Chapters 17-20 Summary and Analysis

The crew transfers ashore the 3,500 hides that Pilgrim has collected for pickling, drying, cleaning, and storage until their number reaches 40,000. Everything non-essential is removed from the hold, including Old Bess, the cook's pet sow. Foster deserts after being refused transfer to Lagoda and receiving a few lashes for insolence. Rewards fail to track him down as he hides in a cave until Pilgrim sails for San Pedro, where the crews of several brigs help re-float and repair a destroyed Mexican brig.

Pilgrim then sails slowly to Santa Barbara, arriving, in Chapter 18 in time for Dana's watch to go ashore for Easter Sunday. An Italian crew's singing reminds Dana of the cultured life that he has left behind. Entering a shop where the man apologizes for having nothing to serve the sailors because of last night's fandango, Dana is shocked...