Page:Enterprise and Adventure.djvu/201

---

ten days she rode again in the Port of Havre, and some repairs to the keel, and in new planking the bottom of the vessel, again rendered her tolerably seaworthy. The cargo being now again put on board, Cleveland prepared once more for his perilous voyage; but a difficulty arose in procuring men, which for a time appeared insurmountable. It was not, perhaps, surprising, that no one of the former crew, except a black man, named George, could be induced to join again. They had now arrived at the end of October, and each day's delay, by reason of the approach of winter, increased the difficulty and danger of the enterprise. Even the adventurous captain heard with dismay the westerly gales, which were already of frequent occurrence. The nights had become long; and "when I listened," says Cleveland, "to the howling winds and beating rain, and recollected in what a frail boat I had to contend with them, I wished that my destiny had marked out for me a task of less difficult accomplishment." The trouble of procuring men seemed to increase with each day's detention. Those whom he engaged one day would desert the next, alarmed by some exaggerated story of their first attempt. In the course of three weeks he shipped four different men as mates, and as many different crews, who each in turn abandoned him. At length he procured an active young seaman from a Nantucket ship, the captain of which recommended him; while another man and a boy, in addition to the negro George, made up the complement of his crew. No person on board, except the mate and Cleveland, were capable of steering the vessel; but the honesty and fidelity of his sailors made up for other defects, and the voyage proved a fortunate