Contents

Introductory Note

Preface

Chapter I —Departure

Chapter II —First Impressions—“Sail Ho!”

Chapter III —Ship’s Duties—Tropics

Chapter IV —A Rogue—Trouble on Board—“Land Ho!”—Pompero—Cape Horn

Chapter V —Cape Horn—A Visit

Chapter VI —Loss of a Man—Superstition

Chapter VII —Juan Fernandez—The Pacific

Chapter VIII — “Tarring Down”—Daily Life—“Going Aft”—California

Chapter IX —California—A South-Easter

Chapter X —A South-Easter—Passage up the Coast

Chapter XI —Passage up the Coast—Monterey

Chapter XII —Life at Monterey

Chapter XIII —Trading—A British Sailor

Chapter XIV —Santa Barbara—Hide-Droghing—Harbor Duties—Discontent—San Pedro

Chapter XV —A Flogging—A Night on Shore—The State of Things on Board—San Diego

Chapter XVI —Liberty-Day on Shore

Chapter XVII —San Diego—A Desertion—San Pedro Again—Beating up Coast

Chapter XVIII —Easter Sunday—“Sail Ho!”—Whales—San Juan—Romance of Hide-Droghing—San Diego Again

Chapter XIX —The Sandwich Islanders—Hide-Curing—Wood-Cutting—Rattle-Snakes—New-Comers

Chapter XX —Leisure—News from Home—“Burning the Water”

Chapter XXI —California and Its Inhabitants

Chapter XXII —Life on Shore—The Alert

Chapter XXIII —New Ship and Shipmates—My Watchmate

Chapter XXIV —San Diego Again—A Descent—Hurried Departure—A New Shipmate

Chapter XXV —Rumors of War—A Spouter—Slipping for a South-Easter—A Gale

Chapter XXVI —San Francisco—Monterey

Chapter XXVII —The Sunday Wash-Up—On Shore—A Set-To—A Grandee—“Sail Ho!”—A Fandango

Chapter XXVIII —An Old Friend—A Victim—California Rangers—News from Home—Last Looks

Chapter XXIX —Loading for Home—A Surprise—Last of an Old Friend—The Last Hide—A Hard Case—Up Anchor, for Home!—Homeward Bound

Chapter XXX —Beginning the Long Return Voyage—A Scare

Chapter XXXI —Bad Prospects—First Touch of Cape Horn—Icebergs—Temperance Ships—Lying-Up—Ice—Difficulty on Board—Change of Course—Straits of Magellan

Chapter XXXII —Ice Again—A Beautiful Afternoon—Cape Horn—“Land Ho!”—Heading for Home

Chapter XXXIII —Cracking on—Progress Homeward—A Pleasant Sunday—A Fine Sight—By-Play

Chapter XXXIV —Narrow Escapes—The Equator—Tropical Squalls—A Thunder Storm

Chapter XXXV —A Double Reef-Top-Sail Breeze—Scurvy—A Friend in Need—Preparing for Port—The Gulf Stream

Chapter XXXVI —Soundings—Sights from Home—Boston Harbor—Leaving the Ship

Concluding Chapter

Twenty Four Years Later