The head stays and
guys, and the spritsail-yard, were lined, and, having still more, we
got out the swinging booms, and strung them and the forward and
after guys, with hides. The rail, fore and aft, the windlass, capstan,
the sides of the ship, and every vacant place on deck, were covered
with wet hides, on the least sign of an interval for drying. Our
ship was nothing but a mass of hides, from the cat-harpins to the
water's edge, and from the jib-boom-end to the taffrail.
One cold, rainy evening, about eight o'clock, I received orders to
get ready to start for San Jose at four the next morning, in one of
these Indian boats, with four days' provisions. I got my oil-cloth
clothes, south-wester, and thick boots all ready, and turned into my
hammock early, determined to get some sleep in advance, as the boat
was to be alongside before daybreak. I slept on till all hands were
called in the morning; for, fortunately for me, the Indians,
intentionally, or from mistaking their orders, had gone off alone in
the night, and were far out of sight. Thus I escaped three or four
days of very uncomfortable service.
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