g
_Fox_ bound out round the Horn to the Sandwich Islands and the west
coast of North America," was the answer. "But I want to go home to
England," I exclaimed. "Well, then, I guess you had better get into
your basket, and wait till another vessel picks you up," replied the
captain, to whom I had addressed myself. "Thank you, I would rather
stay here with dry clothes on my back and something to eat," I said.
"Perhaps, however, captain, you will speak any homeward-bound vessel we
meet, and get her to take me?"

"Not likely to fall in with one," he observed. "You had better make the
best of things where you are."

"That's what I always try to do," I replied. "You are the right sort of
youngster for me, then," he said. "Only don't go boasting of your proud
little venomous island among my people. We are true Americans, fore and
aft, except some of the passengers, and they would be better off if they
would sink their notions and pay more respect to the stars and stripes.
However, you will have nothing to do with them, for you will do your
duty for'ard I guess." I thought it wiser to make no reply to these
remarks, and as the crew were just going to dinner, I gladly accompanied
them into their berth under the top-gallant forecastle. The crew, I
found, though American citizens, were of all nationalities--Danes, and
Swedes, and Frenchmen, with too or three mulattoes and a black cook.
They described Captain Pyke, for that was the master's name, as a
regular Tartar, and seemed to have no great love for him, though they
held him in especial awe. I was thankful at being so soon picked up,
but I would rather have found myself on board a different style of
craft. The cabin passengers were going out to join one of the
establishments of the great Fur Trading Company on the Columbia river.
They were pleasant, gentlemanly-looking men, and I longed to introduce
myself to them, as I was beginning to get somewhat weary of the rough
characters with whom I was doomed to associate. But from what the men
told me, I felt sure that if I did so I should make the captain my
enemy. He and they were evidently not on good terms. I got on,
however, pretty well with the crew, and as I could speak a little
French, I used to talk to the Frenchmen in their own language, my
mistakes affording them considerable amusement, though, as they
corrected me, I gradually improved.

Among the crew were two other persons whom I will particularly mentio