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| Genre/Form: | Biographies History Biography |
|---|---|
| Named Person: | Charles Nordhoff; Charles Nordhoff |
| Material Type: | Biography |
| Document Type: | Book |
| All Authors / Contributors: |
Charles Nordhoff; Vincent McInerney |
| ISBN: | 9781848321649 1848321643 |
| OCLC Number: | 815366405 |
| Description: | xii, 195 pages : maps ; 19 cm. |
| Contents: | Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Contents; Editorial note; Introduction; 1 Why I went to sea -- finding it impossible to gain a place on a merchant vessel, I ship as 'Boy' in the American Navy and am put aboard the receiving ship (or 'guardo') Experiment, Navy Yard, Philadelphia -- how 'green hands' are fitted out.; 2 Life on board a guardo -- I learn to fall out of a hammock -- the draft is made up for New York and the Columbus -- adventures on route -- on board the Columbus I am taken ill, put in the sickbay, given up for dead; 3 To sea at last, 4 June 1844 as we begin our three year cruise -- hunting down a 'mess' -- account of the Columbus: her crew their duties; 4 First days and nights at sea -- the commander's cure for 'chewing tobacco' -- a grand row in the boys' mess -- breaking in green hands -- all hands' to muster. Every man his own washerwoman -- a word concerning thieving on board ship -- the northeast trades -- sailors turn tailors -- the doldrums -- chasing the wind.; 5 Arrival at Rio -- life in port -- 'dumps', the currency of the bumboats, fifty to the dollar -- I taste a banana for the first time -- depart Rio; 6 Once clear of Rio the whole crew summoned to witness floggings -- the southeast trades as we head for Java -- a gale off the Cape of Good Hope -- St Paul's and New Amsterdam Islands -- return to fine weather -- water spouts. 7 Java Head -- Batavia -- sail for China -- sea-serpents -- becalmed off Borneo we almost drift ashore to a warm native welcome -- running short of water, some chose to drink from the sea, Commodore Biddle's cure for this: half-a-dozen apiece -- weevily and wormy bread -- water that cannot be approached until having stood for two hours -- Death of a lieutenant -- funeral at sea -- burial of an officer and a foremast hand contrasted -- China: Macao and Canton -- Chinese forts and junks -- the Tartars and their duckboats -- visit to Manila -- the cholera comes on board -- return to Macao -- Amoy and Chusan: the crew petition for 'Liberty' and are refused -- we hear of America's war with Mexico. 9 We 'Boys' given time ashore -- a Chinese farm -- sail for Japan -- Yeddo Bay -- incidents of our stay and Japanese espionage -- towed out of the harbour by Japanese boats who wish only to see our backs; 10 The Sandwich Islands -- Honolulu -- labours of the missionary -- leave for the South America coast. 11 Valparaiso (the Vale of Paradise) -- two Sundays in one week -- foremast hands now granted their first liberty of the cruise -- Jack ashore -- lassoing a sailor -- we watch Judas being hung in Callao -- California where an abundance of beef means I cannot face a soup bone for the rest of my life -- horrible story of Mormon settlers coming west to San Francisco; 12 Homeward-bound -- goodbye to California -- Valparaiso once more -- another 'Liberty' and its bloody consequences;13 Leaving Rio -- the last passage -- Norfolk, Virginia -- paid off -- having had my surfeit of bondage I determine to ship next voyage in the merchant marine. |
| Series Title: | Seafarers' voices, 9. |
| Responsibility: | Charles Nordhoff ; edited with an introduction by Vincent McInerney. |
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