The Mate Was A Fine, Hearty, Noisy Fellow, With A Voice Like A Lion,
And Always Wide Awake.
He was "a man, every inch of him," as the
sailors said; and though "a bit of a horse," and "a hard customer,"
yet he was generally liked by the crew.
There was also a second and
third mate, a carpenter, sailmaker, steward, cook, etc., and twelve,
including boys, before the mast. She had, on board, seven thousand
hides, which she had collected at the windward, and also horns
and tallow. All these we began discharging, from both gangways
at once, into the two boats, the second mate having charge of
the launch, and the third mate of the pinnace. For several days,
we were employed in this way, until all the hides were taken out,
when the crew began taking in ballast, and we returned to our old
work, hide-curing.
Saturday, Aug. 29th. Arrived, brig Catalina, from the windward.
Sunday, 30th. This was the first Sunday that the crew had been
in San Diego, and of course they were all for going up to see
the town. The Indians came down early, with horses to let for
the day, and all the crew, who could obtain liberty, went off
to the Presidio and mission, and did not return until night.
I had seen enough of San Diego, and went on board and spent
the day with some of the crew, whom I found quietly at work in
the forecastle, mending and washing their clothes, and reading
and writing.
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