, 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 Tom, "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 came up, 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, +etc., 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, and all hands were to be called +at daybreak, and the word was passed to keep a bright look-out, and to +call the mate if it should come on to blow from the south-east. 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, etc., 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 coming 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 this 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 rely 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 is wanting in both 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 officer is too easy and familiar with the crew, then he begins +to interfere in all the duties, and to draw the reins tauter, and the +crew have to suffer. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A SOUTH-EASTER--PASSAGE UP THE COAST + +This night, after sundown, it looked black at the southward and +eastward, and we were told to keep a bright look-out. Expecting to be +called up, 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 up from the south-east, and 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, expecting an instant summons. In +a few minutes it came--three knocks on the scuttle, and "All hands +ahoy! bear-a-hand up and make sail." We sprang up for our clothes, and +were about halfway 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 laid down to man the sheets. While sheeting home, we saw +the Ayacucho standing athwart our bows, sharp upon the wind, cutting +through the head sea like a knife, with her raking masts and 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 the topsails had been sheeted home, the head yards +braced aback, the fore-top-mast 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 +timber-heads. "All ready forward?" asked the captain. "Aye, aye, sir; +all ready," answered the mate. "Let go!" "All gone, sir;" and the +iron 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 weigh. 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 very 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 sprang aloft, double reefed each +topsail, furled the foresail, and double reefed the trysail, and were +soon under easy sail. In those cases of slipping for south-easters, +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 often over in twelve hours; but +the wind never comes back to the southward until there has been a good +deal of rain fallen. "Go below the watch," said the mate; but here was +a dispute which watch it should be, which the mate soon however settled +by sending his watch below, saying that we should have our turn the +next time we got under weigh. 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 south-wester 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 and heavy +rain; and it was well that he did; for in a few minutes it fell dead +calm, the vessel lost her steerage-way, and 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 +north-west, 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 anxious 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 in 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 fair 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 up to it. This picking up your +cables is a very nice piece of work. It requires some seamanship to do +it, and 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 captain, 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, the +captain 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 sun-down 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. R----, and some other passengers, were +going to Monterey with us, and that we were to sail the same night. In +a few minutes Captain T----, with two gentlemen and one female, 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 had married +the lady who was in the boat. She was a delicate, dark-complexioned +young woman, and of one of the best families in 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 +weigh, and going with a fair wind up the coast to Monterey. The +Loriotte got under weigh 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. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +PASSAGE UP THE COAST--MONTEREY + +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 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 sky-sails, but kept the weather +studding-sails on her, bracing the yards forward so that the +swinging-boom nearly touched the sprit-sail yard. She now lay over to +it, the wind was freshening, and the captain was evidently "dragging on +to her." His brother and Mr. R----, looking a little squally, said +something to him, but he only answered that he knew the vessel and what +she would carry. He was evidently showing off his vessel, 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 Spanish 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 sprit-sail 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 sprang 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, D----, 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 royal-mast lay over at a fearful angle +with the mast 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 over to leeward, +the lee leach was over the yard-arm, and the sky-sail was all adrift +and flying over 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 every direction. 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 were mad, the seas +flying over her, and the masts leaning over at an angle of forty-five +degrees from the vertical. At the other royal-mast-head was S----, +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 +top-sails 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 an 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 +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 at sea +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;) and I will own there was a pleasant feeling of +superiority in being able to walk the deck, and eat, and go about, and +comparing 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 seasick; he is too apt to be conscious of a +comparison favorable to his own manhood. After a few days we made the +land at Point Pinos, (pines,) 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 very fertile. + +The bay of Monterey is very 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 south-eastern +extremity, and about eighteen miles from the points, which makes 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 south-easters. 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 plastered, which gives a much better +effect than those of Santa Barbara, which are of a mud-color. The red +tiles, too, on the roofs, contrasted well with the white plastered +sides and with the extreme greenness of the lawn upon which the +houses--about an 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, or fences, (except here and there a +small patch was fenced in for a garden,) so that the houses are placed +at random upon the green, which, 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 when 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 SOUTH-EASTER; landing in a high surf; +with a little dark-looking town, a mile from the beach; and not a sound +to be heard, or anything to be seen, but Sandwich Islanders, 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. +Beside all this, 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 duck-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 in the country. + +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 +would do it, and got him to ask the mate to send me up the first time +they were struck. Accordingly I was called upon, and went up, +repeating the operations over in my mind, taking care to get everything +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 + +LIFE AT MONTEREY + +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 day on land, 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 topmast, which had been sprung, was to +come down, and a new one to go up, and top-gallant and royal-masts, and +the rigging to be set up. This was too bad. If there is anything that +irritates sailors and makes them feel hardly used, it is being deprived +of their Sabbath. Not that they would always, or indeed generally, +spend it religiously, but it is their only day of rest. Then, too, +they are 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, +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 to get +something which he had forgotten; 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 uphill 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 our work soon, we +might have a boat in the afternoon and go 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 F----, (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 sun-down, 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 overhauling the +cargo, manifest, etc. + +The Mexican revenue laws are very strict, and require the whole cargo +to be landed, examined, and taken on board again; but our agent, Mr. +R----, had succeeded in compounding with them for the two last vessels, +and saving the trouble of taking the cargo ashore. The officers were +dressed in the costume which we found prevailed through the country. A +broad-brimmed hat, usually of a black or dark-brown color, with a gilt +or figured band round the crown, and lined inside 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 wide, straight, and long, usually of velvet, 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 +cloak, and you have the dress of the Californian. This last garment, +the cloak, is always a mark of the rank and wealth of the owner. The +"gente de razon," or aristocracy, 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 +something like a large table-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 slaves +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 pocket, and absolutely suffering for something to +eat. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +TRADING--A BRITISH SAILOR + +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 M----, 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 the business, having been clerk in a +counting-house in Boston. He had been troubled for some time with the +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, tinware, cutlery, clothing of all kinds, boots +and shoes from Lynn, calicoes and cottons from Lowell, crepes, silks; +also shawls, scarfs, necklaces, jewelry, and combs for the ladies; +furniture; and in fact, everything that can be imagined, from Chinese +fire-works to English cart-wheels--of which we had a dozen pairs with +their iron rims on. + +The Californians are an idle, thriftless people, and can make nothing +for themselves. The country abounds in grapes, yet they buy bad wines +made in Boston and brought round by us, at an immense price, and retail +it among themselves at a real (121/2 cents) by the small wine-glass. +Their hides, too, which they value at two dollars in money, they give +for something which costs seventy-five cents in Boston; and buy shoes +(like as not, made of their own hides, and which have been carried +twice around Cape Horn) at three or four dollars, and "chicken-skin" +boots at fifteen dollars apiece. 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 the intent, 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, and who have a permanent agent on the coast. + +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, etc.,--made after the European style, except that the +sleeves were short, leaving the arm bare, and that they were loose +about the waist, having no corsets. 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 their rank; or, in other words, upon the amount of Spanish +blood they can lay claim to. 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 offices, have +settled here upon property which they have acquired; and others who +have been banished for state offences. These form the aristocracy; +inter-marrying, and keeping up an exclusive system in every respect. +They can be told by their complexions, dress, manner, and also by their +speech; for, calling themselves Castilians, they are very ambitious of +speaking the pure Castilian language, which 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 them from the rank of +slaves, and entitle them to a suit of clothes--boots, hat, cloak, +spurs, long knife, and all complete, though coarse and dirty as may +be,--and to call themselves Espanolos, and to hold property, if they +can get any. + +The fondness for dress among the women is excessive, and is often the +ruin of many of them. A present of a fine mantle, or of a necklace or +pair of ear-rings, gains the favor of the greater part of them. +Nothing is more common than to see a woman living in a house of only +two rooms, and 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 +vessels, examining the fine clothes and ornaments, and frequently made +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 with 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 +an 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 that was in +circulation. I certainly never saw so much silver at one time in my +life, 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. They have no circulating medium but silver and hides--which +the sailors call "California bank notes." Everything that they buy they +must pay for in one or the other of these things. 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, eighty, or an +hundred dollars and half dollars. + +I had never studied Spanish while 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 been at college and knew Latin, I got the +name of a great linguist, and was always sent for by the captain and +officers to get provisions, or to carry letters and messages to +different parts of the town. I was often sent to get 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 got the word from him; +and then, by signs, and the help of my Latin and French, 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 plastered +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 the chief military officer, and has charge of +the fort, and of all transactions with foreigners and foreign vessels; +and two or three alcaldes and corregidores, elected by the inhabitants, +who are the civil officers. Courts and jurisprudence they have no +knowledge of. 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 him, upon personal +inspection, if he is near; or upon minutes sent by the proper officers, +if the offender is at a distant place. No Protestant has any civil +rights, nor can he hold any property, or, indeed, remain more than a +few weeks on shore, unless he belong to some vessel. Consequently, the +Americans and English who intend to remain here become Catholics, to a +man; 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 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 cemented together by mortar 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 plastered 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 of some material or other, and +small daubs of paintings enclosed in glass, and representing some +miracle or martyrdom. They have no chimneys or fire-places in the +houses, the climate being such as to make a fire unnecessary; and all +their cooking is done in a small cook-house, separated from the house. +The Indians, as I have said before, do all the hard work, two or three +being attached to each 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 males; and a coarse gown, +without shoes or stockings, for the females. + +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 Catholic 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 vessels. 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 generally suspicious of foreigners, and they +would not be allowed to remain, were it not that they become good +Catholics, and by marrying natives, and bringing up their children as +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 both 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 get 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 getting on 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, etc.; but as we were not ashore during any +holyday, we saw nothing of it. Monterey is also a great place for +cock-fighting, gambling of all sorts, fandangos, and every kind 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 every sort of amusement and dissipation, +until they have wasted their time and their money, and go back, +stripped of everything. + +Nothing but the character of the people prevents Monterey from becoming +a great 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 from 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 very 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 is said to +have great 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, 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 +quick 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 useless in cold weather. In their dress they are +precisely like our sailors. In addition to these Islanders, the vessel +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 all 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, they +were like the Irishman's pig, which would not stay to be counted, 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 trowsers +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 +he had 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 did. +This 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 the crucifixion, and on the other the sign of the +"foul anchor." + +He was very 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; +but so it is. Some people 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 holyday. The people on shore dressed themselves 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 cidevant +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 they get their liberty. 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 F---- 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 +F----. He walked forward, sprang 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 most +surprising manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SANTA BARBARA--HIDE-DROGHING--HARBOR DUTIES--DISCONTENT--SAN PEDRO + +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, running 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 off 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 SOUTH-EASTER tacks aboard again,--slip-ropes, buoy-ropes, sails +furled with reefs in them, and rope-yarns for gaskets. We lay here +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 +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 always brought down dry, or they would 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 highwater mark; and +then we rake 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 are 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 found 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 they 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 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 themselves down in the sand, trying to swing a large hide upon +their 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 we had got our heads used to the weight, and 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, +always went barefooted on this duty, as no shoes could stand such +constant wetting with salt water. Then, too, we had a long 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 grey 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 trowsers and paddle about decks barefooted, like the +rest of the crew. The washing, swabbing, squilgeeing, etc., 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 ges-warps, 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 always 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 done. There is a good deal of the latter kind of work which can +only be done when the vessel is in port;--and then everything 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 meal times, from daylight till dark; and at night an +"anchor-watch" is kept, which consists of only two at a time; the whole +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 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, etc., 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 does much toward creating the preference sailors +usually show for religious vessels. We were well satisfied if we got +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 bring them off, which usually took half a day; and 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 star-light, 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 it 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; had collected 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, and collect our own cargo. Here was a gloomy prospect +before us, indeed. The California had been twenty months on the coast, +and the Lagoda, a smaller ship, 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 India-man, 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 them; 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 would 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 college +and a profession would be in vain to think of; and I made up my mind +that, feel as I might, a sailor I must be, and to be master of a +vessel, must be the height of my ambition. + +Beside the length of the voyage, and the hard and exposed life, we were +at the ends of the earth; on a coast almost solitary; 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 we were 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 +good for the mate of a merchantman. He was not the man to call a +sailor a "son of a b---h," and knock him down with a handspike. He +wanted the energy and spirit for such a voyage as ours, and for such a +captain. Captain T---- 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, and being perhaps too easy with the crew, +he was dissatisfied with him, became suspicious that discipline was +getting relaxed, and began to interfere in everything. He drew the +reins tauter; 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 everything 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 every respect 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, feel 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 entirely at the mercy of a +hard master, made the captain feel, 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 things lighter and +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 contrary 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 got 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 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 look-out. This is what +is called "hazing" a crew, and "working their old iron up." + +While lying at Santa Barbara, we encountered another SOUTH-EASTER; and, +like the first, it came on in the night; the great black clouds coming +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 weigh 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 Halifax, 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 staid at Santa Barbara, and sent +our boat down for the hides. The land was of a clayey consistency, 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 +south-easters, were got ready; and there was reason enough for it, for +we lay exposed to every wind that could blow, except the north-west, +and that came over a flat country with a range 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 sea-weed, +lying bare for the distance of nearly an eighth of a mile. Picking our +way barefooted over these, we came to what is called the landing-place, +at high-water mark. The soil was as 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 trowsers +and a red baize shirt. When they came down to us, we found that they +were Englishmen, and they told us that they had belonged to a small +Mexican brig which had been driven ashore here in a SOUTH-EASTER, and +now lived in a small house just over the hill. Going up this hill with +them, we saw, just behind it, a small, low building, with one room, +containing a fire-place, cooking apparatus, etc., 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 up, 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, supplying 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 was the best place on the whole coast for hides. 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 Angelos--the largest town in +California--and several of the wealthiest missions; to all of which San +Pedro was the sea-port. + +Having made our 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 aboard. By the time we reached the vessel, which was +so far off that we could hardly see her, in the increasing darkness, +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 all 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 SOUTH-EASTERs. 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, etc., etc. + +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 also to load again with our own goods; the lazy Indians, who came +down with them, squatting down 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 down, letting them slide over the +slope. Many of them lodged, and we had to let ourselves down and set +them agoing again; and in this way got covered with dust, and our +clothes torn. After we had got them 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 my friend S----, to the main, +and we soon had them down "ship-shape and Bristol fashion," for, as we +had now got 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 + +A FLOGGING--A NIGHT ON SHORE--THE STATE OF THINGS ON BOARD--SAN DIEGO + +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 sword's 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, and was rather slow in his motions, but +was a pretty good sailor, and always seemed to do his best; but 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 Russell and myself 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 up, 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. A----! 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, and after +repeated orders 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 him, 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 the shrouds, 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 bight 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 and eaten with +for months, and knew almost as well as a brother. The first and almost +uncontrollable impulse was resistance. But what was to be done? The +time for it had gone by. The two best men were fast, and there were +only two beside myself, and a small boy of ten or twelve years of age. +And then there were (beside the captain) three officers, steward, agent +and clerk. 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, they are pirates for life. If a sailor resist his +commander, he resists the law, and piracy or submission are his only +alternatives. Bad as it was, 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 he was loose, he ran forward to the forecastle. +"Bring that man aft," shouted the captain. The second mate, who had +been a shipmate of John's, 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 he soon +threw him from him. At this moment I would have given worlds for the +power to help the poor fellow; but it was all in vain. The captain +stood on the quarter-deck, bare-headed, 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!" etc., +etc. The mate now went forward and told John quietly to go aft; and +he, seeing resistance in 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 +began to resist; but the mate and Russell holding him, he was soon +seized up. When he was made fast, he turned to the captain, who stood +turning 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--"Oh, Jesus Christ! Oh, Jesus Christ!" + +"Don't call on Jesus Christ," shouted the captain; "he can't help you. +Call on Captain T----, 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, and horror-struck, I turned away +and leaned over the rail, and looked down into the water. A few rapid +thoughts of my own situation, and of the prospect of future revenge, +crossed my mind; but the falling of the blows and the cries of the man +called me back at once. At length they ceased, and turning round, I +found that the mate, at a signal from the captain had cut him down. +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 negro-driver! I'll see who'll tell me he isn't a negro +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 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, staid 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 Indian blood-hounds, 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 a +moment; the dim, swinging lamp of the forecastle shed its light over +the dark hole in which we lived; and many and various reflections and +purposes coursed through my mind. I thought of our situation, living +under a tyranny; of the character of the country we were in; of the +length of the voyage, and of the uncertainty attending our return to +America; and then, if we should return, of the prospect of obtaining +justice and satisfaction for these poor men; and vowed that if God +should ever give me the means, I would do something to redress the +grievances and relieve the sufferings of that poor class of beings, of +whom I then was one. + +The next day was Sunday. We worked as usual, washing decks, etc., +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, desolate-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 to me, +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 interesting 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 thing in California from which I could ever extract +anything like poetry. 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 waterways 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 "treinta uno," a sort of +Spanish "everlasting." I left them and went out to take up my bivouack +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 coati (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 hills 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, I thought it was the most melancholy, boding sound I +had ever heard. Through nearly all the night they kept it up, +answering one another slowly, at regular intervals. This was relieved +by the noisy coati, 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, etc. This, +they told me, was a worse harbor than Santa Barbara, for SOUTH-EASTERs; +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 from 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 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 delicacy and a sense of honor, which would +have been worthy of admiration in the highest walks of life. Sam knew +that the other 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 that he never could see that man without thinking +what had been the means of bringing that 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. + +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 discovered better than in getting under weigh. + +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!" 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!" etc., etc.; but it would not do. Nobody +broke his back or his hand-spike 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 +"Cheerily, 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 +'Cheerily!'" said the mate; but there was no "cheerily" for us, and we +did without it. The captain walked the quarterdeck, 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 Campestrano, under which vessels +sometimes come to anchor, in the summer season, and take off hides. The +most distant one was St. Louis Rey, which the third mate said was only +fifteen miles from San Diego. 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 anxious 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 the 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 ran 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 on to 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, between +fifty and sixty years of age; and being nearly 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, +"Oh no! Captain T----, 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 old 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 soon 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 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 the captain down the companion-way--"Captain T---- has come +aboard, sir!" "Has he brought his brig with him?" said the rough old +fellow, in a tone which made itself heard fore and aft. This mortified +our captain a little, and it became a standing joke among us 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! 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 "wood-sawyer'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 with 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 with our +captain. They were a hardy, but intelligent crew; a little roughened, +and their clothes patched and old, from California wear; all able +seamen, and between the ages of twenty and thirty-five. They inquired +about our vessel, the usage, etc., 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 curing +and stowing of hides, etc. and they were anxious 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, nor, indeed, more gross, than that of many well-dressed +gentlemen at their clubs. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +LIBERTY-DAY ON SHORE + +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 trowsers got out and brushed; pumps, neckerchiefs, and hats +overhauled; one lending to another; so that among the whole each one +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 the Sabbath; 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 on a Sunday. It is too much like escaping from prison, or 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 perfect. 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. My friend S---- 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, and when we were free 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. + +S---- and myself 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 may 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 trowsers, blue jacket and straw hat, which would prevent my +going in 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 mud building, of only one room, in which were liquors, +dry and 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." S---- 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 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 new comers 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 (121/2 cents) a glass, it made +somewhat of a hole in their lockers. It was now our ship's turn, and +S---- and I, anxious 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 corned; 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 get 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; the very best not being worth more than ten dollars apiece, +and very good ones 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 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 two larger ones, plastered, which belonged to two of 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, and 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 river, we came +directly before it. The mission is built of mud, or rather of the +unburnt bricks of the country, 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 +immense 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 gate-way, 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 Grey Friars, pass rapidly through a gallery, but he disappeared +without noticing us. After two circuits, we stopped our horses, and +saw, at last, a man show 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 "Mayordomo," 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 algunas cosa de comer?" said I. "Si Senor!" +said he. "Que gusta usted?" Mentioning frijoles, which I knew they +must have if they had nothing else, and beef and bread, and a hint for +wine, if they had any, he went off to another building, across the +court, and returned in a few moments, 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 our meal, 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 it, 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 better; 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 and +inhuman language, 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 seen; 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 +grey 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 lid seemed to have gone. I asked his age, but could +get no answer but "Quien sabe?" and they probably did not know the age. + +Leaving the mission, we returned to 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 fired, and +then let them rest themselves by walking. The fine air of the +afternoon; the rapid rate 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 holyday 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 Spaniards having given them vicious +horses, they were soon thrown, much to the amusement of the people. A +half dozen Sandwich Islanders, from the hide-houses and the two brigs, +who are bold riders, were dashing about on the full gallop, hallooing +and laughing like so many wild men. + +It was now nearly sundown, and S---- and myself went into a house and +sat quietly down to rest ourselves before going down to the beach. +Several people were soon collected to see "los Ingles marineros," 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 us 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 left 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 down,--a distance of three +miles--we procured two, at four reals apiece, with an Indian boy to run +on 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 fifteen 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 came down, (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 had 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 watchmates, 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 + +SAN DIEGO--A DESERTION--SAN PEDRO AGAIN--BEATING THE COAST + +The next sound 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 trowsers, red shirts, and Scotch caps, began taking out and +landing our hides. For three days we were hard at work, from the grey +of the morning until starlight, with the exception of a short time +allowed for meals, in this duty. 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 not a man on board who did not go a dozen times into +the house, and look round, and make 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, cleaning, etc., 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 these hides, 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 to take our places on board; but he could not get any +Sandwich Islanders to go, though 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 all our spare spars and +rigging; all the stores which we did not want to use in the course of +one trip to windward; and, in fact, everything which we could spare, so +as to make room for hides: among other things, the pig-sty, and with it +"old Bess." This was an old sow that we had brought from Boston, and +which lived to get around 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 during the whole voyage. 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 meant to 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 up on the main-yard, and hooking it to +a strap around her body, swayed away; and giving a wink to one another, +ran her chock up to the yard. "'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 sent 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 which we had had upon +the coast. Here were no hides to come off, and no SOUTH-EASTERs 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 for nearly an hour to the musical notes of a Sandwich +Islander, called Mahannah, 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 a peculiar, high and long-drawn +note, varying with the motion of the windlass. This requires a high +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 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, she got under weigh, 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 F----, 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 the deck, +calling out--"Don't flog me, Captain T----; don't flog me!" and the +captain, angry with him, and disgusted with his cowardice, 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 very 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 took +it aboard his vessel as something which he had bought, and promised to +keep it for him. 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 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 F----. 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 it lying up 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 the 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 weigh and well round the point. + +Friday, March 27th. The captain, having given up all hope of finding +F----, and being unwilling to delay any longer, gave orders for +unmooring the 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 had the satisfaction of 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's, which is about forty +miles from San Diego, and is called half way to San Pedro, where we +were now 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 S---- 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 F---- 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 went 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 SOUTH-EASTER, 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 +refitting, and in a few days the owners came down from the Pueblo, and, +waiting for the high spring tides, with the help of our cables, kedges, +and crew, got her off and afloat, 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, and mused 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 +SOUTH-EASTER, and were at sea two days, we got under weigh for Santa +Barbara. It was now the middle of April, and the SOUTH-EASTER season +was nearly over; and the light, regular trade-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 sherk,--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 green-horn--a +land-lubber. To make a sailor shoulder a handspike, and walk fore and +aft the deck, like a sentry, is the most ignominious punishment that +could be put upon him. Such a punishment inflicted upon an able seaman +in a vessel of war, would break his spirit down more than a flogging. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +EASTER SUNDAY--"SAIL HO!"--WHALES--SAN JUAN--ROMANCE OF +HIDE-DROGHING--SAN DIEGO AGAIN + +The next Sunday was Easter Sunday, and as there had been no liberty at +San Pedro, it was our turn to go ashore and misspend another Sabbath. +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 pianofortes, 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, and, with +orders to be on the beach at sundown, we took our way for the town. +There, everything wore the appearance of a holyday. The people were +all dressed in their best; the men riding about on horseback 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 +instrument. 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 appearance. 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. + +"Oh yes!" said I, "Easter holydays?" + +"No!" said he, with a singular expression to his face; "I had a little +daughter die the other day, and that's the custom of the country." + +Here I felt a little strangely, not knowing what to say, or whether to +offer consolation or no, 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 through all 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 lined on the outside with white +cloth, and on the inside with white satin, and was strewed 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 and a little awkwardness, 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 took horses and rode down to the beach, and +there found 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 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 forbore. Just at this moment, the bells set up their harsh, +discordant clang; and the procession moved into the court. I was +anxious 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 feet caught in 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 importe!" and giving us to understand that he had +plenty more. + +Having returned to the town, we saw a great 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 +had an eye put out, he gave in, and two monstrous prize-cocks were +brought on. These were the object of the whole affair; the two 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. They both 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 all 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 found 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 'foremast Jacks; and having been +ordered to be on the beach by sundown, 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 staid 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, +etc., laying out on the yards, and coming down the rigging. We +overhauled our bags and took out our old tarry trowsers 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, gaily +dressed, as on the day before, and singing their barcarollas. The +Easter holydays are kept up on shore during three days; and being a +Catholic vessel, the 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; Yankees can't afford the time to be Catholics. 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. Yankees don't keep Christmas, and ship-masters at sea never +know when Thanksgiving comes, so Jack has no festival at all. + +About noon, a man aloft called out "Sail ho!" and looking round, 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 ourselves, 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, +Loriotte, etc., 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 all the others 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 poorly 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 weigh 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." + +We lay about a week in San Pedro, and got under weigh for San Diego, +intending to stop at San Juan, as the SOUTH-EASTER 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 and blown 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 backs were forward, (as is always the +case in pulling,) and the captain, who was steering, was not looking +ahead, 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-grey 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, hump-backs, and right-whales, 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, etc., 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 south-east, 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 in California. The country here for +several miles is high table-land, running boldly to the shore, and +breaking off in a steep hill, 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 up steep places, in the ascent. No +animal but a man or monkey could get up it. However, that was not our +look-out; 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 SOUTH-EASTER! 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 almost a solemnity to the scene: a silence and solitariness +which affected everything! 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 and frittering life I had led. 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 found 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 walk 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 which were under the bank and out +of our sight, being directly under us; but by sending others down 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 have gone 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 can do until he is called upon; for, six months afterwards, I +went down the same place by a pair of top-gallant studding-sail +halyards, to save a half a dozen hides which had lodged there. + +Having thrown them all down, 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. Here we found the little +harbor deserted. The Lagoda, Ayacucho, Loriotte, and all, had left the +coast, and we were nearly 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. A +Russian discovery-ship which had been in this port a few years before, +had built a large oven for baking bread, and went away, leaving it +standing. This, the Sandwich Islanders took possession of, and had +kept, ever since, undisturbed. It was big enough to hold six or eight +men--that is, it was as large as a ship's forecastle; had a door at the +side, and a vent-hole at top. They covered it 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, 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 +T---- was anxious 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 got Mr. Mannini in his interest, and as the shot was getting +low in the locker, 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 got ready, and were pulled ashore. I stood on +the beach while the brig got under weigh, and watched her until she +rounded the point, and then went up to the hide-house to take up my +quarters for a few months. + + +[1] The letter i in the Sandwich Island language is sounded like e in +the English. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE SANDWICH ISLANDERS--HIDE-CURING--WOOD-CUTTING--RATTLE- +SNAKES--NEW-COMERS + +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, etc., 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 head 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 was to act as cook; while +myself, a giant of a Frenchman named Nicholas, and four Sandwich +Islanders, were to cure the hides. Sam, the Frenchman, and myself, +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 in my life. 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, +himself, 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, +without clothing to his back or 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 neither +knew how to read nor write. He had been to sea from a boy, and had +seen all kinds of service, and been in every kind of vessel: +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 even been in +worse business than slave-trading. He was once tried for his life in +Charleston, South Carolina, and though acquitted, yet he was so +frightened that he never would show himself in the United States again; +and I could not persuade him that he could never 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 stronger and larger than I, he showed a respect for my education, +and for what he had heard of my situation before coming to sea. "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 well +together, we kept the officer in good order, for he was evidently +afraid of Nicholas, and never ordered 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 choose, and let themselves out to cure hides at San +Diego, and to supply the places of the men of the American vessels +while on the coast. In this way, quite a colony of them had become +settled at San Diego, as their headquarters. 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 +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 common names, as Jack, Tom, Bill; and some have fancy names, +as Ban-yan, Fore-top, Rope-yarn, Pelican, etc., etc. 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, etc., etc. 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 time, a feeling +for, which would lead me to go a great way for the mere 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 the most perfect ease. Old "Mr. +Bingham" spoke very little English--almost none, and neither knew how +to read nor write; but he was the best-hearted old fellow in the world. +He must have been over fifty years of age, and 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 eat +Captain Cook! Me pikinini--small--so high--no more! My father see +Captain 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 eat 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 always 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 +country in 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 like 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. I would have +trusted my life and my fortune 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 have seen +it done, before my own countrymen had got half through counting the +cost. Their costumes, 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 the 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 officers 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 always 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 about Boston (as they call +the United States); asking many questions about the houses, the people, +etc., 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 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. + +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, 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. + +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 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 seen 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 marked, 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. They made an addition 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 they are thus dried in the sun, they are received by the vessels, +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 an 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 twenty-four hours, +and then are spread upon the ground, and carefully stretched and staked +out, so that they may dry smooth. After they were 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 everything necessary off and not to cut +or injure the hide. It was also a long process, as six of us had to +clean an 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 +proportion--twenty-five. + +This cleaning must be got through with before noon; for by that time +they 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 upon the other side, +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 beat with flails. This +takes all the dust from them. Then, being 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 an 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: an hundred and fifty to put +in soak; an 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 home. 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 was to kill a bullock, which was +sent down for our use about once a week, and sometimes came on Sunday. +Another good arrangement 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 at the +first signs of daylight, and allowing a short time, 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 Coffee-house." +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 or 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 vats, into which we were often +obliged to get, knee-deep, to press down the hides; all made the work +disagreeable and fatiguing;--but we soon got 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 got through, 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 and get 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 had 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 had got 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 under-brush, 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, 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 of 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 coati, 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 finely, 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 coati, single, and got a +good deal 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, precisely 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 coati at different times in +single combats. We often had fine sport with these fellows. A quick, +sharp bark from a coati, and in an instant every dog was at the height +of his speed. A few moments made up for an unfair start, and gave each +dog his relative 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--bulldogs, etc., for we had every breed. Pursuit by us +was in vain, and in about half an hour a few of them would come panting +and straggling back. + +Beside the coati, the dogs sometimes made prizes of rabbits and hares, +which are very plentiful here, and great numbers of which we often shot +for our dinners. There was another animal that I was not so much +disposed to find amusement from, and that was the rattlesnake. These +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. The first that I ever +saw, I remember perfectly well. I had left my companions, and was +beginning to clear away a fine clump of trees, when just in the midst +of the thicket, not more than eight 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 kept at 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 look-out, 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 quite a number. None of our +people were ever 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, were very numerous, 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, 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. Over a dozen of +these were owned by different people on the beach, and were allowed to +run loose among the hills, with a long lasso attached to them, and 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 every day, 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. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +LEISURE--NEWS FROM HOME--"BURNING THE WATER" + +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 a squaw, 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 +north-west 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 soon 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 +commenced 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 one was occupied, +and the beach, for several days, was all alive. The Catalina had +several Kanakas on board, who were immediately besieged 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 other vessel 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 very good singing almost +every evening. The Italians sang a variety of songs--barcarollas, +provincial airs, etc.; in several of which I recognized parts of our +favorite operas and sentimental songs. They often joined in a song, +taking all the different parts; which produced a fine effect, as many +of them had good voices, and all seemed to sing with spirit and +feeling. 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 Otaheitan, 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 "Och! 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 very pretty little love-song, and +the Frenchmen sang a spirited thing called "Sentinelle! O prenez garde +a vous!" and then followed the melange which might have been expected. +When I left them, the aguardiente and annisou was pretty well in their +heads, and 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 weigh 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 +a little changed. In charge of the Catalina's house, was an old +Scotchman, who, like most of his countrymen, had a pretty good +education, and, like many of them, was rather pragmatical, and had a +ludicrously solemn conceit. He employed his time in taking care of his +pigs, chickens, turkeys, dogs, etc., 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, Capt. +Lord James Townshend, and had great ideas of his own importance. The +man in charge of the Rosa's house was an Austrian by birth, 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 with ease, 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 any 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 holyday, he and old Robert (the Scotchman +from the Catalina) went up to the town, and got so cozy, talking over +old stories and giving one another 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 was a Frenchman and an Englishman; +the latter a regular-built "man-of-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 once a fortnight, (when he always +managed to sleep on the road, and have his money stolen from him,) and +to battle the Frenchman once a week. These, with a Chilian, and a half +a dozen Kanakas, formed the addition to our company. + +In about six weeks from the time when the Pilgrim sailed, we had got +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 only mark of time, 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 dubbed +together, and I went up 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, pears, beans, water-melons, 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 double +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 got 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 through 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, appeared like a treasure. I actually read a +jest-book through, from beginning to end, in one day, as I should a +novel, and enjoyed it very much. At last, when I thought that there +were no more to be got, 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 a distinguished 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, the boat pulled ashore, +and the news soon flew that the expected ship had arrived at Santa +Barbara, and that Captain T---- 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, etc., etc. S---- 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," etc., etc. +Captain T---- took command of her, and she went directly up to +Monterey; from 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 ship-mates 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 "shipshape 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 either by 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;--sending down the top-gallant masts, and unreeving +half the 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, proceeded directly to +opening my bundle, and found a reasonable supply of duck, flannel +shirts, shoes, etc., and, what was still more valuable, a packet of +eleven letters. These I sat up nearly all the night to read, and put +them carefully away, to be read and re-read again and again at my +leisure. Then came a 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." +No one has ever been on distant voyages, and after a long absence +received a newspaper from home, who cannot 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, etc. Captain Faucon came quietly up to me, +as I was at work, with my knife, cutting the meat from a dirty hide, +asked me how I liked California, and repeated--"Tityre, tu patulae +recubans sub tegmine fagi." Very apropos, thought I, and, at the same +time, serves to show that you understand Latin. However, a kind word +from a captain is a thing not to be slighted; so I answered him +civilly, and made the most of it. + +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. All the duck I received from home, I soon made up +into trowsers and frocks, and displayed, every Sunday, a complete suit +of my own make, from head to foot, having formed the remnants of the +duck into a cap. Reading, mending, sleeping, with occasional +excursions into the bush, with the dogs, in search of coati, 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 +down 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 moments +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!" +etc., etc.; 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 we 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, 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 towards 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, he 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 liner +and not a few severe bruises. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +CALIFORNIA AND ITS INHABITANTS + +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 first discovered in 1536, by Cortes, and was +subsequently visited by numerous 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, was added rumors of gold mines, +pearl fishery, etc. 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 and San +Francisco; thus dividing the country into four large districts, each +with its presidio, and governed by the commandant. 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 +slaves, in tending their vast herds. In the year 1793, when Vancouver +visited San Diego, the mission 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 have +been going down; until, at last, a law was passed, stripping them of +all their possessions, and confining the priests to their spiritual +duties; and 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 slaves, 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 attached perpetually to one +mission, and felt the necessity of keeping up its credit. Accordingly, +their debts 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 going rapidly to decay. The external arrangements remain the +same. There are four presidios, having under their protection the +various missions, and 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, St. Louis Obispo, and St. +Buenaventura, which is the finest mission in the whole country, having +very fertile soil and rich vineyards. The last, and most southerly, is +San Diego, including the mission of the same, San Juan Campestrano, the +Pueblo de los Angelos, 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 no 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; if another member should be sent, he has +only to challenge him, and decide the contested election in that way. + +Revolutions are matters of constant 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 party is 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, as with us, 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 no 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 +Angelos, with his wife and children, when a Spaniard, 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. He refused to do anything +about it, and the countrymen of the murdered man, seeing no prospect of +justice being administered, made known that if nothing was done, they +should try the man themselves. It chanced that, at this time, there +was a company of forty trappers and hunters from Kentucky, 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, with his eyes 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, 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 all the +particulars directly from those who were on the spot. A few months +afterwards, another man, whom we had often seen in San Diego, murdered +a man and his wife on the high road between the Pueblo and San Louis +Rey, and the foreigners not feeling themselves called upon to act in +this case, the parties being all natives, nothing was done about it; +and I frequently afterwards saw the murderer in San Diego, where he was +living with his wife and family. + +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 poor 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 great +favorite, 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 no better than in their +public. The men are thriftless, proud, and 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. The women have but little +virtue, but then 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 of manner. The difficulties of the +attempt are numerous, and the consequences of discovery fatal. With +the unmarried women, too, great watchfulness is used. The main object +of the parents is to marry their daughters well, and to this, the +slightest slip would be fatal. The sharp eyes of a duena, and the cold +steel 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; but 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 +Spaniards, on the contrary, are very abstemious, and I do not remember +ever having seen a Spaniard 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 Spaniards; yet their +children are brought up Spaniards, in every respect, and if the +"California fever" (laziness) spares the first generation, it always +attacks the second. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +LIFE ON SHORE--THE ALERT + +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 SOUTH-EASTER, 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, etc., and her +sailing had been delayed for several weeks; but everything having been +arranged, she got under weigh 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 on the beach, they offered a handful of silver to any Kanaka +who would swim off and take a letter on board. One of the Kanakas, a +fine, active, well-made young fellow, instantly threw off everything +but his duck trowsers, 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 fine spirits. The brig kept on her course, and +the government officers, who had come down to forbid her sailing, went +back, each with something 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 a 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 were any sail +in sight, coming down before the regular trades, which blow every +afternoon. Each day, after the latter part of July, 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 T---- 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 would settle the matter. I should be a sailor for life; +and although I had made up my mind to it before I had my letters from +home, and was, as I thought, quite satisfied; 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 in readiness for the arrival of the ship, and had +another leisure interval of three or four weeks; which I spent, 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 spent 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 got him in complete +subjection, and he grew finely, was very much attached to me, and bid +fair to be one of the leading dogs on the beach. I called him Bravo, +and the only thing I regretted at the thought of leaving the beach, was +parting with him. + +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, +etc., etc. + +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 house. In an instant, every one was out of his house; and +there was a fine, tall 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 +Yankee ensign was flying from her mizen-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 +on the qui-vive. 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 mizen topsail, +and let go the 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 mizen top-gallant yard, by +the stay, into the maintop, 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. Then the captain's 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, etc., 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, etc., and they were very curious +to know about the 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 snow, 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 and Bristol fashion." 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 fine, hearty, noisy fellow, with a voice like a lion, +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, cook, etc., and twelve, +including boys, 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, Aug. 29th. Arrived, brig Catalina, from the windward. + +Sunday, 30th. This was the first Sunday that the 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 all 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, mending and washing their clothes, +and reading and writing. They told me that the ship stopped at Callao +in the passage out, and there lay three weeks. She had a passage of +little over eighty days from Boston to Callao, which is one of the +shortest on record. There, they left the Brandywine frigate, and other +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 +bulls-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 spitbox always under the steps and +between the bits, and obliging every man to hang up his wet clothes, +etc. 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 great confidence in her as a "lucky ship." She was +seven years old, and had always been in the Canton trade, and never had +met with an accident of any consequence, and had never made a passage +that was not shorter than the average. The third mate, a young man of +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 more of her than 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 weigh. 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 SOUTH-EASTERs; and I went on board the next day, with my chest +and hammock, and found myself once more afloat. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +NEW SHIP AND SHIPMATES--MY WATCHMATE + +Tuesday, Sept. 8th. 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 day-break, three minutes and +a half were allowed for every man 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 meantime, the rest of +the crew filled the scuttle-butt, and the cook scraped his kids (wooden +tubs out of which the 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, when 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, etc., stowed away; and, this +morning, preparations were made for getting under weigh. 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. Every one 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, every one 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?" etc., etc., 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. Every one then laid down, except one man in each top, to +overhaul the rigging, and the topsails were hoisted and sheeted home; +all 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 mizen. 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 "cheerily men!" in full chorus. The ship +being now under weigh, 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, (being 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, everything 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 very good usage on board. +Each one knew that he must be a man, and show himself smart when at his +duty, yet every one was satisfied with the usage; 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 went 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 highway-man," 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. This, I seized +immediately, and going to my hammock, lay there, swinging and reading, +until the watch was out. The between-decks were clear, the hatchways +open, and a cool breeze blowing through them, the ship under easy way, +and everything 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 no lights were 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 +perfect feast to me. The brilliancy of the book, the succession of +capital hits, 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, etc., 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 look-out, 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 quite well +acquainted with all 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 thoroughbred old man-of-war's-man, had been to sea +twenty-two years, in all kinds of vessels--men-of-war, privateers, +slavers, and merchantmen;--everything except whalers, which a thorough +sailor despises, and will always steer clear of, if he can. He had, of +course, been in all 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 always 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 boy from Cape Cod, 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 +"Bucketmaker." 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, and 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 property and family, and was +reduced to duck trowsers and monthly wages,) a German, an English lad, +named Ben, who belonged on the mizen 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 bowlines; 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 every rope 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 each 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 taken 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 into 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 yard!" "Small pull the main top-gallant yard!" +"Well that!" "Well the mizen top-gallant 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 a +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. + +Friday, Sept. 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, 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, a sailmaker, and +the larboard watch went upon the fore topsail yard; the second mate, +carpenter, and the starboard watch upon the main; and myself and the +English lad, and the two Boston boys, and the young Cape-Cod man, +furled the mizen 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 knightheads to "twig" the fore, on the windlass to +twig the main, and at the foot of the mainmast, for the mizen; 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 and bawling, 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 so estimable a man, perhaps, but a far better mate of a vessel; and +the entire change in Captain T----'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, 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 (the mate of the Alert) 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 T---- gave his directions to the mate in private, +and, except in coming to anchor, getting under weigh, 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 mizen. This order, we always 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 mizen, 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 all 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 to 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 S---- 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. S---- was determined to +go home on the Alert, by begging or buying; if Captain T---- 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 fine dancing-hall. +Some of the Pilgrim's crew were in the forecastle, and we 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 always stood +at the steerage door, looking on, and if the boys would not dance, he +hazed them round with a rope's end, much to the amusement 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 +weigh with very little 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 T---- was in command of +the Pilgrim, there was as much preparation and ceremony as there would +be in getting a seventy-four under weigh. 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 what he was; 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 always ready to say. + +After the Pilgrim left us, we lay three weeks at San Pedro, from the +11th of September until the 2nd of October, engaged in the usual port +duties of landing cargo, taking off hides, etc., etc. 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 a boat's +crew of a dozen could take off all the hides brought down in a day, +without much trouble, by division of labor; 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 fine young fellow, and made no unnecessary trouble; so that we +generally had quite 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, more hands, 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, +tiller-ropes, etc., hung on the starboard quarter, and was used as the +gig. The youngest lad in the ship, a Boston boy about thirteen 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 the 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 bow-man 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, were to be +taken off and on, 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 from +shore, from forty to fifty 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 small bundles which the passengers +carried with them, and no hides to carry, besides the opportunity of +seeing everybody, making acquaintances, hearing the news, etc. Unless +the captain or agent were 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 up to the nearest house, or spend the +time in strolling about the beach, picking up shells, or playing +hopscotch, and other games, on the hard sand. The rest 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, +hum-drum drag and pull on board ship. We made the acquaintance of +nearly half of 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, we, of course, had but little company. All the +variety that I had, was riding, once a week, to the nearest rancho, to +order a bullock down for the ship. + +The brig Catalina came in from San Diego, and being bound up to +windward, we both got under weigh 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 north-west wind set 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 +tautened bowline. We had nearly five hours of fine 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 St. Buenaventura, and +our antagonist nearly out of sight. The sea-breeze, however, favored +her again, while we were becalmed under the headland, and laboring +slowly along, she was abreast of us by noon. Thus we continued, ahead, +astern, and abreast of one another, 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, we had much the advantage of her. + +Sunday, Oct. 4th. This was the day of our arrival; and somehow or +other, our captain always managed not only to sail, but to come into +port, on a Sunday. The main reason for sailing on the Sabbath is not, +as many people suppose, because Sunday 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 the Sabbath, being +their only day of rest, whatever additional work can be thrown into +Sunday, is so much gain to the owners. This is the reason of our +coasters, packets, etc, sailing on the Sabbath. They get six good +days' work out of the crew, and then throw all the labor of sailing +into the Sabbath. Thus it was with us, nearly all the time we were on +the coast, and many of our Sabbaths were lost entirely to us. The +Catholics on shore have no trading and make no 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, imbedded 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 really hardly seeming to +earn their sun-light. Daylight actually seemed 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 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 have ever seen--Tom Harris. An +hour, every night, while lying in port, Harris and myself had the deck +to ourselves, and walking fore and aft, night after night, for months, +I learned his whole 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. But the most remarkable thing about him, was +the power of his mind. His memory was perfect; seeming to form a +regular chain, reaching from his earliest childhood up to the time I +knew him, without one link wanting. His power of calculation, too, was +remarkable. 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: so rapid was his calculation. He carried in his head +not only a log-book of the whole voyage, in which everything was +complete and accurate, and from which no one ever thought of appealing, +but also an accurate registry of all the cargo; knowing, precisely, +where each thing was, and how many hides we took in at every 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 always knew the +dimension of every part of the ship, before he had been a month on +board,) and the average area and thickness of a hide; 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, so 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 every 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 eighths 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 wonderfully near the +mark. Calculation of all kinds was his delight. 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 +ever forgot anything that he read. The only thing in the way of poetry +that he ever read was Falconer's Shipwreck, which he was delighted +with, and whole pages of which he could repeat. He knew 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 he afterwards fell in with, who had been in a ship +with Harris nearly twelve years before, was very 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 remarkable. 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, certainly among all the young men of my acquaintance +and standing at college, there was not one whom I had not rather meet, +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 said months before, he +was sure to have you on the hip. In fact, I always felt, when with +him, that I was with no common man. I had a positive respect for his +powers of mind, and felt often that if half the pains had been spent +upon his education which are thrown away, yearly, in our colleges, he +would have been a man of great weight in society. Like most +self-taught men, he over-estimated the value of an education; and this, +I often told him, though I profited by it myself; for he always treated +me with respect, and often unnecessarily gave way to me, from an +over-estimate of my knowledge. For the intellectual capacities of all +the rest of the crew, captain and all, he had the most 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 got into an argument with him, they would +call out--"Ah, Jack! you'd 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, to my surprise, brought +arguments and facts connected with the subject which were new to me, to +which I was entirely 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 no previous +acquaintance, yet he had the chain of reasoning, founded upon +principles of political economy, perfect in his memory; and his facts, +so far as I could judge, were correct; at least, he stated them with +great precision. The principles of the steam engine, too, he was very +familiar with, having been several months on board of a steamboat, and +made himself master of its secrets. He knew every lunar star in both +hemispheres, and was a perfect master of his quadrant and sextant. +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 +whole past life, as I had it, at different times, from himself. + +He was an Englishman, by birth, 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 his mother, he +often spoke with the greatest respect, and said that she was a +strong-minded woman, and had the best system of education he had ever +known; a system which had made respectable men of his three brothers, +and failed only in him, from his own indomitable obstinacy. One thing +he often 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, as most mothers would, and 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, at the close of the voyage, 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 known 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, he said that there, +in the forecastle, at the foot of the steps--a chest of old +clothes--was the result of twenty-two years of hard labor and +exposure--worked like a horse, and treated like a dog. As he grew +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 seen and 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 another 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 knew 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, and a perfect memory, gave +him a knowledge of the expedients and resorts in times of hazard, which +was remarkable, and 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 able 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 men who had known him for +fifteen years had never taken him even in an exaggeration, and, as I +have said, his statements were never disputed. 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 of the best connections in Boston, who +absolutely murdered a lad from Boston that 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,--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 any given hours of my life passed in study and social +intercourse. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +SAN DIEGO AGAIN--A DESCENT--HURRIED DEPARTURE--A NEW SHIPMATE + +Sunday, Oct. 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, Oct. 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 weigh +with a stiff breeze, which reminded us that it was the latter part of +the autumn, and time to expect SOUTH-EASTERs once more. We beat up +against a strong head wind, under reefed top-sails, 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 SOUTH-EASTER 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 astonished 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, Oct. 20th. Having got everything ready, we set the agent +ashore, who went up to the mission to hasten down the hides for the +next morning. This night we had the strictest orders to look out for +SOUTH-EASTERs; 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 hill, 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 two 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 halyards +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, trowsers, 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 in each hand, 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 the other hand and feet +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 a 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 +SOUTH-EASTER. 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 towline, and we expected every moment to +see the launch swamped. We at length got alongside, our boats half +full of water; and now came the greatest difficulty 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, +checked, 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 +stood off from the lee-shore against a heavy head sea, under reefed +topsails, fore-topmast staysail and spanker. The fore course was given +to her, which helped her a little; but as she hardly held her own +against the sea which was settling her 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 waterways. 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 its head the foam, which +flew off at every 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 +mizen-top men were sent up to take another reef in the mizen 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 +mizen topsail yard, either for reefing or furling, and the young +English lad and myself 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 gone over, we came-to,-- + +Thursday, Oct. 22d, at San Pedro, in the old SOUTH-EASTER 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 SOUTH-EASTER. 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 SOUTH-EASTER. 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 toward 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 two +or three and twenty, who was quite 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 college, (probably a naval one, as he knew no Latin +or Greek,) where he learned French and mathematics. He was by no means +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. What had +been given to him by others, was all that made him to differ from those +about him; while Harris had made himself what he was. Neither had +George the character, strength of mind, acuteness, or memory of Harris; +yet there was about him the remains of a pretty good education, which +enabled him to talk perhaps beyond his brains, and a high spirit and +sense 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 remarkable +history, for the last two years, which we afterwards heard confirmed in +such a manner, as put the truth of it 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 yielded 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 quite a pet +of him. In this way, he lived for thirteen months, in a fine climate, +with a 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 the 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 of the ship, 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, and 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 Manilia 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. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +RUMORS OF WAR--A SPOUTER--SLIPPING FOR A SOUTH-EASTER--A GALE + +Sunday, November 1st. Sailed this day, (Sunday again,) for Santa +Barbara, where we arrived on the 5th. Coming round St. 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, etc., etc.; 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 a supercargo's clerk, I got the account of the matter, which +was, that the governments had had 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 +on 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 like a green spot in a desert, and the remotest probability of great +events and exciting scenes gives 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 entirely unable to account for. In fact, a more jovial night +we had not passed in the forecastle for months. Every one 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," etc., etc. + +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 great trade--legal and +illegal--in otter skins, silks, teas, specie, etc. + +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 south-east, in the direction of the large island of +Catalina. The next day the Avon got under weigh, 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 arrived at San Pedro in about a week, +with a full 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, Nov. 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, peculiar to whalemen. In the meantime, it fell flat +calm, and being within a couple of miles of the ship, we expected to +board her in a few moments, when a sudden 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 whaleship, 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 chimes of oil casks; her +rigging was slack and turning white; no paint on the spars or blocks; +clumsy seizings and 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, shamble-legged Quaker, in a suit of brown, +with a broad-brimmed hat, and sneaking about decks, like a sheep, with +his head down; 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 trowsers,) they all had on woollen trowsers--not blue +and shipshape--but of all colors--brown, drab, grey, 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 +sailor 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 whaling voyages; and the greater part of the crew were +raw hands, just from the bush, as green as cabbages, and had not yet +got the hay-seed out of their heads. The mizen topsail hung in the +bunt-lines 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. + +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, etc. Accordingly, as soon as we +were knocked off in the evening and had got 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. + +Thursday, Nov. 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 south-east. 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 gain nothing upon, and +indeed, hardly 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 out, before our +old friend, Bill Jackson, the handsome English sailor, who steered the +Loriotte's boat, called out that the 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 +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 from our ships 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 staid +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 slued round and were hove up--boat, oars, +and men--altogether, 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 on" to the sea, two more shipping +and manning the two after oars, and the captain taking the steering +oar. Two or three Spaniards, 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 on, 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 weigh, 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 moment, our +slip-rope was gone, the head-yards filled away, and we were off. Next +came the whaler; and in a 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 standing off to sea. +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 SOUTH-EASTER entertainment, a gale +of wind, variegated 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 for the last twenty-four hours. + +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 great 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 merchantman that traded in the Pacific, unless it was the brig +John Gilpin, and perhaps the ship Ann McKim of Baltimore. + +Saturday, Nov. 14th. This day we got under weigh, with the agent and +several Spaniards 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 +Spaniard 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 +Spaniards 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 we gave them the wink, and they 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 catheaded, 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 their number. The royal yards +were all crossed at once, and royals and skysails set, and, as we had +the wind free, the booms were run out, and every one was 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 it begins to blow the +first of January, and blows all the year round. 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 always 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 north-west. 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 reefband, 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 blowing 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 mizen 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 yards; 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 +mere force of the wind was greater than I had ever seen 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 ribbons. 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, steward, and other +idlers, and, with their help, we manned the foreyard, 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 a stiff +oil-cloth suit, south-wester caps, and thick boots, we had on hats, +round jackets, duck trowsers, light shoes, and everything light and +easy. All 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 sail gaping open and splitting, in +every direction. The mizen 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 mizen 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 slant 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 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 was +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 +always 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 one +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 bunt-lines, +and three new topsails, made for the homeward passage round Cape Horn, +and which had never been bent, were got up from the sailroom, 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 done +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 north-wester. 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 a-head, 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 +SOUTH-EASTER, 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. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +SAN FRANCISCO--MONTEREY + +Our place of destination had been Monterey, but as we were to the +northward of it when the wind hauled a-head, we made a fair wind for +San Francisco. This large bay, which lies in latitude 37 deg. 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 south-east +side, is a high point, upon which the presidio is built. Behind this, +is the harbor in which trading vessels anchor, and near it, the mission +of San Francisco, and a newly begun settlement, mostly of Yankee +Californians, called Yerba Buena, which promises well. Here, at +anchor, and the only vessel, was a brig under Russian colors, from +Asitka, 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 +certainly never saw before. Although it was quite comfortable weather, +and we had nothing on but straw hats, shirts, and duck trowsers, and +were barefooted, they had, every man of them, double-soled boots, +coming up to the knees, and well greased; thick woolen trowsers, +frocks, waistcoats, pea-jackets, woolen 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 seemed actually coming +through their pores, and 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 all +die of the scurvy. + +The vessel was no better than the crew. Everything was in the oldest +and most inconvenient fashion possible; running trusses 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 +as dirty as a pigsty. 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 moccasins, etc. I purchased a +large robe, made of the skins of some animals, 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 San +Francisco near the anchorage, has no trade at all, but those of San +Jose, Santa Clara, and others, situated on 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, manned by Indians, and capable of carrying nearly a +thousand 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 mizen 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, +south-wester, and thick boots all 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, where 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 by any of 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, situated about two leagues from the anchorage, called by us +"Wood Island," and by the Spaniards "Isle de los Angelos," 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 +SOUTH-EASTER, which had been threatening us all day, set in, with heavy +rain and a chilly atmosphere. 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 found 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, a +thing we had never seen before in California, and 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 grey of the +morning, we had to wade off, nearly up to our hips in water, to load +the skiff with the wood by armsfull. The third mate remained on board +the launch, two more men staid 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 armsfull of wood, barefooted, and our +trowsers 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 +towards sundown, having loaded the vessel as deep as she would bear, we +hove up our anchor, and made sail, beating out 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 very easy times on board the ship. We were moored, +stem and stern, within a cable's length of the shore, safe from +SOUTH-EASTERs, and with very 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 caulk 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 mid-winter 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 one had taken his smoke, we seated ourselves on our chests +round the lamp, which swung from a beam, and each one went to work in +his own way, some making hats, others trowsers, others jackets, etc., +etc.; 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 trowsers 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 down upon, and made myself a complete suit of flannel +under-clothing, for bad weather. Those who had no south-wester caps, +made them, and several of the crew made themselves tarpaulin jackets +and trowsers, 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 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 weigh, firing +a salute to the Russian brig, and another to the Presidio, which were +both answered. The commandant of the Presidio, Don Gaudaloupe Villego, +a young man, and the most popular, among the Americans and English, of +any man in California, was on board when we got under weigh. 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, on every side; 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; and, +indeed, it has attracted much attention, for the settlement of "Yerba +Buena," where we lay at anchor, made chiefly by Americans and English, +and which bids fair to become the most important trading place on the +coast, at this time began to supply traders, Russian ships, and +whalers, with their stores of wheat and frijoles. + +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 weeks and 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 North-west Coast, last from Asitka. 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. The town 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 houses, with their white plastered sides 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 +for 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 our unprepossessing reception at Santa Barbara. It seemed +almost like coming to a home. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE SUNDAY WASH-UP--ON SHORE--A SET-TO--A GRANDEE--"SAIL HO!"--A +FANDANGO + +The only other vessel in port was the Russian government bark, from +Asitka, 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 +a-head. 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 had got breakfast, those who had +obtained liberty began to clean themselves, as it is called, to go +ashore. A bucket of fresh water apiece, a cake of soap, a large coarse +towel, and we went to work scrubbing one another, on the forecastle. +Having gone through this, the next thing was to get 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 +trowsers. Then came the rigging-up. The usual outfit of pumps, white +stockings, loose white duck trowsers, 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 steamed 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 natives 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 mayordomo, 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 whole 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 Spaniards, 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 stripped and beaten, and +lodged in the calabozo, until the next day, when the captain bought +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. A 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 for 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. +Time after time 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 for 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. "Well crowed!" "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. He was +evidently cowed. He had always been his master, and had nothing to +gain, and everything to lose; while the other fought for honor and +freedom, under a sense of wrong. It would not do. It was soon over. +Nat gave in; not so much beaten, as cowed and mortified; and never +afterwards tried to act the bully on board. 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. Set sail from Monterey, with a number of +Spaniards 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 +the best representation of a decayed gentleman I had ever seen. 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 great 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 great +retinue of Indians, and set up for the grandee of that part of the +country. His son was sent to Mexico, where he received the best +education, and went into the first society of the capital. Misfortune, +extravagance, and the want of funds, or any manner of getting interest +on money, soon eat 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--dissolute 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 they stand 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 the +best of Castilian, with a pleasant and refined voice and accent, and +had, throughout, the bearing of a man of high 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, pretending fellow of a Yankee trader, who had made +money in San Diego, and was eating out the very 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 extremely well; spoke good Spanish; had +been all over 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 triumphal receptions 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 by-word 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 were 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 +a grand parliamentary overturn, the filling up of which I could 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 grey 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?" etc., etc. 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 from her being an illegal trader. +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 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 +SOUTH-EASTER. 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 Donna Anneta De G---- De N---- y C----, youngest +daughter of Don Antonio N----, 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 cleared away, and the ship lay dressed in her colors, all day. +At sun-down, 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 +perfect 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 great 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, gaily +figured, white stockings and thin morocco slippers upon his very small +feet. His slight and graceful figure was well calculated for 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, (Donna Angustia, a handsome woman and a +general favorite,) in a variety of beautiful, but, to me, offensive +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. Indeed among people of the character of +these Mexicans, the waltz seemed to me to have found its right place. +The great amusement of the evening,--which I suppose was owing to its +being carnival--was the breaking of eggs filled with cologne, or other +essences, upon the heads of the company. One end of the egg is broken +and the inside taken out, then it is partly filled with cologne, and +the whole sealed up. 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 grey whiskers, +and a look of great importance, was standing before me, when I felt a +light hand on my shoulder, and turning round, saw Donna Angustia, (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 manoeuvering was carried on between couples of the younger +people, and at every successful exploit a general laugh was raised. + +Another singular custom I was for some time at a loss about. A pretty +young girl was dancing, named, after what would appear to us the +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 afterward 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 often turned upon them. 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 Capitan Noriego's and take a look into the booth. The +musicians were still 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 shipshape--were much admired, and we were invited, from every +quarter, to give them an American sailor's dance; but after the +ridiculous figure some of our countrymen cut, in dancing after the +Spaniards, 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 +SOUTH-EASTER season, he was afraid to remain on shore long; and it was +well he did not, for that very night, we slipped our cables, as a +crowner to our fun ashore, and stood off before a SOUTH-EASTER, which +lasted twelve hours, and returned to our anchorage the next day. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +AN OLD FRIEND--A VICTIM--CALIFORNIA RANGERS--NEWS FROM HOME--LAST LOOKS + +Monday, Feb. 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-sails 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 ship-mates, 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. These were taken from +her the next day, which filled us up, and we both got under weigh on +the 4th, she bound up 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 her +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, and 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 Christian, +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 Christianized Mexico +and people from Christian America. 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, both in work, and in our excursions in the woods, and upon +the water. I really 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 horrible +suffering, and his apparently inevitable, horrible end. + +The next day I told the captain 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 same 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 from him a recipe, which he always +kept by him. With this I went to the mate, and told him the case. Mr. +Brown had been entrusted 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 always 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's being done for him, that he was 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 until we returned, and insisted upon it that he +was doing better. + +We got under weigh 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 SOUTH-EASTER, 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 SOUTH-EASTER. + +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, he 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 Angelos, to work at his trade. Here he went dead to +leeward among the pulperias, gambling rooms, etc., 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 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 I never saw before. Barefooted, with an old pair of trowsers +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 over the whole +of California. One of the same stamp was Russell, who was master of +the hide-house at San Diego, while I was there, and afterwards turned +away for his misconduct. He spent his own money and nearly all the +stores among the half-bloods upon the beach, and being turned away, +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," etc., etc., begging food and shelter of Kanakas +and sailors. He staid with us till he gave 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, etc. 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 trowsers, and +a blanket cloak 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 the most +complete assurance, and raising his hat, wished him a good afternoon. +Captain T---- turned round, looked at him from head to foot, and saying +coolly, "Hallo! who the h--- 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 headquarters, he edged along forward to the mate, who +was overseeing some work on 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 one +another, 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 to the cook. This was +a great comedown, 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 sail-maker, 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 the whole account of his adventures in the +country,--roguery and all--and was very entertaining. He was a smart, +unprincipled fellow, was at the bottom of most of the rascally doings +of the country, and gave us a great deal of interesting information in +the ways of the world we were in. + +Saturday, Feb. 13th. Were called up at midnight to slip for a violent +north-easter, for this rascally hole of San Pedro is unsafe in every +wind but a south-wester, which is seldom known to blow more than once +in a half century. 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, Feb. 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 papers 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 could account for +who has 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 seafaring +men, or, rather, of life on board ship. 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 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, +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 not live an hour on ship-board. 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 have 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 intelligence 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, white linen shirts, +and everything else. 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, if true, though 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 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, Feb. 25th. Set sail for Santa Barbara, where we arrived on +Sunday, the 28th. We just missed of 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, etc. Captain Arthur +left files of Boston papers for Captain T----, 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, etc., with the 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. Bs. 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 very 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 weigh; 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 never expected 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 SOUTH-EASTERs!" The news was soon known aboard, and +put life into everything when we were getting under weigh. 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, 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 one another," 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 early life. He knew +that I had no faith in the story which he told the crew, 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 byways 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 upon 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 sandy 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 coati, 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 +Campestrano the same night, and saw distinctly, by the bright +moonlight, the hill 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, water, etc., and set sail for Boston. While all this +was doing, we were to lie still in one place, and the port was a safe +one, and there was no fear of SOUTH-EASTERs. Accordingly, having +picked out a good berth, in the stream, with a good smooth beach +opposite, for a landing-place and within two cables' length of our +hide-house, we moored ship, unbent all the sails, sent down the +top-gallant yards and all the studding-sail booms, and housed the +top-gallant masts. The boats were then hove out, and all the sails, +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 all our hides and horns, and we left hardly anything in the +ship but her ballast, and this we made preparation 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, was before +us, and then--"Good-by to California!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +LOADING FOR HOME--A SURPRISE--LAST OF AN OLD FRIEND--THE LAST HIDE--A +HARD CASE--UP ANCHOR, FOR HOME!--HOMEWARD BOUND + +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 tub-full went into the boat, twenty went overboard. This is +done by every vessel, for the ballast can make but little difference in +the channel, and 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 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 every vessel practises in ports of inferior +foreign nations, and which are lost sight of, among the countless 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 companionway. 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, orders were given for no +one to leave the ship, and, as the decks were lumbered up with +everything, 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 capacity, 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, were 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 grey of the morning till star-light, 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 trowsers rolled up, were constantly going, back and +forth, from the platform to the boat, which was kept off where she +would just float, with the hides upon their heads. 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 to +our heads, and thus were able to bear the weight, day after day, which +would otherwise have soon 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 dangerous to have kept 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 +commence 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 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, though they held it +inferior to their own, each party granted was better than that of the +other. + +Having filled the ship up, in this way, to within four feet of her +beams, the process of steeving commenced, by which an hundred hides are +got into a place where one could not 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 the course of the day, and, after +breakfast, went down into the hold, where we remained at work until +night. The whole 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 put into one another, like the leaves of a book. An +opening was then made between two hides in the pile, and the back of +the outside hide of the book inserted. 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 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 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, an hundred or an hundred and fifty were often driven +in 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 sailor's 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 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 oh!" "Jack Cross-tree," etc., has put +life and strength into every arm. We often found a great difference in +the effect of the different 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!" and the +like, might do for common pulls, but in 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," 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 the 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, was seldom known before. What one man ate in a day, over a +hearty man's allowance, would make a Russian'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 my friend S---- was determined to go home in +the ship, if money or interest could bring it to pass. After +considerable negotiating and working, he 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 up, 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, but said that he had +so little medicine, and expected to be so long on the coast, that he +could do nothing 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. H., our third mate, +was ashore, and asking them particularly about the size of the sail, +etc., 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 good 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 good 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, and wall-sided and kettle-bottomed, after the +latest fashion of south-shore cotton and sugar wagons; strong, too, and +tight, and a good average sailor, 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 that she 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 schoolmates 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 all those 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, 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 hatch-way, singing, "Oh, +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, being the conclusion, he roared out at the top of his +voice, breaking each word up 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 commenced 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 reinforcement 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. +R----, the agent. Captain T---- turned to me and asked abruptly-- + +"D----, 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 knew that it would be hopeless to +attempt to prevail upon any of the ship's crew to take twelve months +more upon the California in the brig. I knew, too, that Captain T---- +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 I was to go 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 or 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 would alter the whole current of my future life; for two +years more in California would 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 matter; 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 S---- gave Harris +to exchange with him. I told him 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 angry, and as much +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 hung. The captain had told him to get his +things ready to go on board the brig the 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. +"Oh, yes!" said the crew, "the captain has let you off, because you are +a gentleman's son, and have got friends, and know the owners; 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, 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. Beside 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 was set forth in strong +colors, several, who would not have dreamed of going themselves, were +busy in talking it up to others, who, they thought, might be tempted to +accept it; and, at length, one fellow, a harum-scarum lad, 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 endorsed to him,[1] 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 S----. + +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 again, not to fail to +find me out, and let me see an old watchmate. The same boat brought on +board S----, my friend, who had begun the voyage with me from Boston, +and, like me, was going back to his family and to the society which we +had been born and brought up in. We congratulated one another 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, 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 got over the rail, and saw the old black cook +put his head out of the galley, and wave his cap over his head. The +crew flew aloft to loose the top-gallant sails and royals; the two +captains waved their hands to one another; 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 things,--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 feeling +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 taking 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, and 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, +and--"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 bringing on board the spare spars, +sails, etc. 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 haired, curling beautifully, rounded, +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 own +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 woman. 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 North-west Coast, on a two or three +years' voyage, and was not going to Europe. Frightened at this +prospect, he slipped away when the crew was 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 the +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 have interfered at once; 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 +the 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 his 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 all the crew, be +correct, I cannot understand why Captain Arthur should have refused to +let him go, especially being a captain who had the name, not only with +that crew, but with all whom 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 a sense of responsibility, +and too often, even in men otherwise well-disposed, substitutes 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; and as he had known him on the voyage before, and was very +fond of 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 songs, the burden of which +I gathered to be about us and our voyage. + +Sunday, May 8th. This promised to be our last day in California. + +Our forty thousand hides, thirty thousand horns, besides several +barrels of otter and beaver skins, were all stowed below, and the +hatches calked down. 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 dozen +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, and +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 so powerful +machinery, that she was like a man in a straight-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 +weigh at the same time with us. Having washed down decks and got our +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 north-west 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. + +All eyes were 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 +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 flying about like +monkeys in the rigging; ropes and blocks flying; orders given and +answered, and the confused noises of men singing out at the ropes. The +top-sails came to the mast-heads with "Cheerily, 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 loud chorus. +Everything was done quick, as though it were 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 weigh at the same moment; and we sailed +down the narrow bay abreast and were just off the mouth, and finding +ourselves gradually shooting 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 somewhat 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," observed the redheaded second +mate, most mal-a-propos. 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 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 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 stay aloft at the top-gallant mastheads, 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!"--"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-south-west. The California's crew manned her weather +rigging, waved their hats in the air, and gave up 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 north-east. At sunset they were both out of sight, and we were +once more upon the ocean where sky and water meet. + + +[1] When the crew were paid off in Boston, the owners answered the +order, but generously refused to deduct the amount from the pay-roll, +saying that the exchange was made under compulsion. They also allowed +S---- his exchange money. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +BEGINNING THE LONG RETURN VOYAGE--A SCARE + +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 third, 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. By these diminutions, we were short-handed for a voyage round Cape +Horn in the dead of winter. Besides S---- and myself, there were only +five in the forecastle; who, together with four boys in the steerage, +the sailmaker, carpenter, etc., composed the whole crew. In addition +to this, we were only three or 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 old men, 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 broke down under the work, +and the latter died at Santa Barbara. The young man, too, 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 whaleship, 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 passage round, had sixty +days off the Cape, and lost several boats by the heavy sea. 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, and hung out to dry. 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; south-westers 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, even 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 as +tight as a bottle, and brought her cargo to Boston perfectly dry, we +had, after every effort made to prevent it, in the way of caulking 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 north-east trades, which we took +on the second day after leaving San Diego. + +Sunday, May 15th, one week out, we were in latitude 14 deg. 56' N., long. +116 deg. 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 had got 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 were 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 the royal studding-sails got ready for the light trades; +ring-tail set; and new rigging fitted and sails got 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 look-out 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, Tom, what was the latitude to-day?" + +"Why fourteen, north, and she has been going seven knots ever since." + +"Well, this will bring us up 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 south-east +trades, etc., 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 better days; and the last person I should have expected to +have seen on the coast of California--Professor N----, 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, was strolling about San +Diego beach, in a sailor's pea-jacket, with a wide straw hat, and +barefooted, with his trowsers roiled up to his knees, picking up stones +and shells. He had travelled overland to the North-west 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 down, visiting +the intermediate ports, and examining the trees, plants, earths, birds, +etc., 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 not +have been more surprised to have seen the Old South steeple shoot up +from the hide-house. He probably had no less difficulty in recognizing +me. As we left home about the same time, we had nothing to tell one +another; 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 no 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 +puzzled 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. (Chronometer, barometer, and thermometer.) The Pilgrim's +crew christened Mr. N. "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 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, an old salt, who had seen something +more of the world ashore, set all to rights, as he thought,--"Oh, '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. N.'s credit for capacity, and was +near enough to the truth for common purposes, I did not disturb it. + +With the exception of Mr. N., we had no one on board but the regular +ship's company, and the live stock. Upon this, 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, they, 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 getting 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 staid until we got into fine weather +again. + +Wednesday, May 18th. Lat. 9 deg. 54' N., long. 113 deg. 17' W. The +north-east trades had now left us, and we had the usual variable winds, +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-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, and the man at the wheel stand 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. 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. + +[Editor's note: the "166°" in the following paragraph is clearly an error, with "116°" actually meant. Longitude 166° would have put the ship southwest of the Sandwich Islands. However, this printing error goes back to at least an 1869 edition of this book.] + +Sunday, May 22d. Lat. 5 deg. 14' N., long. 166 deg. 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 +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 +and strips of canvas for towels, we turned-to and soaped, washed, and +scrubbed one another down, to get off, as we said, the California dust; +for the common wash in salt water, which is all 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 a 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 +battle with them in heaving water. By unplugging the holes, we let the +soap-suds off the decks, and in a short time had a new supply of 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-south-east, we crossed the equator. In twenty-four hours after +crossing the line, which was very unusual, we took the regular +south-east trades. These winds come a little from the eastward of +south-east, and, with us, they blew directly from the east-south-east, +which was fortunate for us, for 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 just 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 deg. 29' S., and long. 118 deg. 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, 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 trade-wind clouds over our heads; +the incomparable temperature of the Pacific,--neither hot nor cold; a +clear sun every day, and clear moon and stars each 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 in the +northern 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, and 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 south-west 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 was 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 +whaleship, out over night, and we had run them 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. Call the +captain, and heave the ship aback? 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, coming 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 behoved us to make every preparation. Our +rigging was all examined and overhauled, and mended, or replaced with +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 wheel-ropes, made of green hide, +laid up in the form of rope, were stretched and fitted; and new +top-sail clewlines, etc., rove; new fore-topmast back-stays 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 deg. 04' S., 116 deg. 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 deg. 15' S., and long. 116 deg. 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 tree-nails, and which, accidentally, had not been +plugged up when the cat-head was placed over them. This was sufficient +to account for the leak, and for our not having been able to discover +and stop it. + +[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, etc., they 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, but 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 addressing it, repeats +these lines: "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 pick my bones, + And pitch the rest 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 beside those of +our own nation. It is very generally believed, and is always highly +commended, as a fair instance of retaliatory justice. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +BAD PROSPECTS--FIRST TOUCH OF CAPE HORN--ICEBERGS--TEMPERANCE +SHIPS--LYING-UP--ICE--DIFFICULTY ON BOARD--CHANGE OF COURSE--STRAITS OF +MAGELLAN + +There now began 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 +night; the skies looking cold and angry; and, at times, a long, heavy, +ugly sea, setting in from the southwards 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 direction; and there was something not at all +encouraging in the manner in which she met it. Being 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, (with a sound as though she were striking against a rock,) only +the thickness of the 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 with +my hands, drew myself upon it. My feet were just off the stanchion, +when she struck fairly into the middle of the sea, and it washed her +fore and aft, burying her in the water. As soon as she rose out of it, +I looked aft, and everything forward of the main-mast, except the +long-boat, which was griped and double-lashed down to the ring-bolts, +was swept off clear. The galley, the pig-sty, the hen-coop, and a +large sheep-pen which had been built upon the forehatch, 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 they 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 sprung 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 till 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 pan-cakes 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 look-out 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 top-sails. 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 deg. 50' S., long. 113 deg. 49' W.; Cape Horn bearing, according +to my calculation, 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 rates 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 had 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 mizen +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 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 on 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 clewlines. 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, which had hardly +been bent long enough to get the starch out of them, were as stiff as +boards, 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 stiffened and 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 laid 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, +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, our 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, +mizen-top-men, and close-reef the mizen topsail!" This called me; and +being nearest to the rigging, I got first aloft, and out to the weather +earing. English Ben was on the yard 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 or cake +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 to have saved 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, 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 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 look-out for a moment to jump below and clap on a +thick jacket and south-wester; 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 south-west; 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 tooth-ache, 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 any 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 mizen 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 +was 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." For this, +of course, I was much obliged to him, and in truth it was just what I +expected. However, I did not starve, for the mate, 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 2nd. 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 +had never been 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, cook?" 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 center 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. +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 deg. 12' south, and supposed +longitude 89 deg. 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 +what quantities 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 today 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 deg. 27' S., and long. 85 deg. 5' W., having made +a good deal of easting, but having lost in our latitude by the heading 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 fields of floating ice called "field-ice" at the +south-east. 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 look-out was necessary; for any 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, south-westers coming +down over our neck and ears, thick trowsers 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 on, for it was impossible to work with +them, and, 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 +hail-stones, 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 +worse, take a knot with it; and the sails nearly as stiff as sheet +iron. One at a time, (for it was a long piece of work and required +many hands,) we furled the courses, mizen 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 clewlines 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 look-out 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," 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, who has all under his hand, and can drink as much as he +chooses, and 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 that, that +temperance is their friend, 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, in my life, 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 is made 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; give it an importance and a use which no one can appreciate +who has not stood his watch before the mast. On my passage round Cape +Horn before, the vessel that I was in 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 drank rum +before, and never intend 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 stated, 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.[1] + +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.[2] 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 look-out: one man on each bow, another in the bunt of the fore +yard, the third mate on the scuttle, one on each quarter, and a man +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 look-out +forward--"Another island!"--"Ice ahead!"--"Ice on the lee bow!"--"Hard +up the helm!"--"Keep her off a little!"--"Stead-y!" + +In the meantime, 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, and perhaps have the lock-jaw. + +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 to 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 look-outs 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 nothing, 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 potful of coffee for two men to +drink behind the galley, while he kept a look-out 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 topsails 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, whose station 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 look-out, 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 that 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 the crew 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, +punishable with state prison, 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. S----, who soon came down, joined us, and we +determined to have nothing to do with it. By these means, they 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, very 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 +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; or 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 still 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 under-manned, 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 south-wester, and made my appearance on +deck. Though 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 top-sails 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 top-masts, 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? 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 every one 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 deg. 10', long. 79 deg. 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 trowsers 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 the +permission 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 a thick +coat. After dinner, all hands were turned-to, to get the anchors over +the bows, bend on the chains, etc. 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 got 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 +"Cheerily ho!" 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, being 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 the 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 weigh and +coming-to, at all hours of the night and day, and a constant look-out +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 the +captain had no very perfect 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 south-west 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 of 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 struck her off for Cape Horn again. + + +[1] 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 tea-pot, and drank with sugar. + +[2] 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, 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 a ship 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, numbers of sailors were steering down +the wharf, hopping over the barrels, like flocks of sheep. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +ICE AGAIN--A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON--CAPE HORN--"LAND HO!"--HEADING FOR +HOME + +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 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 had 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 look-out 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 main 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 south-wester; our +solitary ship tore on through the water, as though glad to be out of +her confinement; and the ice islands lay scattered upon the ocean 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 north-east 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 any one who has 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. Besides 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 a 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 snow-storm is exciting, and it does not wet through the +clothes (which is 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 trowsers,--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 +bulk-heads. 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 as dark as a pocket, 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 little items which go to make up the grand total of the +discomforts of a winter passage round the Cape. Few words were spoken +between the watches as they shifted, the wheel was relieved, the mate +took his place on the quarter-deck, the look-outs 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 deck; and afterwards, +whenever the rain was not so violent as to wash it off, the weatherside +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 each of us, in turn, once in every other watch, was +looked upon as a relief. Even 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 quite 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 very 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 one another 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 a string of matters which I had in my memory, in regular +order. First, the multiplication table and the tables of weights and +measures; then the states of the union, with their capitals; the +counties of England, with their shire towns; the kings of England in +their order; and a large part of the peerage, which I committed from an +almanac that we had on board; and then the Kanaka numerals. This +carried me through my facts, and, being repeated deliberately, with +long intervals, often eked out the two first bells. Then came the ten +commandments; the thirty-ninth chapter of Job, and a few other passages +from Scripture. The next in the order, that I never varied from, came +Cowper's Castaway, which was a great favorite with me; the solemn +measure and gloomy character of which, as well as the incident that it +was founded upon, made 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 +King. 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 again from the old quarter; yet 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 leach, 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 mizen royal-yard. +Beside this difficulty, the yard over which we lay was cased with ice, +the gaskets and rope of the foot and leach of the sail as stiff and +hard as a piece of suction-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 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. H----, 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 +companion-way and through the skylight, lighting up everything below, +and sending a warm glow through the heart of every one. It was a sight +we had not seen for weeks,--an omen, a god-send. 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. H---- +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. N., the passenger, who +had kept in his shell for nearly a month, and hardly been seen by +anybody, and who 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, and, 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, 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. N. 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 + +CRACKING ON--PROGRESS HOMEWARD--A PLEASANT SUNDAY--A FINE SIGHT--BY-PLAY + +It is usual, in voyages round the Cape from the Pacific, to keep to the +eastward of the Falkland Islands; but as it had now set in a strong, +steady, and clear south-wester, 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 +south-west, 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 +top-sails, and the reefed foresail set. When we came to masthead the +topsail yards, with all hands at the halyards, we struck up "Cheerily, +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 each thing 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 new thing; 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 ship home, and threw +her continually off her course, the log would have shown her to have +been going much faster. I went to the wheel with a young fellow from +the Kennebec, 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 actually 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 that was mad, and began to +steer as wild as a hawk. 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 her from broaching to; though +nearly half the studding-sail went under water; and as she came to, the +boom stood up 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 clewline 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 clewline gave way at the first pull; the cleat to which the +halyards were belayed was wrenched off, and the sail blew round the +spritsail yards 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 force; 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 latitude 50 deg. 27' S., longitude 62 +deg. 13' W., having made four degrees of latitude in the last twenty-four +hours. Being now to northward of the Falkland Islands, the ship was +kept off, north-east, 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 +the 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, and +can't haul half the slack in!" Each 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 topgallant masts were got up, +topgallant and royal yards crossed, and the ship restored to her fair +proportions. + +The Southern Cross we saw no more after the first night; the Magellan +Clouds settled lower and lower in the horizon; and so great was our +change of latitude each succeeding night, that we sank some +constellation in the south, and raised another in the northern horizon. + +Sunday, July 31st. At noon we were in lat. 36 deg. 41' S., long. 38 deg. +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, trowsers, 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 own 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 +trowsers, 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 aboard;--we felt that we had got back into the pleasantest part +of a sailor's life. At sundown 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 of 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 great 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. This may give a landsman some notion of +what is done on board ship.--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 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, 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 +south-east trades, blowing about east-south-east, which brought them +nearly two points abaft our beam. These 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 small +matters, too, are often interesting, as they show the customs and state +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 back-stays, coming up with the seizings, hauling here, +belaying there, and full of business, standing between the knightheads +to sight the mast,--when the captain came forward, and also began to +give orders. This made confusion, and the mate, finding that he was +all aback, 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, Capt. T., 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," etc., etc. + +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 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 almost 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. +This afternoon, the mate asked him 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 +left 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 darky tried to butt him, 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. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +NARROW ESCAPES--THE EQUATOR--TROPICAL SQUALLS--A THUNDER STORM + +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 always +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, when off Cape Horn, reefing +topsails of a dark night, and 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 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 deg. 59' S., long. 27 deg. 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, +aristocratic-looking banner of St. George, the cross in a blood-red +field, waving from the mizen. We probably were 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 sky-sails, burying the +hull in canvas, and looking like what the whale-men 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 deg. 28' S., long. 29 deg. 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 deg. 55' S., long. 32 deg. 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 long. 35 deg. 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, were +sunk in the horizon, 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 nearly our all to have been where we now were. We had 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 trowsers, 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 their yarns.--A cloud rises to +windward, looking a little black; the sky-sails 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;"--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 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);--"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 is removed. + +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 +look-out 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 look-out +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 look-out. 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 out on both sides;--until we fell in with the +north-east trade-winds; which we did on the afternoon of + +Sunday, August 28th, in lat. 12 deg. N. The trade-wind clouds had been in +sight for a day or two previously, and we expected to take them every +hour. The light southerly breeze, which had been blowing languidly +during the first part of the day, died away toward noon, and in its +place came puffs from the north-east, which caused us to take our +studding-sails in 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 north-east 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-north-west; 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, Sept. 4th, when they left us, in lat. 22 deg. N., long. 51 deg. +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 tradewinds 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 directly 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 perfect 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 mizen +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 clewlines and buntlines +were hauled up without any of the customary 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 name 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 again; 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 south-west. +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 succeeded by occasional drops +and showers; but the lightning continued incessant for several hours, +breaking the midnight darkness with irregular and blinding flashes. +During all which 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 which 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, top-sail +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 good breeze and all sail set. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +A DOUBLE-REEF-TOP-SAIL BREEZE--SCURVY--A FRIEND IN NEED--PREPARING FOR +PORT--THE GULF STREAM + +From the latitude of the West Indies, until we got inside the Bermudas, +where we took the westerly and south-westerly 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 backstays hauled taut, +and tackle got upon the martingale back-rope.--One of the boys furls +the mizen 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 is 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 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 +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 asleep 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 heaved down on deck;--the noise of a +sail is heard fluttering aloft, and the short, quick cry which sailors +make when hauling upon clewlines.--"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 the officer of the watch to haul taut the weather +brace.--"Hallo! There's S---- aloft to furl the sail!"--Next thing, +rigging is heaved 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, a ho-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 mizen-topmen double-reef the mizen 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 afraid as +death 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 it was 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 latter 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 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 farther +among the crew, but there was danger that it might; and these cases +were bad ones. + +Sunday, Sept. 11th. Lat. 30 deg. 04' N., long. 63 deg. 23' W.; the +Bermudas bearing north-north-west, 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-south-east; +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 genuine and 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 +supposed, on board, that a new president had been chosen, the last +winter, and, just 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. + +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 perfectly 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; 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 tea-spoonful 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 south-west 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 +voyage was up,-- + + "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 into the neatest order. No merchant vessel looks +better than an Indiaman, or a Cape Horn-er, after a long voyage; and +many captains and mates will stake their reputation for seamanship upon +the appearance of their ship when she hauls into the dock. All our +standing rigging, fore and aft, was set up and tarred; the masts +stayed; the lower and top-mast rigging rattled down, (or up, as the +fashion now is;) and so careful were our officers to keep the rattlins +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 rattlins 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 re-touched 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, etc., etc. +The anchors and ring-bolts, and other iron work, were blackened with +coal-tar; and the steward kept at work, polishing the brass of the +wheel, bell, capstan, etc. 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, on 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 graftings, +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 +north-east, 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 north-east, 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 the deck, and took a turn round the +long-boat; and looking very 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 the +deck. Another hand was sent to the royal mast-head, who staid 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 had never 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 badly 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 and angles 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 bank +of dark, stormy clouds astern, in the twilight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +SOUNDINGS--SIGHTS FROM HOME--BOSTON HARBOR--LEAVING THE SHIP + +Friday, Sept. 16th. Lat. 38 deg. N., long. 69 deg. 00' W. A fine +south-west wind; every hour carrying us nearer in toward 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 of 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 every one was ready to do with +a will. + +The little 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 battle 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 tearing 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 cathead 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-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. Peter's! 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. Being 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 shaved, 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 trowsers 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 and remnants of our evil +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! Spin that yarn where nobody knows your filling! If +you get once moored, stem and stern, in old B----'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!" + +These and the like jokes 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 one another; 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 +deep 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-north-west, for Boston light, and commenced 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 grey 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 +actually alive with sails gliding about in every direction; 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 lighthouses, standing like +sentries in white before the harbors, and even the smoke from the +chimney 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 one another, 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 meantime, 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 all the time, 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 out-works 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, jumped on board. +I saw him from the mizen topsail yard, and knew him well. + +He shook the captain by the hand, and went down into the cabin, and in +a few moments 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 trowsers and red shirt, +long hair, and face burnt as black as an Indian's. He shook me by the +hand, congratulated me upon my return and my appearance of health and +strength, and said my friends were all well. 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 shall ever remember this man and his words with pleasure. + +The captain went up to town in the boat with Mr. H----, 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 North-west Coast. He had left home, a lad, and after several years +of very hard and trying experience, found himself homeward bound; and +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, he 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 of 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 weigh. 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 +sky-sails 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; remembered 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 the North End, and rang among the buildings in the dock, we hauled +her in to the wharf. Here, too, the landlords and runners were active +and ready, taking a bar to the capstan, lending a hand at the ropes, +laughing and talking and telling the news. 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. + + + + +CONCLUDING CHAPTER + +I trust that they who have followed me to the end of my narrative, will +not refuse to carry their attention a little farther, to the concluding +remarks which I here present to them. + +This chapter is written after the lapse of a considerable time since +the end of my voyage, and after a return to my former pursuits; and in +it I design to offer those views of what may be done for seamen, and of +what is already doing, which I have deduced from my experiences, and +from the attention which I have since gladly given to the subject. + +The romantic interest which many take in the sea, and in those who live +upon it, may be of use in exciting their attention to this subject, +though I cannot but feel sure that all who have followed me in my +narrative must be convinced that the sailor has no romance in his +every-day life to sustain him, but that it is very much the same plain, +matter-of-fact drudgery and hardship, which would be experienced on +shore. If I have not produced this conviction, I have failed in +persuading others of what my own experience has most fully impressed +upon myself. + +There is a witchery in the sea, its songs and stories, and in the mere +sight of a ship, and the sailor's dress, especially to a young mind, +which has done more to man navies, and fill merchantmen, than all the +press-gangs of Europe. I have known a young man with such a passion +for the sea, that the very creaking of a block stirred up his +imagination so that he could hardly keep his feet on dry ground; and +many are the boys, in every seaport, who are drawn away, as by an +almost irresistible attraction, from their work and schools, and hang +about the decks and yards of vessels, with a fondness which, it is +plain, will have its way. No sooner, however, has the young sailor +begun his new life in earnest, than all this fine drapery falls off, +and he learns that it is but work and hardship, after all. This is the +true light in which a sailor's life is to be viewed; and if in our +books, and anniversary speeches, we would leave out much that is said +about "blue water," "blue jackets," "open hearts," "seeing God's hand +on the deep," and so forth, and take this up like any other practical +subject, I am quite sure we should do full as much for those we wish to +benefit. The question is, what can be done for sailors, as they +are,--men to be fed, and clothed, and lodged, for whom laws must be +made and executed, and who are to be instructed in useful knowledge, +and, above all, to be brought under religious influence and restraint? +It is upon these topics that I wish to make a few observations. + +In the first place, I have no fancies about equality on board ship, It +is a thing out of the question, and certainly, in the present state of +mankind, not to be desired. I never knew a sailor who found fault with +the orders and ranks of the service; and if I expected to pass the rest +of my life before the mast, I would not wish to have the power of the +captain diminished an iota. It is absolutely necessary that there +should be one head and one voice, to control everything, and be +responsible for everything. There are emergencies which require the +instant exercise of extreme power. These emergencies do not allow of +consultation; and they who would be the captain's constituted advisers +might be the very men over whom he would be called upon to exert his +authority. It has been found necessary to vest in every government, +even the most democratic, some extraordinary, and, at first sight, +alarming powers; trusting in public opinion, and subsequent +accountability to modify the exercise of them. These are provided to +meet exigencies, which all hope may never occur, but which yet by +possibility may occur, and if they should, and there were no power to +meet them instantly, there would be an end put to the government at +once. So it is with the authority of the shipmaster. It will not +answer to say that he shall never do this and that thing, because it +does not seem always necessary and advisable that it should be done. +He has great cares and responsibilities; is answerable for everything; +and is subject to emergencies which perhaps no other man exercising +authority among civilized people is subject to. Let him, then, have +powers commensurate with his utmost possible need; only let him be held +strictly responsible for the exercise of them. Any other course would +be injustice, as well as bad policy. + +In the treatment of those under his authority, the captain is amenable +to the common law, like any other person. He is liable at common law +for murder, assault and battery, and other offences; and in addition to +this, there is a special statute of the United States which makes a +captain or other officer liable to imprisonment for a term not +exceeding five years, and to a fine not exceeding a thousand dollars, +for inflicting any cruel punishment upon, withholding food from, or in +any other way maltreating a seaman. This is the state of the law on +the subject; while the relation in which the parties stand, and the +peculiar necessities, excuses, and provocations arising from that +relation, are merely circumstances to be considered in each case. As +to the restraints upon the master's exercise of power, the laws +themselves seem, on the whole, to be sufficient. I do not see that we +are in need, at present, of more legislation on the subject. The +difficulty lies rather in the administration of the laws; and this is +certainly a matter that deserves great consideration, and one of no +little embarrassment. + +In the first place, the courts have said that public policy requires +the power of the master and officers should be sustained. Many lives +and a great amount of property are constantly in their hands, for which +they are strictly responsible. To preserve these, and to deal justly +by the captain, and not lay upon him a really fearful responsibility, +and then tie up his hands, it is essential that discipline should be +supported. In the second place, there is always great allowance to be +made for false swearing and exaggeration by seamen, and for +combinations among them against their officers; and it is to be +remembered that the latter have often no one to testify on their side. +These are weighty and true statements, and should not be lost sight of +by the friends of seamen. On the other hand, sailors make many +complaints, some of which are well founded. + +On the subject of testimony, seamen labor under a difficulty full as +great as that of the captain. It is a well-known fact, that they are +usually much better treated when there are passengers on board. + +The presence of passengers is a restraint upon the captain, not only +from his regard to their feelings and to the estimation in which they +may hold him, but because he knows they will be influential witnesses +against him if he is brought to trial. Though officers may sometimes be +inclined to show themselves off before passengers, by freaks of office +and authority, yet cruelty they would hardly dare to be guilty of. It +is on long and distant voyages, where there is no restraint upon the +captain, and none but the crew to testify against him, that sailors +need most the protection of the law. On such voyages as these, there +are many cases of outrageous cruelty on record, enough to make one +heartsick, and almost disgusted with the sight of man; and many, many +more, which have never come to light, and never will be known, until +the sea shall give up its dead. Many of these have led to mutiny and +piracy,--stripe for stripe, and blood for blood. If on voyages of this +description the testimony of seamen is not to be received in favor of +one another, or too great a deduction is made on account of their being +seamen, their case is without remedy; and the captain, knowing this, +will be strengthened in that disposition to tyrannize which the +possession of absolute power, without the restraints of friends and +public opinion, is too apt to engender. + +It is to be considered, also, that the sailor comes into court under +very different circumstances from the master. He is thrown among +landlords, and sharks of all descriptions; is often led to drink +freely; and comes upon the stand unaided, and under a certain cloud of +suspicion as to his character and veracity. The captain, on the other +hand, is backed by the owners and insurers, and has an air of greater +respectability; though, after all, he may have but a little better +education than the sailor, and sometimes, (especially among those +engaged in certain voyages that I could mention) a very hackneyed +conscience. + +These are the considerations most commonly brought up on the subject of +seamen's evidence; and I think it cannot but be obvious to every one +that here, positive legislation would be of no manner of use. There +can be no rule of law regulating the weight to be given to seamen's +evidence. It must rest in the mind of the judge and jury; and no +enactment or positive rule of court could vary the result a hair, in +any one case. The effect of a sailor's testimony in deciding a case +must depend altogether upon the reputation of the class to which he +belongs, and upon the impression he himself produces in court by his +deportment, and by those infallible marks of character which always +tell upon a jury. + +In fine, after all the well-meant and specious projects that have been +brought forward, we seem driven back to the belief, that the best means +of securing a fair administration of the laws made for the protection +of seamen, and certainly the only means which can create any important +change for the better, is the gradual one of raising the intellectual +and religious character of the sailor, so that as an individual and as +one of a class, he may, in the first instance, command the respect of +his officers, and if any difficulty should happen, may upon the stand +carry that weight which an intelligent and respectable man of the lower +class almost always does with a jury. I know there are many men who, +when a few cases of great hardship occur, and it is evident that there +is an evil somewhere, think that some arrangement must be made, some +law passed, or some society got up, to set all right at once. On this +subject there can be no call for any such movement; on the contrary, I +fully believe that any public and strong action would do harm, and that +we must be satisfied to labor in the less easy and less exciting task +of gradual improvement, and abide the issue of things working slowly +together for good. + +Equally injudicious would be any interference with the economy of the +ship. The lodging, food, hours of sleep, etc., are all matters which, +though capable of many changes for the better, must yet be left to +regulate themselves. And I am confident that there will be, and that +there is now a gradual improvement in all such particulars. The +forecastles of most of our ships are small, black, and wet holes, which +few landsmen would believe held a crew of ten or twelve men on a voyage +of months or years; and often, indeed in most cases, the provisions are +not good enough to make a meal anything more than a necessary part of a +day's duty;[1] and on the score of sleep, I fully believe that the +lives of merchant seamen are shortened by the want of it. I do not +refer to those occasions when it is necessarily broken in upon; but, +for months, during fine weather, in many merchantmen, all hands are +kept, throughout the day, and, then, there are eight hours on deck for +one watch each night. Thus it is usually the case that at the end of a +voyage, where there has been the finest weather, and no disaster, the +crew have a wearied and worn-out appearance. They never sleep longer +than four hours at a time, and are seldom called without being really +in need of more rest. There is no one thing that a sailor thinks more +of as a luxury of life on shore, than a whole night's sleep. Still, +all these things must be left to be gradually modified by circumstances. + +Whenever hard cases occur, they should be made known, and masters and +owners should be held answerable, and will, no doubt, in time, be +influenced in their arrangements and discipline by the increased +consideration in which sailors are held by the public. + +It is perfectly proper that the men should live in a different part of +the vessel from the officers; and if the forecastle is made large and +comfortable, there is no reason why the crew should not live there as +well as in any other part. In fact, sailors prefer the forecastle. It +is their accustomed place, and in it they are out of the sight and +hearing of their officers. + +As to their food and sleep, there are laws, with heavy penalties, +requiring a certain amount of stores to be on board, and safely stowed; +and, for depriving the crew unnecessarily of food or sleep, the captain +is liable at common law, as well as under the statute before referred +to. Farther than this, it would not be safe to go. + +The captain must be the judge when it is necessary to keep his crew +from their sleep; and sometimes a retrenching, not of the necessaries, +but of some of the little niceties of their meals, as, for instance, +duff on Sunday, may be a mode of punishment, though I think generally +an injudicious one. + +I could not do justice to this subject without noticing one part of the +discipline of a ship, which has been very much discussed of late, and +has brought out strong expressions of indignation from many,--I mean +the infliction of corporal punishment. Those who have followed me in +my narrative will remember that I was witness to an act of great +cruelty inflicted upon my own shipmates; and indeed I can sincerely say +that the simple mention of the word flogging, brings up in me feelings +which I can hardly control. Yet, when the proposition is made to +abolish it entirely and at once; to prohibit the captain from ever, +under any circumstances, inflicting corporal punishment; I am obliged +to pause, and, I must say, to doubt exceedingly the expediency of +making any positive enactment which shall have that effect. If the +design of those who are writing on this subject is merely to draw +public attention to it, and to discourage the practice of flogging, and +bring it into disrepute, it is well; and, indeed, whatever may be the +end they have in view, the mere agitation of the question will have +that effect, and, so far, must do good. Yet I should not wish to take +the command of a ship to-morrow, running my chance of a crew, as most +masters must, and know, and have my crew know, that I could not, under +any circumstances, inflict even moderate chastisement. I should trust +that I might never have to resort to it; and, indeed, I scarcely know +what risk I would not run, and to what inconvenience I would not +subject myself, rather than do so. Yet not to have the power of +holding it up in terrorem, and indeed of protecting myself, and all +under my charge, by it, if some extreme case should arise, would be a +situation I should not wish to be placed in myself, or to take the +responsibility of placing another in. + +Indeed, the difficulties into which masters and officers are liable to +be thrown, are not sufficiently considered by many whose sympathies are +easily excited by stories, frequent enough, and true enough of +outrageous abuse of this power. It is to be remembered that more than +three-fourths of the seamen in our merchant vessels are foreigners. +They are from all parts of the world. A great many from the north of +Europe, beside Frenchmen, Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians, men from all +parts of the Mediterranean, together with Lascars, Negroes, and, +perhaps worst of all, the off-casts of British men-of-war, and men from +our own country who have gone to sea because they could not be +permitted to live on land. + +As things now are, many masters are obliged to sail without knowing +anything of their crews, until they get out at sea. There may be +pirates or mutineers among them; and one bad man will often infect all +the rest; and it is almost certain that some of them will be ignorant +foreigners, hardly understanding a word of our language, accustomed all +their lives to no influence but force, and perhaps nearly as familiar +with the use of the knife as with that of the marline-spike. No +prudent master, however peaceably inclined, would go to sea without his +pistols and handcuffs. Even with such a crew as I have supposed, +kindness and moderation would be the best policy, and the duty of every +conscientious man; and the administering of corporal punishment might +be dangerous, and of doubtful use. But the question is not, what a +captain ought generally to do, but whether it shall be put out of the +power of every captain, under any circumstances, to make use of, even +moderate, chastisement. As the law now stands, a parent may correct +moderately his child, and the master his apprentice; and the case of +the shipmaster has been placed upon the same principle. The statutes, +and the common law as expounded in the decisions of courts, and in the +books of commentators, are express and unanimous to this point, that +the captain may inflict moderate corporal chastisement, for a +reasonable cause. If the punishment is excessive, or the cause not +sufficient to justify it, he is answerable; and the jury are to +determine, by their verdict in each case, whether, under all the +circumstances, the punishment was moderate, and for a justifiable cause. + +This seems to me to be as good a position as the whole subject can be +left in. I mean to say, that no positive enactment, going beyond this, +is needed, or would be a benefit either to masters or men, in the +present state of things. This again would seem to be a case which +should be left to the gradual working of its own cure. As seamen +improve, punishment will become less necessary; and as the character of +officers is raised, they will be less ready to inflict it; and, still +more, the infliction of it upon intelligent and respectable men, will +be an enormity which will not be tolerated by public opinion, and by +juries, who are the pulse of the body politic. No one can have a +greater abhorrence of the infliction of such punishment than I have, +and a stronger conviction that severity is bad policy with a crew; yet +I would ask every reasonable man whether he had not better trust to the +practice becoming unnecessary and disreputable; to the measure of +moderate chastisement and a justifiable cause being better understood, +and thus, the act becoming dangerous, and in course of time to be +regarded as an unheard-of barbarity--than to take the responsibility of +prohibiting it, at once, in all cases, and in what ever degree, by +positive enactment? + +There is, however, one point connected with the administration of +justice to seamen, to which I wish seriously to call the attention of +those interested in their behalf, and, if possible, also of some of +those concerned in that administration. This is, the practice which +prevails of making strong appeals to the jury in mitigation of damages, +or to the judge, after a verdict has been rendered against a captain or +officer, for a lenient sentence, on the grounds of their previous good +character, and of their being poor, and having friends and families +depending upon them for support. These appeals have been allowed a +weight which is almost incredible, and which, I think, works a greater +hardship upon seamen than any one other thing in the laws, or the +execution of them. Notwithstanding every advantage the captain has +over the seaman in point of evidence, friends, money, and able counsel, +it becomes apparent that he must fail in his defence. An appeal is +then made to the jury, if it is a civil action, or to the judge for a +mitigated sentence, if it is a criminal prosecution, on the two grounds +I have mentioned. The same form is usually gone through in every case. +In the first place, as to the previous good character of the party. +Witnesses are brought from the town in which he resides, to testify to +his good character, and to his unexceptionable conduct when on shore. +They say that he is a good father, or husband, or son, or neighbor, and +that they never saw in him any signs of a cruel or tyrannical +disposition. I have even known evidence admitted to show the character +he bore when a boy at school. The owners of the vessel, and other +merchants, and perhaps the president of the insurance company, are then +introduced; and they testify to his correct deportment, express their +confidence in his honesty, and say that they have never seen anything +in his conduct to justify a suspicion of his being capable of cruelty +or tyranny. This evidence is then put together, and great stress is +laid upon the extreme respectability of those who give it. They are +the companions and neighbors of the captain, it is said,--men who know +him in his business and domestic relations, and who knew him in his +early youth. They are also men of the highest standing in the +community, and who, as the captain's employers, must be supposed to +know his character. This testimony is then contrasted with that of +some half dozen obscure sailors, who, the counsel will not forget to +add, are exasperated against the captain because he has found it +necessary to punish them moderately, and who have combined against him, +and if they have not fabricated a story entirely, have at least so +exaggerated it, that little confidence can be placed in it. + +The next thing to be done is to show to the court and jury that the +captain is a poor man, and has a wife and family, or other friends, +depending upon him for support; that if he is fined, it will only be +taking bread from the mouths of the innocent and helpless, and laying a +burden upon them which their whole lives will not be able to work off; +and that if he is imprisoned, the confinement, to be sure, he will have +to bear, but the distress consequent upon the cutting him off from his +labor and means of earning his wages, will fall upon a poor wife and +helpless children, or upon an infirm parent. These two topics, well +put, and urged home earnestly, seldom fail of their effect. + +In deprecation of this mode of proceeding, and in behalf of men who I +believe are every day wronged by it, I would urge a few considerations +which seem to me to be conclusive. + +First, as to the evidence of the good character the captain sustains on +shore. It is to be remembered that masters of vessels have usually +been brought up in a forecastle; and upon all men, and especially upon +those taken from lower situations, the conferring of absolute power is +too apt to work a great change. There are many captains whom I know to +be cruel and tyrannical men at sea, who yet, among their friends, and +in their families, have never lost the reputation they bore in +childhood. In fact, the sea-captain is seldom at home, and when he is, +his stay is short, and during the continuance of it he is surrounded by +friends who treat him with kindness and consideration, and he has +everything to please, and at the same time to restrain him. He would +be a brute indeed, if, after an absence of months or years, during his +short stay, so short that the novelty and excitement of it has hardly +time to wear off, and the attentions he receives as a visitor and +stranger hardly time to slacken,--if, under such circumstances, a +townsman or neighbor would be justified in testifying against his +correct and peaceable deportment. With the owners of the vessel, also, +to which he is attached, and among merchants and insurers generally, he +is a very different man from what he may be at sea, when his own +master, and the master of everybody and everything about him. He knows +that upon such men, and their good opinion of him, he depends for his +bread. So far from their testimony being of any value in determining +what his conduct would be at sea, one would expect that the master who +would abuse and impose upon a man under his power, would be the most +compliant and deferential to his employers at home. + +As to the appeal made in the captain's behalf on the ground of his +being poor and having persons depending upon his labor for support, the +main and fatal objection to it is, that it will cover every case of the +kind, and exempt nearly the whole body of masters and officers from the +punishment the law has provided for them. There are very few, if any +masters or other officers of merchantmen in our country, who are not +poor men, and having either parents, wives, children, or other +relatives, depending mainly or wholly upon their exertions for support +in life. Few others follow the sea for subsistence. Now if this +appeal is to have weight with courts in diminishing the penalty the law +would otherwise inflict, is not the whole class under a privilege which +will, in a degree, protect it in wrong-doing? It is not a thing that +happens now and then. It is the invariable appeal, the last resort, of +counsel, when everything else has failed. I have known cases of the +most flagrant nature, where after every effort has been made for the +captain, and yet a verdict rendered against him, and all other hope +failed, this appeal has been urged, and with such success that the +punishment has been reduced to something little more than nominal, the +court not seeming to consider that it might be made in almost every +such case that could come before them. It is a little singular, too, +that it seems to be confined to cases of shipmasters and officers. No +one ever heard of a sentence, for an offence committed on shore, being +reduced by the court on the ground of the prisoner's poverty, and the +relation in which he may stand to third persons. On the contrary, it +had been thought that the certainty that disgrace and suffering will be +brought upon others as well as himself, is one of the chief restraints +upon the criminally disposed. Besides, this course works a peculiar +hardship in the case of the sailor. For if poverty is the point in +question, the sailor is the poorer of the two; and if there is a man on +earth who depends upon whole limbs and an unbroken spirit for support, +it is the sailor. He, too, has friends to whom his hard earnings may +be a relief, and whose hearts will bleed at any cruelty or indignity +practised upon him. Yet I never knew this side of the case to be once +adverted to in these arguments addressed to the leniency of the court, +which are now so much in vogue; and certainly they are never allowed a +moment's consideration when a sailor is on trial for revolt, or for an +injury done to an officer. Notwithstanding the many difficulties which +lie in a seaman's way in a court of justice, presuming that they will +be modified in time, there would be little to complain of, were it not +for these two appeals. + +It is no cause of complaint that the testimony of seamen against their +officers is viewed with suspicion, and that great allowance is made for +combinations and exaggeration. On the contrary, it is the judge's duty +to charge the jury on these points strongly. But there is reason for +objection, when, after a strict cross-examination of witnesses, after +the arguments of counsel, and the judge's charge, a verdict is found +against the master, that the court should allow the practice of hearing +appeals to its lenity, supported solely by evidence of the captain's +good conduct when on shore, (especially where the case is one in which +no evidence but that of sailors could have been brought against the +accused), and then, on this ground, and on the invariable claims of the +wife and family, be induced to cut down essentially the penalty imposed +by a statute made expressly for masters and officers of merchantmen, +and for no one else. + +There are many particulars connected with the manning of vessels, the +provisions given to crews, and the treatment of them while at sea, upon +which there might be a good deal said; but as I have, for the most +part, remarked upon them as they came up in the course of my narrative, +I will offer nothing further now, except on the single point of the +manner of shipping men. This, it is well known, is usually left +entirely to the shipping-masters, and is a cause of a great deal of +difficulty, which might be remedied by the captain, or owner, if he has +any knowledge of seamen, attending to it personally. One of the +members of the firm to which our ship belonged, Mr. S----, had been +himself a master of a vessel, and generally selected the crew from a +number sent down to him from the shipping-office. In this way he +almost always had healthy, serviceable, and respectable men; for any +one who has seen much of sailors can tell pretty well at first sight, +by a man's dress, countenance, and deportment, what he would be on +board ship. This same gentleman was also in the habit of seeing the +crew together, and speaking to them previously to their sailing. On +the day before our ship sailed, while the crew were getting their +chests and clothes on board, he went down into the forecastle and spoke +to them about the voyage, the clothing they would need, the provision +he had made for them, and saw that they had a lamp and a few other +conveniences. If owners or masters would more generally take the same +pains, they would often save their crews a good deal of inconvenience, +beside creating a sense of satisfaction and gratitude, which makes a +voyage begin under good auspices, and goes far toward keeping up a +better state of feeling throughout its continuance. + +It only remains for me now to speak of the associated public efforts +which have been making of late years for the good of seamen: a far more +agreeable task than that of finding fault, even where fault there is. +The exertions of the general association, called the American Seamen's +Friend Society, and of the other smaller societies throughout the +Union, have been a true blessing to the seaman; and bid fair, in course +of time, to change the whole nature of the circumstances in which he is +placed, and give him a new name, as well as a new character. These +associations have taken hold in the right way, and aimed both at making +the sailor's life more comfortable and creditable, and at giving him +spiritual instruction. Connected with these efforts, the spread of +temperance among seamen, by means of societies, called, in their own +nautical language, Windward-Anchor Societies, and the distribution of +books; the establishment of Sailors' Homes, where they can be +comfortably and cheaply boarded, live quietly and decently, and be in +the way of religious services, reading and conversation; also the +institution of Savings Banks for Seamen; the distribution of tracts and +Bibles;--are all means which are silently doing a great work for this +class of men. These societies make the religious instruction of seamen +their prominent object. If this is gained, there is no fear but that +all other things necessary will be added unto them. A sailor never +becomes interested in religion, without immediately learning to read, +if he did not know how before; and regular habits, forehandedness (if I +may use the word) in worldly affairs, and hours reclaimed from +indolence and vice, which follow in the wake of the converted man, make +it sure that he will instruct himself in the knowledge necessary and +suitable to his calling. The religious change is the great object. If +this is secured, there is no fear but that knowledge of things of the +world will come in fast enough. With the sailor, as with all other men +in fact, the cultivation of the intellect, and the spread of what is +commonly called useful knowledge, while religious instruction is +neglected, is little else than changing an ignorant sinner into an +intelligent and powerful one. That sailor upon whom, of all others, +the preaching of the Cross is least likely to have effect, is the one +whose understanding has been cultivated, while his heart has been left +to its own devices. I fully believe that those efforts which have +their end in the intellectual cultivation of the sailor; in giving him +scientific knowledge; putting it in his power to read everything, +without securing, first of all, a right heart which shall guide him in +judgment; in giving him political information, and interesting him in +newspapers;--an end in the furtherance of which he is exhibited at +ladies' fairs and public meetings, and complimented for his gallantry +and generosity,--are all doing a harm which the labors of many faithful +men cannot undo. + +The establishment of Bethels in most of our own seaports, and in many +foreign ports frequented by our vessels, where the gospel is regularly +preached and the opening of "Sailors' Homes," which I have before +mentioned, where there are usually religious services and other good +influences, are doing a vast deal in this cause. But it is to be +remembered that the sailor's home is on the deep. Nearly all his life +must be spent on board ship; and to secure a religious influence there, +should be the great object. The distribution of Bibles and tracts into +cabins and forecastles, will do much toward this. There is nothing +which will gain a sailor's attention sooner, and interest him more +deeply, than a tract, especially one which contains a story. It is +difficult to engage their attention in mere essays and arguments, but +the simplest and shortest story, in which home is spoken of, kind +friends, a praying mother or sister, a sudden death, and the like, +often touches the heart of the roughest and most abandoned. The Bible +is to the sailor a sacred book. It may lie in the bottom of his chest, +voyage after voyage; but he never treats it with positive disrespect. +I never knew but one sailor who doubted its being the inspired word of +God; and he was one who had received an uncommonly good education, +except that he had been brought up without any early religious +influence. The most abandoned man of our crew, one Sunday morning, +asked one of the boys to lend him his Bible. The boy said he would, +but was afraid he would make sport of it. "No!" said the man, "I don't +make sport of God Almighty." This is a feeling general among sailors, +and is a good foundation for religious influence. + +A still greater gain is made whenever, by means of a captain who is +interested in the eternal welfare of those under his command, there can +be secured the performance of regular religious exercises, and the +exertion, on the side of religion, of that mighty influence which a +captain possesses for good, or for evil. There are occurrences at sea +which he may turn to great account,--a sudden death, the apprehension +of danger, or the escape from it, and the like; and all the calls for +gratitude and faith. Besides, this state of thing alters the whole +current of feeling between the crew and their commander. His authority +assumes more of the parental character; and kinder feelings exist. +Godwin, though an infidel, in one of his novels, describing the +relation in which a tutor stood to his pupil, says that the conviction +the tutor was under, that he and his ward were both alike awaiting a +state of eternal happiness or misery, and that they must appear +together before the same judgment-seat, operated so upon his naturally +morose disposition, as to produce a feeling of kindness and tenderness +toward his ward, which nothing else could have caused. Such must be +the effect upon the relation of master and common seaman. + +There are now many vessels sailing under such auspices, in which great +good is done. Yet I never happened to fall in with one of them. I did +not hear a prayer made, a chapter read in public, nor see anything +approaching to a religious service, for two years and a quarter. There +were, in the course of the voyage, many incidents which made, for the +time, serious impressions upon our minds, and which might have been +turned to our good; but there being no one to use the opportunity, and +no services, the regular return of which might have kept something of +the feeling alive in us, the advantage of them was lost, to some, +perhaps, forever. + +The good which a single religious captain may do can hardly be +calculated. In the first place, as I have said, a kinder state of +feeling exists on board the ship. There is no profanity allowed; and +the men are not called by any opprobrious names, which is a great thing +with sailors. The Sabbath is observed. This gives the men a day of +rest, even if they pass it in no other way. Such a captain, too, will +not allow a sailor on board his ship to remain unable to read his Bible +and the books given to him; and will usually instruct those who need +it, in writing, arithmetic, and navigation; since he has a good deal of +time on his hands, which he can easily employ in such a manner. He +will also have regular religious services; and, in fact, by the power +of his example, and, where it can judiciously be done, by the exercise +of his authority, will give a character to the ship and all on board. +In foreign ports, a ship is known by her captain; for, there being no +general rules in the merchant service, each master may adopt a plan of +his own. It is to be remembered, too, that there are, in most ships, +boys of a tender age, whose characters for life are forming, as well as +old men, whose lives must be drawing toward a close. The greater part +of sailors die at sea; and when they find their end approaching, if it +does not, as is often the case, come without warning, they cannot, as +on shore, send for a clergyman, or some religious friend, to speak to +them of that hope in a Saviour, which they have neglected, if not +despised, through life; but if the little hull does not contain such an +one within its compass, they must be left without human aid in their +great extremity. When such commanders and such ships, as I have just +described, shall become more numerous, the hope of the friends of +seamen will be greatly strengthened; and it is encouraging to remember +that the efforts among common sailors will soon raise up such a class; +for those of them who are brought under these influences will +inevitably be the ones to succeed to the places of trust and authority. +If there is on earth an instance where a little leaven may leaven the +whole lump, it is that of the religious shipmaster. + +It is to the progress of this work among seamen that we must look with +the greatest confidence for the remedying of those numerous minor evils +and abuses that we so often hear of. It will raise the character of +sailors, both as individuals and as a class. It will give weight to +their testimony in courts of justice, secure better usage to them on +board ship, and add comforts to their lives on shore and at sea. There +are some laws that can be passed to remove temptation from their way +and to help them in their progress; and some changes in the +jurisdiction of the lower courts, to prevent delays, may, and probably +will, be made. But, generally speaking, more especially in things which +concern the discipline of ships, we had better labor in this great +work, and view with caution the proposal of new laws and arbitrary +regulations, remembering that most of those concerned in the making of +them must necessarily be little qualified to judge of their operation. + +Without any formal dedication of my narrative to that body of men, of +whose common life it is intended to be a picture, I have yet borne them +constantly in mind during its preparation. I cannot but trust that +those of them, into whose hands it may chance to fall, will find in it +that which shall render any professions of sympathy and good wishes on +my part unnecessary. And I will take the liberty, on parting with my +reader, who has gone down with us to the ocean, and "laid his hand upon +its mane," to commend to his kind wishes, and to the benefit of his +efforts, that class of men with whom, for a time, my lot was cast. I +wish the rather to do this, since I feel that whatever attention this +book may gain, and whatever favor it may find, I shall owe almost +entirely to that interest in the sea, and those who follow it, which is +so easily excited in us all. + + + +[1] I am not sure that I have stated, in the course of my narrative, +the manner in which sailors eat, on board ship. There are neither +tables, knives, forks, nor plates, in a forecastle; but the kid (a +wooden tub, with iron hoops) is placed on the floor and the crew sit +round it, and each man cuts for himself with the common jack-knife or +sheath-knife, that he carries about him. They drink their tea out of +tin pots, holding little less than a quart each. + +These particulars are not looked upon as hardships, and, indeed, may be +considered matters of choice. Sailors, in our merchantmen, furnish +their own eating utensils, as they do many of the instruments which +they use in the ship's work, such as knives, palms and needles, +marline-spikes, rubbers, etc. And considering their mode of life in +other respects, the little time they would have for laying and clearing +away a table with its apparatus, and the room it would take up in a +forecastle, as well as the simple character of their meals, consisting +generally of only one piece of meat,--it is certainly a convenient +method, and, as the kid and pans are usually kept perfectly clean, a +neat and simple one. I had supposed these things to be generally +known, until I heard, a few months ago, a lawyer of repute, who has had +a good deal to do with marine cases, ask a sailor upon the stand +whether the crew had "got up from table" when a certain thing happened. + + + + +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 lighthouse, 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 the 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 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. + +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 steering of the ship for home! I was in a dream of San +Diego, San Pedro--with its hills 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 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 SOUTH-EASTERs! 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. +199-202, 252), except that he left him in Callao; nor could he tell me +anything of handsome Bill Jackson (ante, p. 86), 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 Augustia, 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, he noticed, as he 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 tar 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 SOUTH-EASTERs 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 +Augustia 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 Augustia, 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 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 +labour. + +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 SOUTH-EASTERs. 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 +mid-summer, 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 Argueello, +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, Argueellos, 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 Muchado, 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. 115). 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 dear 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 in 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 earthly 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 visit 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. 41), 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, and 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. 249), 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. +231), 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. 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 the 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, 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_. + + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Henry Dana + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST *** + +***** This file should be named 2055.txt or 2055.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/5/2055/ + +Produced by Robert E. Brewer. HTML version by Al Haines. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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