By the 24th we had succeeded in getting all our cargo, provisions, ballast, etc., on board and commenced rigging the ship. The Captain then contracted with one of the principal Chiefs to build three houses on shore for the purpose of curing beche-le-mer at a place called Sub-a-Sub, and on the 9th of December, the first and third officers, with 10 men, went on shore, the houses having been completed, and commenced purchasing beche-le-mer of the natives. The beche-le-mer[18] is a sort of animal found on the sandy reefs, which very much resembles a leech or blood-sucker in shape, but is much larger. They are supposed to get their sustenance from the slime, which collects on the reefs and shoals so numerous among these islands. The natives obtain them by going onto the reefs when the tide is low, collecting them in baskets made for the purpose from the leaves of the cocoanut tree. They brought them on to the beach near to our house where we purchased them. We then carried the fish into the pot-house and boiled them; then into the drying-house where they were dried by means of fire. When they are considered as cured they are much reduced in size and very hard, but when stowed in the ship they soon become more soft and very much resemble India rubber. We employed great numbers of the natives, frequently upwards of 80 canoes averaging 10 men each, besides great numbers on shore procuring wood (of which we used great quantities) and assisting us in curing the cargo. The principal articles of trade were muskets, ammunition, whales’ teeth, iron tools, beads and ornaments. Tortoise shell and sandalwood we also purchased of the natives. The turtles they catch with large nets made of the fibres of the cocoanut husk in the making of which they are very expert. On the 10th of December we got underweigh and ran in towards the shore near to our fish houses and proceeded to finish rigging the ship and repairing damages. After three or four days, finding it difficult to proceed from our unacquaintance with their language, we shipped an interpreter[19] from the brig _Quill_, also a number of seamen who were acquainted with the method of curing the fish. We also purchased the kettle of Capt. Kinsman (ours being too small to make any progress) and proceeded to purchase the fish of the natives again. On the 21st the brig _Quill_ sailed for Manilla, having on board about 800 piculs[20] of beche-le-mer, tortoise shell, etc. She returned on the 23rd, in consequence of a head-wind, but sailed again on the first of January. Jan. 11th, 1830, Seth Richardson died on board the ship. He belonged to Salem and had been complaining nearly all the voyage.