He made it a
point to get drunk every time he went to the presidio, when he
always managed to sleep on the road, and have his money stolen
from him. These, with a Chilian and half a dozen Kanakas, formed
the addition to our company.
In about six weeks from the time when the Pilgrim sailed, we had
all the hides which she left us cured and stowed away; and having
cleared up the ground and emptied the vats, and set everything in
order, had nothing more to do, until she should come down again,
but to supply ourselves with wood. Instead of going twice a week
for this purpose, we determined to give one whole week to getting
wood, and then we should have enough to last us half through the
summer. Accordingly we started off every morning, after an early
breakfast, with our hatchets in hand, and cut wood until the sun
was over the point,-- which was our mark for noon, as there was
not a watch on the beach,-- and then came back to dinner, and
after dinner started off again with our hand-cart and ropes, and
carted and ``backed'' it down until sunset. This we kept up for a
week, until we had collected several cords,-- enough to last us
for six or eight weeks,-- when we ``knocked off'' altogether, much
to my joy; for, though I liked straying in the woods, and cutting,
very well, yet the backing the wood for so great a distance, over
an uneven country, was, without exception, the hardest work I had
ever done.
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