And The Next
Morning, When All Hands Were Called, And We Were Busily At Work,
Clearing The Decks, And Getting Everything In Readiness For Going Up
To The Wharves, - Loading The Guns For A Salute, Loosing The Sails,
And Manning The Windlass - Mind And Body Seemed To Wake Together.
About ten o'clock, a sea-breeze sprang up, and the pilot gave orders
to get the ship under weigh.
All hands manned the windlass, and the
long-drawn "Yo, heave, ho!" which we had last heard dying away
among the desolate hills of San Diego, soon brought the anchor to
the bows; and, with a fair wind and tide, a bright sunny morning,
royals and sky-sails set, ensign, streamer, signals, and pennant,
flying, and with our guns firing, we came swiftly and handsomely
up to the city. Off the end of the wharf, we rounded-to and let
go our anchor; and no sooner was it on the bottom, than the decks
were filled with people: custom-house officers; Topliff's agent,
to inquire for news; others, inquiring for friends on board, or
left upon the coast; dealers in grease, besieging the galley to
make a bargain with the cook for his slush; "loafers" in general;
and last and chief, boarding-house runners, to secure their men.
Nothing can exceed the obliging disposition of these runners,
and the interest they take in a sailor returned from a long voyage
with a plenty of money. Two or three of them, at different times,
took me by the hand; remembered me perfectly; were quite sure I
had boarded with them before I sailed; were delighted to see me
back; gave me their cards; had a hand-cart waiting on the wharf,
on purpose to take my things up:
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