Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana

I first read this book in my mid twenties, perhaps 25 years ago.  The good news is that I remembered reading it; the bad is that I didn't remember any real details from the first time around.

But I LOVED the book the second time around, for it added a wonderful level of clarity and detail to my study of the 19th century.

The book is the true story of Dana, who took leave from his studies at Harvard in 1834 to serve on the crew of a tall-ship rounding Cape Horn.  His journey took him to the California coast (still in Mexican possession) where he spent almost a year and a half in service of his ship, trading for hides that his ship would bring back with them to Boston.

Not only is the story fascinating, but it's written in gorgeous prose (Dickens apparently loved the book) that earned him much acclaim over the course of his life.

The stories of the abhorrent (yet sometimes exhilarating) life at sea drew me in.  But I got the most enjoyment from his experiences working on the California coast.  At a time when eastern metropolises were growing rapidly (virtually on the eve of the Industrial Revolution), the California coast was desolate, almost completely unpopulated.  Dana describes San Francisco as consisting of one, maybe two houses.  Monterey, Santa Barbara and San Diego much the same.  A church Mission at each, perhaps a small trading post for the few ships that work the coast.  It would seem the entire coastal population could be measured in the hundreds.

Dana followed up on his hugely popular book with a new chapter written about 1860, some 24 years after his return to Boston.  Returning to California this time by steam, he describes a coastal life almost completely transformed over such a short time.  San Francisco, then home to some 100,000 souls, was unrecognizable as the recipient of hordes during the gold rush.  He was captivated with the changes he saw.

All in all this story shows a rich aspect of 19th century life in North America that you just don't get from history books.  A wonderful read that I'm glad I returned to.