[tag="''" | □]
[tag="''" | □ | □]
[tag="''" | □ & □]
Some of the crews of the vessels are obliged to go and come in the boats , to look out for the hides and goods . " says another , " and we 'll get an afternoon watch below , by this scrape ; " but in this they were disappointed , for at two bells , all hands were called and set to work , getting lashings upon everything on deck ; and the captain talked of sending down the long top-gallant masts ; but , as the sea went down toward night , and the wind hauled abeam we left them standing , and set the studding-sails . 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 . Another of the men , too , who had known something of the kind attempted in another ship by a crew who were dissatisfied with their captain , and which was followed with serious consequences , was opposed to it . All the hides , too , that came down in the boats , were soaked with water , and unfit to put below , so that we were obliged to trice them up to dry , in the intervals of sunshine or wind , upon all parts of the vessel . Some said that the captain was frightened , - completely cowed , by the dangers and difficulties that surrounded us , and was afraid to make sail ; while others said that in his anxiety and suspense he had made a free use of brandy and opium , and was unfit for his duty . Thus much was certain , and was soon known , fore and aft ; and when we went in the gig to take him off , he shook hands with the people on the beach , and said that he never expected to see Santa Barbara again . Some of them , as well as we could judge , at the distance at which we were , must have been as large as that , if not larger . His is one of those cases which are more numerous than those suppose , who have never lived anywhere but in their own homes , and never walked but in one line from their cradles to their graves . The great amusement of the evenings , - which I suppose was owing to its being carnival - was the breaking of eggs filled with cologne , or other essences , upon the heads of the company . Thus , for one year , my mind was set at ease yet it was already six months from the date of the letter , and what another year would bring to pass , who could tell ? Those who had no south-wester caps , made them , and several of the crew made themselves tarpaulin jackets and trowsers , lined on the inside with flannel . When the water ran off , we picked the sheep up , and put them in the long-boat , got the long-boat , got the galley back in its place , and set things a little to rights ; but , had not our ship had uncommonly high bulwarks and rail , everything must have been washed overboard , not excepting Old Bill and the cook . It had now set in for a steady gale from the south-west ; but we were not yet far enough to the southward to make a fair wind of it , for we must give Terra del Fuego a wide berth . Two men threw the hides down from the piles in the house , two more picked them up and put them on a long horizontal pole , raised a few feet from the ground , where they were beaten , by two more , with flails , somewhat like those used in threshing wheat . 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 . When this offer was published in the ship , and the case of poor Ben was set forth in strong colors , several , who would not have dreamed of going themselves , were busy in talking it up to others , who , they thought , might be tempted to accept it ; and , at length , one fellow , a harum-scarum lad , whom we called Harry Bluff , and who did not care what country or ship he was in , if he had clothes enough and money enough - partly from pity for Ben , and partly from the thought he should have " cruising money " for the rest of his stay , - came forward , and offered to go and " sling his hammock in the bloody hooker . 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 a contrast to much that we had lately seen , and a spectacle not only of beauty , but of life ; for it required but little fancy to imagine these islands to be animate masses which had broken loose from the " thrilling regions of thick-ribbed ice , " and were working their way , by wind and current , some alone , and some in fleets , to milder climes .