This morning, the officer in charge of
our house went off beyond the point a fishing, in a small canoe,
with two Kanakas; and we were sitting quietly in our room at the
hide-house, when, just before noon, we heard a complete yell of
"Sail ho!" breaking out from all parts of the beach, at once, - from
the Kanakas' oven to the Rosa's house. In an instant, every one
was out of his house; and there was a fine, tall ship, with royals
and skysails set, bending over before the strong afternoon breeze,
and coming rapidly round the point. Her yards were braced sharp
up; every sail was set, and drew well; the Yankee ensign was flying
from her mizen-peak; and having the tide in her favor, she came up
like a race-horse. It was nearly six months since a new vessel had
entered San Diego, and of course, every one was on the qui-vive.
She certainly made a fine appearance. Her light sails were taken
in, as she passed the low, sandy tongue of land, and clewing up her
head sails, she rounded handsomely to, under her mizen topsail,
and let go the anchor at about a cable's length from the shore.
In a few minutes, the topsail yards were manned, and all three
of the topsails furled at once. From the fore top-gallant yard,
the men slid down the stay to furl the jib, and from the mizen
top-gallant yard, by the stay, into the maintop, and thence to
the yard; and the men on the topsail yards came down the lifts
to the yard-arms of the courses. The sails were furled with
great care, the bunts triced up by jiggers, and the jibs stowed
in cloth. The royal yards were then struck, tackles got upon the
yard-arms and the stay, the long-boat hoisted out, a large anchor
carried astern, and the ship moored. Then the captain's gig was
lowered away from the quarter, and a boat's crew of fine lads,
between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, pulled the captain
ashore. The gig was a light whale-boat, handsomely painted,
and fitted up with cushions, etc., in the stern sheets.
We immediately attacked the boat's crew, and got very thick
with them in a few minutes. We had much to ask about Boston,
their passage out, etc., and they were very curious to know about
the life we were leading upon the beach. One of them offered to
exchange with me; which was just what I wanted; and we had only
to get the permission of the captain.
After dinner, the crew began discharging their hides, and, as we
had nothing to do at the hide-houses, we were ordered aboard to
help them. I had now my first opportunity of seeing the ship which
I hoped was to be my home for the next year. She looked as well
on board as she did from without.
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