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Chapter XVIII
Chapter XVIII
Easter Sunday - "Sail Ho!" - Whales - San Juan - Romance of Hide-Droghing -
San Diego Again
The next Sunday was Easter Sunday, and as there had been no liberty at
San Pedro, it was our turn to go ashore and misspend another Sabbath. Soon
after breakfast, a large boat, filled with men in blue jackets, scarlet caps,
and various colored under-clothes, bound ashore on liberty, left the Italian
ship, and passed under our stern; the men singing beautiful Italian
boat-songs, all the way, in fine, full chorus. Among the songs I recognized
the favorite "O Pescator dell` onda." It brought back to my mind pianofortes,
drawing-rooms, young ladies singing, and a thousand other things which as
little befitted me, in my situation, to be thinking upon. Supposing that the
whole day would be too long a time to spend ashore, as there was no place to
which we could take a ride, we remained quietly on board until after dinner.
We were then pulled ashore in the stern of the boat, and, with orders to be on
the beach at sundown, we took our way for the town. There, everything wore the
appearance of a holyday. The people were all dressed in their best; the men
riding about on horseback among the houses, and the women sitting on carpets
before the doors. Under the piazza of a "pulperia," two men were seated,
decked out with knots of ribbons and bouquets, and playing the violin and the
Spanish guitar. These are the only instruments, with the exception of the
drums and trumpets at Monterey that I ever heard in California; and I suspect
they play upon no others, for at a great fandango at which I was afterwards
present, and where they mustered all the music they could find, there were
three violins and two guitars, and no other instrument. As it was now too near
the middle of the day to see any dancing and hearing that a bull was expected
down from the country, to be baited in the presidio square, in the course of
an hour or two we took a stroll among the houses. Inquiring for an American
who, we had been told, had married in the place, and kept a shop, we were
directed to a long, low building, at the end of which was a door, with a sign
over it, in Spanish. Entering the shop, we found no one in it, and the whole
had an empty, deserted appearance. In a few minutes the man made his
appearance, and apologized for having nothing to entertain us with, saying
that he had had a fandango at his house the night before, and the people had
eaten and drunk up everything.
"Oh yes!" said I, "Easter holydays!"
"No!" said he, with a singular expression to his face; "I had a little
daughter die the other day, and that`s the custom of the country."
Here I felt a little strangely, not knowing what to say, or whether to
offer consolation or no, and was beginning to retire, when he opened a side
door and told us to walk in. Here I was no less astonished; for I found a
large room, filled with young girls, from three or four years of age up to
fifteen and sixteen, dressed all in white, with wreaths of flowers on their
heads, and bouquets in their hands. Following our conductor through all these
girls, who were playing about in high spirits, we came to a table, at the end
of the room, covered with a white cloth, on which lay a coffin, about three
feet long, with the body of his child. The coffin was lined on the outside
with white cloth, and on the inside with white satin, and was strewed with
flowers. Through an open door we saw, in another room, a few elderly people in
common dresses; while the benches and tables thrown up in a corner, and the
stained walls gave evident signs of the last night`s "high go." Feeling, like
Garrick, between tragedy and comedy, an uncertainty of purpose and a little
awkwardness, I asked the man when the funeral would take place, and being told
that it would move toward the mission in about an hour, took my leave.
To pass away the time, we took horses and rode down to the beach, and
there found three or four Italian sailors, mounted, and riding up and down, on
the hard sand, at a furious rate. We joined them, and found it fine sport. The
beach gave us a stretch of a mile or more, and the horses flew over the
smooth, hard sand, apparently invigorated and excited by the salt sea-breeze,
and by the continual roar and dashing of the breakers. From the beach we
returned to the town, and finding that the funeral procession had moved, rode
on and overtook it, about half-way to the mission. Here was as peculiar a
sight as we had seen before in the house; the one looking as much like a
funeral procession as the other did like a house of mourning. The little
coffin was borne by eight girls, who were continually relieved by others,
running forward from the procession and taking their places. Behind it came a
straggling company of girls, dressed as before, in white and flowers, and
including, I should suppose by their numbers, nearly all the girls between
five and fifteen in the place. They played along on the way, frequently
stopping and running all together to talk to some one, or to pick up a flower,
and then running on again to overtake the coffin. There were a few elderly
women in common colors; and a herd of young men and boys, some on foot and
others mounted, followed them, or walked or rode by their side, frequently
interrupting them by jokes and questions. But the most singular thing of all
was, that two men walked, one on each side of the coffin, carrying muskets in
their hands, which they continually loaded, and fired into the air. Whether
this was to keep off the evil spirits or not, I do not know. It was the only
interpretation that I could put upon it.
As we drew near the mission, we saw the great gate thrown open, and the
padre standing on the steps, with a crucifix in hand. The mission is a large
and deserted-looking place, the out-buildings going to ruin, and
everything giving one the impression of decayed grandeur. A large stone
fountain threw out pure water, from four mouths, into a basin, before the
church door; and we were on the point of riding up to let our horses drink,
when it occurred to us that it might be consecrated, and we forbore. Just at
this moment, the bells set up their harsh, discordant clang; and the
procession moved into the court. I was anxious to follow, and see the
ceremony, but the horse of one of my companions had become frightened, and was
tearing off toward the town; and having thrown his rider, and got one of his
feet caught in the saddle, which had slipped, was fast dragging and ripping it
to pieces. Knowing that my shipmate could not speak a word of Spanish, and
fearing that he would get into difficulty, I was obliged to leave the ceremony
and ride after him. I soon overtook him, trudging along, swearing at the
horse, and carrying the remains of the saddle, which he had picked up on the
road. Going to the owner of the horse, we made a settlement with him, and
found him surprisingly liberal. All parts of the saddle were brought back,
and, being capable of repair, he was satisfied with six reals. We thought it
would have been a few dollars. We pointed to the horse, which was now half way
up one of the mountains; but he shook his head, saying, "No importe!" and
giving us to understand that he had plenty more.
Having returned to the town, we saw a great crowd collected in the square
before the principal pulperia, and riding up, found that all these people -
men, women, and children - had been drawn together by a couple of bantam
cocks. The cocks were in full tilt, springing into one another, and the people
were as eager, laughing and shouting, as thought the combatants had been men.
There had been a disappointment about the bull; he had broken hid bail, and
taken himself off, and it was too late to get another; so the people were
obliged to put up with a cock-fight. One of the bantams having been knocked in
the head, and had an eye put out, he gave in, and two monstrous prize-cocks
were brought on. These were the object of the whole affair; the two bantams
having been merely served up as a first course, to collect the people
together. Two fellows came into the ring holding the cocks in their arms, and
stroking them, and running about on all fours, encouraging and setting them
on. Bets ran high, and, like most other contests, it remained for some time
undecided. They both showed great pluck, and fought probably better and longer
than their master would have done. Whether, in the end, it was the white or
the red that beat, I do not recollect; but, whichever it was, he strutted off
with the true veni-vidi-vici look, leaving the other lying panting on his
beam-ends.
This matter having been settled, we heard some talk about "caballos" and
"carrera," and seeing the people all streaming off in one direction, we
followed, and came upon a level piece of ground, just out of the town, which
was used as a race-course. Here the crowd soon became thick again; the ground
was marked off; the judges stationed; and the horses led up to one end. Two
fine-looking old gentlemen - Don Carlos and Don Domingo, so called - held the
stakes, and all was now ready. We waited some time, during which we could just
see the horses twisting round and turning, until, at length, there was a shout
along the lines, and on they came - heads stretched out and eyes starting; -
working all over, both man and beast. The steeds came by us like a couple of
chainshot - neck and neck; and now we could see nothing but their backs, and
their hind hoofs flying in the air. As fast as the horses passsed, the crowd
broke up behind them, and ran to the goal. When we got there,we found the
horses returning on a slow walk, having run far beyond the mark, and heard
that the long, bony one had come in head and shoulders before the other. The
riders were light-built men; had handkerchiefs tied round their heads; and
were bare-armed and bare-legged. The horses were noble-looking beasts, not so
sleek and combed as our Boston stable-horses, but with fine limbs, and
spirited eyes. After this had been settled, and fully talked over, the crowd
scattered again and flocked back to the town.
Returning to the large pulperia, we found the violin and guitar screaming
and twanging away under the piazza, where they had been all day. As it was now
sundown, there began to be some dancing. The Italian sailors danced, and one
of our crew exhibited himself in a sort of West India shuffle, must to the
amusement of the bystanders, who cried out, "Bravo!" "Otra vez!" and "Vivan
los marineros!" but the dancing did not become general, as the women and the
"`gente de razon" had not yet made their appearance. We wished very much to
stay and see the style of dancing; but, although we had had our own way during
the day, yet we were, after all, but `foremast Jacks; and having been ordered
to be on the beach by sundown, did not venture to be more than an hour behind
the time; so we took our way down. We found that boat just pulling ashore
through the breakers, which were running high, there having been a heavy fog
outside, which, from some cause or other, always brings on, or precedes a
heavy sea. Liberty-men are privileged from the time they leave the vessel
until step on board again; so we took our places in the stern sheets, and
were congratulation ourselves upon getting off dry, when a great comber broker
fore and aft the boat, and wet us through and through, filling the boat half
full of water. Having lost her buoyancy by the weight of the water, she
dropped heavily into every sea that struck her, and by the time we had pulled
out of the surf into deep water, she was but just afloat, and we were up to
our knees. By the help of a small bucket and our hats, we bailed her out, got
on board, hoisted the boats, eat our supper, changed our clothes, gave (as is
usual) the whole history of our day`s adventures to those who had staid on
board, and having taken a night-smoke, turned-in. Thus ended our second
day`s liberty on shore.
On Monday morning, as an offset to our day`s sport, we were all set to
work "tarring down" the rigging. Some got girt-lines up for riding down the
stays and back-stays, and others tarred the shrouds, lifts, etc., laying out
on the yards, and coming down the rigging. We overhauled our bags and took out
our old tarry trowsers and frocks, which we had used when we tarred down
before, and were all at work in the rigging by sunrise. After breakfast, we
had the satisfaction of seeing the Italian ship`s boat go ashore, filled with
men, gaily dressed, as on the day before, and singing their barcarollas. The
Easter holydays are kept up on shore during three days; and being a Catholic
vessel, the crew had the advantage of them. For two successive days, while
perched up in the rigging, covered with tar and engaged in our disagreeable
work, we saw these fellows going ashore in the morning, and coming off again
at night, in high spirits. So much for being Protestants. There`s no danger of
Catholicism`s spreading in New England; Yankees can`t afford the time to be
Catholics. American shipmasters get nearly three weeks more labor out of their
crews, in the course of a year, than the masters of vessels from Catholic
countries. Yankees don`t keep Christmas, and shipmasters at sea never know
when Thanksgiving comes, so Jack has no festival at all.
About noon, a man aloft called out "Sail ho!" and looking round, we saw
the head sails of a vessel coming round the point. As she drew round, she
showed the broadside of a full-rigged brig, with the Yankee ensign at her
peak. We ran up our stars and stripes, and, knowing that there was no American
brig on the coast but ourselves, expected to have news from home. She
rounded-to and let go her anchor, but the dark faces on her yards, when they
furled the sails, and the Babel on deck, soon made known that she was from the
Islands. Immediately afterwards, a boat`s crew came aboard, bringing her
skipper, and from them we learned that she was from Oahu, and was engaged in
the same trade with the Ayacucho, Loriotte, etc., between the coast, the
Sandwich Islands, and the leeward coast of Peru and Chili. Her captain and
officers were Americans, and also a part of her crew; the rest were Islanders.
She was called the Catalina, and, like all the others vessels in that trade,
except the Ayacucho, her papers and colors were from Uncle Sam. They, of
course, brought us no news, and we were doubly disappointed, for we had
thought, at first, it might be the ship which we were expecting from Boston.
After lying here about a fortnight, and collecting all the hides the
place afforded, we set sail again for San Pedro. There we found the brig which
we had assisted in getting off lying at anchor, with a mixed crew of
Americans, English, Sandwich Islanders, Spaniards, and Spanish Indians; and,
though much smaller than we, yet she had three times the number of men; and
she needed them, for her officers were Californians. No vessels in the world
go so poorly manned as American and English; and none do so well. A Yankee
brig of that size would have had a crew of four men, and would have worked
round and round her. The Italian ship had a crew of thirty men; nearly three
times as many as the Alert, which was afterwards on the coast, and was of the
same size; yet the Alert would get under weight and come-to in half the
time, and get two anchors, while they were all talking at once - jabbering
like a parcel of "Yahoos," and running about decks to find their cat-block.
There was only one point in which they had the advantage over us, and
that was in lightening their labors in the boats by their songs. The Americans
are a time and money saving people, but have not yet, as a nation, learned
that music may be "turned to account." We pulled the long distances to and
from the shore, with our loaded boats, without a word spoken, and with
discontented looks, while they not only lightened the labor of rowing, but
actually made it pleasant and cheerful, but their music. So true is it, that -
"For the tired slave, song lifts the languid oar,
And bids it aptly fall, with chime
That beautifies that fairest shore,
And mitigates the harshest clime."
We lay about a week in San Pedro, and got under weigh for San Diego,
intending to stop at San Juan, as the south-easter season was nearly over,
and there was little or no danger.
This being the spring season, San Pedro, as well as all the other open
ports upon the coast, was filled with whales, that had come in to make their
annual visit upon soundings. For the first few days that we were here and at
Santa Barbara, we watched them with great interest - calling out "there she
blows!" every time we saw the spout of one breaking the surface of the water;
but they soon became so common that we took little notice of them. They often
"broke" very near us; and one thick, foggy night, during a dead calm, while I
was standing anchor-watch, one of them rose so near, that he struck our cable,
and made all surge again. He did not seem to like the encounter much himself,
for he sheered off, and spouted at a good distance. We once came very near
running one down in the gig, and should probably have been knocked to pieces
and blown sky-high. We had been on board the little Spanish brig, and were
returning, stretching out well at our oars, the little boat going like a
swallow; our backs were forward, (as is always the case in pulling,) and the
captain, who was steering, was not looking ahead, when, all at once, we heard
the spout of a whale directly ahead. "Back water! back water, for your lives!"
shouted the captain; and we backed our blades in the water and brought the
boat to in a smother of foam. Turning our heads, we saw a great, rough,
hump-backed whale, slowly crossing our fore foot, within three or four yards
of the boat`s stem. Had we not backed water just as we did, we should
inevitably have gone smash upon him, striking him with our stem just about
amidships. He took no notice of us, but passed slowly on, and dived a few
yards beyond us, throwing his tail high in the air. He was so near that we had
a perfect view of him and as may be supposed, had no desire to see him nearer.
He was a disgusting creature; with a skin rough, hairy, and of an iron-grey
color. This kind differs much from the sperm, in color and skin, and is said
to be fiercer. We was a few sperm whales; but most of the whales that come
upon the coast are fin-backs, hump-backs, and right-whales, which are
more difficult to take, and are said not to give oil enough to pay for the
trouble. For this reason whale-ships do not come upon the coast after them.
Our captain, together with Captain Nye of the Loriotte, who had been in a
whale-ship, thought of making an attempt upon one of them with two boats`
crews, but as we had only two harpoons and no proper lines, they gave it up.
During the months of March, April, and May, these whales appear in great
numbers in the open ports of Santa Barbara, San Pedro, etc., and hover off the
coast, while a few find their way into the close harbors of San Diego and
Monterey. They are all off again before midsummer, and make their appearance
on the "off-shore ground." We saw some fine "schools" of sperm whales, which
are easily distinguished by their spout, blowing away, a few miles to
windward, on our passage to San Juan.
Coasting along on the quiet shore of the Pacific, we came to anchor, in
twenty fathoms` water, almost out at sea, as it were, and directly abreast of
a steep hill which overhung the water, and was twice as high as our
royal-mast-head. We had heard much of this place, from the Lagoda`s crew, who
said it was the worst place in California. The shore is rocky, and directly
exposed to the south-east, so that vessels are obliged to slip and run for
their lives on the first sign of a gale; and late as it was in the season, we
got up our slip-rope and gear, though we meant to stay only twenty-four hours.
We pulled the agent ashore, and were ordered to wait for him, while he took a
circuitous way round the hill to the mission, which was hidden behind it. We
were glad of the opportunity to examine this singular place, and hauling the
boat up and making her well fast, took different directions up and down the
beach, to explore it.
San Juan is the only romantic spot in California. The country here for
several miles is high table-land, running boldly to the shore, and breaking
off in a steep hill, at the foot of which the waters of the Pacific are
constantly dashing. For several miles the water washes the very base of the
hill, or breaks upon ledges and fragments of rocks which run out into the sea.
Just where we landed was a small cove, or "bight," which gave us, at high
tide, a few square feet of sand-beach between the sea and the bottom of the
hill. This was the only landing-place. Directly before us, rose the
perpendicular height of four or five hundred feet. How we were to get hides
down, or goods up, upon the table-land on which the mission was situated, was
more than we could tell. The agent had taken a long circuit, and yet had
frequently to jump over breaks, and climb up steep places, in the ascent. No
animal but a man or monkey could get up it. However, that was not our
look-out; and knowing that the agent would be gone an hour or more, we
strolled about, picking up shells, and following the sea where it tumbled in,
roaring and spouting, among the crevices of the great rocks. What a sight,
thought I, must this be in a south-easter! The rocks were as large as those of
Nahant or Newport, but, to my eye, more grand and broken. Beside, there was a
grandeur in everything around, which gave almost a solemnity to the scene: a
silence and solitariness which affected everything! Not a human being but
ourselves for miles; and no sound heard but the pulsations of the great
Pacific! and the great steep hill rising like a wall, and cutting us off from
all the world, but the "world of waters!" I separated myself from the rest and
sat down on a rock, just where the sea ran in and formed a fine spouting horn.
Compared with the plain, dull sand-beach of the rest of the coast, this
grandeur was as refreshing as a great rock in a weary land. It was almost the
first time that I had been positively alone - free from the sense that human
beings were at my elbow, if not talking with me - since I had left home. My
better nature returned strong upon me. Everything was in accordance with my
state of feeling, and I experienced a glow of pleasure at finding that what of
poetry and romance I ever had in me, had not been entirely deadened by the
laborious and frittering life I had led. Nearly an hour did I sit, almost lost
in the luxury of this entire new scene of the play in which I had been so long
acting, when I was aroused by the distant shouts of my companions, and saw
that they were collecting together, as the agent had made his appearance, on
his way back to our boat.
We pulled aboard, and found the long-boat hoisted out, and nearly laden
with goods; and after dinner, we all went on shore in the quarter-boat, with
the long-boat in tow. As we drew in, we found an ox-cart and a couple of men
standing directly on the brow of the hill; and having landed, the captain took
his way round the hill, ordering me and one other to follow him. We followed,
picking our way out, and jumping and scrambling up, walking over briers and
prickly pears, until we came to the top. Here the country stretched out for
miles as far as the eye could reach, on a level, table surface; and the only
habitation in sight was the small white mission of San Juan Capistrano, with a
few Indian huts about it, standing in a small hollow, about a mile from where
we were. Reaching the brow of the hill where the cart stood, we found several
piles of hides, and Indians sitting round them. One or two other carts were
coming slowly on from the mission, and the captain told us to begin and throw
the hides down. This, then, was the way they were to be got down; thrown down,
one at a time, a distance of four hundred feet! This was doing the business on
a great scale. Standing on the edge of the hill and looking down the
perpendicular height, the sailors,
--- "That walk upon the beach,
Appeared like mice; and our tall anchoring bark
Diminished to her cock; her cock a buoy
Almost too small for sight."
Down this height we pitched the hides, throwing them as far out into the
air as we could; and as they were all large, stiff, and doubled, like the
cover of a book, the wind took them, and they swayed and eddied about,
plunging and rising in the air, like a kite when it has broken its string. As
it was now low tide, there was no danger of their falling into the water, and
as fast as they came to ground, the men below picked them up, and taking them
on their heads, walked off with them to the boat. It was really a picturesque
sight: the great height; the scaling of the hides; and the continual walking
to and fro of the men, who looked like mites, on the beach! This was the
romance of hide-droghing!
Some of the hides lodged in cavities which were under the bank and out of
our sight, being directly under us; but by sending others down in the same
direction, we succeeded in dislodging them. Had they remained there, the
captain said he should have sent on board for a couple of pairs of long
halyards, and got some one to have gone down for them. It was said that one of
the crew of an English brig went down in the same way, a few years before. We
looked over, and thought it would not be a welcome task, especially for a few
paltry hides; but no one knows what he can do until he is called upon; for,
six months afterwards, I went down the same place by a pair of top-gallant
studding-sail halyards, to save a half a dozen hides which had lodged there.
Having thrown them all down, we took our way back again, and found the
boat loaded and ready to start. We pulled off; took the hides all aboard;
hoisted in the boats; hove up our anchor; made sail; and before sundown, were
on our way to San Diego.
Friday, May 8th, 1835. Arrived at San Diego. Here we found the little
harbor deserted. The Lagoda, Ayacucho, Loriotte, and all, had left the coast,
and we were nearly alone. All the hide-houses on the beach, but ours, were
shut up, and the Sandwich Islanders, a dozen or twenty in number, who had
worked for the other vessels and been paid off when they sailed, were living
on the beach, keeping up a grand carnival. A Russian discovery-ship which
had been in this port a few years before, had built a large oven for baking
bread, and went away, leaving it standing. This, the Sandwich Islanders took
possession of, and had kept, ever since, undisturbed. It was big enough to
hold six or eight men - that is, it was as large as a ship`s forecastle; had a
door at the side, and a vent-hole at top. They covered it with Oahu mats,
for a carpet; stopped up the vent-hole in bad weather, and made it their
head-quarters. It was now inhabited by as many as a dozen or twenty men, who
lived there in complete idleness - drinking, playing cards, and carousing in
every way. They bought a bullock once a week, which kept them in meat, and one
of them went up to the town every day to get fruit, liquor, and provisions.
Besides this, they had bought a cask of ship-bread, and a barrel of flour
from the Lagoda, before she sailed. There they lived, having a grand time, and
caring for nobody. Captain T-- was anxious to get three or four of them to
come on board the Pilgrim, as we were so much diminished in numbers; and went
up to the oven and spent an hour or two trying to negotiate with them. One of
them, - a finely built, active, strong and intelligent fellow, - who was a
sort of king among them, acted as spokesman. He was called Mannini, - or
rather, out of compliment to his known importance and influence, Mr. Mannini -
and was known all over California. Through him, the captain offered them
fifteen dollars a month, and one month`s pay in advance; but it was like
throwing pearls before swine, or rather, carrying coals to Newcastle. So long
as they had money, they would not work for fifty dollars a month, and when
their money was gone, they would work for ten.
"What do you do here, Mr. Mannini?"^1 said the captain.
[Footnote 1: The letter i in the Sandwich Island language is sounded like e in
the English.]
"Oh, we play cards, get drunk, smoke - do anything we`re a mind to."
"Don`t you want to come aboard and work?"
"Aole! aole make make makou i ka hana. Now, got plenty money; no good,
work. Mamule, money pau - all gone. Ah! very good, work! - maikai, hana hana
nui!"
"But you`ll spend all your money in this way," said the captain.
"Aye! me know that. By-`em - by money pau - all gone; then Kanaka work
plenty."
This was a hopeless case, and the captain left them, to wait patiently
until their money was gone.
We discharged our hides and tallow, and in about a week were ready to set
sail again for the windward. We unmoored, and got everything ready, when the
captain made another attempt upon the oven. This time he had more regard to
the "mollia tempora fandi," and succeeded very well. He got Mr. Mannini in his
interest, and as the shot was getting low in the locker, prevailed upon him
and three others to come on boardewith their chests and baggage, and sent a
hasty summons to me and the boy to come ashore with our things, and join the
gang at the hide-house. This was unexpected to me; but anything in the way
of variety I liked; so we got ready, and were pulled ashore. I stood on the
beach while the brig got under weigh, and watched her until she rounded the
point, and then went up to the hide-house to take up my quarters for a few
months.
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