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"We went to work in right good earnest, and, with necessity for an
incentive, found ourselves at the expiration of three days master of a
fine canoe, with which we drew down the astonishment of the natives.
Two days more and we bid them a touching farewell, promised to call
and see them again, bring cotton, cloth and sundry Yankee notions,
with which to start a trade between them and the people of Salem,
Massachusetts. Supplied with fish and porkmonhunter, a savory dish
prepared by the natives, we set sail for Shanghai, I being skipper of
the craft, and John mate. Nothing should seem to one's mind too simple
to learn, and I learned to navigate by what the sailors in times past
called the rule of thumb: the rule now came nicely into play. Energy
is the master of difficulties; the application of it is all-necessary
when they present themselves. Adhering to this maxim I took the helm,
laid down the course, and steered for Shanghai, while John kept a
close watch on the stars. At times he would work lunars in his head,
as did the Macedonians.


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