THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 359 



were mostly green, to run away, as for the purpose of refit- 

 ting, as he knew they would be useless thereafter. In this 

 design he was not thwarted. Most of them promptly de- 

 serted, having had enough of wrestling with the fighting 

 whale of the La Plata. 



Two years from home, and we are again swinging around 

 the old orbit. As history repeats itself, so we double back 

 on our old track ; to the Galapagos for terrapin, and a renew- 

 al of the old delights in Nature's desolations ; to the Cocos 

 Islands for water, and refreshment of the soul in the fertili- 

 ty and beauty of Nature's garden ; to the Galapagos once 

 more, where four men desert in a boat; to Payta, with its 

 filth, drunkenness, and prostitution, until on April 4, of the 

 third year out, we are in lat. 23 10' S., long. 118 27' W., 

 running south-west. We have been picking up whales now 

 and again, and adding to our experience, without meeting 

 incidents which would bear repetition. We were disap- 

 pointed -in not touching at Easter Island, which we passed 

 to the leeward. Took two more whales, and stood for Cal- 

 lao, to recruit. 



May 28. We gladly came to anchor in the fine harbor of 

 Callao. Hungry for the land, while I was furling sails my 

 eyes wandered up the beautiful valley, through which runs 

 the Rimac River, to the famed city of Lima, situated some 

 three leagues inland, and I felt keenly that, with the oppor- 

 tunity and desire to see so much of exceeding interest to 

 me, my short liberty on shore and my very limited means, 

 would preclude all hope of visiting a place of such historic 

 interest. But I am only a whaleman, not a traveler; my 

 business is to fasten only to such events as may rise within 

 dart of my boat. Farewell, then, to the turbulent city of 

 the Pizarros, once a gem in the crown of Spain. 



Inside of us lay anchored the North Carolina, the Pea- 

 cock, sloop of war, the United States schooner Enterprise, 



