vi 
PREFACE. 
his Highness the Imanm of Muscat. On my return 
to Washington, I labored hard for four years on Bank 
statistics and Treasury reports, by which time, in order 
to take the new administration by the fore-lock, I de¬ 
termined to start for the East again. The only chance 
I had of getting there was, to accept of an appointment 
as third lieutenant in the Revenue service, and go to 
California, and thence to Oregon, where I was to re¬ 
port for duty. On the voyage to Rio, a difficulty 
occurred between the captain and the passengers of 
the vessel, and we were detained there nearly a month. 
I took part with the rebels, because I believed them to 
be right. The captain was deposed by the American 
consul, and the command of the vessel was offered to 
me; but having taken an active part against the late 
captain, I could not with propriety accept the offer. A 
whaling captain, who had lost his vessel near Buenos 
Ayres, was placed in the command, and we proceeded 
on our voyage round Cape Horn. After a long and 
dreary passage we made the island of Juan Fernandez. 
In company with ten of the passengers, I left the ship 
seventy miles out at sea, and went ashore in a small 
boat, for the purpose of gathering up some tidings 
in regard to my old friend Robinson Crusoe. What 
befell us on that memorable expedition is fully set 
forth in a narrative recently published in “ Harper’s 
Magazine.” Subsequently we spent some time in Lima, 
u the City of the Kings.” It was my fortune to arrive 
penniless in California, and to find, by way of consola¬ 
tion, that a reduction had been made by Congress in 
the number of revenue vessels, and that my services 
in that branch of public business were no longer re¬ 
quired. While thinking seriously of taking in washing 
