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Los Angeles Times
 
 
 
 
 
THE KIDS' READING ROOM

'A Sailor's Life'

Part 4 The story so far: A fourth-grade class has read about Richard Henry Dana Jr. and his journey from Boston, Mass., to the harbor we now call Dana Point. They have spent a day on a ship just like
By Shirley Jordan, Special to The Times
November 30, 2006
DANA found California to be dry and dusty. But he did like the beach at San Juan Capistrano, where the huge cliffs rose three times as tall as the mast of the Pilgrim.

The second time the Pilgrim stopped there, Dana proudly earned a hide droger's most important job. He counted each hide at the top of the hill, spun it around and pitched it down to men on the beach below, watching each hide turn and sail through the air.

 
After the Pilgrim was loaded, Dana looked down the cliff. About 20 hides had stuck in recesses in the hill.

The captain would be paid for each hide delivered to Boston. He ordered the Pilgrim's halyard brought to the cliff. (Halyards were long ropes used to raise and lower the sails.)

Crewmen pounded a stake into the ground to hold the top of the halyard and threw the ropes over the cliff. It made Dana dizzy to look down to the end of the rope, swinging just above the beach.

The older sailors said, "We all weigh too much. The rope will break if we climb down. Send the boy."

Terrified, Dana bravely lowered himself over the cliff. Down he went, holding the rope with both hands and pushing away from the cliff with his feet. As he reached each of the stuck hides, he freed it and continued on his way. Finally he was on the beach, where other sailors laughed at him for risking his life to make the captain richer.

Now there came a change of plans. The Pilgrim was to remain in California for an extra year. "This will turn my two years on board into three!" moaned Dana. His eyes were stronger now. He was ready to return to college, but how could he get home?





Friday: Can Richard Henry Dana Jr. get back to Boston on time to return to school? How will he tell others about his adventures on the Pilgrim?

This story will be on The Times' website at latimes.com/kids.





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