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I had been on the look-out for a moment to jump below and clap on a thick jacket and south-wester ; but when we got on deck we found that eight bells had been struck , and the other watch gone below , so that there were two hours of dog watch for us , and a plenty of work to do . This was not , by any means , a pleasant prospect , for , of all the work that a sailor is called upon to do in cold weather , there is none so bad as working the ground-tackle . It has been said , that the greatest curse to each of the South Sea islands , was the first man who discovered it ; and every one who knows anything of the history of our commerce in those parts , knows how much truth there is in this ; and that the white men , with their vices , have brought in diseases before unknown to the islanders , and which are now sweeping off the native population of the Sandwich Islands , at the rate of one fortieth of the entire population annually . Toward night the wind hauled to the southward , and headed us off our course a little , and blew a tremendous gale ; but this we did not mind , as there was no rain nor snow , and we were already under close sail . This filled up the measure of the agent 's unpopularity , and never after this could he get anything done by any of the crew ; and many a delay and vexation , and many a good ducking in the surf , did he get to pay up old scores , or " square the yards with the bloody quill-driver . We both lay over the yard for a few seconds , beating our hands upon the sail , until we started the blood into our fingers ' ends , and at the next moment our hands were in a burning heat . The chief mate heard the noise , dove down the hatchway , hauled them both up on deck , and told them to shake hands and have no more trouble for the voyage , or else they should fight till one gave in for beaten . " Having collected nearly all the hides that were to be procured , we began our preparations for taking in a supply of wood and water , for both of which , San Francisco is the best place on the coast . One has to stand his wheel , and another his lookout , and the sooner he gets on deck again , the better . I went below and turned-in , covering myself over with blankets and jackets , and lay in my berth nearly twenty-four hours , half asleep and half awake , stupid , from the dull pain . At sun-down , another salute of the same number of guns was fired , and all the flags run down . 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 . " This was good-naturedly answered from the California , and she braced sharp up , and stood close upon the wind up the coast ; while we squared away our yards , and stood before the wind to the south-southwest . Yet no one forgot the day ; and many were the wishes , and conjectures , and comparisons , both serious and ludicrous , which were made among all hands . We were going along at a great rate , dead before the wind , with studding-sails out on both sides , alow and aloft , on a dark night , just after midnight , and everything was as still as the grave , except the washing of the water by the vessel 's side ; for , being before the wind , with a smooth sea , the little brig , covered with canvas , was doing great business , with very little noise . Sumatra ; and God grant he had better care taken of him in his sufferings , than he ever gave to any one else ! " said one of the crew ; " has the bloody agent slipped off the hooks ? The atmosphere , which had previously been clear and cold , for the last few hours grew damp , and had a disagreeable , wet chilliness in it ; and the man who came from the wheel said he heard the captain tell " the passenger " that the thermometer had fallen several degrees since morning , which he could not account for in any other way than by supposing that there must be ice near us ; though such a thing had never been heard of in this latitude , at this season of the year . 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 .