" A hundred dollars" was the answer. " 1 will give you seventy-five. " " Very well,'7 says the pilot, " we '11 come along-side." The boat came and threw on board some fine codfish, and the fellow jumped on deck, and in a pompous manner stepped upon the round-house and cast a sort of knowing eye aloft, saying, <k give her the muslin— let her wear it." We loosed the top-gallant sails, and royals, and hauled on board the main tack. He gave the course, and then asked the steward for a glass of brandy. The decanter was brought to him, from which he helped himself very freely, and was soon stowed away behind the wheel-house drunk. He came to himself again towards night, urging as an excuse for getting drunk, that he had been suffering from a severe pain in his bowels, and a very little overcame him.
The captain forbid the steward's giving him any more grog. He was on deck all night continually altering the course from three to four points, and in the morning freely owned that he did not know where we were, although we knew ourselves by the soundino-s to be near Boston Bay. At 3 P. M. saw the pilot-boat ahead, and the old veteran Wilson came on board. Now we were all right. Our quondam Vineyard pilot nowT skulked behind the round-house, and did not show himself until the ship had anchored. Whether he was paid or not I don't know. The pilot told me that the Macedonian frigate was lying in the harbor, fitted for a cruise to the North-West Coast of America.
She was commanded by Captain Downes, my former captain, was nearly ready for sea, and wTould sail in a few days. As we were passing her, running slow, and being very near, I heard the boatswain's mate call away the second cutter, and saw my old friend Lieut. Maury, (our first officer on board the sloop-of-war Ontario) get into the boat. I knew in a moment what all this meant. It was known that we were expected every hour, and my furlough being out, this was to be my next ship. The boat came along-side, and Mr. Maury was received at the gangway by Mr. Leach. Mr. M. asked for me, and when he had shaken hands, said he had come on board at the request of captain Downes, who wished me to get ready as soon as possible and join the ship.
He also invited me to call on board and see him before I went on shore, which I did; had a very pleasant interview, and then went on shore to my friends. Next morning our ship hauled into the wharf at Charlestown. I went on board for my luggage. G d came down shortly after, rigged as a nabob. The captain had just gone into the cabin, when G d went aft. Looking down and seeing no one there but the captain, he stepped on to the cabin-stairs, shut the doors and went below, took off his coat and turned to upon the old fellow and gave him a sound beating. There said he, " You struck me on the passage home, when I could not help myself, and now I have paid you off." He put on his coat and went on shore.
My next business was to prepare for a three-year's cruise. Captain Downes wished me to come on board as early as possible to see about the stores belonging to the carpenter's department, as that had not yet been attended to. In two days I reported myself ready for duty, and was ordered by the first lieutenant to go with the launch to the Navy Yard, and select some oak and pine lumber for the cruise, and as we were shoving off, he says, " Select only what you think will he necessary until we arrive on the coast; then we can get plenty. I do not wish to have the ship too much lumbered up." " Aye, Aye, sir, said I," and went off.
On arriving at the Navy Yard, I met Commodore Hull who appeared glad to see me, and gave orders to the store-keeper to deliver what I wanted. My first selection was twelve white-oak mast-fishes suitable for fishing a frigate's mast, four gun-carriage pieces, six inches thick, seven feet long, and eighteen wide; also a number of pine plank, and some short pieces of oak of various thicknesses. When 1 got along-side, a.s I had previously expected, got a blowing up, for brinffinff olf so much --useless lumber, The second lieutenant, (now one of the oldest and most respectable post-captains in the Navy), refused to take it on board, without first, consulting Mr..Maury. It was finally hoisted on board, and snugly stowed on the booms.