— Mode of teaching, — Females not educated, — Prepare to paint ship, — Mix paint, — Propensity for whiskey, — Rather dangerous gratification, — Money, — Comes on board,— Holders, — Temptation,— Cut open a sack, — Steal the money, — Confined in irons, — How he was flogged, — Further punishment,— Sail for Callao, — Arrival, — Prisoners in the castle impatient, — Death, — Joy at seeing the Frigate, — Their liberation, — Narrow escape of a prisoner, — Cochrane's wrath at the cutting out affair, — Pleasing manner in which the news was received at Callao, — Repair several merchant ships, — Receive my pay on shore, — Stratagem to secure the money, — Successful in getting on board the ship, — Visit to Lima, — Hotel", — No sleeping room, — landlord afraid to interfere, fearing he should lose their blessing — People wish a change in the fovernment, — Ladies all patriots, — Visit the Cathedral, — Description — ingular manner of treating the dead, — Return to Callao, — Large amount of specie on board the Frigate, — Sail for Valparaiso, — Something about the Baron, — Improvement in Valparaiso, — Murder of an old blacksmith, — Roguery, — Death of a lieutenant, — Pirates, — Sail for home, — Stop at Rio Janeiro, — Singular looking savages,— Visit an orange plantation, — Politeness of a Portuguese lady, — Landing slaves from a slaver, — Feeding them, — Sail for Boston, — Settle for life, — Commendable freak of a lieutenant, — Remarks.
When we arrived, a messenger was dispatched to Arequipa, to acquaint the merchants of our arrival, also to request them to be expeditious in getting their money on board the frigate. We expected to remain here at least twenty days. The climate "being exceedingly dry. it was concluded to paint ship, although it was an uncomfortable place to lie in, on account of a very heavy swell continually coming in from sea, which kept the ship rolling, almost guns under. As the paint department was under my charge, was ordered to have verdigris enough mixed to paint the inside of the bulwarks on the spar-deck. I took a clean beef barrel, and put in a sufficient quantity of verdigris, and oil enough to mix it; but having no spirits of turpentine, as a substitute put in five gallons of whiskey.
It was stirred up and well mixed to be ready for use on the following morning. At about eleven o'clock, I heard on the forward part of the gun-deck, a dreadful groaning with distressing efforts to vomit. There appeared to be much commotion among the men, I took no more notice of it and went to sleep again. Next morning I found out the cause of the trouble. These fellows who had been taken so suddenly ill, had seen me put the whiskey in the paint, and having a sufficient knowledge of chemistry to know that whiskey was one thing and verdigris another, and of course, after the heavier had settled, the lighter body would remain above, perfectly homogeneous. On the strength of this known fact, after the hammocks were piped down, and all was still, these "jolly Jack tars w stood around the paint barrel, anxiously waiting the time for nature to do her work; but being rather impatient, as the old dame was not to be hurried, they concluded to taste, so in went one tin pot, and then another, and instead of tasting it, when the tin pot was once at the mouth, in consequence of its having oil with it, the good stuff was so slippery, that a good half pint went down each throat, before the pot was removed.
There must have been a great many at this banquet, for in the morning there was not a half a pint of whiskey left out of the five gallons. I made no complaint about it, but drew from the purser's steward five gallons more, and commenced using the paint. About the time we had got through painting, the money began to arrive from Arequipa; we could see the mules coming over the mountain paths, like a string of ants, it came in green hide sacks, each holding about $2,000 and each mule carrying two sacks, there were also cakes of virgin silver, each weighing $1,500. This money was stowed in the spirit room. There are always men belonging to the hold called " holders," one of which is appointed captain, or, as he is called, " captain of the hold," and their duty is most generally below, getting out beef and pork, serving out water, keeping the cable tiers in order, &c.