«* :.-a!i' ■. 
 
 Bcemic^ 
 
 CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 Gift of 
 
 Heebert Fisk Johnson '22 
 
Cornell University Library 
 G540 .D16 1910 
 
 Two years before the mast or, A sailor' 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 029 852 153 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029852153 
 
TWO YEARS 
 BEFORE THE MAST 
 
TWO YEARS 
 BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 or 
 
 A Sailor's Life at Sea 
 
 By 
 
 R. H. DANA, Tun. 
 
 HUTCHINSON & CO. {Publishers) LTD. 
 LONDON : NEW YORK : MELBOURNE : SYDNEY 
 
THIS BOOK IS PRODUCED IN COM- 
 PLETE CONFORMITY WITH THE 
 AUTHORIZED ECONOMY STANDARDS. 
 
 Made and Printed in Great Britain at St. Albans by The. 
 Mayflower Press (of Plymouth). William Brendon & Son, Ltd. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The most fitting introduction to the British Nation of this 
 " Robinson Crusoe at sea," is that by the talented editor of " The 
 Knickerbocker," New York Monthly Magazine: — "We have," 
 says he, " no hesitation in pronouncing this volume one of the 
 n^ost striking, and evidently faithful pictures of ' real life ' at sea 
 that has come under our observation. It is literally what it 
 claims to be, a Voice from the Forecastle ; and narrates, from the 
 notes of a journal kept during the entire period, the events of 
 two years' spent as a common sailor before the mast, in the 
 American merchant service. The writer is Mr. R. H. Dana, jun., 
 of Boston, a son of the well-known author of ' The Buccaneers.' 
 The voyage round Cape Hornj from Boston to the western coast 
 of North America, was undertaken from a determination to dispel, 
 if possible, by an entire change of life, and by a long absence 
 from books and study, a complaint which had obliged him to 
 give up his pursuits, and which no medical aid seemed likely to 
 cure. From the moment of the change from the tight dress-coat, 
 silk cap, and kid gloves, of an undergraduate of Cambridge, to 
 the loose duck trousers, checked shirt, and tarpaulin hat of the 
 regular; Jack-tar, our young author seems to have determined to 
 play, or rather work the part of a thorough sailor ; and we cannot 
 sufiiciently admire the uncomplaining fortitude with which, for 
 two long years, he bore the multiJEarious hardships of a common 
 seaman's lot. For himself, great as was the change in his avoca- 
 tions, he never utters a murmur. Whether ' tarring down ' the 
 rigging, cleaning Spanish hides, and carrying them on his head 
 through the surf of a Californian coast, sending down a royal- 
 yard, or furling a yard-arm [The editor must mean the jib.] off 
 Cape Horn in a hurricane of hail and sleet, 
 
 'While the tough cordage creaks, and yelling loud, 
 The fierce north-westfir's in the frozen shroud ;' 
 
 in short, whether in breeze, or gale, or storm, with dinner, such 
 as it was, or without it, such as it might have been but for sad 
 accidents, we find our author ever the same hard-working, alL- 
 enduring philosopher, with an eye to see and a heart to feel every- 
 body's discomforts and sufferings but his own. Apart from matters 
 of various interest, we have ourselves risen from the discussion of 
 
 5 
 
6 INTRODUCTION 
 
 this volume with a new sense of the sublime in nature — with a 
 more enlarged conception of the vastness of the ' grey and melan- 
 chbly wastes ' of ocean which spread around earth's isles and 
 continents, upon which the early dawn breaks and daylight fades 
 alike ; where the almost living vessel, fleet-sailing, drops in the 
 distant wave the Southern Cross, the Magellan Clouds, the wild 
 and stormy Cape ; where, unlike the travel of the land, which at 
 .the most conquers a narrow horizon after horizon, each succeed- 
 ing night the homeward ship sinks some celestial constellation in 
 the backward distance, raising another ' landmark of the heavens ' 
 in the onward waste of mingled sea and sky. Truly said the 
 Psalmist, ' They who go down to the sea in ships, and do business 
 in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders 
 in the mighty deep.' " 
 
THE AUTHOR'S 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 " arid " 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' 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 glpves on " (as 
 the phrase is), and who associates 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 exhibition 
 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 on 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 fore- 
 castle 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 ser- 
 vice. 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 endeavoured to give each thing its true character. 
 
8 THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE 
 
 . 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 enthusiaspi for their want of acquaintance 
 with the professional detail. 
 
 In preparing this narrative I have carefully avoided incor- 
 porating into it any impressions but those made upon hie 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 be6n 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 hard- 
 ships of their daily life, the end of its publication will be 
 answered. 
 
 R. H. D., Jr. 
 Boston. 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 The 14th 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 twdpr three years' voyage, which I had undertaken 
 from a determination to cure, if possible, by an entire change of 
 life, and by a long absence from books 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 Cambridgej to the loose duck trousers, 
 checked shirt, and tarpaulin hat of a sailor, though somewhat of 
 a transformation, was soon made ; and I supposed that I shpuld 
 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 trousers, tight 
 round the hips, and thence hanging long and loose round the 
 feet, a superabundance of check 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 betrays 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 
 gfear, 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 import- 
 
10 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 ance of my l:rust, that I walked regularly fore and aft the whole 
 length of the vestel, looking but 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 a sufficient look-out, 
 he thought, for a fine night, at anchor in a safe harbour. 
 
 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 o£E, 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 harbour, we found the wind ahead in the bay, and were 
 obliged to conie 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 that I did not give the true hoarse, boatswain call' 
 of " A-a-U ha-a-a-nds 1 up anchor, a ho-oy ! " In a short time 
 every one was in motion, the sails loosed, the yards braced, ^nd 
 we began to heave up the anchor, which was our last hold upon 
 Yankee land. I could take but little part in all these prepara- 
 tions. My little knowledge of a vessel was all at fault. Unin- 
 telligible orders were so rapidly given, and so immediately 
 executed ; there was such a hurrying about, and such an inter- 
 mingling of strange cries and stranger actions, that I was com- 
 pletely bewildered. There is not so helpless and pitiable an 
 object in the world as a landsman beginning, a sailor's life. At 
 length those peculiar, long drawn sounds, which denote that the 
 crew are heaving at the windlass, began, and in a few moments 
 We were under weigh. The noise of the water thrown from the 
 bows began to be heard, thei vessel leaned over from the damp 
 night-breeze, and rolled with the heavy ground swfeU, and we had 
 actually begun our long, long journey. This was literally bidding 
 "good night" to my native land. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 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 dayi 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'J;, 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 bel&w, 
 l^he larboard watch ! " l 
 
 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-house 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 reflectipii. I felt for the first tinie 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 
 
13 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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. Moi^eover, 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, " every- 
 thing on the 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 list- 
 lessness and inactivity whidi 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 hiad 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 ahoyl tumble up here and take in sail," 
 saluted our ears, and the hatch was quickly shut again. When 
 I got upon deck, a new scene and a new experience was before 
 me. This little brig was close hauled upon the wind, arid 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, drench- 
 ing us completely through. The topsail halyards had been let 
 go, and the great sails were filling out and backing against the 
 masts with a noise like thunder. The wind was whistling through 
 the rigging, loose ropes flying about ; loud, and, to me, unintel- 
 ligible 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST , 13 
 
 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 no?; consider 
 much of a favour^ for the confusion of everything below, and 
 that inexpressibly sickening smell, caused by the shaking up of 
 the bilge-water in the hold, made the steerage but an indiflEerent 
 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 ofE, 
 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 dj^ys.' 
 ' Wednesday, Aug. aoth. — We had the watch on deck fropi 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 expected a 
 coi'responding change in my feelings ; yet continued extremely 
 weak from my sickness. I stood in the waist on the weather side', 
 watching the gradual breaking of the day, and the first streaks 
 . of the early light. Much has been said of the sunrise at sea ; but 
 it will not compare with the sunrise on shore. It wantis the 
 accompaniments of the songs of birds, the^awakening hum of 
 men, and the glancing of the first beamis upon trees, hills, spires, 
 and house-tops, to give it life and spint. 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 ike wide ocean. 
 
 There is something in the first grey streaks stretching along 
 the eastern horizon aiid throwing an indistinct light upon the 
 face of the deep, which combines with the boundlessness and 
 unknown depth of the sea around you, and gi^s 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 
 rib time was allowed for day-dreaming, but that we must " turn- 
 
14 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 to " at the first light. Having called up the " idlers," namely, 
 carpenter, cook, steward, etc., and rigged the pump, we com- 
 menced Washing down the decks. This operation, which is per- 
 formed 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 ofi&cer, 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 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 rbcking of the 
 vessel, which increases the higher you go froni 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 com- 
 parative terra firma of the deck. In a few minutes seven bells 
 were struck, the log hove, the watch called, and we went to break- 
 fast. Here I cannot but reniember 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 till 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 alof t> and soon saw two 
 sails to windward, going directly athwart our hawse. This was 
 the first time that I had seen a sail at sea. I thought then, and 
 have always since, that it exceeds every other sight in interest and 
 beauty. They passed to leeward of us, and out of hailing dis- 
 tance ; but the captain could read the names on their sterns with 
 the glass. They were the ship Helen Mar, of New York, and 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 15 
 
 the brig Mermaid, of Boston. They were both steering west- 
 ward, and were bound in for our " dear native land." 
 
 Thursrday, Aug. gist. — 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- 
 topsail, and the two vessels stood " head on," bowing and curvet- 
 ting 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 qui^t a 
 sea. She plunged her head into the sea, and then, her stern 
 settling gradually down, Jier huge bows rose up, showing the 
 bright copper, and her stem, and breast-hooks 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 1 " 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, ahd into that routine of 
 sea-life which is only broken by a storm, a sail, or the sight of land. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 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 goe? 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. Where 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, occasion- 
 ally, the exercise of it. 
 
 The prime minister, the official organ, and the active and super- 
 intending officer, is the chief mate. He is first lieutenant, boat- 
 swain, sailing-master, and quarter-master. The captain tells him 
 what he wishes to have done, and leaves to him the care of over- 
 seeing, or allotting the work, and also the responsibility of its 
 being well done. The mate (as he is always called, par excel- 
 lence) also keeps the log-book, for which he is responsible to the 
 owners and insurers, and has the charge of the stowage, safe keep- 
 ing, 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 or 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., etc. He is expected by the captain to main- 
 tain 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 
 
 i6 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 17 
 
 eats and sleeps in the cabin ; but he is obliged to be on deck 
 nearly all his time, and eats at the second table, that is, makes a 
 meal out of what the captain and chief mate leave. 
 
 The steward is the captain's servant, and has charge of the 
 pantry, from which every one, even the mate himself, is excluded. 
 These distinctions usually find him an enemy in the mate, who 
 does not like to have any one on board who is not entirely under 
 his control ; the crew do not consider him as one of their number, 
 so he is left to the mercy of the captain. 
 
 The cook is the patron of the crew, and those who are in his 
 favour can get their wet mittens and stockings dried, or Jight 
 their pipes at the galley in the night-watch. These two worthies, 
 together with the carpenter and sailmaker, if there be one, stand 
 no watch, but, being employed all day, are allowed to " sleep in " 
 at night, unless all hands are called. 
 
 The crew are divided into two divisions, as equally as may be, 
 called the watches. Of these the chief mate commands the lar- 
 board, and the second mate the starboard. They divide the time 
 between them, being on and oft 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 ^hose 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 noon. In a man-of-war, and in 
 some merchantment, this alternation! of watches is kept up 
 throughout twenty-four hours ; but our ship, like most merchant- 
 men, had " all hands " from twelve o'clock till dark, except in 
 bad weather, when we had " watch and watch." 
 
 An explanation of the " dbg-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-watfch 
 is set,- they are the watches in which everybody is on deck. The 
 captain is up, walking on the weather side of the qi^arter-deck. 
 
i8 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST, 
 
 the chief mate on the lee side, and the second mate about the 
 weather gangway. The steward has finished his work in the 
 cabin, and has come up to smoke his pipe with the cook in the 
 galldy. The crew are sitting on the windlass or lying on the 
 forecastle, smoking, singing, or telling long yams. 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 " turning 
 to " at daybreak and washing down, scrubbing, and swabbing the 
 decks. This, together with filling the " scuttled butt " with fresh 
 water, and coiling up the rigging, usually occupies the time until 
 seven bells (half after seven), when all hands get breakfast. At 
 eight the day's work begins, and lasts until sun-down, with the 
 exception of an hour for dinner. 
 
 Before I end my explanation, it nlay 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 ofiScer's 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 fegard to the work upon which the men are put, it is a 
 matter which probably would not be understood by one who has 
 not been at sea. When I first left port, and found that we were 
 kept regularly employed for a week or two, I supposed that we 
 were getting the vessel into sea trim, and that it would soon be 
 over, and we should have nothing to do but to sail the ship ; but 
 I found that it continued so for two years, and at the end of the 
 two years there was as much to be done as ever. As has often 
 been said, a ship is like a lady's watch, always out of repair. When 
 first leaving port, studding-sail gear is to be rove, all the running 
 rigging to be examined, that which is unfit for use to be got down, 
 and new rigging rove in its place ; then the standing rigging is 
 to be overhauled, replaced, and repaired, in a thousand different 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 19 
 
 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, parcel- 
 ling, roundings, battens, and service of all kinds — both rope- 
 yarns, spun-yams, 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., 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 spun-yarn. 
 
 Anothet 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 tead-stays, etc., etc. If we add to this 
 all the tarring, greasing, oiling, varnishing, painting, scraping, 
 and scrubbing which are 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 labour — after exposing the lives and limbs in 
 storms, wet and cold, 
 
 " Wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch ; 
 The lion and the belly-pinched wolf 
 Keep their furs dry " 
 
 the merchants and ckptains 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 
 
80 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 — 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 aboilt 
 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 oflScers 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 shall thou labour 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 J 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 art 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 lands- 
 men 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 
 
 After speaking the Carolina, on the aist August, nothing 
 occurred to break the monotony of our life until 
 
 Friday, Sept. ^th, when we saw a sail on our weather (star- 
 board) beam. She proved to be a brig under English colours^ 
 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 colours in her main rigging. By her course she 
 must have been bound from Brazil to the south of Europe, 
 probably Portugal. ' 
 
 Sunday, Sept. 'jth. — 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 colpurs 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 thfe 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 
 trousers and red or checked shirts, and have nothing to do but to 
 make the necessary changes in the sails. T^iey employ them- 
 selves in reading, talking, smoking, and mfending their clothes. 
 If the weather is pleasant they bring their work and their books 
 upon deck, and sit down upon the forecastle and windlass. This 
 is the only day on which these privileges are allowed them. 
 When Monday comes they put on their tarry trousers again, and 
 prepare for six days of labour. 
 
 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 
 
«3 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 dufiE twice a week on the passage home. 
 
 On board some vessels this is made a day of instruction and 
 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, 
 
 Sept. S2nd, 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-biiilt 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 oaVs 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 colours. 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 gafiE 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 ber if she had proved to be what we feared. 
 Fortunately there was no moon, and the night which followed 
 was exceedingly dark, so that by putting out all the lights on 
 board, and altering our course four points, we hoped to get out 
 of her reach. We had no light in' the binnacle, but steered by 
 the stars, and kept perfect silence through the night. At day- 
 break there was no sign of anything in the horizon, and we kept 
 the vessel off to her course. 
 
 Wednesday, Oct. ist. — Crossed the equator in long. 24 deg. 
 24 min. 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 initia- 
 tion 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST ag 
 
 This ancient custom is now seldom allowed, unless there are 
 passengers on board, in which case there is always a good deal of 
 sp'prt. 
 
 It had been obvious to all hands for some time that the second 
 mate, whose name was Foster, was an idle, careless fellow, and 
 not much of a sailor, and that the captain was exceedingly dis- 
 satisfied with him. The power of the captain in these cases was 
 well known, and we all anticipated a diflSculty. Foster (called 
 Mr. by virtue of his oflSce) was but half a sailor, having always 
 been short voyages and remained at home a long time between 
 them. His father was a man of some property, and intended to 
 have given his son a liberal education, but he, being idle and 
 worthless, was sent off to sea, and succeeded no better there : for, 
 unlike many scamps, he had none of the qualities of a sailor — ^he 
 was " not of the stuff that they make sailors of." He waS one of 
 that class of ofi&cers who are disliked by their captain and despised 
 by the cirew. He used to hold long yarns with the crew, and 
 talk about the captain, and play with the boys, and relax dis- 
 cipline 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 hencoops were 
 ordered to be knocked up, for the captain never sat down on 
 deck himself, and never permitted an officer to do so. 
 
 The second night after crossing the equator, we had the watch 
 from eight till twelve, and it was " my helm " for the last two 
 hours. There had been light squalls through the night, and the 
 captain told Mr. Foster, who commanded our watch, to keep a 
 bright look-out. Soon after I came to the helm J found that he 
 was quite drowsy, and at last he stretched himself on the com- 
 panion and went fast asleep. Soon afterwards the captain came 
 very quietly on deck, and stood by me for some time looking at 
 the compas's. 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 sur- 
 prise 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 1 — ^you're no more than a thing aboard a vessel I 
 
24 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 — you don't earn your salt ! — you're worse than a Mahon soger! " 
 and other still more choice extracts froiji the sailor's vocabuljiry. 
 After the poor fellow had, taken this harangue, he was sent into 
 his state-room, and the captain stood the rest of the watch himself. 
 
 At seven bells in the morning all hands were called aft, and 
 told that Foster was no longer an oflBcer 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 
 Kennebec, who had been several Canton voyages,'and proclaimed 
 him in the following manner: " I choose Jim Hall. He's your 
 second mate. All you've got to do is, to obey him as you would 
 me ; and remember that he is Mr. Hall." Foster went forward 
 in the forecastle as a common sailor, and lost the handle to his 
 name, while young foremast Jim became Mr. Hall, and took up 
 his quarters in the land of knives and forks and tea-cups. 
 
 Sunday, Oct. ^th. — It was our morning watch, when soon 
 after the day began to break a man on the forecastle called out } 
 " Land ho 1 " 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, fhat there was land stretching 
 along on our wqather 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 chrono- 
 meter we were in 25 deg. 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 harboury and saw a full-rigged 
 brig going in. At two p.m. we again kept oft before the wind, 
 leaving the land on our quarter, and at sundown it was out of 
 sight. It was here that I first saw one of those singular things 
 called catamarans. They are composed of logs lashed together 
 upon the water, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 25 
 
 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 Ipok-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 dis- 
 tinct 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 topgallant-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 wjth every thing 
 flying. Having called all hands, we close-reefed the topsails and 
 Itrysail, furled the courses and jib, 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 weU as anybody. I obeyed the order to 
 lay* aloft with the rest, and found the reefing a very exciting 
 scene; for one watch reefed the fore-topsail and the other the 
 
 • This word " lay," which is in such general use on board ship, being used 
 in giving orders instead of " go," as " Lay forwardl" " lay afti " " 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 
 forwardl" " lay yourselves aft!" etc. 
 
26 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 ree& 
 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 
 backstays, 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 honour ; 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 sundown 
 the gale moderated a little, and it began to clear ofi in the south- 
 west. We shook our reefs out, one by one, and before midnight 
 had topgallant-sails upon her. 
 
 We had now made up our minds for Cape Horn and cold 
 weather, and entered upon every necessary preparation. 
 
 Tuesday, Nov ^th. — ^At daybreak saw land upon our larboard 
 quarter. There were two islands, of different size, but of the 
 same shape, rather high, beginning low at the water's edge, and 
 running with a curved ascent to the middle. They were so far 
 off as to be of a deep blue colour, 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 
 sunset the second mate, who was at the mast-head, said that he 
 saw land on the starboard bow. This must have been the island 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 87 
 
 of Staten Land, and we 'were now in the region of Cape Horn, 
 with a fine breeze from the northward, topmast and top-gallant 
 studding-sails set, and every prospect of a speedy and pleasant 
 passage round. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 Wednesday, Nov. ^th. — The weather was fine during the pre- 
 yious night, and we had a clear view of the Magellan Clouds, and 
 of the Southern Cross. The Magellan Clouds consist of three 
 jmall 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 con- 
 stellation in the heavens. 
 
 During the first part of this day (Wednesday) the wind was 
 light, but after noon it came on fresh, and we furled the royals. 
 We still kept the studding-sails out, and the captain said he 
 should go round with them, if he could. Just before eight 
 o'clock (then about sundown in that latitude) the cry of " All 
 hands ahoy 1 " was sounded down the fore-scuttle and the after- 
 hatchway, and, hurrying upon deck, we found a large black cloud 
 rolling on towards us from the south-west, and blackening the 
 whole heavens. " Here comes Cape Horn 1 " 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 labouring and straining 
 against the head sea, and the gale was growing worse and worse. 
 At the same time sleet and hail were driving with all fury against 
 us. We clewed down, and hauled out the reef-tackles again, and 
 cldse;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, eveti to the sky-sail masts and 
 studding-sail booms. 
 
 Throughout the night it stormed violently — rain, hail, snow 
 and sleet beating upon the vessel — the wind continuing ahead, 
 
 a8 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 29 
 
 and tie 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 hand's whenever we reefed topsails. The clouds cleared 
 away at sunrise, and the wind becoming more fair, we again made 
 sail, and stood nearly up to our course. 
 
 Thursday, 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 endeavoured to beat to windward under close-reefed top- 
 sails, balance-reefed trysail, and fore-topmast staysail. This night 
 it was my turn to steer, or, as the sailors say, my trick at the helm, 
 for two hours. Inexperienced as I was, I made out to steer to the 
 
 satisfaction of the officer, and neither 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 the masts out of her. 
 
 Friday, Nov. 'jth.-r-Towaids 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 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 the 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 Falk- 
 land Islands and Staten Land, j We had the watch from twelve 
 to four, and coming upon deck, found the little brig lying per- 
 fectly 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 
 
30 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 surrounded far and near by shoals of sluggish whales and gram- 
 pusses, 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 im- 
 pression 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 bul- 
 warks, listening to the slow breathings of the mighty creatures 
 — now one breaking the water just alongside, whose black 
 body I almost fancied that I could see through the fog ; and again 
 another, which I could just hear in the distance — until the low 
 and regular swell seemed like the heaving of the ocean's mighty 
 bosom to the sound of its heavy and long-drawn respirations. 
 
 Towards the evening of this day (Friday, 7th), the fog cleared 
 off, and we had every appearance of a cold blow ; and soon after 
 sundown it came on. Again it was clew up and haul down, 
 reef and furl, until we had got her down to close-reefed topsails, 
 double-reefed trysail, and reefed fore spenser. Snow, hail, and 
 sleet were driving upon us most of the night, and the sea 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. c^th. — 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 I " 
 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-colour, 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 stprm struck us. In 
 an instant the sea, which had been comparatively quiet, was 
 running higher and higher ; and it became almost as dark as 
 night. The hail and sleet were harder than I had yet felt them ; 
 seeming almost to pin us down to the rigging. We were longer 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 31 
 
 taking in sail than ever before ; for the sails were stiflE and wet, 
 the ropes and rigging covered with snow and sleet, and we our- 
 selves cold and nearly blinded with the violence of the storms 
 By the time we had got down upon deck again, the little brig 
 was plunging ijiadly 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 I " This was no agreeable or safe duty, yet it must be done. 
 An old Swede (the be^t 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 downhaul 
 over the windlass, and jumped between the knight-heads out 
 upon the bowsprit. The crew stood abaft the windlass and 
 hauled the jib down, while we got out upon the weatber-side of 
 the jib-boom, our feet on the foot-ropes, holding on by the spar, 
 the great jib flying off to leeward and slatting so as almost to 
 throw us off the boom. For some time we could do nothing but 
 hpld on, ind 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, drip- 
 ping 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 stay-sail ; but the fury of the wind and the break- 
 ing of the seas against the bows, defied every atteinpt 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 stay-sail 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. — Duri,ng a part of this day we were hove 
 to, but the rest of the time were (hriving 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. — The same. 
 
 Thursday. — The same. 
 
 We had now got hardened to Cape weather, the vessel was 
 under reduced sail, and everything secured on deck and below, 
 so that we had little to do but to steer and to stand our watch. 
 Our clothes were all wet ^hrough, and the only change was from 
 
32 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 of the hatchway, and the unwelcome 
 cry of " All starbowlihes ahoy ! eight bells there below ! do 
 you hear the news ? " (the usual formula of calling the watch) 
 roused us up from the berths upon the cold, wet decks. The 
 only time when we could be said to take any pleasure Wias 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 his pot of tea in his 
 hand, waiting for a chance to get down into t^ie forecastle ; and 
 seeing what he thought was a " smooth spell," started to go 
 forward. He had just got to the end of the windlass, when a 
 great sea broke over the bows, and for a moment I saw nothing 
 of him but his head and shoulders ; and at the next instant, being 
 taken off his legs, he was carried aft with the sea, until her stern 
 lifting up and sending the water forward, he was left high and 
 dry at the side of the long-boat, still holding on to his tin pot,' 
 which had now nothing in it but salt water. But nothing could 
 ever daunt him, or overcome, for a moment, his habitual good- 
 humour. Regaining his legs, and shaking his fist at the man at 
 the wheel, he rolled below, saying, as he passed, "A man's no 
 sailor if he can't take a joke." The ducking was not the worst 
 of such an affair, for, as there was an allowance of tea, you could 
 get no more from the galley ; and, though the 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 33 
 
 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 nie, and the whole precious mess scattered over the floor. 
 Whatever your feelings may be, you must make a joke of every- 
 thing at sea ; and if you, were to fall ^ from aloft and be caught 
 in the belly of a sail, , and thus saved from iijstant death, it 
 would not do to look at all disturbed, or to make a serious matter 
 of it. 
 
 Friday, Nov. i^th. — 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 towards Patagonia. At two p.m. we saw a sail 
 on our larboard beam, and at four we made it out to be a large 
 ship, steering our course, under single-reefed topsails. We at 
 that time had shaken the reefs out of our topsails, as the wind 
 was lighter, and set the main topgallant-sail. As soon as our 
 captain saw what sail she was under, he set the fore-topgallant- 
 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 topgallant-masts ofE the Cape. He ran down for us, 
 and answered our hail as the whale-ship New England, of Pough- 
 keepsie, 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 sky-sail yards, and 
 at daylight we were seen under a cloud of sail, having royals and 
 sky-sails fore and aft. The " spouter," as the sailors call a whale- 
 man, had sent up his main-topgallant-mast, and set the sail, and 
 made signal for us to iieave 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 every- 
 body knew Job Terry," said a green-hand, who came in the boat, 
 to me, when I asked him about his captain. He was indeed a 
 singular man. He was six feet high, wore thick, cowhide boots, 
 and brown coat and trousers, and, except a sunburnt complexion. 
 
34 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 sailors phxase 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 "yam" when he 
 came aboard, which lasted, with but little intermission, fo;- 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 breeie 
 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 wirlgs and took his flight. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 Monday, Nov. igth. — This was a black day in our calendar. 
 At seven o'clock in the morning, it being bur watch below, we 
 were aroused from a sound sleep by the cry of " All hands ahoy I 
 a man overboard 1 " 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 w^o 
 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 Bolemer, a young 
 English sailor, who was prized by the officers as an active, 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-topmast 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, arid 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 return- 
 ing, 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 over- 
 board 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 
 
 35 
 
36 TWO YEARS before THE MAST 
 
 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 himi at eV/Cry turn. It is like losing a limb. 
 There are no new faces or new scenes to fill up the gap. There 
 is always a!n 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 upoh 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 ofl&cers 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 of&cers are more watch- 
 ful, 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 1 His cruise is up soon 1 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 37 
 
 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 taptain 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 he worth on shore. Accordingly, we had no 
 sooner got the ship before the wind, than his chest was brought 
 tip upon the forecastle, and the sale began. The jackets and 
 trousers 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 de^^d 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 very unwilling to go ; but not 
 being able to refund, was obliged to sail with us. A boy, too, 
 who ha^ become quite attached to him, said that George talked 
 to him during the 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 spokeii 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 behaviour 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 — 
 
38 TWO YEARS BEFORE . THE MAST 
 
 " I say 1 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 diat he could speak no 
 language but the German and English. 
 
 "I'd 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 ex- 
 perience, 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 — 1 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. -The Fin would not give in, and the 
 captain shut him down in the fore peak, and would not give him 
 anything to eat. The Fin held out for a day and a half, when 
 he could not stand it any longer, and did something or other 
 which brought the wind round again, and they let him up. 
 " There," said the cook, "what do you think of dat? " 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 39 
 
 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 have 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 
 
 We continued sailing along with a fair wind and fine weather 
 until 
 
 Tuesday, Nov Sf,th, 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 colour, and I coiild 
 mark the inequalities upon its surface. At length we could dis- 
 tinguish trees and rocks, and by the afternoon this beautiful island 
 lay fairly before us, and we directed our course to the only har- 
 bour. Arriving at the entrance soon after sundown^ we found a 
 Chilian man-of-war brig, the only vessel coming out. She hailed 
 us, and an ofiScer 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 h^d 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 
 twelve o'clock, when we came to in forty fathoms water, and our 
 anchor struck bottom for the first time since we left Boston — one 
 hundred and three days. We were then divided into three 
 watches, and thus stood out the remainder of the night. 
 
 I was called on deck to stand my watch at about three in the 
 morning, and I shall never forget the peculiar sensation which I 
 experienced on finding myself once more surrounded by land, 
 feeling the night-breeze coming from ofiE shore, and hearing the 
 frogs and crickets. The mountains seemed almost to hang over 
 us, and apparently from the very heart of them there came out, at 
 regular intervals, a loud echoing sound, which affected me as 
 hardly human. We saw no lights, and could hardly account for 
 the sound, until the mate, who had been there before, told us 
 that it was the " Alerta " of the Spanish soldiers, who were 
 stationed over some convicts confined in caves nearly half-way 
 up the mountain. At the expiration of my watch I went below, 
 feeling not a little anxious for the day, that I might see more 
 nearly, and perhaps tread upon, this romantic, I may almost say 
 classic, island. 
 
 , 40 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 41 
 
 When all hands were .called it was nearly sijnrise, 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 harbour was nearly landlocked, 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 
 a 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 here forget how my friend S and myself got the 
 
 laugh of the crew upon us by our eagerness to get on shore. The 
 captain having ordered the quarter-boat to be lowered, we both 
 sprang down into the forecastle, filled our jacket pockets with 
 tobacco to barter with the people ashore, and when the officer 
 called for " four hands in the boat," nearly broke our necks in 
 our haste to be first over the side, and had the pleasure of pulling 
 ahead of the brig with a tow-line for half an hour, and coming 
 on board again to be laughed at by the crew, who had seen our 
 manoeuvre. 
 
 After breakfast the second mate was ordered ashore with five 
 hands to fill the water-casks, and to my joy I was among the 
 number. We pulled ashore with the empty casks, and here again 
 fortune favoured 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 
 
4« ■ TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 size, and cherries, abound here. The latter are said to have been 
 planted by Lord Anson. The soldiers we^e miserably clad, and 
 asked with some interest if we had shoes to sell on board. I 
 doubt very much if they had the means of buying them. They 
 were very eager to get tobacco, for which they gave shells, 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 of&cers, 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 harbour, 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 care- 
 ful not to let the convicts get our knives from us when on shore. 
 The worst part of the convicts, I found, were locked up under 
 sentry in caves dug into the side of the mountain, nearly half-way 
 up, with mule tracks leading to them, whence they were taken by 
 day, and set to work under task-masters upon building an aque- 
 duct, 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 broad-brimmed 
 straw hats upon their heads. Upon what precise grounds this 
 great distinction was made I do not know, and I could not very 
 well know, for the governor was the only man who spoke English 
 upon the island, and he was out of my walk. 
 
 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 Captain, 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 harbour. The ship lay off and on, 
 and a boat came alongside of us, and put on board the captain, a 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 43 
 
 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 oE 
 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 dispatched ; 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 sundown, 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 from off shore had let go our other bow 
 anchor ; and as the southerly wind draws round the mountains 
 and comes off in uncertain flaws, we were continually swinging 
 round, and had thus got a very foul hawse. We hove in upon 
 our. chain, and after stoppering and unshackling it again and 
 again, and hoisting and hauling down sail, we at length 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 endeavoured to recall more particulars with regard 
 to it. It is situated \in about 33 deg. 30 min. S., and is distant a 
 little more than 300 miles from Valparaiso, on the coast of Chili, 
 whidi is in the same latitude. It is about fifteen miles in length 
 and five in breadth. The harbour in which we anchored (called 
 
44 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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' length from the shore, 
 in a little more than thirty fathoms water. This harbour 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 remark- 
 able 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 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, of which I have forgotten. 
 
 There is an abundance of the best water upon the island, small 
 streams running through every valley, and leaping down from 
 the sides of ths 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 right 
 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 settle- 
 ment 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 colours — thrown over the shoulders with an 
 air which it is said that a Spanish beggar can always give to his 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 45 
 
 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 drewTound between the moun- 
 tains, 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 liem. One of these gusts occurred while 
 we were on shore, 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 occupa- 
 tion 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 vety 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 unpractised eyes would hardly have 
 known it for land. At the close of th^ watch a few trade-wind 
 clouds which had arisen, though we were hardly yet in their lati- 
 tude, shut it out from our view, and the next day, 
 
 Thursday, Nov. s'jth, upon coming on deck in the morning, 
 we were again upon the wide Pacific, and saw no more land until 
 we arrived upon the western coast of the great continent of 
 America. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 As we saw neither land nor sail from the time of leaving Juan 
 Fernandez until our arrival in California, nothing of interest 
 occurred except our own doings on board. We caught the south- 
 east trades, and ran before them for nearly three weeks, without 
 so much as altering a sail or bracing a yard. The captain took 
 advantage of this fine weather to get thp 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, 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; btit 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, backstays, standing 
 parts of the lifts, the ties, runners, etc., and go out to the yard- 
 arms, tarring as they come in 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 — topgallant- 
 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 
 
 41 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 47 
 
 ,for a girt-line, or, as the sailors usually call it, a ganMine; with 
 the end of this a bowline is taken round the stay inito which the 
 man gets with his bucket of tar and a bunch of oakum, and the 
 other end being fast on the deck, with someone to tend it, he is 
 lowered down gradually, and tars the stay carefully as he goes. 
 There he " swings aloft 'twixt heaven and earth," and if the rope 
 slips, breaks, or is let go, or if the bowline slips, he falls overboard 
 or breaks his neck. This, however, is a thing which never enters 
 into a sailor's calculation. He only thinks of leaving no holidays 
 (places not tarred), for in case he should, he would have to go 
 over the whole again; or of dropping no tar upon deck, for then 
 there would be a soft word in his ear from the mate. In this 
 manner I tarred down all the head-stays, but found the rigging 
 about the jib-booms, martingale, and sprit-sail-yard, upon which 
 I was afterwards put, the hardest. Here you have to hang on 
 with your eyelids and tar with your hands. 
 
 This dirty work could not last for ever, and on Saturday night 
 we finished it, scraped all the spots from the deck and rails, and, 
 what was of more importance to us, cleaned ourselves thoroughly, 
 rolled up our tarry frocks and trousers, and laid them away for 
 the next occasion, and put on our clean duck clothes, and had a 
 good comfortable sailor's Saturday night. The next day was 
 pleasant— and indeed we had but one unpleasant Sunday during 
 the whole voyage, and that was ofiE 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 after- 
 noon, our vessel going quietly along at the rate of four or five 
 knots, and a pilot-fish, the sure precursor of a shark, swimming 
 alongside of us. The captain was leaning over the rail watching 
 him, and we went quietly on with our work. In the midst of our 
 painting, on 
 
 Friday, Dec. igth. — ^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 4th of July. 
 
48 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 Thursday, Dec. x^th. — This day was Christmas, but it brought 
 us no holiday. The only change was that we had a " plum dufE " 
 for dinner, and the crew quarelled 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 bur rights in this way. 
 
 Such are the trifles which produce quarrels on shipboard. In 
 fapt, 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 
 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 con- 
 ceive of, or properly appreciate — little wars and rumours 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 "* the crew. 
 
 In the 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 foreciastle. 
 This, to our delight, was grahted, 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 mon- 
 grel, and sort of afterguard and " ship's cousin." You are im- 
 mediately under the eye of the oflScers, 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 indepen- 
 dent as a wood-sawyer's clerk " (nauticfe), and are a sailor. You 
 hear sailors talk, learn their ways, their peculiarities of feeling 
 as well as speaking and acting ; and, moreover, pick up a great 
 deal of curious and useful information in seamanship, ships' 
 customs, 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, 
 
 * 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 49 
 
 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 recol- 
 lection 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 the d — 1 
 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, ^nd that 
 made us find fa^lt. 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 1 
 go forward every one of you 1 I'll haze you I I'll work you up ! 
 You don't have enough to do 1 If you an't careful I'll make a hell 
 
 of the ship 1 . . . 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 came out a regular-built down-east johnny-cake, 
 good when i|t's hot, but when it's cold sour and indigestible ; and 
 you'll find me so ! " The latter part of this harangue I remem- 
 ber well, for it made a strong impression, and the " down-^ast 
 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 ven- 
 tured to hint that he would not give us time to explain ; but it 
 wouldn't do. We were driven back discomfited. Thus the affair 
 blew over, but the irritation caused by it remained ; and we never 
 
50 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 advan- 
 tage 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 direc- 
 tion 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. i$th, 1835, we made the land at Point Concep- 
 tion, lat. 34 deg. 33 min. N., long. 120 deg. 6 min. W. The poM 
 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. i4.th, 1835, we came to anchor in the spacious bay of 
 Santa Barbara, after a voyage of one hundred and fifty days from 
 Boston. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 California extends along nearly the whole of the western coast 
 of Mexico, between the gulf of California in the south, and the 
 bay of Sir Francis iprake in the north, or between the 22nd and 
 the 38th degrees of north latitude. It is subdivided into two 
 provinces: Lower or Old California, lying between the gulf and 
 the gand 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 1 
 which is San DiegO, in lat: 33 deg. 39 min., and the northernmost, 
 San Francisco, situated in the large bay discovered by Sir Francis 
 Drake, in lat. 37 deg. 58 min., 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 in- 
 tending to trade on the coast must enter its cargo before it can 
 commence its traffic. We were to trade upon this coast exclu- 
 sively, and therefore expected to go to Monterey at first ; but the 
 captain's orders fi-om 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 comQipnly called, the canal of Santa 
 Barbara, is very large:, being formed by the mainland 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 thename 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 sOrf in the 
 shallow waters, that it is highly dangerous to lie near into 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 Cali- 
 fornia. 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 
 
 51 
 
52 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 a distance of three miles from the shore, with slipropes 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-east season, we accordingly came to anchor at the distance 
 of three mjles from the shore, in eleven fathoms water, and bent 
 a slip-rope and buoys to our cables, cast ofiE the yard-arm gaskets 
 from the sails, and stopped the mall with rope-yarns. After we 
 had done this, the boat went ashore with the captain, and re- 
 turned with orders to the mate to send the boat for him at sun- 
 down. 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 avoca- 
 tions ; 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 hat's, duck trousers, and all the summer gear ; an(d as 
 this was mid-winter, it spoke well for the climate ; and we after- 
 wards found that the thermometer never fell to the freezing point 
 throughout the winter, and that there was very little difEerenee 
 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 on the 
 beach. There was qnly one vessel in the port — a long, sharp 
 brig, of about 300 tons, with raking masts, and very square yards, 
 and English colours 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 indepen- 
 dence, 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. Besides 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 53 
 
 the middle of this crescent, directly opposite the arichoring- 
 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 ofE to the distance of 
 fifteen or twenty miles. The mission stands a little back of the 
 town, and is a large building, or rather cdllection 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 towij 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 a hundred of them, and in the midst of them stands 
 the Presidio, or fort, built of the same materials, and apparently 
 but little stronger. The town is 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 by an inhabitant as 
 having been a very terrible and magnificent sight. The air of the 
 whole valley was so heated that the people were obliged to leave 
 the town, and take up their quarters for several days upon the 
 beach. 
 
 Just before sundown the mate ordered a boat's crew ashore, 
 and I went as one of the number. We passed under the stern of 
 the English brig, and had a long pull ashore. I shall never forget 
 the impression which our first landing on the beach of California 
 made upon me. The sun had just gone down ; it was getting 
 dusky ; the damp night-wind was beginning to blow, and the 
 heavy swell of the Pacific was setting in, and breaking in loud and 
 high " combers " upon the beach. We lay on bur 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 hallooing in their outlandish tongue. They knew 
 that we were novices in this kind of boating, and waited to see us 
 go in. The second mate, however, who steered our boat, deter- 
 mined 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 the top 
 
54 Two YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 broadside or quarter, she would be driven up broadside on, 
 and capsized. We pulled strongly in, and as soon as we felt that 
 the sea had got hold of us and was carrying us in with the speed 
 of a racehorse, we threw the oars as far from the boat as we could, i 
 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 
 stem 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 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 towards 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 favourite place for 
 ^running horses. It was growing dark, so that we could just dis- 
 tinguish 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 ex- 
 treme 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 meantime, had turned their boat 
 round, and run 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 trousers rolled up, stood by the bows, 
 one on each side, keeping her in her right position. This was 
 hard work ; for besides 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 55 
 
 obliged to carry them on their heads, to keep them out of the 
 water, and we observed that they had on thick woollen caps. 
 " Look here. Bill, and see what you're coming to I " 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 hides, 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 stem, 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 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 the melancholy note, 
 mellowed by the distance^ and we began to think that it was 
 high tiriie for " th^ 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 round and galloped off again. He 
 was nearly as dark as an Indian, with a large Spanish hat, blanket 
 cloak or surreppa, and leather leggings, with a long knife stuck 
 in them. " This is the seventh city that ever I was in, and no 
 Christian one neither," said Bill Bro\yn. " Stand by ! " said Tom, 
 " you haven't seen the worst of it yet." In the midst of this con- 
 versation 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. 
 1, being the youngest, had the pleasure of standing at the bow. 
 
56 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 u^on the 
 body of the watfer. 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., 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 till 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 I " and 
 coming on deck, we saw two sails coming round the point. One 
 was a large ship under topgallant-sails, and the other a small 
 hermaphrodite brig. They both backed their topsails and sent 
 boats aboard of us. The ship's colours 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 57 
 
 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 ofB 
 in the end ; for wherever the captain is a severe, eneirgetic 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 the chief 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 
 
 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 pufiE up from the south- 
 east, and that the sea was rolling in, and he had called the cap- 
 tain ; 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 half-way 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 topsail 1 " 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 dowp 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 i 
 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-topmast staysail hoisted, and the buoys streamed, 
 and all ready forward for slipping, we went aft and manned the 
 slip-rope, which came through the stern port with a turn round 
 the 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, brotight 
 the strain upon the slip-rope. " Let go aft 1 " Instantly all was 
 
 58 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAsT 59 
 
 gone, and we were under weigh. As soon as she was well o£E 
 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 ofi 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 these cases 
 of slipping for south-easters, there is nothing to be done, after 
 you Jiave 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 a good deal of rain has 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 raiii before. We had oh 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 companionway 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 pdint 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 
 
6o TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 o£ the year, and, from its regularity, might 
 be called a trade-wind. The sun came out bright, and we set 
 , royals, sky-sails, and studding-sails, and were under fair way for 
 Santa Barbara. The little Lpriotte was- astern of us, nearly out 
 of sight ; but we saw nothing of the Ayacueho. In a short time 
 she appeared, standing out from Santa Rosa Island, under the 
 lee of which she had been hove to all the 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 Ayacueho, 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 sky-sails, which we carried 
 both at the fore and main, and also in our studding-sails ; for 
 Captain Wilson carried nothing aboye topgallant-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 after- 
 wards 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 Ayacueho 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 
 nioorings, 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, baclced our main-topsailj 
 and lowered a boat, which pulled ofiE, and made fast a spare 
 hawser to the buoy on the end of the slip-rope. We brought the 
 other end to the capstan, and hove in upon it until we came to 
 the slip-rope, which we took to the windlass, and walked her up 
 to her chain, 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 th6 winter. 
 
 After we had furled our sails and got dinner, we saw the 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 61 
 
 Loriotte nearing, and she had her anchor before night. At sun- 
 down we went ashore again, and found the Loriotte's boat wait- 
 ing 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 by 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' 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 kepf 
 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 
 
 We got clear of the islands before sunrise the next morning, and 
 by twelve o'clock we were out of the canal, and off Point Concep- 
 tion, the place where we first made the land upon our arrival. 
 This is the largest point on the coast, and is an uninhabited head- 
 land, 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 
 ppint, we had to haul our wind and took 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 some- 
 thing 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," 
 rovals, flving I'ib, and studding-sails, all at once. There was what 
 the sailors call a " mess " — everything let go, nothing hauled in, 
 and everything flving. 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 
 Ijoom, 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 topgallant studding-sail, but before T got into the top, 
 the tack parted, and away went the sail, swingeing forward of the 
 topgallant-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 exer- 
 tions 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. 
 
 6s 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 63 
 
 The foot of the topgallant-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 
 someone 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 topgallant-sail below me was soon 
 clewed up, which relieved the mast, and in a short time I got my 
 sail furled, and went below; but I lost overboard a new tarpaulin 
 hat, which troubled me more than anything else. We worked for 
 about half an hour with might and main, and in an hour from the 
 time the squall struck us, from having all our flying kites abroad, 
 we came down to double-reefed topsails and the storm-sails. 
 
 The wind had hauled ahead during the squall, and we were 
 standing directly in for the point. So, as soon as we had got all 
 snug, we wore round and stood off again, and had the pleasant 
 prospect of beating up to Monterey, a distance of a hundred miles, 
 against a violent head-wind. Before night it began to rain ; and 
 we had five days of rainy, stormy weather, under close sail all the 
 time, and were blown several hundred miles off the coast. In 
 the midst of this, we discovered that our fore-topmast was sprung 
 (which no doubt happened in the squall), and were obliged to 
 send down the fore-topgallant 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 appear- 
 ance, and I had for the first time the opportunity of seeing what 
 
64 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 a miserable and forlorn creature a sea-sick passenger is. Since I 
 had got over my own sickness, the first two days 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 oneself with two 
 poor, miserable, pale creatures, staggering and shuffling about 
 decks, or holding on and looking up with giddy heads, to see us 
 climbing to the mast-heads, or sitting quietly at work on the ends 
 of the lofty yards. A well man at sea has little sympathy with one 
 who is sea-sick ; he is too apt to be conscious of a comparison 
 favourable to his own marihood. 
 
 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 dis- 
 covered. Point Conception may be made the dividing line between 
 two difiEerent 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, Sai;i 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 betw£en the two points, Ano Nuevo at the 
 north, and the 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 
 coiild make it— the grass, the leaves, and all ; the birds were sing- 
 ing 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 colour. 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 a hundred in number — ^were dotted about here 
 and there, irregularly. There are in this place, and in every other 
 town which I saw in California, no streets or fences (except here 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 65 
 
 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 cdttage form, gives them a pretty efiEect 
 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 pleasant. 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 voca- 
 bulary, 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 Sand- 
 wich 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. 
 
 ,1 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 favour I had taken some pains, to gain, had taught me care- 
 fully everythirig which was necessary to be done, and in its proper 
 qrder, 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, re- 
 peating the operations over in my mind, taking care to get every- 
 thing in its order, for the slightest mistake spoils the whole. 
 Fortunately, I got through without any word from the officer, 
 and heard the " well done " of the mate, when the yard reached 
 the deck, with as much satisfaction as I ever felt at Cambridge on 
 seeing a " bene " at the foot of a Latin exercise. 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 The next day being Sunday, which is the liberty-day among 
 merchantmen, when it is usual to let a part of the crew go ashore, 
 the sailors had depended upon a day on land, and were already 
 disputing who should ask to go, when, upon being called in the 
 morning, we were tumed-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 topgallant 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 so often necessarily deprived of it by storms, and unavoid- 
 able 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. Wheil 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 duiy, or be in any 
 way disobedient, but all the work 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 morn- 
 ing everything went in this way. " Sogering " was the order of 
 th* 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 twice, and take as much time to put things in order 
 again. Marline-spikes were not to be found ; knives wanted a 
 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 one who pulled " with a will." When the 
 mate was out of sight, nothing was done. It was all up-hill work ; 
 and at eight o'clock, when we went to breakfast, things were 
 nearly where they were when we began. 
 
 66 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 67 
 
 During our short meal, the matter was discussed. One pro- 
 posed 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 him that if they were ordered to work on Sunday, they 
 must not refuse their duty, and the blame would not come upon 
 them. After breakfast, it leaked out, through the officers, that if 
 we would get through work soon, we might have a boat in the 
 afternoon and go a fishing. This bait was well thrown, and took 
 with several who were fond of fishing ; and all began to find that 
 as we had one thing to do, and were not to be kept at work for 
 the day, the sooner we did it the better. Accordingly, things took 
 a new aspect ; and before two o'clock, this work, which was in a 
 fair way to last two days, was done ; and five of us went a fishing 
 in the jolly-boat, in the direction of Point Pinos ; but leave to 
 go ashore was refused. Here we saw the Loriotfe, which sailed 
 with us from Santa Barbara, coming slowly in with a light sea- 
 breeze, which sets in towards afternoon, having been becalmed 
 o£E the point all the first part of the day. We took several fish of 
 various kinds, among which cod and perch abounded, and Foster 
 (the ci-devant second mate), who was of our number, brought up 
 with his hook a large and beautiful pearl oyster shell. We after- 
 wards learned that this place was celebrated for shells, and that 
 a small schooner had made a good voyage by carrying a cargo of 
 them to the United States. 
 
 We returned by sundown, and found the Loriotte at anchor, 
 within a cable's length of the Pilgrim. The next day we were 
 " turned-to " early, and began taking o£E 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 colour, 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 to 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 colour, and (being made by Indians) usually a good 
 deal ornamented. They have no suspenders, but always wear a 
 
68 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 havie the dress of the Califomian. 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 trim- 
 mings 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 colours, is quite showy at a distance. Among the 
 Spaniards 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 pockets, and abso- 
 lutely sufiEering for something to eat. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 The next day, the cargo having been entered in due form, we 
 began trading. The trade-room was fitted up in the steerage, 
 and furnished out with the lighter goods, and with specimens of 
 the rest of the cargo ; and M— — , a young man who came out 
 from Boston with us, before the mast, was taken out of the fore- 
 castle, 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. Everyone must dress himself 
 and come aboard and see the new vessel, if it were only to buy a 
 paper of pins. The agent and his clerk managed the sales, while 
 we were busy in the hold or in the boats. Our cargo was an 
 assorted one ; that is, it consisted of everything under the sun. 
 We had spirits of all kinds (sold by the Cask), teas, coffee, sugars, 
 spices, raisins, molasses, hardware, crockery-ware, tin-ware, cut- 
 lery, clothing of all kinds, boots and shoes from Lynn, calicoes 
 and cottons from Lowell, crepes, silks ; also shawls, scarfs, neck- 
 laces, jewellery, and combs for the ladies ; furniture : and in fact 
 everything that can be imagined, from Chinese fireworks to 
 English cartwheels — 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 wine made in Boston and brought round by us, at an 
 immense price, and retail it among themselves at a real (i8^ cents) 
 by the small wineglass. 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 (as like not, made of their 
 own hides, which have been carried twice round Cape Horn) at 
 three and four dollars, and " chickeh-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 
 
 69 
 
70 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 so long a voyage, kept all merchants, but those with 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, and 
 Co., to whom our vessel belonged, and who have a permanent 
 agent on th^ 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 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 before described. The women wore gowns of various 
 texture — silks, crepe, 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 colours, 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 onlf protection against the sun 
 and weather is a large mantle, which they put over their heads, 
 drawing it close round their faces \<^hen 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 Cali- 
 fornia, being mostly those in official stations, or who, on the ex- 
 piration 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, intermarrying 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 71 
 
 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 octoon, is 
 sufficient to raise them from the i^ank 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 thein- 
 selves Esp^nolos, 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 favour 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 ^own, high comb, and gilt, if 
 not gold, ear-rings and necklace. If their husbands do not dress 
 them well enough, they will soon receive presents from others. 
 They used to spend whole days on board our vessel, examining 
 the fine clothes and ornaments, and frequently 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 leggings, 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 horse- 
 back, 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 every- 
 thing but their pride, their manners, and fheir 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. 
 
72 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 
 way 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 
 a 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 &om 
 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 iall), 
 and had been at college, and knew Latin, I got the name of a 
 great linguist, and was always sent by the captain and oflScers 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 73 
 
 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 regu- 
 lated 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 reside here become Catho- 
 lics, 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-colour. 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 repre- 
 senting 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 stock- 
 ings, 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 piroperty. Having 
 more industry, frugality, and enterprise than the natives, they 
 
 D 
 
74 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 soon get nearly all the trade into their hands. They usually keep 
 shops, in which they retail the goods purchased in larger quanti- 
 ties 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 naturally suspicious of foreigners, and they would not 
 be allowed to reniain were it not that they become good Catholics; 
 and by marrying natives, and bringing up their children as 
 Catholics and Spaniards, and not teaching them the English 
 language, they quieten 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 horse- 
 back. 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 " lasso.s " attached 
 to their necks, and dragging along behind them, by which they 
 can be easily caught. 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 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 also 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- 
 baiting, etc.; but as we were not ashore during any holiday, we 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 75 
 
 saw nothing of it. Monterey is also a great place for cock-fight- 
 ing, gamblmg of all sorts, fandangos, and every kind of amuse- 
 ment 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 harbour, 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 
 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 care- 
 lessness 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 counten- 
 ances, 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 exceed- 
 ingly animated, saying with their might what their, tongues find 
 to say. They are complete water-dogs, and therefore very good 
 in boating. It is for this reason that there are so many of them 
 on the Coast of California; they being very good hands in the surf. 
 They are also 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 speci- 
 men of the'thorough-bred English sailor that I ever saw. He had 
 been to sea from a boy, having served a regular apprenticeship of 
 
76 TWO YEAliS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 per- 
 ceived it when he was standing by the side of others, for the great 
 breadth of his shoulders and chest made biim 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 ^nd fine open forehead ; 
 and his eyes he might have sold to a duchess at the price of 
 diamonds, for their brilliancy. As for their colour, 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 colour was black, or nearly so. Take him with 
 his well-varnished black tarpaulin stuck upon the back of his 
 head ; his long locks coming down almost into his eyes ; his white 
 duck trousers and shirt ; blue jacket ; and black kerchief, tied 
 loosely round his neck ; and he was a fine specimen of manly 
 beauty. On his broad chest 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 be 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 immense, 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. There are some people we see under no remarkable cir- 
 cumstances, but whom, fof some reason or other, we never forget. 
 He called himself Bill Jackson ; and I know no one of all my 
 accidental acquaintances to whom I would more gladly give a 
 shake of the hand than to him. Whoever falls in with him will 
 find a handsome, hearty fellow, and a good shipmate. 
 
 Sunday came again while we were at Monterey, but, as before, 
 it brought us no holiday. The people on shore dressed them- 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 77 
 
 selves 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 ci-devant 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 have got 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 wjauld be. The captain 
 was walking the quarter-deck, smoking his morning cigar, and 
 Foster went as far as the break of the deck, and there waited for 
 him to notice him. The captain took two or three turris, and 
 then walking directly up to him, surveyed him from head to foot, 
 and lifting up his fore-finger, said a word or two, in a tone too. 
 low for us to hear, but which had a magical effect upon poor 
 Foster. He walked forward, 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 out- 
 wardly and inwardly in a most surprising manner. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 After a few days, finding the trade beginning to slacken, we hove 
 our anchor up, set our topsails, ran the stars and stripes up to 
 the peak, fired a gun, which was returned from the Presidio, and 
 left the little town astern, 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 plenty of it. After doubling 
 Point Pinos, we bore up, set studding-sails alow and aloft, and 
 were walking off at th^ 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-yams 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 at 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 accus- 
 tomed to, and hardened to also ; for it does require a little 
 hardening, even to the toughest. 
 
 The hides are all 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 
 
 78 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE. THE MAST 79 
 
 the hair side usually in, and sent down upon mules or in carts, 
 and piled above high-water mark ; and then we take them upon 
 our heads, one at a time, or two if they are small, and wade out 
 with them, and throw them into the boat, which, as there are no 
 wharves, we usually keep anchored by a small hedge, or keeleg, 
 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 
 hjdes 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 looked too 
 much like the West Indian negroes ; but they all came to it at 
 last. The gfeat 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 thee miles, with a loaded boat, 
 which often took a couple of hours. 
 
 We had now got well settled down into our harbour duties, 
 which, as they are a good deal different from others may 
 be well 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 tibe first grey of the morning. The 
 cook makes his fire in the galley ; the steward goes about his 
 work in the cabin ; the crew rig the head-pump, and wash 
 down the decks. The chief mate is always on deck, but takes 
 
8o TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 no active part, all the duty falling upon the second- mate, who 
 has to roll up his trousers and paddle about decks barefooted, 
 like the rest of the crew. The washing, swabbing, squilgeeing, 
 etc., lasts, or is made to last, until eight o'clock, when break- 
 fast is ordered, fore and aft. After breakfast, for which half an 
 hour is allowed, the boats are lowered down, and made fast astern, 
 or out to the swinging-booms, by geswarps, and the crew are 
 tumed-to upon their day's work. This is various, and its char- 
 acter 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 going on. 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 
 harbour 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 mealrtimes, 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 the 
 binnacle, where the glass stands, and the anchor-watch is set. 
 Thus, when at anchor, the crew have more time at night (stand- 
 ing watch only 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 pre- 
 ference 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. And, too, our common 
 day's work was protracted and more fatiguing by hides coming 
 down late in the afternoon, which sometimes kept us at work 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 81 
 
 in the surf by starlight, with the prospect of pulling on board 
 and stowing them ail away before supper. 
 
 But all these little vexations and labours 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 growing 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 rumours of such a ship to follow 
 us, which had leaked out from the captain ajid 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, 2l well-known 
 Indiaman, which was expected in Boston 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 
 
83 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 pro- 
 fession 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 ofiScers. 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 83 
 
 cut both ways. The length of the voyage, which made us dis- 
 satisfied, 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 would not mind the length of the 
 voyage, and the hardships, if they were only kindly treated, 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 T)f 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 tio 
 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 cpming 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 
 
84 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 stayed at Santa Barbara, aiid 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 85 
 
 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 Cali- 
 fornians, one of them having on a pair of untanned leather 
 trousers 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 ofiE ; 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 Spaniard 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 down directly from Monterey, where we left her. San 
 Diego, he told me, was a small snug place, having very little trade, 
 but decidedly the best harbour 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 
 
86 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 Pufeblo 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 o£E 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 that we had seen yet, especially for getting oft hides, 
 and our lying ofiE 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. 
 
 The next day we pulled the agent ashore, and he went up to 
 visit the Pueblo and the neighbouring missions ; and in a few 
 days, as the result of his labours, 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 difi&culty, getting behind anl 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 87 
 
 Indians who came down with them squatting down upon 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 ofi, one on each side of the oxen, with long sticks, sharp- 
 ened at the end, to punch them with. This is one of the means 
 of saving labour 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 disagree- 
 able 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 pairt 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 anchor and hold on. We were called 
 up a.t 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 
 
 For several days the captain seemed very much out of humour. 
 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 dis- 
 pleasure 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's 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 mainyard, 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 ofiicer, 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 stilly for I have got you," said 
 the captain. Then came the question, " Will you ever give me 
 any more of your jaw? " 
 
 88 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 89 
 
 " 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 Hog 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 ofiE 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. 
 
 ril 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 4ip 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, angpry 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 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 
 
go TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 only alternatives. Bad as it was it niust 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 
 powet to help the poor fellow, but it was all in vain. The 
 captain stood on the quarter-deck, bare-headed, his eyes flash- 
 ing 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. 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 tQ 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 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 
 efEect. 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 fori " 
 
 The man writhed under the pain, until he could endure it 
 no longer, when he called out, with an exclamation more common 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 91 
 
 among foreigners than with us — " Oh, Jesus Christ 1 Oh, Jesus 
 Christ 1 " 
 
 " Don't call on Jesus Christ," shouted the captain ; " he can't 
 
 help you. Call on Captain T . He's the manl He can 
 
 help you 1 Jesus Christ can't help you now 1 " 
 
 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 prospects 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 
 import£ince 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 1 "-^" You've been mistaken in me — ^you didn't 
 know what I was 1 Now you know what I am 1 " — " 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 is not 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 
 weals in every direction, and dreadfully swollen, and asked the 
 steward to ask the captain to let him have some salvo, 
 or balsam, to put upon it. " No," said the captain, who heard 
 him from below ; " tell him to put his shirt on ; that's the best 
 thing for him ; and pull me ashore in the boat. Nobody is going 
 to lay-up on board this vessel." He then called to Mr. Russell 
 to take those two men and two others in the boat, and pull him 
 ashore. I went for one. The two men could hardly bend their 
 backs, and the captain called to them to " give way, give way ! " 
 but finding they did their best, he let them alone. The agent 
 was in the stem-sheets, but during the whole pull — a league or 
 more — tiot a word was spoken. We landed ; the captain, agent, 
 and officer went up to the house, and left us with the boat. I, 
 and the man with me, stayed near the boat, while John and Sam 
 walked slowly away, and sat down on the rocks. They talked 
 some time together, but at length separated, each sitting alone. 
 I had some fears of John. He was a foreigner, and violently 
 
92 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 bloodhounds, whom the offer of twenty 
 dollars would have set upon them. 
 
 After the day's work was done, we went down into the fore- 
 castle, 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 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 ha:d 
 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 ofl&ng, 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 vege- 
 table 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 in- 
 teresting spot to rac. There it stood, desolate, and in the midst 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 93 
 
 of desolation ; and there were the remains of one who died and 
 was buried alone andfriendless. 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 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 stem, 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 favourite game of " treinta uno," a sort of Spanish " ever- 
 lasting." I left them and went out to take up my bivouac among 
 the hides. It was now dark ; the vessel was hidden from sight, 
 and except the three men in the house, there was not a living 
 soul within a league. The 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 hill where I 
 lay, kept up their alternate dismal notes. I had heard the sound 
 before at night, but did not know what it was, until one of the 
 men, who came down to look at my quarters, told me it was the 
 owl. Mellowed by the distance, and heard alone, at night, I 
 thought it was the most melancholy, boding sound I had ever 
 
94 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 neighbours. 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 labours, 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 comer of the house ; but it failed me at 
 a most interesting moment ; and I betook myself to my acquaint- 
 ances on shore, and from them learned a good deal about the 
 customs of the country, the harbours, etc. This, they told me, 
 was a worse harbour than Santa Barbara, for south-easters ; the 
 bearing of the headland being a point and a half more to wind- 
 ward, 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 coihfort 
 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 occa- 
 sionally 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 
 ■vifas only to draw out the perpetual surly reply from his ship- 
 mate — " 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 yopr feet shod, and make out your 
 log for California for life! " or else something of this kind — 
 " Before you get to Boston the hides will wear all the hair off 
 your head, and you'll take up all your wages in clothes, and 
 won't have enough left to buy a wig with I " 
 
 The flogging was seldom if ever alluded to by us in the fore- 
 castle. If any one was inclined to talk about it, the others. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 95 
 
 with a delicacy which I hardly expected to find among them, 
 always stopped him, or turned the subject. But the behaviour 
 of the two men who were flogged towards one another showed 
 a delicacy and a sense of honour 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 com- 
 plaints, 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 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 hpl " But with us, at this time, it was alL dragging 
 work. No one went aloft beyond his ordinary gait, and the chain 
 came ^owly in over the windlass. The mate, between the knight- 
 heads, exhausted all his ofi&cial rhetoric in calls of, " Heave with 
 a willl " — " Heave hearty, menl " — " Heave hearty I " — " Heave 
 and raise the dead! " "Heave and away! " etc.; but it 
 would not do. Nobody broke his back or his handspike by his 
 efforts. And when the cat-tackle-fall was strung along, and all 
 hands — cook, steward, and all — laid hold to cat the anchor, 
 instead of the lively song of " 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. He must have seen the change, but there was nothing 
 which he could notice oflScially. 
 
 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 came to anchor, in the summer 
 season, and take off hides. The most distant one was Sti 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 
 harbour of San Diego. We were becalmed off this point all night ; 
 but the next morning, which was Saturday, the 14th of March, 
 
96 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 having a good breeze, we stood round the point, and hauling our 
 wind, brought the little ha;rbour, 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 harbour on the north and west, and ran ofE 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 her- 
 maphrodite 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 and clearing the anchors ; but it 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 97 
 
 was all in vain, and he sat down on tlie rail, taking it very 
 leisurely, and calling out to Captain Nye, that he was coining to 
 pay him a visit. We drifted fairly into the Loriotte, her larboard 
 bow into our starboard quarter, carrying away part of our star- 
 board quarter railing, and breaking ofiE her larboard bumpkin, 
 and one or two stanchions above the deck. We saw our hand- 
 some 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 towards 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 thirty 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 labour 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 harbour. " 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 Lagdda. 
 As he came alongside, he gave his riame, 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, jn a tone which made 
 itself heard fore and aft. This mortified our captain a little, and 
 
98 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 downy 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 enjoy- 
 ment, compared with the dark little forecastle, and scanty, dis- 
 contented crew of the brig. It was Saturday night ; they had got 
 through their work for the week ; and, being snugly moored, had 
 nothing to do until Monday again. After two years', hard service, 
 they had seen the worst, and all, of California — ^had got their cargo 
 nearly stowed, and expected to sail in a week or two for Boston. 
 We spent an hour or more with them, talking over California 
 matters, until the word was passed — " Pilgrims away ! " and we 
 went back 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 some- 
 times 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 vessel, 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 seaman's 
 preacher in Boston. Then followed the usual strain of conver- 
 sation, 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 
 
 The next day being Sunday, after washing j^nd cleaning decks, 
 and getting breakfast, the mate came forward with leave for one 
 watch to go ashore, on liberty. We drew lots, and it fell to the 
 larboard, which I was in. Instantly all was preparation. Buckets 
 of fresh water (which we were allowed in port) and soap were put 
 in use ; go-ashore jackets and trousers got out and brushed ; 
 pumps, neckerchiefs, and hats overhauled ; one lending to an- 
 other, 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 stem-sheets, " as big as pay-passCngers," 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 especiallyi 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 ex- 
 pected 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, labour, 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 dayl 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 time past, when 
 
 99 
 
100 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 we were free and in the midst of friends, in America, and of the 
 prospect of our return ; and planning where we would go, and 
 what we would do, when we reached home. It was wonderful 
 how the prospect brightened, and how short and tolerable the 
 voyage appeared, when viewed in this new light. Things looked 
 differently from what they did when we talked them over in the 
 little dark forecastle the night after the flogging at San Pedro. 
 It is not the least of the advantages of allowing sailors occasion- 
 ally 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 ship- 
 mates, 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 
 rtiust be a shipmate to him on shore, or he will not be a shipmate 
 to you on board. Being forewarned of this before I went to sea, 
 I took no " long togs " with me, and being dressed like the rest, 
 in white duck trousers, blue jacket, and straw hat, which would 
 prevent my going 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-Hke, 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 Cali- 
 fornia. 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 to the keeper of the shop, to take' 
 a glass with him. When we first came in, there was some dispute 
 between our crew and the others, whether the newcomers or the 
 old Californian rangers should treat first ; but it being settled in 
 favour of the latter, each of the crew 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 ii real (12^ cents) a glass, it made somewhat of a hole 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST loi 
 
 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-grd, mal-gre, we had to wait our turn, with the twofold 
 apprehension of being too late for our horses, and of getting 
 comeid — 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 our- 
 selves of all obligations, we slipped out, and went about among the 
 houses, endeavouring 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 ques- 
 tions, being the eternal drawling " Quien sabe? " (" who knows? ") 
 which is an answer to all questions. After several efiEorts, we at 
 length fell in with a little Sandwich Island boy, who belonged 
 to Captain Wilson of the Ayacucho, and 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 
 pummel. 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 Cali- 
 fornia, the very best not being worth more than ten dollars a 
 piece, 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 labour 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 
 
102 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 an immense rusty iron cross at 
 the top. Just outside of the buildings, and under the walls, stood 
 twenty or thirty small huts, built of straw and of the branches of 
 trees, grouped together, in which a few Indians lived, under the 
 protection and in the service of the mission. 
 
 Entering a gateway, we drove into the open square, in which 
 the stillness of death reigned. On one side was the church ; on 
 another, a range of high buildings with grated windows ; a third 
 was a range of smaller buildings, or offices ; and the fourth seemed 
 to be little more than a high connecting wall. Not a living 
 creature could we see. We rode twice round the square, in the 
 hope of waking up someone, 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 cosas a comer ?" said I. " Si Senor! " said he. " Que 
 gusta usted f " 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 
 
•TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 103 
 
 lived upon for seven months, it was a regal banquet. After dis- 
 patching 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, but was willing to 
 receive a present, we gave him ten or twelve reals, which he 
 pocketed with admirable nonchalance, saying, " Dios so 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 kind 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 inost 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 o£E 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 Monte- 
 zuma 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 colour, 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 com- 
 mand 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 the village, going nearly 
 all the waiy at 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 h^Ve no need of the genteel 
 trot, and their riders usually keep them at the top of the speed 
 until they are tired, 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 
 
104 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 willing to ride all day long. Coming into the village, we found 
 things looking very lively. The Indians, who always have a holiday 
 on Sunday, were engaged at playing a kind of running game of 
 ball, on a level piece of ground near the houses. The old ones 
 sat down in a ring, looking on, while the young ones — inen, boys, 
 and girls — ^were chasing the ball, and throwing it with all their 
 might. Some of the girls ran like greyhounds. At every acci- 
 dent, or remarkable feat, the old pedple set up a deafening scream- 
 ing 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 horse- 
 back, 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 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 favour, 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, 3nd 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 105 
 
 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 awakened by 
 our two watch-mates, who had come aboard in high dispute. It 
 seems they had started to come down on the same horse, double- 
 backed, and each was accusing the other of being the cause of his 
 fall. They soon, however, turned in and fell asleep, and probably 
 forgot all about it, for the next morning the dispute was not 
 renewed. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 The next sound that we heard was " All hand;5 ahoy ! " and look- 
 ing 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 para- 
 phernalia, and putting on old duck trousers, red shirts, and 
 Scotch caps, began taking out and landing our hides. For three 
 days we were hard at work, 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 harbour 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 
 befen 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 towards this, our thirly-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 lopk 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 anti 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 place 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, 
 
 106 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 107 
 
 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 pigsty, and with it " old Bess." This was an old sow that 
 we had brought from Boston, and which lived to get round Cape 
 Horn, where all the other pigs died from cold and wet. Report 
 said that she had been a Canton voyage before. She had been 
 the pet of the cook during the whole passage, and he had fed her 
 with the best of everything, and taught her to know his voice, 
 and to do a number of strange tricks for his amusement. Tom 
 Cringle says that no one can fathom a negro's affection for a pig, 
 and I believe he is right ; for it almost broke our poor darky's 
 heart when he heard that Bess was to be taken ashore, and that 
 he was to have the care of her no more 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. " 'Rreak 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 
 round 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 1 Lower away I " But he evi- 
 dently 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 1 " 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, which had been set ashore 
 from the other vessels, and had multiplied and formed a large 
 commonwealth. From the door of his galley, the cook used to 
 watch them in their manoeuvres, setting up a shout and clapping 
 his hands whenever Bess came off victorious in the struggles for 
 pieces of raw hide and half -picked bones which were lying about 
 the beach. During the day he saved all the nice things, and made 
 a bucket of swill, and asked us to take it ashore in the gig, and 
 looked quite disconcerted when the mate told him that he would 
 pitch the swill overboard, and him after it, if he saw any of it go 
 into the boats. We told him that he thought more about the 
 
108 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 fare-topsail, which 
 was a signal for her sailing. She unmoored and warped down 
 into the bight, from which she got under weigh. 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 that it was too 
 high, and not enough of the boatswain hoarseness about it, but 
 to me it had a great charm. The harbour 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 harbour, 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 de- 
 layed a day or two by the running away of Foster, the man who 
 had been our second mate, and was turned forward. -From the 
 time that he was " broken," he had had a dog's berth on board 
 the vessel, and determined to run away at the first opportunity. 
 Having shipped for an ofiicer 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,"* 
 
 * 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 109 
 
 and promised to " ride him down as he would the main tack ; " 
 and when ofi&cers 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 ofl&cer on the 
 beach, and refused to come on board in the boat. He was re- 
 ported to the captain, and, as he came aboard — it being past the 
 proper hour — ^he was called aft, and told that he was to have a 
 flogging. Immediately he fell down on deck, calling out, " Don't 
 
 flog me. Captain 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 some- 
 thing 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 down 
 silently with the tide until he was out of hearing, when he sculled 
 ashore. 
 
 The next morning, when all hands were mustered, there was 
 a great stir to find Foster. Of course, we would tell nothing, 
 and all they could discover was, that he had left an empty chest 
 behind him, and that he went off in a boat; for they saw 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 
 ha^ nothing to do, were scouring the country for him, on horse- 
 back, 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 
 
 " Marine " is the term applied more particularly to a man who is ignorant 
 and clumsy about a 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. 
 
no TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 g'jth. — The captain having given up all hope 
 of finding Foster, and being unwilling to delay any longer, gave 
 orders for unmooring ship, and we made sail, dropping slowly 
 down with the tide and light wind. We left letters with Captain 
 Bradshaw to take to Boston, and 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 to St. 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 lost overboard ; another had been taken aft as clerk ; 
 
 and a third had run away, so that, besides 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 
 Foster had escaped ; for, shiftless and good-for-nothing as he was, 
 no one could wish to see him dragging on a miserable life, cowed 
 d6wn 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 hp^e 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST iii 
 
 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, kedge^, 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, corre- 
 sponding to their different cliargrters, 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 degrada- 
 tion that had been inflicted upon him, which the other man was 
 incapable of. Before that he had a good deal of fun, and 
 amused us often with queer negro stories (he was from a 
 slave state): but afterwards he seldom smiled, seemed to 
 lose all life and elasticity ; and appeared to have but one 
 wish, and that was for the voyage to be at an end. I have 
 often known him to draw a long sigh when he was alone, and 
 he took but little part or interest in John's plans of satisfaction^ 
 and retaliation. 
 
 After a stay of about a fortnight, during which we slipped for 
 one 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-eastern 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 Sail. Pedro and San Diego, 
 and thence, taking in her cargo, to sail to Valparaiso and Cadiz. 
 She was a large, clumsy ship, and with her topmasts stayed for- 
 
113 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 ward, 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. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 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 scarlet caps, blue jackets, and various-coloured under- 
 clothes, bound ashore on liberty, left the Italian ship, and passed 
 under our stem, the men singing beautiful Italian boat-songs all 
 the way, in fine full chorus. Among the songs I recognized the 
 favourite " 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 holiday. 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 ribands 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 1 ever heard in California, and I suspect they 
 play upon no others, for at a great fandango at which I was after- 
 wards present, ^nd where they mustered all the music they could 
 find, there were three violins and two guitars, and no other instru- 
 ments. 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, w& 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 appear- 
 ance, and apologized for having- nothing to entertain us with, 
 saying that he had had a fandango at his house the night before, 
 and the people had eaten and drunk up everything. 
 "O yes! " said I, "Easter holidays! " 
 
114 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 " No 1 " 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, 
 wher^ 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 towards 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, dresse4, 
 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 colours, and a herd of 
 young men and boys, some on foot and others mounted, followed 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 115 
 
 them, or walked or rode by their sides, 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 p<idre standing on the steps, with a crucifix in hand. 
 The mission is a large and deserted-looking place', the out-build- 
 ings 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 bur 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 towards 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. Knowingthat 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 over- 
 took 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 I " 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 
 
ii6 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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. 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 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 racecourse. 
 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 — work- 
 ing 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 return- 
 ing 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 be- 
 come 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 117 
 
 having been ordered to be on the beach by sundown, did not 
 venture to bfe 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 ofiE 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 baled her out, got on board, hoisted the 
 boats, ate our supper, changed our clothes, gave (as is usual) the 
 whole history of our day's adventures to those who had stayed on 
 board, and having taken a night-smoke, turned in. Thus ended 
 our second day's liberty on shore. 
 
 On Monday morning, as an offset to our day's sport, we were 
 all set to work " tarring down " the rigging. Some got girt-lines 
 up for riding down the stays and backstays, 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 
 trousers and frocks, which we had used when we tarred down 
 before, and were all at work in the rigging by sunrise. After 
 breakfast we had the satisfaction of seeing the Italian's boat go 
 ashore, gaily dressed as on the day before, and singing their bar- 
 carollas. The Easter holidays 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 spreading in New England, Yankees 
 can't afford the time to be Catholics. American shipmasters get 
 nearly three weeks' more labour out of their crews in the course 
 of a year than the masters of vessels from Catholic countries. 
 Yankees don't keep Christmas,' and shipmasters 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 
 
n8 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 after- 
 wards 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 Ayacuchb, Loriotte, etc., between the coast, 
 the Sandwich Islands, and the leeward coast of Peru and Chili. 
 Her captain and oflScers were Americans, and also a part of her 
 crew ; the rest were islanders. She was called the Catalina, and, 
 like all the other vessels in that trade, except the Ayacucho, her 
 papers and colour's 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 expect- 
 ing from Boston. 
 
 After lying here Jibout 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 labours 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 discon- 
 tented looks, while they not only lightened the labour of rowing, 
 but actually made it pleasant and cheerful, by their music. So 
 true is it that 
 
 " Tor 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.'' 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 119 
 
 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 o^ 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 him- 
 self, 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 1 back water, for your lives I " 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 otir stem just about midships. He took no notice of 
 us, but passed slowly on, and dived a few yards beyond us, throw- 
 ing 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 colour. This kind differs much from the 
 sperm in colour 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 difi6- 
 cult 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 harpoolis and no proper lines, they gave it up. 
 
 During the months of March, April, and May, these whales 
 
120 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 harbours 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 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 haul- 
 ing the boat up, and making her well fast, took different direc- 
 tions 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 upon 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 a 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. Besides, there was a grandeur in everything around 
 which gave almost a solemnity to the scene — a silence and solitari- 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 131 
 
 ness which affected everything. Not a human being but our- 
 selves 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 iji 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 Campestrano, 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 dowrx, 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'd upon the beacli, 
 
 Appear'd like mice ; and our tall anchoring bark 
 Diminish'd to her cock ; hei: cock a buoy 
 Almost too small for sight." 
 
122 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 Down this Height we pitched the hides, throwing them as far 
 out into the air as we could, and as they were all large, stiflE 
 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 the 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 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 pair 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 topgallant 
 studding-sail halyards, to save 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, a 835. — ^Arrived at San Diego. Here we 
 found the little harbour 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 headquarters. It was now 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 123 
 
 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, arid 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? "* 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 I 
 very good, work ! — maikai, hana hana nui! " 
 
 " But yqu'U spend all your money in this way," said the 
 captain. 
 
 "Ay, 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 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, pre- 
 vailed 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- 
 
 • The letter t in the Sandwich-Island language is sounded like e in the 
 English. 
 
124 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 house. This was unexpected to me, but any thing 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. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 Here was a change in my life as complete as it had been sudden. 
 In the twinkling of an eye I was transformed from a sailor into 
 a "beach-comber" and a hide-curer; yet the novelty and the 
 comparative independence of the life were not unpleasant. Our 
 hide-house was a large building, made of rough boards, and 
 intended to hold forty thousand hides. In one corner of it a 
 small room was parted off, in which four berths were made, where 
 we were to live, with mother earth for our floor. It contained a 
 table, a small locker for pots, spoons, plates, 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 occu- 
 pations), 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, arid 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 com- 
 pelled 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 to write. He had - 
 been to sea from a boy, and had seen all kinds of service, and 
 
 "5 
 
126 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 been in every kind o£ vessel: merchantmen, men-of-war, priva- 
 teers, 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 
 Charlestown, 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 oft 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 had 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 them- 
 selves out to cure hides at San Diego, and to supply the place 
 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 iponths 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 127 
 
 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 col- 
 lectively 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. 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. 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 ma^y 
 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 Tamahamaha, 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 morel 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 — tio. Sandwich Island 
 Kanaka ua like pu na haole — all 'e same a' you ! 
 
 Mr. Bingham was a sort of patriarch among them, and was 
 
is8 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 always treated with great respect, though he had not the edu- 
 cation and energy which gave Mr. Mannini his power over them. 
 I have spent hours in talking with this old fellow about Tama- 
 hamaha, 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 favour 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 customs and manner of treating one another show 
 a simple, primitive generosity, which is truly delightful, and 
 which is often a reproach to our own people. Whatever one has, 
 they all have. Money, food, clothes, they share with one another ; 
 even to the last piece of tobacco to put in their pipes. I once 
 heard old Mr. Bingham say, with the highest indignation, to a 
 Yankee trader who was trying to persuade him to keep his money 
 to himself — •" No ! We no all 'e same a' you 1 — Suppose one got 
 money, all got money I You — suppose one got money — lock him 
 up in chest— No good! "— " Kanaka all 'e same 'a onel " This 
 principle they carry so far, that none of them will eat anything 
 in sight of others, without offering it all round. I have seen one 
 of them break a biscuit which had been given him into five parts, 
 at a time when I knew he was on a very short allowance, as there 
 was but little to eat on the beach. 
 
 My favourite among all of them, and one who was liked Ijy 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST^ 129 
 
 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 to read. He 
 was very curious about Boston (as they call the United States) ; 
 asking many questions about the houses, 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 
 as 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— " Paw.? " (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. 
 
igo TWO TEARS BEFORE THE MAST -, 
 
 These they light, and putting them to their mouths, take a long 
 draught, getting their mouth 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 it in 
 the same manner— one pipeful serving for half-a-dozen. They 
 never take short, continuous draughts, like Europeans, but one 
 of these " Oahu puffs," as the sailors call diem, 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 apparently modulated solely in the throat. There is 
 very little tune to it, and the words, so far as I could learn, are 
 extempore. They sing about persons and things which are 
 around them, and adopt this method when they do not wish 
 to be understood by any but themselves ; and it is very efEectual ; 
 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 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 
 out dogs with them, which, 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 honourably 
 buried. Hogs, and a few chickens, were the rest of the animal 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 131 
 
 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 1 " was raised, 
 and' a small hermaphrodite brig rounded the point, bore up into 
 the harbour, 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 whiqh 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 dep6t. 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 for 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 ahd staked out, so that they may dry 
 smooth. After they were staked, and while yet wet and soft, we 
 used to go upon theina 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. 
 
132 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 before rioon, 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 beaten 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 house. I ought to except Sunday, for, by 
 a prescription which no captain or agent has yet ventured to 
 break in upon, Sunday has been a day of leisure on the beach 
 for years. On Saturday night, the hides, in every stage of pro- 
 gress, 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 133 
 
 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 labour 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 nieans 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 nor write, passed away the time by a long 
 siesta, two or three smokes with his pipe, and a paseo to the other 
 houses. This leisure time is never interfered with, for the cap- 
 tains kuQW 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 a-piece last through the day. We were pretty 
 independent, too, for the master of the house — capitan de la 
 ca.fa-^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 it, 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 
 
134 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 fine that they have no need of a fire in their houses, and only 
 use it for cooking. With us, the getting of wood was a great 
 trouble, for all that in the vicinity of the houses had been cut 
 down, and we were obliged to go ofE 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 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 a-piece filled the hand-cart, and that 
 was each one's proportion. When each had brought down his 
 second load, we filled the hand-cart, and took our way again 
 slowly back to the beach. It was generally sundown when we 
 got back, and unloading, covering the hides for the night, and 
 getting our supper, finished the day's worl^. 
 
 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. Fre- 
 quently, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 135 
 
 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 io us, once attacked a 
 coati, single, and got a good deal worsted, and might, perhaps, 
 have been kiUed, 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 Eriglish 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 favourite 
 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, Bravo, 
 Childers, and the other fleet ones — the spaniels and terriers ; and 
 then behind followed the heavy corps— bull dogs, 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 plentifulhere, 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 irOm, 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 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 
 
136 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 till 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, aod 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 afid 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 137 
 
 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 bur immediate neighbourhood. The only other 
 animals were horses. Over a dozen of these were owned by 
 different people on xhe 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 
 
 After we had been a few weeks on shore, and had begun to feel 
 broken into the regularity of our life, its monotony was inter- 
 rupted 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 topgallant-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 — barcaroUas, provincial airs, etc. ; 
 in several of which I recognized parts of our favourite operas and 
 sentimental songs. They often joined in a song, taking all the 
 different parts, which produced a fine efEect, as many of them had 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 139 
 
 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 Scotch- 
 men gave us, " Rule Britannia," and " Wha'U 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 fol- 
 lowed a melange, which might have been expected. When I left 
 them, the aquadiente and annison were pretty well in their heads, 
 and they were all singing and talking at once, and thjsir peculiar 
 national oaths were getting as plenty as pronouns. 
 
 The next day the two vessels got under weigh for the wind- 
 ward, 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, tur- 
 keys, 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. 
 
140 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 He had been a petty officer on board the British frigate Dublin, 
 Captain Lord James Townshend, and had great ideas of his own 
 importance. The man in charge of the Rosa's house 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 mix- 
 ture of the man-of-war's-man and Puritan. He talked a great 
 deal about propriety and steadiness, and gave good advice to the 
 youngsters and Kanakas, but seldom went up to the town without 
 coming down " three sheets in the wind." One holiday, he and 
 old Robert (the Scotchman from the Catalina) went up to the 
 town, and got so 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 1 hold 
 on, my good fellow, or you'll be on your back 1 " Still, he was an 
 intelligent, good-natured old fellow, and had a chest full of books, 
 whicl;i 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 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 bur 
 hatchets in hand, and cut wood until the sun was over the point 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 141 
 
 — ^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 for six or 
 eight weeks — ^when we " knocked oS " 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, knd the tea, flour, sugar, 
 and molasses, were all gone. We suspected him of sending them 
 up to the town, and he always treated the squaws with molasses, 
 when they came down to the beach. Finding wheat-coffee and 
 dry bread rather poor living, we clubbed together, and I went 
 up to the town on horseback, with a great salt bag behind the 
 saddle, and a few reals in my pockets, 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 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 was no more to be got, I found at the 
 
143 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 bottom of old Schmidt's chest, " MandeviHe, 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 
 MandeviHe to hide-curing was but a step ; for 
 
 Wednesday, July i8th, 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 topgallant-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 in- 
 quiries 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 shipmates 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 143 
 
 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 — ^holy-stoned every morning, like a man-of-war's ; every- 
 thing on board "ship-shape and Bristol fashion; "a fine crew, 
 three mates, a sailmaker and carpenter, and all complete. 
 " They've got a man for mate of that ship, and not a bloody 
 sheep about decks! " " A mate that knows his duty, and makes 
 everybody do theirs, and won't be imposed upon 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 he took command 
 — sending down the topgallant-masts and unreefing 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 valu- 
 able, 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 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, and 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 disdiarged 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 patulce recubans sub tegmine fagi." Very apropos, thought I, 
 and at the same time serves to show that yoii 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 nth. — 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 Ipng, and invariably 
 pleasant, we had a good deal of time to ourselves. All the duck 
 I received from home I soon made up into trousers and frock, 
 
144- TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 purposfe, 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 on the bow, a steersman in the stern, and one man on 
 each side with the grain, 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 everythingup so that 
 one could have almost 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 fre- 
 quently 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 Sand- 
 wich 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 maka i ka ia nui! " 
 " E pa 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 ofiE so 
 easily, and sprang directly into the water after him. Now came 
 the tug-of-war. Before he could get into deep water, one of them 
 seized him by the tail, and ran up with him upon the beach, 
 but Johnny twisted round, 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, 
 towards 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 towards deep water they were both behind him. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 145 
 
 watching their chance to seize him. In this way the battle went 
 on for some time, the shark, in a rage, splashing and twisting 
 about, and the Kanakas, in high excitement, yelling at the top 
 of their voices, but the shark at last got off, carrying away a 
 hook and line, and not a few severe bruises. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 We kept up a constant connection with the presidio, and by the 
 close of the summer I had added much to my vocabulary, besides 
 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 liumerous other adventurers, as well as 
 commissioned voyagers of the crown. It was found to be in- 
 habited by numerous tribes of Indians, and to be in many parts 
 extremely fertile ; to which, of course, was added rumours 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 towards 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 be- 
 tween 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 com- 
 mandant. 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 begap to 
 come into the ports to trade with the missions, and receive 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 missions had obtained great wealth and 
 power, and are accused of having depreciated the country with 
 the sovereign, that they might be allowed to retain their posses- 
 sions. 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 
 sHice the independence of Mexico the missions have been going 
 
 146 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 147 
 
 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 indepen- 
 dent 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 re- 
 ligious 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 administr adores, 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 
 T»f 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 lives among them. But the administradores are strangers 
 sent from Mexico, having no interest in the country, not identi- 
 fied in any way with their charge, and, for the most part, men 
 of desperate fortunes — ^broken-down politicians and soldiers — 
 whoSfe 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 neighbouring mission of San 
 - Gabriel. The priests in spiritual matters are subject to the Arch- 
 bishop 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 arbitraty 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 
 
148 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 of sending representatives to the Congress at Mexico, but as it 
 takes several months to go and return, and there is very little 
 communication between the capital and this distant province, a 
 member usually stays there, as permanent member, knowing very 
 well that there will be revolutions at home before he can write 
 and receive an answer ; and if another member should be sent, 
 he has only to challenge him, and decide the contested election 
 in that way. - 
 
 Revolutions are matters of 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, Tvho 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 quarrel, 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 re- 
 fused 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 headquarters 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 149 
 
 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 Louisa 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 quarrel, 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 re- 
 ceived 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 favourite, 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, per- 
 haps, of nothing more than indiscretion of manner. The difficul- 
 ties of the attempt are numerous, and the consequences of dis- 
 covery 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 duenna, and the cold steel of a father or brother. 
 
150 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 dishonour of their own family, 
 would risk the same lives to complete the dishonour 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 mis- 
 conduct, 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 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 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 harbours — ^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 XXI 
 
 Saturday, July i8th.—^Th.i& day sailed the Mexican hermaphro- 
 dite brig, Fazio, for San Bias and Mazatlan. This was the brig 
 which was driven ashore at San Diego to repair and take in her 
 c^rgo. 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 harbour, 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 trousers, and 
 putting the letter into his hat, swam off after the vessel. Fortun- 
 atel)4 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 govern- 
 ment 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 
 owners. 
 
 It was now nearly three months since the Alert arrived at 
 Santa Barbara, and we began to expect her daily. About half 
 a mile behind the hide-house was a high hill, and every after- 
 noon, 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 dis- 
 
 151 
 
153 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 appointed. I was anxious for her arrival, for I had been told by 
 letter that the owners in Boston, and 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 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 be- 
 yond measure. Besides that* I wished to be " equal to either 
 fortune," and to qualify myself for an ofiScer's berth, and a hide- 
 house was no place to learn seamanship in. I had become ex- 
 perienced 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 ; there- 
 fore 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 an Irish- 
 man 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 readi- 
 ness, in case I should go on board the ship — and in fishing, rang- 
 ing 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 arid 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 153 
 
 him BravOj 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 where- 
 abouts, 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 Fran- 
 cisco ?-^how many hides she would bring, etc. etc. 
 
 Tuesday, Aug. s^th. — This morning, the ofl&cer in charge 
 of our house went o£E 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 com- 
 plete 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 sky-sails 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 favour, she came up like a racehorse. 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 bead-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 top- 
 sail-yards were manned, and all three of the topsails furled at once. 
 From the fore topgallant yard the men slid down the stay to furl 
 the jib, and from the mizen topgallant yard, by the stay, into the 
 main-top, and thence to the yard ; and the men on the topsail- 
 yards came down the lifts to the yard-arms of the courses. The 
 sails were furled with great care, the bunts triced up by jiggers, 
 and the jibs stowed in cloth. The royal yards were then struck, 
 tackles got upon the yard-arms and the stay, the long-boat hoisted 
 out, a large anchor carried astern, and the ship moored. 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, hand- 
 somely 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. 
 
154 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE. MAST 
 
 After dinner the crew began discharging their hides, and as 
 we had nothing to do at the hide-house, we were ordered aboard 
 to help them. I had now the 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 dis- 
 figures 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 gingerbreid 
 work to take the eye of landsmen and passengers, but everything 
 was " sbip-shape and Bristol fashion." Tliere 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, mate, 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. sgth. — ^Arrived brig Catalina, from the wind- 
 ward. 
 
 Sunday, ^oth. — ^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 hire 
 for the day, and all the crew who could obtain liberty went oft 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 on the 
 passage out, and there lay three weeks. She had a passage of a 
 little over eighty days from Boston to Callao, whidb. is one of 
 the shortest on record. There they left the Brandywine frigate, 
 and other small 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 per- 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 155 
 
 fectly clean, had quite a comfortable appearance ; at least, it was 
 far better than the little, black, dirty hole in which I had lived 
 so many months on board the Pilgrim. By the regulations of 
 the ship, the forecastle was cleaned out every morning, and the 
 crew, being very neat, kept it clean by some regulations of their 
 own, such as having a large spit-box always under the steps and 
 between the bits, and obliging every man to hang up his wet 
 clothes, 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 fore- 
 castle was the " between-decks," as high as the gun-deck of a 
 frigate, being six feet and a half under the beams. These be- 
 tween-decks were holystoned regularly, and kept in the most per- 
 fect 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 oiily 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. 
 
 This ship lay about a week longer in port, when, having dis- 
 charged her cargo and takenin 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 
 
 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 daybreak, 
 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. Ipside and out, fore and aft, upper decks 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, lar- 
 board 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 stan- 
 chions ; 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 scuttled-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, 
 
 156 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 157 
 
 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 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 re- 
 mained on each yard, holding the bunt jigger with a turn round 
 the tie, 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 " Ay, 
 ay, 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 1 " 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 
 
158 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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, despond- 
 ing 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 over- 
 hauled the chests of the crew, but found nothing that suited me 
 exactly, until one of the men said he had a book which " told all 
 about a great highwayman," at the bottom of his chest, and pro- 
 ducing 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-yarns, 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 to talk with, but here 
 we had seven in a watdh, so that we had yarns in abundance. 
 After two or three night-watches, I became well acquainted with 
 all the larboard watch. The sailmaker was the head man of 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 159 
 
 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 humour 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 
 " Bucket-maker." The other watch was composed of about the 
 same number. A tall, fine-looking Frenchman, with coal-black 
 whiskers and curly hair, a first-rate seaman, 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 
 trousers 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 star- 
 board 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, besides 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 regula- 
 tions of the vessel. Instead of going wherever was most con- 
 venient, and running from place to place, wherever work was to 
 be done, each man had his station. A regular tacking and wear- 
 ing bill was made out. The chief mate commanded on the fore- 
 castle, and had charge of the head-sails and the forward part of 
 the ship. Two of the best men of 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. 
 
i6o TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 with the carpenter and one man, worked the main tack and bow- 
 line ; 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 stationfed 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 re;st 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 wheii 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 1 " " Helm's a-lee 1 " answers the mate on the forecastle, and 
 the head sheets are let go. " Raise tacks and sheets 1 " 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 then opposite braces hauled taut. " Main topsail 
 haul 1 " 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 1 " 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 1 " " Topgallant yards 
 well ! " " Royal yard too much 1 Haul in to windward 1 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 topgallant yardi " "Well 
 that!" "Well the mizen topsail yardl " V Cross-jack yards all 
 well!" "Well all aft I " "Haul taut to windward I " Every- 
 thing 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 I " 
 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 16 1 
 
 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 tlie chain about decks, and in a few 
 minutes, " AH 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 someone, 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 coursesi 
 hauled up, and the jibs down ; then came the topsails in the bunt- 
 lines, and the anchor let go. As soon as she was well at anchor, 
 all hands lay aloft to furl the topsails ; and this, I soon found, 
 was a great matter on board this ship ; for every sailor knows that 
 a vessel is judged of, a good deal, by the furl of her sails. The 
 third mate, sailmaker, and the larboard watch went upon the 
 fore-topsail yard ; the second mate, carpenter, and the starboard 
 watch upon the main ; and 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 knight-heads 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, clues too taut or too slack, or any sail abaft 
 the yard — the whole must be dropped again. When all was 
 rightthe bunts were triced well up, the yard-arm gaskets passed, 
 so as not to leave a wrinkle forward of the yard's short gaskets 
 with turns close together. 
 
i62 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 ^o this fact. If the chief 
 ofHcer lacks 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, gettijig 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 under- 
 standing 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-topgallant 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 njade fast by geswarps, and everything in harbour 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 163 
 
 a little to windward of them, especially in the matter of going 
 
 home first. S was determined to go home in 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, arid 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 ivas a 
 favourite 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 sfate 
 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 1 ith of September until the and of October, engaged in 
 the usual port duties of landing cargo, taking off hides, etc. These 
 duties were much easier, and went on much more agpreeably 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 a division of 
 labour ; and on shore, as well as on board, a good will, and no 
 discontent or grumbling, make everything go well. The ofi&cer, 
 too, who usually went with us, the third mate, was a fine young 
 fellow, and made no unnecessary trouble, so that we generally 
 
i64 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 had quite a sociable time, and were glad to be relieved from the 
 restraint of the ship. While here, I often thought of the miser- 
 able, 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 com- 
 pany. 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, was 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 leave 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, humdrum drag and pull on board ship. We made 
 the acquaintance Of nearly half California ; for, besides carrying 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 165 
 
 everybody in our boat — men, women, and children — all the mes- 
 sages, letters, and light packages, went by us ; and, being known 
 by our dress, we found a r^ady 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 Catdlina 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 towards morn- 
 ing, 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, towards 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 ports on her side. 
 Fortunately, the wind died away when we were on our inward 
 "lack, 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 sky-sails 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, 
 favoured her again, while we were becalmed under the headland, 
 and, labouring slowly along, she was abreast of us by rioon. Thus 
 we continued, ahead, astern, and abreast of one another alter- 
 nately, riow. far out at sea, and again, close in under 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 
 
i66 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 Inuch the advantage of her. 
 
 Sunday, Oct. 4th. — ^This was the day of our arrival, and some- 
 how 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, what- 
 ever 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 labour 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 continual roar, and the little town, im- 
 bedded 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 still as death, the 
 people hardly seeming to earn their sunlight. Daylight actually 
 seemed thrown away upon them. We had a few visitors, and 
 collected 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 neighbouring thickets, and 
 lay down by it, on the sand. Sometimes we Tvould 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 167 
 
 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 com- 
 plete and accurate, and from which no one ever thought of 
 alppealing, 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 mast, taking the depth of hold and breadth of beam 
 (for he always knew the dimension of- every part of a ship, before 
 he had been a month on board), and the average area and thick- 
 ness of a hide ; he came surprisingly near the number, as it after- 
 wards turned out. The mate frequently came to him to know 
 the capacity of difEerent parts of the vessel, and he could tell the 
 sailmaker very nearly the amount of canvas he would want for 
 each sail in the ship, for he knew the hoist of every mast, and 
 spread of 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 ofteh 
 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 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 
 
i68 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 vessel, captain, and ofBcer, and the principal dates of each 
 voyage ; and a sailor whom we afterwards fell in with, who had 
 been in a ship with Harris nearly twenty years before, was very 
 much surprised at hearing 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 know- 
 ledge 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 sp^nt 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 un- 
 necessarily gave- way td me from an over-estimate of my know- 
 ledge. For the 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 169 
 
 and facts connected with the subjefct that were new to me, and 
 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 
 r before, while at a boarding-house in Liverpool, he had fallen in 
 with a pamphlet on the subject, and, as it contained calculations, 
 had read it very carefully, and had ever since wished to find some 
 one who could add to his stock of knowledge on the question. 
 Although it was many years since he had seen the book, and it 
 was a subject with which he had had no previous acquaintance, 
 yet he had the chain of reasoning, founded upon principles of 
 pplitical 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 
 ',';;j;:,, familiar with, having been several months on board of a steam- 
 boat, 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 Ilfracombe, in 
 Devon. 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, pissing 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 humour and refused 
 to eat, instead of putting his plate away, as most mothers would, 
 
 ' I !' and saying that his hunger would bring him to it in time, she 
 
 r would stand over hirii 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 un- 
 successful, 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 
 
 G 
 
170 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 York and Boston. Twenty yeats 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 pro- 
 moted to the ofl&ce 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, atfd 
 Jlamenting 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 labour 
 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 Havannah a young 
 shipmate of his was brought aboard drunk, with a dangerous gash 
 in his head, and his money and new clothes stripped frbm 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 reso- 
 lution 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 prin- 
 ciples, 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 enabled to do for him. Stories of tyranny and hardship 
 which had driven men to piracy ; of the incredible ignorance of i 
 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 in even 
 
TWO YMRS BEFORE THE MAST 171 
 
 an exaggeration, and, as I have said/ his statements were never 
 disputed. I remember, among other thiiigs, 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 connexions 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 sea- 
 manship, 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 
 past in study and social intercourse. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 Sunday J Oct. nth. — Set sail this morning for the leeward, passed 
 within sight of San Pedro, and, to our great joy, did not come to 
 anchor, but kept directly on^ to San Diego, where we arrived and 
 moored ship on 
 
 Thursday, October i^th.-^Tound 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 usiial. 
 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 reef 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 Cali- 
 fornia, 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 topgallant-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 wind- 
 ward as though she were kedging. 
 
 Tuesday, Oct. soth. — 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 
 
 17s 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 173 
 
 ashore to bring off our hides. Here we were again in this 
 romantic spot, a perpendicular hill twice the height of a 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 break- 
 ing 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 ofiE the hides, and watching them, pitching and scaling, 
 to the bottom, while the men, dwarfed by the distance, were walk- 
 ing 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 jmissiles, 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 deter- 
 mined 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 tht 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. Tl;ie end, we saw, just reached to a landing-place, 
 from which the descent to the beach was easy. Having nothing 
 on but shirt, trousers, and hat, the common sea-rig of warm 
 weather, I had no stripping to do, and began my descent by taking 
 hold of the rope 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 (he 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. 
 
174 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 and a few gulls flying in mid-air. I got down in safety, pretty 
 well covered with dirt, and for my pains was told, " What a d — d 
 fool you were to risk your life for half-a-dozen hides ! 
 
 While we were carrying the hides to the boat, I perceived, 
 what I had "^been too busy to observe before, that heavy black 
 clouds were rolling up from seaward, a strong swell heaving in, 
 and every sign of a south-easter. The captain hurried every- 
 thing. The hides were pitched into the boats, and with some 
 difficulty, and by wading nearly up to our armpits, we got the 
 boats through the surf, and began pulling aboard. Our gig's 
 crew towed the pinnace astern of the gig, and the launch was 
 towed by six men in, the jolly-boat. The ship was lying three 
 miles off, pitching at her anchor, and the farther we pulled the 
 heavier grew the swell. Our boat stood nearly up and down 
 several times ; the pinnace parted her tow-line, and we expected 
 every moment to see the launch swamped. 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 st^iy tackles 
 hooked on, and the launch and pinnace 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 1 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 setting her to 
 leeward — " Board the main tack ! " shouted the captain ; when 
 the tack was carried forward and taken to the windlass, and all 
 hands called to the handspikes. The great sail bellied out hori- 
 zontally as though it would lift up the mainstay ; the blocks 
 rattled and flew about ; but the force of machinery was too much 
 for her. "Heave hoi Heave and pawll Yo, heave, hearty. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 175 
 
 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 clue of the sail was brought down to the water- Ways. The 
 starboard watch hauled aft the sheet, and the ship tore through 
 the water like a mad horse, quivering and shaking at every joint, 
 and dashing from its head the foam, which flew ofE at every blow, 
 yards and yards to leeward. A half-hour of such sailing served 
 our turn, when the clues of the sail were hauled up, the sail 
 furled, and the shijJ^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 this 
 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-t6, 
 
 Thursday, Oct. isnd, 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-yarn for gaskets. Here we lay ten days, 
 with the usual boating, hide-carrying, rolling of cargo up the 
 steep hill, walking btirefooted 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-bye 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 
 
176 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 know- 
 ledge of the customs of society, and particularly of the formalities 
 of the various English courts of law, and of Parliament, which 
 surprised me. Still, he would give no other account of himself 
 than that he was educated in a smuggler. A man whom we 
 afterwards fell in with, who had been a shipmate of George's a 
 few years before, said that he heard at the boarding-house from 
 which they shipped, that George had been at a college (probably 
 a naval one, as he knew no Latin or Greek), where he learned 
 French and mathematics. He was by no means the man by 
 nature 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 accord- 
 ingly, but had been a vagabond, and done nothing for himself 
 since. What had been given to him by others was all that made 
 him 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 were 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 
 honour, which yeai^s of a dog's life had not broken. After he 
 had been a little while on board, we learned from him his remark- 
 able 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 neighbouring 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 177 
 
 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 plenty to eat, half naked, and nothing to do. He soon, how- 
 ever, became tired, and went round the island, on different pre- 
 tences, 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 wind- 
 ward, 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 uritil 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 com- 
 panion 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, arid 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, tliat he left him at Manilla to go to Oahu, 
 and he had heard nothing of him since. 
 
 George had an interesting journal of his adventures in the 
 Pelew Islands', which he had written out at length, in a handsome 
 hand, and in correct English. 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 Sunday, Nov. ist. — 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 
 difiEering 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 J ; 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 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. ; and one of 
 the boat's crew of the Ayacucho said, that when they left Callao, 
 a large French frigate and the American frigate Brandy wine, 
 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 unpro- 
 tected coast, without an American man-of-war within some thou- 
 sands of miles, and a prospect of a voyage home through the 
 whole length of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans 1 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 came into the forecastle, and waited to hear the 
 truth of the matter from higher authority. By means of the 
 supercargo's clerk, I got the amount of the matter, which was 
 that the governments had had a dij[ficulty 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 
 
 178 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 179 
 
 go lucky," with Jack ! We did not believe that a French prison 
 would be much worse than " hide-droghing " on the coast of 
 California, and no one who has not been a long, dull voyage, 
 shut up in one ship, can conceive of the efiEect of monotony 
 upon one's thoughts and wishes. The prospect of a change is 
 like a green spot in the desert, and the remotest possibility 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 eyery one, and the common 
 drudgery of the vessel appeared contemptible. Here was a new 
 vein opened, a grand theme for 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. 
 
 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 agreement of the difficulties. 
 
 The other vessel which we found in port was the herma- 
 phrodite 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 o£^ 
 music on board, and appeared rather like a pleasure yacht than a 
 trader ; yet, in connexion 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 th^ same direction, bound for San Pedro. 
 This might do for marines and Californians, but we knew the 
 ropes too well. The brig was never seen again on the coast, 
 and the Avon arrived at San Pedro in al^out 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. 
 
i8o TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 from the leeward, and, without doubt, had 
 also a snatch at the brig's cargo. 
 
 Tuesday, Nov. loth. — 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 1 Give way ! Lay out on your oars, and long 
 stroke I " 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 th,e point, and gave us a view of the canal, where was 
 a ship, under topgallant-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 stejrn-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 towards 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 1 " 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 till the next morning. 
 
 As soon as her anchor was down, we went aboard, and found 
 her to be the whale-ship Wilmington and Liverpool Packet, of 
 New Bedford, last from the " off-shore ground," with nineteen 
 hundred barrels of oil. A " spouter " we knew her to be as 
 soon as we saw her, by her cranes and boats, and by her stump 
 topgallant-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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 181 
 
 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 fanners than they 
 did like sailors. 
 
 Though it was by no means cold weather (we having on only 
 our red shirts and duck trousers), they had on woollen trousers — 
 not blue and ship-shape — ^but of all colours — brown, drab, gray, 
 ay, and green, with suspenders over their shoulders, and pockets 
 to put their hands in. This, added to Guernsey frocks, striped 
 comforters about the necks, thick cowhide boots, woollen caps, 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 ship 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 firie- 
 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 hayseed out of their 
 heads. The mizen topsail hung in the bunt-lines until every- 
 thing 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. 
 
i82 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 Thursday, Nov. si^th. — ^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 Jacksqn, 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 faculty. 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, and 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 meantiine, boats had put off from our ship and the whaler, 
 and coming all on board the brig together, they let go the other 
 anchor, paid out the 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 the 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 
 
\ 
 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 183 
 
 permit. The next that made the attempt was the whale-boat, 
 for we, being evidently the most experienced " beach-combers," 
 needed no help, and stayed till the last. Whalemen make the 
 best boats' crews in the world for a long pull, but this landing 
 was new to them, and notwithstanding the 'examples they had 
 had, they slued round and were hove up— boat, oars, and men — 
 all together, high and dry upon the sand. The second time they 
 filled, and had to turn their boat over, and set her off again. 
 We could be of no help to them, for they were so many as to 
 be in one another's way, without the addition of our numbers. 
 The third time, they got off, though not without shipping a sea 
 which drenched them all, and half filled their boat, keeping 
 them baling until they reached their ship. We now got ready 
 to go off, putting the boat's head out ; English Ben and I, who 
 were the largest, standing on each side of the bows, to keep her 
 " head on " to the sea, two more shipping and manning the two 
 after oars, and the captain talking 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 sudi 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 bpats 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 gp. 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 bars 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 Lqriotte, 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 thd 
 sails. While we were on the yards, we saw the Loriotte under , 
 weigh, and before our yards were ima^t-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 
 
i84 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 o£E. Next came the whaler, and in 
 half an hour from the time when four vessels were lying quietly 
 at anchor, without a rag out or a sign of motion, the bay was 
 deserted, and four White clouds were standing ofE 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 entertain- 
 ment, 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 ofE 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 bowling, 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 un- 
 stopping, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 185 
 
 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 Anne M'Kim of Baltimore. 
 
 Saturday, Nov. i^th. — This day we got under weigh, with the 
 agent and several Spaniards of note, as passengers, bound up to 
 Mopterey. We went ashore in the gig to bring them ofiE 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, arid 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, anchor tripped, and cat-headed, and 
 the ship under headway; We were determined to show the 
 " spouter " how things could be done in a smart ship, with a good 
 crew, though not more than half their number. The royal yards 
 were all crossed at once, arid royals and sky-sails 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 
 
i86 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST ' 
 
 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 yide. 
 The breeze died away at night, and we were becalmed all day 
 on Sunday about halfway between Santa Barbara and Point Con- 
 ception. Sunday night we had a light, fair wind, which set us 
 up again, and having a fine sea-breeze on the first part of Mon- 
 day, 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. Towards 
 the latter part of the afternoon, however, the regular north-west 
 wind, as usual, set in, which brought in our studding-sails, andi 
 gave us the chance of beating round the point, which we were 
 now 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 capful of wind will be a 
 bagful here, and before night our royals were furled, and the 
 ship was labouring hard under her topgallant-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 sk,y, 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 for- 
 ward 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 topgallant-sails come in, 
 one after another, and then the flying jib. This seemed to ease 
 her a good deal, and we w^re fast. going ofiE 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. Wheri 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 187 
 
 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 loi^d 
 rent, which was heard throughout the ship, the fore-topsail, which 
 had been double-reefed, split in two, athwart-ships, just below 
 the reef-band, from earing to earing. Here again it was down 
 yard, haul out reef-tackles, and lay out upon the yard for reefing. 
 By hauling the reef-tackles chock-a-block, we took the strain from 
 the other earings, and passing the close-reef earing, and knotting 
 the points carefully, we succeeded in setting the sail, close-reefed. 
 We had but just got the rigging coiled up, and were waiting 
 to hear "go below the watch! " when the main royal worked 
 loose from the gaskets, and blew directly out to leeward, flapping, 
 and shaking the mast like a wand. Here was a job for somebody. 
 The royal must come in or be cut adrift, or the mast would be 
 snapped short off. All the light hands in the starboard watch 
 were sent up, one after another, but they could do nothing with 
 it. At length John, the tall Frenchman, the head of the star- 
 board watch (and a better sailor never stepped upon a deck), 
 sprang aloft, and,' by the help of his long arms and legs, suc- 
 ceeded, aftet a hard struggle — the sail blowing over the yard-arm 
 to leeward, and the sky-sail 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 
 all 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 sky-sail 
 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. 
 
i88 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 ribands. This was a small sail, which we could 
 manage in the watch, so that we were not obliged to call up the 
 other watch. We laid out upon the bowsprit, where we were 
 under water half the time, and took in the fragments of the sail, 
 and as she must have some head sail on her, prepared to bend 
 another staysail. We got the new one out into the nettings ; 
 seized on the tack, sheets, and halyards, and the hanks ; manned 
 the halyards, cut adrift the frapping lines, and hoisted away ; but 
 before it was half-way up the stay, it was blown all to pieces. 
 When we belayed the halyards, there was nothing left but the 
 bolt-rope. Now large eyes began to show themselves in the fore- 
 sail, 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 hight, we roused out the carpenter, saii- 
 maker, cook, steward, and other idlers, and, with their help, we 
 manned the fore-yard, and, after nearly half an hour's struggle, 
 mastered the sail and got it well furled round the yard. The 
 force of the wind had never been greater than at this moment. 
 In going up the rigging, it seemed absolutely to pin us down to 
 the shrouds, and on the yard, there was no such thing as turning 
 a face to windward. Yet here was no driving sleet, and darkness, 
 and wet, and cold, as off Cape Horn ; and instead of a stiff oil- 
 cloth suit, south-wester caps, and thick boots, we had on hats, 
 round jackets, duck trousers, light shoes, and everything light and 
 easy. AH 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 I " brought 
 the other watch up. But there was no going below for us. The 
 gale was now at its height, " blowing like scissors and thumb- 
 screws ; " the captain was on deck ; the ship, which was light, 
 rolling and pitching as though she would shake the long sticks 
 out of her ; and the sails gaping open and splitting in every direc- 
 tion. 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 189 
 
 to tatters ; one of the chain bobstays parted ; the sprit-sail yard 
 sprung in the slings ; the martingale had slued away off to lee- 
 ward ; and, owing to the long dry weather, the lee rigging hung 
 in large bights, at every lurch. One of the main topgallant 
 shroudsl 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 ^ slat of the wind, blew in under the yard, with a fearful jerk, 
 and alftiost 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 laying 
 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 coiild 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 sprit-sail yard, lashing the galley, and getting tackles upon the 
 martingale^ to bowse it to windward. Being in the larboard " 
 watch, njy 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 sea, 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 fore- 
 castle 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 our- 
 selves 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 aw*ay, with a blessing on it, if it would only last 
 
igo TWO YEARS BEFORE THE' MAST 
 
 until we could set the spencers. These we bent on very carefully, 
 with strong robands and seizings, and making tackles fast to. the 
 clues, bowsed them down to the water-ways. By this time the 
 main topsail was among the things that have been, and we went 
 aloft to stow away the remnant of the last sail of all those which 
 were on the ship twenty-four hours before. The spencers were 
 now the only whole sails on the ship, and being strong and small, 
 and near the deck, presenting but little surface to the wind above 
 the rail, promised to hold out well. Hove-to under these, and 
 eased by having no sail above the tops, the ship rose and fell, and 
 drifted off to leeward like a line-of-battle ship. 
 
 It was now. eleven o'clock, and the watch was sent below to 
 get breakfast, and at eight bells (noon), as everything was snug, 
 although the gale had not in the least abated, the watch was set, 
 and the other watch and idlers sent below. For three days and 
 three nights the gale continued with unabated fury, and with 
 singular regularity. There were no lulls, and very little variation 
 in its fierceness. Our ship, being light, rolled so as almost to 
 send the fore yard-arm under water, and drifted off bodily to lee- 
 ward. All this time there was no 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 agaiil, 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, the best things in the world to sleep in during a storm : 
 it not being true of them, as it is of another kind of bed, " when 
 the wind blows, the cradle will rock ; " for it is the ship that rocks, 
 while they hang vertically from the beams. During these seventy- 
 two hours we had nothing to do but to turn in and out, four hours 
 on deck, and four below, eat, sleep, and keep watch. The watches 
 were only varied by taking the helm in turn, and now and then, 
 by one of the sails, which were furled, blowing out of the gaskets, 
 and getting adrift, which sent us up on the yards, and by getting 
 tackles on different parts of the rigging, which were slack. Once 
 the wheel-rope parted, which might have been fatal to us, had 
 not the chief mate sprung instantly with a relieving tackle to 
 windward, and kept the tiller up till a new one could be rove. 
 On the morning of the «oth, at daybreak, the gale had evidently 
 done its worst, and had somewhat abated, so much so, that all 
 bands were called to bend new sails, although it was still blowing 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 19 1 
 
 as hard as two common gales. One at a time, and with great 
 difficulty and labour, the old sails were unbent and sent down by 
 the buntlines, and three new topsails made for the homeward 
 passage round Cape Horn, and which had never been bent, were 
 got up from the sail-room, and, under the care of the sailmaker, 
 were fitted for bending, and sent up by the halyards into the tops, 
 and, with stops and frapping-lines, were bent to the yards, close- 
 reefed, sheeted home, and hoisted. These were 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 labour 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 on the horizon, 
 and as the gale hioderated, the usual appearance of driving clouds 
 relieved the face of the sky. The fifth day after the commence- 
 ment of the storm we shook a reef out of each topsail, and set the 
 reefed foresail, jib, and spanker, but it was not until after eight 
 days of reefed topsails that we had a whole sail on the ship, and 
 then it was quite soon enough, for the captain was anxious to 
 make up for leeway, the gale having blown us half the distance 
 to the Sandwich Islands. 
 
 Inch by inch, as fast as the gale would permit, we made sail 
 on the ship, for the wind still continued ahead, and we had many 
 days' sailing to get back to the longitude we were in when the 
 storm took us. For eight days more we beat to windward under 
 a stifiE topgallant breeze, when tlie^ 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, Dec; 4,th, after a passage of twenty days, we arrived at 
 the mouth of the bay of San Francisco. 
 
CHAPTER, XXVI 
 
 Our place of destination had been at Monterey, but as we were 
 to the northward o£ it when the wind hauled ahead, we made a 
 fair wind for San Francisco. This large bay, which lies in lati- 
 tude 37 deg. 58 min., was discovered by Sir Francis Drake, and 
 by him represented to be (as indeed it is) a magnificent bay, con- 
 taining several good harbours, great depth of water, and sur- 
 rounded 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 
 harbour, 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 colours, 
 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 trousers, and were 
 barefooted, they had, every man of them, double-soled boots, 
 coming up to the knees, and well-greased ; thick woollen trousers, 
 frocks, waistcoats, pea-jackets, woollen caps, and everything in 
 true Nova Zembla rig ; and in the Warmest days they made no 
 change. The clothing of one of these men would weigh nearly 
 as much as that of half our crew. They had brutish faces, looked 
 like the antipodes of sailors, and apparently dealt in nothing but 
 grease. They lived upon grease ; ate 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. 
 
 19s 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 193 
 
 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, 
 topgallant-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 pur- 
 chased a large robe, made of the skins of some animal, dried and 
 sewed nicely together, and covered all over on the outside with 
 thick downy feathers, taken from the breasts of various birds, and 
 arranged with their different colours, 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 favourite 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 Vhe boat, in the 
 open air. When they got on board they were completely ex- 
 ha,usted, and took a watch below of twelve hours. All the hides, 
 too, that came down in the bpats, 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 
 vesfcl. 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- 
 
-194 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 athwart-ships, tricing-lines were run, and strung with 
 hides. The headstays and guys, and the sprit-sail yard, were lined, 
 and having still more, -v^e 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 fropi the 
 jib-bdom-end to the taftrail. 
 
 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 a quarter- 
 boat 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 off old scores, or " square the yards 
 with the bloody quill-driver." 
 
 Having collected nearly all the hides that vS'ere 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, 
 " Isla 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 195 
 
 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 harbour, 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 threaten- 
 ing 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 musselsi 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 round 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 \vas 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 
 faggots, 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 prepara- 
 tions for loading our vessel. We were not mistaken in the cold- 
 ness of the weather, for a white frost was on the ground, a thing 
 we had never seen before in California, and one ox two little 
 piiddles 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 tc, wade off, nearly up to our hips in water, 
 to load the skiff with the wood by armsful. The third mate re- 
 mained on board the launch, two more stayed in the skiff to load 
 and manage it, and all the waterwork, as usual, fell upon the two 
 youngest of us ; and there we were, with frost on the ground. 
 
ig6 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 wading forward and back, from the beach to the boat, with arms- 
 ful of wood, barefooted, and our trousers rolled up. When the 
 skiff went off with her load, we could only keep our feet from 
 freezing by racing up and down the beach on the hard sand, as 
 fast as we could go. We were all day at this work, and toward 
 sundown, having loaded the vessel as deep as she would bear, we 
 hove up our anchor, and made sail, beating out of the bay. No 
 sooner had we got into the large bay than we found a strong tide 
 setting us out to seaward, a thick fog which prevented our seeing 
 the ship, and a breeze too light to set us against the tide, for we 
 were as deep as a sand-barge. By the utmost exertions, we saved 
 ourselves from being carried out to sea, and were glad to reach 
 the leewardmost point of the island, where we came to, and pre- 
 pared to pass another night, more uncomfortable than the first, 
 for 5 we were leaded 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 197 
 
 should never have so good an opportunity to work for ourselves 
 as at present, we all employed our evenings in making clothes foi: 
 the passage home, and more especially iEor Cape Horn. As soon 
 as supper was over and the kids cleafed away, and each one had 
 taken his smoke, we seated ourselves on our chests round the 
 lamp, which swung frorA a beam, and each one went to work in 
 his own way, some making hats, others trousers, 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 trousers and jackets, and, giving them several coats of 
 linseed oil, laid them by for Cape Horn. I also sewed and 
 covered a tarpaulin hat, thick and strong enough to sit down 
 upon, and made myself a complete suit of flannel underclothing, 
 for bad weather. Those who had no south-wester caps, made 
 them, and several of the crew made themselves tarpaulin jackets 
 and trousers, lined on the inside with flannel. Industry was the 
 order of the day, and every one did something for himself, for 
 we knew that as the season advanced, and we went further south, 
 that we should have no evenings to work in. 
 
 Friday, December s^'th. — ^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 fprecastle, a barrel of gin, ate 
 up a bag of tallow, and made a soup of the skin. 
 
 Sunday, December 2>jth. — We had now finished all our busi- 
 ness 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 favourably 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 oh 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 ; 
 
igS TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 and tJie mouths of several smali rivers. If California ever be- 
 comes 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 naviga- 
 tion affording the best anchoring-grounfls in the whole western 
 coast of America, all fit it for a place of great importance; arid, 
 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 theit 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 
 nottherly 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 into the anchoring- 
 ground until an hour or two after us. It was ten o'clock on Tues- 
 day 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-coloured 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 only other vessel in the port was a Russian government bark, 
 from Asitka, mounting eight guns (four of which we found to be 
 quakers) " and haying 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 thefii 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 ist, 1836." The governor 
 was true to his promise, and they all reached Boston before the 
 middle of March ; the shortest communication ever yet made 
 across the country. 
 
 The brig Pilgrim had been lying in Monterey through the latter 
 part of November, according to orders, waiting for us. Day after 
 day. Captain Faucon went up to the hill to look out for us, and at 
 last gave us up, thinking we must have gone down in the gale 
 which we experienced off Point Conception, and which had blown 
 with great fury over the whole coast, driving ashore several vessels 
 in the snuggest ports. An English brig, which had put into San 
 Francisco, lost both her anchors ; the Rosa was driven upon a mud 
 bank in San Diego ; and the Pilgrim, with great difficulty, rode out 
 the gale in Monterey, with three anchors ahead. She sailed early 
 in December for San Diego, and intermedios. 
 
 As we were to be here over Sunday, and Monterey was the 
 best place to go ashore on the whole coast, and we had had no liberty- 
 day for nearly three months, every one was for going ashore. On 
 Sunday morning, as soon as the decks were washed, and we had 
 got breakfast, those who had obtained liberty began to clean them- 
 selves, 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 otie another, by drawing up water and 
 heaving over each other, while we were stripped to a pair of 
 trousers. Then came the rigging up. The usual outfit of pumps, 
 white stockings, loose white duck' trousers, blue jackets, clean 
 checked shirts, black kerchiefs, hats well varnished, with a' fathom 
 of black ribbon over the left eye, a silk handkerchief flying from the 
 outside jacket pocket, and four or five dollars tied up in the back 
 of the neckerchief, and we were " all right." One of the quarter- 
 
 199 
 
200 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 boats pulled us ashore, and we breamed 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 mayor-domo, who, of course, refused to make any 
 charge, as it was the Lord's gift, yet received our present, as a grat- 
 uity, 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 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, 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 themsqlves. 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 tuniult 
 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, how- 
 ever, 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 him and threw him 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 201 
 
 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, drove down the hatchway, hauled 
 them both up on deck, and told them to shake hands and have no 
 more trouble for the voyage, or else they should fight till one gave 
 in for beaten. Finding neither willing to make an offer of reconcilia- 
 tion, 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 God 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 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 master, and had nothing to gain, 
 and everything to lose, while the other fought for honour and 
 freedom, and 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, Jan. 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 departed from us off Point Pinos, being bound to the Sandwich 
 
 H 
 
202 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 rep- 
 resentation of a decayed gentleman I had ever seen. He reminded 
 me of some of the characters in Gil Bias. 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 courtyard 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 best society of the capital. 
 Misfortune, extravagance, and the want of funds, or any manner 
 of-getting interest on money, soon ate the estate up, and Don Juan 
 Bandini returned from Mexico accomplished, poor, and proud, 
 and without any office or occupation, to lead the life of most young 
 men of the better families — dissolute and extravagant when the 
 means are at hand ; ambitious at heart, and impoterit 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 daresay the last he had in his pocket — to the steward, 
 who waited upon him. I could not but fefel 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 Bias as his master. He called himsplf 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 203 
 
 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 
 any one else. He took great pains in correcting my Spanish, and 
 supplying me with colloquial phrases, and common terms, and 
 exclamations in speaking. He lent me a file of late newspapers 
 from the city of Mexico, which were full of the triuhiphal reception 
 of Santa An.a, who had just returned from Tampico after a victory, 
 arid 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 uncon- 
 nected 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 Astados Unidos^ (what had become of Marshall ? 
 was he dead or banished?) and another made knowh, by news 
 received from Vera Cruz, that " El Vizconde Melbourne " had 
 returned to the office of " primer- ministro," in place of Sir Robert 
 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 north-wester, under a fore and main spencer. 
 " Sail ho ! " cried a man who was rigging out a topgallant stud- 
 ding-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 stuciding-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 
 
204 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 !"— " HaUo ! "— " What ship is that, pray? "—"Alert."— 
 "Where are you from, pray?" 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 nimierous 
 among these islands, and being of great value, the government 
 require a heavy sum for a licence to hunt them, and lay a high 
 duty upon every one shot or carried out of the coimtry. This 
 vessel had no licence, 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 loth. — ^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 h&d 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 Annetta De G De N y 
 
 G , 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 con- 
 fessional, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 205 
 
 of the church with the bridegroom, followed by a long procession. 
 Just as she stepped from the church door, a small white cloud 
 
 Jssued 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 colours all day. At sundown, 
 another salute of the same number of guns was fired, and all the 
 flags run down. This we thought was pretty well — a gun every 
 fifteen seconds — ^for a merchantman with only four guns and a 
 dozen or twenty men. 
 
 After supper the gig's crew were called, and we rowed ashore, 
 dressed in our uniform, beached the boat, and went up to the fan- 
 dango. 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-r-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 enter tairmient 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, fascijiating 
 dances which I had expected, I found the Galifornian 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 paritaloons, neatly made, a short jacket 
 of dark silk, gaily figured, white stockings, and thin morocco 
 
2o6 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 faim. 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 freq[uently 
 towards the close of the evening. After supper the waltzing began, 
 which was confined to a very few of the " gente de razdn," 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 favour- 
 ite) 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 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 amuse- 
 ment 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 nmst not be done if the person 
 sees y6u. 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 roufid, saw Donna Angustia 
 (whom we all knew, as she had been up to Monterey, and down 
 again, in the Akrt) with her finger upon her lips motioning me 
 gently aside. I stepped back a little, when she went up behind the 
 don, and- with one hand knoqked oflF 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 favourite with him, so old Don Domingo had 
 to join in the laugh. A great many such tricks were played, g,nd 
 many a war of sharp manoeuvring was carried on between couples 
 of the younger people, and at every successful exploit a general 
 laugh was raised. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 207 
 
 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 after^ 
 wards 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 by whom 
 it was done. 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 on 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 as were sent up to the town, and took care to come back by way 
 of Captain 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 d^y, 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 instriunents, the 
 drawling sounds which the women kept up as an accompaniment, 
 and the slappipg 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 in 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 country- 
 men 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 
 
2o8 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST ~ 
 
 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 
 
 Monday Feb. ist. — ^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 clue of the mainsail hauled 
 up, the yards braced in a little, and the lower studding-sail just 
 drawing : the wind hardly shifting a point during the passage. 
 Here we found the Ayacucho and the Pilgrim, which last we had not 
 seen since the i ith of September, nearly five months ; and I really 
 felt something like an affection for the old brig which had been my 
 first home, and in which I had spent nearly a year, and got the 
 first rough and tumble of a sea-life. She, too, was associated in my 
 mind with Boston, the wharf from which we sailed, anchorage in 
 the stream, leave-taking, and all such matters, which were now to 
 me like small links connecting me with another world, which I 
 had once been in, and which, please God, I might yet see again. 
 I went on board the first night, after supper — found the old cook 
 in the galley, playing upon the fife which I had given him, as 
 a parting present — had a hearty shake of the hand from him ; and 
 dove down into the forecastle, where were my old shipmates, the 
 same as ever, glad to see me, for they had nearly given us up as 
 lost, especially when they did not find us in Santa Barbara. They 
 had been at San Diego last, had been lying at San Pedro nearly a 
 month, and had received three thousand hides from the Pueblo. 
 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 splace, 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 ioy—foT the last time ! Over thirty thousand hides had been 
 already collected, cured, and stowed away in the house, which 
 together with what we should collect, and the Pilgrim would 
 bring down from San Francisco, would make out our cargo. The 
 thought that we were actually going up for the last time, and that 
 the next time we went round San Diego point it would be " home- 
 ward bound," brought things so near a close, that we felt as though 
 
 aog 
 H* 
 
210 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 o£ 
 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 novy sweeping off the native popula- 
 tion 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 vigour 
 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 iU, 
 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 inabihty 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 riie sick and faint. Poor feUow \ During 
 the four months that I lived upon the beach, we were continually 
 logether, both in work, and in our excursions in the woods, and 
 upon the water. I really felt a strong affection for him, and pre- 
 ferred 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 be 
 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 hinx 
 carefully, and it was not a sight to be forgotten. One of our 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST an 
 
 crew, an old maa-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 ever dreamed of. He was horror-struck, as his 
 countenance showed, yet he had been among the worst cases in 
 our navaLhospitals. 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 I " said the captain, and walked off. 
 
 This same man died afterwards of a fever on the deadly coast 
 of Sumatra, and Gk)d 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 alway kept by him. With this I went to the mate, and 
 told him the case. Mr. Brown had been intrusted with a general 
 care of the medicine chest, and, although a driving fellow, ai;id a 
 taut hand in a watch, he had good feeling, 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 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 calomql, but nothing else would do, 
 and strong remedies must be used, or he was gone. The applica- 
 tions, 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 loth, bound up to San Pedro, and 
 
212 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 
 td 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 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 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 to us. Such a sight I never saw before. 
 Barefooted, with an old pair of trousers, tied round his waist by a 
 piece of green hide, a soiled cotton shirt, and a torn Indian hat ; 
 " cleaned out," to the last real, and completely " used up." He 
 confessed the whole matter ; acknowledged that he was on his 
 back, and now he had a prospect of a fit of the horrors for a week, 
 and of being worse than useless for months. This is a specimen of 
 the life of half of the Americans and English who are adrift over 
 the whole of California. One of the same stamp was Russell, who 
 was master of the hide-house of 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 213 
 
 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., begging food and shelter of Kanakas and sailors. 
 He stayed with us until 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 
 Ranehero, gambling, stealing horses, etc. He worked along at 
 San Francisco, and was living on a rancho near there, while we 
 were in port. One morning, when we went ashore in the boat, 
 we found him at the landing-place, dressed in California style — 
 a wide hat, faded velveteen trousers, and a blanket thrown over 
 his shoulders — and wishing to go off in the boat, saying he was 
 going to pasear with our captain a little. We had many doubts of 
 the reception he would meet with, but lie 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 jpke passed about among the crew by winks and signs, at 
 different parts of the ship. Finding himself disappointed at head- 
 qiiarters, he edged along forward to the mate, who was over-seering 
 some work upon the forecastle, and tried to begin a yam, but it 
 would not do. The mate had seen the reception he 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 afterwards, we saw him at the galley-door, 
 talking with jthe cook. This was a great come-down, from the 
 highest seat in the synagogue to a seat in the galley with the black 
 cook. At night, too, when the supper was called, he stood in the 
 waist for some time, hoping to be asked down with the oflBcers, but 
 they went below, one after another, and left him. His next chance 
 was with the carpenter and sailmaker, and he lounged round the 
 
214 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 enter- 
 taining. 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. 13;^.— -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 undM" the lee of Catalina Island, where we 
 lay for three days, and then returned to our anchorage. 
 
 Tuesday, Feb. 2yd. — This afternoon, a signal was made from 
 the shore, and we went off in the gig, and found the agent's clerk, 
 who had been up to the pueblo, waiting at the landing-place, with 
 a package under his arm, covered with brown paper, and tied 
 carefully with twine. No sooner had we shoved off than he told us 
 there was good news from Santa Barbara. " What's that ? " said 
 one of the crew ; " has the bloody agent slipped off the hooks ? Has 
 the old bundle of bones got him at last ? " " No ; better than that. 
 The California has arrived. Letters, papers, news, and, perhaps, 
 friends on board ! " Our hearts were all up in our mouths, and 
 we pulled away like good fellows, for the precious packet could 
 not be opened except by the captain. As we pulled under the 
 stern, the clerk held up the package, and called out to the mate, 
 who was leaning over the taffrail, that the California had arrived. 
 
 " Hurrah ! " said the mate, so as to be heard fore and aft ; 
 "California come, and news from Boston ! " 
 
 Instantly there was a confusion on board which no one 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 ? " 
 
 " Ay, ay ! 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 215, 
 
 crew to again ; and the same strict discipline was restored, which 
 prohibits speech between man and man, while at work on deck, 
 so that, when the steward came forward with letters for. the crew, 
 each man took his letters, carried them below to his chest, and came 
 up again immediately, and not a letter was read until we had 
 cleared up decks for the night. 
 
 An overstrained sense of manliness is the characteristic of sea- 
 faring men, or rather, of life, on board ship. This often gives an 
 appearance of want of feeling, or even of cruelty. From this, if 
 a man comes within an ace of breaking his neck, and escapes, it is 
 made a joke of, and no notice must be taken of a bruise or a cut, 
 and any expression of pity, or any show of attention, would look 
 sisterly, and unbecoming a man who has to face the rough and 
 tumble of such a life. From this, 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 <iot live an hour on shipboard. One would 
 be torn raw unless he had the hide of an ox. A moment of natural 
 feeling for home and friends, and then the rigid 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 
 honJe, 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 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 
 
2i6 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 was brought on board, no one was higher in 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 hinx 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 Con- 
 stellation frigate, after a cruise of four years round the Horn — being 
 paid off with over five hundred doUars^ — ^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 sub- 
 ject 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've hove your money away like 
 a fool, but every man must learn, once, just as I did, so you'd 
 Ijetter 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. 25/A. — Set sail for Santa Barbara, where we 
 arrived on Sunday, the 28th. We just missed seeing the California, 
 for she had sailed three days before, bound to Monterey, to enter 
 her cargo and procure her licence, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 217 
 
 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 of it. 
 It carries you back to the spot better than anything else. It is almost 
 equal to clairvoyance. The names of the streets, with things adver- 
 tised, is 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 Conamencement 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 mannerin which 
 
 each would handle his subject. , handsome, showy, and 
 
 superficial ; , with his strong head, clear brain, cool self- 
 possession ; , modest, sensitive, and underrated ; B , the 
 
 mouth-piece of the debating clubs, noisy, vaporous, and demo- 
 cratic ; and so following. Then I could see them receiving their 
 A.B.'s from the dignified, feudal-looking president, with his 
 " auctoritate mihi commissa," and walking off the stage with their 
 diplomas in their hands, while upon the 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. 
 
 Saturdccf, March ^th — 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-bye, 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 
 faking his last look at the mission, the town, the breakers on the 
 
2i8 TWO YEARS BEFORE , THE MAST 
 
 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 on the Pelew Islands. He 
 left us to take the berth of second mate on board the Ayacucho, which 
 was lyinjg 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 honour, 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 ^&' 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 for ever, 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 ovwi homes, and never walked but in one 
 line from their cradles to their graves. We must come down from 
 our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the by-ways and low 
 places of life, if we would learn truths by strong contrasts, and in 
 hovels, in forecastles, and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, 
 see what has been wrought 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) gavq 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST aig 
 
 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-bye 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 dowii by a pair of 
 halyards in search of a few paltry hides. " Forsitan et hmc ohm," 
 thought I, and took my last look of that place too. And on the next 
 morning we were under the high point of San Diqgp. 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 Bbston. 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 
 streain, with a good smooth beach opposite, for a landing-place, 
 and within two cables' length of our hide-hbuse, we moored ship, 
 unbent all the sails, sent down the topgallant yards and all the 
 studding-sail booms, and housed the topgallant-masts. The boats 
 were then hove out, and all the sails, the spare spars, the stores, the 
 rigging not rove, and, in fact, everything which was not in daily 
 use, sent ashore, and stowed away in the house. Then went all our 
 hides and horns, and we left hardly anything in the ship but her 
 ballast, and this we made preparations to heave out the next day. 
 At night, after we had knocked oflf, and were sitting round in the 
 forecastle, smoking and. talking and taking sailors' 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 topgallant-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 befot-e us, and then — " Good-bye to California !" 
 
CHAPTER XXIX 
 
 We turned in early, knowing that we might expect an early call ; 
 and sure enough, before the stars had quite faded, " All hands 
 ahoy ! " and we were turned to, heaving out ballast. A regulation 
 of the port forbids any ballast to be thrown overboard, accordingly, 
 our long-boat was lined inside with rough boards and r- brought 
 alongside the gangway but where one tubful 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 labour, which would be spent in loading the boats, rowing 
 them to the point, and unloading them. When any people from the 
 presidio were on board, the boat was hauled up and the ballast 
 thrown in, but when the coast was clear, she was dropped astern 
 again, and the ballast fell overboard. This is one of those petty 
 frauds which 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 hdd thrown out all biit what, we wanted under our cargo 
 on the passage home ; when as the next day was Sunday, and a 
 good day for.smoking the 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 arid companion-way. 
 Wherever smoke was seen coming out we calked and pasted, and, 
 so far as we could, made the ship smoke-tight. The captain and 
 officers slept under the awning which was spread over the quarter- 
 deck, and we stowed ourselves away under an old studding-sail, 
 which we drew over one side of the forecastle. The next day, from 
 fear that something might happen, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 231 
 
 all could not read it at once, I, being the scholar of the company, 
 was appointed reader.^ I got a Isnot of six or eight about me, and 
 no one could have had a more attentive audience. Some liaughed 
 at the " scholars," and went over to 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 harahgues of the Roundhead soldiers. The gallantry of Charles, 
 Dr. Radcliffe's plots, the knavery of " trusty Tonikins " — 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 thementer 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. 
 AH 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 starlight, for six 
 , weeks, with the exception of Sundays, and with just time to swallow 
 our meals. To carry the work oh quicker, a division of labour was 
 made. Two men threw the hides down from the piles in the house, 
 two more picked them up and put them on a long horizontal pole, 
 raised a few feet from the ground^ where they were beaten by two 
 more with flails, somewhat like those used in threshing wheat. 
 When beaten, they were taken from this pole by two more, and 
 placed upon a platform of boards, and ten or a dozen men, with 
 their trousers rolled up, 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 
 
223 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 inside our hats, with the wool next our 
 heads, and thus were able to bear the weight, day after day, which 
 would otherwise have soon worn off our hair and borne ha!rd 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 fa,st 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 the 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 favour 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 a hundred 
 hides are got into a place where one could not be forced by hand, 
 and which presses the 'hides to the utmostj sometimes starting the 
 beams of the ship, resembling in its effects the jackscrews which 
 are used in stowing cotton. Each morning we went ashoje, and beat 
 and brought off as many hides as we could steeve in the course of 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 223 
 
 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 bccims, 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 fhese tackles were nipped, 
 straps and toggles clapped upon the fallsj and two more luff tackles 
 hooked on, with dogs, in the same manner, and thus, by luff upon 
 luff, the power was multiplied, until into a pile in which one hide 
 more could not be crowded by hand, a hundred or a hundred and 
 fifty were often driven in by this complication of purchases. When 
 the last luff was hooked on, all hands were called to the rope — ^ook, 
 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, wc set taut upon the tackles, and striking up a song, and 
 all lying back at the chorus, we bowsed the tackles home, and drove 
 -the large books chock in out of sight. 
 
 The sailors' songs fot capstans and falls are of a peculiar kind, 
 having a chorus at the end of each line. The burden is usually 
 simg 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 
 Grostree," 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 \)e got upon the tackles — ^When 
 a new song, struck up, seemed to hit the humour of the moment, 
 
234 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 and drove the tackles " two blocks " at once. " Heave round 
 hearty ! " " Captain gone ashore ! " and the like, might do for 
 common pulls," but on an emergency, when we wanted a heavy 
 " raise-the-dead " pull, which should start the beams of the ship, 
 there was nothing like " Time for us to go ! " " Round the Corner," 
 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 lip every day. 
 The work was as hard as it could well b'e. 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 beef-steaks 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, consistirig of six men, 
 had a large wooden kid piled up with beef-steaks, 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, ajid 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 i^th. — 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, 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 225 
 
 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 com- 
 panion 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 tould be got from 
 the ship, so, that his life was left to hang upon the arrival of the 
 California. 
 
 Sunday, April 24.th. — 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 " Sail oh ! " with all their 
 might. Mr. H., our third mate, was ashore, and asking them par- 
 ticularly about the size of the sail, etc., and learning that it was 
 " Moku — JVui 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 giins run out, and loaded, the ensign and broad pennant 
 
226 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 sahite. She came in under topgallant- 
 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, substantiail 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 sailer, but with no pretensions to beauty, and nothing in 
 the style of a " crack ship." Upon the whole, we were perfectly 
 satisfied that the Alert might hold up her head with a ship twice as 
 smart as she. 
 
 At night some of us got a boat and went on bpard, 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 aiiy of our ship's company. It was just seven months since they 
 left Boston, which seemed but yesterday to us. Accordingly, we 
 had nauch 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 school- 
 mates of his. Our men had hundreds of questions to ask about Ann 
 Street, the boarding-Houses, the ships in port, the rate of wages, 
 and other matters. 
 
 Among her crew were two English man-of-war's men, so that 
 of course, we soon had music. They sang in the true sailor's style, 
 and the rest of the crew — ^which was a remarkably musical one — 
 joined in the choruses. They had many of the latest sailor songs, 
 which had not yet got about among our merchantmen, and which 
 •they were very choice of. They began soon after we came on board, 
 and kept it up until after two bells, when the second mate came 
 forward and called " The Alert's 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 Bowling," " 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 north-westers, 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 237 
 
 with all manner of ungovernable trills and quavers — in the high 
 notes breaking into a rough falsetto — and in the low ones, growling 
 along like the dying away of the boatswain's " all hands ahoy ! " 
 down the hatchway, singing, " Oh no, we never mention him." 
 
 " Perhaps, like me, he struggles with 
 Eadi feeling of regret: 
 But if he's loved as I have loved, 
 He never can forget 1 ' ' 
 
 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 th.& Pilgrim, and Mr. R , the argent. 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 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. 
 
228 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 enter- 
 ing upon my defence in such a way as would show to the other two 
 that he was in the wrong, he changed his ground, and pointed to 
 the shipping papers of the Pilgrim, from which my name had never 
 been erased, and said that there was my name — ^that I belonged to 
 her — that he had an absolute discretionary power, and, in short, 
 that I must be on board the Pilgrim by the next morning with my 
 chest' and hammock, or have some one ready to go- in my place, 
 and that he would not hear another word from me. No court of 
 star-chamber could proceed more summarily with a poor devil_ 
 than this trio was about to do with me, condemning me to a 
 punishment worse than a Botany Bay exUe, 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, 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 bis things ready to go on board the brig the next 
 morning, and that I would give him thirty dollars and a suit of 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 229 
 
 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 ah active, willing lad, and a 
 good sailor for his years, was a general favourite. " 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 labour 
 and hardships, and having no favour 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 imme- 
 diately 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 Tiad 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 colours, 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 " 
 
230 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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,* 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 watch- 
 mate. The same boat brought on board S , my friend, whohad 
 
 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, and answered us with three as loud, to which we, 
 after the nautical custom, gave one in retutn. 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 topgallant-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 — ^whiqh had 
 been my first home in the new world into which I had entered — 
 
 * 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST agi 
 
 and with which I had associated so many Jhings-^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 -Californian 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 in of our cargo, and was 
 a memorable day in our calendar. The time when we were to take 
 in our last hide, we had looked forward to, for sixteen months, as 
 the first bright spot. When the last hide was stowed away, and the 
 hatches calked down, the tarpaulins battened on t<i 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 in 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 
 bn 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 pur sails, and at night, every sail, from the courses to 
 the sky-sails, was bent, and every studding-sail ready for setting. 
 
 Before our sailing, an unsuccessfiil 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 fifteeen and sixteen years of age, 
 who went by the name of the " reefer," having been a midshipman 
 in an East India Company's ship. His singular character and story 
 had excited our interest ever since the ship came into the port. 
 He was a delicate, slender little fellow, with a beautiful pearly 
 complexion, regular features, forehead as white as marble, black 
 hair, curling beautifully round it, tapering, delicate fingers, small 
 feet, soft voice, gentle manners, and, in fact, every sign of having 
 been well born and bred. At the same time there was something in 
 his expression which showed a slight deficiency" of intellect. How 
 great the deficiency was, or what it resulted from — ^whether he was 
 born so, whether it was the result of disease or accident, or whether, 
 as some said, it was brought on by his distress of mind during the 
 
232 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 voyage, I cannot say. From his own account of himself, and from 
 many circumstances which were known in connexion 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 accoun- 
 ted 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 aftej-wards ran away from home, after 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 endea- 
 voured 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 
 sailors' 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 were going aboard, wandered up 
 into another part of the town, and spent all the forenoon in straying 
 about the Common and the neighbouring streets. Having no money, 
 and all his clothes arid other things being in his chest, on board, 
 and being a stranger, he became tired and hungry, and ventured 
 down towards 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 fast 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 vessels known anything of the matter, they would have 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 333 
 
 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, ar^d became so miserable, that Captain Arthur took 
 him into the cabin, where he assisted the steward, and occasionally 
 pulled and hauled about decks. He was in this capacity when we 
 saw him, and though it was much better for him than the life in a 
 forecastle, and the hard work, watching, and exposure, which his 
 delicate frame could not have borne, yet, to be joined with a black 
 fellow in waiting upon a man, whom he probably looked upon as 
 but little, in point of education and manners, above one of his 
 father's servants, was almost too much for his spirit to bear. Had 
 he entered upon this situation of his own free-will, he could have 
 endured it, but to have been deceived, and, in addition to that, 
 forced into it, was intolerable. He made every effort to go home in 
 ovu: 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 con- 
 firmed by all the crew, be correct, I cannot understand why 
 Captain Arthur should have refused to let him go, especially 
 being d 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 qhly thing connected with leaving California which was in 
 any way unpleasaht. 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 
 
234 TWO Yi:ARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 biirden 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 livestock, consisting 
 of four bullocks, a dozen sheep, a dozen or more pigs, and three or 
 four dozen of poultry, were all sto\ved 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 
 liay 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 such powerful machinery, that she was like a man 
 in a straitjacket 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 sej: 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, iir," 
 — "All ready the main ! " — " Gross-jack y3,rds 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 meantime our 
 bow-gun had been loaded and run out, and its discharge was to 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 335 
 
 be the signal for dropping the sails. A cloild 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 moiJceys in the 
 rigging ; ropes and blocks flying ; orders given and answered ; 
 and the confused noise of men singing out at the ropes. The topsails 
 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!"— "Ay, ay, 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 moitient, 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 harbour, witlv 
 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 our red-ha,ired second mate, most mal-a-propos. A male- 
 diction 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 Califor- 
 nia ; 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 
 
236 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 jinder our sails ; 
 but we would not take them in until three boys sprung aloft into 
 the rigging of the California, when they were all furled at once, but 
 with orders to stay aloft at the topgallant mast-heads, and loose 
 them again at the word. It was my duty to furl the fore-royal, and 
 while standing by to loose it again, I had a fine view of the scene. 
 From where I stood, the two vessels seemed nothing but spars and 
 sails, while their narrow decks, far below, slanting over by the 
 force of the wind aloft, appeared hardly capable of supportipg the 
 great fabrics raised upon them. The California was to windward of 
 us, and had every advantage, yet, while the breeze was stiffs we 
 held our own. As soon as it began to slacken, she ranged a little 
 ahead, and the order was given to loose the royals. In an instant 
 the gaskets were off and the bunt dropped. " Sheet home the fore- 
 royal ! " — " Weather sheet's home ! " — " Lee sheet's home ! " — 
 " Hoist away, sir !" is bawled from aloft. " Overhaul your clew- 
 lines ! " shouts the mate, " Ay, ay, 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 
 us three hearty cheers, which we answered as heartily, and the 
 customary single cheer came back to us 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, which every hour and every mile was bringing us 
 nearer to. 
 
 As soon as we parted company with the California, all hands 
 were sent aloft to set the studding-sails. Booms were rigged out 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 237 
 
 tacks and halyards rove, sail after sail packed upon her, until every 
 ihch of canvas was spread, that we might not lose a breath of fair 
 wind. We could now see how much she was cramped and deadened 
 by her cargo ; for with a gpod breeze on her quarter, and every 
 stitch of canvas spread, we could not get more than sjx 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 old 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 on 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. 
 
CHAPTER XXX 
 
 At eight o'clock all hands were called aft, and the watch set for die 
 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 dbg 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 the^e diminutions, we were short-handed for a voyage round 
 Cape Horn in the dead of winter. Beside S— — and myself, there 
 were only five in the forecastle, who, together with four boys in 
 the steerage, the saihnaker, carpenter, etc., composed, the whole 
 crew. In addition to this, we were oiily 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 labours, is too much for old men and for 
 any who have not good constitutions. Besides 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 rheiunatism which attacked 
 him soon after he came upon the coast. By the loss of the sail- 
 maker, 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MASf 239 
 
 The prospect of meeting this in a ship half-manned, and loaded 
 so deep that every sea must wash her fore and aft, was by no means 
 pleasant. The Alert, in her passage out, doubled the Ciape in the 
 month of February, which is midsummer ; and we came round 
 in the Pilgrim in the latter part of October, which, we thought, was 
 bad enough. There was only one of our crew who had been off 
 there in the winter, and that was in a whale-ship, much lighter 
 and higher than our ship, yet he said they had man-killing * 
 weather for twenty days, without intermission, and their d^cks were 
 pwept 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 Gape, and lost several boats by the heavy seas. All this 
 was for our comfort ; yet pass it we must ; and all hands agreed 
 to make the best of it. 
 
 During our watches below, we overhauled our clothes, and made 
 and mended everything for bad weather. Each of us had made for 
 himself a suit of oil-cloth or tarpaulin, and these we got out, and 
 gave thorough coatings of oil or t^r, 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 sftiuggled 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 econo6iy 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 unaccount- 
 able leak on the starboard bow, near the cat-head, which drove us 
 from the forward berths on that side, and, indeed, when she was 
 
240 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 calking and leading, a forecastle, with 
 only three dry berths for seven of us. However, as there is never 
 but one watch below at a time, by " turning in and out," we 
 did pretty Well. And there being in our watch but three of us 
 who lived forward, we generally had a dry berth apiece in bad 
 weather.* 
 
 All this, however, was but anticipation. We were stUl 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 i^tk, one week out, we were in latitude 14 min. 
 56 deg. N., long. 1 16 ntin. 14 deg. 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 topgallant studding- 
 sails, whenever she could stagger under them. Indeed, the captain 
 had shown, from the moment we got to sea, that he would 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 royal studding-sails got ready for the 
 light trades ; ring-tail set, and new rigging fitted, and sails got 
 ready for Gape 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 railj a yarn round 
 the windlass-end, or, what was generally my way, a 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 continued, would, in less than five months, take us into Boston 
 
 • On removing the cat-head, after the ship arrived at Boston, it was found 
 that there were two holes under it, which had been bored for the purpose of 
 , driving treenails, and which, accidentally, had not been plugged up when 
 the cat-head was placed over them. This was sufficient to account for the 
 leak, and for our not being able to discover and stop it. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 241 
 
 Bay. This is the pleasure of life at sea — fine weather, day after day, 
 without interruption — ^fair wind and a plenty of it — and home- 
 ward bound. Every one was in good humour ; 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 unfrequent 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." 
 
 ' Rumours 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, expept 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 trousers 
 rolled up to his knees, picking up stones and shells. He had 
 travelled overland to the North-west Coast, and come down in 
 
248 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 got 
 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 coyld 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 recognising 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 inter- 
 course between passengers and the crew. I was often amused to 
 see the sailors puzzl,ed to know what to make of him, and to hear 
 their conjectures about him and his business. They were as much 
 puzzled as our saUmaker was with the captain's instruments in 
 the cabin. He said there were three — the chro-noiaeter, the 
 chre-nomettr, 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 hancls, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 343 
 
 if they are better than any they have had before, he'll be the 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 covy 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 j 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 Jaick's mess. The pigs* were left for the latter 
 part of the voyage, for they are sailoi-s, and can stand all weathers. 
 We had an old sow on board, the mother of a numerous progeny, 
 
 * 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 dre 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 bf beef.^ I do not know that it ever appeared in print 
 before. When seated around the kid, if a particularly bad piece is found, one 
 of them takes it up, and addressing it, repeats these lines: 
 
 ■■ 01& 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 gaol until he should eat the whole of it ; and 
 that he is now lying in Boston gaol. I have heard this story often, on board 
 other vessels besides those of our own nation. It is very generally believed, 
 and is always highly commended, as a fair instance of retaliatory justice. 
 
244 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 fdund her nearly frozen to death. We got some straw, an 
 old sail, and other things, and wrapped her up in a corner of the 
 sty, where she stayed until we got into fine weather again. 
 
 Wednesday, May iQth. — Lat. 9 deg. 54 min. N., long. 113 deg. 
 17 min. 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 kits. A little puff of wind on the 
 larboard quarter, and then " larboard for braces ! " and studding 
 boonjs 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 sent 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 
 untU it is eight bells — call the watch — Sheave the log — ^relieve the 
 wheel, and go below the larboard watch. 
 
 Sunday, May 22nd. — Lat. 5 deg. 14 min. N., long. 166 deg. 
 45 min. W. — We were now a fortnight out, and within five degrees 
 of the line, to which two days of good breeze would take us ; but 
 we had for the most part What the sailors call " an Irishman's 
 hurricane — right up and down." This day it rained nearly all day, 
 and being Sunday, and nothing to do, we stopped up the scuppers 
 and filled the decks with rain-water, and bringing all our clothes 
 on deck, had a grand wash, fore and aft. When this was through, 
 we stripped to our drawers, and taking pieces of soap, with strips 
 of canvas for towels, we turned to and soaped, washed, and scrubbed 
 one another down, to get off, as we said, the California dust, for 
 the common wash in salt water, which is all that Jack can get, 
 being on an allowance of fresh, had little efficacy, and was more 
 for taste than utility. The captain was below all the afternoon, 
 and we had something nearer to a Saturnalia than anything we 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 245 
 
 had seen, for the mate came into the scuppers, with a couple of the 
 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 zSth, 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 fc^rtunate 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 topgallant . 
 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 ^th, we were in lait. 19 deg. 29 min. S., and long. 
 118 deg. 10 min. W., having made twelve hundred miles in seven 
 days, very nearly upon a taut bowline. Our good ship was getting 
 to be herself again, and had increased her rate of sailing more than 
 one-third since leaving San Diego. The crew ceased complaining 
 of her, and the officers hove the log every two hours with evident 
 satisfaction. This was glorious sailing. A steady 'brfieze, the light 
 trade-wind clouds oyer our heads, the incomparable temperature 
 of the Pacific — ^neither hot nor cold, a clear sun every dayy 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 (preat 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 otie, " 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 Gape Horn, and the 
 Cape of Good Hope, the north star is the first land you make. 
 
246 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 thtee weeks, 
 without our starting a brace, or even brailing down the sky-sails. 
 Though we had now the same wind, and were in the same latitude 
 with the Pilgrim on fier 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 fro 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^ome 
 wrecked vessel, or, perhaps the boat of some whale-ship, out over- 
 night, and we had run them tl0wn 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 lee- 
 ward, but nothing was to be seen or heard. What was to be done ? 
 Gall 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 247 
 
 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 prep- 
 aration. Our rigging was all examined and overhauled, and 
 mended, or replaced with new, where it was necessary ; new and 
 strong bpbstays fitted in the place of the chain ones, which were 
 worn out, the sprit-sail yard and martingale guys and back- 
 ropes set well taut, bran new fore and main brace:^ rove ; top- 
 gallant sheets, and wheel-ropes, made of green hide, laid up in 
 the form of ropes, were stretched and fitted, and the new topsail 
 clewlines, etc., rove ; new fore-topmast backstays fitted, and other 
 preparations made, in good season, that the ropes might have 
 time to stretch and become limber before we got into cold weather. 
 
 Sunday, June 12th. — Lat. 26 deg. 4 min. S., long. 116 deg. 31 
 min. 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 igth, were in lat. 34 deg. 15 min. S., and long.- 1 16 
 deg. 38 niin. W. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI 
 
 There beg^n now to be a decided change in the appearance of 
 things. The days became shorter and shorter, the sun running 
 lower in its course each day, and giving less and less heat, and the 
 nights so cold as to prevent our sleeping on deck, the Magellan 
 Clouds in sight, of a clear night, the skies looking cold and angry ; 
 and, at times, a long, heavy, ugly sea, setting in from the southward, 
 told us what we were coming to. Still, however, we had a fine, 
 strong breeze, and kept on our way, under as much sail as our ship 
 would bear. Towards 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 ^ft in the scuppers, 
 washing the rigging off the pins, and carrying along with it every- 
 thing which was loose on deck. She had been acting in this way all 
 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 were 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 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 
 up 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, 
 
 248 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST S49 
 
 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 pigsty, the hencoop, 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 it — 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 up out of the forecastle to see 
 what had become of the ship, and in a few moments the cook and 
 Old Bill crawled out from under the galley, where they had been 
 lying in the water, nearly smothered, with the galley over them. 
 Fortunately, it rested against the bulwarks, or it would have broken 
 some of their bones. When the water ran off, we picked the sheep 
 up, and put them in the long-boat, got the galley back in its place, 
 and set things a little to rights, but, had not our ship had uncom- 
 monly 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 pancakes floating in the scuppers. 
 " This will never do ! " was what some said, and every one felt. 
 Here we were, not yet within a thousand miles of the latitude of 
 Gape Horn, and our decks swept by a sea not one half so high as 
 we must expect to find there. Some blained the captain for loading 
 his ship so deep, when he knew what he must expect, while others 
 said that the wind was always south-west 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 some- 
 what 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 jokev! 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 
 
250 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 called and set to work, getting lashings upon everything oh deck ; 
 and the captain talked of sending down the long topgallant-masts ; 
 but as the. sea went down towards 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, ahd three new topsails, and new fore and main courses, jib, 
 and fore-topmast staysail, which were made on the coast, and never 
 had beep used, were bent, with a complete set of new earings, 
 robands, and reef-points, and reef-tackles were rove to the courses, 
 and, spilling lines to the topsails. These, with new braces and 
 clewlines 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 Gape 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 ^he 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 la;t. 47 deg. 50 min. S., long. 113 deg. 49 min. W. ; Cape 
 Horn bearing, according to my calculation, E.S.E.-IE., and distant 
 eighteen hundred miles. 
 
 Monday, June 2'jth. — 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 tipie she would need to be up with the Horn, we turned 
 in for a nap. We were sleeping away " at the rate of knots," when 
 three knocks on the scuttle, and " All hands ahoy ! '* started us 
 from our berths. What could be the matter ? It did not appear 
 to be blowing hard, and looking up through the scuttle we could 
 see that it was a clear day overhead, yet the watch were taking in 
 sail. We thought there must be a sail in sight, and that we were 
 about to heave to and speak her, and were just congratulating 
 ourselves upon it — ^for we had seen neither sail nor land since we 
 left port — ^when we heard the mate's voice on deck (he tumed-in 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 251 
 
 " 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," utitil we got all the studding-sails in, and the royals, 
 flying jib, and mizen topgallant-sail furled, and the ship kept off a 
 little to take the squall. The fore and main topgallant-saUs were 
 still on her, for the " old man " did not mean to be frightened in 
 broad daylight, and was determined to carry sail till the last minute. 
 We all stood waiting for its coming, when the first blast showed us 
 that it was not to be trifled with. Rain, sleet, snow, and wind 
 enough to take our breath from us, and make the toughest turn 
 his back to windward ! The ship lay nearly upon her beam-ends, 
 the spars and rigging snapped and cracked ; and her topgallant- 
 masts bent like whipsticks. " Clew up the fore and main topgallant- 
 sails ! " shouted the captain, and all hands sprang to tfie clew-lines. 
 The decks were standing nearly at. an angle of forty-five degrees, 
 and the ship going like a mad steed through the water, the whole 
 forward part of her in a smother of foam. The halyards were let go 
 and the yard clewed down, and the sheets started, and in a few 
 minutes the sails smothered and kept in by clewlines and buntlines. 
 " Furl 'em, sir? " asked the mate. " Let go the topsail halyards, 
 fore and aft ! " shouted the captain, in answer, at the top of his 
 voice. Down came the topsail yards, the reef-tackles were manned 
 and hauled out, ind 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, ktiotted like pieces of iron-ware. Having only our round jackets 
 and straw hats pn, we were soon wet through, and it was every 
 moment growing colder. Our hands were soon stiffened and 
 hum bed,, which, added to the stiffness of everything else, ke^t us a 
 good while on the yard. After we had got the sail hauled upon the 
 
252 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 theni 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 1 have before stated, we were a good 
 deal reduced in mimbers, and, to make it worse, the carpenter, only 
 two days before, cut bis leg with an axe, so that he could not go 
 aloft. This weakened us so that we could not well mknage more 
 than one topsail at a time in such weather as this, and, of course, 
 our labour was double. 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-topmen, 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 Ictng 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 meantime, the jib had been fiirled and the staysail 
 set, and the ship, under her reduced sail, had got more upright, and 
 was under management, but the two topgallant-sails were still 
 hanging in the bunt-lines, 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 fiirl the topgallant-sails ! " This called me again, and 
 two of us went aloft, up the fore-rigging, and two more up the main, 
 upon the topgallant 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 853 
 
 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 sprit7sail sheet knot," nor " heavier than 
 a paper of lamp black," and " not strong enough to haul a shad 
 off a grid-iron," but who was now " as long as p. 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 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 the ice that it was almost impos- 
 sible to bend them. I was nearly half an hour out on t^he 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 
 
354 , TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 of laudanum, which must be saved for any emergency ; so I 
 had only to bear the pain as wejl 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, ^.gainst very well, if one only had spirit anc^ 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 gald of yesterday, and the heavy 
 seas ■v/e 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 topgallant-masts. The top- 
 gallant and royal yards were accordingly struck, the flying jib- 
 boom rjgged-in, and. the- topgallant-masts sent down on deck, 
 and all lashed together by the side of the long-boat. The rigging 
 was then sent down and coiled away below, and everything made 
 snug aloft. There was not a sailor in the ship who was not rejoiced 
 to see these sticks come down, for so long as the yards were aloft, 
 on the least sign of a lull, the topgallant-sails were loosed, and then 
 we had to full 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 polej It was an interesting 
 sight, too, to see our noble ship, dismantled of all her top-hamper 
 of long tapering masts and yards, and boona 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 ist. — 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 
 
TWO YEARS, BEFORE THE MAST 255 
 
 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 jimk 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 coul^. 
 
 Saturday. Juty snd. — ^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 yfear. 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 centre of a deep indigo colour. 
 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 colour, 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 ^nd 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, splendour, and, 
 really, the sublimity; of the sight. Its ^eat sjze — for it must have 
 been from two to three miles in circimiference, and several hundred 
 feet in height ; its slow motion, as its base rose and sank in the 
 
856 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 water, and its high points nodded against the clouds ; the dashii;ig 
 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 tumblirig 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 colour, its base crusted with frozen foam, and as it 
 grew thin and transparent towards the edges and top, its colour 
 shaded off from a deep blue to the whiteness of snow. It seemed 
 to be drifting slowly towards the north, so that we kept away and 
 avoided it. It was in sight all the afternoon, anid 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. Se^^eral 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 heav^y into the sea. Toward morn- 
 ing, a strong breezp sprung up, and we filled away, and left it 
 astern, and at daylight it was oi;t of sight. The next day, which was 
 
 Sunday, July ^rd, the breeze continued strong, the air exceed- 
 ingly 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 mill. S., and supposed longitude 89 deg. 5 min. W. Towards 
 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 or snow, and we were already under 
 close sail. 
 
 Monday, July ^th. — I'his was " independent 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 
 1 of ice-cream have been eat6n, 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 to-day would 
 have made the fortune of poor Jack, if he had had it in Boston ; 
 and I dare say he would have had no objection. to being there 
 with it. This, to be sure, was no place to keep the fourth of July. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 257 
 
 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 ludi- 
 crous, 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 anon 
 driving across it. At noon we were in lat. 54 deg. 27 min. S., 
 and long. 85 deg. 5 min. 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 
 bec3,me 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 dis- 
 tance, and kept away from, but the field-ice, floating in great 
 quantities, and covering the ocean for miles and miles, in piepes 
 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 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 from due east, just after 
 sundown, and it blew a gale deiad 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 
 bflr, and here we were, nearly seven hundred rmles 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 " Gape ■ 
 Horn rig " — -thick boots, south-westers coming down over our 
 necks and ears, thick trousers and jackets, and some with oil-cloth 
 suits over all. Mittens, too, we wore on deck, but it would not do 
 to go aloft with them 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 
 hail-stones, which fell thick and large. Our ship was now all 
 cased with ice — ^hulls, spars, and standing rigging — and the running 
 
258 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 stiflF 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- top- 
 mast 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 neces- 
 , sary to make sajil to get to windward of an 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 '' temper- 
 ance 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 takitig it away from them, and giving it to the officers, nor 
 that temperance is their friend, yhich 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 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, 
 on 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 259 
 
 round Cape Horn before, the vessel that I was in was not under tem- 
 perance articles, and grog was served out every middle and morning 
 watch, and after every reefing of topsails, and though I had never 
 drunk rum before, 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 chocola.te, or even for our common beverage — 
 " water bewitched, and tea begrudged," as it was.* 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 mer- 
 , chant, 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 potful when he came off the topsail yard on a 
 stormy night, I fear Jack might have gone to ruin on the old road.f 
 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 or 
 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 monoton- 
 
 * The proportions of the ingredients of the tea that was made for us 
 (and ours, as I have before stated, was a favourable specimen of American 1 
 merchantmen) were, a pint of tea and a pint and a half of omolasses, to about 
 three gallons of water. These are 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 drunk with sugar. 
 
 fl 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 einploy " 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 
 tbe time, as one of the crew told me, numbers of sailors were steering down 
 the wharf, hopping over the barrels like flocks of sheep. 
 
26o TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 ous voice of the look-out forward — " Another isl9,nd ! "— " Ice 
 ahead ! "— " Ice on the lee bow ! "— " Hard up the helm ! "— 
 " Keep her off a little ! "— " Steady ! " 
 
 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-^wake, stupid from the dull pain. I heard the 
 watch called, and the men going up and do\yn, 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 — 
 h?ad-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 pf 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 261 
 
 and heard — ^where there were felloW-beings for companions in 
 dvity 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 nbthihg 
 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, broilght 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 dovm. Not a drop of anything 
 had been given them during the whole time (though the captain, 
 as on tfie night that I was on deck, had his coffee every few 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 topsail to run clear of a large island to leeward, which 
 they were drifting fast upon. Some of the boys got so sleepy and 
 stupefied, that they actually fell asleep at theii* 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 gfet 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 day^ 
 light showed the ocean covered for miles. At day-break it fell a 
 dead calm, and with the sun the fog cleared a little, and a breeie 
 sprung up from the westward, which soon grew into a, galp. 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 mur- 
 murings. 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 
 
262 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 out of it ; and this unaccountaible 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 difEculties which 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 influeilce with^ the crew, came down into the fore- 
 castle 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 wovdd 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, and punishable with state prison, was 
 entertained, and the carpenter went to his berth, leaving it tacitly 
 understood that something serious would bedone, 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 
 iriduced 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 263 
 
 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 (wliich 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. 
 
 The 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 b^rth, fast 
 recovering, yet.not well enough to go safely on deck. And I should 
 have been perfectly useless ; for, from having eaten nothing for 
 nearly a week, except a little rice which I forced into my mouth 
 the last day or two, I was as weak as an infant. To be sick in a fore- 
 castle is miserable ipdeed. It is the worst part of a dog's life,, 
 especially in bad weather. The forecastle, shut up tight to keep 
 our 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 carUnes, and running down the sides — ^and the fore- 
 castle so wet, and dark, and cheerless, and so lumbered up with 
 chests and wet clothes, ^hat sitting up is v/orse 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 
 lookTOUt, 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 sduth-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-reefe4 
 topsails were all the sail she had on, and every sail and rope was 
 
264 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 frozen so stiff in its place, that it seemed as though it would be 
 impossible to start anything. Reduced, too, to her topmasts, she 
 had altogether a most forlorn and crippled appearance. The sun 
 had come up brightly, the snow was swept off the decks, and ashes 
 thrown upon theiii, 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, to 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 across 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 vrotk, talking about it. No one 
 on board had been through the Straits ; but I had- in iny 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 favourable 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, 
 inade a break in our life, and diverted our minds from the moijoton- 
 ous 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 i^y mouth open 
 wide enough to take in a piece of salt beef and hard bread, I was 
 all right again. 
 
 Sunday, July loth. — Lat. 54 deg. 10 min., long. 79 deg. 7 min. 
 This was our position at noon. The sun was out bright ; the ide 
 was left behind, and things had quite a cheering appearance. 
 We brought our wet pea-jackets and trousers on deck, and hung 
 them up in the rigging, that the breeze and the few hours of sun 
 might dry them a little ; and, by 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 dirmer, 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 265 
 
 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 some- 
 thing 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 cables and anchors was for the passage 
 of the straits, for, being very crooked, and with a variety of ciurrents, 
 it is necessary to come frequently to anchor. This was not by any 
 means a pleasant prospect, for, of all the work that a sailor is called 
 upon to do in cold weather, there is none so bad as working the 
 ground-tackle. The heavy chain cables to be hauled and pulled 
 about decks with bare hands ; wet hawsers, slip-ropes, and buoy- 
 ropes, to be hauled aboard, dripping in water, which is running 
 up your sleeves and freezing ; clearing hawse under the bows ; 
 getting under weigh and coming to, at all hours of the night and 
 day ; and a constant look-out for rocks and sands and turns of 
 tide — 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 half of an old newspaper, which contained 
 an account of a 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 forvygrd 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 favourable circumstances for 
 the passage of difiicult and dangerous straits. The 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 favourable opportunity ; so we braced up on the larboard 
 tack, put the ship's head due south, and stuck her off for Cape 
 Horn again. 
 
CHAPTER XXXII 
 
 In our first attempt to double the Gape, when we came up to the 
 latitude of it, we were nearly seventeen hundred miles to the west- 
 ward, 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 fotir or five hundred miles, and we had great 
 hopes, by this means, to run clear of the ice, thinking that the 
 easterly gales, which had prevailed for a long time, would have 
 driven it to the westward. With the wind about two points free, 
 the yards braced in a little, and two close-reefed topsails and a reefed 
 foresail on the ship, we made great way toward the southward ; 
 and, almost every watch, when we came on deck, the air seemed to 
 grow colder, and the sea to run higher. Still we saw no ice, and 
 had great hopes of going clear of it altogether, when, one afternoon, 
 about three o'clock, while we were taking a siesta during our watch 
 below, "All hands!" was called in a loud and fearful voice. 
 " Tumble up here, men ! — tumble up ! — don't stop for your clothes 
 — before we're upon it ! " We sprang out of our berths and hurried 
 upon deck. The loud, sharp voice of the captain was heard giving 
 orders, as though for life or death, and we ran aft to the braces, 
 not waiting to look ahead, for not a moment was to be lost. The 
 helm was hard up, the after-yards shaking, and the ship in the act 
 of wearing. Slowly, with the stiff ropes and iced rigging, we swung 
 the yards round, everything coming hard, and with a creaking and 
 rending sound, like pulling up a plank which has been frozen into 
 the ice. The ship wore round fairly, the yards were steadied, and 
 we stood off on the other tack, leaving behind us, directly under 
 our larboard quarter, a large ice island, peering out of the mist, and 
 reaching high above our tops, while astern, and on either side of 
 the island, large tracts of field-ice were dimly seen, heaving and 
 rolling in the sea. We were now safe, and standing to the north- 
 ward, but, in a few minutes more, had it not been for the sharp 
 look-out of the watch, we should have been fairly on the ice, and 
 left the ship's old bones adrift in the Southern Ocean. After stand- 
 ing 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 look-out was kept from every part of the deck, and when- 
 ever 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 
 
 s66 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 367 
 
 lee bow ! " — " Another island ! " in the same tones, and with the 
 same orders following them, seemed to bring us directly back to our 
 old position of the week before. During our watch on deck, which 
 was from twelve to four, the wind came out ahead,^ with a pelting 
 storm of hail and sleet, and we lay hove to, under a close-reefed 
 fore-topsail, the whole watch. During the next watch it fell calm, 
 with a drenching rain, until daybreak, when the wind came out to 
 the westward, and the weather cleared up, and showed us the 
 whole ocean, on the course which we should have steered had it 
 not been for the head-wind and cahn, 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 fearfiil groaning and cracking of 
 their parts^ — the picture cannot give. This is the large iceberg, 
 while the s-mall 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 westward, 
 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 Gape. The weather 
 contintied clear and cold, with a strong gale from the westward, 
 and we were fast getting up with the latitude of the Gape, with a 
 
868 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 ; arid " Sail 
 ho ! " shouted the captain down the companion-way to the pass- 
 enger 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 haU, when the^ 
 man aloft sang out — " Another sail, large on the weather bow ! " 
 This was a little odd,' but 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 througji the telescope ; " They are ice islands, if I 
 can see a hole through a ladder," and a few moments showed the 
 mate to be right, and all our expectations fled, and instead of what 
 we most wished to see, we had what we most dreaded, and what 
 we hoped we had seen the last of. We soon, however, left these 
 astern, having passed within about two miles of them, and at 
 sundown the horizon was -clear in all directions. 
 
 Having a fine wind, we were soon up with and passed the latitude 
 of the Cape, and having stood far enough to the. southward to 
 give it a wide berth, we began to stand to the eastward, with a 
 good prospect of being round, and steering to the northward on the 
 other side, in a very few days. But ill luck seemed to have lighted 
 upon us. Not four hours had we been standing on in this course 
 before it fell dead calm, and in half an hour it clouded up, a few 
 straggling blasts, with spits of snow and sleet, came from the east^ 
 ward, 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 269 
 
 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 rrioments in the place where the_ 
 sun ought to have been, and a puff or two came from the west- 
 ward, 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 
 trousers — one at each end — and jackets in the same way. Stockings, 
 mittens, and all, were wrung out also, and then hung up to drain 
 and chafe dry against the bulk-heads. Then, feeling over 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 " Ay, ay ! " 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 afioat 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 
 
370 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 after- 
 . wards, whenever the rain was not so violent As to wash it off, the 
 weatMer-side of the quarter-deck, and a part of the waist and fore- . 
 castle, were sprinkled with the sand which we had on board for holy- 
 stoning ; 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 
 humour 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 eyery 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 " j/"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 dressmaker, 
 whom he met in Boston. I had very little to tell of my quiet, 
 sedentary life at home, and in spite of our best efforts, which had 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST g'ji 
 
 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 y.p of the heavy hours. As soon as I 
 came on deck, and took my place and regular walk, I began 
 repeating over to myself a string of matters which I had in my 
 t 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 almanack 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 order, that I never varied from, came 
 Cowper's "Castaway," which was a great favourite 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 poerhs 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 recita- 
 tions, 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 were 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 uncom- 
 fortable 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 better in 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- 
 
27? TWO YEARS -BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 off 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 eighty days of constant easterly gales, the wind 
 hauled occasionally a little to the southward, and blew hard, which, 
 as we were well to the southward, allowed us to brace in a little 
 and stand on, under all the sail we could carry. These turns lasted 
 but a short while, and sooner or later it set in again from the old 
 quarter, yet at each time we made something, and were gradually 
 edging along to the eastward. One night, after one of these shifts 
 of the wind, and when all hands had been up a great part of 
 the time, our watch was left on deck, with the mainsail hanging 
 in the buntJines, 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 besides 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. Besides 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 273 
 
 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. Fre- 
 quently 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 for ever, we got the weather side stowed after 
 a fashion, and went over to leeward for another trial. This was 
 still worse, for the body of the sail had been blown over to leeward ; 
 and as the yard was a-cock-bill by the lying over of the vessel, 
 we had to light it all up to windward. When the yard-arms were 
 furled, the bunt was all adrift again, which made more work for 
 us. We got all secure at last, but we had been nearly an hour and 
 a half upon the yard, and it seemed an age. It had just struck five 
 bells when we went up, and eight were struck soon after we came 
 down. This may seem slow work ; but, considering the state of 
 everything, and that we had only five men to a sail with just half 
 as many square yards of canvas in it as the mainsail of the Indepen- 
 dence, 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 fbrget that mainyard, 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 firom 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 reckon- 
 ing, as there had been no opportunities for an observation, and 
 we had drifted too much to allow of oui dead reckoning being any- 
 where 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 22n</.-^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. 
 
874 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 godsend. Even the roughest and hardest face acknow- 
 ledged 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 tellwhat 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 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, 
 arid 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 mbnth, and hardly been seen by anybody, and who we 
 had alinpst forgotten was on board, came out like a butterfly, and 
 was hopping round as bright as a bird. 
 
 The land was the island of Staten Land, just to the eastward of 
 Gape 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 Gape, were in the Atlantic, and that, with twenty-four hours of 
 this breeze, we might bid defiance to the Southern Ocean. It told 
 us, too, our latitude and longitude better than any observation ; 
 and the captain now knew where we were, as well as if we were off 
 the end of Long Wharf. 
 
 In the general joy, Mr. 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 a boat out or delay the ship one moment for him. 
 
 We left the land gradually astern, and at sundown had the 
 Atlantic Ocean clear before us. 
 
CHAPTER XXXIII 
 
 It is usual in voyages round the Cape from the Pacific to keep to 
 the eastward of the Falkland Islands, but as 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 yard? 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 Gape 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 topsails, and the reefed foresail set. When we came to mast- 
 head 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 effects of the change. It was as much as 
 she could well carry, and with a hdavy sea astern, if took two men 
 at the wheel to steer her. She flung the foara 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 wind- 
 / ward ; 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 
 
276 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 seilt 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, thejtudding-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 a 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 things 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 277 
 
 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 — hand- 
 somely ! — ^As long as she cracks she holds ! " — ^wliile 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 ito 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 towards 
 takinglt 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 sprit-sail 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 puflEing and blowing at their work, and the 
 hekn 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 
 
378 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 way, 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 sprit-sail yard and head 
 guys, which gave us a bad job to get it in. A half-hour served to 
 clear all away, and she was suffered to drive on with her topmast 
 studding-sail set, it being as much as she could stagger under. 
 
 During all this day- and the next night we went on under the 
 same sail, the gale blowing with undiminished 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 il^ noon 
 of the next day 
 
 Sunday, July 2/^th, when we were in latitude 50 deg. 27 min. S., 
 longitude 62 deg. 13 min. W., having made four degrees of latitude 
 in the last twenty four hours. Being now to the northward of the 
 Falkland Islands, the ship was kept off, north-east, for the equator ; 
 and with her head for the equator, and Cape Horn over her taff- 
 rail, she went gloriously on ; every heave of the sea leaving the 
 Cape astern, and every hour bringing us nearer to home, and to 
 warm weather. Many a time, when blocked up in the ice, with 
 everything dismal and discouraging about us, had we said — if we 
 were only fairly round, and standing north on the other side, we 
 should ask for no more ; and now we had it all, with a clear sea, 
 and as much wind as a sailor could pray for. If the best part of a 
 voyage is the last part, surely we had all now that we could wish. 
 Every one was in the highest spirits, and the ship seemed as glad 
 as any of us at getting out of her confinement. At each change of 
 the watch, those coming on deck asked those going below — " How 
 does she go along ? " and got for answer, the rate, and the custom- 
 ary addition — " Ay ! 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 379 
 
 rigging and spars, and, except a little which remained in the top? 
 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 Gross we saw no more after the first night ; the 
 Magellan Clouds settled lower ajid 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 ^ist. — ^At noon we were in lat'. 36 deg. 41 min. S., 
 long. 38 deg. 8 min. 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 a promise of a fair, warm day, and, as 
 usual on Sunday, there was no work going on, all hands turned to 
 upon clearing out the forecastle. The wet and soiled clothes which 
 had accumulated there' during the past month, were brought up 
 on deck ; the chests moved ; brooms, buckets of water, swabs, 
 scrubbing-brushes, and scrapers, carried down, and applied until 
 , the forecastle floor was as white as chalk and everything neat and 
 in order. The bedding from the berths was then spread on deck, 
 and dried, and aired ; the deck-tub filled with water ; and a 
 grand washing begun of all the clothes which were brought up. 
 Shirts, frocks, drawers, trousers, jackets, stockings, of every shape 
 and colour, 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 towel, we had what the 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 
 
38o TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 cleaTn duck trousers and shirts 
 , on, washed, shaved, and combed, and looking a dozen shades 
 lighter for it, reading, sewing, and talking at our ease, with a clear 
 sky and warm sun over our heads, a steady breeze over the larboard 
 quarter, studding-sails out alow and aloft, and all the flying kites 
 abroad — ^we felt that we had got back into the pleasantest part 
 of a sailor's life. At sundown the clothes were all taken down from 
 the rigging — clean and dry — and stowed neatly away in our chests ; 
 and our south-westers, thick boots, Guernsey frocks, and other 
 accompaniments of bad weather, put out of the way, we hoped, 
 for the rest of the voyage, as we expected to come upon the coast 
 early in the autumn. 
 
 Notwithstanding all that has been said about the beauty of 
 a ship under full sail, there are very few who have ever seen a 
 ship literally under all her sail. A ship coming in or going out of 
 port, with her ordinary sails, and perhaps two or three studding- 
 sails, is commonly said^ to be under full sail, but a ship never has 
 all her sail upon her, except when she has a, light, steady breeze, 
 very nearly, but not quite dead aft, and so regular that it can be 
 trusted, and is likely to last for some time. Then, with all her sails, 
 light and heavy, and studding-sails on each side, alow and aloft, 
 she is the most glorious moving object in the world. Such a sight 
 very few, even some who have been at sea a good deal, have ever- 
 beheld, for from th6 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, spreadin£ 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 stretchings on each side, far 
 beyond the deck ; the topmast studding-sails, like vvangs to the 
 topsails ; the topgallant studding-sails spreading fearlessly out 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST a8i 
 
 above them ; still higher, the two royal studding-sails, looking like 
 two kites flying from the same string, and, highest of all, the little 
 sky-sail, 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 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- 
 wars'-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 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 at work 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 
 l^emarkable occurring, and, at the latter part of the week, fell in 
 with the south-east trades, Mowing about east-south-east, which 
 brought them nearly two points abaft our beam. These blew strong 
 and steady, so fhat 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 aflford 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 
 
282 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 by a wise master, unless his mate is no seaman, in which case, 
 the captain must often oversee things for himself. This, however, 
 could not be said of our chief mate, and he was very jealous of any 
 encroachment upon the borders of his authority. 
 
 On Monday morning, the captain told him to stay the fore- 
 topmast plumb. He accordingly came forward, turned all hands to, 
 with tackles on the stays and backstays, coming up with the seizings, 
 hauling here, belaying there, and full of business, standing between 
 the knight-heads to sight the mast — ^when the captain came forward, 
 and also began to give orders. This made confusion ; and the mate, 
 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 gnough on the 
 forecastle." 
 
 This produced a reply, and another fierce answer, and the 
 words flew, fists were doubled up, and things looked threateningly. 
 "I'm master of this ship." 
 
 " Yes, sir, and I'm mate of her, and know my place ! My 
 place is forward, and yours is aft ! " 
 
 " My place is where I choose ! I command the whole ship ; and 
 you are mate only so long as I choose ! " 
 
 " Say the word. Captain 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 jhrough 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 acquain- 
 ted 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 383 
 
 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 darkey 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 
 
 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- 
 topgallant 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 topgallant 
 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, wheii off Cape Horn, reefing, topsails of a 
 dark night, and when there were no boats to be lowered away, 
 and where, if a man felt overboard, he must be left behind, Jost 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 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, Aug. jth.—hat. 25 deg. 59 min. S., long. 27 deg. 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 a 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 topgallant 
 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 
 
 S84 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 285 
 
 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 sky-sails set fore and aft, 
 under English colours. 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 
 whalemen on the Banks, under their stump topgallant-masts, call 
 " a Cape Horner under a cloud of sail." 
 
 Friday, Aug. 12th. — ^At daybreak made the island of Trinidad, 
 situated in lat. 20 deg. 28 min. S., long. 29 deg. 8 min. W. At 
 twelve m., it bore N.W. i N., distant twenty-seven miles. It was a 
 beautiful day, the sea hardly rufiled by the light trades, and the 
 island looking like a small blue mound rising from a field of glass. 
 Such a fair and peacefiil-looking spot is said to have been, for a long 
 -time, the resort of a band of pirates, who ravaged the tropical seas. 
 
 Thursday, Aug. i Qth. — At three p.m., made the island of Fernando 
 Noronha, lying in lat. 3 deg. 55 min. S., long. 32 deg. 35 rain. 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 min. 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 a plenty of water, too, which we 
 caught by spreading an awning, with shot thrown in to make 
 hollows. These rain squalls came up in the manner usual -between 
 the tropics. A clear sky, burning vertical sun, work going lazily on, 
 and men about decks with nothing but duck trousers, checked 
 
286 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 his afternoon nap ; the 
 passenger leaning over the taffrail, watching a dolphin following 
 slowly in our wake ; the sail-maker 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 forehand 
 aft with the 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 
 skylight and booby-hatch put on, and the slide drawn over 
 the forecastle. " Starid 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, topgallant 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 topgallant 
 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 287 
 
 windlass, and in all the snug comers, and frequently slept out the 
 watch, Tinless 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 not a gain 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, Aug. 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 topgallant studding-sail ; and sending us 
 well to the northward, until^- 
 
 Sunday, Sept. ^th, 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 
 trad^-winds left us, while we were in the latitude of the island of 
 Cuba, we had a specimen of a true tropical thunderstorm. A light 
 breeze had been blowing directly fix)m 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. 
 
288 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 When our watch came on deck at twelve o'clock, it was as bla^k as 
 Erebus ; the studding-sails were all taken in, and the royals furled^ 
 not a breath was stirring j 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 topgallant-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 topgallant-sail, and so infectious were 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 topgallant-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 saUors 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 topgallant yard-arm. 
 We were off the yard in good season, for it is 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 comfortable 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 topgallant 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 gnmabhng thunder was heard, and some random 
 Hashes 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 289 
 
 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 malig- 
 nant ; while the thunder rolled in peals, the concussion of which 
 appeared to shake the very ocean. A ship is not often injured by 
 lightning, for the electricity is separated by the great number of 
 points she presents, and the quantity of iron which she has scattered 
 in various parts. The electric fluid ran over our anchors, topsail 
 sheets, and ties, yet no harm was done to us. We went below at 
 four o'clock, leaving things in the same state. It is not easy to sleep, 
 when the very next flash may tear the ship in two, or set her on fire ; 
 or where the death-like 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 
 
 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 rnanner, 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, a:nd sky-sails 
 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 
 backrope. One of the boys furls the mizen royal. Cook thinks 
 there is 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 head-sea, which 
 breaks over th^ forecastle, and washes aft throiigh the scuppers. 
 Still no more sail is taken in, for the captain is a driver, and, like all 
 drivers, very partial to his topgallant-sails. A topgallant-sail, too, 
 makes the difference between a breeze and a gale. When a top- 
 gallant-sail is on a ship, it is only a breeze, though I have seen ours 
 set over a reefed topsail, when half the bowsprit was under water, 
 and it was up to a man's knees in the lee scuppers. At eight bells 
 nothing is said about reefing the topsails, and the watch go below, 
 with orders to " stand by for a call." We turii in, growling at the 
 " old man " for not reefing the topsails when the watch was 
 changed, but putting it off so as to call all hands, and break up a 
 whole watch below. Turn in " all standing," and keep ourselves 
 awake, saying there is no use in going to sleep to be waked up again. 
 Wind whistles on deck, and ship works hard, groaning and creaking, 
 
 sgo 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 291 
 
 and pitching into a heavy head-sea, which strikes against the bows, 
 with a noise hke 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 topgallant-sails ? He'll have the sticks out of her soon," 
 says Old Bill, who was always growhng, and like mbst old sailors, 
 did not like to see a ship abused. By-and-by, an order is given : 
 "Ay, ay, 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- topgallant-sail in ! " We are wide awake, and know 
 all that's going on as well as if we were on deck. A well-known 
 voice is heard from the mast-head singing out to the officer of the 
 
 watch to haul taut the weather brace. " Halloo ! 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 topgallant-sail until a heavy sea is shipped, and 
 washes over the forecastle as though the whole ocean had come 
 aboard ; when a noise farther 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 south-wester, and tiunble 
 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-top 
 men 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 topgallant-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 
 
292 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 topgallant sheets arid 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 
 that 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 sprit-sail 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 wojrse. His legs swelled and pained 
 him so that he could not walk, his flesh lost its elasticity, so that if 
 it were 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 chestful, 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 whale- 
 men), and last of all to laziness. It never could have been from the 
 last cause on board our ship, nor from the second, for we were a 
 very cleanly crew, kept our forecastle in neat order, and were more 
 particular about washing and changing clothes than many better- 
 dressed people on shore. It was probably from having none but salt 
 provisions, and possibly from our having run very rapidly into hot 
 weather, after 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 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 it might ; and these 
 cases were bad ones. 
 
 Sunday, Sept. nth. — Lat. 30 deg. 4 min. N., long. 63 deg. 23 min. 
 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 hermaphro- 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 393 
 
 dite 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 ! " " Haloo ! " 
 " Where are you from, pray ? " "From New York, bound to 
 Guragoa." " Have you any fresh provisions to spare ? " "Ay, ay ! 
 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, thules, 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 General could not have been elected 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 jak provisions. 
 We were perfectly ravenous after them. It-was like a scent of blood 
 to a hound. We ate them at every nleal, by the dozen, and filled 
 our pockets with them, to eat iii'our watches on deck, and the 
 bunches, rising in the foriA of a pone from the largest at the bottom 
 to the smallest, no larger than ft strawberry at the top, soon disap- 
 peared. The chief use, however, of the fresh provisions, was for the 
 men with the scurvy. One c/f 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, ppundAd them in a mortar, and gave him the 
 juice to drink.. This he swallowed, by the teaspoonful at a time, and 
 rinsed it about his gums and throat. The strong, earthy taste and 
 smell of this extract of the raw potato at first produced a shuddering 
 through his whole frame, and, after drinking it, an acute pain. 
 
894 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 which ran through all parts of bis body, but knowing by this it was 
 taking strong hold, he persevered, drinking a spooniul 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 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 havexine 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 harbour. 
 
 Our ship was in fine order, all 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-weather'd ribs and ragged sails ; 
 Lean, rent, and beggar'd 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 ev«ything, 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 Homer, 
 after a long voyage, and many captains and mates will stake their 
 reputations 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 topmast 
 rigging rattled down (or up, as the fashion now is), and so careful 
 were our officers to keep the ratlines taut and straight, that we were 
 obliged to go aloft upon the ropes and shear-poles with which the 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 295 
 
 rigging was swifted in, and these were used as jury ratlines until 
 we got close upon the coast. After this, the ship was scraped, inside 
 and out, decks, masts, booms, and all ; a stage being rigged outside, 
 upon which we scraped her down to the water-line ; pounding the 
 rust off the chains, bolts, and fastenings. Then, taking two days of 
 calm under the line, we painted iier on the outside, giving her 
 open ports in her streak, and finishing off the nice work upon the 
 stern, where sat Neptune in his car, holding his trident, drawn by 
 sea-horses, and retouched the gilding and colouring of the cornu- 
 copia which ornamented her billet-head. The inside was then 
 painted, from the sky-sail 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 colour, 
 etc.. etc. The anchors and ringbolts, 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 of a dark night, and left blazing 
 astern, lighting Up the ocean for miles. Add to all this labour, the 
 neat work upon the rigging— rthe knots, Flemish eyes, splices, seiz- 
 ■ ings, coverings, pointings, and grafhngs, 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, 
 arid overhauling the deep-sea lead-line. 
 
 Thursday, Sept. i^th. — ^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 
 constkntly shrouded in cltouds, 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 clouded sky, with double- 
 reefed topsails. A sailor told me, that on a passage from Gibraltar 
 to Boston, his vessel neared the Girif 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 top- 
 sails, 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 pitch- 
 ing in a heavy sea, before a smart gale, they ran out of the bank 
 
296 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 on the other side, and were in fine weather again, and under their 
 royals and sky-sails. 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 thermo- 
 meter, which had been repeatedly lowered into the water, showed 
 the temperature to be seventy, which was considerably above that 
 of the air — as is always the case in the centre of the Stream. A 
 lad who had been at work at the royal-mast-head, came down upon 
 deck and took a turn round the long-boat ; and looking 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 topgallant yard, 
 said he felt disagreeably all the time and was glad, when his job 
 was done, to get down into the top, or upon deck. Another hand 
 was sent to the royal-mast-head, who stayed nearly an hour, but 
 gave up. The work must be done, and the mate sent me. I did 
 very well for some time, but began at length to feel very unpleasantly, 
 though I 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 
 
 Friday, Sept. i6th. — Lat. 38 deg. N. ; long. 69 dcg. W. A fine south- 
 west wind, every hour carrying us nearer in towards the land. 
 All hands on deck at the dog-watch', and nothing talked about but 
 our getting in^ — ^where we should make the land — ^whether we 
 should arrive before Sunday — going to church — ^how Boston would 
 look — ^friends — ^wages paid — and the like. Every one was in the 
 best spirits, and the voyage being nearly at an end, the strictness 
 of discipline was relaxed, for it was not necessary to order in a 
 cross tone what 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, lyth. — The wind was light all day, which kept us 
 back somewhat, but a fine breeze springing up at nightfall, we 
 were running fast in towards 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 sprit-sail yard 
 with the lead, another on the cat-head, with a handful of the line 
 coiled up, another in the fore-chains, another in the waist, 
 and another in the main-chains, each with a quantity of the line 
 coiled away in his hand. " All ready there, forward ? " " Ay, ay, 
 sir ! " " He-e-ave !" " Watch ! ho ! watch ! " sings out the man 
 on the sprit-sail 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 
 
 «97 
 
agS TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 the ship kept on under easy sail all night ; 
 the wind dying away. 
 
 The soundings on the American coast are so regular, that a navi- 
 gator 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 towards Nantucket, it changes to a dark sand ; 
 then sand and white shells ; and on George's Bank, white sand ; 
 and so on. Being off Block Island, our course was due east to 
 Nantucket Shoals and the South Channel j but the wind died 
 away, and left us becalmed in a thick fog, in which we lay all 
 Sunday. At noon, 
 
 Sunday i8th, Block Island bore, by calculation, N.W.^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 ha'd carried hides upon our heads for 
 sixteen months on the coast of California, the duck frocks for 
 tarring down rigging, and the worn-out and darned mittens and 
 patched woollen trousers which had stood the tug of Cape Horn. 
 We hove them overboard with a good will, for there is nothing 
 like being quit of the very last appendages 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 bottoni. 
 
 " Who'll go to church with me to-day week ? " 
 
 " 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 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 299 
 
 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 on 
 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 sung 
 out, in a tone which showed that there was not a moment to Jbe 
 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 ofiicer 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 hove 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 colour 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 ; accord- 
 ingly, 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, 
 north-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 favoured us, we could 
 all " sleep in " the next night, with nobody to call the watch every 
 four hours. 
 
 We turned out of our own wil^ at daybreak, to get a sight of 
 
goo TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 land. In the grey of the morningj 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 harbour, 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, 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 be.en 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 fiill in sight, the light-houses standing like sentries in white 
 before the harbours, and even the smoke from the chimneys on 
 the plains of Hingham was seen rising slowly in the morning air. 
 One of our boys was the son of a bucket-m.aker, 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, rpundings, 
 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 sky-sail 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 301 
 
 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 favoured 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 oui 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. Towards 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 oatworks 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 
 
302 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 more, we were lying snugly, with all sails furled, safe in Boston 
 harbour, 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 trousers 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 anti- 
 cipation, 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 anomal- 
 ous 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 twelve-month 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 303 
 
 passage, he could talk and think of nothing 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 anc} changed his dress, 
 took some water from the scuttle-butt and washed hinaself 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, be 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 harbour, and the 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 labour failed, left a calmness, almost 
 of indifference, from which I must be roused by some new excite- 
 ment. And the next morning, when all hands were called, and we 
 were busUy 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 seV, ensigns, 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 gaUey to make a bargain with the cook for his slush ; 
 " loafers " in general, and last and chief, boarding-house runners. 
 
304 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 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 further to the con- 
 cluding remarks which I here present to them. 
 
 This chapter is written after the lapse of a considerable time 
 since the end of .rriy 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 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 doing 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 merchant- 
 men, than all the pressgangs in 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 sea-port, 
 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 draper^' 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, 
 
 305 
 
3o6 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 efc(uality 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 deinocratic, some extraordinary and, at first sight, alarming 
 powers, trusting in public opinion, and subsequent account- 
 ability, 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 answer- 
 able for everything, and is subject to emergencies which perhaps 
 no other nian 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, 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 307 
 
 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 combination 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 labour 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 them- 
 selves 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 heart-sick, 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. Man^ of these 
 have led to mutiny and piracy — stripe for stripe, blood for blood. 
 If on voyages of this description the testimony of seamen is not to 
 be received in favour 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 
 
3o8 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 evU 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 such a movement ; on the contrary, I fully 
 believe that any public and strong action would do harm, and that 
 we must be satisfied to labour 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 aH 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 309 
 
 ten or twelve men on a voyage of months or years, and often, 
 and 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 ;* 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 oflficers, 
 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, saUors 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 
 
 * 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, 
 fi)rks, 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 him- 
 self 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 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. 
 
310 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 punish- 
 ment, 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 enactnlent 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 vidsh 
 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 niyself, 
 rather than do so. Yet not to have the power of holding it up in 
 terrorem, and so 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 remem- 
 bered 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, besides 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 311 
 
 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 to 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 administration 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 have 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 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 wUl become less necessary, 
 and as the character of officers is raised, they will be less ready to 
 inflict it ; and stUl 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, 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 time regarded as an unheard of barbarity — 
 
318 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 than to take the responsibility of prohibiting it at once, in all 
 cases, and in whatever degree, by positive enactment ? 
 
 There is, however, one point connected with the administration 
 pf justice to seamen, to which I wish seriously to call the attention 
 of those interested in their behalf, if possible, also of some of those 
 concerned in that administration. This is, the pracliice 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 other thing in the laws or the execution of them. Notwith- 
 standing every advantage the captain has over the seamen 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 neighbour, 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 neighbours 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 moder- 
 ately, 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. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 313 
 
 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 labour, 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 seemed 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 every- 
 thing 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 neighbour 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 \yho 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 on the captain's behalf on the ground 
 of his being poor and having persons depending upon his labour 
 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 
 
314 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 masters and ofHcers from the punishment the law has provided 
 for them. There are very few, if any, masters or other ofl&cers 
 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 account of the prisoner's poverty, and the relation in which 
 he may stand to third persons. On the contrary, it has 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-examina- 
 tion of witnesses, after the arguments of counsel, and the judge's 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 315 
 
 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, arid 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 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 nimiber 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 lake 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 circiunstances in which he is placed, and' give him 
 
3i6 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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 
 imto 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 
 seciu'ed, 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 
 intelUgent 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 compli- 
 mented for his gallantry and generosity — ^are all doing , a harm 
 which the labours of many faithful men cannot undo. 
 
 The establishment of Bethels in most of our own seaports, 
 and in many foreign parts 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, 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 317 
 
 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 hearts 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 he 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 occur- 
 rences 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 
 things alters the whole current of feeling between the crew and their 
 conamander. 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 religious service for two 
 years and a quarter. There were in the course of the voyage 
 
3i8 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 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, 
 for ever. 
 
 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 to 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 neg- 
 lected, if not despised, through life ; but if the little hull does not 
 contain such" a one within its compass, they must be left without 
 human aid in their great extrtemity. 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 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 319 
 
 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 labour in this great work, and view with 
 caution the proposal of new laws and arbitrary regulations, remem- 
 bering 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 favour 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. 
 
GLOSSARY OF SEA TERMS 
 
 Aback, the situation of the sails when the wind presses their surfaces 
 
 against the mast, and tends to force the vessel astern. 
 Abaft, towards the stern of the vessel. 
 Adrift, broken from the moorings, or fastenings. 
 Afore, forward, the opposite of abaft. 
 Amidships, in the centre of the vessel. 
 Athwart, across. 
 Avast, an order to stop. 
 
 Backstays, stays- running from a mast-head to the vessel's side, 
 
 slanting a little abaft. 
 Bar, a bank, or shoal, at the entrance of a harbour. 
 Bare-poles, the condition of a ship when she has no sails set. 
 Battens, thin strips of wood, put round the hatches to keep the 
 
 tarpaulin down. 
 Beams, strong pieces of timber, stretching across the vessel to 
 
 support the decks. 
 On the weather, or -lee beam, is in a direction to windward or 
 
 leeward, at fight angles with the keel. 
 On beam ends, the situation of a vessel when turned over, so 
 
 that her beams are inclined towards the vertical. 
 Bend, to make fast. 
 Bight, the double part of a rope when it is folded. Also a small 
 
 bay, or inlet. 
 Binnacle, a box near the helm, containing the compass. 
 Block, a piece of wood, with sheaves, or wheels in it, through which 
 
 the ropes are rove. 
 Bobstays, used to confine the bowsprit down to the stem, or cutwater. 
 Bolts, cylindrical bars of iron or copper, used to secure or unite 
 
 different parts of a vessel. 
 Bolt-rope, the rope which goes round a sail, to which the canvas 
 
 is sewed. 
 Boom, a spar used to extend the fore-and-aft sail, or studding- 
 sail. 
 Brace, a rope by which a yard is turned about. 
 Brails, ropes by which the lower corners of fore-and-aft sails are 
 
 hauled up. 
 Brig, a square-rigged vessel, with two masts. A hermaphrodite 
 
 brig has a brig's foremast and a schooner's main-mast. 
 3SO 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 321 
 
 Bulkhead, temporary partitions of boards to separate different 
 
 parts of a vessel. 
 Bulwark, the wood-work round a vessel, above her deck. 
 Bunt, the middle of a sail. 
 Buntlines, ropes used for hauling up the body of a sail. 
 
 Cable, a large, strong rope, made, fast to the anchor, by which 
 the vessel is secured. It is usually 120 fathoms, or 720 
 feet in length. 
 
 Cat-head, large timbers, projecting from the vessel's side, to which 
 the anchor is raised and secured. 
 
 Chafing-gear, old rope, or such stuff, put upon the rigging or spars, 
 to prevent their chafing. 
 
 Cleat, a piece of wood, used in different parts of a vessel, to belay 
 ropes to. 
 
 Clew, the lower corner of square sails, and the after corner of a 
 fore-and-aft sail. 
 
 Close-hauled, applied to a vessel which is sailing with her yards 
 braced up, so as to get as much as possible to windward. 
 
 Coil, to lay up a rope in a ring. 
 
 Cringle, the rope that runs round the sail. 
 
 Cross-trees, pieces of oak, supported by the cheeks and trestle- 
 trees, at the mast-head^ to sustain the tops on the lower 
 mast, and to spread the topgallant rigging at the top 
 mast-head. 
 
 Davits, pieces of iron or timber, with sheaves at their ends, projecting 
 
 over the vessel's sides. 
 Dead-reckOning, a reckoning kept by observing a vessel's courses 
 
 and distances by the log, to ascertain her position. 
 Dog-watches, half watches, of two hours each, from 4 to 6, and 
 
 from 6 to 8 p.m. 
 Down-haul, a rope to haul down jibs, staysails, and studding-sails. 
 
 Earing, a rope attached to the cringle of a sail, by which it is bent 
 
 or netted. 
 Eight-bells, four, eight and twelve o'clock. 
 Eye-bolt, a long iron bar, having an eye at one end, driven through 
 
 a vessel's deck or side, with the eye remaining out, to 
 
 hook tackle to. If there is a ring through this eye, it is 
 
 called a ring-bolt. 
 
 Fid, a block of wood or iron, placed through the hole in the heel 
 of a mast, to support it. Also a wooden pin, tapered, used 
 in splicing large ropes, etc. 
 
333 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MASiT 
 
 ■Fish, to raise the flukes of an anchor upon the gunwale. 
 Fish-davit, the davit used for fishing an anchor. 
 Foot-rope, the rope stretching along a yard, upon which men stand 
 
 when reefing or furling, formerly called horses. 
 Fore-and-aft, lengthwise with the vessel. 
 Forecastle, the upper part of the deck, forward of the foremast. 
 
 In merchant vessels, the forward part of the vessel, under 
 
 the deck, where the sailors live. 
 Foremast, the forward mast of the vessel. 
 
 Founder, a vessel founders when she fills with water and sinks. 
 Furl, to roll a sail up strongly and secure it. 
 
 Gaff, a spar, to which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent. Gaff- 
 topsail, a light sail set over a gaff. 
 
 Gaskets, ropes used to secure a sail to the yard or boom, when it 
 is furled. 
 
 Grapnel, a small anchor, with several claws, used to secure boats. 
 
 Grating, an open lattice-work of wood, used to cover the hatches 
 in good weather. 
 
 Gunwale, the upper rail of a boat or vessel. 
 
 Guy, a rope attaching to anything to steady it, and bear it either 
 way in hoisting. 
 
 Halyards, ropes or tackles used for hoisting and lowering yards, 
 gaffs, and sails. 
 
 Hatch, or hatchway, an opening in the deck to afford a passage up 
 and down. The coverings over these openings are also 
 called hatches. 
 
 Hawse-hole, the hole in the bows through which the cable runs. 
 
 Hawser, a large rope, used for various purposes, as- warping, for 
 a spring, etc. 
 
 Haze, a term for punishing a man, by keeping him unnecessarily 
 at work upon disagreeable or difficult duty. 
 
 Head-sails, a general name for all sails that set forward of the fore- 
 mast. 
 
 Heel, the after-part of the keel. To heel, is to lie over on one side. 
 
 Helm, the machinery by which a vessel is steered. 
 
 Hitch, a peculiar manner of fastening ropes. 
 
 Hold, the interior of a vessel, where the cargo is stowed. 
 
 Holy-stone, a large stone used for cleaning a ship's decks. 
 
 Irons, a ship is said to be in irons, when in working she will not 
 cast one way or the other. 
 
 Jack-stays, ropesstretcheci taut along a yard, to bend the sail to. 
 Jib, a triangular sail, set on a stay, forward. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 323 
 
 Jib-boom, the boom rigged out beyond the bowsprit, to which the 
 
 tack of the jib is lashed. 
 Jolly-boat, a small boat, usually hoisted at the stern. 
 Jury-mast, a temporary mast rigged at sea, in place of one lost. 
 
 Kedge, a small anchor with an iron stock, used for warping. 
 
 Keel, the lowest and principal timber of a vessel, running fore- 
 and-aft its whole length, and supporting the frame. 
 
 Keelson, a timber placed over the keel on the floor-timbers. 
 
 Knees, crooked pieces of timber, used to connect the beams of a 
 vessel with her timbers. 
 
 Knot, a division on the log-line, answering to a mile of distance. 
 
 Lanyards, ropes rove through the dead-eyes, for setting up rigging. 
 
 Larboard, the left side of a vessel, looking forward. 
 
 Launch, a large boat. The Long-boat. 
 
 Lay, to come or go. 
 
 Lead, a piece of lead in the shape of a cone or pyramid, with a small 
 hole at the base, and a line attached at the upper end, used 
 for sounding. 
 
 Leak, a hole or breach in a vessel at which the water comes in. 
 
 Lee, the side opposite to that from which the wind blows ; as, 
 if a vessel had the wind on her starboard side that will be 
 'the weather, and the larboard will be the lee side. 
 
 Leeway, what a vessel loses by drifting to leeward. When sailing 
 close-hauled with all sail set, a vessel should make no leeway. 
 
 Leeward, the lee-side. The opposite of fee is weather. 
 
 Life-lines, ropes carried along yards, etc., for men to hold on by. 
 
 Locker, a chest to stow anything away in. 
 
 Log, or log-book. A journal kept by the chief officer, in which 
 everything of importance that occurs is noted down. Log 
 is also a line with a piece of board attached to it, wound 
 upon a reel, used for ascertaining the ship's rate of sailing. 
 
 Long-boat, the largest boat in a merchant vessel. 
 
 Luff, to put the helm so as to bring the ship up nearer to the wind- 
 ward. 
 
 Lurch, the sudden rpUing of a vessel to one side. 
 
 Marline-spike, an iron pin, sharpened at one end, and having a hole 
 in the other for a lanyard, used both for a fid and a heaver. 
 
 Martingale, a short perpendicular spar under the bowsprit end, 
 used for guying down the head-stays. 
 
 Mess, any number of men who meal together. 
 
 Mizen-mast, the after-mast of a ship. The spanker is sometimes 
 called the mizen: 
 
324 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 Netting, network of rope, or small lines, used for stowing away 
 sails or hammocks. 
 
 Painter, a rope attached to the bows of a boat to make her fast. 
 Port, used instead of larboard. To port the helm is to put it to the 
 larboard. 
 
 Quarter-deck, that part of the upper deck abaft the main-mast. 
 
 Ratlines, lines running across the shrouds like the rounds of a ladder, 
 
 used to step upon in going aloft. 
 Rigging, the general term for all the ropes of a vessel. 
 Royal, a light sail, next above the topgallant-sail. 
 Royal yard, the yard from which the royal is set. 
 
 Schooner, a small vessel with two masts and no tops. 
 
 Scuppers, holes cut in the water-ways for the water to run from the 
 
 decks. 
 Sheet, a rope used in setting a sail to keep the clew down to its 
 
 place. 
 Sheet anchor, a vessel's largest anchor. 
 Shrouds, a set of ropes reaching from the mast-head to the vessel's 
 
 sides, to support the masts. 
 Sky-sail, a light sail, next above the royal. 
 Sloop, a small vessel with one mast. 
 Spanker, the after-sail of a ship. It is a fore-and-aft sail, setting 
 
 with a boom and gaff. 
 Stanchions, upright posts placed to support the beams of a vessel, 
 
 or to support the bulwarks. 
 Standing rigging, that part of a vessel's rigging which is made fast. 
 Starboard, the right side of a vessel, looking forward. 
 Stays, large ropes used to support masts, and leading from the head 
 
 of one mast down to another, or to some part of the vessel. 
 
 Staysail is a sail which hoists upon a stay. 
 Steerage, that part between decks which is just forward of the cabin. 
 Stem, a piece of timber reaching froih the forward end of the keel 
 
 up to the bowsprit. . 
 Stern, the after end of a vessel. The stern-post is the aftermost 
 
 timber of a ship. 
 Strand, a number of rope yarns twisted together. 
 Strike, to lower the sails or colours. 
 Studding-sails, light sails set outside the square-sails on booms. 
 
 They are only carried in a fair wind. 
 
 Tack, to put the ship about, so that from having the wind on one 
 side, you bring it round on the other by way of her head. 
 
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 325 
 
 Taffrail, the rail round a ship's stern. 
 
 Taunt, high or tall. Commonly applied to a vessel's masts. 
 
 Taut, tight. 
 
 Tiller, a bar of wood or iron by which the rudder is moved. Tiller- 
 ropes are ropes leading from the tiller-head round the barrel 
 of the wheel by which the vessel is steered. 
 
 Topmast, the second mast above the deck. 
 
 Topgallant-mast, the third mast above the deck. 
 
 Topsail, the second sail above the deck. 
 
 Topgallant-sail, the third sail above the deck. 
 
 Transoms, pieces of timber going across the stern-post. 
 
 Traveller, an iron ring, fitted so as to slip up and down a rope. 
 
 Treenails, long wooden pins used for nailing a plank on timber. 
 
 Trestle-trees, two strong pieces of timber, placed horizontally and 
 fore-and-aft on opposite sides of the mast-head, to support 
 the cross-trees and top. 
 
 Trysail, a fore-and-aft sail, set with a boom and gaff, aiid hoisted on 
 a small mast abaft the lower mast, called a trysail-mast. 
 
 Unbend, to cast off or untie. 
 
 Union, the upper inner corner of an ensign. The rest of the flag 
 is called the fly. 
 
 Waist, that part of the upper-deck between the quarter-deck and 
 forecastle. 
 
 Ware, or Wear, wearing is carrying a vessel's stern round by the 
 wind — the opposite of tacking. 
 
 Watching, a division of time on board a ship. There are seven 
 watches in the day, reckoning from 12m.: five of them 
 being four hours each, and two of them of two hours each, 
 called dog-watches. 
 
 Weather, in the direction from which the wind blows : a vessel has 
 the weather-gauge of another when she is to the windward 
 of her. A ship carries a weather-helm when she tends to come 
 into the wind, requiring you to put the helm up. 
 
 Weigh, to lift up an anchor or a mast. 
 
 Windlass, the machine used in merchant ships to weigh the anchor 
 by. 
 
 Wring-bolts, bolts that secure the planks to the timbers. 
 
 Yard, a long piece of timber tapering slightly towards the ends, 
 and hung by the centre to a mast, to spread the square-sails 
 upon. 
 
386 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST 
 
 Yard-arm, the extremity of a yard. 
 
 Yard-arm and Yard-arm, the situation of two vessels, lying along- 
 side one another so near that their yard-arms cross .or touch. 
 Yaw, the motion of a vessel when she goes off her course.