And then to be buried like a dog, nnlamented and unmourned, for he who falls in a duel seldom receives the sympathy that is shed for those that meet an honorable death. And as I before observed, then took the matter in hand, by laying before my young friend the dreadful consequences of being killed like a brute, representing to him the mistaken notions of honor, and the dreadful alternative he was about to resort to, in order to sustain that in which the very act of preserving it, was its complete annihilation. The young man shedding tears, said " that he well knew the result, and was not unmindful of what must follow. " If I am killed, oh! what will become of my dear mother?
My father may bear up under it, but it will kill my mother! And you know I cannot back out now; and suppose I should kill P, I should be miserable forever after, and if I don't fight, I shall be a disgrace to my mess." It being his watch he went out, and I went about the plan I had in view to end this unpleasant affair, and in conjunction with two others, not necessary to be named, it was talked over and arranged that a meeting should take place and one shot only exchanged, after which the matter should end, and the hand of friendship mutually given. It was also mutually understood that the shot was to do no harm.
It may be asked why it was necessary to meet, if a settlement was contemplated. I would answer that in cases where duels are not consummated, apologies are made from one of the parties; this generally leaves a sort of stigma upon him who makes the apology, and he is sometimes accused of being a coward. But when the parties meet and honorably (?) exchange a shot, then both of them are considered of the right stuff. I would just add that the young gentleman whom I have named as my friend in this matter, arrived to the hio-hest position in the navy, and is now one of our most accomplished and gallant post captains. I mentioned at the commencement of this cruise that we were bound to Columbia river, on the north-west coast, but on our arrival at Valparaiso we learned that the difficulty which had required our presence at Oregon was now adjusted, hence there was no necessity of our o-oinp; there.
We left San Bias and stood out four or five days to the westward, where we fell in with several whale ships, some of which had been very successful. We saw dead wh ales whifed° all around them. There was Capt. Chase, and Capt. Folger, and Capt. Putnam, and many other old worthies whose very names were a terror to whales, and it often happened that on meeting with a whaler, that there was some difficulty with the men, who were dissatisfied with whaling, and wanted to leave their ships. These matters were generally arranged between the two captains, as it always happened that we had a gang of turbulent fellows, continually making mischief which Ave were very glad to get rid of, so whenever an exchange was to be made, the word was passed fore and aft, " All you that want to go on board the ivhakr, lay aft on the qiiarter-deck" There was never any lack of candidates for a new ship, particularly among the class I have described, for two very important considerations weighed heavily in their favor.
The first, there was no " cat" nor boatswain's mate, on board a whaler; second, they were discharged from the naval service, and last, though by no means least, they were settled with and * Whtfed. — When more whales are killed than can be taken care of at the present time, a short staff with a flag upon it is stuck into the back of the whale so that they may be seen. had their cash; and if the kind whale-catching captain would give them a day's liberty on shore where any grog was to be had, he was pretty sure not to see them again until their money was gone. When the volunteers had all arranged themselves on the quarter-deck, our first lieutenant, Mr.
Maury, who had a keen eye, knew well who could be spared, and from these were selected the " whalers," and when the discontented men from the other ship had been received and their names on the ship's books, then the others went on board their new ship. I hardly ever knew a case where either party were much the gainers by the exchange. On our first arrival at Valparaiso, we put our beef and pork on shore, reserving it for the passage home, and taking on board in its stead, the salted meat of the country, which does not receive salt well, and but small quantities are taken on board at a time. Also, calculating to get fresh, meat at every stopping place, and it being now very evident that our cruise would be much longer than was at first anticipated, we wrere under the necessity of having the usual allowance reduced, as almost every article of provision was likely to fall short.