the ground-floor.

The whole furniture of each Indian family would not cost ten dollars.

We stopped at Corn Island, collected all the return we could obtain, and
sailed for New-York, where we arrived about the first of January, 1820,
without any particular incident worth notice, discharged the cargo,
settled with my owners, and returned to Catskill, where I found my
family in the enjoyment of their usual health. I now determined to
remain at home during the winter, and enjoy some repose from the toils
of the sea, having spent but five or six weeks with my family during the
last five years.

I now entered into an agreement, in company with Mr. Apollos Cooke,
merchant, of Catskill, to open a trade from that place to the West
Indies. During the winter we purchased a cargo of lumber for that
market, intending to charter or purchase a vessel to carry it there as
soon as the navigation of the Hudson River opened.

CHAPTER XVII.

Schooner Enterprise.

Early in the month of March, 1820, I proceeded to New-York, for the
purpose of chartering or purchasing a vessel to carry our timber to the
West India market, and spent a few days in the city on that business.
While sitting at the breakfast table one morning, I was asked by a
ship-master, an old acquaintance, if I did not want to take a voyage to
Bermuda. I replied no; that I came to New-York to charter a vessel to go
to Catskill, and take in a cargo of lumber there. He said he thought I
might make some sale or contract for it in that place. Here our
conversation ended, and I thought no more about it. After breakfast he
asked me to take a walk with him. When we had journeyed some little
distance, we met a man with whom he passed the usual compliment of good
morning, and said, "This is Captain Dunham, of whom I spoke to you." He
asked me what wages I would require to take charge of a schooner to go
to Bermuda. I told him fifty dollars per month. He said he had agreed
with a captain to go the voyage for forty dollars per month, but he was
unfortunately taken sick and could not go. I bid him good morning, and
had proceeded a few rods when he called on me to stop, saying he would
split the difference with me. I told him I would go. He then took me
into a store, saying, "There is your mate and crew, and I wish you to
take them to a Notary Public's office in Pine-street, and have the
shipping papers made out, and I will come there with the money and pay
the expenses;"