Dana, Richard Henry, 1815-1882; Sailors; Seafaring life; Voyages and travels
away for his misconduct. He spent his own money and nearly all the
stores among the half-bloods upon the beach, and being turned away,
went up to the Presidio, where he lived the life of a desperate
"loafer," until some rascally deed sent him off "between two days,"
with men on horseback, dogs, and Indians in full cry after him, among
the hills. One night, he burst into our room at the hide-house,
breathless, pale as a ghost, covered with mud, and torn by thorns and
briers, nearly naked, and begged for a crust of bread, saying he had
neither eaten nor slept for three days. Here was the great Mr.
Russell, who a month before was "Don Tomàs," "Capitán de la playa,"
"Maéstro de la casa," etc., etc., begging food and shelter of Kanakas
and sailors. He staid with us till he gave himself up, and was dragged
off to the calabozo.
Another, and a more amusing specimen, was one whom we saw at San
Francisco. He had been a lad on board the ship California, in one of
her first voyages, and ran away and commenced Ranchéro, gambling,
stealing horses, etc. He worked along up to San Francisco, and was
living on a rancho near there, while we were in port. One morning,
when we went ashore in the boat, we found him at the landing-place,
dressed in California style,--a wide hat, faded velveteen trowsers, and
a blanket cloak thrown over his shoulders--and wishing to go off in the
boat, saying he was going to paseár with our captain a little. We had
many doubts of the reception he would meet with; but he seemed to think
himself company for any one. We took him aboard, landed him at the
gangway, and went about our work, keeping an eye upon the quarter-deck,
where the captain was walking. The lad went up to him with the most
complete assurance, and raising his hat, wished him a good afternoon.
Captain T---- turned round, looked at him from head to foot, and saying
coolly, "Hallo! who the h--- are you?" kept on his walk. This was a
rebuff not to be mistaken, and the joke passed about among the crew by
winks and signs, at different parts of the ship. Finding himself
disappointed at headquarters, he edged along forward to the mate, who
was overseeing some work on the forecastle, and tried to begin a yarn;
but it would not do. The mate had seen the reception he had met with
aft, and would have no cast-off company. The second mate was aloft,
and the third mate and myself were painting the quarter-boat, which
hung by the davits, so he betook himself to us; but we looked at one
another, and the officer was too busy to say a word. From us, he went
to one and another of the crew, but the joke had got before him, and he
found everybody busy and silent. Looking over the rail a few moments
afterward, we saw him at the galley-door talking to the cook. This was
a great comedown, from the highest seat in the synagogue to a seat in
the galley with the black cook. At night, too, when supper was called,
he stood in the waist for some time, hoping to be asked down with the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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