n on the west coast of America being at an end, he could
hardly expect a westward bound English or American ship to touch at St
Francisco for a considerable time to come. He had some notion of
proceeding by a coasting vessel to a more southerly port, when one morning
a fine brigantine hove in sight under a cloud of snow-white sail, and came
to an anchor in the bay. Upon going on board, he recognised all old
acquaintance in the captain of the Hound, whom he had formerly met--the
doctor has been a great rover--at a seaport in Chili. Captain Trainer was
trading along the coast, buying furs; had come into port for fresh water
and repairs; was off for a cruise in the Indian archipelago; and
calculated on winding it up by a visit to the Society Islands. The
prospect of variety and adventure held out by such a voyage exactly chimed
in with the doctor's undecided and erratic mood, as its projected
termination did with his promise to rejoin his ship at Tahiti; so, without
more ado, he made terms with his friend Trainer, and took up a passenger's
berth on board the Hound.

The schooner answering to this canine appellation was a rakish,
fast-sailing craft of two hundred tons burden, fitted out expressly for
the Pacific trade. She carried four small carronades and a long
nine-pounder, a sufficiency of small arms, and a smart crew of sixteen
hands. Boarding-nettings she had, too, ready to be triced up in case of
need; and altogether she had no occasion to dread any enemy she was at all
likely to meet. Her captain was an Englishman born, frank and fearless,
and a thorough sailor. Dr Coulter represents him as a kind-hearted and
humane man, desirous to trade fairly and amicably with the savages, and
not, after the fashion of many desperado skippers in those latitudes, to
clench his bargains by blows and bloodshed. This admitted, it must be
confessed that the captain was unfortunate; for during the time Dr Coulter
sailed with him, we find him continually at loggerheads with the natives.
For the most part, however, the strife was brought on by the treachery and
robber-like propensities of the latter, who, whilst trading with their
European customers, seldom neglect an opportunity of boarding their ships
and cutting their throats. As soon as a vessel comes to anchor they
surround it with their canoes, and show great anxiety to get on board,
especially the women, whom many vessels admit, but whom Captain Trainer
managed to keep off by taboo