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When we got down into the forecastle , Old Bill , who was somewhat of a croaker , - having met with a great many accidents at sea - said that if that was the way she was going to act , we might as well make our wills , and balance the books at once , and put on a clean shirt . He turned fiercely upon me , and tried to look me down , and face me out of my statement ; but finding that that would n't do , and that I was entering upon my defence in such a way as would show to the other two that he was in the wrong , - he changed his ground , and pointed to the shipping papers of the Pilgrim , from which my name had never been erased , and said that there was my name , - that I belonged to her , - that he had an absolute discretionary power ; - and , in short , that I must be on board the Pilgrim by the next morning with my chest and hammock , or have some one ready to go in my place , and that he would not hear another word from me . We felt as though we were tied to California ; and some of the crew swore that they never should get clear of the bloody coast . We just missed of seeing the California , for she had sailed three days before , bound to Monterey , to enter her cargo and procure her license , and thence to San Francisco , etc. Captain Arthur left files of Boston papers for Captain T - - - , which , after they had been read and talked over in the cabin , I procured from my friend the third mate . Jokes were made upon those who showed any interest in the expected news , and everything near and dear was made common stock for rude jokes and unfeeling coarseness , to which no exception could be taken by any one . He added a few words about their duty in their present situation , and sent them forward , saying that he should take no further notice of the matter ; but , at the same time , told the carpenter to recollect whose power he was in , and that if he heard another word from him he would have cause to remember him to the day of his death . The first thought I had was , that it might be a boat , with the crew of some wrecked vessel , or perhaps the boat of some whaleship , out over night , and we had run them down in the darkness . A few minutes showed us that our monkey-jackets must come off ; and , cold as it was , we stood in our shirt-sleeves , in a perspiration ; and were glad enough to have it eight bells , and the wheel relieved . Had the owners of the vessel known anything of the matter , they would have interfered at once ; but they either knew nothing of it , or heard , like the rest , that it was only an unruly boy who was sick of his bargain . Two or three songs would be tried , one after the other , with no effect ; - not an inch could be got upon the tackles - when a new song , struck up , seemed to hit the humor of the moment , and drove the tackles " two blocks " at once .