They bought a bullock once a week, which
kept them in meat, and one of them went up to the town every day
to get fruit, liquor, and provisions. Besides this, they had
bought a cask of ship-bread, and a barrel of flour from the
Lagoda, before she sailed. There they lived, having a grand time,
and caring for nobody. Captain Thompson wished to get three or
four of them to come on board the Pilgrim, as we were so much
diminished in numbers, and went up to the oven, and spent an hour
or two trying to negotiate with them. One of them,-- a finely
built, active, strong, and intelligent fellow,-- who was a sort of
king among them, acted as spokesman. He was called Mannini,-- or
rather, out of compliment to his known importance and influence,
Mr. Mannini,-- and was known all over California. Through him, the
captain offered them fifteen dollars a month, and one month's pay
in advance; but it was like throwing pearls before swine, or,
rather, carrying coals to Newcastle. So long as they had money,
they would not work for fifty dollars a month, and when their
money was gone, they would work for ten.
``What do you do here, Mr. Mannini?''[1] said the captain.
``Oh! we play cards, get drunk, smoke,-- do anything we're a mind
to.
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