hands of the
barber. Close upon his heels came Jacob Simpson, the cook, who had
likewise undergone a renovating process that materially improved his
appearance, although as I looked at the man there was a something about
him that I did not quite like. For one thing, he seemed to remind me
vaguely of somebody else--though who, I could not for the life of me
say--who had left an unpleasant impression upon my mind; and, added to
this, he was afflicted with an affection of the voice--the result of
bush-fever, he informed me--which permitted him to speak only in a
hoarse whisper. Next came Peter Gale, the man who had undertaken to
perform the functions of steward, though he frankly admitted that he
knew little or nothing about the duties of the post. But, since a
steward we must have, and this man impressed me as being the most quiet
and likely man for the berth, I had chosen him, since he had professed
his readiness to try his hand and do his best. From this man I learned
the pleasing intelligence that the remainder of the men were following
him, and would be on board in about a quarter of an hour; so I
introduced him to the lazarette, and directed him to obtain the cook's
assistance to break out a fresh barrel of beef, and get a dinner under
way for the crew forthwith. About the time named by the steward, the
main body made their appearance and came quietly on board. There were
eight of them, namely, Hiram Barr and James Mckinley, Americans; Michael
O'Connor, an Irishman; Francois Bourdonnais, a Frenchman; Carl Strauss,
a German; Christian Christianssen, a Swede; Pedro Villar, a Portuguese;
and James Nicholson (nicknamed "San Domingo," from the island in which
he was born), a full-blooded negro. They constituted a distinctly
scratch crew, I was compelled to admit, as I watched them coming on
board; but they all understood and spoke English; and although, with all
their sprucing up, a few of them still wore a somewhat sinister
appearance, every man of them was, for a wonder, perfectly sober, and
they all bore themselves in a remarkably decent and orderly manner.
Moreover, the eight last enumerated had all shipped as able seamen. In
short, while perhaps they were not a crew that I would have selected
from choice, I considered myself marvellously lucky in getting even
them, and was more than content.

As soon as they were all aboard and had gone below, I sent word for'ard
by the steward that they were to employ the i