ak, where the weather is so mild
that sailors are working on board vessels with no clothing except shirts
and trowsers, while the Peak is covered with snow. Our pilot informed me
that snow fell on the Peak every month in the year except March. The
snow, from the appearance, forms a body of ice, and the brilliant rays
of the sun at its rising are reflected on this ice-capped mountain with
such dazzling light that the beholder is struck with awe as he surveys
this mighty wonder of the world. I had but one opportunity to visit the
shore, where I remained but a few moments while signing a protest. My
short stay prevents my giving the reader any description of the place.

We employed two native carpenters to repair the damages the schooner had
received on the passage, they came on board early every morning,
bringing their dinners with them, which consisted of a six cent loaf of
wheat bread, one head of lettuce, and a bottle of wine; this being the
only food they had. At twelve o'clock they sat down on deck, made their
meal and drank the wine. They brought on board a few very coarse
carpenter's tools, among which was a hand-saw that attracted my
particular attention, as it had a small hole in the point of it, through
which they put a nail gimblet; when they wanted to split a board they
lined in the usual manner, then placed one end on the deck and raised
the other end up to an angle of about forty-five degrees, being
supported by a saw-bench, when one of them took the saw by the handle in
the common way, while the other put the gimblet through the hole in the
point, which he took hold of by placing his fingers on both sides of the
blade, and assisted in drawing the saw through the board, his comrade
shoving on the other end; this was the first time I ever knew that it
took two men to work one hand-saw.

The expenses of repairs here are very great. I think one American
carpenter will perform more labor in one day than six of those natives.

We were detained here a long time in discharging our cargo for want of
lighters, being obliged to land it in small boats, which made but a few
trips on shore each day, the same boats bringing back our return cargo.
Our supply of fire wood getting very short we inquired the price of that
article on shore, and found that they asked twenty dollars per cord for
it. We purchased a few sacks of coal for the return passage. After
remaining here some weeks we sailed for New-York, where we shortly