The Pilgrim

 

A replica of The Pilgrim anchored in Dana Point, CA.

Henry Dana spent two years sailing up and down the coast of California in the early 1830's.

He wrote about his experiences in "Two Years Before the Mast".

My Voyage on the Pilgrim or "Eighteen Hours Before the Mast"

My mom went with my Girl Scout troop on the Pilgrim overnight. There were about 30 girls from 3 troops and they divided us into different crews. I was a Rigger and my mom was on the Galley crew. We had to pretend that we were sailors from 1832 who were recruited to sail around the horn from Boston to California. We were supposed to gather hides from ranches and Missions for the leather business in Boston. We had to follow orders and do all the sailors work regardless of the weather. That meant I had to stand watch for 2 hours from 12 to 2 am and it was RAINING!!! I was ok though because I had a really good rain suit and rubber boots.

 

When we first got there, the First Mate, Mr. Fleming, rounded up the crew. He was very mean and strict. All of the Pilgrim crew play the role of real seaman and all of us had to role play too. We studied ship terms and history of the Pilgrim and learned some songs before we went. I had to put together block and tackle and move cargo barrels around. At dinner time they served us stew and the "doctor" (ships cook) told us there was skunk and squirrel in it and I got upset because I was so hungry but I didn't want to eat it. My mom told me he was just joking and it was really beef. 

That night during a time called the "dog watch" the Captain read us some of our letters from home. Most real sailors at that time couldn't read so the Captain always read their mail to them. All of our parents wrote letters to us about "home" on the farm or city in 1834. The Captain read mine out loud. It was addressed to Caleb Wolf (we had to pretend we were boys, because girls weren't allowed on ships crews). In the morning, while it was still raining, my leader's daughter and I had to go down to the dock and scoop up water so we could swab the deck. We had oatmeal and fruit for breakfast. My friend Kori was a Hide Gatherer so she went out in the longboat to gather hides from the pretend Mission  and then load them back on the boat.

It was really a fun experience even though it was raining. I'd like to do it again

	I'm the third one from the left. The Second Mate is teaching us how to put together a block and tackle.
Do you like my rain suit? It's 1:00 AM and its very wet.