"Bruce In Bangkok" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:14:44 +0100, "Edgar"
wrote:
"Two Years Before the Mast"
What a great book. Haven't heard the title mentioned in a long time.
I reread it earlier this year and it is a most interesting account of life
aboard ship around the 1830's and a good picture of Southern California in
those days..
Interesting how they went across to the west coast of USA and stayed there
for two years while they steadily filled the hold with hides, compressing
them down with levers until sometimes the pressure would lift a ships deck
up off its beams. I presume they were buffalo hides so no wonder there are
not so many of these animals left. I doubt there were enough people there
in those days to eat all the carcasses so they must have all been wasted.
And then there is the bit about a shipmate who fell off the ice covered
yardarms while running towards Cape Horn and they had no option but to
sail
on while his cries faded away astern...
I wonder if it is still in print. My copy came from a s/h bookshop and was
inscribed as a Christmas present to someone in December 1900.


It's been years since I read the book but I have the idea that these
were cattle hides. Isn't there something in the book about being
anchored near some ranch and the ranch hands throwing dried hides down
a cliff so the crew could load them aboard?
Cheers,


I have dipped again into my book and think you may be right as when at San
Pedro loading hides it is mentioned that there is a large cattle ranch
somewhat inland. And yes they did throw them down a cliff and because the
rough stony beach quickly wore out their valuable shoes, they carried the
hides on their heads down to the ships boat while barefoot.
However he also says that the number of hides was becoming less as the years
progressed, which is not surprising since one single ship was loaded with no
less than forty thousand hides and a smaller ship carried only thirty
thousand.
I came across some gems too:-
"The Californians are an idle, thriftless people, and can make nothing for
themselves"
"San Diego (he told me) was a small snug place, having very little trade,
but decidedly the best harbour on the coast, being completely landlocked,
and the water as smooth as a duckpond"

I think it is time I reread the whole book.