Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/357



covered but  before  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  for cargoes to  arrive  from  a  distance,  when  money  was plenty and  prices  had  advanced  in  some  instances  a thousand  per  cent,  the  trick  was  to  get  goods,  not  to sell  them. The two  chief  rival  firms  were  Charles  L. Ross,  and  Howard  &  Melius,  each  of  which  kept  a well-manned  boat  ready  on  the  instant  to  shoot  out  to- ward the Golden  Gate,  on  the  approach  of  any  mer- chant vessel, so  as  to  forestall  competitors  in  securing stock. To this  end  a  sharp  lookout  was  kept,  as  we may  easily  imagine,  and  every  means  adopted  at  once to catch  the  first  view  of  the  incoming  vessels  and blind the  eyes  of  the  others  to  the  welcome  sight. It happened one  opaque,  misty  morning  that  the  fog lifted for  a  moment  only,  just  long  enough  for  Ross' sentinel to  see  looming  seaward  a  magnificent  brig whose white  sails  in  the  vision  seemed  to  fill  the  whole ocean. Ross and  his  crew  were  soon  afloat,  pulling hard in  that  direction. So was  the  rival  boat,  for the watchers  had  been  watched,  and  such  movements w^ere well  understood. The advantage,  however,  was with R(jss,  who  beside  having  the  start,  knew  where the  vessel  lay  ;  and  by  puJling  stoutly  out  of  course and  then  escaping  them  in  the  fog,  he  threw  his  com- petitors ofi:'  the  scent,  found  the  brig,  crawled  up  the sides  to  the  deck,  and  as  coolly  as  possible  after  the fancy  of  Yankee  traders,  saluted  the  captain  and opened  negotiations.  "What  ye  got?"  demanded Ross.  "Waal,"  the  captain  began,  "there's  some woolen  shirts,  a  hundred   and   fifty   or  two  hundred

dozen "    "Stop   a  moment,"  exclaimed  Ross  who

plainly heard  the  sound  of  oars  approaching  every moment nearer,  "what'll  you  take  for  everything  on board?" " Oh,  I  guess  you  are  joking,"  simpered  the skipper. "No, I  am  not  joking,"  said  Ross,  drawing from his  pocket  a  handful  of  yellow  gold. "What advance on  your  invoices  will  you  take  for  all  the merchandise  in  your  ship?" The skipper  pondered, not failing  to  notice  the  rapidly  increasing  noise  of