Chapter 10 - Page 2

commandment of the Brooklyn Yard, and, after giving in our names, we
were advised to go on board the Epervier, which was then fitting out for
the Mediterranean, under the command of Captain Downes. To this we
objected, however, as we wanted a cruise ashore, before we took to the
water again. This was a lucky decision of ours, though scarcely to be
defended as to our views: the Epervier being lost, and all hands
perishing, a few months later, on her return passage from the Straits.

Captain Evans then directed us to report ourselves daily, which we did.
But the press of business at Washington prevented our cases from being
attended to; and being destitute of money, while wages were high, we
determined, with Captain Evans' approbation, to make a voyage, each, in
the merchant service, and to get our accounts settled on our return. Jack
Mallet, Barnet and I, shipped, therefore, in another brig called the
Venus, that was bound on a sealing voyage, as was thought, in some part of
the world where seals were said to be plenty. We were ignorant of the
work, or we might have discovered there was a deception intended, from the
outfit of the vessel. She had no salt even, while she had plenty of
cross-cut saws, iron dogs, chains, &c. The brig sailed, however, and stood
across the Atlantic, as if in good earnest. When near the Cape de Verds,
the captain called us aft, and told us he thought the season too far
advanced for sealing, and that, if we would consent, he would run down to
St. Domingo, and make an arrangement with some one there to cut mahogany
on shares, with fustick and lignum-vitæ. The secret was now out; but what
could we poor salts do? The work we were asked to do turned out to be
extremely laborious; and I suppose we had been deceived on account of the
difficulty of getting men, just at that time, for such a voyage. There we
were, in the midst of the ocean, and we agreed to the proposal, pretty
much as a matter of course.

The brig now bore up, and stood for St. Domingo. She first went in to the
city of St. Domingo, where the arrangements were made, and Spaniards were
got to help to cut the wood, when we sailed for a bay, of which I have
forgotten the name, and anchored near the shore. The trees were sawed
down, about ten miles up a river, and floated to its bar, across which
they had to be hauled by studding-sail halyards, through the surf; one man
hauling two logs at a time, made into a sort of raft. Sharks abounded, and
we had to keep a bright look-out, lest they got a leg while we were busy
with the logs. I had a narrow escape from two while we lay at St. Domingo.
A man fell overboard, and I went after him, succeeding in catching the
poor fellow. A boat was dropped astern to pick us up, and, as we hauled