This Settled The Matter, And Sent A
Thrill Of Pleasure Through The Heart Of Every One In The Boat.
We pulled off with a will, saying to ourselves (I can speak for
myself at least) - "Good-by, Santa Barbara!
- This is the last pull
here - No more duckings in your breakers, and slipping from your
cursed south-easters!" The news was soon known aboard, and put
life into everything when we were getting under weigh. Each one
was taking his last look at the mission, the town, the breakers
on the beach, and swearing that no money would make him ship to
see them again; and when all hands tallied on to the cat-fall,
the chorus of "Time for us to go!" was raised for the first time,
and joined in, with full swing, by everybody. One would have thought
we were on our voyage home, so near did it seem to us, though there
were yet three months for us on the coast.
We left here the young Englishman, George Marsh, of whom I have
before spoken, who was wrecked upon the Pelew Islands. He left us
to take the berth of second mate on board the Ayacucho, which was
lying in port. He was well qualified for this, and his education
would enable him to rise to any situation on board ship. I felt
really sorry to part from him. There was something about him which
excited my curiosity; for I could not, for a moment, doubt that he
was well born, and, in early life, well bred. There was the latent
gentleman about him, and the sense of honor, and no little of the
pride, of a young man of good family. The situation was offered
him only a few hours before we sailed; and though he must give up
returning to America, yet I have no doubt that the change from a
dog's berth to an officer's, was too agreeable to his feelings to
be declined. We pulled him on board the Ayacucho, and when he left
the boat he gave each of its crew a piece of money, except myself,
and shook hands with me, nodding his head, as much as to say, - "We
understand one another," and sprang on board. Had I known, an hour
sooner, that he was to leave us, I would have made an effort to get
from him the true history of his early life. He knew that I had
no faith in the story which he told the crew, and perhaps, in the
moment of parting from me, probably forever, he would have given me
the true account. Whether I shall ever meet him again, or whether
his manuscript narrative of his adventures in the Pelew Islands,
which would be creditable to him and interesting to the world,
will ever see the light, I cannot tell. His is one of those cases
which are more numerous than those suppose, who have never lived
anywhere but in their own homes, and never walked but in one line
from their cradles to their graves.
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