Beside that, I wished
to be "equal to either fortune," and to qualify myself for an
officer's berth, and a hide-house was no place to learn seamanship in.
I had become experienced in hide-curing, and everything went on
smoothly, and I had many opportunities of becoming acquainted with the
people, and much leisure for reading and studying navigation; yet
practical seamanship could only be got on board ship; therefore, I
determined to ask to be taken on board the ship when she arrived. By
the first of August, we finished curing all our hides, stored them
away, cleaned out our vats, (in which latter work we spent two days,
up to our knees in mud and the sediments of six months' hide-curing,
in a stench which would drive a donkey from his breakfast,) and got in
readiness for the arrival of the ship, and had another leisure
interval of three or four weeks; which I spent, as usual, in reading,
writing, studying, making and mending my clothes, and getting my
wardrobe in complete readiness, in case I should go on board the ship;
and in fishing, ranging the woods with the dogs, and in occasional
visits to the presidio and mission.
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