We had also orders to strike the bells every
half hour through the night, as at sea. My watchmate was John, the
Swedish sailor, and we stood from twelve to two, he walking the
larboard side, and I the starboard. At daylight all hands were called,
and we went through the usual process of washing down, swabbing, etc.,
and got breakfast at eight o'clock. In the course of the forenoon, a
boat went aboard of the Ayacucho and brought off a quarter of beef,
which made us a fresh bite for dinner. This we were glad enough to
have, and the mate told us that we should live upon fresh beef while
we were on the coast, as it was cheaper here than the salt. While at
dinner, the cook called, "Sail ho!" and coming on deck, we saw two
sails coming round the point. One was a large ship under top-gallant
sails, and the other a small hermaphrodite brig. They both backed
their top sails and sent boats aboard of us. The ship's colors had
puzzled us, and we found that she was from Genoa, with an assorted
cargo, and was trading on the coast. She filled away again, and
stood out; being bound up the coast to San Francisco.
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