The ship leaked a good deal even in port, and by the captain's orders another man and myself had to pump her out, involving half an hour's work morning and night on a straight wooden pump handle. After the trouble we had on the last passage, I was astonished that new pumps had not been procured, and as I was in correspondence with the bookkeeper in the owner's office, in the course of a friendly letter I slipped in a word about the pumps. By return mail a letter came from the owner, telling the captain to get the best pumps that could be obtained. He told me this without suspicion of my agency in the matter, but remarked: "The owner is very ready to say get this or that, but when the bills come in he would find fault about the heavy disbursements." The ship went to sea without them and I felt very loth to go in her, for the only explanation that occurred to me was, that the captain wanted to get the ship into a port of distress, and have an underwriter's job, which would give him a chance to enrich his pockets with percentages. The person, who came to undertake the mate's duties for the voyage, was a young man of twenty-five years, named Wright, a native of Baltimore. He had received a liberal share of his education in the streets, and was familiar with the peculiarities of "Blood-tubs" and "Plug-uglies." But besides these questionable accomplishments he possessed a tall, manly form, a handsome, expressive face, and a clear eye, which, while it impressed one with its determination, also implied a nature that despised meanness. His manners were quite gentlemanly, and after a short intercourse with him I felt convinced that he was superior in natural gifts to any man I had yet sailed with; and I was much pleased with the change of mates. The ship had loaded a full cargo of Maryland tobacco, which comes in smaller casks than the Virginia, though still of good size, weighing upwards of nine hundred pounds. Several thousand staves had also been stowed away, to fill up all the spare room, and the ship's stores and water having been taken on board, she was ready for sea, and accordingly received the crew, and proceeded down the Chesapeake towards the sea. The crew, as usual upon the commencement of a voyage, were for the most part under the influence of liquor. The mate was very reserved in talking about sailors, and told no fighting stories, which I thought must be evidence that he was a peaceable man, and as they came over the rail and staggered into the forecastle, he had remarked to me; "We'll have 'em all straight in a day or two. I don't like a drunken row, and we must shut our eyes to some things the first day."