492 
THE AMERICAN BARK PALMETTO. 
ment on the Amoor, and was probably an American 
bark that had been long looked for with supplies from 
San Francisco. 
“How many fathoms can we carry in a straight line 
from here to where she is anchored?” continued the cap- 
tain. 
“You may steer straight for her and have three fa- 
thoms until within a mile of her, when you will find the 
water shoaling; and you must then keep to the southward 
until she bears , when you may steer again for her. 
You will find her anchored in about three fathoms water, 
though you will have to pass over as little as ‘a half two.' 
She has got the best berth for riding out a northeast gale; 
and you had better anchor near her, as there is a bank 
to seaward ^that will break the sea and give you a com- 
paratively quiet time.” 
We thanked the old fellow for his information, and 
offered to tow him that far on his route; but he had 
the modesty to decline, and we subsequently had cause 
to admire his foresight, for the tide ran so strong as we 
struck out into the stream that the “old John” had as 
much as she could do to drag herself through it. We 
w^ere determined to make him some return for his kind- 
ness, however, and so stuffed his hat and pockets full of 
cheroots and sardines as he went over the side. 
It took us several hours' hard steaming to reach the 
stranger, and there is no telling how much longer w^e 
might have been had not the flood-tide set in and given 
us a lift. The sun w^as just dropping behind the lowland 
to the westward as we let go our anchor and lowered a 
boat to board her. She proved to be the American 
