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Every man had his station , and was not allowed to leave it ; and nothing happened to break the monotony of the night , except once setting the main topsails to run clear of a large island to leeward , which they were drifting fast upon . " I comforted him as well as I could , and promised to ask the captain to help him from the medicine-chest , and told him I had no doubt the captain would do what he could for him , as he had worked in our employ for several years , both on shore and aboard our vessels on the coast . 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 . How great the deficiency was , or what it resulted from ; whether he was born so ; whether it was the result of disease or accident ; or whether , as some said , it was brought on by his distress of mind , during the voyage , I cannot say . 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 . Diego , and had taken in the greater part of our cargo , and were looking out , every day , for the arrival of the California , which had our agent on board ; when , this afternoon , some Kanakas , who had been over the hill for rabbits and to fight rattlesnakes , came running down the path , singing out , singing out , " Kail ho ! It was an interesting sight , too , to see our noble ship , dismantled of all her top-hamper of long tapering masts and yards , and boom pointed with spear-head , which ornamented her in port ; and all that canvas , which a few days before had covered her like a cloud , from the truck to the water 's edge , spreading far out beyond her hull on either side , now gone ; and she , stripped , like a wrestler for the fight . After we had been here some time , he started off one morning , in fine spirits , well dressed , to carry the clothes which he had been making to the pueblo , and saying he would bring back his money and some fresh orders the next day . " 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 . 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 . The ship wore round fairly , the yards were steadied , and we stood off on the other tack , leaving behind us , directly under our larboard quarter , a large ice island , peering out of the mist , and reaching high above our tops , while astern ; and on either side of the island , large tracts of field-ice were dimly seen , heaving and rolling in the sea . Nearly two hundred hours ( as we had calculated it ) had we walked the ship 's deck together , at anchor watch , when all hands were below , and talked over and over every subject which came within the ken of either of us . Beside this , having begun the voyage with very few clothes , he had taken up the greater part of his wages in the slop-chest , and it was every day a losing concern to him ; and , like all the rest of the crew , he had a hearty hatred of California , and the prospect of eighteen months or two years more of hide-droghing seemed completely to break down his spirit . He was probably a natural son , for in scarcely any other way could the incidents of his early life be accounted for. He was polite to every one , spoke to the sailors , and gave four reals - I dare say the last he had in his pocket-to the steward , who waited upon him . 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 . Two close-reefed top-sails were all the sail she had on , and every sail and rope was frozen so stiff in its place , that it seemed as though it would be impossible to start anything . " I knew that this was too true to be answered , but I excused myself from any blame , and told them that I had a right to go home , at all events . But no description can give any idea of the strangeness , splendor , and , really , the sublimity , of the sight . At sunset they were both out of sight , and we were once more upon the ocean where sky and water meet . Every one away from home thinks that some great thing must have happened , while to those at home there seems to be a continued monotony and lack of incident . But far stronger than any feeling for myself , was the pity I felt for the poor lad .