The boats were then hove out,
and all the sails, spare spars, the stores, the rigging not rove, and,
in fact, everything which was not in daily use, sent ashore, and
stowed away in the house. Then went all our hides and horns, and we
left hardly anything in the ship but her ballast, and this we made
preparation to heave out, the next day. At night, after we had knocked
off, and were sitting round in the forecastle, smoking and talking and
taking sailor's pleasure, we congratulated ourselves upon being in
that situation in which we had wished ourselves every time we had come
into San Diego. "If we were only here for the last time," we had often
said, "with our top-gallant masts housed and our sails unbent!"- and
now we had our wish. Six weeks, or two months, of the hardest work
we had yet seen, was before us, and then- "Good-by to California!"
CHAPTER XXIX
LOADING FOR HOME--A SURPRISE--LAST OF AN OLD FRIEND--THE LAST
HIDE--A HARD CASE--UP ANCHOR, FOR HOME!--HOMEWARD BOUND
We turned-in early, knowing that we might expect an early call;
and sure enough, before the stars had quite faded, "All hands ahoy!"
and we were turned-to, heaving out ballast.
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