There was
not a man on board who did not go a dozen times into the house, and
look 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 and 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 places 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, and he was called "aole maikai," (no good,) and that was
an end of the business.
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