Left on Labrador | Page 6

changes, we went back to
Gloucester in the morning, and during the day managed to hire six
sailors, young fellows of eighteen and twenty, save one, an old sea-dog
of fifty or thereabouts, at forty dollars per month. They looked a little
rough, but turned out to be very good sailors; which was the most we

wanted. Their names, as they gave them to us, were Richard Donovan,
Henry Corliss, Jerry Hobbs, Thomas Bonney, and George Weymouth.
The elder salt called himself John Somers; though it leaked out shortly
after that he had formerly flourished under the less euphonious
patronymic of Solomon Trull.
Went home that evening, and the next day advertised for a cook. It was
answered by three colored "gemmen," two of whom modestly
withdrew their application when they found where we were going, not
caring to brave the chill of polar latitudes. The other, who was not a
little tattered in his wardrobe, and correspondingly reckless, was quite
willing to set his face toward the pole. Although but recently from
"Sou' Car'liny, sar," and black as a crow, he assured us he could stand
the cold "jes' like a fly, sar."
"What name?" Raed asked.
"Charles Sumner Harris, sar. Been cook on oyster-schooner, sar."
"Charles Sumner Harris!" exclaimed Wade, who was coming in. "You
never wore that name in South Carolina."
"No, sar; lately 'dopted it, sar."
"What was your old name?" demanded Wade, looking at him as if he
was about to give him five hundred lashes.
The man hesitated.
"When you were a slave, I mean. Yes, you were: don't deny it."
"They called me Palmleaf den, sar."
"Very well: that's what I shall call you. None of your Charles Sumner
Harrises!"
"Oh! don't bully him," Kit said. "Give him a chance for himself."
"We shall see enough of his airs," Wade muttered.

He was a rather hard-looking citizen. We engaged him, however, at
thirty dollars a month; and it is but simple justice to him and his race to
add, that, like the traditionary singed cat, he did better than his general
appearance would have guaranteed at that time.
The next morning we wrote to Capt. Mazard with directions to take
"The Curlew" into Gloucester as soon as the carpenter-work was
finished. He would need two or three hands temporarily. These were to
be hired, and their car-fare back to Portland paid, at our expense.
Another matter now came up. It was quite possible that we might
encounter ice at the entrance of Davis Straits, as well as in Hudson
Straits, if we should venture in there: indeed, we might be caught in the
ice. "The Curlew," though a stanch schooner, was only strengthened in
the ordinary way.
"Will it not be best and safest," Raed argued, "to have her strengthened
with cross-beams and braces? A few strong beams of this sort might
save the vessel from being crushed."
As we were held to pay half the cost of the schooner in case of such an
accident, to say nothing of our personal peril, we judged it prudent to
neglect no means to render the voyage as safe as possible. Accordingly,
we went out to Gloucester, and arranged for having it done; also for
getting in water and fuel. In short, there seemed no end to the items to
be seen to. If ever four fellows were kept busy, we were the four from
the 20th of May to the 6th of June. Our ship-stores we bought in
Boston, and had them sent to Gloucester by rail. It seemed desirable for
us landsmen to have our food as nearly like that we had been in the
habit of having as possible. We accordingly purchased five barrels of
flour (not a little of it spoiled) at eight dollars per barrel; three of salt
pork at sixteen dollars per barrel; two of beef at twelve dollars; six of
potatoes at two dollars and fifty cents; two fifty-pound tubs of butter at
thirty-five cents per pound; coffee, tea, sugar, and "preserves" to the
tune of sixty dollars; and two hundred pounds corn-meal, four dollars....
Then there were a score of other little necessaries, amounting to near
fifty dollars; in all, a bill of two hundred and seventy-four dollars.
These stores were bought at our own suggestion. It would have been

better to have taken the advice of some experienced shipmaster: it
might have cost us less, and we should afterwards have fared better, to
have done so.
I remember that we took along a lot of confectioneries, both for our
own delectation and also to "treat" the Esquimaux on! That was a wild
shot. As well offer an Esquimau cold boiled parsnip as a stick of candy.
We also had two boxes of lemons! Which of us was responsible for