338 NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, 



interrupted our musical exercises. Captain B ordered 



us into the boat and paid out the line astern ; but Hinton fin- 

 ished his song, as he felt our friends were entitled to it, and 

 I can aver that he never was in finer voice, or sang better ; 

 all of which led us to an increased love for the " blasted 

 Hinglish," you may be sure. The Caroline hailed, "Twenty- 

 one months out, with five hundred barrels of oil." 



July 4. No whales to aid us in celebrating our nation's 

 birthday. "We did our best in having a good time. Our 

 two rusty old guns were sealed in a salute of one gun for 

 each hundred barrels of oil we had in the hold ten in all. 

 Our banquet consisted of a Hawaiian pig in sea-pie, yams, 

 onions, the everlasting pumpkin-pie, and a mince-pie, made 

 of goat's meat, dried apples, and raisins, enlivened with lime- 

 juice, and flavored with New England rum. Our Kanakas 

 thought Fourth of July " belly miti," and inquired how often 

 it came in the year. Toasts were drank in the usual order. 

 The cook had won our hearts with his mince-pie, and the 

 captain secured our votes at next election by sending for- 

 ward a can of grog for each and every man of us. We could 

 not afford a libation to the gods ; but we divided the " swig " 

 into two equal portions, one to the toast " Our Country," and 



the other to " Captain B 's good health, and early return 



home with a full ship." A patriotic speech, which captain 

 and mates cheered, wound up the ceremonies ; but I felt sad 

 to think that only nine Americans were left on board to 

 " celebrate the day." 



