THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 95 



with luxuriant vegetation, while here, for hundreds of miles, 

 not a trace of leaf or shrub was discernible from the ship's 

 deck : a great desolate stretch, without a sign of life. And 

 this was the home of the Incas ! 



We passed leisurely down this coast, much enjoying the 

 tranquillity of the seas, the constant clear, dry weather, and 

 the grand panorama of mountain scenery. But we saw no 

 whales. Touching at Callao only to send a boat in to com- 

 municate with the Brandywine, frigate, we stood .down the 

 coast for the port of Payta, crossing several schools of 

 whales without making a single capture. In running into 

 the harbor, we spoke the Washonk, of Falmouth, whose 

 tragical history will fill a future page. We hailed, " Five 

 months from home, with eighty-five barrels of oil." 



These five months seemed interminable to the youngsters. 

 We longed for the land for any land in any clime. A ver- 

 itable homesickness it was that came over us. We were 

 of the dust, and unto dust we would return. But the 

 cruel captain said " nay " to our pleading looks, for he was 

 not unnaturally anxious to report more than a single whale 

 before the anchor went down. Yet, gooci soul that he 

 was, he could not refuse his "merrie men" a taste of the 

 earth's fruits ; and while we were lying-to he sent a boat 

 on board a whale -ship at anchor, and bought a load of 

 onions and sweet -potatoes. His proceeding, it seemed, 

 however, was contrary to a port regulation requiring ves- 

 sels to come to anchor and pay port dues before purchasing 

 supplies. 



The captain, after his trifling trade, proceeded to shore, 

 and left us to take the vegetables on board, and then return 

 for him. Our proceedings were watched from a Peruvian 

 armed vessel, the Libertadj and when we were returning 

 for the captain her boat put off with evident intent to inter- 

 cept us. But it was not in the timber of any man-of-war's 



