Just before sailing, the captain took
on board a short, red-haired, round-shouldered, vulgar-looking fellow,
who had lost one eye, and squinted with the other, and introducing
him as Mr. Russell, told us that he was an officer on board. This was
too bad. We had lost overboard, on the passage, one of the best of
our number, another had been taken from us and appointed clerk, and
thus weakened and reduced, instead of shipping some hands to make our
work easier, he had put another officer over us, to watch and drive
us. We had now four officers, and only six in the forecastle. This
was bringing her too much down by the stern for our comfort.
Leaving Santa Barbara, we coasted along down, the country
appearing level or moderately uneven, and, for the most part, sandy
and treeless; until, doubling a high, sandy point, we let go our
anchor at a distance of three or three and a half miles from shore. It
was like a vessel, bound to Halifax, coming to anchor on the Grand
Banks; for the shore being low, appeared to be at a greater distance
than it actually was, and we thought we might as well have staid at
Santa Barbara, and sent our boat down for the hides.
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