had probably secreted himself in some inaccessible part of the island, it was decided that pursuit would be useless, and, accordingly we were compelled to sail without him.

After leaving Fayal, few incidents occurred until we arrived off the Horn; and, although a description of the passage would, doubtless interest the reader, I must omit unnecessary details, that I may arrive the sooner at the proper scene of my narrative.

CHAPTER II.

A PEEP AT THE WHALE FISHERY.

Doubling the Horn - Arrival at the Sandwich Islands - The Okotsk Sea-The first Whale-Surrounded by ice-floes-Sprung aleak- A specimen of our Captain's system of discipline - A successful season - Return to the Sandwich Islands — A squall.

UPON arriving off Cape Horn, we encountered the adverse gales and stormy weather common to that tempestuous locality. The Condor was kept for several days under close reefed fore and main top-sails, reefed spanker, and fore-top-mast stay-sail; and on more than one occasion, was hove to under storm staysails, or the lee clews of the main top-sail. She proved herself, however, to be a staunch and sea-worthy craft; and, after a brief delay, we succeeded in "doubling the Horn" without losing a single spar, or parting so much as

a rope-yarn.

Having fairly weathered the cape, we stood well to the westward for an offing, until we had given the land a wide berth; when we

crowded on all sail, squared the yards, and stood up for the coast of Chili.

We bowled along over the azure billows of the Pacific in magnificent style; wind and weather favoring us to a remarkable degree, until we had sighted the Chilian coast, when we shortened sail and stood in shore for a supply of water.

This being obtained, we stood off and on the cost for a fortnight under easy sail, seeing many whales, but capturing none of them in consequence of the captain's absence on board other ships. We did, indeed, succeed in fastening to one whale, which, however, unfortunately escaped, to the great disappointment of all hands.

Towards the latter part of December we bade farewell to the coast of Chili, and bore away for the Sandwich Islands. During our passage thither, we stopped for a day or two at Felix Island for the purpose of catching fish, an ample supply of which was obtained by a single day's fishing.

We then shaped our course for the port of Hilo, in the Sandwich islands, where we arriv ed on the 5th of March, 1857, and lay off and on for two weeks; supplying the ship mean

while, with water and fresh provisions. Our next port was Towehigh, where we remained three days, and obtained a supply of potatoes, after which we sailed for Lihinia. At the latter place we lay off and on the coast for several days, during which time the captain was constantly ashore, while his officers and crew were compelled to remain on board; their confinement being rendered the more irksome from their vicinity to the land, upon which they were not permitted to set foot.

After leaving Lihinia we shaped our course for Honalulu, where we remained but a single day; sailing thence, immediately, for Onehow, where we obtained a supply of yams, sweet potatoes, fowls and fresh pork.

Since our departure from the coast of Chili, a sharp lookout had constantly been kept for whales; and on several occasions, the welcome cry of "There she blows!" had sent a thrill of joy to our hearts; but, notwithstanding we had given chase to many of the "blubbery monsters," we had not, as yet, a single gallon of oil in our barrels.

As a natural consequence, the crew began to get disheartened, and to vent their ill-humor in muttered malediction upon the "unlucky

craft," into which they had been inveigled, by the specious promises of owners and captain. Many of the older sailors, indeed, declared that they had always considered the Condor an “unlucky ship," and had, from the first, predicted ill-luck and disappointment as the certain result of the voyage. In justice to the crew, however, I must state in this connection, that our want of success in catching whales, was not, by any means, the only cause for complaint in the Condor's forecastle.

From the commencement of the voyage, the discipline of the ship had been maintained with a degree of severity altogether uncalled for, and, in my opinion, unjustifiable. It is not my present intention, however, to cast reproach upon any one on board the Condor, or to complain of those who saw fit to exercise their "little brief authority" in such a rigid and uncompromising manner; but, I shall, in the course of my narrative, describe a few cases of punishment in which I was, myself, particularly concerned. In doing this, I shall "naught extenuate, nor set down aught in malice;" and having stated facts in plain terms, I shall leave the reader to judge for himself in regard to the treatment received by the crew of the Condor,