All the
variety that I had, was riding, once a week, to the nearest rancho, to
order a bullock down for the ship.
The brig Catalina came in from San Diego, and being bound up to
windward, we both got under weigh at the same time, for a trial of
speed up to Santa Barbara, a distance of about eighty miles. We hove
up and got under sail about eleven o'clock at night, with a light
land-breeze, which died away toward morning, leaving us becalmed
only a few miles from our anchoring-place. The Catalina, being a small
vessel, of less than half our size, put out sweeps and got a boat
ahead, and pulled out to sea, during the night, so that she had the
sea-breeze earlier and stronger than we did, and we had the
mortification of seeing her standing up the coast, with a fine breeze,
the sea all ruffled about her, while we were becalmed, in-shore.
When the sea-breeze died away, she was nearly out of sight; and,
toward the latter part of the afternoon, the regular north-west wind
set in fresh, we braced sharp upon it, took a pull at every sheet,
tack, and halyard, and stood after her, in fine style, our ship
being very good upon a taughtened bowline.
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