Though I knew what his life had been, yet I never had the slightest fear of him.  We always got along very well together, and, though so much older, stronger, and larger than I, he showed a marked respect for me, on account of my education, and of what he had heard of my situation before coming to sea, such as may be expected from a European of the humble class. ``I’ll be good friends with you,’’ he used to say, ``for by and by you’ll come out here captain, and then you’ll haze me well!’’ By holding together, we kept the officer in good order, for he was evidently afraid of Nicholas, and never interfered with us, except when employed upon the hides.  My other companions, the Sandwich-Islanders, deserve particular notice.

A considerable trade has been carried on for several years between California and the Sandwich Islands, and most of the vessels are manned with Islanders, who, as they for the most part sign no articles, leave whenever they chose, and let themselves out to cure hides at San Diego, and to supply the places of the men left ashore from the American vessels while on the coast.  In this way a little colony of them had become settled at San Diego, as their head-quarters.  Some of these had recently gone off in the Ayacucho and Loriotte, and the Pilgrim had taken Mr. Mannini and three others, so that there were not more than twenty left.  Of these, four were on pay at the Ayacucho’s house, four more working with us, and the rest were living at the oven in a quiet way; for their money was nearly gone, and they must make it last until some other vessel came down to employ them.

During the four months that I lived here, I got well acquainted with all of them, and took the greatest pains to become familiar with their language, habits, and characters.  Their language I could only learn orally, for they had not any books among them, though many of them had been taught to read and write by the missionaries at home.  They spoke a little English, and, by a sort of compromise, a mixed language was used on the beach, which could be understood by all.  The long name of Sandwich-Islanders is dropped, and they are called by the whites, all over the Pacific Ocean, ``Kanakas,’’ from a word in their own language,—­ signifying, I believe, man, human being,—­ which they apply to themselves, and to all South-Sea-Islanders, in distinction from whites, whom they call ``Haole.’’ This name, ``Kanaka,’’ they answer to, both collectively and individually.  Their proper names in their own language being difficult to pronounce and remember, they are called by any names which the captains or crews may choose to give them.  Some are called after the vessel they are in; others by our proper names, as Jack, Tom, Bill; and some have fancy names, as Ban-yan, Fore-top, Rope-yarn, Pelican, &c., &c.  Of the four who worked at our house, one was named ``Mr. Bingham,’’ after the missionary at Oahu; another, Hope, after a vessel that he had been in; a third, Tom Davis, the name of his