On one of his
broad arms, he had the crucifixion, and on the other the sign of the
"foul anchor."
He was very fond of reading, and we lent him most of the books which
we had in the forecastle, which he read and returned to us the next
time we fell in with him. He had a good deal of information, and his
captain said he was a perfect seaman, and worth his weight in gold
on board a vessel, in fair weather and in foul. His strength must have
been great, and he had the sight of a vulture. It is strange that
one should be so minute in the description of an unknown, outcast
sailor, whom one may never see again, and whom no one may care to hear
about; but so it is. Some people we see under no remarkable
circumstances, but whom, for some reason or other, we never forget. He
called himself Bill Jackson; and I know no one of all my accidental
acquaintances to whom I would more gladly give a shake of the hand
than to him. Whoever falls in with him will find a handsome, hearty
fellow, and a good shipmate.
Sunday came again while we were at Monterey, but as before, it
brought us no holyday. The people on shore dressed themselves and came
off in greater numbers than ever, and we were employed all day in
boating and breaking out cargo, so that we had hardly time to eat.
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