Two Years Before The Mast

By Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

This book is the classic memoir of a wealthy young man who sailed to California as a merchant seaman.  Rather than making the grand tour of Europe, he engaged in the rough and tumble business of a common sailor.  The voyage to California, then part of the Republic of Mexico, lasted two years, hence the title of the book.  It was a very difficult journey as the ship endured violent seas, weather and a stern taskmaster of a captain.

Of great benefit to the Homestead Docent is Dana’s description of the people of California as Dana explored the coast from San Diego to San Francisco with stops at San Pedro, Santa Barbara and Monterey.  The ship, the Pilgrim, picked up hides for return to Boston, while delivering goods that were not manufactured in California.  The hide and tallow business was difficult as the sailors made sure the hides were not damaged during handling and storage.

Dana also describes a society that was highly structured with the Native American at the bottom of the pile.

The author describes in great detail the life on board the ship for the common seaman.  The work is hard and dangerous; the captain of the ship is the law; the living conditions are horrid and the pay is low.  The long voyage with very few stops makes the trip as lonely as the sailors’ lives were restricted to the small ship.  Very few sailors had the prospects awaiting Dana upon his return.

We know that, F.P.F. Temple sailed to California from Boston at about the same time.  Unfortunately we have no journal of his travels.  We can only guess at the isolation he experienced.