One Proposed
Refusing To Work; But That Was Mutiny, And Of Course Was Rejected
At Once.
I remember, too, that one of the men quoted "Father
Taylor," (as they call the seamen's preacher at Boston,) who told
them that if they were ordered to work on Sunday, they must not
refuse their duty, and the blame would not come upon them.
After
breakfast, it leaked out, through the officers, that if we would get
through our work soon, we might have a boat in the afternoon and
go fishing. This bait was well thrown, and took with several who
were fond of fishing; and all began to find that as we had one thing
to do, and were not to be kept at work for the day, the sooner we
did it, the better.
Accordingly, things took a new aspect; and before two o'clock this
work, which was in a fair way to last two days, was done; and five of
us went a fishing in the jolly-boat, in the direction of Point Pinos;
but leave to go ashore was refused. Here we saw the Loriotte, which
sailed with us from Santa Barbara, coming slowly in with a light
sea-breeze, which sets in towards afternoon, having been becalmed
off the point all the first part of the day. We took several fish
of various kinds, among which cod and perch abounded, and F - - -,
(the ci-devant second mate,) who was of our number, brought up with
his hook a large and beautiful pearl-oyster shell. We afterwards
learned that this place was celebrated for shells, and that a small
schooner had made a good voyage, by carrying a cargo of them to
the United States.
We returned by sun-down, and found the Loriotte at anchor,
within a cable's length of the Pilgrim. The next day we were
"turned-to" early, and began taking off the hatches, overhauling
the cargo, and getting everything ready for inspection. At eight,
the officers of the customs, five in number, came on board,
and began overhauling the cargo, manifest, etc.
The Mexican revenue laws are very strict, and require the whole
cargo to be landed, examined, and taken on board again; but our
agent, Mr. R - - -, had succeeded in compounding with them for the
two last vessels, and saving the trouble of taking the cargo ashore.
The officers were dressed in the costume which we found prevailed
through the country. A broad-brimmed hat, usually of a black or
dark-brown color, with a gilt or figured band round the crown, and
lined inside with silk; a short jacket of silk or figured calico,
(the European skirted body-coat is never worn;) the shirt open in the
neck; rich waistcoat, if any; pantaloons wide, straight, and long,
usually of velvet, velveteen, or broadcloth; or else short breeches
and white stockings. They wear the deer-skin shoe, which is of a
dark-brown color, and, (being made by Indians,) usually a good deal
ornamented. They have no suspenders, but always wear a sash round
the waist, which is generally red, and varying in quality with the
means of the wearer. Add to this the never-failing cloak, and you
have the dress of the Californian. This last garment, the cloak, is
always a mark of the rank and wealth of the owner. The "gente de razón,"
or aristocracy, wear cloaks of black or dark blue broadcloth, with as
much velvet and trimmings as may be; and from this they go down to the
blanket of the Indian; the middle classes wearing something like a
large table-cloth, with a hole in the middle for the head to go through.
This is often as coarse as a blanket, but being beautifully woven with
various colors, is quite showy at a distance. Among the Mexicans there is
no working class; (the Indians being slaves and doing all the hard work;)
and every rich man looks like a grandee, and every poor scamp like a
broken-down gentleman. I have often seen a man with a fine figure,
and courteous manners, dressed in broadcloth and velvet, with a noble
horse completely covered with trappings; without a real in his pocket,
and absolutely suffering for something to eat.
CHAPTER XIII
TRADING - A BRITISH SAILOR
The next day, the cargo having been entered in due form, we began
trading. The trade-room was fitted up in the steerage, and furnished
out with the lighter goods, and with specimens of the rest of the
cargo; and M - - -, a young man who came out from Boston with us,
before the mast, was taken out of the forecastle, and made supercargo's
clerk. He was well qualified for the business, having been clerk in a
counting-house in Boston. He had been troubled for some time with
the rheumatism, which unfitted him for the wet and exposed duty of
a sailor on the coast. For a week or ten days all was life on board.
The people came off to look and to buy - men, women, and children;
and we were continually going in the boats, carrying goods and
passengers, - for they have no boats of their own. Everything must
dress itself and come aboard and see the new vessel, if it were only
to buy a paper of pins. The agent and his clerk managed the sales,
while we were busy in the hold or in the boats. Our cargo was an
assorted one; that is, it consisted of everything under the sun.
We had spirits of all kinds, (sold by the cask,) teas, coffee, sugars,
spices, raisins, molasses, hardware, crockery-ware, tinware, cutlery,
clothing of all kinds, boots and shoes from Lynn, calicoes and cottons
from Lowell, crepes, silks; also shawls, scarfs, necklaces, jewelry,
and combs for the ladies; furniture; and in fact, everything that can
be imagined, from Chinese fire-works to English cart-wheels - of which
we had a dozen pairs with their iron rims on.
The Californians are an idle, thriftless people, and can make
nothing for themselves.
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