The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-05-21

@S N4 O0S LIZ 0oA ~ SNSAA
his voyage upon demanding his discharge, which I
declined giving. The gentleman came down to the
ship drunk one night, when the plank connecting the
ship with the wharf not being of that meandering,
sesaW curve which geometricaly applied to his gait,
his utter independence Of circumstances led him to
insist upon maintaining his surpentine way on board,
when he misstayed on the point of lacking and fell
into the dock. On the strength of the slight hurt he
received under those circumstances after having de-
serted the ship for several days and engaging to work
In a ~distitlery on shore, he demanded his discharge.
L pronounced him a deserter, and declined having
any thing farther to do with him. He seized the
ship, which a few hours suficed to redeem again, by
bringing two merchants to give bonds to the amount
OF $I,56O. When, after giving in the mates and my
own depositions, we sailed, leaving the case for future
trial:
Seamen were as easy got as at the Islands; as
obtained a full crew of the heaviest men l have ever
had, and upon more favorable terms of shipment.
Lays from l5Oth to 10th; carpenters, stewards &C.,
loOth, with advances Of from $15 to $50. There
was also q good show of boatsteerers and officers.
Now let us see the relative benefit to be derived
from either port IN the great contending matters of
exchange, recruits, commissions on disbursements,
f~reighting oil and bone, and on sales of oil, harbor
dues, and the ease of access to and from all the great
cruising localities in the Pacific. First, in the mat
ter of exchange at San Francisco, I found Whalemen's
Bills worth a premium of q per cent. And as the
West must always remain in debt to the East in
money matters, it follows that good Bills would pro-
baby always sell from the above rate to par value.
While on the other hand, the mean discount at the
Islands for the past several years is about 10 per cent.
The charges on my disbursements was % per cent,
which would have made my bills of exchange Melted
at par, had L been drawing money there. Commits
sions on sales of oil 5 per cent, with the sale guaran-
teed; or d otherwise. Commissions on freighting,
l per cent, though masters may freight their oil
themselves, as well there as at the Islands, except
they leave it behind for others to freight after their
departure. These commissions, it will be seen, about
balance the cost of exchange at the Islands. where
there are none whatever to pay.
1t Will he seen hv rnforpOpa fn the aI1hr0iDoH fahlcS
of harbOr dues, recruits and cash to crew, COMPARE
tive between the two places, that as it stands, the
balance is somewhat in favor Of the Islands. Yet
where q ship is purchasing provisions, Stops, whale
line and gear, the balance would turn greatly in
favor of San Francisco. | purchased towline at 10
cts. from Tubbs & Co.'S. new rope walk, made in the
best manner, of the choicest material imported firm
Manila. While at the Islands the prices range from
rs to 30 cts. [ also purchased slops, chain and
anchor, and craft for one hundred per cent, less than
they are ever got at the Islands.
Vessels can be repaired in the dry dock, up the
bay, at very reduced rates, as may be seen by the
published list Of prices.
For the locality of San Francisco is connected by
easy access to our whole extent of whaling ground, it
offers the same advantage in the fall season, which
the Sandwich Islands afford in the spring. Quicker
passages can be and are made from all our northern
whale grounds to San Francisco, than to the Islands.
I have been from Kodiak to San Francisco in ten
days. From Kamschatka Sea, Gland to land) on my
last passage, in fifteen days; and should set the
passage from the Ochotsk to be about 20 days. From
San Francisco we have the entire command Of every
whale ground in the eastern board of the Pacific;
consisting of the California ground, seven days sail;
Galapagos Islands, one month; the Line, off Shore,
and all the more southern grounds. These grounds
can only be attained to from the Island by the tedious
method of lacking out through the trades into the
variables, to make eastern, at the expense of from
thirty to ~forty-fve days time. But in the spring, the
Islands are much the most easy of access to any ship
coming from the south, leaving her in the same
w~eatherly position to the northern grounds which San
Francisco Is to the southern grounds IN the fall sea-
son.
But summing all the favorable points connected with San
Francisco, a ship should not be induced to go there except they
have a good catch of oil on board, that 1t may pay to let the
crew run, when it becomes cheaper to ship a new crew than to
arrest the old ones. Though it has been seen that we may arrest
them in spite of landlords and lawyers, and have them confined,
or put on board at our discretion. Yet, it is not with the same
case as at the Islands, and upon this coast. where we have but
to call a Kiko, or a viglant and have the deserters secured or
put on board. But there is a certain formula to be gone through
with, which becomes both tedious and expensive when applied to
AND a %n put onP Pos G1p t%o deserteP 8 1tS w upEa have U cost SH me between tTessa
$50 and SIS to have shipped two equally as good men; includ-
stood that it will not DO to arrest deserters where there has been
any corporal c!astisement, as the same trouble and expense
Ships not having oil enough to wish to run the risk of losing
their crews, can anchor on the bar outside of the Golden Gate
heads, in from 6 to s fathoms water, from three to five miles off
shore. When, taking one of the many pilot boats around, they
again in twenty-four hours. The great objection to this, how
as was my case-it becomes both necessary and prudent the
men should have q run on shore to counterfeit the latent scurvy
Cape St. Lucas may answer the purpose.
There are four light houses in and around San Francisco
leaving it easy for the most ttmid navigator to go in night OF
day. Coming on the coast, make the south Farrallone Rock,
lat. 81 Al N, long. 122 SO W., on which Is a revolving light
plainly seen twenty miles in every direction, around the
whole sweep of the horizon. Steer from the Farrallone light
light on Boneta point, Ohe north head Of the entrance) a fixed
light, as are all but the Farrallone-keep Boneta light bear
ing n. E., until you make the light on Fort Point, Ghe south
head) which you are 70 bring in range with the light on Alcatfa'
ces Island beyond, and steer in, which clears the Mile kooka
(some 20 #. above water) laying about one mile 5. W., by w.
comp from Fort Point. Give Fort Point a good berth as you
pass in. as the strong eddies on either side of it trouble ships IN
light wind, though other dangers only extend out a few SHIPS
length. Steer down the bay keeping Alcatraces open on the
port hand until you find anchorage near the shipping:
1t is safe to know that the currents do not set directly IN and
out of the entrance, but the flood tide sets up the south shore
sweeping across the entrance before it turns in. While the ebt
in setting out, turns short around the Mile Rocks and point
Lobos, down the south shore. Consequently In light winds ship;
after the harbor lights are shut in, steer to the south if there is
wind, to open them again; or if calm, come to an anchor on the
bar. to avoid Duxbury Reef, making out four miles from the
north shore. being about six miles from Boneta light. The
soundings in the passage are from 10 to 70 faiths. between polnG
Lobcs and Boneta, deepening to IS and As faiths. along through
the entrance until you pass Fort Point, then shoaling again T.
from Z to iS faiths. as you pass in.-There Is II faiths. inside o
the Mile Rocks, and they are bold to approach.
The firm Of McRuer & Merrill, Nos. AZ & 4o California street.
is one of the most accommodating and reliable houses adopted T.
the use of whaling masters, and l take pleasure In recommends
ing nv brother whalemen to their consignment, in preference K
any I know Of / found their charges under that OF any otnel
house I endured of. In matters of advice about the shipmen
on sales of oil, Mr.. Asa. 7. Lawton has the largest experience
and the most profound knowledge Of any man In California, anc
Is possessed OF that spirit of accommodation and courtesy o
manner which always leaves him easy OF access 70 any nas'N
requiring his advces. -,
Scott & Ellis are among the best shipping-masters IN Tn
place. Men that may be entirely depended upon, ana wn'
have shipped most Of the whaling crews heretofore shippf<
there. The usual rates of shipment, are hve COLLARS per Man
advance given upon advance notes, so that where the SEAMAN
| deSorfa altar SbiODin0 IL hecOmpa 10 loss TO the MASTER