Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/400



392 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT

was an English ship in here a few days since, 13 months from London, with 2,000 bbls. of oil.

We are now ready for sea again as soon as we find men enough to make up our crew. The natives which we carried out have left us and one man left us which we shipt at the Islands and there has two deserted which came from Conn. with us. The same two left when were in here in the spring but Capt. Weeks brought them on board again and I expect he will do it again unless he gets his complement of men beside. It has got to be quite fashionable to leave ships here but I shall not leave the ship so long as there is a timber-head left. The ship Connecticut went out four or five days past. The first Mate was on board of us after breakfast. Said his d nd Indians would jump overboard and swim on shore faster than he could bring them off in a boat. The reason was this : they were green and the hands did not like to have them, so while they were at breakfast in the cabin they threw them over- board and told them to swim ashore. These Chanachers are as much at home when they get in the water as Alanson is when he gets in the sawmill. They make fishing a considerable branch of business. Their twine for their seins they manu- facture by their fingers. They are extremely fond of fish which they often devour right from the hook without favour or af- fection, no time to talk about blood and bones then. The most of them live in a very filthy situation ; very few of them wear any clothing but a narrow list around the middle. But I will say no more about this filthy race as I hope to leave them soon and go to sea. The Alexander is to go to sea tomorrow, wind and weather favourable. I expect to send this letter by her. I put two letters into the Sea Lion which sailed the first of Nov.

The last cruise out we went within eight or ten days' sail of China. I expect we shall have to take another look that way and I am in hopes to fill up there. I do not know but I shall see you and Alanson around here before I get back. If so, I advise you to bring many clothes with you and bring