Im^ Mm iiiil m^ lllfll !'^^'- Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2011 witii funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/lifeonoceanOOIitt LIFE ON THE OCEAN; TWENTY YEARS AT SEA: THE PERSONAL ADVENTURES OF THE AUTHOR. GEORGE LITTLE, For many years Captain in the Merchant Service out of the Port tf Baltimore, but noio entirely blind. THIRD EDITION. Battle with the Spanish Lugger, p. 84. BOSTON- WAIT E, PEIRCE, AND COMPANY. 1 S45. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1843, By George Little, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland. PREFACE. The author of the following narrative has been in- duced to submit it to the public, at the instance and solicitation of numerous friends, who, with a full knowl- edge of his past life, and of his present condition and circumstances, have united in the opinion, that, what- ever of advantage or disadvantage might accrue to the author, its publication would be of essential service in removing many erroneous and unfavorable impressions, which prevail in relation to the character and habits of seamen. The author is a sailor, the prime of whose life has been spent amid the strife of the elements, and not amid the endearments of the domestic circle. His past associa- tions are of a character widely different from those which distinguish the literary taste and refinements of the fashionable saloons of the present day ; and when he states that he is now, and has been for years past, entirely blind — thus disabled from pursuing his profes- sion — that, in consequence of this affliction, and even with the aid of an amanuensis, many difficulties must obviously have interposed in the prosecution and com- pletion of the manuscript, he appeals with confidence to the discernment of the public, and feels assured that any faults in elegance of composition, or otherwise, which his peculiar situation may have rendered un- avoidable, will be overlooked. The "twenty years at sea," the narrative of which, so far as it is connected with his own life, he now lays before the reader, will ever be a memorable epoch in the world's history. Europe was subjected to successive PREFACE. and confmued revolutions. The nations of that con- tinent were engaged in a deadly struggle for political existence ; and while the two rival powers, France and England, were each putting forth its mightiest efforts to secure the controlling influence, our own infant republic, acting under the wise policy originally sanc- tioned and pursued by Washington, was reaping a rich and abundant harvest in supplying the necessities of the belligerents, — thus developing her boundless re- sources, adding to her physical strength, and laying the foundation of that naval prowess which shone so con- spicuously in her subsequent conflict with Great Britain. In many of the exciting incidents growing out of these events, the author was an actor ; and a participator, too, in the exposures and sufferings which war inevitably occasions. He, therefore, flatters himself that the in- terest which may be awakened in the perusal of his book, and the full and correct view given of nautical life, will more than overbalance whatever errors in composition he may have inadvertently committed. The reader will perceive that, in the narrative itself, as well as in the dialogues introduced, the author has preserved the maritime technicalities, and rough mode of expression, peculiar to sailors ; his chief object, in fact, has been to exhibit a true picture of " life on the ocean," blending with it those wholesome moral and religious truths, which should be inculcated upon the minds of seamen. That it may more forcibly serve as a mirror for his brother tars, wherein they may view their defects as well as their excellences ; that a fresh impulse may be given to the efforts of the Christian community in behalf of the spiritual wants of those who " go down to the sea in ships ; " and that it may prove a source of recreation and (he humbly trusts) of instruction to all who may honor him by classing themselves among his readers, is the sincere desire of the author. CONTENTS Preface, 3 Explanation of sea phrases, 9 CHAPTER 1. Birth and parentage — Early desire for the life of a sailor, . , 21 CHAPTER 11. Going on board — Description of ship, and character of the offi- cers — Observations upon the green hands — Getting under way — First night at sea — Gale, &c 29 CHAPTER III. Continuance of the gale — Superstition of sailors — Sunrise at sea — Crossing the line, &c 37 CHAPTER IV. Moonrise at sea — Heavy squalls — Rounding Cape Horn — Excursion in search of water, &c 44 CHAPTER V. Object of the voyage explained to the crew — Commencement ot traffic on the coast of Chili — Bay of Coquimbo, &c. ... 54 CHAPTER VI. Traffic on the coast continued — Treachery of the Spaniards — Sail for the Gallipagos Islands — Description of them, . , 05 9 D CONTENTS. CHAPTER Vll. Information of the capture of a Boston ship by a Spanish cruiser — an attempted capture of our boats defeated — Port of Isley — News of a Spanish cruiser — Description of a hurri- cane — Severe engagement, 76 CHAPTER VIII. Sail tor Cocos Island - Conversation with Jaclt Sawyer — De- scription of Chatham Island — Melancholy death and funeral of one of the seamen, 87 CHAPTER IX. Exciting chase and escape — Superstition of seamen — Fall of the author from the foretop, and loss of a man overboard — Sail foi Shelvack's Island, 99 CHAPTER X. Sail for the Gulf of California — Friendly reception and agree- able mtercourse with the Spaniards at Guimas, 109 CHAPTER XL Jack Sawyer's narrative commenced — Arrival at the Sandwich Islands — Description of Owyhee, &c 123 CHAPTER Xn. Jack Sawyer resumes his . narrative — Passage to Canton, . . 139 CHAPTER XIII. Sail from Canton homeward bound — Passage through the China Sea, &c 151 CHAPTER XIV. English East India fleet — The chase — Jack Sawyer's narrative resumed, 157 CHAPTER XV. Saturday night at sea — Conclusion of Jack Sawyer's narrative, &c 170 CHAPTER XVI. Meeting with friends at home — Last interview with Jack Sawyer — Sail in the ship Baltic for Rio Janeiro, .... 182 CONTENTS. 7 CHAPTER XVII. Unfortunate circumstances inducing a return to the United States — Arrival — Warlike preparations — Prospects of re- maining on shore broken up — Entered on board a privateer — Sailed on a cruise, 194 CHAPTER XVIII. Boarding in the night — Capture — Taken prisoner by Can- nibals — Horrible ti-eatment — Release by ransom — Sail for Carthagena, 200 CHAPTER XIX. Leave the privateer and sail for the United States — Enter on board a letter of marque — Captured by the English — Recap- tured by the Paul Jones privateer — Enter as prize-master — Her officers and crew, 210 CHAPTER XX. Capture of prizes — Chase — Termination of cruise, &c. . • . 221 CHAPTER XXI. Removal to Dartmoor — Description of it — Plan to effect an escape, 231 CHAPTER XXII. Loss of prize money — Voyage to London — Narrow escape from shipwreck, &c 245 CHAPTER XXIII. Passage from London to Baltimore — Voyage to Oporto and St Ubes — Disaster on Oporto bar, &c 254 CHAPTER XXIV. Return to the United States — Voyage to the West Indies — Supernatural appearances on board, 263 CHAPTER XXV. Conclusion of tlie West India voyage — Sail for London, Batavia, &c 273 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXVI. Arrival at Batavia — Return voyage — Sickness of crew — Put in at Cape of Good Hope — Profligacy of seamen on shore, &c 282 CHAPTER XXVII. Marriage — Takes command of the ship William — Voyage to Lisbon — Heavy gales, 291 CHAPTER XXVIII. Voyage to Batavia — Burial at sea 301 CHAPTER XXIX. India voyage concluded — Voyage to New Orleans and Liver- pool — Conduct of Capt B., &c 313 CHAPTER XXX. Voyage to tlie Pacific — Dangerous lee shore — And providential escape, . 323 CHAPTER XXXI. Continuation of voyage — Arrival at Callao — Visit to Lima, &c 331 CHAPTER XXXII. Religious impressions and happy results — Sail for Havana ai.d southern ports — Rencontre with pirates on board — Their capture and delivery to the authorities of New Orleans, . . . 342 CHAPTER XXXIIL Piratical chase and narrow escape — Religious scene at sea, &c. 354 CHAPTER XXXIV. Reflections on the character and condition of seamen, . . . 369 CHAPTER XXXV. Suggestions in regard to the moral improvement of seamen, . . 385 CHAPTER XXXVI. Conclusion ... . 393 NAUTICAL V^OCABULARY. Aback. — Situation of the sails when their surfaces are forced aft by the force of the wind. Abaft, or Afi. — The sternmost part of the ship. Abaft the beam. — Denotes the relative situation of any object from the ship which inclines towards the stern. Aboard. — The inside of the ship. Aboard main-tack. — To haul the corner of the mainsail down to the chest-tree. About. — The situation of the ship when she is tacked, or changes her course. Adrift. — The state of a ship broken from her moorings, a driving about without control. Afore. — All that part of the ship which lies forward, near the stem. Ahead. — Any thing that is situated on that paii of the compass to which a ship's stem is directed. A-hull. — The situation of a ship when all her sails are furled at sea, A-lee. — The situation of the helm when put down to the lee side. All in the wind. — The state of a ship's sails when they are parallel to the direction of the wind, so as to shiver. Allha7tds, a-hoy. — A call by which all the ship's company are sum- moned on deck. Aloft. — Up in the tops, or on the masts or yards. Along shore. — A course parallel to the ship's side. Amidships. — The middle of a ship either with regard to her length or breadth. Afoul anchor. — When the cable has got about the fluke of the an- chor. Anchor a-peak. — That is, directly under the hawse-hole of the ship. Anchor cock-bUl. — That is, hangs up and down the ship's side. An end. — Mast up and down. Astern. — Any distance behind a ship, as opposed to her head. Athwart ships. — Reaching, or in a direction, across the ship, from one side to the other. Avast. — A term used for Stop, or Stay. Away. — Is a term used when the anchor is off the bottom, as, The anchor is away. Atoning. — A shelter or screen of canvass, to keep off the heat of the sun. 2* 10 NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. Back the, anchor. — To carry out a small anchor ahead of the large one, in order to support it in bad ground. Back the sails. — To arrange them in a situation which ■will occasion tlie ship to move astern. Bare poles. — When a ship has no sail set, she is under bare poles. Baiting. — A thin piece of Avood to prevent tlie rigging from cha- fing. Bear a hand. — To make haste, or despatch. Bearing. — Signiiies the point of the compass where two or more places, or ships, bear from each otlier. Bear off. — To thrust or keep from the ship's side. Bear away. — To keep a ship off from the wind. Beating to loindward. — Is making progress against the wind by tack- ing alternately. Becalmed. — To be without wind. Before the beam. — Any object from the ship, inclining towards the stem, is said to be before the beam. Belay. — To make fast any rope. Bend. — To apply to or fasten, — that is, to fasten the sails to the yard. Between decks. — Space contained between the two decks. Bight of a rope. — Double part of a rope when it is folded. Bilged, — To break ; — the ship is bilged when her plank are broken. Binnacle. — A kind of box to contain the compass. Berth. — A place ; a ship's berth, a place where she is moored : an officer's berth, a place or station in the ship. Bitts. — A large piece of timber to which the cable is.fastened when tlie ship is at an anchor. Board. — To board a ship, in a hostile or friendly manner ; to make a board, is when a ship is rnaldng a stretch on any tack upon a wind. Boalswain. — The officer who has charge of the cordage, rigging, an- chor, &-C. Both sheets aft. — The situation of a ship sailing right before the wind. Bowlines. — Lines made fast to the sides of the sails, to haul them forward when upon a wind. Bowse. — To pull upon any tackle or rope. Bowsprit. — A large mast, or piece of timber, which stands out from the bows of the sliip. Box-luiuling. — A particular method of veering a sliip, when tlie swell of the sea renders tacking impracticable. Braces. — The ropes by which the yards are turned about, to accom- modate the sails to the wind. Breast fast. — A rope employed to confine a ship to a wharf, &c. To Broach-to. — To incline suddenly to windward of the ship's course, so as to present her side to the wind, and endanger her over- setting. Broadside. — A discharge of all the guns on one side of a ship, both above and below. NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. 11 By the wind. — The course of a ship as near as possible to the direc- tion of the wma. Bitntlines. — Ropes fastened to the foot-rope of squaresails, to draw them up to the middle of the yards for furling. Buoy. — A conical cask attached to the anchor, to show where it lies. Cap. — A strong, thick block of wood, having two large holes tlirough it, the one square, the other round, used to confine the two masts together. Capstan. — Is an instrument used where a great purchase is re- quired. Careen. — To incline a ship low down on one side, to cleanse the bottom. Carry aivay. — To break a mast, yard, or rope. Casting. — To incline the head of a ship either to the right hand or left. Cat-heads. — The timber on a ship's bows, with slieaves to hoist the anchor from the surface of the water. Cat the anchor. — Is to hook the cat-block to the ring of the anchor, and haul it up close to the cat-head. CaVs-paw. — A light air of wind seen on the surface of the water during a calm. Chains. — A place built out on the sides of a ship, by which the rig- ging has greater power to secure the masts. Cheerily. — A phrase implying heartily, quickly, cheerfully. Claw off. — To turn to windward from a lee shore, to escape ship- wreck. Clewlines. — Are ropes which come down from the yards to the lower corners of the sails, and by which the corners or clews of the sails are hauled up. Clew of the sails. — Lower corners of the squaresails, and aftermost of the fore and aft sails. Clew up. — To haul up the clews of a sail to its yard by means of the clewlines, &c. Clinched. — Made fast, as the cable is to the ring of the anchor. Close-hauled. — That trim of the ship's sails when she endeavors to make a progress in the nearest direction possible towards that point of the compass from which tlie wind blows. Coasting. — The act of making a progress along the sea-coast of any country. Coil. — To lay a rope or cable round in a ring, one turn over an- other. Coining to. — Denotes tlie approach of a ship's head to the direction of the wind. Course. — The point of the compass upon which the ship sails. Coxswain. — The person who steers the boat Crank ship. — That is, when she has not sufficient cargo or ballast to render her capable of bearing sail. Cun-a-ship. — Is to direct the man at helm how to steer. 12 NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. (Jut ayid run. — '['o cut the cable, and make sail instantly, without wait- ing to weigh anchor. Deaden a ship\s ivay. — To impede her progress thi-ough tlie water. Dead lights. — A kind of windovv^-shutter for tlie ^vindows in the stern of a ship, used in bad v/eathcr only. Dismasted.^ The state of a s'lip that has lost her masts. Dog-vane. — A small vane, made of feathers and corks, to show the direction of the wind. Dog-watch. — The v/atches from four to six, and from six to eight, in the evening. Doubling. — The act of sailing round, or passing beyond, a cape or point of land. Dowse. — To lower suddenly, or slacken. Down-haul. — The rope by which any sail is hauled down. To Draw. — When a sail is inflated by the wind so as to advance the vessel on her course. Drift. — Is when a ship drives with her side to tliewind and waves, and is not governed by the power of the helm. Dunnage. — A quantity of loose wood laid at the bottom of a ship, to keep the goods from being damaged. Dunnage. — Is a word used by seamen instead of clotliing. Earings. — Small ropes used to fasten the upper corners of sails to the yards. Ease. — To slacken gradually. Edge-a-way. — To keep a ship off from the point of the compass whence she had been steering. End-on. — When a ship drives to a shore, rock, »&c., without an appa- rent possibility of preventing her. Evenkeel. — When a ship is parallel witli the horizon, a ship is said to be upon an even keel. Fair ivay. — The channel of a narrow bay, river, or haven, in which ships usually advance in their passage up and down. Fall aboard-of. — To strike, or encounter, another ship, when one or botli are in motion. Falling off. — Denotes the motion of the sliip's head from tlie direc- tion of the wind. Fathom. — A measure of six feet. Fid. — A square bar of wood or iron, with shoulders at one end, to support the weight of the topmast, v-^hen adjusted to its place at the head of a lov/er mast. Fill-away. — To brace the sails so as to receive the wind in them, and advance the ship in her course, after they have been either shiver- ing or braced aback. Fish-hook. — A large hook, l)y which the anchor is received, and brought to the cat-head. Flat-aft. — The situation of the sails when their surfaces are pressed aft against the mast by the force of the wind. Flaw. — A sudden breeze or gust of wind. Flmoing sheet. — Is when the sheets are slackened, after a ship has NAUTICAL, VOCABULARY. 13 been sailing upon a wind, or what is usually termed a fair wind Or flowing sheet. Fore-reach. — To shoot ahead, or go past another vessel. Fonoard. — Towards the fore part of a ship. Foul. — Is used in opposition both to clear and fair. Founder. — To sink at sea by filling with water. Free. — Pumping is said to free the ship when it discharges more wa- ter than leaks into her. Freshen. — When a gale increases, it is said to freshen. Fresh way. — Wheii a ship increases her velocity, she is said to get fresh way. Full. — To keep full, is the situation of tlie sails when they are kept distended by the wind. Furl. — To roll a sail close up to the yard or stay to which it belongs, and to wind a cord round it, to keep it fast. Gain the wind. — To arrive to the windward of a ship when both are sailing as near the wind as possible. Gammon the bowsprit. — Seciure it by turns of a strong rope passed round it, and into the cutwater, to prevent it from having too much motion. Gangway. — That part of a ship's side, both within and without, by which persons enter and depart. Gasket. — The rope which is passed round the sail, to bind it to the yard when it is furled. Girt. — The ship is girt with her cables when she is too tightly moored. Goose-wings of a sail. — The clew or lower corners of a ship's main- sail or foresail, when the middle part is tied or furled up to the yard. Grappling iron. — A species of anchor with four or six flukes to it. Grommet. — A rope twisted into a circular form, used for various pur- poses. Ground tackle. — Every thing attached to anchors and cables of a ship. Gumvale. — The upper edge of a ship's side. Gun-room. — A place appointed for the gunner and his stores. Gibing. — The act of shifting any boom-sail from one side to the other. Halliards. — The ropes by which the sails are hoisted. Handing. — The same as furling. Hard-a-iveather. — Put the tiller quite up to the windward. To Haul the udnd. — To direct the ship's course nearer to the point from which the wind blows. Hawseholes. — The holes in the bows of a ship, tlirough which the cables pass. Hawser. — A small kind of cable. Headfast. — A rope employed to confine the head of a ship to a wharf, or to some other vessel. Head sails. — All the sails which belong to the foremast and bow- sprit 14 NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. Head-sea. — When tlie waves meet at the head of a ship in her course, tliey are called a head-sea. Heave of the sea. — Is the power that the swell of the sea has upon a ship in driving her out of, or faster on, her course. Heel. — She heels to port, — that is, inclines, or lies down, on either side. Hold. — Is the space between the lower deck and tlie bottom of tlie ship, where her cargo, &c., is stowed. Horse. — A rope reaching from the middle of a yard to its arms or ex- tremities, for tiie men to stand on when they are loosing the sails. Hull down. — Is when a ship is so far off that you can only see her masts. To Heave in stays. — To bring a ship's head to the wind by a man- agement of the sails and rudder, in order to get on the other tack. Jeer-blocks. — The blocks through which the jeers are reeved. Jeers. — The ropes by which the lower yards are suspended. Jib. — The foremast sail of a ship, set upon a boom which runs out upon the bowsprit. Jib-boom. — The spar that runs out upon the bowsprit. Jurymasl. — A temporary or occasional mast, erected in a ship in the place of one which has been carried away by accident. Kedge. — A small anchor with an iron stock. Keel. — The principal piece of timber in a ship, which is usually first laid on the blocks in building. Keel-haul. — To drag a person backwards and forwards under a ship's keel, for certain offences. Keckled. — Any part of a cable covered with old ropes, to prevent its surface from rubbing against the ship's bow or forefoot. To Keep the luff. — To continue close to the wind. Keelson. — A piece of timber fonning the interior of the keel, being laid on tlie floor-timbers immediately over tlie keel, and serving to unite the former to the latter. Kentledge. — Pigs of iron for ballast, laid upon the floor, near the keel- son, fore and afl. Knippers. — A large kind of plaited rope, which, being twisted around the messenger and cable, in weighing, binds them together. Kumatage. — A bright appearance in the horizon, under the sun or moon, arising from tlie reflected light of these bodies from the small rippling waves on tlie smface of the water. Laden in bulk. — Freighted with a cargo not packed. Land fall. — The first land discovered after a sea voyage. Land-locked. — The situation of a ship surrounded with land, so as to exclude the prospect of tlie sea, unless over some intervening land. Launch ho .' — Signifies that the object is high enough, and must be suddenly lowered. Leading %vind. — A fair wind for a ship's course. NAUTICAL VOCABULARY, 16 Lee. — That part of the hemisphere to which the wind is directed, to distinguish it from the other part, which is called to windward. Lee-way. — The angle Avliich the line of a ship's way makes with a line in the direction of her keel. Leeches. — The borders, or edges, of a sail. To Zde to. — To retard a ship in her course, by arranging the sails in such a manner as to counteract each other with nearly an equal effort, so as to render her almost stationary. lA/ls. — The ropes which lead from the end of the yards to the heads of their respective masts. Log and log line. — By which the ship's path is measured, and her rate of going ascertained. Loom. — To appear larger than the real dimensions of an object. Liiffi — The order to the steersman to put the helm towards the lee- side of the ship, in order to sail nearer to the wind. Make a board. — Is to run a certain distance upon one tack, in beat- ing to windward. Man the yards. — Is placing men on the yards, in the tops, on the ladder, &c., to execute any necessary duty. Mind the service. — Put on more service. Messenger. — A small kind of cable, whicli being brought to the cap- stan, and the cable by which the ship rides made fast to it, it purchases the anchor. To Miss stays. — A ship is said to miss stays when her head will not fly up in the direction of the wind, in order to get her on the other tack. Mizzenmast. — The mast which stands abaft. Moor. — To secure a ship with two anchors. JVarrows. — A small passage between two lands. JVear ! or, JVb J^Tear '. — An order to the steersman not to keep the ship so close to the wind. JVippers. — A certain piece of cordage used to fasten the messenger to the cable in heaving up the anchor. N'othing off. — A term used by the man at the cun to the steersman, directing him not to go from the wind. Off and on. — When a ship is beating to windward, so that by one board she approaches to the shore, and by the other stands out to sea. Offing. — To seaward from the land. On the how. — Before the beam, inclining toward the stem of the ship. On the quarter. — Abaft the beam, toward the stern of the ship. Orlop. — The deck on which the cables are stowed. Overhaul. — To clear away and disentangle any rope ; also, to come up with the chase. Out of trim. — The state of a ship when she is not properly balanced for the purpose of navigation. Parcel a rope. — Is to put a quantity of old canvass upon it before the service is put on. 16 NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. Parting. — Being driven from the anchors by the breaking of the cable. Pawl. — A short bar of wood or iron, fixed close to the capstan or ■windlass of a ship, to prevent those engines from rolling back, or giving way, when they are charged with any great effort To Pay away. — To slacken a cable, or other rope, so as to let it run out for some particular purpose. Peak, to ride a stay-peak. — Is when a cable and fore-stay form a line. Pennant. — A long, narrow flag, worn at the mast-head by ships of the navy. Pitching. — The movement of a ship by which she plunges her head and after-part, alternately, into the hollow of the sea. Point blank. — Tlie direction of a gun when levelled horizontally. Poop. — The highest and aftermost deck of a ship. Pooping. — The shock of a high and heavy sea upon the stern or quarter of a ship, when she scuds before the wind in a tempest Port. — A name given, on some occasions, to the larboard side of the ship. Ports. — The holes, in the ship's sides, from which the guns are fired. P^ess of sail. — All the sail that a ship can set or carry. Preventer. — An additional rope employed to support any other in a heavy strain. Purchase. — Any sort of mechanical power employed in raising or moving heavy bodies. Quarters. — The respective stations of the officers and people in time of action. Quarter wind. — Is when the wind blows from that part of the hori- zon situated on the quarter of the ship. Rake. — That is, to cannonade a ship at the head or stern, so that the balls scour the whole lengtli of the decks. Range of cable. — A sufficient length of cable drawn upon deck be- fore the anchor is cast loose. Ratlines. — Small ropes, fastened from shroud to shroud, forming a ladder to go aloft. Ready about. — Implies that all the hands are to be attentive, and at their stations for tacking. Reef. — Part of a sail, from one row of eyelet-holes to another. Reefing. — The operation of reducing a sail by taking in one or more of the reefs. Ribs of a ship. — A figurative expression for timbers. Ride at anchor. — Is when a ship is held by her anchors, and is not driven by wind or tide. Righting. — Restoring a ship to an upright position. Right the helm. — Is to bring it into midships, after it has been pushed either to starboard or larboard. Rigging out a boom. — The running out a pole, at the end of a yard, to extend the foot of a sail. Road. — A place near the land where ships may anchor, but which is not sheltered. NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. 17 Rounding in. — The pulling upon any rope which passes through one or more blocks, in a direction nearly horizontal. Rousing. — Pulling up a cable, or rope, without the assistance of tackles. Rudder. — The machine by which the ship is steered. Rowlock. — The notch in a boat's gunwale, in which the oars rest in rowing. Run. — The after-part of a ship, where it gets extremely narrow, near the stern post. Run out a warp. — To carry the end of a rope out from a ship in a boat, and fasten it to some distant object, so that by it the ship may be moved, by pulling on it. Sailing trim. — Is expressed of a ship, when in the best state for sailing. Scud. — To go right before the wind. Sea-boat, — A vessel that bears the sea firmly. Sea-room. — A sufficient distance from the coast, or any dangerous rocks, &c. Set sail. — To unfurl and expand the sails to the wind. Shape a course. — To direct or appoint the track of a ship, in order to prosecute a voyage. Sheer off. — That is, to remove to a greater distance. Sheers. — Are spars lashed together, and raised up, for the purpose of getting out or in a mast. Sheet home. — To haul the corners of the sail to the blocks on the yard-arm by means of a rope. Ship-shape. — In a seaman-like manner. Shoot ahead. — To advance forward. Shrouds. — Large ropes extending from the mast-heads to the right and left sides of a ship, to support the masts and enable them to carry sail. Slip the cable. — That is, let it run quite out, when tliere is not time to weigh the anchor. Sound. — To try the depth of water. Splice. — To make two ends of rope fast together by untwisting them, and then entwining the strands of one piece with the strands of the other. Spray. — The sprinkling of a sea. Spring a mast. — Is to crack a mast, yard, &c., by means of a heavy strain. Squall. — A sudden, violent blast of wind. Square. — Is applied to yards that are very long, as taunt is to high masts. Square the yards. — To brace the yards so that they may hang at right angles with the hull. Starboard. — The right-hand side of a ship when looking forward. To Stay a ship. — To arrange the sails, and move the rudder, so as to bring the ship's head in the direction of the wind, in order to get her on the other tack, 18 NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. Steady. — The order to the helmsman to keep the ship in the direction she is going at that instant. Stem. — A circular piece of timber, into which the two sides of a ship are united at the fore-end. Stevi the tide. — Is sailing against tlie tide, so as to overcome its power. Sternmost. — The farthest astern. Sternivay. — The motion by which a ship falls back with her stern foremost Stoppers. — A large kind of rope, to secure the cable abaft the bitts. Stranded. — When applied to a vessel, means that she is run aground, and is lost. Stream the buoy. — To throw the buoy into the water previous to cast- ing anchor. Strike soundings. — To touch the ground in endeavoring to find the depth of water in a harbor, or road. Sweeping. — To drag the bigiit of a rope on the bottom, in order to obtain an anchor or any thing that may be lost. Tafferel. — The uppermost part of a ship's stern. Tampion. — The bung, or piece of wood, by which the mouth of a cannon is filled, to keep out wet. Taut. — Improperly, though very generally, used for tight Tier. — A row of guns, or any thing else. Tiller. — A large piece of wood, or beam, inserted into the head of a rudder, and by means of which the rudder is moved. Traverse. — To go backwards and forwards. Trice, trice up. — To haul up and fasten. Tj-ip the anchor. — To loosen the anchor from the ground. Trough of the sea. — The hollow between two waves. Truck. — A round piece of wood put on the tops of flag-staffs. Trysail. — A small sail used in blustering weather. Unbend. — To take the sails off from their yards and stays. Unbitt. — To remove the cable from off" the bitts. Under way. — When a ship is sailing, she is said to be under way. Unfurl. — To unloose. Unrig. — To deprive a ship of her rigging. Veer, or wear, the ship. — To change a ship's course from one tack to the other. Veer away, — To let a rope, or cable, run out. Wake. — The path, or track, impressed on • the water by the ship pass- ing through it. Wales. — Are strong timbers that go round a ship, a little above her water-line. Waist. — That part of a ship contained between the quarter deck and forecastle. Water-line. — The line made by the water's edge when a ship has her full proportion of stores, &c., on board. Water-borne. — The state of a sliip when there is hardly sufficient depth of water to float her off from the ground. NAUTICAL VOCABULARY. 19 Water-logged. — The state of a ship when heavy and inactive on the sea, from the great quantity of water leaked into her. Water-tight — The state of a ship when not leaky. Weather. — To weather any thing, is to get to windward of it Weather-beaten. — Shattered by a storm. Wind a ship. — To change her position, bringing her head where her stern was. Wind's eye. — The point from which the wind blows. To work a ship. — To direct the movements of a ship by adapting the sails, and managing the rudder, according to the course she has to make. I'o ivork to urindward, — To make a progress against the direction of the wind. Woold. — To bind round with ropes. Yards. — The spars upon which the sails are spread. Yawing. — The motion of a ship when she deviates from her course to right or left. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. CHAPTER I. BIRTH AND PARENTAGE EARLY DESIRE FOR THE LIFE OF A SAILOR. I WAS born in Roxbury, in the state of Massachusetts, September 13th, A. D. 1791. My father being attached to the navy of the United States, and necessarily absent from home during much of his time, induced my pa- rents to rehnquish the cares of housekeeping ; and my mother preferring to reside with a brother who lived on the confines of Canada, it was concluded to place an elder sister and myself with a maternal uncle in Roxbury, for the purpose of receiving an education at the schools in that place, which were then in the highest repute. This family was attached to the Presbyterian congregation in that town ; and, accordingly, a strict observance of the Sabbath, as well as a systematic read- ing of the Scriptures, was early enjoined upon us. They adhered blamelessly to all the outward forms of that church, and the most perfect regularity was observed, not only with every thing connected with their religious worship, but also in the management of their household affairs. No perceptible difference 3* 22 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. was observed in their treatment toward us and their own children. Habits of industry were inculcated upon all, and the precept, " Be independent of all," was often repeated, and became so thoroughly ingrafted, as to be a kind of fixed principle in after life. At the age of nine years, I was placed at the Roxbury Grammar School to receive an English education ; an institution, as before stated, considered to be at that period among the best in the state. Here I made considerable progress in the ele- mentary branches, and can even now distinctly recollect the ambitious aspirations which actuated me, and by which I was incited to diligence in the acquisition of knowledge. This disposition was, however, in a great degree induced by the wholesome advice received from my relations, and by the custom of devoting a portion of time every day to manual labor, which was greatly beneficial, not only in establishing habits of industry, but also in laying the foundation of a firm and vigorous constitution. Two years had now elapsed, and I had rapidly progressed in my studies, whefi my mind first became agitated with reflections on my future course in life, and schemes of worldly prosperity and distinction suggested themselves to my imagination. Often, when my father visited me on his return from sea, would he portray in glowing colors the scenes he had witnessed in foreign lauds, and then recite the wonders of a seafaring life ; but when he perceived that enthusiasm awakened which such descriptions are so well calculated to excite in a youthful bosom, with parental tact, and with a master-hand, he would throw a sombre aspect over the whole picture, and, to smother every predilection which I might have entertained for such a calling, would then recount the perils and privations of an ocean life. But his efl'orts were fruit- less ; my partiality for the sea " grew Mnth my growth, and strengthened with my strength." My young im- agination was often wound up to the highest pitch of excitement at the idea of exploring the trackless ocean ; and to me the prospect of treading the quarter deck, as LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 23 the ruling spirit of some stately craft, seemed the very acme of all earthly felicity and ambition. The oppor- tunities which I enjoyed of boarding vessels, and con- versing with seamen, whom I regarded as the finest fellows in the world, by no means tended to abate my enthusiasm ; notwithstanding every species of dissuasion was resorted to, in consequence of the repugnance of my father to the encouragement and gratification of my wishes. And here I cannot forbear relating a circum- stance which, in a great measure, settled the determi- nation I had formed of a sea life as a vocation. There was living at this time in the family, in the capacity of gardener, a superannuated sailor, a distant relative of my uncle ; and it was to me a source of the highest gratification, to sit, in the evenings, beside this old man, and hear him relate, with that quaintness of narration peculiar to his profession, the wonderful stories of his voyages, his adventures in foreign lands, and the many thrilling incidents which abound in the jovial life of a sailor. After adroitly contrasting this continued novelty, and these varied scenes, with the dull monot- ony of a life spent on shore, in any occupation, he would conclude with an ejaculation which operated as a death-blow to all the dissuasive arguments urged by my relatives. " O, if I had twenty sons," said he, " I would make them all seamen." Perhaps there is no condition in life in which old age so strongly exerts the influence it so deservedly possesses, as that of an in- dividual whose fortunes have been cast amid the perils and privations of a " life on the ocean wave ; " and when we find it aided by that garrulity "which so often accompanies gray hairs in this profession, we are not to marvel that the exercise of its powers on a youthful imagination should more than suffice to awaken its highest enthusiasm. The stories of this old man were my constant com- panions by day, and the unchanging subjects of my nightly dreams. Often a single night would witness the magical performance of an ordinary twelvemonth's 24 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. voyage. Cloud-capt mountains, stately spires, and gor- geous palaces, would now bound the prospect before me ; now I would find myself wandering in the midst of SDUie great metropolis, lost in admiration at the greater than Oriental splendor around me ; and again, by that mysterious influence which all have felt, and none can unravel, I would be angrily tossed in the midst of an awful hurricane upon the heaving bosom of the deep ; thus experiencing, in the short space of a few uncon- scious moments, the delightful emotions arising from the most exquisite enjoyment, to be followed by that intense and overpowering agony with which we con- template some dreadful and impending calamity. Time glided on ; my inclination in favor of the sea was un- changed ; and, despite the opposition of my father and uncle, my determination had become unalterably fixed to abide its toils and dangers. The fourth year of my schooling had expired, and as i was considered competent to act as a clerk, I was placed in the store of a merchant at K , a relative of the family, and with whom my uncle was upon terms of the closest intimacy. This was to me a source of keen disappointment ; I saw at once that all the fairy schemes which had so long dazzled and delighted me, and excited such brilliant hopes of future success, were utterly frustrated ; and it was only by the earnest persuasion and efforts of my friends, that I at length became partially reconciled. Accordingly, a day was fixed for m^'' departure, previously to which, I re- ceived much admonitory counsel from my good old relative. Time, with its ever-withering influences, has not erased from my memory the solemnity of his manner, when, the day before my departure, he drew me aside, and said, " George, you are now about to enter upon the world, and will soon be far beyond the control and friendly advice of those who love you. You will be thrown upon your own resources, and it will depend much upon yourself what your future condition in life may be ; " and then, with great earnestness, he continued, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 25 "first read yonr Bible, and be obedient to its precepts and commandments ; it will teach you your duty towards God, your fellow-men, and yourself; be honest and in- dustrious, respect the rights of others, study the interests of your employer, and endeavor to become a thorough master of your business." During this recital, I saw the big tear stealing down the furrowed cheek of the old man, whilst I myself wept immoderately, and promised implicit obedience to his injunctions. The hour for my departure at length arrived, and the family having been assembled to exchange with me the last adieu, the sound of " God bless you ! " rung in my ears, and we drove rapidly away from the old family mansion. In two days we completed our journey, and arrived at K — — , New Hampshire. This town is situa- ted thirty leagues north-east of Boston, about twelve miles from the Connecticut River, and nearly the same distance from the famous Bellows Falls. It was a place of con- siderable importance, numbering about two thousand in- habitants at that period, and the borough town of the county, through which lay the direct route to the sea- board from the upper part of the state, as well as from Vermont. Here I was kindly received by the family of Mr. D., and immediately entered upon the duties of my new station, as clerk of a country store. My attention now became so much engrossed with the business of store-keeping, that my strong propensity for the sea in a measure wore off ; nevertheless, six months had not elapsed — such was the monotony of country life, and such, especially, the dull uniformity of country store-keeping — ere I grew exceedingly weary, and again longed for the noise and bustle of the seaport. My old nautical propensities were re-awakened ; I again yearned for the opportunities I formerly enjoyed, of visiting the shipping, and mingling in the varied amusements of a commercial city ; and, at length, became so negligent in the performance of my duties as to incur the strong dis- pleasure of Mr. D., by whom, I feel it but justice to say, that every indulgence was granted me, and nothing left 26 LIFE 0^f THE OCEAN. undone, on the part eifher of his family or himself, to render my situation agreeable. I at length plainly acknowledged to him that my present occupation was not at all congenial to my feelings, and requested him to write to my relatives in Roxbiny, that a situation might be procured for me in Boston. This was accordingly done ; my request was complied with by my uncle ; and although I felt regret at leaving the hospitable roof and amiable family of Mr. D.,yet my contemplated residence in Boston afforded me great delight, and it was with more of rejoicing than otherwise that I bade a final adieu to the pleasant town of K . I had been fourteen months absent from my uncle's mansion, when I again entered it with a feeling of fore- boding that my reception would not be so cordial as it was wont to be. The result proved that my apprehen- sions were not groundless. It so happened that my uncle was the first person I met, who, in rather a caustic manner, said, " George, you have not done well ; you have left a good business and a kind master ; and I am very fearful, although I have procured you a good situa- tion in Boston, that your strong inclination for a sea- faring life will lead you to the commission of another act similar to this." I promised him that I would en- deavor to subdue my inclinations in that respect, and without delay entered upon my duties as a clerk in the counting-house of Messrs. B. &. J. W., importing mer- chants. Here, certainly, a desirable opportunity was presented of advancing my fortunes ; and, had I re- mained contented to complete my term of service with these gentlemen, 1 should, in all probability, at this time, in common with my fellow-clerks, be engaged in mercantile pursuits. Time glided on ; my career was smooth and promising, and, according to the assurances I had given my uncle, I endeavored, by sedulous at- tention, to fix my mind to the business in which I was engaged, although possessing no very strong relish for the incessant drudgery of an under-clerk. About this time, however, a circumstance occurred which again LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 27 unsettled my mind, uprooted the stern resolves I had formed, and completely changed the whole current of my fortunes. The ship Dromo, Capt. W., was fitting out for an ex- pedition to the Pacific Ocean, and eighty men were required as her complement, thirty of whom were to be green hands. Several young men with whom I was acquainted had engaged to embark in it, and every per- suasion was used to induce me to accompany them. But little entreaty was necessary to gain my consent to this measure, and a pretext was soon formed to jus- tify me in leaving the employment of the Messrs. W. The object was speedily accomplished. Although this step met the decided disapproval of my relations, no ob- stacle now prevented me from reducing to practice my long-cherished and ardent desire for the sea ; and ac- cordingly, I visited the ship with two young friends who had already engaged in the expedition, and was introduced to Capt. W., to whom I immediately made known my wishes. With great kindness of manner, he inquired who my friends were, and whether I had taken this step with their approbation. I frankly apprized him of my former situation, and the strong pro- pensity I had indulged in. " Young man," he replied, " you have chosen a life full of toil and hazard, and as this voyage will perhaps be one of great peril, it would be well for you to reflect maturely upon the measure you are about to adopt ; consult your friends, and if you are still determined to go to sea, come on board to-morrow, and I will give you an answer." This advice Avas im- plicitly followed ; I conferred with my friends upon the subject ; and as they deemed it no longer advisable tc thwart me in my inclination, I repaired the next day on board the ship, stated to Capt. W. that I had complied with his suggestion, and that the result was a settled determination to go with him. He immediately con- sented to give me a berth, and I signed the ship's articles, November 20th, 1807. The voyage, as specified in the articles, was to the North- West Coast of America, from 28 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. thence to China, and back to the United States. But rumor, with great plausibility, represented the design of the expedition was to force a trade in the Spanish ports of the western continent, then declared illegal except for Spanish vessels ; which was rather confirmed from the fact of the ship mounting twenty-six guns, with a complement of one hundred men. As the vessel was expected to sail in about fifteen days, the first of&cer, Mr. L., eyeing me askant, remarked, "My lad, you had better go on shore and exchange your long togs for a sailor's rig, and come on board, that you may get used to the ship before she goes to sea." I was now satisfied. The brilliant hopes upon which my imagination had so long feasted seemed at last to be attained. A career of dazzling adventure was before me. It was one of my own choice and seeking, despite the anxious entreaties and untiring efforts of my friends to change it ; and whether these sanguine expec- tations have been fulfilled, in the twenty long years of toil and suffering through which I have struggled, I will leave the reader, in the sequel, to judge. 29 CHAPTER II. « GOING ON BOARD DESCRIPTION OF SHIP AND CHARACTER OP THE OFFICERS OBSERVATIONS UPON GREEN HANDS GET- TING UNDER WEIGH FIRST NIGHT AT SEA GALE, &;C The day appointed for sailing was the 5th of Decem- ber. In the mean time, I provided myself with a sea- chest, well stored with clothing, small stores, a quadrant, books, &c., together with a small adventure. Whilst getting our chests on board, we were saluted with the following harangue from the second officer, Mr. C. : "What ! transmogrified, eh ! " for we had doffed our long clothes, and were rigged in complete sailor suits ; " you are a couple of tight little chaps, with pretty smooth faces for old Neptune's scraper," — and, casting a significant glance at our chests, he said, " You have two very pretty coffins there ; well, we shall know where to come for plank, if our bulwarks are stove in off Cape Horn ; but bear-a-hand, and get your dunnage stowed away, for if the owner should pass this way, he'll make you pay freight on your band-boxes." Thus saying, he turned upon his heel and left us, while we quickly stowed away our chests in the forecastle, and selected our berths. As we were in the act of going on shore, we were again accosted by Mr. C. "■ What, young lads," said he, '' off again ? Hark-ye ! this ship hauls in the stream to-morrow, and mind, all hands are to be on board when she is ready to go ; if you are among the missing at that time, you will be very apt to have your memories freshened during the cruise." The tone and manner of the latter part of this address made a very sensible impression on my mind, and as we determined to profit by this friendly hint, we took especial care to be on board early the next day. 4 30 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. About three o'clock in the afternoon, the greater part of the crew being on board, preparations were made to haul into the stream. Various orders were given in quick succession, but as one half of them were to me unintel- ligible, it was a source of consolation to know tjiat there were many on board in a similar predicament. The boats were now ordered to go ahead with the tow-line, the fasts were cast off, a range of cable was overhauled, and the anchor got off the bows, ready to be let go. These last two items of duty are always performed when a ship is about to come to an anchor. Twenty or thirty fathoms of the cable, according to the depth of water, are generally hauled upon deck, and the parts over- hauled round the windlass, so that there may be no impediment when the anchor is let go ; and when the anchor is clear of the bows, it is suspended by a single rope, so that, when the ship gets to her anchorage, and the order is given to '' let go," all may be clear, and the ship brought to in her proper berth. It being quite calm, we were quickly towed from the wharf to the anchorage ; and it was a little curious to witness the pride and anxiety of the officers to make the ship look well. This was done by hauling every rope taught, and squaring the yards with the lifts and braces, at the command of the second officer, who went in a boat some distance around the ship. It may here be remarked, that a good seaman takes just as much pride in the appearance of his vessel as a lady does in that of her drawing-room ; and no surer indication of an officer's nautical skill is wanting, to the practia d eye of a sailor, than the appearance of his ship while lying at anchor in port. After every thing was put in *' ship-shape " order, as a sailor would say, the anchor watches were set with four men in each, to be relieved every two hours. It is not usual, however, in merchant vessels, to have more than two men in an anchor watch ; but as we had a large crew, the number was increased. The watches were so regu- lated as to have two able seamen and two green hands in each. By this time the crew were all on board, with LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 31 the exception of the captain and surgeon, and as the ship was to go to sea the next day, we expected them off at daylight. Eight bells were now struck, and the first anchor watch, being called, took their stations two aft and two forward. Being one of this number, I heard the order, given by the pilot to the watch, to let him know if any change of wind or weather took place during the night, and especially to call him at 4 o'clock. Very soon a profound silence reigned throughout the ship, and I was left to my own reflections. The bustle of the day had prevented me from noting the change of life that I had voluntarily chosen ; and now that all was hushed into repose, the contrast brought to mind, I found that I was about to leave friends, and all the social com- forts of home, to mix with a society of men, who, as I had heard, were of the very worst habits and character, and confine myself to the narrow limits of a ship's deck for months. And then, again, the equivocal humor of the second officer came forcibly to my recollection, which gave me reason to believe that I should not pass a very pleasant time with him during this cruise. But it was now too late to think of retreating from my position ; and besides, pride and ambition came to my aid, and I re- solved to do the best I could, and follow out the bent of my inclination. The night was calm throughout ; and, with the exception of my watch on deck, I slept soundly until roused by the shrill whistle and hoarse cry of the boatswain, ''All hands a-hoy ! " when we were soon on deck. But as it was entirely calm, and the captain and surgeon were not yet on board, of course we did not get under way. The usual routine of work then com- menced, — such as rigging the head-pump, washing down the decks and sides of the ship, swabbing, &.c. This latter was a duty wholly consigned to the green hands, and consequently I had my share of it. To make this evolution intelligible to my readers, I may state, that it is the same operation that a woman performs after she has scrubbed the floor, wiping it dry with a cloth ; the only point of difference is, that it is done on board of a ship 32 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. with a bundle of rope-yarns tied snugly together, with a piece of rope in the end for a handle. The weather still remaining calm, the ship's company were employed in the necessary work of a ship previously to her going to sea, such as getting studding-sail-booms on the yards, reeving the geer, and seizing on the chafing mats, «fec. &c. About mid-day, the captain and surgeon came on board ; and it may not be amiss, in this place, to make the reader acquainted with the ship and her crew. The ship, then, was about six hundred tons' burden, completely fitted out for a long voyage ; one hundred and eight souls composed her crew, eighteen of whom were officers, sixty able seamen, and thirty green hands ; mounting twenty-six guns, nine and twelve pounds' calibre. Capt. W. was about fifty years of age, stout and robust, moral in his deportment, with great urbanity and mildness of manners, and of high repute in his pro- fession. Indeed, he appeared to be more like the father of a family, on board of his ship, than one who has the right to exercise supreme command. During the whole voyage he was in all respects a cool and intrepid com- mander, as well as an honorable and feeling man. The chief officer, Mr. L , was a man of some iutelli- gence, master of his profession, but very passionate and vindictive : he would make every man toe the mark, as the sailors used to say : he acted rather as a sailing- master, and great confidence was reposed in him by the captain. The second officer, Mr. C, of whom I have had occasion to speak, was, as we might say of a dia- mond, a salt of the first water. He was of low stature, thick, and strongly built, had a face which looked as if it had been pelted by many a storm, with a strong, mus- cular arm, and a fist which might strike a blow equal to that of a sledge-hammer ; he was about forty-five years of age, with a constitution that had not yielded to the hardships of a sailor's life, and, as the sailors used to say, he was as good a seaman as ever took marlinspike in hand. The third officer, Mr. K., about twenty-six years LIFE ON THK OCEAN. 33 of age, had served a regular apprenticeship to the sea, and was an active seaman, rather intelligent, but exceed- ingly jealous of his authority, and used it on every occa- sion ; although he was obsequious, to the last degree, to his superior. officers. Such, then, were the officers under whom I was destined to serve for three long years. The first day wore away without any material change in the weather ; consequently we had to lie still : after supper all hands crowded below into the two forecas- tles, separated only by a partition-grating, having but one entrance to both apartments from the deck. And now I had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with some of the peculiar habits of seamen ; for, while some were singing songs, others were " spinning long yarns," as they called them : there were others sitting round a bottle of rum, drinking healths to sweethearts and wives ; while in one corner might be seen a group of men, listening with profound attention to the super- stitious tales of an old salt. " Jack," said a sailor to one of the men who sat near me, who, as I afterwards learned, was an old man-of-war's-man, "what a,re we going to do with all them shooting-irons, on the North- West Coast ? " Hark-ye, Bill," said Jack ; "you are a soft tommy ; do you think them copper-colored gentle- men are going to wear them silk stockings, and all that fine rigging, we hoisted in the other day ? No, no," said he, rolling his quid over to the other side, and looking very knowingly at Bill, " I will bet you a week's grog, that all them fine things are for the ladies of the Spanish Don, prouder, and them there shooting-irons are just to beat off the Spanish cruisers." Just then eight bells were struck, anchor watch called, and the same orders were given as on the previous night ; and presently I heard a strange exclamation from the boatswain, of " Dowse the glim there below," which is the technical expression for putting out the light. We were roused at daylight next morning by the same shrill whistle, and the cry of, "All hands, up anchor, a-hoy ! " The wind had sprung up lightly from the northward, and we 4* 34 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. commenced the work of getting under way ; not, as is usual in merchant vessels, by heaving the anchor up with the windlass, but by the capstan. This is per- formed by the use of a rope, which is called a messenger, one end of which, the standing part, is made fast to a ring-bolt, or some other secure place ; the other end being rove through a block which is made fast to the cable, and then taken to the capstan, and in this way the anchor is hove up more expeditiously. The sails were now loosed and quickly set, the yards braced so as to cant the ship to port ; and we were soon under Avay, with top-gallantsails set, standing down Boston Bay, and bidding adieu to my native land. I sighed and turned away, and at the same moment heard the pilot call out to loose the royals. On board of merchant vessels, loosing and furling the light sails is the duty of the boys ; so I sprung into the mizzen rigging, and got on the royal yard, loosed the sail, which was quickly set ; this was my first feat of seamanship, and I felt no little pride after it was accomplished. The wind continuing light, we set studding-sails alow and aloft ; but as we approached Nantasket Roads, the wind hauled round to the eastward, and we came to an anchor at 3 P. M., and took this opportunity to house the guns, which means running them in board, and placing them fore and aft, and securing them, as well as the long-boat, spars, &c. &c. At 6 P. M. all hands were summoned aft, the watches were chosen, and the men stationed. On board of a ship, the crew is equally divided into two watches, which, by way of distinction, are called the starboard and larboard watches ; each watch serving four hours, excepting from 4 to 8 P. M. : this is divided into two watches, called by sailors the dog watch. The starboard watch fell to my lot, and nere I was again with my old friend, the second officer, Mr. C. After this was finished, the captain addressed the crew as follows: -'Now, my men, we are under way for a long, and perhaps a perilous voyage, and I expect every man on board will obey the discipline of this LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 35 ship, by conducting himself with proper respect toward the officers, and do his duty." Then, addressing himself particularly to the old sailors, he said, " I cannot allow you to take advantage, or impose upon the boys ; for they have come on board this ship without any pretensions to seamanship, and are as green as you were before them." And turning to the lads, he said, " Be obedient, endeav- or to become good seamen, and if there are any who desire to learn navigation, the gentlemen aft will instruct you, and you have permission to come aft in your watch below, whenever the weather will permit ; " and raising his voice, he said, " You are to have watch and watch, and it will be your own fault if that regulation is altered during the voyage." December 7, 1807. — Early the next morning the wind hauled to the west-north-west, and we got under way, made sail, and stretched out to sea. The wind being moderate and the sea smooth, we made but slow progress. At meridian. Cape Cod lighthouse bore south by east, distant 15 miles. At 4 P. M. the land disappeared, having sunk in the distance. The ship having as yet but little motion, I felt nothing of the so- much-dreaded sea-sickness ; but at 6 o'clock the wind freshened and obliged us to take in our light sails, and presently the sea rose, and the increased motion of the ship put to flight all my hopes of escaping the usual lot of a green hand ; for I now began to feel an unusual disturbance about the region of the stomach. At 8 P. M. the wind had increased to a moderate gale, which caused us to take in the top-gallantsails, and double-reef the topsails. As before stated, I was chosen in the starboard watch with the second officer, Mr. C. ; and as it was our first watch on deck, viz., from 8 o'clock to midnight, I of course was among the num- ber. Not feeling very pleasantly, I was scarcely able to keep my feet, from the violent motion of the ship. An order at this time was given to brace the yards ; hurrying aft, I had reached as far as the companion, when, with a sudden roll of the ship, I lost my equilib- 36 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 1 iiim, the concussion of the fall making me discharge the whole contents of my stomach on the weather side of the quarter deck. This was a mortal offence, especially as sailors are not allowed to go to the weather side of the quarter deck at sea. " Hallo," cried Mr. C, " lost your sea-legs, hey ? recollect, sir, there is nothing hove on the weather side but hot water and ashes ; away forward, and get a swab." This being done in a bungling way, he took hold of me by the arm, not in a very pleasant mood, and led me to the main rigging, and, placing the end of the reef-tack in my hand, a two and a half inch rope, said, '' There, sir, if you don't know the names of all these ropes by the time the watch is up, I will give you the end of this on your back." If his former harangue, -when I was getting my chest on board, made a sensible impression, this last threat made a much deeper one, for I not only knew the names of the ropes by the time specified, but the sickness left me in about an hour, and after that time I was never troubled with it again. 37 CHAPTER III. CONTINUANCE OF THE GALE SUPERSTITION OF SAILORS SUN- RISE AT SEA CROSSING THE LINE, &C. At midnight the larboard or chief mate's watch was called, and the starboard watch ordered below. The wind continued to increase until it blew a strong gale, which obliged us to close-reef the topsails, the ship bounding furiously through the water ; the sea, dashing against the bows, made a noise like a roaring cataract ; so that, what with the sickness of the green hands, the oaths and im- precations of the sailors, and the noise caused by the breaking of the water forward, together with the offen- sive smell of the bilge-water, and the confined air of a ship's forecastle, sleep entirely forsook me during the whole four hours, and it was a great relief when I heard the boatswain's mate call the starboard watch. I soon made my appearance on deck, and the scene which presented itself to my view was frightful, and yet awfully grand. The ship was now scudding before the wind, with close-reefed fore and main-topsails, and reefed foresail, in the Gulf Stream, at the rate of eleven miles per hour ; and the waves, to my highly-wrought imagination, were running mountains high. I shall not soon forget my feelings when the officer of the deck ordered. the royal yards to be sent down. It was with some difficulty I reached the after part of the ship, and attempted to get in the mizzen rigging ; but the officer, seeing my awkwardness, and fearing lest I should tumble overboard, ordered me down. The yards were quickly sent down, and every thing made snug, and the usual work of the morning, such as washing decks, trimming sails «fcc. cerformed. It may not be amiss to 38 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. State, in this place, that this ship differed from the gen- erality of merchant vessels : on account of her armament and large crew, the men were all regularly stationed as on board of a man-of-war. There were the after-guard, waisters, forecastle-men, and top-men ; and never, unless on some very extraordinary occasion, were all hands called. This is not the case with merchantmen in general ; for, on every occasion to reef, or take in sail, or any other extra duty, all the ship's company must be at work ; and I have known, on board of some ships, all hands to be called half a dozen times in a watch. Seven bells were how struck, the larboard watch was called, and the boatswain piped to breakfast. This was not a very comfortable meal, for I had not fairly got my sea-legs on, and did not care to risk my head in going to the caboose, to get my tin pot of coffee. At 8 A. M. the sea became more regular ; consequently the ship had less motion : the watch below turned in, while the larboard watch performed the duties of the ship. December 9. — The wind had now become more mod- erate ; but as we were in the southern edge of the -Gulf Stream, there was yet a heavy cross sea. Innumerable porpoises were scampering away towards the north-east, like a herd of deer with a pack of hounds on their trail ; and I heard some of the men say, that we should be sure to have a blow from that quarter ; for sailors have a sign in every thing, and no people in the world are more su- perstitiously inclined. I once heard an old seaman say that he belonged to a ship in which, during the previous voyage, a man had been murdered ; and he roundly af- firmed that he saw the ghost of that man, in the shape of a rat, come, out of the forecastle, and go up the main- stay into the top ; and this was done, he said, every night at 12 o'clock precisely, and although the crew supposed they had killed it several times, yet the rat continued to go up the main-stay during the whole voyage. The north-east blow, however, as predicted by the course of the porpoises, did not come, for the wind continued to LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 39 blow from west-north-west until the 14th. The weather now became surpassingly fine ; royal yards were sent aloft, and all the canvass spread on the ship. By this time I had become used to the motion of the ship, and, as sailors say, '' had my sea-legs on ; " and as I had pretty well lined my ribs with salt beef, biscuits, and coffee, I not only became stronger, but in much better spirits, and felt determined to acquire a knowledge of seamanship as speedily as possible. I therefore felt a degree of pride when I could get aloft first, to loose or furl the light sails. The second officer, I suppose, having observed this, got. me promoted from the after-guard to the mizzen-top. Nothing material transpired to interrupt the monotony of a sea life until the 17th, when I heard a cry from the main-topgallant yard of " Sail ho ! " This was a source of excitement to all hands, but of great delight to me, who had not as yet seen any other vessel in the wide ocean but our own. We descried her from the^ deck, standing across our larboard quarter, to the west- ward, at too great a distance to speak. December 18. — The wind hauled to the south-west, with warm, pleasant weather. Every one belonging to the watch on deck being variously employed, I could not help but remark how much I had been deceived, for I supposed that there would be no work on board of a ship, after leaving port, until her arrival at the place of desti- nation ; and consequently, I thought sailors must have a fine time, with nothing to do bat eat, drink, sleep, and look out. The very reverse, however, is the fact ; for, dur- ing the three years' cruise, I never knew, except in bad weather, any man belonging to the watch on deck to spend an idle moment ; and it may well be said that a sailor's work, like a womati's, is never done ; and on long voyages particularly, when the crew have watch and watch, it seems to be necessary that they should be employed at work in their watch on deck, in order that Iheir healtn may be preserved. December 'Zl. — Nothing material occurred these last three days. This morning was my watch on deck, and 40 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. the weather being perfectly clear, with a smooth sea, I had a delightful opportunity of beholding the sun rise at sea. This was a sight I had long coveted, because I had heard much about it ; and although it has been said that the scene wants the accompanying beauties of the landscape, singing of birds, &c., yet, to my mind, to behold the sun rising from beneath a well-defined horizon, in majestic splendor, when there is not a cloud to be seen in the blue arched canopy of the heavens, while the eye ranges over the interminable waste of waters, not only surpasses in beauty the rising of the sun on shore, but it also inspires the beholder with a feeling of the most profound awe and reverence in the contemplation of that Almighty Being who has made and upholds all things by the word of his power. December 23. — The ship having now run far enough to the eastward to make the north-east trade winds fair for crossing the equinoctial line, we were in a proper position so that, when we took the south-east trade winds, we might be far enough to the eastward to weather away Cape St. Roque, and have plenty of sea room. Our position then was 30° north latitude and 38° west longi- tude, when we bore away to the southward, and in two days, that is, on the 25th, we took the north-east trade winds in latitude 26° 40' N. The weather had now oecome steady, and the wind uniform : many of the young men on board wrote up their journals from the ship's log-book, and were taught navigation, as well as the use of the quadrant, by the first officer, Mr. L. It would have been a curious spectacle for any lands- man, as it was to me, to have seen the various employ- ments which were now in operation. On one side of the deck, the carpenter and his mates were building a boat ; on the other, the boatswain and his crew were laying up rope ; on the leeward side of the quarter deck, the sail- maker and his gang were repairing and making hght sails ; while the remaining part of the watch were knot- ting yarns, making sinnet, wads, wad-bags, &c. Our ship by this time had become completely disciplined LIFE ON THE OCEAN. * 41 the crew were divided into messes of six each, one of whom regularly drew every day the rations of provisions and water for the mess ; it being the duty of the officer of the watch to attend to the serving out of the provis- ions and water every morning, at which time a large cask, which was called a scuttle-butt, secured on deck, was filled up. Having now become somewhat acquainted with the details of a ship, as well as the duty of the officers, it may be proper to remark here that the captain, in whom is vested supreme command and great power, stands no watch ; he navigates the ship, and dispenses orders to the first officer, which are executed accordingly. He seldom gives an order to a sailor, and on board of this ship, the captain scarcely ever tacked the ship. This, however, is not the case with vessels of less burden and a smaller crew ; for it sometimes happens that the captain has to stand his watch, and carry on the details of the ship. The duty of the first officer is to write the log-book, in which all the transactions and occurrences of the voyage are noted ; he takes account of the cargo, and is accountable for loss, bad stowage, &c. The second officer keeps the captain's watch ; stows the cargo, in foreign ports ; and has under his charge, when there is no boatswain, the spare rigging, blocks, marlinspikes. marling, spun-yarn, &.c. The third officer, on board of our ship, during a pan of our voyage at least, was a kind of midshipman. Being in the first officer's watch, he generally passed the word, overlooked the men while at work, hove the log, &c. The log and line is that by which the ship's run is calculated, and was hove on board of our ship every hour, and marked on the slate, which is writ- ten off by the chief mate on the log-book each day at meridian, when the weather permits. We continued our run to the southward with a fine north-east trade wind, until the 30th, when I had an opportunity of seeing the officers take a lunar observa- tion, to determine the longitude, which was 31° west. 5 42 * LIFE ON THE OCEAN. This part of navigation I had a strong desire to learn, and determined to make myself a Imiarian ere the voy- age should close. As we were now approaching the equinoctial line, being in 12° north latitude, the wind became lighter, and I heard a faint buzzing among the old salts about the visit of old Neptune to his children, which I then believed was no farce, until ocular demonstration con- vinced me otherwise, as will hereafter be shown. January 3. — The wind now had become very light and variable, and the weather squally. As we expect- ed to have much rain, preparations were made to fill up our water-casks ; and in this we were not disappoint- ed, for on the morning of the 5th January, when in lati- tude 3° north, it commenced to rain at 8 o'clock, and did not cease, only at short intervals, the whole day, during which time we caught 2000 gallons of water. After this, the wind, on the 6th, sprung up moderately from south-south-east, when we braced up our yards on the larboard tack ; and as we expected to cross the line the next night, preparations were being made for the recep- tion of old Neptune — such as dressing two of the oldest sailors to personate him and his wife ; throwing over a tar barrel on fire ; and hailing the sea-god from on board. All this buffoonery was performed after dark, and so managed as to be kept a secret from the green hands. And here I must not omit stating, that this foolery was sanctioned by the captain and officers, very much to their mortification afterwards, as the scene of confu- sion which ensued had like to have closed with a mutiny. On the next morning, the Sth. the play began ; the green hands were confined in the forecastle, one at a time being sent up blindfolded, who was then received by his majesty of the sea, and the operation of shaving commenced. The lather consisted of slush mixed with the dirty water of the grindstone tub ; the razor was a piece of old iron hoop : the fape being well besmeared with this LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 43 lather, the work of shaving commencedj during which his majesty puts some interrogatories, such as, " Do you intend to become a member of my family, and a faithful subject of my realm?" &c. When the mouth is opened to give the answer, it is crammed full of odoriferous lath- er. This done, he is well scraped with the hoop, and ducked with salt water, and then let off to enjoy the re- mainder of the farce. I recollect, when they were about to cram the delicious lather into my mouth, I struck the man who held it, and in the bustle the bandage fell from my eyes, and I discovered the whole trick. A scene of confusion here took place ; the green hands all sided together, and determined not to submit to the operation, and the old sailors attempting to force us to yield, a riot took place, which was not, without much difficulty, quelled by the officers. Order being at length restored, and the crew having returned to their duty, all was soon forgotten. This day at meridian we were in 20' south of the line, having crossed it in 29° west longitude, making the passage in twenty-eight days from Boston^ 44 ^ CHAPTER IV. MOON-RISE AT SEA HEAVY SQUALLS ROUNDINO CAPE HORN EXCURSION IN SEARCH OF WATER, &C, &C. January 10. — Saw this morning great numbers of bonita and albacora round the ship,' — not unwelcome visitors, as many of the former, and some of the latter, were taken, which gave all hands a fresh mess, always a great luxury to the salted stomach of a sailor, who is sometimes fifty or sixty days with salt beef one day and salt pork the next. In this ship, however, there was an exception, flour being served out to each mess every Sabbath day to make pudding, or, as sailors call it, " duff," The trade wind being fixed at south-east, and the weather surpassingly fine, this favorable opportunity was taken for getting the small arms, such as musketry, pistols, &c., in complete order, and in making cartridges ; and as the boatswain had completed making a great quantity of ratling stuff, a boarding-netting wa^ made out of the same, to go all the way round the ship. This netting was ten feet in height, from the upper part of the bulwarks, and triced up to stanchions fitted for that purpose. Now, every aspirant had a fine opportunity for improvement, as the officers were never backward in communicating a knowledge of seamanship and navi- gation ; of which many of the young men took advan- tage. On one occasion, when I was in the steerage, copying from the log-book into my journal a day's run, the second officer, Mr. C, being present, to instruct, said to me, " Young man, I favored you while crossing the Gulf Stream, in that bit of a blow, for I was fearful that your body would get the better of your flippers, and LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 45 you might tumble overboard. Since that time, the weather has been such, that a dozen old women might have worked the ship ; and after we cross these lati- tudes, and reach Cape Horn, we shall have work enough, and every man on board must do his duty. Now you have got your sea-tacks aboard, and your jacket well lined, I hope you have a good conscience ; for now-a-days most of the young chaps that go to sea are sent off by their friends, or run away from their masters, because they are so worthless and dissipated that nothing can be done with them on shore. These fellows never make sailors, for they are not fit for the land or sea, and are just such as give sailors a bad name. I hope you will not flinch from your duty, for some- times there are fearful mishaps off that stormy cape. I once," continued he, "was before the mast in a brig, bound round the cape, when we were struck with one of those south-west hail squalls, while close reefing the main-topsail, when both topmasts went close by the cap, and three out of the six that were on the yard were thrown overboard, and went to Davy Jones's locker. They were my messmates, and never flinched in their duty." I discovered, by the tone of his voice, that, as we sometimes say, his heart was in his mouth, and if he had continued the recital, his eye-pumps would have given way. It may be proper to observe here, that^ although Mr. C. laid aside the distinction of the officer on these occasions when below, yet he never deviated from the strict discipline of the ship when on deck, for on those occasions I knew him only as Mr. C, second officer. January 15. — I had often heard the seamen on board speak of the uninterrupted course of the wind in these trades, and of the uniform good weather. I was now convinced, for during the last seven days the wind had not varied half a point, and the weather was uniformly good. On the night of the 16th, having the middle wateh, while sitting in the mizzen-top — for the topmen were always in the tops, in good weather, during their 5* 46 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. watch — musing on the fond recollections of home, and the associations connected with it, I was roused from this reverie, to behold the moon rising with solemn grandeur in a cloudless sky. Nothing could be more impressive ; for now a profound silence reigned through- out the ship, and nought was to be seen save this pale queen of night, ascending to perform her rounds, (with here and there a brilliant gem, that decked the azure vault,) and the wide-spread ocean, which seemed almost boundless as infinity, and the bark, now floating o'er the blue wave. All this brought forcibly to my recol- lection the reflections of David, as portrayed in the inimitable psalm : '' When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars which thou hast ordained," (fcc. Although surrounded by a. numerous crew, I could not help feeling that my situation was lonely; yet the wholesome admonition of my good old uncle constantly reiterated in my ears, especially that part which admonished me to excel in my profession. January 19. — When in the parallel of Cape Frio, I again heard the welcome sound of, " Sail ho!" which proved to be a ship steering to the westward, as we supposed bound to Rio de Janeiro. The wind con- tinued steady at south-east, and the weather being fine, we took this opportunity of getting our large guns below. Nothing material occurred until the 26th, when we passed the latitude of Rio de la Plata, and did not, according to our expectation, experience any of those severe blows, called by the Spaniards Pomperos, so usual at this place. The winds now became variable, and the weather squally, until we reached the parallel of 40° south. On the morning of the 6th FelDruary, the wind being light at south-east, saw heavy, dense, black clouds in . the south-western quarter, driving furi- ously to the north-east. All the light sails were imme- diately furled, the topsails close reefed, courses hauled up and furled, and the yards braced so as to take the wind on the starboard tack. For a few minutes there was an entire calm ; suddenly the ship was struck LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 47 with a most tremendous squall of rain, hail, and wind ; such was its violence, that the ship lay with her gun- wale in the water. I had now an opportunity of seeing the undaunted coolness and seamanship of Captain W., as well as the importance of a well-disciplined crew. The captain assumed entire command, which was executed with great promptness by the officers and crew : the mizzen-topsail was furled, and the lee-main- topsail-braces were slackened, to shiver the sail ; the helm was put to starboard, and the ship wore off before the wind, and, like an impatient courser which had been checked, she bounded furiously over the waves at the rate of twelve miles per hour. The violence of the squall lasted but one hour, when it settled into a hard gale, and as the ship was running directly out of her course, preparations were now made to bring her up by the wind, and lie to. The fore-topsail was furled ; and the ship having no other sail set but the close-reefed main-topsail, and fore-topmast -staysail, the main-yard was now braced up, the helm was put to leeward, and the ship came up to the wind. This being the first gale that we had experienced, I was a little surprised to find how perfectly safe the ship appeared to ride on the ' sea, and although it blew, as the sailors said, a very severe gale, yet it could scarcely be realized when we were below. The gale lasted about twelve hours, and the wind then hauled round to the south-east, and all sail being made, we stood on our course without much in- terruption. February 17. — Sent down royal-yards, masts, and rigging, and got in the flying-jib-boom to prepare for bad weather ofi" the Cape. The wind now hauled to the. southward with strong breezes, so that it obliged us to take the larboard tack, and stand to the westward, and on the morning of the 18th, at 10 A. M., " Land ho ! " was sounded from the mast-head, stretching as far as the eye could reach to the south-west. This proved to be the cheerless coast of Terra del Fuego ; and was the first land we had seen since our departure from Nantas- ket Roads. Our latitude now was 54° 30' south ; 48 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. longitude, 64° 30' west ; having made the passage in seventy days. The wind now hauled to the south-west, and in- creased to a gale, with violent hail squalls ; and at 5 P. M. saw Staten Land bearing south-west, and at 6 we wore ship to the south-east. The frequency of these terrible hail squalls brought to my recollection the con- versation with Mr. C. ; and as I had often been advised, by the sailors, to give the owners one hand and use the other for myself, I found their caution to be abso- lutely necessary, especially in these severe squalls ; for on that night all my strength was put to the test, while endeavoring, with some 30 or 40 men, to furl the main- , sail, which could not be accomplished in less than an hour, such was the violence of the wind ; the rain and hail pouring upon us in torrents, so that I became entirely benumbed, and had to lash myself with the earring to the yard-arm, to prevent falling overboard, having almost lost the use of my hands. In this blow the fore-topsail blew out of the bolt-ropes, and several other sails were split to pieces. We had now got our head fairly up to the curved land off Cape Horn ; and although I had heard much about the bad weather, yet every account failed, in its description, to the reality which we now experienced. For several days neither sun, moon, nor stars, were seen, and the ship constantly under close-reefed fore and main-topsails, and reefed foresail, with a tremendous heavy sea running. We continued endeavoring to get to the westward, but made very little progress. On the 25th, observed in latitude 57° 30' south, and not having had an opportunity to take a lunar observation, the longitude, by computation, from our last departure from Staten Land, was 70° 30' west. This, however, could not be relied upon, because there is constantly a strong easterly current, and in- stances have not been wanting where ships have judged themselves to the westward of the Cape, and have actu- ally borne away to the northward, when at the same time they were to the eastward, and the first land that they saw was about the Rio de La Plata. LITE ON THE OCEAN. 49 February 26. — The wind moderated and hauled to south-south-west; and as we could make a good westerly- course, a heavy press of canvass was now made upon the ship, against a heavy head sea. Indeed, in these lati- tudes, the sea is very seldom smooth, because the cessa- tion of gales is of so short a period that the swell has not time to subside. At 6 P. M., the wind hauled again to the west-south- west, with severe hail squalls, which obliged us, at mid- night, to furl the fore and mizzen-topsails. On the morning of the 27th the wind increased to a violent gale, which caused us, for the first time, to furl the main-topsail, and lie to under the storm-staysail. The violence of the gale, and the consequent heavy sea, not only made it difficult for us to get about the deck, but also prevented the cooks from boiling any meat or coffee, — the loss of which, especially the coffee, was a great privation. At 9 P. M., the gale broke, and at midnight we set close-reefed topsails. On the morning of the 28th the wind lulled away to a moderate breeze, and the sea be- came smoother ; this day, saw a number of birds, among which were albatrosses ; and we succeeded in taking one, with a hook and line, which measured twelve teet two inches, from tip to tip of the wings. The albatross is the largest bird in this region, except the condor. I saw one of the latter, which measured fourteen feet across the wings. We also caught, this day, with a small h jok and line, a number of cape pigeons, which, after skm- ning and parboiling, made us an excellent sea pie ; pota- toes, vinegar, and molasses, were now served out to the crew, as preventives to the scurvy, some symptoms of which had appeared. From these acceptable dain- ties, we made what the sailors call " lobscouse," con- sisting of salt beef, with potatoes cut up, with broken biscuit, and some fat. mixed together with fresh water, and boiled- — and this is a rare mess to a seaman, on a long voyage. The wind continued light, until 4 P. M., when we saw a very black appearance on the water to 60 LIFE ON THE UCEA.N. the eastward, and supposed it to be the reflection from the clouds ; but, with the aid of the spy-glass, it was soon discovered to be wind, driving furiously from the east- ward. All hands were now in motion ; we lowered away the yards, and clewed up the sails ; the hands sprung aloft, and furled all but the fore-topsail, which was close- reefed ; the ship was now put before the wind, amid the roaring of the elements ; preventer-lashings were put on, to secure every thing about deck, and preventer-braces, on the fore and fore-topsail yards. Night came on, and the scene was terrific ; what with the howling of the wind, the hoarse bellowing of the thunder, the vivid lightning, and the tremendous heavy, rolling sea, which broke in on either beam ; her stern now lifted by the sea, and her head plunging in- to the vortex below ; the stately ship, nearly 600 tons' burden, looked comparatively like a nutshell on the waves. It was a fearful night, and made the stoutest hearts on board quail. At midnight, the violence of the sea stove in our stern boat, which was immediately cut away from the gripes, and we also lost both swinging booms. During the whole night, the ship was driven with maddening impetuosity, by the violence of the gale, twelve miles per hour. Towards daylight, March 1st, the gale became steady, and more moderate ; and the ship was kept away a little to the northward. At meridian, we observed in latitude 56° 58' south, and no land being in sight, of course we were to the westward of the westernmost land of the Cape. Having now fairly doubled Cape Horn, I considered myself to be a piece of a sailor, as I had endeavored to improve every opportunity to become acquainted with the duties of a seaman, and in this I was greatly assisted by Mr. C, who, as I thought, appeared to take great pleasure in getting me forward. March 2. — The wind became steady, and hauled to the southward, with strong breezes, and clear ; and as we lessened our latitude, the weather became propor- tionably good. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 61 March 7. — During the last five days, we had uniform strong breezes, and nothing occurred to interrupt the usual routine of duty, and sameness, of a sea life. Ob- served this day at meridian in 39° 30' S., and the sun and moon being in distance, a lunar observation was taken, and the longitude deduced therefrom was 78° 20' W. March 8. — Sent up royal-yards, masts, &c. ; got out flying-jib-boom ; and by this time, the carpenters had re- paired the bulwarks, made swinging booms, and other necessary repairs. March 9. — Weather being exceedingly fine, and the sea smooth, we improved the opportunity to hoist up our large guns, and mounted them on their carriages. In doing this, a very serious accident happened to the carpenter, which nearly cost him his life. He unfortu- nately got between the combings of the hatch, and a nine pounder swinging in the tackle abreast of him, when the man who attended the guy let it slip, and the gun swung, with the motion of the ship, against his breast. He was taken up for dead; but through the indefati- gable exertions of the surgeon, he was soon brought to exhibit signs of life, but did not perform any duty for four months, and was not the same man again during the voyage. The guns, with all their paraphernalia, being secured, and the wind being now moderate, all sail was set, under the expectation of making the island of Masa- fuero the next day. March 10. — At 10 A. M., land was descried from the mast-head, bearing north-north-west, 15 leagues distant ; the ship was heading exactly for the land ; it proved to be, as was expected, the island of Masafuero, situated in 33° 45' S. latitude, and 80° 38' W. longitude, having made the passage in ninety-two days from Nantasket Roads, The island of Masafuero is small, being about six miles in length, and four and a half in breadth. On approach- ing this island, it every where appears to the eye of the beholder a mass of high, shelving rocks, without verdure or shrub, which we, in truth, found to be the case after landing ; and it is therefore incapable of affording suste- 63 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. nance, especially on the south side, for we examined it thoroughly. We stood boldly into the south side, until within a mile and a half of the island, it being the intention of Captain W. to send the boats on shore to get water, if they could land. Accordingly, two boats were manned and de- spatched, myself being one of the number ; each man ta- king his hook and line, to fish. In approaching the beach, we found it impossible to land, the surf being so great, the whole shore being lined with rocks. In this, we were much disappointed; the chagrin, however, did not last long, for, to our great joy, when we commenced fishing, we caught them in such numbers that, in two hours, we loaded both boats with the finest fish I ever ate. This proved to be a great treat to the officers and crew, and amply compensated us for our disappoint- ment in not being able to effect a landing. This night, lay ofi" and on, keeping the island full in view, with the expectation that we might be able to land in the morning. At daylight, on the 1 1th, sent away the same two boats with the fishing-gear, some muskets, and ammunition. The wind being lighter than on the preceding day, and the surf not so high, it was therefore agreed that one boat should endeavor to land, while the other was to remain ofi*, to fish. Accordingly, the boat to which I belonged proceeded ; and with great difficulty, and at the hazard of our lives, we succeeded in gaining the beach. After securing the boat, we took our muskets, and went in search of water, the prospect of success being very unpromising, for every where the land pre- sented an exceedingly barren appearance, without shrub- bery or vegetation, consisting principally of high, shelving rocks, and now and then might be seen some prickly pear bushes, as a kind of relief to this rugged scene. After the most diligent search, our efforts proved fruit- less, and no water was to be found in any quarter. About a mile and a half from where we landed, near to a sand-beach, there was a small piece of ground, which LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 53 appeared to have been cultivated, as we supposed, by men who had been left on the island to catch seal, which had formerly been taken here in great numbers. There were also the remains of what probably had been a hut in which they lived. Here, again, we renewed our search, supposing that, as this location had been chosen, fresh water could not be far off; but in this we were disappointed. The day now being far spent, the third officer, who commanded the boat, thought it best to give over the search, and get on board as fast as we could. We proceeded, therefore, with all possible de- spatch, and in passing a narrow defile of rocks, started a herd of goats, which, being exceedingly frightened, ran up an acclivity of rocks, that seemed nearly perpendicular, with as much apparent ease as if they had been on level ground. Our surprise was so great at seeing them, that we had scarcely presence of mind to fire; and when we did, it was so much at random, that we killed but two. We reached our boat at about 4 o'clock, and, with some difficulty, the surf being high, joined our companions. During our absence on shore, the jolly-boat was sent for eggs, which were found in so great abundance on a small island detached from the main island, that the boat was soon loaded, and towed off to the ship with them. The birds here were so numerous and so tame, that we found great difficulty in driving them away. We killed and took a great many. Some were nearly similar to the wild duck, but the most delicious were the young boobies, which, previously to their going to sea, are quite as great a delicacy as the canvass-back duck. And now, having fish, fowls, and eggs, in great abundance, we fared sumptuously. All hopes of getting water being now at an end, it was determined to leave the island, and to proceed to^ the coast of Chili. Accord- ingly, the boats were hoisted in, sail was made, and we steered away to the westward. 6 64 CHAPTER y. OBJECT OF THE VOYAGE EXPLAINED TO THE CREW — tJOM- MENCEMENT OF TRAFFIC ON THE COAST OF CHILI BAY OP COQUIMBO, &C. &,C. March 12. — This day we had fine, pleasant weather, and the ship was hauled up so as to make the land near Conception Bay. At meridian, all hands were called aft, and addressed by Captain W. " My men," said he, "no doubt some of you have perceived our destination before this time ; I will now explain to you the nature of our voyage. We are about to run on to the coast of Chili, and from thence down the coast to California. Our business ip a forced trade, and we shall be likely to meet with opposition, and fall in with Spanish cruisers. It is not my intention to run the ship into any fortified port, or to engage any vessel of greater force than ourselves ; there will be, however, some risk, as there always is in a contraband trade, and I have taken this opportunity to let you know, that, if the ship is taken by the Spaniards, we shall not only be made prisoners, but shall also be confined in the mines. I expect, therefore, every man will do his duty, and never strike the American flag. And as we shall necessarily have much work to do with our boats, to transport goods on shore, the greatest precaution will be necessary, so that you may not be entrapped by the Spaniards. I have no fears as to the final result of this voyage, for we have a ship that is quite able to take any thing in these seas that wears the Spanish flag, except it may be a frigate." At the conclusion of this address the men gave three cheers ; for all hands had the greatest respect for, and the strongest confidence in, Captain W, LIFE ON THE OCEANT. 56 Crews were chosen for the boats, the boarding-netting was stretched round the ship, and stoppered, and every preparation made with the armament to be ready in case of an attack. March 13. — • The wind continued at south-east, with fine, clear weather. This day the men were stationed at the guns in three divisions, after which we were em- ployed in exercising them, as well as in going through the manoeuvre of repelling boarders. March 14. — At meridian, the cry of " Land ho ! " was heard from the mast-head. Our latitude being 36'-' 43', it proved to be the coast between Conception and Tal- cahuana. We stood boldly in, our object being, if pos- sible, to ascertain whether any Spanish cruisers were lying in either of those ports. This, however, could not be effected before night, for, as we approached the land, the wind became light, and consequently we had not sufficient daylight to make our observations. At 8 P. M., took in all the light sails, single-reefed the topsails, hauled* up the courses, and lay off and on during the night. March 15. — At daylight, stood in, and saw Concep- tion Bay, bearing west-south-west, and ran close in to the southernmost point, and saw a few scattered huts. Two boats were manned and armed, with an officer in each, to reconnoitre, and to land, for the purpose of giv- ing information to those on shore that the vessel in the offing had every description of merchandise suitable for the Spanish market. The boats effected a landing, and ascertained that there were no Spanish men-of-war in either port, and that the coast and country were entirely destitute of goods. They also sounded, and discovered good an- chorage-ground under the southern point, secure from all but the northerly winds. This information caused much satisfaction to all on board, because there now appeared a prospect of commencing business. The day being far spent when the boats returned, we stood off and on, as on the preceding night ; at the same time getting our cables and anchors in readiness to let go. 66 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. March 16. — This morning, ran in, and, at 10 o'clock, came to, with the small bower, in fourteen fathom water, abreast of the southern point of Conception Bay. The land on this coast is exceedingly barren, although in the interior it is fertile, vegetation abundant, and the grape is cuUivated ; there being some extensive vine- yards, from which wine is made in large quantities, and sent to every part of the coast of Chili. While here, we had abundant reason to speak well of the grape, both as to its delicacy and richness, for great quantities were brought to us from time to time. At 11 A. M., sent our boats on shore, as on the pre- ceding day; they returned about 1 P. M., bringing two swarthy-looking Spaniards, very meanly clad. Our steward, being a Spaniard, acted as interpreter, through whom it was ascertained that, notwithstand- ing the appearance of these men, they were, neverthe- less, rich, and wished to purchase goods to the amount of $-20,000, if they could be safely landed. They also stated we had chosen a bad place to anchor, because the ship would be seen from the city of Conception. It was then determined to get under way at dark, and stand off and on, so as to keep out of sight. In the mean time, these Spaniards were to purchase the goods, and we were to land them under cover of the night. This arrangement being made, the boats were despatched with the Spaniards to bring off their specie. At 5 P. M., they returned, bringing the money with them, and, according to previous arrangement, we got under way, stood off and on, and, at about midnight, they fin- ished their purchases, to the amount of near $20,000, which were packed, stowed in the boats, and sent on shore. They were landed without accident or interrup- tion, the boats returned, and all on board were well satisfied with the commencement of our trade. March 24. — During the preceding days, nothing ma- terial occurred, except that we were constantly look- ing out for landing-places and settlements on the coast, between Talcahuana and Conception. We found it LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 67 almost impossible to get on shore with our boats, as the coast between the two latter places lies entirely open to the Pacific Ocean, and consequently there is at all times a very heavy surf running. We, however, effected a landing about 20 miles south of Talcahuana, but not without great hazard of our lives, and. succeeded in the sale of about $6000 worth of goods. March 27. — Having now ascertained that nothing more could be done on this part of the coast, it was determined to go farther to the leeward, especially as we were fearful that the Spanish cruisers . might get infor- mation, if we remained any great length of time at one point. Although Valparaiso was the next port to lee- ward, yet, it being strongly fortified, and at this season of the year a rendezvous for men-of-war, we neither touched at nor passed near to it. March 30. — During the last three days, we stood off, and were employed in exercising our guns, fitting pre- venter-slings to our lower yards, and altering the paint- work outside, in order to deceive those Spaniards who might have seen the ship to windward. March Zl. — Stood in to make the land about Co- quimbo. This day an alteration was made in the stations of our crew, and I began to perceive Mr. C, the second officer, to be my friend ; for, through his influ- ence, I was transferred from the raizzen to the main-top, and appointed to pull the bow oar in one of the cutters. The latter was an advancement I had no reason to look for, because none but the most trusty and fearless were selected for that duty. At sunset, saw a number of spermaceti whales, which were easily distinguished from the right whale by some of our seamen, who had for- merly been engaged in the whale fishery. . At 9 P. M., the wind became very light as we shot into a school of these monsters of the deep. While we distinctly heard the deep-toned breathings of some as we lay nearly becalmed, others were plunging with fearful rapidity under our bottom, appearing on the other side close to the vessel. They continued round the ship during a great part of the night, to the no small 6* 68 LIFK ON THE OCEAN. dismay of some, but to the great delight of others, who had frequently been eye-witnesses to scenes of a similar character. April 1. — At 6 A. M., saw the land, distant 12 leagues. The breeze freshening, we made all sail and stood in. The coast made was between Point Bellena and Co- quimbo. The appearance of the land was high and exceedingly rugged ; the shore presented an unbroken line of rocks, and seemed to defy the skill and manage- ment of any boat's crew to land ; but as our business was to eflect this, if possible, after running close in, two boats were manned, armed, and despatched to reconnoi- tre, and effect a landing, if practicable. As before stated, being appointed bow-raan of one of the cutters, of course I was of the number. On approaching the shore, we found it utterly impossible to land, such was the violence of the breakers, dashing against the rocks; and the heavy rollers, which broke at a considerable distance outside of them, presented an insurmountable barrier, and left us no alternative but to return to the ship. At 3 P. M., after the boats were hoisted in, the mast- head men, who Avere always aloft during the day look- ing, sung out, " Sail on the larboard bow ! " This was the first vessel we had seen this side of Cape Horn, and, as we were now engaged in a contraband trade, the cry of " Sail ho ! " created an unusual excitement. It was so in this instance particularly, as all hands were called to quarters, the decks cleared, and every thing put in readiness for action. We hauled upon the wind, on the larboard tack, and the vessel, which proved to be a ship, passed five or six miles to the leeward of us. Captain W. concluded that she was a whaler, bound into Co- quimbo for supplies. It seemed to be necessary, how- ever, for us to ascertain her character, it being the inten- tion of Captain W. to go into Coquimbo also, as our supply of water was now getting short, and as we should run little risk, there being no fortifications at that port ; we immediately bore away, and before sun- set were sufiiciently near to make her character to be a merchant vessel. LirE ON THE OCEAN. 59 April 2. — At daylight we were close in with the lanu the Bay of Coquimbo full in view, and it was soon discovered that Captain W. was not mistaken as to the destination of the vessel we had seen the preceding day ; for she was lying at anchor in the harbor, having, prob- ably, arrived the night previously, while we stood off and on in the offing. Every thing being now in readiness to come to an anchor, we stood into the bay with our stars and stripes flying at the peak, and quickly perceived the ship to hoist Spanish colors. From her appearance, however, we could not be deceived as to her character being that of a merchant vessel ; nevertheless, every precaution was taken in the event of deception. We continued to run in un- til within a short distance of where the ship lay, and then came to an anchor in ten fathom water. A boat was despatched, to ascertain the true character of the ship. In about an hour she returned, bringing the captain, who informed us that he was from Valdivia, bound to Callao, and had put in here to land some of his cargo. He also expressed much satisfaction on learn- ing the character of our ship, and the nature of our business, stating that he had orders to purchase, in Cal- lao, merchandise of the same description that we had on board, and, therefore, he concluded to purchase and fill up his orders with us. It now became necessary, being much in want of water, to proceed without delay in. get- ting a supply before the news should reach St. Jago of our being in this port, which if known, landing would be attended with much hazard, because a strong body of soldiers would be despatched from that place to cut us off. Accordingly, we proceeded with the greatest despatch, armed all our boats, took a number of water- casks in tow ; and, when near the beach, one of the boats was sent with the interpreter, to ascertain if Avater could be procured, and to gather such information as could be obtained with reference to the facilities of trade. It was ascertained by the interpreter that the hw Sjmniards who were there appeared to be friendly, and 60 . LIFE ON THE OCEAN. oiFered to assist us in prociuing water and supplies. They also expressed much satisfaction, being in want of goods, when they understood we had such articles on board as would suit them. As we had heard of the faithlessness of Spaniards, we did not place much reli- ance on their apparent friendship ; consequently, every precaution was taken. A few casks only were landed at a time, and those under cover of a strong detachment of our men, well armed ; and the launch having a swivel mounted on her bow, and anchored near the beach, to protect the party filling the water-casks, who were within gun-shot, afforded ample security against all danger. These arrangements being made, we proceeded with- out molestation, and in about three hours tilled all the casks which we brought with us, rolled them to the beach, slung them, and proceeded on board. We con- tinued our labors without interruption two days, and, to the no small satisfaction of Captain W., completed our watering, succeeded in purchasing, at a very low rate, three small bullocks, which were killed on shore, and supplied the whole ship's company with fresh provisions for several days. April 5. — The boats were employed for several days going to and from the shore, bringing with them those who wished to trade. The captain of the Spanish ship made large purchases. On the 12th, the Spaniard got under way, and proceeded to Callao, the port of his destination, and, on the 14th, our land communication was broken off in consequence of the arrival of a large body of soldiers sent from the interior to prevent our trade. The colonel of this detachment, however, offered to let us trade, if a duty of 20 per cent, were secured to the government. But Captain W., suspecting a decoy, refused to have any further communication with the shore at this place. The Bay of Coquimbo lies in the parallel of 29° 56' south, and 71° 16' w^st longitude. This is a perfectly safe and good harbor where vessels may ride securely LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 61 against all winds, having good anchorage-ground in from 10 to 15 fathoms water, and is easy of access, having a wide entrance, and may be known, when run- ning down the coast, by a remarkably high bluff, which forms the southernmost point to the entrance of the bay. The land near the seaboard is high and sterile ; but in the interior, especially in the valleys, it is rich, pro- ducing spontaneously the grape in abundance, as well as the peach-tree, which yields the finest peaches I have ever eaten. In this region are mines of copper ore, and near this place a vein has been discovered to the extent of twenty leagues, and, no doubt, when the art of smelting is made "known to the Spaniards, will become a source of vast revenue. From the town of Coquimbo to St. Jago, the capital of Chili, the distance is about fifty leagues. The com- munication is kept up by a road, or rather a path, rudely constructed, and the travelling is attended with much difficulty and danger, because of the narrow passes and numerous precipices, which are frequent as you go over the mountains. All travelling and transportation are performed by mules ; these animals being so perfectly trained, that they will go along safely over the narrow passes, with their yawning gulfs beneath, where a man would scarcely venture to perform this task on foot. In the offing may be seen the first range of the per- petually snow-topped Andes, or Cordilleras, the highest elevation of which is the peak of Chimborazo. No sight can be presented to the human eye, or mind, more truly sublime and magnificent, than to behold the sun rise from behind those lofty summits, and from beneath an apparently well-defined horizon of snow ; while a thousand variegated hues are reflected by its rays in the clouds which lie between the top of the mountain and its base. The intervening land, strongly contrasted with the light and shade thrown upon the clouds, forms at once the most magnificent and picturesque view the imagination can conceive. I shall not forget my feel- ings as this sight first opened to my view, in a morn- 03 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ing watch, when the silence and sohtude of night were dispelled by gray-eyed morning, and the rising beams of the sun, scattering the mists and vapors from the land, presented to my vision the scene just now described. It was an hour when all the warring pas- sions of nature were lulled and hushed into repose, by the deeper feelings of awe and veneration, in con- templating the wisdom and power of the great Architect of the universe. Apj^il 15. — In the morning, at daylight, the shrill whistle and hoarse cry was heard of " All hands, up anchor, a-hoy ! " which was soon done, and in a few minutes the ship was under a press of canvass, standing out of the Bay of Coquimbo. After getting a good offing, we shortened sail and stood down the coast ; it being the intention of Captain W. to look in at the port of Huasco, a distance of about ninety miles from the last port. Being aware that information would be given by the captain of the Spanish ship, on his arrival at Callao, of the character and object of our ship, it became abso- lutely necessary for us to act with the greatest caution, because the Spanish authorities, no doubt, would issue orders to every seaport town on the coast to have us intercepted, and cut off, if possible ; and, knowing, too, that there were Spanish men-of-war lying in the port of Callao, it was highly probable that, as soon as informa- tion was received, they would be sent out in search of us. April 17. — Stood in, and made the land twenty miles to the southward of Huasco. At 11 A. M., being close in shore, we ran down until the port, or rather roadstead, hove in sight. When off this roadstead, — for it can scarcely be called a harbor, — a boat was manned to sound, and land, if practicable. It was ascertained that the anchorage-ground was in very deep water, and from the heavy, rolling swell constantly setting in, the surf ran exceedingly high, and broke at a great distance from the beach, which made it difficult for a boat to land, without the risk of upsetting and the loss of life. No communication with the shore was effected at this time, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 63 yet it was determined to run the ship in and anchor ; which was done about a mile from the shore, in twenty fathoms water. Two boats were despatched to effect a landing, if possible, in which were put two coils of large rope, a small kedge-anchor and buoy, and also a small line. When sufficiently near, the anchor was let go outside of the rollers, with one end of the large rope made fast to the buoy, and the small line was bent on to the other end, — so that, when the boat effected a landing, the large rope might be hauled on shore and made fast. Watching for a favorable opportunity, we gave way with the oars on the top of a heavy roller, which broke at a little distance ahead of us ; and never shall I forget the huge, black mass of water which rose up a short distance astern of the boat, and which came rolling on with fearful rapidity, as if eager to swallow up the boat and her crew. "Give way, lads, for your lives," shouted the officer, at the same time keenly glancing at the monster astern, and the bow of the boat, alternately. " Starboard your oars, there ; keep her head on ; give way, my boys ; one length more, and we are safe ! " At that moment a noise was heard like the falling waters of a mighty cataract ; it broke about ten yards astern, dashing volumes of water far ahead of our boat, and throwing a great quantity on board, while every man exerted his utmost strength at the oar, and at the same time the coxswain, with great skill and management, kept her head on — the surf driving her with the utmost velocity, and the next minute she struck the beach. We jumped out immediately, and soon hauled the boat clear of the surf. The landing being effected without accident, we hauled the rope on shore, and made it secure ; a sig- nal was then made to the boat outside. The crew got the bight of the rope fore and aft the boat, leading it from the stern over the scull-hole, securing the fore part with a stopper, to prevent its slipping over the gun- wale. The oars were then laid fore and aft, and the crew,, seizing a favorable moment, hauled away upon the rope, and brought the boat, in great style, with the i54 LIFE ON THE OCEAIf. rapidity of lightning, to the beach. We were now joined by three Spaniards, from whom we learned that our arrival was anticipated, as there were two merchants from the interior who had come from Coqiiimbo, they having got to the latter place on the day of our departure ; and thinking we might touch at Huasco, proceeded here with all despatch, to meet us. On entering the town, our appearance created much curiosity and surprise ; nevertheless, we were treated kindly, and every assur- ance was given of their friendship, as well as the proba- bility that we might effect large sales. It was necessary, however, to keep a strict look-out, and despatch our business, being aware that, in a few days at most, troops would be sent to the different ports on the coast, to frus- trate our trade, and to cut us off. The day having v/orn away, it became necessary for the party to go on board, and the boats were accordingly cleared of the breakers without accident, as before stated, bringing the two mer- chants with us. We lay here five days, making as good use of our time as possible, being constantly engaged in bringing off specie and transporting goods to the shore. The town of Huasco is situated in latitude 28° 26' south, longitude 71° 15' west. There are about five and twenty widely-scattered huts, presenting a most uncomfortable appearance, and constructed mostly of mud and brush, consisting of but one apartment; consequently, whole families are thrown together, without distinction of age or sex. Tropical fruits are here in abundance, but vegetables of any description are not to be found ; and the reason is, simply, because labor and industry are required for their cultivation. The Spaniards on this coast, particularly, are proverbially indolent. Nature seems to have been lavish in her bounties towards them, and has thus made provision against their constitutional defect. 65 CHAPTER VI. TRAFFIC ON THE COAST CONTINUED TREACHERY OF TirE SPAN- IARDS SAIL FOR THE GALLIPAGOS ISLANDS -^DESCRIPTION OF THEM. April 22. — This day, we received information from one of the Spanish merchants which obliged us to break off our communication with the shore. It seems, a strong detachment of soldiers had been despatched from Coqiiimbo to this place, and were expected to arrive liourly. He also stated that the inhabitants of the town, having made all their purchases, intended to decoy our men into the village, and seize our boats. It being, therefore, hazardous to venture on shore, we g''.t un- der way on the 23d, and stood out to sea. As wo expected, information was rapidly spread along the coast in reference to the character of our ship ; consequently, the hazard and difficulty of trading became greater every day, and the utmost caution, with the most deter- mined fearlessness, was necessary to effect the object of the voyage on this coast. A consultation was now held, between Captain W. and the officers, whether it might not be the better plan to run far to leeward, so as to elude the vigilance of the Spaniards, which would, no doubt, be kept up along the seaboard. It was, however, determined to touch atone or two places more, and, after that, to proceed either to the leeward or the Cocoss Island, which is situated a little to the southward of the line. The distance being small from the last port to Copiapo, we concluded not to touch at that place, know- ing that it would be hazardous to land. April 25. —-Made the land between Copiapo and Poiat Ntgra. Stood close in, saw Point Negra a^ 1 1 A- J^*? 66 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. and discovered a few huts on shore. This place pre- sented no shelter whatever, and appeared to be an im- penetrable iron-bound coast ; nevertheless, great as the difficulties apparently were, two boats were despatched to reconnoitre, and effect a landing, if practicable. The boat duty now became exceedingly hazardous, and as much elated as I was when I received my appointment as bow-man of the second cutter, yet, what with the surf, the treachery of the Spaniards, and the great distance we had oftentimes to pull, damped my ardor, and at times I would willingly have relinquished my situation in the boat for the more secure foothold of our ship's deck. Flinching, however, was out of the question ; pride revolted! and it would have been considered great pusillanimity j besides, I should have been a butt for all the seamen on board. But to return — we pulled in shore, and for a long time could not discover any place to land. At length we de- scried a point of rocks stretching out a Uttle distance from ihe shore, to the southward of which an entrance was perceived, like a small cove. We pulled in without hesitation, and found, to our great joy, a safe and easy landing-place. We were met on the beach by two Spaniards, mounted on horses, and, although not in uniform, yet they appeared like soldiers, having a brace of pistols in their holsters. As there were fourteen of us, and all well armed, we did not fear them, although every precaution was taken by us to prevent surprise. From these two men we learned that they bad received information of the ship when she lay at Huasco, and seemed to be perfectly well acquainted with her charac- ter. They expressed a wish to trade, and invited us up to the village, which invitation was declined. We returned to the ship, and Captain W. thought it most prudent not to land unless some of the Spaniards could be prevailed with to come on board. The next day, two boats were despatched under command of Mr. C, third officer. On approaching the shore, several Spaniards were in waiting on the beach ; no indication LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 67 of treachery or hostility were manifested by them ; on the contrary, every mark of kindness was shown ; and, pointing to a large pile of fruit, they assured the inter- preter that they had brought it down expressly for the ship. After some consultation, Mr. C. and the inter- preter landed on the beach, and prevailed upon the tv/o Spaniards to go on board with their specie. In return- ing to the ship, we sounded, and found forty fathoms of 'Water, within one and a half cables length of the beach, so that all prospect of anchoring was at an end. Now, having these two Spaniards on board, we had less fear in landing, which we frequently did, and procured a large quantity of fresh meat, fruits, &c. April 26. — After the Spaniards had finished pur- chasing, they were taken on shore with their merchan- dise, and safely landed, and with them our negotiations concluded in this place. April 28. — Made sail, and stood out in the offing. From the information we had recently received, and the indications of treachery at Huasco, Captain W. deter- mined to keep off from the coast for a short time, hoping by this to allay the excitement, and elude the vigilance of the Spanish men-of-war, which would, no doubt, be on the look-out for the ship. It was, therefore, concluded to go to the Gallipagos Islands, which abounded in sea turtle of the most delicious kind, as well as land-terra- pins, which were said to grow to an immense size. All sail was set, and we steered away to the northward and westward for these islands. The Pacific Ocean is very appropriately named, as it is remarkable for the serenity of the weather, and the uninterrupted course of the wiitds, from the parallel 30° south to the line. Since we first made the land about Conception Bay until the pres- ent time, we had one continued series of fine weather, and perfectly smooth sea, and consequently never had occasion to reef our topsails. April 29. — This day, being Sunday, I shall here take the liberty, not having done so before, to describe a Sab- bath on board of our ship. It was the constant practice, 68 LirE ON THE OCEAN. since we left the United States, to devote Saturday to the repairing and washing of our clothes, as well as to cleansing the forecastles thoroughly, getting up all the chests, &c., for the purpose of ventilation. This rule was established, so that there might be no unnecessary work on the Sabbath day. On Sunday, every man on board was mustered, and examined as to the cleanliness of his person aud clothing. After iuspectiou, it was the usual custom of Captain W. to give some wholesome ad- vice relative to the observance of morals, and to the keeping of that day particularly. Although there was such a variety of character on board, yet every man respected Ca[)tain W., and therefore his advice was well received, and his orders implicitly obeyed. The monot- ony of a sea life is more deeply felt on Sunday than on any other day, and this was strictly the case in our ship. With a large crew, the duty restricted to watch and watch, of course there was much spare time ; conse- quently, it was absolutely requisite that the men should have employment, as well as new scenes of excitement, in order that this long voyage might pass away agree- ably. Yet on the Sabbath day at sea, when no work is going on, and nothing to excite one but the dull round of ship duty, lime passes very heavily. It would have been a curious spectacle for a landsman, to have seen the occupation of the crew during the Sa^bbath day. On one side of the forecastle might be seen some engaged in painting vessels, landscapes, &c. ; on tlie other were a group writing their journals ; while a third set were learning navigation, taught by a young shipmate who had graduated at Cambridge. There, too, were the old salts, covering their hats, for the*pur- pose of making them weather-proof tarpaulins, or graft- ing beckets for their chests; and by the serious coun- tenances of another group, who sat reading the Bible, you might have supposed that they had received early religious impressions. Throughout, the utmost har- mony and good-will prevailed, and thus the day passed LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 69 off with some pleasantry, but to many others with the most listless apathy. We continued on our course to the north-west, with fine weather and fresh breezes during the passage. All who were engaged in learning lunar observations had the privilege of using the sextants belonging to the offi- cers, and this was the first time I had taken a distance between the sun and moon. After working up the ob- servation, I shaped a course for Chatham Island, which proved to be tolerably correct when we made the island. May 9. — Nothing material occurred during the last eight or nine days. We now found ourselves drawing up with the Gallipagos Islands, our object being first to touch at Chatham. May \Q. — At 8 A. M., the welcome sound of "Land ho ! " was again sung out from the mast-head. This was the island to which we had shaped our course. From my dead reckoning, I found that my lunar observation was thirty miles out of the way. The island bore north- north-west, distant ten leagues, and is of moderate eleva- tion. As we drew nigh, we could not perceive a single particle of shrubbery. Every thing wore the appearance of having undergone a volcanic eruption. At 11 A. M., took in the light sails, and preparations were being made to come to in Stephen's Bay, which shortly opened at the north-east point. At meridian, came to anchor with the small bower in ten fathoms water, with good holding ground, about three fourths of a mile from the beach. The turtle being found more plentiful on the beach in the morning, it was determined not to land until the next day. May 11. — Our five boats were all hoisted out at day- light, and sixty men went on shore, with the intention of making two parties, one to take terrapin, and the other turtle. We succeeded beyond our most sanguine expec- tations, having taken upwards of twenty fine large turtle, and as many terrapin, some of which were of immense size, weighing from fifty to three hundred pounds. We found considerable difficulty in capturing the terrapin, 70 lilFE ON THE OCEAN. not only on account of their size, but also from their color, which bore exactly the same appearance as the ground, a dark brown, and which oftentimes eluded the vigilance of the keenest eye. We remained in tfiis ] lace fonr days, during which time we canght 15U turtle, and sncceeded in getting on board 170 terra|.in. Our object in coming to these islands was not only to evade the vigilance of the Spanish authorities, but to get a supply of turtle and water. After the most diligent search, no water was to be found on this island. As before stated, such was the sterility of the soil, that not a single tree was to be seen, and it seemed a mystery how the terrapin could subsist on this barren spot — unless it was on the low prickly pear bushes, which were the only sign of vegetation we saw on the island. As we were in no hurry to return to the coast, it was determined to go to some of the other islands to procure wood and water, Chatham Island is situated in the parallel of 50' south latitude, and 89° 20' west longitude. The bay, or har- bor, is commodious and safe, with good anchorage ; and as it is situated nearly under the equinoctial line, calm weather prevails, with, however, occasional squalls of wind and rain, of short duration, and less severe than within the tropic of Cancer. May 16. ■ — Got under way and stood to sea, our inten- tion being to run for James Island. The wind being light, we did not make it until the 20th, at 9 A. M. Ran close in to the leeward, and anchored in twenty fathoms, the shore presenting a fine, long, sandy beach, on which we landed with our boats without any difficulty. James Island is situated in 12' south latitude, and 90° 41' west longitude, and although not so large as Chat- ham, yet in its soil it is similar in many parts of the island ; but on the south side, vegetation is more abun- dant. Here, again, we were doomed to disappointment ; no water was to be found, after a search of five days ; but we caught a few fine turtle, and procured a quantity of brushwood. Terrapin was nowhere to be found. LIS-E ON THE OCEAN. 71 As we had been nearly a month from the coast, and calculating that it would require from ten to fifteen days to beat up to windward, — our destination being for the port of Arica, — and believing that all farther efforts to procure water on these islands would be fruitless, Captain W. deemed it expedient to proceed forthwith in the prosecution of our trade. Accordingly, on the 25th we stood to sea, endeavoring as much as possible, by keeping the best tack, to work to the southward, so that we might take the fresh trade winds. Fortunately, the wind favored, so that by the 27th we reached the parallel of 4P south, when we took the south-east trade winds, and braced up on the larboard tack, standing to the southward. The turtle and terrapin which we liad procured at Chatham Island proved of great value, not only on account of their delicacy, but the consiunption of our salt provisions was lessened, an object of great importance, as we expected our stay on the coast would be prolonged, and no provisions could be salted down in these latitudes and be preserved. The only method practicable, when we procured a surplus supply of bul- locks, was to cut the meat off in long strips, put it in pickle for two or three days, and then hang it lip in the sun to dry. This is what is called jerked beef, a good substitute for salted provision, especially when it is first cured ; but when it is old, it becomes dry and hard, and loses much of its flavor and nutriment. This supply of turtle was not only seasonable, but rare and delicious, and afforded fresh messes for the ship's com- pany for three months ; indeed, tintle soup was as com- mon as pea soup ; and terrapin pies as much so as salt beef. The terrapin is the best fresh sea stock that can be procured, because they are attended with no expense, and will live for months without food or water. In proof of this, as soon as they were taken, we stowed the greater part of them down in the fore-peak, and used them as occasion required ; the last of which was not killed until about seven montlis after it was taken, and when prepared for cooking was quite as fat as any of 73 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. tlie former. We continued beating to windward, with fresh breezes from south-east. All hands being in fine spirits, and under a good state of discipline, we were pre- pared again to engage in our business on the coast, and did not fear an attack from an open enemy of superior force. June 10. — During the preceding days, nothing re- markable occurred, and every advantage of the change of wind was taken. We found ourselves, by observation, in latitude 18° south, and longitude 76° west, being far to the eastward of Arica. Laid the ship on the starboard tack, the wind being at south-east, and stood in for the land. June 11. — The wind hauled to south-south-east, which enabled us to make an east course good, and every sail was set that could draw on a wind. June 13. — At daylight, "Land ho! " was sung out from the mast-head, our latitude being now, by calcula- tion, 18° 15' south, and longitude 70° 50' west. Stood in, and saw the port of Arica. A consultation was now held by the captain and officers as to the best mode of procedure, as we had previous information that there was a small fort in that place. It was determined to run in, and anchor the ship in a position so that our broadside could bear upon the fort, as well as to cover our men in landing. Entering the harbor, with the American colors fly- ing, we were saluted by the fort with the Spanish flag. All the boats were now hoisted out, the launch having two swivels mounted in her bow, and the pin- nace one; the remaining boats were all well armed; the number of men in this expedition was fifty, under the command of Mr. C, second oflicer, assisted by the third oflicer. Orders were given by Captain W. for one boat to land with the interpreter, and the others to remain a small distance from the beach, so that, in the event of an attack, the ship could play upon the fort, while the expedition on shore was to repel any force which might come against them. All being now ready. WFE ON THE OCEAN. 73 the boats shoved off, cheered by those on board, and responded to by the crews of the boats. On approach- ing the shore, we found some difficulty in landing, on account of the surf; although not so heavy as that to windward, yet it presented an obstacle to those boats which were ordered to lie off, the distance beuig too great for the small arm^ to have effect. It was, however, agreed that one boat should land, while the others remained outside the rollers, and, if necessary, a precon- certed signal was to be given by those on shore to the boats, when they were immediately to pull in. The landing was effected, and we were met by several Spaniards, some of whom wore a dirty uniform, whom we soon ascertained to be soldiers. They appeared to re- ceive us very courteously, and inquired if this was not the same ship that was at Huasco two months since. On the question being evaded, the commandant of the place made his appearance, when a conversation ensued between him and the interpreter, in which he agreed to let us obtain a supply of water, and carry on our trade, under the proviso of a pretty large bribe to himself. These arrangements being made, we returned to the ship — not, however, until we ascertained the strength of the fort, and the number of men with which it was gar- risoned. This intelligence beitig conveyed to Captain W., an expedition was prepared on the following day. Our water-casks in tow, we repaired to the shore, and, with a small line, hauled our casks to the beach. A most arduous duty was now before us. Although we had ascertained the fort mounted but four guns, and was garrisoned by only twenty men, yet we did not know what number might be concealed in the village, and it was necessary that the water-casks should be rolled up nearly to the entrance of the town, about five hundred yards from where we landed. The trial, however, was to be made, even if we should fail in the attempt. The boats were then all ordered on shore, except the pinnace, which was to remain to haul the casks off. These preparations being made, we immediately pro- 74 LIFE ON THE OCEAN ceeded to roll the casks to the wateruig-placo, and, with out any hinderance whatever, the whole number were filled, hauled off to the pinnace, and slung. The com- mandant expressing a desire to visit the ship, two boats were despatched to tow oft' the water, and take him on board, while the others remained at a little distance from the shore. In this manner we proceeded, until our watering was finished. We also obtained here a con- siderable quantity of yams, and some tropical fruit. Our friend the commandant, receiving his bribe, and taking a good survey of the ship, departed with the prom- ise to assist us in the prosecution of our trade. Many small presents were sent on shore, and distributed among the soldiers and inhabitants; which served greatly to secure their friendship. We remained here two weeks, during which period some heavy sales were made; bat, as usual, when the Spaniards had effected their pur- pose, and secured all they could screw out of us, evi- dent signs of treachery were observed, which roused our suspicions, when no more communication was held with the shore. Ju7ie 28. — At 8 A. M., got under way, and when about half a mile from the anchorage, we had positive proof that our suspicions of the treachery of the Spaniards were not ill founded, for we were saluted by a shot from the fort, which fell a little short of us. Not caring to waste powder and ball upon these miscreants, we took no notice of the tendered favor. The port of Arica lies in the parallel of IS*^ 27' south, 79^ 19' west. It affords no shelter except from the east- north-east winds, which seldom blow. The anchorage is from eighteen to twenty-five fathoms water, with sandy bottom, where vessels may ride in safety, the weather being perpetually good. The town of Arica, as before stated, has a rudely-constructed fort, of but little im- portance. This town, or village, consists of about twenty or thirty buildings, or huts, which are neither wind-tight nor water-tight. This, to be sure, is of little importance, because the weather is uniformly warm, and it seldom rains in these latitudes. LIFE ON THE OCSAir. 75 Arica is the port town to Arequipa, the capital of Inter- mediate Peru. It is situated east-north-east from Arica, distant forty leagues, and is difficult of access, by reason of the high mountains, and the many narrow passes and defiles, with which it is surrounded, and over which no animals are used for transportation or burden, except mules. The land is exceedingly barren ; in the interior it is mountainous and rocky, and, with the exception of the valleys, it is altogether so poor, that nothing can thrive. 70 CHAPTER VII. INFORMATION OF THE CAPTURE OF A BOSTON SHIP BY A SPAN- ISH CRUISER AN ATTEMPTED CAPTURE OP OUR BOATS DE- FEATED PORT OF ISLAV NEWS OF A SPANISH CRUISER — DESCRIPTION OF A HURRICANE SEVERE ENGAGEMENT. We continued our course to leeward, during the night, under short sail, calculating to be close in with the port of Ilo at daylight. In the morning, ran in and anchored in the roadstead, in thirty fathom water. Nothing pre- sented itself to cause alarm, as there were only about eight or ten houses, or huts, that could be perceived ; consequently we had nothing to fear, except it might be a force from Arica. Here we had no difficulty in landing, as there was but little surf: a ledge of rocks which lay off a short distance from the beach broke the heavy swell. When we landed, having taken the same precautions as usual, the inhabitants, both men and women, came down to the beach, and among them was an Irishman, whose appearance indicated a person of some distinction. From him we learned that the ship, Belle Sauvage, of Boston, had been captured about three weeks before by a Spanish cruiser, and sent into Callao. We knew that the Belle Sauvage was bound to the north- west coast, and it was probable she had touched here to dispose of part of her cargo, which supposition was con- firmed by the Irishman, who informed us that she was captured in Arica. It was no mystery to us why we were kept in ignorance of the circumstance when there, they probably hoping we should meet a similar fate. This Irishman expressed a great desire to make purchas- es from us, stating that he was a merchant, and had been a resident of Arequipa some years. We returned to the ship with him, when he negotiated with Captain W. for a large amount of merchandise, which was immediate- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ff ly made ready for delivery. Two boats were sent ashore with him, and in about two hours he returned, bringing the amount of his pnrchases in specie. The goods were landed safely, after which he came off several times ; suspicions were finally awakened that he was a spy. The next day, those suspicions were con- firmed ; for, while one of the boats was on shore with the interpreter, endeavoring to make a bargain for some fresh stock, a plan was laid to seize the boat and cut us off. This was done by a party of Spaniards, in conjunction with this Irishman. They endeavored to get between the boat and our men, who, all but one, were on the beach : seeing this, and not liking their movements, the mterpreter said to the officer of the boat, " We will go on board." Upon this, the Spaniards renewed their efforts, when the interpreter immediately took sand in both hands, and threw it in the face and eyes of the Irish- man, creating considerable confusion with the Span- iards ; in the midst of which we sncceeded in gaining our boat, where all our muskets were stowed. On seeing the muskets presented, the Spaniards fled with precipita- tion ; and thus ended our adventure and the communi- cation with Ilo. July 7. — Weighed anchor, and stood out to sea. It was now certain that, as we approached Callao, our situation became more critical and dangerous, in con- sequence of which Captain W. was undetermined as to our future operations. He soon, however, came to the conclusion to touch at the port of Islay, which lies south-westerly twenty-five leagues distant from Ilo, and then to run far to leeward. In accordance with this plan, we shortened sail during the night, ran close to the land, and at nine A. M., July 8th, made the port of Tslay. Stood in, and anchored in thirty-five fathoms water. Islay can scarcely be called a harbor, as it affords no shelter whatever except from the south-east winds, which are broken by a high bluff of rocks, extending seaward about three quarters of a mile, ranging nearly east and west. There is also another ledge of rocks 8 78 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. about a quarter of a mile from the shore, running north and south, distance one mile, which effectually breaks the surf, that rolls in with tremendous violence on the other parts of the shore. Two boats were manned, armed, and despatched, with orders that no one should land except the interpreter. On approaching the beach, we saw several Spaniards awaiting our arrival. No appearance of treachery was discerned among them. The interpreter went on shore, and held a consultation, the result of which was, that a boat was to be sent on shore the next morning before daylight, when two Spaniards were to be in waiting with specie, to repair on board the ship to make pur- chases. According to this arrangement, we proceeded on shore, and brought them off with their specie. From these men we received most important information, namely, that an armed lugger of great force, mounting two thirty-two pounders on pivots, and eight long nines, with a complement of two hundred and fifty men, pierced for sixty sweeps, had been fitted out at Callao, and had actually sailed, in company with a Spanish sloop- of-war, six days previous, to cruise in quest of us ; and that they were probably then hovering near by. This news created universal excitement throughout the ship, especially as a dead calm prevailed ; not a ripple or cat's- paw was visible over the wide waste of waters. The sun shone brilliantly on the broad face of the Pacific ; the ocean presented to the eye a smooth, glassy surface; and the slumbering deep, always portentous of a coming Btorm, especially in the season and latitudes of the tornado, — this combination of circumstances produced a kind of secret foreboding among the crew of a coming evil ; it was not, however, a dread of the desolating hurricane, so much as a fear of being attacked by the enemy in the night, while at anchor during this calm. At meridian, the cry of " Sail ho ! " was simultaneous- ly heard from the fore and main royal-yards ; but the stranger was at so great a distance in the offing that her character could not be ascertained with the glass. At LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 79 sunset, the distance being shortened between us, she was seen from the topsail-yard. The crisis had now nearly arrived, as no doubt remained but that the strange sail in the offing was an enemy; consequently, the ship was put in complete readiness for action. All hands were called, with orders to remain at quarters during the night ; the lights were extinguished, and a profound silence reigned, which was only interrupted by the roaring surf on the beach, or the occasional scream of a sea-gull, which in vain sought its nightly repose among the rocks, by the turbulence of the dashing foam. " George," said an old salt, who was stationed at the gun with me, and who had served seven years on board of an English man-of-war, " I'll miss my reck'iiing, if we don't have some play with these shooting-irons to- morrow." "Why?" said I. " Because," he replied, " I never knew such a day and night of calm as this, in all my going to sea, that was not followed by a brush or a storm of some kind. Two 5'ears ago, I was on board of a West Indiaman, out of York, bound to St. Thomas ; and when about two day^ sail from the island, one morning it fell dead calm — just such a time as we have had to-day for all the world. Our skipper, an old trader, did not seem to be quite easy in his mind that day; so before night the hands were turned up, and we got all the light spars down on deck, housed the top-gallant-mast, close-reefed the top- sails, furled the courses, jib, and trysail, got preventer-^ lashings on the boats and spars, and hove overboard all the useless lumber from the deck. " Throughout the night it remained calm as a clock, and the little brig lay on the water just like that albatross we saw off Cape Horn riding over the sea, with its head under its wing, asleep. In the morning, the sun arose red as a ball of fire, and very soon a black cloud came up in the north-north-east quarter. The mate had the watch on deck, and called the old skipper up, who 80 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. didn't take much time to jait on his knee-buckles. As soon as he got on deck, he clapped his phiz to windward, which looked for all the world like a liard north-wester. The cloud soon rose and passed over astern of us to the westward: then, pile upon pile, they showed their black heads like mountains in the eastern board. 'Clew up the main-topsail,' shouted the captain, ' lay aloft there, furl ths sails, clap oit preventer-gaskets, hook on the rolling tackle, bowse it taut, and secure the yard : — cheerily, men ! ' " We sprung aloft, furled the topsail, and were soon on deck. 'Away forward,' cried he, 'clew up the fore-top- sail, and hand it ; bear-a-hand, and lay down oif the yard.' " Just as we got the bunt gasket made fast, I took a squint to windward, and, sure enough, I saw it a- coming ; the black clouds had nearly overspread the heavens, and the cold, misty rain was driving along towards us by the violence of the wind. The sea rose, and along came a huge mass of black water, which I knew very well, if it came on board, would swamp the little brig. ' Lie down for your lives,' shouted the cap- tain, ' and come aft ; secure yourselves, every man of you ; hard-a-port.' "Just at that moment the violence of the winds struck ns a-beam, and, having nothing on her but the fore-top- mast-staysail, she paid off before the wind, and took the heavy rolling sea on her quarter, and in a few minutes she was scudding away before it, at the rate of eleven knots. " The next hour, it blew a hurricane ; each succeeding sea grew higher, and rolled heavily after us with fearful rapidity, as if driven along by the imp of darkness, eager to swallovv us up as his prey. Just then, a loud clap of thunder rose high above the roaring hurricane, and a sharp flash of lightning played round the masts and rigging, like a blaze of fire ; it came from the north- west quarter, ' Starboard your helm, haul in the lar- board head-brace ! ' roared out the old skipper, in a tone ilffWIM'VWIi ' LIFE ON THE OCEAN. Si which was heard distinctly amid the contending ele- ments ; but it was too late : the hurricane suddenly shifted eight points into the north-western board, and struck her on the beam ; and at the same moment, the heavy rolling sea from the eastward was close aboard, part of which, as she lifted her stern, tucked her under the counter : — away went the fore-topmast-staysail clean out of the bolt-ropes, and the next moment, a heavy combing sea fell aboard, throwing poor Jack Evans, who was at the helm, twenty yards from the brig, and d^own she went smack on her beam-ends. I shall never forget that scene," said the narrator mournfully ; "as we clung to the starboard side of the little brig, we heard the cries of poor Jack, and saw him struggling for life on the top of a sea. This sight set my eye-pumps a-going, and, turning away, I saw the old skipper crawl- ing along towards the main-channels. ' Follow me ! ' he shouted, ' and lend a hand to cut away the lanyards of the main-rigging.' I crept along the side after him as well as I could, and we succeeded in gaining the main-channels. 'Now,' said the old skipper, 'a sharp knife and a clear conscience — cut away the lanyards, my lads.' We both fell to ; they were soon cut away, and the mainmast went by the board, carrying with it the fore-topmast and jib-boom. " The little craft, now being relieved of her burden, soon began to right, which the old man perceiving, he sung out, ' Thank God, my lads, she rights ! ' and, lead- ing the way himself, shouted, ' Come on, my boys ! let's free her from these sticks, or they will make daylight through her.' '■' This was not the work of a minute, but there were no skulkers there ; every man did his duty, from the captain down, and in an hour and a half the wreck was cleared, she was nearly upright on her bottom, every thing swept clean from the decks, with only one solitary stick standing, driving away before the terrific hurricane, with maddening fury. ' Sound the pumps there.' " I had listened up to this moment with breathless 82 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. atteiition, and as Joe Green progressed in this exciting narration, his voice became distinctly audible. " Silence there ! " said Mr. L., our first officer, who had been sweeping round the horizon with his night-glass, and then, addressing Captain W. : " Yonder is a sail, sir, on our larboard quarter, between us and the land." This was corroborated by the second and third offi- cers, who in their turn swept the horizon with the night- glass. " Lay the ship's larboard broadside to the strange sail with the spring," said Captain W. This order was instantly obeyed, and all was again quiet, the strange sail having now disappeared, being shut in with the land. It was now midnight; the Spaniard had completed his purchases, and two boats, under command of the third officer, were despatched with him and his mer- chandise — with orders to return to the ship as speedily as practicable. The night wore away ; and at the dawn of day, on the 10th, we discovered that the officers were not deceived. There she lay inside of the rocks, her hull nearly con- cealed from our deck, exhibiting to our view nothing but a lugger's spars. We now began to realize what we so much dreaded, being within gun-shot of the enemy, in a dead calm, with little probability of crippling him, and no chance of getting out of his reach, unless a breeze should spring up. At half past five, A. M., the stars and stripes were hoisted at the peak, and the broad pennant at the main ; a gun was fired to leeward with blank cartridge, the signal of a friend. She responded to our friendly indi- cation, by hoisting the Spanish flag, and firing a thirty- two pound shot, which fell a short distance astern of us. And now the action began. The order was given by Captain W. to elevate the guns of the first divis- ion, so as, if possible, to cut away the enemy's spars. Presently a broad sheet of flame issued from the lar- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 83 board side, and for a moment our ship was enveloped in smoke ; it soon cleared away, and there the enemy- lay, uninjured by our fire. A brisk cannonading was kept up, and we soon perceived that our position was not a very enviable one. Every shot froni our oppo- nent's thirty-two pounders told well. " I'll bet a month's grog," said the gunner's mate, as he was looking over the side at one of the shot which came skipping along the water. •' that that shot makes daylight through our ship." Sure enough, it struck the quick work, took off the top of the companion way, and cut away two shrouds of the mizzen rigging. Single shots were now dis- charged at the enemy, but without effect. The execu- tion of the enemy's shot now became fearful ; every deck plank was shivered athwartship ; the main and mizzen rigging, and slings of the fore-yard, were cut away ; three men lay dead, and seven wounded ; and it became absolutely necessary for the safety of the ship and crew, either to get out of her reach, or to use some stratagem to decoy her out of her place of security from behind the rocks. Just then a light air sprung up from off the land, and we ceased firing. " Away there aloft, topmen, and loose the sails ! man the topsail, top-gallant, and royal sheets ! see the cable all ready to shp ! " were the orders given in quick suc- cession, and as quickly obeyed. In ten minutes the ship was under skysails, the cable was slipped, her head canted to starboard, and the boats had her in tow, the two boats having just returned from the shore. The breeze did not last more than fifteen minutes, when it again fell calm, and from the heavy swell which set in, it was impossible to tow her ahead with the boats. The swell, setting her in towards the rocks, obliged us again to anchor ; the boats were ordered alongside, the light sails clewed up, the topsails let run on the cap, and the ship was brought up with the stream anchor, backed by the kedge, in forty fathoms water. For a few minutes the Spaniard ceased firing, and we perceived he was 84 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. getting under way. Captain W., addressing the crew, said, — " Now, my men, the Spaniard is under the impression that he has silenced us, and intends to carry us by board- ing. We will not undeceive him till he gets fairly within short gun-shot. Recollect, the American flag must never be struck to that Spaniard. Away then to your quarters ; let the larboard broadside be charged with round and grape, and let not a shot be spent in vain." The lugger now came from behind the rocks, pulling boldly with her sweeps head on. "Are all the divisions ready?" demanded Capt. W., which was answered in the affirmative. " Mind," said he, " that you depress the muzzles of your guns, so as to hull the rascal." "Ay, ay, sir! " said an old tar, who was captain of a gun near to that at which I was stationed, and which he had christened Nancy Dawson. So saying, he clapped his eye to the breech, and, patting the gun most affectionately, said — " That cut-throat rascal shall hear some of your small talk presently." The lugger had now approached to within half-gun- shot, head on ; the order was now given to lay the ship's broadside with the spring so as to give the enemy a raking fire. The movement was quickly perceived by the lugger, and her head was immediately pulled round with the sweeps, so as to bring her starboard broadside to bear. " Are you ready fore and aft ? " said Captain W. " Ay, ay 1 " was the reply. "Fire!" The whole broadside was discharged, which shook the ship from the keelson to the truck, and which en- veloped her in a cloud of smoke. In a few moments it cleared away: — the lugger's mizzen-mast, main-topmast, and bowsprit, were gone ; and, as we afterwards learned, one of her thirty-two pounders was capsized, seventeen LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 85 men lay dead upon her decks, and twenty-eight were wounded. Jack Sawyer, who was captain of the gun " Nancy Dawson," seeing the lugger's mizzen-mast cut away, jumped in ecstasy of joy, and, kissing the breech of his gun, swore that the shot from Nancy cut away the mizzen-mast. The lugger by this time had her head pulling in shore. "Elevate your guns with precision, load and fire, as fast as you can, and sink the Spaniard ! " said Capt. W. This order was unnecessary, as the men had become exasperated to the highest pitch for the loss of our ship- mates. Our firing, however, soon proved useless ; for, with the aid of her sweeps, she was in a short time out of gun-shot, pulling along shore. Three cheers were now given, and as we were all eager for the fight, we asked liberty of Capt. W. to cut her out with the boats. " No," said he; " you have fought bravely, and blood enough has been spilt already; no doubt but that you might carry the cowardly dog, but it would be at the expense of some of your lives. We have a long cruise before us yet, and probably shall have occasion to use all the ammunition on board ; besides, I value your lives more than that dastardly Spaniard." This had the desired effect with the crew. The decks were cleared, the launch and pinnace succeeded in weighing the anchor, which had been slipped, and soon brought it alongside, the cable was taken in, and the anchor hove to the bows. A light breeze now sprung up from off the land, the boats were hoisted in and stowed, the stream anchor was hove up, and in. a few minutes she was under a press of sail, standing out to sea, to repair damages and bury the dead. We stood off, the breeze increasing, and at sunset were out of sight of the land. The light sails were all taken in ; and as Captain W. was undecided as to our future operations, we steered away to the northward, during the night, under easy sail. The following day was set apart for the burial of our dead. July 11. — This morning the sun rose in a cloudless 86 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. sky ; and now, the excitement of battle being over, a universal sadness was felt throughout the ship for the loss of our three young shipmates, and the fate of two others, who, it was supposed, were mortally wounded. The corpses were sewed in their hammocks, and every preparation was made for a burial at sea. At 10 A. M., the ship was hove to, with the main-topsail at the mast. All hands were piped on deck, and the bodies were laid on planks in the gangway. The captain's clerk com- menced the funeral service of the Episcopal church : — " Man, that is born of a woman," &c. There stood the old tars who had braved many a storm, and faced the enemy at the cannon's mouth, with their hard features and brawny limbs. The moment the service com- menced, their eye-pumps gave way, and the salt tears fell in quick succession down their weather-beaten faces, while the more youthful sailors, being more sus- ceptible to the impressions of woe, wept immoderately. Just at the moment when the clerk had reached that part of the service which commits the body to the deep, I cast a glance at Captain W. and the officers, and saw depicted in their countenances the deepest emotions of sorrow, as well as the falling tears chasing each other in rapid succession. The sea being perfectly smooth, the ship lay nearly as still as if she had been at an anchor. The solemn moment arrived, the voice of the clerk tremulously pronounced, " We commit these bodies to the deep;" a splash was heard, and the corpses sank beneath the blue wave, there to rest until " the sea shall give up its dead." 87 CHAPTER VIII. SAIL FOR COCOS ISLAND CONVERSATION WITH JACK SAWYEB DESCRIPTION OF CHATHAM ISLAND MELANCHOLY DEATH AND FUNERAL OF ONE OF THE SEAMEN. The solemn scene described in the last chapter being over, the main-topsail was filled away, all sail set, and we steered for Cocos Island, to replenish our water and fuel, which were getting short. The sad occurrences of the last few days produced a general sorrow with the officers and crew, and especially with Captain W., as the relatives of the three young men who had recently fallen had given them into his particular charge, and they were also universal favorites with the crew. Seamen are naturally superstitious, and the late events roused up those latent feelings of credulity into active exercise. Many of the old sailors affirmed, v/ith great gravity, that, as the enemy's shot passed through the ship's side, and killed throe men, then spent its force, and rebounded, and rolled into the cabin, —in consequence of the ball remaining on board, we should have many a brush, and many of us would lose the number of our mess before our cruise was up. Others were afraid to go aloft alone in the night, especially in the raizzen-top, because the lads who were killed had been stationed there previous to the action. One old salt swore that, while he was at the helm in the first night-watch, just before eight bells were struck, he saw Jim Fox (one of the slain) passing water aft, and actually washing the deck. Be these things as they may, it had a very salutary influence, for the Sabbath day, after this, was more generally respect- ed, and many of the crew read the Bible with attention, who had, perhaps, never looked into it before. All the wounded, except two^ were recovering rapidly; th© 9 88 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. damages were repaired, and the duties of the ship were performed with the usual promptness, and long yarns were being continually spun in the forecastle, relative to our late action. While at a job of work in the main-top in a forenoon watch, with an old sailor, I was not a httle interested in the following conversation ; — "Youngster," said he, "that carcass of yours got the better of your pins the other day — you didn't flinch, but you had a narrow chance for your knowledge-box when that shot knocked down Bob Wilson and Sam Clark by your side. Well, well," continued he, " there's no fun in fighting when there's nothing gained by it ; 1 don't mind to have a bit of a dust now and then, if there's any prize-money in the way, or in my country's sarvice ; for, do you see, if mayhap you get a flipper or pin knocked oflT, and lay up in ordinary, — why, then, you have a shot in the locker ; or if a chance shot happens to let day- light through you, why, then, you're among the list of the killed ; the jig's up, and there's an end on't. But, 1 say, youngster, you've got larnin, and I can't read a word in the book ; just tell me, where does a sailor go to when he slips his wind ? I've always had a notion, till the^ther day, that, when Jack parts his cable, he drives away to Fiddlers' Green, where there's plenty of grog and lots of fun. " There was Tom Bunting, a messmate of mine, aboard the Syren frigate ; he could read just as well as the par- son, and spin a yarn as long as the main-top bowline. 'Do you think, Jack,' says he, 'after a sailor has been knocked about like the boatswain's yeoman — now un- der a burning sun, and then oft' the Icy Cape, with hard usage and salt grub all the days of his life, banging salt water — that he's not going to have some fun and frolic after he slips his wind ? I tell you,' says Tom, ' I don't believe a word what our chaplain said the other day, that a sailor is going to be clapped under hatches when he slips his moorings, just because he tosses ofl" a glass of grog, lets slip an oath sometimes, and has a bit pf a spree when ashore.' But I say, youngster," con- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 89 linued Jack, " there's Bill Harris, that college-larnt chap that belongs to our watch, — he's a hearty fellow, though he does tumble down the forescuttle, and capsizes all the grub belonging to the mess. The other day, just as 1 was going to turn in, I overheard him say to Zeke Dowling, the boatswain's mate, * Zeke,' says he, ' I tell you, it's all stufl' about a sailor's going to Fiddlers' Green. Sailors, as well as landsmen, will have to heave in stays, and stand on t'other tack, so as to get clear of the shoals of destruction that lays near grog harbor, and swearing rocks, and cape frolic, which is sure to pick him up if he stands on; and then,' says Bill, 'he must obey the orders of this book,' (clapping his flipper on a Bible that lay on a chest ;) * if they don't, why, then, do you see, when they slip their cables, they'll just drift into the broad bay of destruction.' ' Just belay that. Bill,' says I; 'how is a fellow going to obey orders when nobody gives them, and he can't read a word in the book ? ' ' I'll read for you,' says Bill. So half a dozen of us just coiled ourselves round him in a ring, and at it he went, just, for all the world, as if he had larnt it by heart ; so, after he had read on a bit — * Avast there ! ' says I : — 'is that true, Bill ? ' ' Every word on't,' says Bill. I just felt, youngster, the same as I did when aboard of the Syren frigate, as we lay becalmed under a French eighteen-gun battery. They bored us, every shot, and we couldn't get one of our shooting-irons to bear upon the battery." " Why, how did you feel. Jack ? " says I. "Why, just like hauling off on t'other tack. I'll tell you what 'tis, youngster ; I've been overhauling my log-book, and I find I've kept a bad reck'ning of it ; I've carried too much sail, and. now I am clean off the right course, and I don't know how to steer to keep clear of the sunken rocks, and make the good port where I can moor head and stern. Can you tell me, youngster? " " Yes," said I ; " take Bill Harris's advice, heave in stays immediately, and when you get round on the other tack, clap on every sail that will draw upon a wind, haul out your bowlines taut, make short boards till you get aa 90 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. offing ; and when you have plenty of sea room, give the rocks a wide berth, haul in the weather-braces, set studding-sails below and aloft, and steer away for the broad bay of heaven." I cast a glance at Jack, and saw that his hard features had relaxed, and his head-j^unij s were going. Says I, "Jack, would you like to know how to read? If you would, I'll teach you in our watch below." " Yoiuigster, I'll give you my grog for six months, if you'll jist larn me to read in that book J heard Bill Harris read. Why, there was my old mother, God bless her ! it's many long years since, but 1 recollect she would throw her arms around my neck, and read that same old book, and then say the Lord's Prayer. 'Jack,' says she, * be a good boy — remember your poor old mother's ad- vice ; obey the orders of this book, and it will make a man of you.' " I felt an unusual interest for poor Jack, and resolved to use my best endeavors to instruct him, at least so far as that he might be able to read ; and, at the same time, I felt a little curious to know more about his history. Addressing him to this effect, I said, " I should like to know more about your poor old mother and yourself." To which he replied, — " Why, youngster, I've been boxing the compass, up and down, fair weather and foul, twenty-seven years, and never had a messmate before that cared for old mother, and rattlebrain Jack Sawyer;" (for this was his name:) "why, my hearty," continued he, "it's a pretty long yarn ; and as we have good weather in these lati- tudes — too good for these cut-throat rascals on this coast — I'll spin it out here in the top in our watch at night." At that moment eight bells were struck, the larboard watch called, and the boatswain piped to dinner. July 20. — During the nine preceding days, nothing of moment transpired to disturb the monotony which is usual at sea, with a long series of fair winds and good weather ; and as we were now rapidly approaching the island. Jack Sawyer said he would clap a stopper on his yarn, until we got our wood and water on board. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 91 July 22. — At midnight, took in all the light sails, and hove to, expecting to be close up with the land in the morning. We were not disappointed, for at daylight the island was close aboard, bearing north-westerly, distant not more than one league. Got the ship in readiness to come to an anchor; rounded into Chatham Bay, and brought up with a small bower, in ten fathoms water. The boats were hoisted out, and every preparation was made to fill up the water, and replenish the stock of fuel. Vessels may lie here in the most perfect safety in all winds ; there are, however, no gales; the trade winds are reg- ular, except at certain seasons of the year, when they are interrupted by squalls. The bay is as smooth as a mill-pond, and affords every facility to vessels for supplies. The island is small — say about four miles in circumference — with two lesser islands, which are detached by a narrow channel from the main island. The land is exceedingly fertile and loamy, abounding in wood, \vith wild hogs and cocoa-nuts in abundance. The water here is perhaps the finest in the world, and may be got without difficulty, and indeed, without roll- ing the casks on shore, as you have nothing to do but to extend a link of hose to the top of a rock, — into which runs a stream of fine fresh water, — and by directing the other end of the hose into the casks, they are filled at once. As we were now in a fine harbor, with a fair opportunity to obtain supplies, and overhaul our ship. Captain W. made up his mind to remain here at least three weeks or a month. The crew were now variously employed in getting water, wood, shooting hogs, and collecting cocoa-nuts. The armorer and his crew were also employed in burning a coal-pit. We obtained a plentiful supply of eggs from the small islands, which were literally covered with them, so much so that large quantities were taken every day during our stay. Sea- fowl were here also in great numbers, especially a spe- cies of duck, known by the name of " shags." Young boobies were also taken : and they were so tame, that we had no difficulty in capturing them by hand, or with a 9* 92 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. small stick. We found them quite as great a delicacy as a squab. The hunting of hogs was found to be a dangerous service, and proved nearly fatal to some of the crew en- gaged in that duty. On one occasion, a party of men penetrated some distance into the island, and separated into pairs, supposing that they might have a better opportunity to start the animal. Suddenly and unex- pectedly a large boar, with immense tusks, exceedingly lierce, started close by the side of two engaged in the pursuit. Surprised, and momentarily thrown off their guard, the animal approached to within a few paces of them, when a musket was discharged which wounded him, though but slightly. Roused to madness by the wound, he sprang upon the man who had discharged his musket, and drove his tusk nearly through his leg. By this time the other man recovered himself, and shot the boar through the body. Hunting Hogs at Chatham Bay. p. 92. While here, we took about thirty hogs ; but such was the heat of the climate, that we were necessarily obliged lilFE ON THE OCEAN. 93 to salt them down as fast as they were taken. In flavor or sweetness, the flesh of the wild hog will bear no comparison with the tame or domestic animal ; that of the former being coarse, soft, and flabby, savoring much of the cocoa-nut upon which they feed. August 1. — This was a black day in our calendar. Our ship was again shrouded in gloom. Joseph Davis, one of the armorer's crew, was engaged in catching young boobies on an eminence which rose eiglity or ninety feet, nearly perpendicular, from the beach, which was covered with small rocks and stones. With his left arm around the trunk of a tree, and the other extended in the act of knocking a bird ofl" its branch, the tree gave way, and down he came to the beach below, breaking nearly every bone in his body, and dashing his brains out. I shall never forget that sight, being at the time about twenty yards' distance from where he landed, employed in procuring v/ood. I ran to him as quickly as possible, but life was extinct, for his spirit had fled for- ever. We conveyed him on board, where his remains were laid out, a coffin was made, and the next day was set apart for his interment. The solemnity throughout the ship that night surpassed any thing I had ever wit- nessed. The uninterrupted silence, the noiseless step, the sorrow depicted on the countenances of the crew, together with the desolation of the island,- made it a night of woe. August 2. — The next morning, the sun rose clear, the sky was serene, and the face of the waters, being a dead calm, gave an air of solemnity, which seemed in unison with the scene about to be enacted. The colors were hoisted half-mast, and breakfast being over, all hands were piped to attend the funeral service on shore. The boats were now in readiness alongside; and the' body of the deceased, over which the American ensign was thrown, was lowered into the launch. The boats were then all manned, and proceeded in regular line, with the launch in tow, to the shore. The funeral pro- cession was formed, and we conveyed the corpse about three hundred yards to a sequestered spot, surrounded with 94 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. trees not unlike the weeping-willow, the chosen sepulchre for the repository of the dead. The funeral service was read with great seriousness by the captain's clerk, who usually performed the office of chaplain ; the body was lowered into the grave, and we returned in the same order to the boats, and from thence on board the ship. August 5. — We had now filled all the water-casks; with a large supply of wood, hogs, cocoa-nuts, &,c. ; nothing remained to detain us but coal, which would be ready in two days. This last death, by its violence, awakened again the superstitious notions of the crew, and it was currently believed that we should have bad luck during the remainder of the voyage. So deeply was this belief impressed upon the minds of the men, that it caused a general apathy, which required all the exertions and ingenuity of the captain and officers to dispel. I recollect, about this period, while engaged in a dog-watch below, teaching Jack Sawyer his letters, that he broke off abruptly from his study, and said, — " Youngster, since Joe Davis tumbled off that hill and knocked his brains out, I've bowsed my thinking tacks close down to the bumpkin-head. That's a lone- some graveyard yonder," continued he, mournfully ; " but what's the odds? Bill Harris says every word in the Bible is true ; if it be so, why then, d'ye see, Joe Davis will come up from under hatches, just the same as if he was decently sewed up in his hammock and tumbled into the sea ; yes, youngster, I suppose it's no great matter whether our carcasses fill the Ijelly of a hungry shark or make grub for the worms." The conversation between us assumed a very serious air, and half an hour of the dog-watch was spent in reading the Bible, at the request of Jack, who sat resting his chin upon his hand, listening with the most profound attention. August 8. — Having now taken on board the coals, say three hundred bushels, which was the product of the pit, and having filled every spare vessel on board with water, and the necessary repairs and overhauling of the ship being completed, we got under way, made all sail, and LIFK ON THE OCEAN. 95 Stood out to sea with a fine breeze from the northward, bound, as we understood, to the leeward coast. 1 began now, more seriously than ever, to reflect upon the whole- some advice received from my good old uncle previously to my embarking on this voyage —especially that part of it on which he laid so much stress, viz., to read the Bible regularly. I confess I had already imbibed a degree of superstition, and was one among the many who believed that the ship would not return to our native land without the loss of many of the crew. The awful tragedy I had just witnessed, and the desolation of that lonely spot where the body was. interred, all conspired to make a deep impression on my mind ; and, I suppose, to throw a shade of melancholy ovor my usual vivacity. Young as I was, being then scarcely eighteen, reflections on the instability of human aflairs would not unfrequently occupy my thoughts. August 9. — The ship now bounded over the sea with a fine breeze, standing down towards the leeward coast. It was soon ascertained, from the alteration in the course, that we should again visit the coast, but not as far to leeward as was contemplated when we left the island. We hauled our wind accordingly; and, on the 10th, made the coast in latitude 9° 30' north. Captain W., judging that we were a sufficient distance from the rendezvous of men-of-war, determined to go into the Bay of Moro Hermosa, which lies in north latitude 9° 45', west longitude 85° 5'. Ran close in with the land, and saw the bay at 2 P. M., bearing east-north-east four leagues distant. The necessary preparations were made to anchor ; we stood into the bay, and at 5 P. M. anchored with the small bower, in twenty-five fathoms water, distant one mile from the shore. Here, as in almost every other port to the northward of the line, the surf runs very high, and the landing is attended with considerable difficulty. August 12. — This morning hoisted out three boats, into which were put a kedge-anchor, buoy-liiies, &c., and, as usual, it fell to my lot — being bow-man of the second cutter, which was a light boat — to go on shore. J% LIFE ON THE OCEAN. In landing, as described in a preceding part of this work, we used the same means, viz., running a line ashore, with one end made fast there, the other fastened to a buoy, which was bent to the kedge-anchor out- side of the breakers. The landing being effected with three boats, nothing was to be seen except two misera- ble huts; to them we proceeded, and learned from the inmates 'hat the village, or town, was situated in a valley about a league distant. We despatched a mes- senger to give information as to the nature of our business. It was not long before a party of about a dozen Spaniards were seen riding towards the place of landing. Our conference with them was short : they, appearing to have no information as to the character of our ship, or of the affair to windward, were anxious to go on board to make purchases, being, as they informed us, in great want of wearing apparel, as well as linens, &c. Consequently, a very lucrative business was carried on with them during the few days we remained. Among this group of Spaniards, we were surprised to see an American sailor, who had arrived there a few days pre- vious, in a small coasting vessel, from Guayaquil. He having been in Callao, where the lugger arrived after the action, through him we learned her disastrous fate. He said the captain of the lugger was an Irishman, and had repeatedly been on board of us ; consequently knew our strength, and prepared the lugger for a suc- cessful rencounter — that he, with more than twenty others, were killed, many were wounded, and the lug- ger was literally riddled in her hull, and her masts, bow- sprit, &c., cut away. This man shipped on board of us for the voyage. August 20. — The prospect of disposing of any more goods being now over, having got on board at least $40,000 in specie at Moro Hermosa, and Capt. W. not wishing to remain long at any one place, we got under way, and stood to sea, keeping the coast in sight, as our next destination was Realejo. August 24. — Hauled into the land, and at 10 A. M. en- tered the Bay of Realejo, and anchored in twenty fathoms LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 97 water, a mile distant from the shore. This port, or har- bor, is formed by a deep bay, about four miles wide at its entrance, and the depth is about one league to the anchoring ground. It affords no shelter whatever from the prevailing winds on this coast. Realejo is situated in the parallel of 12° 27' north latitude, and 87° 5' west longitude. The town consists of about thirty houses similar to those described to windward. The customs and habits of the people were much the same, and if we had formed an opinion from their exterior ap- pearance, which indicated extreme poverty, we should not have remained long at this place ; but when we entered their habitations, we found all their household utensils were made of silver ; and, to our great surprise, we learned from the people, that they had never seen a vessel, except a Spanish galleon, which had touched there about twenty years previous ; consequently, they were exceedingly anxious to visit our ship. We gave them an opportunity to indulge their curiosity, and be- fore we left the place nearly a] I the inhabitants of the town had paid us a visit. They were much gratified. We found them to be a pleasant and agreeable people, and sold them a large amount of merchandise. September 5. — Weighed anchor this morning, stood out of the bay, and ran down the coast, under easy sai'., during the night. In the morning, September 6th, stood in close to the land, and saw Point Remedies, bearing south-east ; ran to leeward of the point, and sent two boats ashore ; there being no surf, a landing was effected without difficulty. With the exception of two small huts, which were a little way from the beach, we learned that the nearest settlement was ten leagues distant. The people, however, offered to inform the inhabitants of that settlement of the arrival of the ship and the na- ture of our business, in ail of which we acquiesced. As there was good anchorage to the northward of the point, the ship was run in, and anchored in fifteen fathoms water, two miles from the shore. The next day, Sep- tember 7th, proceeded with the boats on shore, and 98 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. found the Spaniards anxiously waiting to go on board. A number of them went off, and at this place we effected sales to the amount of about $20,000. September W. — Weighed anchor, and stood out ; and as we were now approaching Acapulco, the rendezvous for Spanish galleons, it became necessary for us to pro- ceed with great caution, especially as they are always under strong convoy. We also received information, at the last port, that two sail had been seen, which were supposed to be a galleon, under convoy of a frigate. From the last date until October 24th, nothing remark- able transpired. We touched at several small ports, and at every place effected sales of our cargo. October 25. — Weighed anchor from Puerto Veritosa, which lies in the parallel of 16° 6' north latitude, and 95° 22' west longitude. Our near proximity to Aca- pulco determined Captain W. to stand out to sea, and make a good offing, so as to avoid the Spanish men-of- war, if any might be there. Accordingly, all sail was carried during this day and night. On the morning of the 26th it fell dead calm, and very soon the heavens were overspread with blackness. At 8 A. M., the rain began to fall in torrents, attended with severe thunder, and the most vivid flashes of lightning that I had ever beheld, which continued, without intermission, until 5 P. M. During the whole of this time, not a breath of air was stirring ; and, to add to the horror of the scene, an immense number of sharks were seen around us, as far as the eye could extend, one of which, although the an- nouncement may appear incredible to the reader, ex- tended from the forward part of the fore-channels to the after part of the mizzen-channels of the ship,— -and as she was one hundred and thirty-five feet long, consequently the shark must have been at least eighty feet in length. At the same time, innumerable dolphins were hooked or grained, but were torn to pieces by the ravenous sharks before they could be got on board. At sunset a light air sprang up, and we stood away to the northward. 00 CHAPTER IX. EXCITING CHASE AND ESCAPE SUPERSTITION OF SEAMEN- — FALL OP THE AUTHOR FROM THE FORETOP, AND LOSS OF A MAN OVERBOARD — ■ SAIL FOR SHELVACK's ISLAND. October 27. — At daylight, the exciting cry of "Sail ho !" was heard from the mast-head, bearing four points abaft the weather beam, and at so short a distance that her character was distinctly made out to be that of a man-of-war. All hands were immediately called to be in readiness to make sail, it being the intention of Capt. W. to ascertain, if possible, to what nation the stranger belonged. As we had not altered our course, every doubt was soon removed, for the stranger bore down upon us under a heavy press of sail, displaying a large Spanish ensign. By this time she was nearly within giui-shot, and would probably gain upon us before we could get sail upon the ship. " Hard-a-starboard ! away aloft there, and loose all the light sails ; set studding-sails, alow and aloft ; haul the sheets close home ; sway up the yards taut ; haul in the starboard braces ! " — were the orders given by Captain W., in quick succession. In fifteen minutes, every rag of canvass was spread to the breeze, every sail was trimmed in a seaman-like manner, and the ship was going off before the wind, with a moderate breeze, at the rate of seven knots. We had now brought the enemy exactly in our wake, and perceived that, while making sail, she had gained a little upon us. The utmost anxiety prevailed throughout the ship, for it was clear that, in the last fifteen minutes, she had neared us. 10 i ,^. 100 MFE ON THE OCEAN. " Run the guns off the forecastle to the main deck," said Captain W. This order was immediately obeyed ; silence prevailed, and every eye was directed to the vessel in chase. At this point the frigate made a slight yaw ; a broad sheet of flame issued from her bow-chasers; and the next instant a shot cut away our larboard lower studding-sail-boom. " Secure the studding-sail, and get another boom out; set the spanker, and haul the boom well forward with the guy," said Captain W. This was the work of a few minutes; a spar was soon got out and rigged, and the lower studding-sail was set in ten minutes. Purchases were now rigged at the yard-arms, water was drawn up, and every sail was wet fore and aft the ship. The next half hour, no percepti- ble difference could be seen in the relative distance of the two ships. The wind had freshened, and we were now running at the rate of ten and a half knots. It was now evident we held way with the chase, and we began to entertain hopes that we might hold our position good until night, and, under its cover, elude the enemy — if, in the mean time, the frigate did not cut away some of our spars, as she was now within less than gun-shot of us. Another broad yaw, and her forward division was sent streaming after us, but with so little precision, that the shot fell ahead of ns a considerable distance from the starboard bow. " Well," said an old tar, " give us tv/o or three more of your broad yaws and bow-chasers, and, my life for it, you'll miss your prize this day." But the enemy was no laggard; she held her way, notwithstanding the disadvantage of yawing and firing her bow-chasers. At 8 A. M., a large shark was seen following in our wake, and this, to a sailor, is always an ill omen ; and in view of the circumstances under which we were now placed, the omen, trivial as it was, seemed to weigh with double force upon the minds of the crew. The wind now blew strong, so that we were obliged to take in sky-sails and royal-studding-sails. JuIFK Oi\ THK OCEAN. 101 Again the frigate sent another message after us in the shape of a thirty-two-pound shot, which fell ahead ; at the same moment, having a press of sail on her main- mast, away went the top-gallantmast, with all the sails and spars connected with and above it. This appeared to throw them into great confusion. Three cheers were now given by our crew. " Run that long nine-pounder from midships aft, and we will let the Spaniard hear from us," said Captain W. "Ay, ay! " said an old salt — who, by the way, was captain of the gun called "Nancy Dawson." "Nancy has had something to boast of in her time, and she'll be proud to have some small talk with that cut-throat, yonder." The gun was elevated by the old tar, who, at the same time, held a conversation with his favorite ; and when all was ready, the order was given to fire, and imme- diately the stars and stripes were hoisted at the peak. In a short time, the smoke cleared away, and with the aid of the glass, it was perceived that her crotchet- yard was cut away. An exchange of shots between iiis was kept up for half an hour, during which we had gained upon the chase, at least a mile ; and the next half hour, the distance was so much increased between the two ships — ours being about three miles ahead — that the frigate gave up the chase, and hauled upon a wind. The shark before mentioned was still in sight, follow- ing on, although the ship was bounding through the water at the rate of eleven knots. Though we had got rid of one enemy, yet a secret dread seemed to prevail with many of the crew in reference to the views of the other still keeping us company. It was my forenoon watch below, and the general topic of conversation was about the shark. One old sailor affirmed that, while he was coming home from the East Indies, a shark followed the ship three days, and that there were three hands on the sick list at the same time, and that on the third day, one of the men died, was sewn up in his hammock, 102 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. and thrown overboard ; and that the shark was seen fif- teen minutes before he was launched mto the deep, but that no man on board saw him afterwards. Another sailor swore that, on an outward-bound voyage to the West Indies, a shark followed the brig twenty-four hours; at the expiration of which period, one of the crew fell from the mast-head overboard, and that the shark seized him as quick as he struck the water. At 11 A. M., the Spanish frigate was out of sight, and at meridian, the wind hauled to the larboard quarter, the starboard studding-sails were taken in, and as there were no light sails set forward, having run all the morning before the wind, orders were given to loose the fore-topgallant-sails, and set the larboard topgallant studding-sails. The top-men in the larboard watch had already come down from the tops ; and, as I belonged to the fore-top at this time, I sprang into the rigging ; another top-man following me as soon as the order was given. While ascending the futtock shrouds, to get into the topmast rigging, the man-rope, which had been fitted but a few days before, parted, causing me to fall ; in my descent, I struck my shipmate, which broke his hold, and threw him overboard, while I caught by the lanyards of the fore-rigging. We rounded to im- mediately, and carried away many of our light spars ; but the poor fellow was never seen afterwards, and the awful tragedy of his fate was soon manifest by the traces of blood which were seen upon the surface of the water. The shark, however, was seen no more. October 28. — Our next destination was the Gulf of California; but, as it was probable that the frigate would go into Acapulco, it was thought most prudent by Cap- tain W. to delay the time of entering the gulf to a re- moter period ; and it was therefore concluded to spend a month in taking seals at Shelvack's Island. All sail was made, and • we steered away from the west-north-west with a cracking breeze from the east- ward. From the circumstance of the chase, and the loss of one among the best seamen we had on board, lilFE ON THE OCEAN. 103 taken in connection with our recent misfortunes, the opinion became prevalent among the crew, that our craft was an mihicky ship. A youthful seaman, who belonged to Boston, said that he saw the ship when she v/as on the stocks, and affirmed that, while she was being planked up, the staging broke down, and fractured the skull of one man, and broke the ribs of another. The same youth affirmed, furthermore, that he had heard, while the ship was on. her second voyage to Liverpool, that a man was lost overboard in the night from oif the main-topsail-yard while reefing the sail. I perceived that it made a very deep impression upon my old topmate, Jack Sawyer : although he never flinched from the most daring enterprise, or dangerous duty, yet he would often remind me, when aloft, of the mournful fate of Jerry Wingate, and of my wonderful escape from the jaws of the shark. " One hand for yourself, youngster," said he one night, while we were furling the fore-top- gallant-sail in a heavy squall. She was running furious- ly before the wind at the time, and rolling heavily ; the topsails being clewed down on the cap, she was without any canvass to steady her. It was a thoughtful sugges- tion, for at that moment a gust of wind took the leech of the sail from my grasp, and threw it over my head. ''Hold on!" shouted Jack, and as quick as thought he sprang out on the quarter of the yard, and I felt his iron grasp around my body. Fortunately the bunt-gasket had been made fast before the sail blew from my gripe, or the voyage of life would probably have been up with every one on the yard. " Youngster," said Jack, after we had got down into the foretop, (for we had both been transferred to that sta= tion,) '■ I don't half like this ship ; for I have a notion we shall have bad luck all the cruise, and, take my word for it, this craft will not die a natural death, but come to some bad end. I don't know how it is, but I've had queer kind of feelings, especially when I saw one of your pins to-night, looking up to these black clouds, just for all the world as if it was singing out for help from the 10* 104 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. Other; but I say, youngster, when my flipper is within grabbing-hold of your carcass, you're safe, or we both go to Davy Jones's together." Jack meant just what he said, for he was as true-hearted a sailor as ever floated upon the ocean, November 4. — During the preceding seven days, the wind continued fresh from the eastward, and the weather generally good ; occasionally, however, inter- rupted with severe squalls of wind and rain. This morning was cloudy, and appearances indicated that the island was not far distant, for land birds appeared, and pieces of wood were seen floating on the water ; and in- deed we expected to make the island that day, and were not disappointed in our hopes, for, at 4 P. M., " Land ho ! " was sung out from the mast-head, bearing west- north-west, distant 12 leagues. Its appearance, at first sight, from its immense height, was like a cloud rising from the sea ; but the practised eye of the seaman aloft soon distinguished it to be land, from the deep blue in- dented lines and spots which marked its summit. All the light sails were now taken in, and the courses, jib, and spanker, were furled, and the usual preparations made for coming to an anchor. The distance from the island being so great that it was impossible to reach the an- chorage-ground before night shut in, we ran along, under easy sail, until midnight, and then hove to, the island being in sight. November 5. — At daylight, the island was about six miles distant, and the anchorage was at the extreme south-west end ; bore away, and stood in. At eight A. M., rounded the westernmost point, and anchored with the small bower in fifteen fathoms water, one mile from the shore. At this island vessels have no shelter whatever, and it is well that in these lati- tudes storms of long duration are not prevalent. The shore, with one or two exceptions, is completely lined with rocks, which would inevitably prove fatal to any ship that should be so unfortunate as to be driven on shore. The island is high, and presents a most un- LIFE ON. THE OCEAN. 105 promising appearance of barrenness and sterility, the whole surface being nearly covered with rocks and stones, except, here and there, a spot of shrubbery or verdure is seen to relieve the eye from this wild and in- hospitable prospect. There is also a small, round island, detached from the main one by a channel half a mile wide, and which differs in every respect from the larger island, as it is covered with trees and verdure, and pre- sents the most striking contrast ; so that the mind can scarcely conceive any connection ever to have existed between the two islands. We landed in our boats, and the first object we had in view was to ascertain if water could be procured. After the most diligent search, how- ever, for nearly a whole day,' we were disappointed, nor did we find any during our stay, except one very in- considerable spring of fresh water, which undoubtedly must be dry many months in the year. With this ex- ception, and some rain water which had lodged on the indented rocks, this valuable support of nature was not found on the island. We were not ashore many hours before we saw great numbers of seal crawling upon a sandy beach, which is their usual custom about mid-day, for the benefit of the sun. We threw ourselves on the rocks, and lay perfectly quiet for an hour, watching their movements. It was a curious sight, as they evince much sagacity in their arrangements for a nap, which are as follows : An old whig, the male seal, takes a station on the extreme right ; the old clap-match, which is the female seal, is on the extreme left. Regular platoons of the' younger seals are formed from the edge of the water to a distance of about fifty yards upon the beach, — and, what is more singular, the most advantageous position is chosen by each to back off into the water in case of attack or alarm. The old seals before mentioned never sleep while on duty. As there were but few of us on shore at this time, and not being prepared for killing them, we re- mained quiet upon the rocks until they had finished their nap, in the hot sun, of about two. hours, and ther 106 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. saw ihem back quietly off into the water, the old seals being the lasi to submerge into the waves. The next day it was determined that a party, consisting of forty men, should land early, for the purpose of killing seals, and the necessary preparations were made, such as pro- curing clubs, with an iron ring at one end, stakes, beams, &c., to dry the skins upon. November S. — Early this morning we repaired to the shore, making a division of our number; one party taking the extreme rights of the sand-beach, and the other party the extreme left. At either end of this beach there were rocks, upon which the parties lay, so as to be hid from the seals. Upon a signal given, both parties were to rush simultaneously between the seals and the water, and commence the dire work of slaying as fast as possible. We lay on the rocks nearly four hours before a single seal made its appearance. At length, about half past ten, some old whigs and clap-matches came to the shore, followed by great numbers of younger and smaller seals. They proceeded to form in the same order as before described, and it was not until half past eleven that the last of them came on shore. The sun shone exceedingly warm, and the seals soon fell asleep. There were two old sealers among the crew, who said it would not do to attack them for half an hour. This " rookery " (which is the name given by sealers to a large number collected together) was thought by the second officer, Mr. C, to contain twenty thousand. The time arriving for the attack, the signal was made ; we rushed with impetuosity down the rocks on the beach, between the seals and the water, and with an unsparing hand began the work of death. A slight blow with the club on the head was sufficient for the young '•' pups," but it was not quite so easy a task with the old '^ whigs " and •' clap-matches ; " and the work of death with them was attended with some hazard ; espe- cially if, in the rencounter, the man should happen to fall ; in that case he would be torn to pieces by these huge animals, for their mouths are as large as that of a LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 107 lion. This battle caused me considerable terror, it be- ing the first in which I made one of the party, or had ever witnessed. Wliat with the roaring of the old seals, maddened to desperation, and the yelping of the young pups, together with the shouts of the crew, formed, to my mind, a kind of Pandemonium scene, from which I should have been exceedingly glad to have escaped. The work of death was soon over, the great majority of the seals having made their escape to the water ; never- theless, we had obtained a great victory, the trophies of which were two thousand five hundred seal. They were of the very best kind of fur seal, and the work of skinning and beaming now commenced; but night coming on before it was half finished, we returned to the ship. Early the next morning we renewed our labor with the seal, and before the dinner hour arrived, we had them all finished and spread out to dry. A party of men straggled away to another part of the island, where they saw a number of skeletons of the sea-elephant ; but they were destined in this ramble to fall in with a sight which petrified them with horror ; it was" no less than the skeletons of seven human beings, who, no doubt, had been left on the island for the purpose of getting elephant oil and seal ; and probably the vessel to which they belonged was lost, and these poor fellows perished, for want of provisions and water. This idea was cor- roborated, as the party fell in with the remains of a hut, and many places where fires had been made. The bones were collected together, and put under ground. It was necessary that the seal-skins should remain on the stake five or six days, before they would be suffi- ciently dry to pack 'away without injury, and a tent was erected on shore, and a party left to guard them against — we knew not what, except it might be some deer, which were seen on the hills, and they, it was presumed, would neither carry them off nor eat them. During our stay here, we killed about seven hundred, in addition to our former number, which made a comple- 108 ^^'^^ ON THE OCEAN. m^nt of about three thousand two hundred skins — a valuable acquisition for the Canton market. November 11. — As we had seen a number of deer upon the small island, a party was sent ashore m three boats, to endeavor, if possible, to kill some of them. Twenty men landed, and ascended m a body to the most elevated part. Separating, and spreading them- selves, they descended at the same time, shouting at the top of their voices, which frightened the deer, and, as is usual with them when hotly chased, they took to the water. The boat's crew, being in readiness, shot seven, and caught two alive, one of which became so tame, that he would feed like a puppy about the decks, and we carried him the voyage round. November 15. —During the preceding days a part ot the crew were employed in the usual duties of the ship, while others were engaged in explormg the island. Nothing new or rare, however, was obtained trom this inhospitable spot. We caught fish in great numbers; and if fresh water could have been obtained, our sojourn there would have been exceedingly advantageous. November 16. — The skins, being now completely dry were packed in boxes, and taken off to the ship, and the remainder of this day, as well as the 17th we were engaged in killing sea-elephants, two of which we "aptured with much difficulty, having fired about a dozen musket-balls into their bodies, and lanced theiii until they were literally cut to pieces. Incredible as it may appear, one of them yielded seven barrels of oil. 109 CHAPTER X. SAIL FOR THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA FRIENDLY RECEPTION AND AGREEABLE INTERCOURSE WITH THE SPANIARDS AT GUIMAS. November IS. — We had now completed the ohject for which we had come to the island ; and having remained here twenty-one days, it was the opinion of Captain W. that we should incur no risk in proceeding immediately to the Gulf of CaUfornia. Weighed anchor at 8 A. M., made all sail, with the wind from the north- ward, and steered away from the island to the eastward, the weather becoming cloudy, with occasional squalls and variable winds. The gloom had now in some de- gree worn away, and all appeared in good spirits, espe- cially as it was thought we should finish the sales of our cargo on the coast of California ; and although we had a long cruise before us, when we should leave this coast, yet, even in prospect, it was hailed by every man on board, as being homeward-bound. November 21. — The last three days, nothing worthy of note or comment transpired : every advantage of the shifts of wind was taken, and this day we entered the Gulf of California. It may be well here to remark, that Capt. W. was an old north-west trader, and, consequent- ly, was well acquainted on this coast ; and he was san- guine in the belief that two ports in California would terminate the business of the ship on the Spanish coast ; after which we were to proceed northward, to dispose of some articles adapted to the Indians of that coast, and, if possible, to procure otter-skins in exchange. November 22. — At 6 A. M., prepared to anchor in the Bay of Guimas, which lies tweiuy leagues eastward of Cape Corientes. At 10 A. M., saw the town of Guimas and its beautiful bay ; stood boldly in, and anchored XI 110 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. with the small bower, in ten fathoms water, two miles from the shore. This town, although small, is garrisoned by a fort mounting ten guns, with a complement of fifty- men under the command of a colonel. It is a place of some importance, because it is the nearest port on the Pacific Ocean to the city of Mexico. The reason for our anchoring at so great a distance, was to be out of gun-shot of the fort, and avoid all intercourse un^il we could settle upon a plan of operations for trade. The whole of this day we waited anxiously tor some com- munication from the shore, but, as none was apparent, we lifted our anchor and dropped in so as to be within short gun-shot of the fort. This was done in order to cover our boats, it being the intention to land next morning. During the night, a sharp look-out was kept up. In the morning, according to previous arrangement, a boat, bearing the white flag in the bows, was sent on shore, under the command of the third otficer, with the interpreter. They were received very courteously by the colonel, and the strongest expressions of pleasure and satisfaction were evinced at the sight of our noble ship, more especially when they understood the nature of our business. It was said by them that no foreign ship had ever visited this place, and that the whole country was in the greatest want of articles, such as linens of every description, muslins, cottons, (fee. None of those fabrics were to be had throughout the whole coast and country, except in the city of Mexico. The colonel was politely invited to go on board, which in- vitation he immediately accepted, and no distrust or fear was manifested by any of the Spaniards, who had come down in great numbers to the beach where the boat landed. The boat returned to the ship with the Spanish colonel, who vv^as received with the most marked attention, and he seemed perfectly amazed and delighted when he beheld the beautiful symmetry of our ship, her perfect cleanliness, and the order and regu- larity of her battery ; and no marvel, for this was the fi^st time he had ever §et his foot on board of a ship. lilFE ON THE OCEAN. Ill He appeared to regard the officers and crew as a race of superior beings, at the same time expressing freely his opinion in relation to our force, which had been magnified by us to a much greater degree than it really was. No consideration, however, would induce him to permit ns to trade, unless the consent of the viceroy could be obtained, of which he expressed not the least doubt, and offered to despatch a courier immediately to the city of Mexico, to obtain permission to trade, as well as the fixed rate of duties. This was all fair and reasonable, and Captain W. determined to wait patiently the result. As to the rate of duties, it was a mere matter of moonshine to us, so that we obtained permission to sell. An invitation was given to the colonel to visit the ship, and a gen- oral invitation Avas sent on shore to all the inhabitants to the same effect. Among our crew there were a number of musicians, who had formed themselves into a kind of band, and, although their music was not as ravishing as it might have been under other circumstances, yet it afforded exquisite enjoyment to those who had never heard better. These men were ordered to keep them- selves constantly clean, and be in readiness to salute the delicate ears of the Spaniards with a concord of sweet sounds. In a word, the decks were cleared ; and every thing connected with the ship, — her discipline, cleanliness, &c., — was in the most perfect order. No other duty was permitted to go on except the boat ser- vice, in transporting the Spaniards to and from the ship. Every morning a gun was fired, and the ship was dressed and decorated, fore-and-aft, with the flags of almost every civilized nation, in addition to a number of signals which were on board. The most friendly intercourse wsis kept up between the inhabitants, our officers, and crew ; many of the Spaniards, of both sexes, dined on board from time to time : but that which seemed to delight them more than any thing else was our music; which, poor as it was, to them was a source of great pleasure. The great contrast of complexion, beauty, and manli- ness of many of our crew, to those of the Spaniards, 112 LirS ON THE OCEAN. caused a number of the young Spanish damsels to lose their hearts. The news of our arrival having spread abroad in the country, great numbers came down and pitched their tents, so as to have a fair view of the ship ; and it is no exaggeration in stating, that at least one million of Spamsh dollars, platina, and old plate, were lying or the beach in their tents, brought here for the put ppse of trade. Indeed, many of their cooking utensils as well as other articles of furniture, were made of silver. But they were destitute of ahuost every article of wearing apparel, and it was curious to see the Spaniards with their families. The dress of the male consisted of a straw hat, a camisa, or shirt, of coarse linen, and breeches of the same material, with old silk stockings, procured, as we understood, from the city of Mexico, and a pair of thin slippers, which com- pleted his whole costume. The dress of the females (some of whom were beautiful, especially the younger part) corresponded exactly, as to quality, with that of the males ; their garments were made badly, and worn sloven- ly. Such, then, is the description of a Spaniard and his family, who had with them at least fifty thousand dol- lars. I have actually seen a young female, whose vest- ments were not worth one dollar, wearing a string of pearls around her neck which would sell in any Eu- ropean market for a thousand. December 7. — This day, despatches were received from Mexico by the Spanish colonel, granting us per- mission to sell the cargo; with the proviso that fifteen per cent, duties should be secured to the government. This was good news, indeed, for a few days of unin- terrupted business would close our operations on the Spanish coast. All of the officers were employed in effecting sales of the cargo ; and so great was the demand for linens of every description, that, incredible as it may appear, coarse Irish linens sold from eighty to one hun- dred dollars per piece ; German platillas at eighty dollars per piece ; silk stockings eighty-four dollars per dozen, w 1 Lire ON THE o:.EAw„ 113 calicoes from four to seven dollars per yard; and every article of merchandise that suited the buyers was sold ill the same proportions. The men also found a ready sale, and large prices, for their private adventures. While our business was progressing, and that too in the most advantageous manner, dinner-parties were frequently given on board to the Spaniards, and the same compli- ment was returned by them to the captain, officers, and many of the crew, on shore. Thus the time passed tiway in the greatest harmony. So strong did the attachment become for our crew by the Spaniards, both male and female, that many of us were pressed by them to leave the ship, and settle with them. I cannot omit here noticing a circumstance which took place at this time. A young sailor, belonging to the ship, of fine appearance and prepossessing manners, had the good fortune to captivate the heart of one of the young dam- sels. . Her father was a rich old Don, and she an only daughter ; rfnd as the young sailor belonged to one of the boats, he consequently had frequent opportunities of intercourse with the fair one. He was loaded with presents of every description, such as the place could afford ; and when the departure of the ship was talked of, she would express a determination either to go in the ship herself, or that her lover should remain on shore. Matters stood thus until the time of our depart- ure had nearly arrived, when she importuned her father to obtain leave from Captain W. for her lover to remain in the country ; but, although he had managed this love affair very adroitly with the senorita, yet his passion did not become so violent as to induce him to abandon his ship and his country, and remain among the Spaniards. The young lady was inconsolable at his refusal, and so the matter ended. December 22. — The last fifteen days, as before stated, we were assiduously employed in making sales of the cargo, and transporting the merchandise on shore. We had now sold nearly all the goods, with the exception of abouS twenty cases of muslins, which did not suit 114 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. that market, and some articles wh.ich were expressly adapted to the northern coast, to barter for otter-skins. The amount of our sales in this place was one hundred and forty thousand dollars ; say, ninety thousand Spanish dollars, forty thousand dollars in old plate, and ten thou- sand dollars in platina and pearls. We filled all our water-casks, got off twenty bullocks and great quantities of fruit : here, also, were yams in great abundance, a good substitute for potatoes, an arti- cle of all others the most desirable for the ship's com- pany ; consequently, we took on board a large supply. December 23. — As the time of our departure was fixed for the 25th, a large and splendid dinner was given on board by Capt. VV. to about fifty Spanish ladies and gentlemen. In the morning, the ship was dressed, the yards were manned, and a national salute was fired. The day passed ofi" with great glee and merriment, and to the unspeakable satisfaction of all parties. An liour before sunset, when the company was about to return on shore, the yards were again manned, and another salute given ; and thus ended the intercourse, which to them was highly gratifying, and to us exceed- ingly profitable. On the afternoon of the 24th, being on shore with the boats, I had an opportunity of wit- nessing the apparent estimation with which these people regarded us. They were aware that this was the last interview that we should have with them, and they ap- peared to regret it exceedingly. To some of the crew they presented crucifixes, and to others a rosary of beads, or a precious relic of some saint. One of the young senoritas gave a youthful sailor an image of the Virgin, and requested him to wear it over the region of the heart. She assured him that it would be a protection in the hour of danger, &c. After having loaded us with presents, we exchanged the parting adieus, not without feelings of regret and sorrow on both sides, as we had spent many pleasant hours in this place. December 25. — Weighed anchor and made all sail,, with a fine breeze from the eastward, and stood out of UIFE ON TH£ OCEAIT. 11$ the Bay of Guimas to the northward. The feelings of regret, which seemed to pervade the minds of the crew on leaving this port, were very natural, because it was the first social intercourse we had enjoyed with the female sex since our departure from Boston. But these feelings soon gave way to those of a more intense character, viz., the prospect of a speedy termination of our business on this coast. Captain W. resolved to touch at St. Joseph's as the last port, in order, if possi- ble, to effect sales of the few cases of muslins, which were all that remained of the cargo intended for this coast. December 29. — Nothing material occurred during the last four days. At 2 P. M., saw the Bay of St. Joseph's bearing north-west, eight leagnes, and stood in with a fine breeze, and anchored at 6 P. M., in seventeen fathoms water, two miles from the shore. This bay is in latitude 23" 4' north, and 109° 42' west longitude. We sent the boats on shore next morning, and very soon ascertained that no sales could be effected in this place, as the principal persons belonging to the town had visited Guimas, and purchased a supply of goods from us while there. The inhabitants were exceedingly friendly, au'" loaded the boats with fruit. The boats returned /n board, and, when the above information was rect'ed by Captain W., he decided immediately to go to the northern coast. December 31. — Got under way this morning, Avith a fine breeze from south-east ; made all sail, and stood to the northward and westward, our next destination being the Bay of Todos Santos. The communication with the Spanish coast, where any danger could be apprehended from cruisers, was now at an end. Our cargo had been disposed of to great advantage, and all that remainc^d were the few cases of muslins, a matter of very small importance, when compared to the probable detention of the ship to sell them ; and it was expected that one or two ports on the northern coast would be sufficient to dispose of what articles we had adapted to that market. January 1, 1S09. — ^The weather now became dark 116 LIFE ON THE OCEAW. and cloudy, with occasional squalls, and, although we were yet within the limits of the trade winds, we had no steady trades since we left the parallel of 20° north. January 2. — We had strong breezes and cloudy weather, which obliged us to take in our light sails. Indeed, we had been cruising so long on the Spanish coast, with uninterrupted fine weather and fair winds, that the changes which we now began to experience, while increasing onr latitude, proved quite a novelty. Januartj 4. — This day, as well as the preceding, we continued under a press of sail, standing to the north- ward. At meridian, observed in latitude 31° 29'. The land being in sight, stood in for the Bay of Todos Santos, which lies in the parallel of 31° 36' north latitude, 116° 22' west longitude. At 5. P. M., anchored in ten fathoms water, three miles from the shdre. January 5. — Sent the boats on shore to look for the best landing-place, with orders to proceed with great caution ; and in no case to land, if they saw any appear- ance of treachery among the Indians. The boats pro- ceeded, and found it difficult to land, the water being shoal at a great distance from the beach, aijd the breakers reaching at least half a mile outside ; although they were not high, yet oftentimes they would capsize the boats. The men, however, effected a landing, to the great surprise of the Indians and Spaniards who were there, and who pointed out a landing-place farther to the westward, of much greater security. The object of our visit was made known to them, and several went off to the ship, and a trade was soon commenced in barter for otter-skins. It is usual farther north, when trading with the Indians, not to venture on shore unless some Indians are on board as hostages ; but as, here, the natives had intercourse with Spaniards, they were neither as savage or treacherous as the north-west Indians. Yet it was necessary, even here, to keep a rigid look-out, especially as they would steal everything they could lay their hands on ; and, when ashore, it was LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 117 necessary for us to keep within sight of the boats, or we should rmi the hazard of being stripped and robbed of all our clothing. We had not been there many days before this miserable propensity was carried out, by a party of the Indians stripping and robbing two of the men who had strayed a little distance from the boat. To prevent any further acts of this kind when our boats went on shore, we detained some half-dozen of the In- dians on board as hostages. During the thirty-four days we remained in this place, the Indians collected together all the skins far and near, and we succeeded in bartering away nearly all the re- mainitig articles, and received on board, in exchange, seventeen hundred otter-skins. Although we were not harassed by the fear of Spanish cruisers, neither were we in danger of being cut off by the Indians when on shore, (because many of them were detained as hostages,) yet those engaged in the boats were in co*?» stant alarm, on account of the surf; it requiring all the skill, management, and fearlessness, of the crews to per- form this service without loss of life and property. Here we filled up the water-casks, replern'shed the stock of bullocks, and obtained a quantity of cocoa, chocolate, yams, and fruit. February 6. — Our cargo was now all disposed of, with the exception of the muslin, some hardware, and two bales of blankets. We had, in its place, six hundred and fifty thousand Spanish dollars, forty thousand dol- lars' value in old plate, ten thousand in platina and pearls, three thousand and two hundred seal-skins, and seventeen hundred otter-skins. Now that the whole of our operations were closed on this coast, the next day we were to sail for China. Febriiary 7. — The day arrived, and it was a day of jubilee to all hands. I shall never forget the shrill voice of the boatswain on that morning, when he piped, "All hands, up anchor, a-hoy ! " — neither shall I forget the merry tones of the drum and fife while we were running around the capstan, heaving the anchor to the bows. In 118 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. fifteen minutes the ship was under royals, her head canted to port, standing out of the Bay of Todos Santos. Three cheers were given hy the crew, the maiu-brace was spliced, the watches set, and at meridian the land had sunk beneath the horizon in the distance, and the ship was running oft' to the southward witli a strong breeze from the northward. The gloom which had so universally pervaded the ship's company had now entirely disappeared, owing partly to the circumstance that our future operations would be legal, but mostly to the fact that every day would bring us nearer to the land of our nativity. It was curious to behold the crew in the dog-watch on that night. Every countenance was lighted up with intense joy ; mirth and merriment prevailed, while the extra allowance of grog was being drunk to sweethearts and wives. The more calculating, who had disposed of their adventures, were summing up the whole amount of their gains when the cruise should be up. There were a large lumiber of this latter class, but a much greater part of the crew had no other dependence than their wages, and a pretty round sum out of this would be deducted for clothing, which they had neglected to provide themselves with before leaving Boston. My old messmate. Jack Sawyer, preserved his equanimity, and took advantage of every favorable opportunity, in our watch below, to learn to read, in which he made very fair progress. In turn, he embraced every opportunity to teach me seamanship, and making me his constant companion at every job of work going on, which was of tiignal service to me. On this occasion, while most of the crew were push- uig round the flowing can. Jack seated himself on a chest by my side. "Now, youngster," said he, "you and I have got clear with whole carcasses from them cut- throat Spaniards, and Fve been thinking that it's much better to sail in a fair trade aboveboard, than to be dodg- ing in and out, and afraid of every craft that we fall in with, just for the sake of a few dollars; why," continued LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 119 he, " since I've heard you read that book, I've a notion that a clean set of papers, and a fair log, will be much better, when all hands are piped at the last day to show their reckoning, than all the kelt we've got on board." " That's very true, Jack," said I ; " for all the money in the universe will not prolong a man's life one day, neither will it give him a regular set of papers for his admission into the broad bay of heaven." " That's just what I've been thinking," said Jack ; " and as we've got on that tack, youngster, I should like to know how a poor sailor, whom nobody cares for when he's on shore, but just to get his whack out of him — I say, I should like to know how he's to keep clear of these land-sharks and fire-ships, and steer on the same tack that we are now." " Why," said I, " Jack, if we live to get home, if you will follow my advice, I'll put you in the way; but first you must sheer clear of swearing rocks and grog harbor while you are on board of this ship, and then it will be much easier for you to weather cape frolic when you get on shore. . But, Jack, we've a long dis- tance to run before we get to Canton, although, as I hear, we shall touch at the Sandwich Islands for a few days, and the probability is, that we will have an uninter- rupted series of good weather all the passage. I shall therefore hold you to the promise you gave me, about the history of your old mother and yourself.'' " With all my heart," said Jack, shifting the quid to the lee side of his cheek, and slapping me on the shoulder with his large, brawny hand, which for weight was not unlike a sledge-hammer; "that I will, youngster; and as it is our first watch on deck to-morrow night, I'll begin that yarn for you when we get in the top." Eight bells were now struck, the larboard watch was called, who still lingered about the forecastle, unwilling to leave their cups and merriment, until one bell was struck, when the melodious voice of the boatswain's mate sung out, " Douse the glim, below ! " and, " Larbow- lines all on deck, a-hoy ! " This order was immediately 12 120 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. obeyed ; the larboard watch went on deck, the starboard watch turned in, the hghts were all put out, and I soon fell into a deep slumber and pleasing dreams of my native land, until I was aroused by three heavy sounds made with the forescuttle hatch, the shrill whistle of the boatswain's mate, and the hoarse cry of " Starbow- lines on deck, a-hoy ! " The watch was soon relieved, and the topmen took their stations. The ship was run- ning along with a stiff top-gallant breeze, the wind being a-beam. Our situation in the tops was not quite as pleasant as when running down the coast of Peru ; but as we were running to the southward, to take the strength of the trade winds, when in the parallel of the Sandwich Islands, of course we expected steady winds and good weather. February 8. — This day was ushered in with strong breezes from the northward, and dark, cloudy weather. As we did not expect to have any more use for our guns at present, they were housed and secured, the anchors were stowed, the cables unbent and coiled away, and the usual routine of duty, such as knotting yarns, making rope, repairing sails, &c., was carried on. The last two months, there was a scarcity of tobacco on board ; the stock which had been laid in by the cap- tain had run out — many of the seamen having used up their last morsel, and then resorted to the expedient of buying up old soldiers ; others giving five dollars for a plug of tobacco which would cost about six and a quarter cents in the United States. I have seen an old sailor overhaul his chest three times in the course of one day, in search of tobacco. At length, the wants of the men for the precious weed became so great, that if one was known to have any in his pofsession, he was sure to be relieved of it in some way. Many com- plaints were made to the captain for redress, when the following expedient settled the whole matter. Captain W. requested every man who had tobacco in his pos- sessiqn to bring it aft, and, in the presence of the whole LIFE ON IHE OCEAN. 121 crew, he made the very liberal offer of three dollars per pound, which was accepted. He then dealt it out at the same rate, in equal proportions to every tobacco chewer. This had the desired effect to put an end to all further strife. Indeed, on this, as well as on many other occasions, it seemed to be the studied object of Captain W., that harmony and good-will should prevail, fore and aft the ship. No act of tyranny was ever al- lowed, and contempt or disobedience of orders, on the part of any of the crew, did not meet with corporal chas- tisement, but a punishment in such a way that the of- fence was never after repeated. I recollect that a great passion for gaming was contracted among the crew, and indulged in to such an extent, that some of the sailors lost all their clothing, and annoyed the watch below at night with their cards, after eight bells were struck. This soon reached the ears of the captain, who issued a peremptory order to desist from the practice. The passion, however, was so strong, that the order had not the desired effect. The crew were then all ordered on deck, the evils of gaming expostulated upon by Captain W., and what would be the inevitable result — discord, quarrelling, fighting, &c. " Now, men," said he, " if, after this, I find you still persist in gaming, I shall not only stop your grog for the voyage, but I shall keep all hands on deck until I am satisfied you implicitly refrain from this unhappy passion." All this, however, did not put an end to gaming, and the determination of Captain W. was put in execution. All hands were kept on deck, and the grog stopped. In a few days, however, the more resolute part of the crew collected all the cards together and delivered them to Captain W., and the crew promised implicit obedience, if he would restore to us our watch below, grog, &c. This was done, and here the matter ended ; and there was no gaming on board during the remainder of the voyage. The dog-watches being ended, and the tops relieved, Jack Sawyer and myself, and two other topmen, were soon stowed away in the fore-top. Jack and myself took 123 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. our stations on the weather side, while the other two rolled themselves up in the staysails for a nap; and Jack, after replenishing his nip with a fresh quid of the weed, according to promise, commenced his yarn. 123 CHAPTER XI. JACK sawyer's narrative COMMENCED ARRIVAL AT THE SANDWICH ISLANDS DESCRIPTION OF OWYHEE, &C. " As near as I can work it out, I am now about forty years old. I was born in Marblehead ; my parents were poor ; my father followed fishing, and my mother took care of the house and the children, (as there were three of us,) and sometimes took in work, to help my father to support us and give us a bit of schooling. I didn't get much of it, and what I did. get I soon forgot. Matters went on pretty snugly this way until I was about eight years old, and my father then took me out on a cruise of fishing. I followed this business two years, and then our fishing game was knocked up. I can just recollect the great talk there was about the revolution, and the rebels ; and it was not long after this before my father went in a cruiser, fitted out by the colonies, and lost his life in an engagement with an English sloop-of-war. Old mother was now left alone in the world, with three of us towing astern. After this, she had to pull against wind and tide ; and as I told you before, ^''oungster, she would often read that book and give us good advice. Matters went on in this way until I was twelve years old, and then I thought I was big enough to get my own living ; so I told mother I would go to Boston, and get a voyage ; for I always had a notion of the sea, ever since I went with father a-fishing. My poor old mother did I't like this much ; she told me there was nobody cared for poor little Jack, and that I was too young to take care of myself ; ' and besides, when you get to Boston, you'll have to go out in a cruiser of some kind, and then mayhap you may fall in with a king's vessel, and share 12* 124 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. the same fate as your poor father.' And then she could say no more. " ' But,' says I, ' mother, I am strong enough to work, and lend a hand to help you along, for many tunes we've not enough to eat, and I can't stand it to see you givmg up all the food, and working for us. No, no ! that I can't.' " ' God bless you, my poor boy ! ' said old mother ; and after many chats like this, she consented that I should go to Boston. Well, all my duds were got ready, and I tell you they wouldn't have filled a very large chest. In the mean while, I got much good advice ; but she said most about keeping the orders of a neat little Bible, which she gave me, and said, ' Although, my poor boy, you can't read much, yet if you go to sea, mayhap you may fall in with some shipmate who will learn you.' Well, the day came when I was all ready to make a start ; my stock was snugly packed up, old mother taking care to stow away the little Bible. I shall never forget that time ; I had my bundle on my back, and a letter in my hand to an uncle in Boston. ' God bless you, my boy ; remember your mother's advice, and if God spares your life to get back from sea, come home ; any way, let me hear from you as often as you can.' She could say no more for crying, and I just remember that I sobbed out to her, ' I will, I will ; ' so I shut my eyes, and started upon a half run." Here the narrator seemed as if he were acting the same scene over again. At this point the narration was broken off by an order, from the officer of the deck, to take in studding-sails and royals ; the wind having freshened, and heavy black clouds were rolling up from the northward. This duty being performed, eight bells were struck, and the watch relieved. Fehruaj-y 13. — During the preceding five days, the wind was variable and the weather squally. Every advantage was taken of the shifts, to get within the fair limits of the trade witids. Observed this day at noon in latitude 25° 30' north, and longitude, by lunar obser- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 125 vation, was 133J° west. At sunset the wind hauled to north-north-east, with clear, pleasant, fine weather ; set studding-sails alow and aloft, with every yard of canvass that could be spread upon the ship to advantage. February 14. — The trade wind increased and became steady, with fine, clear weather. We took advantage of this to overhaul and clean the between-decks and fore- castle throughout ; and it was remarkable that, with the exception of the two wounded men and the carpenter, we scarcely ever had any on the sick list off duty. This, no doubt, was principally owing to the great pre- caution taken to provide fresh provisions as often as pos- sible, together with the cleanliness of the ship and crew. Thus far, no appearance of scurvy was indicated, and the crew were generally in the most healthy condition. February 17. — Nothing of importance transpired for the last three days ; the wind continued steady from the north-east, the sea smooth, and the weather fine. The ship was now making about three and a half degrees of longitude per day, and we had reached the parallel of 22^° north latitude, our longitude, by lunar, being 140° west. February 18. — At daylight this morning, a sail was seen on the larboard beam, but at so great a distance, that we could not ascertain her character from the mast- head with the glass. She appeared to be standing to the westward, and we soon lost sight of her. As we now had steady winds and fine weather, and it was our first watch on deck to-night, my old messmate promised to resume his narrative. The dog-watches were spent with unusual mirth and merriment ; all hands were piped to mischief, the forecastle and main deck being given up to the crew, and the scenes which followed were truly ludicrous. Two hours were spent in this way, and the next hour four or five different parties of the crew were tripping away the merry dance to the sweet sounds of our ravishing band. The utmost good humor and harmony prevailed throughout. Sup- per being over, eight bells struck, the starboard watch 126 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. was called on deck, and taking their several stations, silence soon prevailed throughout the ship, she running at the rate of seven miles per hour, under a clear star- light night, and a cloudless sky. After we had got snugly fixed in the fore-top, Jack Sawyer resumed his yarn, as follows : — '• To make a long story short, I got safe to Boston ; how, I hardly know, but I believe I rode part of the way in a cart, and the rest of it I took my land-tacks aboard, and trotted along on shanks mare. I soon found out my uncle, and a clever old soul he was, for he took me to his house, and told me to stay with him until he could get me a berth. Well, this was soon done, for in three days he told me he had got a berth for me on board the H , mounting sixteen guns, and carrying one hun- dred and twenty men; that I was to go in the ward- room, to wait upon the officers. The craft was soon ready for sea, and my old uncle, God bless him ! rigged me out with a chest of clothes for the cruise. ''Well, I recollect we sailed some time in March, be- cause it was cold and squally weather ; and before we got clear of the bay, we had well nigh lost the craft in a north-easter on the cape. We had not been out many days before I overheard them talking, in the wardroom, that we were going to the southward, to cut off the English West Indiamen. It was a cut-off, to be sure ; for the next day we fell in with an English frigate on our weather beam ; and, after a chase of five hours, she overhauled and took us, and we were just clapped on board of her, like so many dogs, they swearing that they "Would hang us all up at the yard-arm, for being found in Arms against the king. Here was the beginning of my troubles : our crew were treated worse than brutes : I came oft' a little better, I suppose because I was a young- ster. A few days after this, we fell in with the English frigate S ; they put me on board of her, with fifteen of our men, who had entered into the English service. This frigate was bound to the West Indies, to join, as convoy, the homeward-bound West India fleet. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. X27 " I was entered on the frigate's books without leave or license, and soon found out, by the gruff usage, that I had to mind my ^'5 and (fs. Well, we got to Jamaica, and the fleet was ready for sea; so, after watering. and provisioning the frigate, we got under way, the convoy consisting of a seventy-four, our frigate, and a sloop-of- war, and stood to sea with a fine breeze. Nothing tran- spired until we got clear of the passages, and then you would have laughed to see how the Yankee privateers and cruisers picked out the ships from the fleet. One morning, after a dark and squally night, seven large Jamaica-men were among the missing. I shall never forget how the skipper of our frigate swore, and cursed the Yankee rebels, because they would not show him fair fight in the daytime. After we had been out about fifteen days, one morning we gave chase to a strange sail to windward of the fleet. I heard a good deal of bragging about catching the sail, for they said the frig- ate was the greatest heeler in the service. Well, we chased her six hours, and we didn't gain on her an inch ; so we joined the fleet again that night, and the next morning one of the largest Jamaica-men was off, and by the time we got into Portsmouth, eleven sail of the fleet were missing. " After we got to England, I was turned over to the W , seventy-four, which was under sailing orders to join the fleet of Admiral J. When on board this ship, I mixed with the sailors, and soon larnt all the tricks of a man-of-war's-man. Two years soon went ofi", and I got to like a ' man-of-war,' although poor old mother would sometimes come across my mind, and then I hove a sigh or two, and thought I would like to be at home again. But these thoughts soon wore off", for I tell you that a man-of-war is no place for whining." Here the thread of Jack's yarn was cut short by the helmsman singing out, " Eight bells." The watch was relieved, and I soon lost all recollection of Jack and his narrative by falling into a deep sleep. February 19. — This day was ushered in, as the past 128 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. few days, had been, with fine breezes and pleasant weather. Lunar observations were taken, and a course shaped to make the Island of Owyhee ; and as we were now drawing near to the Sandwich Islands, we saw a number of aquatic birds, such as hover about the land, being generally a sure indication of its vicinity. We anticipated much gratification while there, because of the abundance of the fruit and vegetables, which in those days could be purchased for a mere trifle ; and we looked forward to much pleasure in having intercourse with the natives, on accoimt of the peculiar gentleness and docility of their character, of which I had heard much from some of the crew who had visited the islands on their former voyages. February 20. — As usual in a long course of fair winds and fine weather, nothing occurred to interrupt the monotony, except the excitement produced by the an- ticipation of our visit to the islands, which served as a general topic of conversation in the forecastle. My messmate, Jack Sawyer, made rapid progress in learning to read ; every opportunity was embraced by him, in his watch below, to efl'ect this result, which appeared to be the height of his ambition. Indeed, the forecastle was more like a school than any thing else ; the elementary branches of education were taught, as well as the sciences of navigation and mathematics, by our young shipmate, Wm. Harris, who, as before stated, was an under-graduate of Harvard University. It was a com- mon circumstance to see, at meridian, in a clear day, from twenty to thirty of the crew, with their quadrants, measuring the altitude of the sun, to determine the ship's latitude ; and we knew the position of the ship, in the forecastle, by our reckoning and lunar observations, as precisely as the officers in the cabin, February 21. — The trade winds had become lighter, and the weather was unusually warm. It was rumored, in the forecastle, that we were to celebrate, on the mor- row, the birthday of Washington, the father of our country. I knew not how it was to be celebrated, ex- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 129 cept with an extra allowance of grog and a fresh mess, the most acceptable treat with which the crew could be" regaled. As to the fresh mess, that was entirely out of the question, for all om' fresh stock consisted of three terrapins, (the remains of the Gallipagos Islands,) and a few fowls ; the bullocks which we obtained at the Bay of Todos Santos having been killed and salted. The day of jubilee, P^'ebruary 22, however, arrived. The sun rose, and not a cloud obscured its disk in ascending from beneath a perfectly well-defined hori- zon ; the wind was fresh and the sea smooth, and the ship was running majestically over the waves under a press of canvass, yet so steady that her motion could scarcely be felt on deck. The scene was in perfect harmony with the feelings that universally prevailed throughout the ship's company. The usual and cus- tomary morning duties were performed — such as hauling home the sheets, swaying up the yards taut, washing down decks, &c. At 8 A. M., the stars and stripes were run up at the peak, and a salute of twenty-one guns was fired ; no other dut}?' but that which was necessary, such as trimming sails, &c., was carried on ; an extra allowance of grog was served out ; but, instead of the fresh mess, we had a pudding, or, as a sailor would say, duff, which was made by mixing the flour and a portion of fat taken from the slush barrel, until it was of a prop- er consistency, and then poured into a bag, and boiled. Sometimes this delightful mess, after being cooked, is so intolerably hard that it almost might be thrown over the fore-yard and not break to pieces in its fall ; notwith- standing this, it is a very grateful dish to a sailor who has been a long time at sea, especially when it is eaten with molasses. The day passed off with great good- humor, and closed with a ball on the main deck and forecastle. We were now rapidly approaching the Island of Owyhee, and expected, from our lunar observations, to see the high land at daylight in the morning. February 23. — At day-dawn the wind became light ; and when broad daylight was ushered in, our expecta- 130 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. tions were realized by the welcome sound of " Land ho ! " from the mast-head, which, at first, appeared like a dark, spiral cloud, rising from the norizon. The computed distance from the island was at this time one hundred miles, which seems scarcely credible, yet it is nevertheless true ; for the high mountain of Owyhee is elevated more than one thousand feet higher than the Peak of Tene- riffe. We ran all that day and night until 2 A. M., and hove to until 6 A. M. On the 24th, made all sail, the wind being light till meridian, when a fresh breeze sprang up, which obliged us to take in all our light sails. On ap- proaching the island, a number of canoes were seen in shore of us, and although the ship was running at the rate of ten knots, yet the canoes kept way with us. Every preparation was made to bring the ship to an anchor. Capt. W. being well acquainted, we stood boldly into Karakakooa Bay, and anchored in fifteen fathoms water, about a mile from the landing-place. At 3 P. M., we were visited by the king, Tamaamaooa, who came off escorted by six war canoes, which were lightly constructed, yet they were of great beauty, and, as regards speed, nothing that floats, of the same length, can excel them. Each of the canoes had an outrigger, which is taken up or let down at pleasure, to prevent capsizing in sudden flaws of wind. With the exception of the king and two of the prin- cipal chiefs, the natives were almost in a state of nature as regards clothing, having nothing about them except what they termed a " tappa,''^ which is a piece of cloth, made of grass, thrown around their loins. The king and two chiefs, however, in addition to this species of dress, had a piece of red broadcloth, (no doubt purchased from a ship that had touched here,) which hung loosely over the back, forming a kind of mantle, and was secured in the front with a gaudy ribbon, topped off with some feathers sewn together, to form a head-dress. These chiefs were received in the most polite manner by Capt. W., and in return they gave us a hearty welcome, and promised to afford every facility in procuring refresh- o -3 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 131 ments., the principal object of our visit to the island. After a stay of about an hour, during which they were treated with great kindness, Capt. VV. gave them many presents, at which they expressed much satisfaction, and then took their leave. February 25. — At daylight, many canoes came off filled with the natives, both male and female, bringing with them almost all kinds of tropical fruits, together with yams, tarra-root — a good substitute for potatoes ; also geese, fowls, and hogs, which are abundant in these islands. The only point of difference in the dress of the females, was, that the color of the cloth worn around the loins was more gaudy. Indeed, they were almost in a complete state of nature. The males were in general small in stature, and slightly formed. The females were finely proportioned, their forms symmetrical, their countenances pleasing, with features corresponding more to the European stamp than the Indians of either North or South America. We found them perfectly harmless, and exceedingly gentle and docile in their disposition, and all eager to trade, although they neither cared for, nor understood the value of, money. Cutlery, gaudy strips of cloth, and iron hoops, were the principal articles they wanted in barter for their fruits, hogs, &c. I have seen a hog weighing one hundred pounds bartered for a piece of iron hoop a foot in length. We found tropical fruits of every description, in abundance, which were purchased for a mere trifle, and which proved salutary, to the crew, as an excellent anti-scorbutic. One party was sent on shore to procure water, and another to get wood ; this duty was performed with but little difficulty, the king ordering the natives to fill our casks and roll them down to the beach. They cut and piled large quantities of wood near to the landing ; consequently the wooding and watering was soon completed. I made a visit to the burying-place of Captain Cook, a beautiful, sequestered spot, of a circular form, surrounded with banana and cocoa-nut trees, the grave occupying the centre of the circle. The natives, on approaching this 132 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. place, seemed to be awed into a profound reverence ; and as two of our men, who had been at these islands several times, spoke the language of the islanders, — ni conversation with them, they expressed unfeigned sor- row at the unfortunate circumstance which caused the death of this great chief, as they termed him ; they also informed us that, once in every year, all the natives as- sembled here to perform a religious rite in memory of his lamentable death. We were treated with the greatest hospitality and kindness during our stay. Large parties of the crew were often sent on shore to exercise, and we made frequent excursions to the interior of the island, falling in with a number of small, villages, the residents of which always treated us with the same hospitality and kindness as those did bordering on the sea-shore. In one of those excursions, a party of us ascended to a considerable height on the mountain which is seen at so great a distance seaward, and on the top of which is a volcano constantly sending forth liquid flames and lava. We had not, however, reached half its summit, before the atmosphere became so dense, and the air so cold, that we were obliged to retrace our steps. The islanders have a tradition in reference to this mountain and volcano, and believe that a superior being in- habits the crater, which, although unseen, they wor- ship with the most profound adoration. We found but one white man, (an Englishman,) on this island; he called himself, by name, John Young ; and it was said, by some of our crew, that he was one of the mutineers of the " Bounty," of famous memory, who had escaped from the island in a boat, and was picked up by a whaler, which brought him here. He informed us he had been on the island three years ; but no information could be obtained from him further than that he had left a whaling ship. He was a man of great au- thority, next in power and rank to the king, having rendered essential service in the frequent wars with the other islands. It was by his skill and courage that LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 133 l"^maamaooa subjugated the Island of Mowee. I have before stated that these islanders were nearly in a com- plete state of nudity ; but I have rarely seen more respect paid to the laws by which they are governed, and the maintenance of equal rights of life, property, &c., than among this people. As yet, few of the vices of civilized life were preva- lent ; the use of ardent spirits was rare, and drunkenness was considered a crime, and punished with severity. The worship of the true God was not known among, them, except what little information they had received from John Young, which, at the best, was exceedingly vagne. Many moral precepts, by which civilized society are regulated, were either wholly unknown, or not practised; such as the inviolability of conjugal life, for polygamy was universal among them. Although each one had a plurality of wives, yet they are considered as a kind of property ; consequently, the right of each was universally respected. They are idolaters of the grossest kind, worshipping a variety of hideous images, wrought by their own hands, as well as the unknown being, before mentioned, in the volcano. With all these un- pleasant features in their character, they were, never- theless, kind and hospitable in the extreme ; and I always felt myself perfectly safe when on shore, although frequently surrounded by thousands of them. There are, perhaps, no people in the world as expert at swim- ming as these islanders. Our ship was anchored at least the distance of one mile and a quarter from the shore ; and it was as common for the females, as well as the males, to swim off to the ship, and then swim on shore again, as it was for them to come and go in their canoes ; although the waters are infested with sharks, which, by the way, they did not appear to notice more than other fish ; and it is not unfrequently the case, that two of these islanders will attack and kill a shark in the water, and then swim on shore with it as a trophy. March 13. — We had been here seventeen days ; th3 crew were completely recruited, our watering and 13* 134 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. wooding were finished, and we procured a large nnm^ier of hogs, but were obliged to take them away alive, not being able to procure salt ; and, indeed, if we could, it would not have been practicable to cure the pork in this climate. We had also procured a large quantity of fruit, as well as the tarra-root ; but the stock of yams was small, in consequence of which Captain W. was deter- mined to touch at another of the islands, to procure them. The entire object of our visit to this island being now completed, to the great satisfaction of all on board, and after distributing many little presents among the natives, we bade them a long adieu, to their apparent sorrow and regret. At 10 A. M., we weighed anchor, made all sail, with a fine breeze from the north-east, and stood away to the westward, with the intention of touching at the island of Atooi. The Island of Owyhee, or Karakakooa Bay, lies in the parallel of 19° 28' north, and 155° 57' west. It is the most easterly of the group, and of a triangular form, nearly equilateral. The angular points constitute the northern, southern, and eastern extremities. The cir- cumference of the whole island is said to be 255 geo- graphical, or about 293 English miles. . Its breadth is said to be 24 leagues ; and its greatest length, which lies nearly in a north and south direction, is 28^ leagues. The country rises inland, with a gradual ascent, and is intersected by narrow, deep glens, or rather chasms. It seemed to be well cultivated, and to have many villages scattered about its surface. Owyhee is by far the largest of the whole group. Formerly, all these islands were governed by the kings of Owyhee and Woahoo. A short time previous to our arrival here, however, with the aid of the Englishman before mentioned, in a ship belonging to the king of Owyhee, they made a descent upon Woahoo, and completely conquered and subjugated the island to the power of the king of Owyhee. The wind continued fresh, and, at 2 A. M., we passed the Island of Mo wee. We stood on our course to the westward during this day and night. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 135 March 14. — At daylight passed the Island of Tahoo- rowa and Ranai, and, at 4 P. M., passed the Island of Woahoo. Daring the night, the wind continued strong from the north-east. March 15. — At 8 A. M., saw the Island of Atooi, bearing west by north, distant ten leagues. At meridian, hauled in to the Bay of Whymoa, and when sufficiently near the landing, hoisted out two boats, and sent them on shore to procure yams, the ship standing off and on in the mean time, Capt. W. not deeming it necessary to anchor. At 4 P. M., the boats returned, not being able to procure more than twenty baskets ; and as we had now no further business at these islands, and being well stocked with fresh provisions, vegetables, fruits, &c., we made all sail, and bore away for Canton. Diuring the remainder of this day, we were employed in unbending and coiling away the cables, stowing the anchors on the bows, clearing the decks, &c., preparatory to the long run which was before us. Throughout the night the wind continued fresh, and the weather exceedingly fine, with a cloudless sky. Life and animation pre- vailed throughout the ship's company. As the former gloomy occurrences wore away, and the thoughts of the land of our birth — being now homeward-bound, as it were — took possession of every mind, the exhilarating change induced a buoyancy of spirits to all on board, except to Capt. W., whose countenance was sometimes enshrouded with gloom, probably owing to the loss of life we had sustained in the action on the coast of Peru. My old messmate, Jack Sawyer, had not slackened his studies while at the islands ; but, as he used to say, when there, " that as we were neither at sea, nor on shore, nor in harbor, so he couldn't larn much there, but now that we had fairly got into blue water, with all our canvass spread to the breeze, he would turn to, with a will, and hoist it in as fast as possible, and, in time, spin the remainder of his yarn before we arrived at Canton." March 16. — This day the wind settled into a fine 136 LIFE ON THK OCEAN. north-east trade, and every yard of canvass was spread that could be set to advantage. Our latitude at merid- ian was 21° north, and longitude, from the last depart- ure, was 162° west. The watches were once more regulated ; every man on board knew his station, and the duties of the ship were performed with the usual system and promptness. .The most intense application was made by many of the young seamen to acquire, not only a perfect knowledge of seamanship, but of naviga- tion also. The finest opportunity that can be afforded to a young man who intends to follow a sea-life, is in a well-regu- lated merchant ship, on similar voyages to the present one, or to and from the East Indies. There are many ad- vantages, on these voyages, that are not to be found in the European, West India, or Brazil trade ; for, usually, on long voyages, watch and watch is given, or, at least, the forenoon watch below ; and as there is generally a long series of fair winds and fine weather, consequently the watch below is seldom or never called up in the night to reef topsails, 6oc., and, therefore, have a sufficiency of time for rest, and the watch below, in the daytime, may employ themselves in study. Again, there are various duties on those voyages which are of vast importance to a young seaman, and which are scarcely ever performed on short voyages, — such as making new sails, laying rope, building boats, and, more particularly still, that of stripping and overhauling a ship's rigging ; that is, to send down every yard and mast — except the lower masts — and then strip the yards, and overhaul the stops, take all the rigging from off the mast-heads, then get it on a stretch, and strip off the service and parcelling, tar the rigging, heave on the service and parcelling afresh, seize the eyes of the rigging, and then clap it over the mast- heads again. This is a very essential part of a sea- man's duty, and necessary to be performed on long voyages, as you are thereby enabled to discover wheth- er there are defects either in the rigging or spars. It is sometimes the case that a young man serves an en- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 137 tire apprenticeship in the European trade, withoiU having the privilege of lending a hand to strip a ship, or even to witness that duty executed. Another great advantage to a young man on those voyages, is. that he is not so frequently thrown into scenes of dissipation, which is a prolific source in forming dissolute habits, so common among old sailors, because, wl\en a ship is at anchor in the East Indies, she generally lies in a roadstead, or harbor ; consequently the crew live on board, and are seldom permitted to go on shore, except on ship duty. This is not the case in the European trade, for it is al- most a matter of impossibility to keep a ship's crew on board a single night, especially in England. March20. — During the preceding four days, nothing trans[)ired of importance to interrupt the usual monot- ony, resulting from a long spell of fair winds and good weather. I have sometimes almost desired, after the wind continued fair from the same quarter for a length of time, to have a shift ahead, merely for the sake of excitement ; indeed, I have often heard old sailors grum- ble at the continuance of a fair wind, and this was the case with some of ours at this time. Now that we were clear of the Spaniards, they did not care how long the voyage v/as lengthened, so that they might have a heavy whaclf, as they called it, when the cruise was up. Cer- tainly, this ship was an exception to the generality of vessels; and if good discipline, kind usage, with a suf- ficiency to eat and drink, and ample spare time for all purposes of improvement, could make an agreeable ship and comfortable voyage, this was, undoubtedly, our condition. Young as I was, and surrounded with a variety of characters, differing essentially from associa- tions and habits met with previously to embarking on a sea-life, — I, nevertheless, felt contented and happy. I had a messmate who was, in all respects, just such a one as I had often conceived, in my warm imagination, a sailor to be ; this companion and friend was the fear- less, honest, and true-hearted Jack Sawyer — one in whom I felt an indescribable interest, and had reason 138 LIFK ON THE OCEAN. to believe it was reciprocated on his part. While Jack and myself were engaged this day in his favorite study of learning to read, he promised to take up his narrative that night, as it was our first watch on deck. CHAPTER XII. JACK SAWYER RESUMES HIS NARRATIVE PASSAGE TO CANTON The watch being relieved, Jack Sawyer and myself were once more quietly seated on the weather side of the foretop ; the ship was bounding over the wide waste of water, under a press of canvass, at the rate of seven knots an hour ; the night was clear and cloudless, and soon a profound silence reigned. Jack resumed his narrative as follows: — " I forgot to tell you, when I was shipped on board the frigate S , I lost part of my clothes, and, among the rest, the little Bible which poor old mother gave me. This was the worst job of all, for it is a rare thing to see a good book among a set of man-of-war's-men. Well, as 1 was saying, I was transferred aboard the seventy- four W , destined to join the fleet under Admiral J., off Cape St. Vincent, to watch the Spanish fleet. Well, somewhere about April, five sail of the line joined the fleet in Lisbon, making in all sixteen sail. So, in a short time, the admiral received news that the Spanish fleet was out ; and no time was lost in getting under way to go in search of them. We lost one of our ships, a three- decker ; she got aground, and was obliged to go back, to repair damages. On the morning of the 13th, we were joined by another ship of the line, in which was Captain N , who brought information that they had been chased by the Dons, and that the whole Spanish fleet was out in search of them. " Our admiral made signal to prepare for action and keep close order ; that is, to stick the flying jib-boom into the stern window^of the ship ahead ,• and we kiept close 140 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. enough, for a man might walk over every ship on the lee and weather line of the fleet. Every now and then we heard the signal guns of the Spanish fleet to wind- ward, and all eyes were trying to peer through the fog, to catch a glimpse of them. In the morning, at five bells, the van-ship made a signal that part of the Spanish fleet were in sight. The signal was again made by the admiral to prepare for action; but he might ha\ j saeed himself the trouble, and the wear and tear of the bunt- ing, for we were all ready, bulk-heads down, screens up, guns shotted, tackles rove, yards slung, powder filled, shot on deck, and fires out. At six bells in the forenoon, the fog and mist all cleared away at once, and there they were, the whole Spanish fleet, twenty-six in number, three-deckers and four-deckers, and a pretty sight to look at, — but a great odds against fifteen ships, though, to add to our strength, we were packed in close order, and all eager for the fight, while there the Dons lay, somehow and nohow, in two broken lines, with a great gap of water between them. For this gap we all steered, with every rag of canvass set, because, d'ye see, by getting them on each side of us, we had the advantage of fight- ing both broadsides at the same time. '•' At seven bells, the action commenced, the admiral pouring a raking fire into the Spanish admiral's ship, which made her bear up and fall out of the line, like a struck deer. The broadside of the admiral's ship bored such a hole in the Spaniard's stern, that you might have drove a wagon and horses through it. We were soon smothered up in smoke, and couldn't tell how things were going on, but we guessed pretty near how it was ; and when the smoke cleared ofl', there lay all the Span- iards in a heap. So we ranged up alongside of them, N , in the Captain, taking the lead, passing the Spanish three-deckers, which might have satisfied any reasonable man, and ranged alongside the four-decker, pouring his whole broadside into her; and a pretty-look- ing riddle he made of her, knocking many of her ports into one, and her scuppers running blood. But the LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 141 Spanish four-decker ranged ahead, having made a gen- eral average of spars and men in the old Captain, Soon after, she fell in between two Spanish three-deckers, and had well nigh gone to Davy Jones ; but we ranged up between them in our ship, fresh as a daisy, and poured in a broadside wliich quite astonished them ; they soon dropped astern again, for our broadsides were too hot for them ; but it was hke jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire ; for at this time three or four of our ships came up, and mauled them at so great a rate, that two of the Dons hauled down their colors. But we could not get up to the four-decker again ; she played her part well. This loss was soon made up, as the madcap, N , carried a Spanish three-decker by boarding, when his own ship was in a sinking condition ; and after driving the Spaniards below, and securing the hatches, he carried another three-decker by boarding her from the prize which he had just taken. As soon as old J had settled the Spanish admiral, he, with five other ships, hauled his wind on the larboard tack, and weathered the Dons ; then they all dashed through the line, the headmost ship pouring her broadside into the Spanish three-decker, giving her such a mortal dose that she never got over it, and she was left to be picked up by the other ships ; then she attacked a two-rdecker, and hauled down her colors. As soon as the V ran alongside of a Spanish three-decker, down went her colors. And now, youngster, we had fighting enough in our ship, for we were yard-arm and yard-arm with a three-decker, pouring our broadsides into her as fast as we could load and fire, making daylight through tlie Spaniard at every discharge, till our guns became so hot that their breechings snapped like spun-yarn ; and while she was no ways backward at this pretty sport, returning compliment for compliment, which left us not much odds to boast of in killed and wounded. Our guns now becoming unmanageable, the order was given to put the helm a-port, and we struck her on the star- board bow. * Boarders, away ! ' shouted the captain, 14 143 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. who, sword in hand, took the lead, clambering up the sides : we fell on her deck like so many incarnate fiends ; and, rushing aft, we silenced every beggarly Spaniard that showed fight, and in ten minutes drove them below, and hauled down the colors. The four-decker made a brave resistance against four of our ships, but was at last obliged to haul down her colors. But the leeward division of the Spanish fleet, consisting of eleven sail of the line, came to her assistance, and finally got her off". Our ships were too much cut up to renew the action, and the admiral made a signal to secure the prizes. The Spanish fleet then got into line, and we lost no time in following their example. But we both had had plenty of fighting for the present. " The next morning, the Spanish fleet were to wind- ward, and might have brought us into action; and at one time they manoeuvred as if they .would do so, for they bore up and ran down towards us, when old J hauled upon a wind, to show the Dons that we were ready ; seeing which, they made sail and were ofl". " Well, that was the only general action that I was ever m, and although many a hearty fellow lost the number of his mess that day, and many a chap was sent ofl" to Greenwich with the loss of his pins and flippers, to be laid up, in ordinary, I did not receive a scratch. "■ I shall pass over the many years that I was on board of an English man-of-war, being transferred from ship to ship ; and when I was about twenty years old, as near as I could make out my reckoning, I was promoted to a captain's coxswain, on board the frigate S , in the Channel station. In this ship we had many a dust on the coast of France with the batteries of Monsieur, and it was on this station that, as we fell in with many an American ship, I began once more to think of mother and my native land. ' Where's the odds ? ' — thought I to myself: ' by this time old mam is under hatches, and there's nobody cares for poor Jack ; ' for, d'ye see, I was then eleven years in the English sarvice : but I couldn't get it out of my thoughts ; apd I Just began to contrive LIFE ON THE OCEAN. I4i? how I should get clear of the sarvice, and get home to Yankee-land ; but this was not quite so easy a matter to do as to think about it. At last the frigate went into Portsmouth, and I was paid off, and soon drafted on board the M , bound out on the East India station." Here the narrator closed his yarn for the present, the watch being called. The tops were soon relieved, and the starboard watch were quickly stowed away in their berths below. March 25. — -During the preceding five days nothing unusual transpired ; there being a succession . of fair winds and fine weather. At meridian, by lunar observa- tion, we had compassed one half the globe, reached the 180° of west longitude, differing twelve hours in time from the meridian of Greenwich. Continuing a westerly course round the world, a corresponding decrease in the east longitude is the consequence. If there is any difference in the monotony of a sea life, that difference certainly does exist while running down the length of 100° of longitude, with a constant fair wnid and fine weather, when no change of scene, to produce excitement, is likely to take place, and it is exceedingly rare to fall in with vessels, being entirely out of the track of those bound in a contrary direction ; neither do you fall in with any land in this parallel of latitude ; and besides, it is a rare thing to see any fish, — so that, for amusement, you have the sky and water to look on, salt beef and pork to feed on, and knotting yarns, making sinnet, repairing rigging, &c., to work on. Nevertheless, time did not hang so heavily on our hands ; for, with but very few exceptions, every man had some plan for employment in his watch below, to which he resoried as regularly as a man would go to his day's work on shore. Thus time rolled on, and the ship rolled on too, bounding over the sea, without in- terruptions but such as occasionally occur in the trade winds. April 10. — It is scarcely necessary to observe here, that the last few days have been passed without any thing 144 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. remarkable transpiring, and, indeed, I should not have noted the date bat for the purpose of describing a scene Avhich I had not witnessed since our departure from Boston — a battle between a thrasher and a whale. Although of the same species, yet there appears to be a mortal antipathy existing be.tween them. At first a noise- was heard like a distant gun, and presently the combatants were visible, not being more than two hun- dred yards from the ship; and liow the scene of strife began. The thrasher, raising his whole length nearly perpendicular out of the water, fell with incredible force on the back of 1ms huge opponent, which was repeated several times in quick succession ; and the surrounding water presented a white sheet of boiling foam, caused by the maddening struggles of the whale, as, throwing its flukes high in the air, it disappeared for a short time, only to reappear upon the surface, to be again attacked with redoubled fury by the thrasher. The battle lasted but a few minutes, when the whale went down and was seen no more. It was said, by two of our men who had been engaged in the whale fishery, that, while the thrasher is belaboring the whale on the back, the sword-fish is at the same time annoying him be- low. April 12. — Some difficulty occurred W^s day, of a very unpleasant nature, between the first imp. third officers, which was terminated by suspending Mr. C, the third officer, from duty. I endeavored to give the outline of the character of each officer in the preceding part of this work. The difficulty arose from an undue assumption of authority on the part of Mr. C, and contempt for his superior officer, Mr. L., while subject to his orders in the watch on deck. After a suspension from duty for a few days, the affair was amicably settled, and Mr. C. returned again to his duty. I never had any very great respect for Mr. C, myself. " Clothed with a little brief authority," he endeavored to exact the most implicit obedience from every man under him: and in the event of any one failing to please him, he would work them up, as a sailor LIFE ON ruK. OCEAN. . 145 calls it, — which means, he would set them at some very unpleasant job, such as tarring down the royal or top- gallant-rigging, or slushing the royal-mast, or topgallant-, mast, at a time when the ship was rolling heavily. I had several of these jobs conferred upon me, in conse- quence, as he said, of disrespect shown to him ; of course myself, as well as many others, was not a little pleased when he was confined to his state room. ApiHl 16. — This day, at meridian, our latitude was 21° 40', and longitude, deduced from several sights of the sun and moon, was 140° 30' east. From these observations, a course was shaped to make the Bashee Islands ; and as we were now drawing up toward them, the trade winds were occasionally interrupted by squalls, with heavy showers of rain. Day after day passed off, with light winds, though fair, until the morning of the 28th, when the cheering and exciting cry of " Land ho !" was sung out from the mast-head. It proved to be one of the group of the Bashee Islands, called Goat Island, which, by our computation, is in 20° 24' north latitude, and 121° 52' east longitude, from Greenwich. These islands, about sixteen in number, form the en- trance to the China seas, and extend, in a north-westerly direction, about one hundred, and thirty miles. The two islands which were seen by us were rather low, and appeared to be covered with verdure. At 3 P. M., this day, lost sight of them to the eastward. The winds now became variable, and the weather dark and cloudy ; and as we had had fair winds for about fifty days, the change was not at all disagreeable. _/lpn7 29. — This morning the wind veered round to the north-west, with dark, threatening weather. Heavy black clouds rolled up in the western board, indicating every appearance of a coming storm. As it was nigh the period of the change of the monsoon. Captain W. thought it not improbable that we might have a typhon, which sometimes blows with such violence that nothing can withstand its force. As a preventive, all the light sails were taken in : the roval-yards. masts, and topgal- 14* \ 146 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. lant-yards were sent down ; and the topsails were double- reefed, for the first time during four months. At sunset, a heavy cross sea rolled in from the north-west, with severe squalls of wind and rain, accompanied with heavy thunder, and flashes of sharp, vivid lightning. It con- tmued thus throughout the night ; but in the morning of the 30th, it cleared off, and the wind hauled to the eastward, when the reefs were all shook out, the yards and masts sent up, and every sail was set to the flowing breeze. May 1. — The wind continued this day light but fair, and we saw many aquatic birds, which generally hover near the land. We continued on our westerly course, without any thing material transpiring, until May 6th, when we saw the Island of Pedro Blanco, at 10 A. M., bearing west-by-north, distant seven leagues. Thus the passage from the coast was made in seventy-two days, deducting sixteen days, the time spent at the Sandwich Islands. We continued running to the westward until sunset, and then shortened sail, the Ladrone Islands being in sight — continued throughout the night under short sail, and at daylight on the seventh, the breeze freshening, made all sail. Saw several junks, which we supposed to be piratical cruisers. At 5 P. M., came to an anchor, with a small bower, in fifteen fathoms cf water, in Macao roads, distant half a league from the land. Throughout the night, kept a sharp look-out, as the Ladrone Islands, at this time, were infested with pirates. May 8. — This morning, sent a boat on shore, which soon returned v/ith a Chinese pilot, and a chop, or pass, to proceed up the river. Throughout this day, it was calm. May 9. — Got under way this morning, with a leading breeze, and stood up the River Tigris. Saw two ships with American ensigns flying at their peaks. We spoke them, and learned they were the Ann and Hope, of Providence, and America, of New York. These were the first American vessels we had seen since we left our native land ; we desired them to report us. While -e/r, ■'•„!^/^nft., ^^IMiliV^ /• Z JmMmi ^Tflll iiif LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 147 Standing up the river in the night, througn the neg- ligence of the pilot, we ran foul of an English East ludiaman, and carried away our jib-boom and fore-top- gallant-mast. On the morning of the 10th, at 10 A. M., we an- chored at Whampoa, after an absence of one year and a half from our native land. We found lying here vessels of almost all nations; among the rest, there were a num- ber of American ships waiting for cargoes. Whampoa is about fifteen miles from the city of Canton. The river becomes narrower from Whampoa, and the water shoaler ; consequently it will not admit vessels of heavy draught ; indeed, the Chinese will not permit foreign vessels to ap- proach the city nearer than the latter place. Captain W. and his clerk proceeded immediately to Canton, and orders came down, the next day, to send up the specie with the boats well armed, as many of the Ladrones, or pirates, were iurUing about the river, and could not be distinguished from the Chinese boats in general. In four days, the specie, as well as the skins, were all safely landed in Canton. We now commenced stripping the ship to her girt-lines. As this duty has been described in the preceding part of this work, it is unnecessary to enter into detail ; suffice it to say, that every yard, mast, and cap, as well as every piece of rig- ging, was sent down on deck, nothing being left but a single block at each mast-head, with a rope, or girtling. rove through it, both ends of which were on deck for the purpose of swaying the rigging aloft after it had been overhauled. This is what sailors call stripping a ship to her girt-lines ; and a very necessary and impor- tant duty it is, especially for young seamen. In our ship the work was divided between the two watches, the starboard watch taking the foremast and bowsprit, and the larboard watch the main and mizzen-masts. In the performance of this duty, I was, as usual, the partner of my old messmate, Jack Sawyer ; and a better sailor never clapped a gang of rigging over a ship's mast-head. He taught me how to unrig and rig a ship, and in the 148 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. duty which was now going on I became something of a proficient through his instruction ; for I soon learned how to turn in a dead-eye, and put the rigging over a mast-head, as well as various other kinds of work, in a tolerably seaman-like manner. In. about ten days every yard and mast was overhauled, as well as the lower topmast and top-gallant-rigging; the tops were also lifted, and every mast-head examined, and soon our ship was all a-tanto again, with royal and skysail-yards athwart. While this duty was being performed, the ship was calked from her bends up, including decks, &c. ; and in a few days after she was painted inside and out, when she presented to the eye, both in symmetry and- finish, as beautiful a specimen of what a ship should be as ever rode to an anchor in Whampoa. Orders were received from the captain, in Canton, that the vessel must be got in readiness to receive the famous John Tuck, or the great mandarin, who takes the meas- urement of every craft, for which a pretty round price is exacted. In two days he came aboard, in great pomp, bringing with him a large retinue ; and he went through the ceremony of measuring, which occupied at least as much time as would have taken an American surveyor to take the dimensions of twenty ships. Great respect and attention, however, were shown him, it being advisable to do so ; for, in default thereof, Mr. John Tuck would have tucked on a very considerable advance in the " cumshaw'''' allowed him for his services. I shall pass over dates during the period of our stay in Canton, as it was understood that we should remain here for some length of time for teas^ which had not yet come in. The ship being now in complete order, as a matter of course, with so large a crew, there was much spare time, and liberty was given by Capt. W.-for a part of the crew to visit Canton. As almost every man on board had an ad- venture when we left Boston, and which adventure had been sold on the coast, Spanish dollars were tolerably plentiful among the crew. It Avas an amazing sight to LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 149 behold many of our lads after they had been a day or two in Canton ; some of them were topped off in a dress of sky-bUie silk; others purchased Chinese dresses, and paraded about the suburbs ; some of them felt the effects of ^'■hog lajie^' in their pockets and on their backs ; and it was astonishing to see with what dexterity the Chinese would cheat them out of their good money, and palm off counterfeit dollars on them. One day, while in company with three or four of my shipmates, we went into a shop to purchase some quarter-chests of tea, and trinkets. The articles were selected, the price agreed upon, and the dollars thrown down ; when, as quick as thought, the good money was secreted, and counterfeit dollars were placed on the counter, and the Chinaman immediately cried out " Quisi," i. e., bad money. Of course we were not very well pleased, and were taking up the articles we had selected, when a signal was given, and about a dozen Chinese, with long bamboos, entered, and began to belabor us soundly, until we had made good our retreat, minus dollars, teas, trinkets, and every thing else. After this, we never entered a Chinese store unless there were a dozen of us in company. The lower class of Chinese are, perhaps, the most expert thieves of any people in the world ; some of our men were not only robbed of all their money, but, while sleep- ing in the American factories, they had their clothes stolen from them by the native servants. After the allotted time had expired, we all repaired on board the ship again ; and it was very soon discovered that our visit to Canton would terminate less pleasantly than we .had anticipated, as the small-pox had been contracted, and about forty of the crew were taken down with this loathsome disease. They were all sent on shore at Dean's Island; and, as almost every ship in port had a physician on board, of course they did not suffer for want of medical treatment. Fortunately, the disease was of a light character, or it must have proved fatal to many of them. With good treatment and attention, we did not lose a man, and they all soon recovered. 150 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. So much has been written in reference to the habits and traits of the Chinese, that I deem it unnecessary to swell this work by entering into further detail respectmg them. It may not be amiss, however, to notice that which attracts the attention of almost every one who visits Canton. I was not a little surprised to behold the many souls who appear to have their residences exclu- sively upon the bosom of the river; and I was credibly informed that there were not less than three millions who are doomed to pass a miserable existence on the water, for crimes that had been committed against the laws, or for some violation of their religious rites. They reside in boats that are covered all over, and procure a living by selling various articles to foreigners on ship- board, and washing for the ships' crews. At night their boats are pulled in shore and made fast, but they are never permitted to land. Many of them are miserable in the extreme, subsisting on whatever they can solicit from the foreign ships, and on the offal which is thrown overboard. Our stay was so much protracted here, that we all grew wearied, and ardently longed for the period to arrive when we should weigh anchor for Yankee-land. At length, on the 24th of August, our prospects began to brighten for this desirable object, as on this day we commenced taking in our homeward cargo ; but, to my great surprise and mortification, we were upwards of a month before the ship was loaded. September 28. — We had now all our cargo on board, and, the ship being ready for sea, nothing was wanting except that the captain had not yet come down from Canton, although he was expected every hour. 151 CHAPTER XIII. SAIL FROM CANTON HOMEWARD BOUND PASSAGE THROUCII THP CHINA. SEA, &-C. September 29. — Capt. W. arrived at 9 A. M., and having unmoored the night previously, we had nothing to do but to heave up our single anchor, which was quickly done by running the capstan round to the merry tune of " Yankee doodle." In a few minutes our ship was under royals, standing down the river in com- pany with the ship Baltic, of Providence, she also being freighted with the proceeds of our voyage. October 1. — Discharged the Chinese pilot in Macao road, and received on board three Dutch merchants as passengers, to be landed on the Island of Java. At 11 A. M., made all sail, with a fresh easterly wind, and soon discovered that our ship was very much the superior of the Baltic in point of sailing. At 1 P. M., took, our departure from the land, exchanged the parting adieu with the Baltic, and made the best of our way. At 4 P. M., the Baltic was like a speck on the horizon, and the coast lay like a cloud ranging east and west, while the Ladrone Islands began gradually to disappear in the distance. At sunset, they were all out of sight, and we were once more on the ocean, where at every point sky and water only meet the eye. At 8 A. M., all hands were called aft ; the watches were chosen ; the crew being somewhat diminished, it became necessary again to choose the watches. It fell to my lot to be again placed in the starboard watch, and, to my great satisfaction, Jack Sawyer was also chosen in the same. After this was done, the watch was set ; and, as cus- 15 152 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ternary, the starboard watch had the first fonr hours on deck : I say, as customary, because the larboard or chief mate's watch takes the ship when outward bound, and the starboard or captain's watch, when homeward bound. Throughout this night the wind was fresh and fair, and our ship, with lier hgfjt and buoyant Canton cargo, bounded over the sea like a race-horse, and, to my imagination, seemed as eager to reach her appointed destination, as if possessed with the power of thought and reflection. Certainly she did not lack for canvass, for sail after sail was set, until no more could be spread, to advantage. It was a merry night ; for, long after eight bel?s were struck, and the watch had turned in, the jovial laugh was heard from those who were snugly coiled away in their berths, while the watch on deck, in different groups, were singing their favorite ballads, smacked w;..th the exploits of pirates and highwaymen, which old sailors so much delight in ; and another group, hanging round the windlass, seemed to be very positive in their calcu- lations as to the number of days we should be in mak- ing the passage to Boston. "Avast there!" said an old saU; "don't be counting the chickens befire they are hatched. I've known a faster ship than this to be more than six months making a passage ; ay, and a pretty time we had of it, — for I was in that self-same shi]). Our captain was a young man, and had just as nice a suit of hair on his napper as you might see in a day's walk ; but, what with calms, squalls, head winds, and gales, on the passage home, it made him rave like some chaps who have their jibs bowsed out taut, so that he tore all the hair out of the top of his head, and when we got home, he wasjnstas bald as a guinea pig." At this po nt the watch gathered around him, and he spun out a marvel- lous yarn of gales, and calms, and short allowa;ices, when it was cut short by eight bells being struck, and the boatswain's mate piping the larboard watch on deck. Oct. 7. — Nothing of importance transpired the h\v pre- ceding days ; the weather continued good, and tho wind LIFE ON THE 0CEAI7. 153 fair, with strong breezes. At 10 A. M., made the small Island of Palosapala. This island being low, and the weather hazy at the time, we were very near to it before it could be seen, so much so that we found some diffi- cnky to weather it, there being two small rocks about a quarter of a mile distant, and abreast the island. The enrreut running rapidly obliged us to pass through a channel between the rocks, although it was at an immi- nent risk. These rocks are called the Cockpits, and I shall never forget them ; for, being a foretop-mau, I was sent on the royal-yards to look out for rocks and breakers ahead, and, whiie passing through the channel, (which certainly was not wider than three times the length of the shi]),) my feelings were not at all enviable. Happily, we passed through in safety, to the no small satisfaction of all on board, and especially to myself, as 1 began to think all my future prospects were then to be cut otf. October 11. — This morning, saw the Island of Banca bearing west-north-west. Passing through these straits, we experienced a strong current, and, as there were many shoals, a sharp look-out was kept, as well as great atten- tion paid to the heaving of the lead. October 13. — The wind moderated, and the weather became cloudy. This day. saw the Billiton Island bear- ing west-by-north. In entering these straits, we found a curjent running six miles per hour. The straits being short, ;;he wind fair, and the current strong in our favor, we soon passed through them, and on the I5th October made the east end of Java. We stood close in with the land to a position marked out by the Dutch passengeis, and at 4 P. M, landed them, with all their effects, for which, as I understood, Cajjtain W. was largely remu- nerated. This being acconijlished, all sail was again set, with a moderate breeze and cloudy weather, which continued during the night. Oil the morninu- of the 16th, we were not more than twenty miles distant from the Island of Java. It was nearly calm, and the rain fell in torrents. Now our troubles began ; for, as this was the time of the change 154 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. of the little monsoon, it frequently happens that there are thirty or forty days of alternate calms, squalls, and rain, before the other monsoon fairly sets in. Alas ! this, to our great mortification, we experienced, and all our fair prospects and close calculations of making a short passage were iu a few days sadly reversed ; for day after day rolled away, with obdnrate calms and heavy rains. At intervals light airs would spring up, but they were generally ahead, and did not last more than an hour or two. Serions thoughts began to be en- tertained by some of the old, superstitious sailors, that we must have a Jonah on board, and at length their suspicions fell upon the old salt who had amused us so much with his marvellous yarn on the night of our de- parture from Macao. '• You're an unlucky chap," said an old croaker to him, as we were seated around our kids of beef and tin pots of tea at supper in the last dog-watch ; " I just thought, when I heard you spinning that long yarn the other night, that no good luck would attend us while you are on board. Hark ye, Tom," continued the old croaker; " how was it that the shot from that beggarly Spaniard, which cut away the breech of old Stitch there, didn't take your napper off? you were right in the wake of the shot, though you happened to have your head down at the time ; and, now I remember, you were in the armorer's gang on the island, when Joe Davis tumbled off the hill and broke his neck." During this miserably superstitious harangue there were a number of sailors collected around the speaker, who appeared to swallow every word that he uttered, as if it were pure gospel truth. For my own part, I thought these most unjust suspicions might have rested upon myself with much more color of truth than on the ac- cused, for it will be recollected that, when I fell from the foretop, I broke the hold of my shipmate by the fall, •which precipitated him into the sea to be drowned. From the duration of these incessant calms and sains, we not only lost all hopes of making a short pas- LirE ON THE OCEAN. tBo sage, but the news somehow or other got into the fore- castle, that we should either have to put into the Isle of France or the Gape of Good Hope for a supply of bread, this article of provision having become short and ex- ceedingly bad. November 20, — This day, the weather changed, and the wind sprang up from the south-east. It will be seen, by comparing dates, that we were about thirty-five days becalmed, and were not at this time two hundred miles from the Island of Java. The change of weather, and fair wind, brought with them a corresponding change of feeling among the ship's company. The discontent, grumbling, and sour looks, gave place to cheerful coun- tenances and great good-humor ; even the unjust sus- picions which had fallen upon old Tom were now fast wearing away ; and, after two or three days' fair wind, the divinations were again renewed as to the length of our passage. I was not a little gratified that such an entire restoration of good feeling was established, and that the utmost harmony prevailed among the officers and crew. As regards myself, I cannot describe the pleasing antici- patiouftof home which this fair wind inspired, as the ship bounded over the blue waves to the westward, every mile shortening the distance, which induced associations and reiiections that united me, if possible, more indisso- lubly to my native land. One among those reflections was peculiarly gratifying — namely, that I had made tol- erable progress in seamanship and navigation, and looked forwari with a degree of certainty to promotion after our arrival in the United States. Another source of pleasure was, that I had been instrumental in teaching my old messmate, Jack Sawyer, to read the Holy Scriptures, which he was now able to do tolerably well, and which gave him great satisfaction. I had also the good fortune, in soma degree, to acquire the confidence and esteem of the officers in general, and more particularly those of Mr. C, who was, indeed, my friend, and to whom I was in- debted for much of what I had learned in the profession. Dec&mber 16. —^ This day, crossed the parallel of the 15* 156 2.IFE ON THE OCEAir. Isle of France, without any material alteration of wind or weather, but such as is common to the trade winds. The weatlier now began to assume an entirely different appearance ; it was dark, cloudy, and threatening, with a heavy cross swell ; and if this had been the season of the hurricanes, no doubt we should have had one of them, as I understood these signs were the precursors of those frightful storms. The light sails were all taken in at sunset, and the royal-yards sent on deck. During the night, it blew strong, with small rain, when we took in all the studding-sails. 157 CHAPTER XIV. ENGLISH EAST INDIA FLEET THE CHASE JACK SAWYEH's NARUATIVE RESUMED. December 17. — This morning, at daylight, saw a fleet of seven sliips to the eastward. We supposed them to be the English East India fleet, which had sailed from Canton about ten days before us. We were not wrong in this supposition ; for at 9 A. M., having closed in with the fleet, (he convoy gave chase to us for the following reasons — that, as at this period these seas were infest- ed with large French privateers, which now and then picked up a straggling East Indiaman, and as the English fleet always made their rendezvous at St. Helena, the convoy obliged every neutral vessel that they overhauled to go into St. Helena, and there suf- fer a detention until ten days after the English fleet had sailed. This was done to prevent their giving information to the French privateers. As soon as it was clearly ascertained that the frigate was in chase of us, all sail was made upon the ship that she could bear, the wind blowing strong from the eastward, which, of course, brought the frigate to windward. Although she gained upon us, yet it was so trifling, that in three hours she gave up the chase ; this was probably done for the purpose of not being separated far from the fleet. During the night, the winds were variable and squally ; and at daylight, on the 18th, to our great surprise and mortification, the fleet was nearer to us than on the previous day; consequently, the chase commenced at broad daylight, the frigate being about six miles dis- tant from us. It was continued until 12 o'clock, when 158 LIFE ON THE OCEAK. she. had gained about three miles upon ns, and then gave up the chase. At sunset, the frigate was out of sight, and, having akered our course a little during the night, we saw no more of them. December 20. — This day, we reached the parallel of 27° 30' south, and longitude by observation 30° east. Our fine strong breeze left us, and the wind became light, variable, and westerly. For several days, similar wind and weather continued, without any material al- teration ; and, of course, every advantage was taken of the change of the wind to get to the westward. On the morning of the 28th, we found onrselves in the midst of a strong current-ripple, which runs rapidly on the edge of the Lagnllos Bank round the Cape, until it loses itself in the South Atlantic Ocean. The weather now assumed a very threatening appear- ance ; heavy, dense masses of black clonds rolled up from the western board, with thunder, lightning, and small rain. Every necessary preparation was now made for a gale ; the royal-yards, masts, &c., were sent down, and the flying jib-boom was run in on deck ; preventer- gripes, lashings, &c., were got on the boats and spars, and the guns were well secured. At meridian, the wind increased from west-north-west, the topgallant-yards were sent down, and the topsails were double-reefed. Reefing topsails is one among the most exciting scenes on board a ship; and it was so with us, particularly at this time, as we had not reefed since our departure from CaiUon. Not having described this duty, it may not be amiss to do so in this place. It has been stated in the preceding part of this work, that, in consequence of our crew being large, all hands were never called to reef topsails, which, however, is not generally the case with merchant vessels, because of the small number compos- ing their crews. But now for the description on board of oursliip; the watch was divided equally, one half forward, and the other half aft ; the officer of the waich then gives the order — "Stand by the topsail-halliards, man the clewlines, let go the buntlines and reef-tackles, LIFE ON THE OCEAN« 159 and stand by the lee-braces ; let go the topsail-halliards, slacken the loe, and round in the weather-braces." This is done so that the sail may shiver and rnn down on the cap easily. Wlieii the halliards are let go, the top- men spring on the yards and overhaul (he ties; when the yord is down, the lifts are taut, and the yard is then braced so as to prevp-?allantsails, were loosed, sheeted home, and hoisted to the mast-head, and the yards braced so as to cant the ship's head to starboard; the windlass was again manned ; and, as soon as the anchor was off the ground, the helm was put to starboard ; the ship fell off the yards were braced to the wind, the anchor was hove up and catted, the fish-tackle hooked on, and the anchor was got on the bows. By this time the ship - was standing out on her course, running off at the rate of six miles per hour. At 11 A. M., discharged the pi- lot secured the anchors, coiled away cables, and cleared deck; and at 3^ P. M., Cape Cod lighthouse was 12 miles distant. At sunset, the land sank m the distance, and once more I was bounding over the ocean where sky and water meet. I do not design, in this voyage, to fatigue the reader with a detailed account of a sea life ; that having been given in my former voyage. I shall, therefore, confine myself to the most prominent circumstances connected with it. The duties were laborious in the extreme, and particularly so with me, in view of the great disparity m number of the crew with that of the last voyage. Here was a ship of 350 tons' burden with only five men m a watch; consecpiently, we were never able to reef top- sails xvithout calling all hands, a circumstance frequently occurrng two or three times during a single watch, which was never the case in the former ship. Very tre- qnentlv, we did not have more than four hours' sleep out of the twenty-four. However, I was young, with a sound and vigorous constitution, and was able to wiin- 1S8 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. Stand all the hardships that I was called upon to en- dure ; indeed, such was my pride that, if the duty had been doubly severe, I should have endeavored to per- form it without a murmur ; and in the end it greatly assisted me, for I found myself somewhat deficient in seamanship, but contrived, nevertheless^, by promptitude and activity, to secure the favor and approbation of Capt. L. The chief mate, however, was not so fortu- nate. Naturally of a supine disposition, and not much of a seaman, and fully aware of liis defi^ciency, he became not only the butt on whom Capt. L. veuted his ill- humor, but at the same time he commanded but little respect from the sailors ; his situation, therefore, was exceedingly unpleasant, and had he not been a rela- tive of the owners, Capt. L. would have deprived him of authority. I now perceived in Capt. L. that which, of all things, I most dreaded in a master of a vessel, — viz., a fondness for the glass ; and it astonished me, how much he could bear, and at the same time discharge the duties of his station. On these occasions, — and they were very fre- quent, — sail was carried so long that it could not be taken in, and frequently the top-gallantsails would be spread in a heavy head-sea, when we ought to have been under double-reefed topsails. Twice during the passage we lost our top-gallantmast and top-gallantsails, and were well nigh ninning the ship under. The evil conse- quences of drinking to excess, particularly with a cap- tain of a ship, are incalculable ; for he has not only the absolute control of both vessel and cargo, when at sea, but also the lives of all on board are in his hands. It is a matter of astonishment, therefore, that so great a responsibility should be given to one who, perhaps, two thirds of his lime may be under the influence of the intoxicating draught ; and I have no doubt that it has been owing to this miserable vice that so great a loss of property, and the lives of so many human beings have been sacrificed. I resolved, therefore, from this time never to connect myself to any ship or to embark with LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 189 afty captain addicted to this practice ; indeed, so great were my fears, in reference to Captain L. and the ul- timate fate of the ship, that I determined, if possible, to frame an excuse, on arriving at Rio de Janeiro, to leave her. Accordingly, I began forthwith to make an ar- rangevaent with the two gentlemen that were on board, consignees of the cargo, to remain in their employment at Rio. This excuse was plausible enough, for those two gentlemen had entered into copartnership with a commssion-house that was largely engaged in navi- gation at that place ; and, to further this object, they agreed (if Captain L. would permit me to leave the ship) that I should have charge of one of their vessels, which, at that time, was trading between Rio and Buenos Ayres. This plan being matured, when about half-pas- sage, it was proposed by those gentlemen to Captain L. for his approbation ; but the proposition did not meet with a very kind reception. He agreed, however, that if a second mate could be procured at Rio, he would not object ; but if not, I should have to go the voyage. Accordingly, I was entered in the articles as a passenger, in order to meet the scrupulous exactness of the Portu- guese, who at that time were constantly alarmed with the dread that American vessels would introduce French- men clandestinely into the Brazils. May 11. — We had now crossed the equinoctial line, in thirty-four days from Boston, during which we had plenty of hard work and rough usage, and at the same time the crew had not feasted upon pies and puddings. The ship was considerably strained, from the undue pressure of canvass that was crowded upon her, which had caused her to leak, especially in her upper works, obliging us to set the pumps a-going every hour. This, af all the other duties of a ship, a sailor most dislikes, nore especially when it is brought on by mismanage- wnent, as was most evidently the case with us. The iabor of the crew was increased, and of course the natural spleen of a sailor was soon manifested by grumbling, and, in one or two instances, indications of 18* 190 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. mutiny were exhibited, by refusing to do their duty. My situation now became exceedingly unpleasant, com- pelled as I was to enforce the orders of Captain L. — which, in my judgment, were sometimes very unjust — • with a set of men who, I must acknowledge, were treated rather like slaves than freemen, In order, there- fore, to have the duty of the ship carried on, and the orders of Captain L. executed with promptness, and to preserve the discipline of the ship, I was necessarily compelled, much against my own feehngs, to resort to corporal punishment. This mode of enforcing obe- dience, however, was resorted to but once ; after which, the duties of the ship were executed without any more grumbling. May 14. ^- This morning, saw Cape Frio, bearing west-south-west, distant fourteen rniles. During the ■whole of the day, ran down the land under a press of canvass, with the wind from south-east ; towards sunset, the wind dying away, hauled in, and anchored abreast of the Island of Maricas, in tv^^enty fathoms water. This is one of a group of small islands situated at a short distance from the harbor of Rio de Janeiro. Hers we lay during the night. At 8 A. M., the sea breeze setting in, we immediately got under way, and stood into the harbor. When abreast of the " Sugar-loaf," we were boarded by a boat from the fort, from which a pass was obtained to proceed up the bay to tlie anchorage-ground ; and before we reached the latter place we were boarded by several boats belonging to men-of-Avar, the custom- house, and the forts, xlt 11 A. M., came to an anchor, in seven fathoms water, abreast of the Island of Cobras ; after which we moored the ship. Here we underwent a severe examination by the, officers of a Portuguese man-of-war, by whom we were forbidden to go on shore until a further examination was made by the inteudant of the police. In this way we were kept in suspense until night, without any communication with the shore. After dark, to our great surprise, a large boat, full of armed soldiers, came alongside, the commanding officer LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 191 of which jumped on board, and ordered all the pas- sengers, with myself, into the boat, giving us no time for expostulation, and, without any ceremony, drove us into the boat at the point of the bayonet — a proceeding perfectly unaccountable to us. They took us on shore with great silence and secrecy ; and, when there, put us lulder a strong guard of soldiers, who conducted us to a loathsome prison appropriated for felons. There we were thrust in with as little ceremony as we had been taken out of the ship, and then left to reflect upon our most unenviable situation. In one corner of this wretched prison were about thirty negroes, chained in pairs ; in another were as many more squalid, misera- ble-looking white men, whose very appearance denoted crime of the deepest dye. These, as I afterwards learned, were imprisoned for deeds of the most horrid character. Indeed, the whole interior of the prison was a mass of filth and vermin. The stench was so horrible, that it was impossible for any of us to close our eyes during the night, and we gave some of those miserable wretches a few pieces of silver to let us stand on a bench that was near to a window secured with large iron bars, so that we might inhale the fresh air. In this way we passed a sleepless night, in the deepest suspense, being wholly ignorant of the cause of this outrage. We were conscious that none of their laws had been violated by us, and that all the ship's papers, and our passports, were correct, and in strict compliance with their laws. With these reflections, therefore, we felt assured that, so soon as our minister was apprized of oin* condition, he would immediately get us released. This, however, was not so easy a matter, for two reasons, — the first and most prominent of which was, that the American minister had not much influence at the court of Brazil, and secondly, because of the many forms necessary to pass through before it could be effected. However, the next day we were visited by several American merchants, who assured us that every thing was in a fair train, and that Mr. Sumpter, our minister, would have us released 192 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. the next morning. Now, the idea of passing another night here was almost insupportable, especially by the two young merchants; but, to make a virtue of neces- sity, and cheered by the reflection that our sufferings wonld be short, we waited with patience until the next morning, when an order came for our discharge. We proceeded to the residence of S. W. B., an American commission-merchant, with whom the two young men who came out in the ship had entered into copart- nership. From Mr. B. we learned the cause of our imprisonment. It seems that information had been re- ceived that an American vessel froix. France, via United States, had actually sailed from the former place for this port, having passengers on board who were supposed to be French spies. It further appears that, our ship an- swering the description of the obnoxious vessel, their suspicions fell upon us as being the spies in question ; the result of which was, we were thrown into prison. It is probablyjinown that Don John, the king of Por- tugal, left Lisbon with his family in haste, (at the period when the French endeavored to possess themselves of that capital,) and took up his residence at Rio; and notwithstanding the broad Atlantic rolled between his enemies and himself, and, besides, the combined armies of England and Portugal were opposing them, yet, nevertheless, so great were his fears, that the most rigid search was made in every foreign ship, to ascertain, if possible, if any Frenchmen were secreted in them. The affair of our imprisonment created much excitement, and it became the subject of a correspondence between the American minister and the court of Brazil ; in con- sequence of which, the Americans were treated with the greatest respect during the remainder of my stay in Rio.- I now repaired on board the ship, and her cargo was soon discharged, the ballast taken in, &c., and she was made ready to proceed on her voyage. Fortunately, Capt. L. had procured a young man to act in my place as second mate, and I was paid off and for- mally discharged from the ship, to my great satisfaction. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 193 Having previously taken my adventure on shore, I ex- changed the customary adieus with Capt. L., Mr. R., the crew, &c., and, taking my dunnage, I repaired to the residence of my friends, into whose employ 1 immediate- ly entered. I disposed of my adventure to considerable advantage, and remained with those gentlemen six months, in the capacity of clerk ; after which they gave me command of a fine brig to run between Rio, Montevideo, and Buenos Ayres. I remained hi this ves- sel fourteen months, during which I made five success- ful voyages for the owners, and was so fortunate as to scrape together about three thousand dollars for myself, which was placed in their hands, as I had the most un- bounded confidence in their integrity. 194 CHAPTER XVIL UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES INDUCING A RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES ARRIVAL WARLIKE PREPARATIONS PROS- PECTS OF REMAINING ON SHORE BROKEN UP ENTERED ON BOARD A PRIVATEER SAILED ON A CRUISE. I SAILED on my sixth voyage, and arrived safely in Buenos Ayres. After having been there a few days, another vessel arrived from Rio, having persons on board with powers to attach my vessel and cargo. I soon learned that the house at Rio, in whose employment I sailed, had failed for a large amount, and that these persons were their creditors. I was now left without a vessel, and, fearing that I should lose the funds placed in their hands, lost no time in getting back to Rio; and when there, I found the condition of the house even worse than I had anticipated ; for all my two years' hard earnings were gone, with the exception of about five hundred dollars. With this small sum I took passage in the ship Scioto, bound for Baltimore. I was induced to do this because little doubt was then entertained that there would be a war between the United States and Eng- land, and I was anxious to get home, if possible, before it M^as declared. We were fortunate enough to arrive in safety, although the war had been actually declared fifteen days before we got inside of the Capes of Vir- ginia. When we arrived in Baltimore. I found the most active preparations were in progress to prosecute the war. A number of privateers were fitting out ; and every where the American flag might be seen flying, denoting LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 195 the places of rendezvous ; in a word, the most intense excitement prevailed throughout the city, and the posi- tion of a man was not at all enviable, if it were ascer- tained that he was iu any degree favorably disposed towards the British. It happened to fall to my lot to be an eye-witness to the unpleasant affair of tarring and feathering a certain Mr. T., and also to the deniolishing of the Federal Republican printing-office by the mob. Once more I returned to Boston, to see my friends, whom I found pretty much in the same situation as when I left them. Two years had made but little alter- ation, except that my sister was married, and my father, being aged, had retired from the navy, and taken up hia residence in Marshfield. Every persuasion was now used to induca me to change my vocation, backed bji the strong reasoning that the war would destroy com- merce, and that no alternative would be left for seameti but the unhallowed pursuit of privateering. These argu- ments had great weight, and 1 began to think seriously of entering into some business on shore; but then most insuperable difficulties arose in my mind as to the nature of the business I should pursue. My means were limited, quite too much so to enter into the mer- cantile line; and the only branch of it with which 1" was acquainted being the "commission," another obstacle presented itself, which was, to fix upon an eligible location. These difficulties, however, soon van- ished, for a wealthy relative offered me the use of his credit, and a young friend with whom I was acquainted, having just returned from the south, informed me that there was a fine opening in Richmond, Virginia; where- upon we immediately entered into a mutual arrangement to establish a commission-house in that place. The necessary preparations were made, and we started for the south. To my great surprise and mortification, however, when we reached Norfolk, I ascertained that my partner was without funds ; neither had he the expectation of receiving any. This changed the current of my fortunes 196 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. altogether. I was deceived by him ; consequently all intercourse was broken off between us. As my prospects were now blasted, in reference to establishing myself in business on shore, I resolved once more to embark on my favorite element, and try my luck there again. Here too, in Norfolk, all was bustle and excitement — drums beating, colors flying, soldiers enlisting, men shi[)ping in the States' service, and many privateers fitting out, — creating such a scene of confusion as I had never before witnessed. Young, and of an ardent temperament, I could not look upon all these stirring movements an unmoved spectator; accordingly, I entered on board the George Washington privateer, in the capacity of first lieutenant. She mounted one twelve-pounder on a pivot, and two long nines, with a complement of eighty men. She was in all respects a beautiful schooner, of the most exact symmetrical proportions, about one hundred and twenty tons' burden, and said to be as swift as any thing that floated the ocean. In reference to this enterprise, I must confess, in my cooler moments, that I had some qualms: to be sure, here was an opportunity of making a fnrtime ; but then it was counterbalanced by the pos- sibility of getting my head knocked off, or a chance of being thrown into prison for two or three years : how- ever, I had gone too far to recede, and I determined to make the best of it. Accordingly, I placed what little fnnds I had in the hands of Mr. G., of Norfolk, and repaired on board of the privateer, with my dunnage contained in a small trunk and clothes-bag. On the morning of July 20th, 1812, the officers and crew being all on board, weighed anchor, made sail, and stood down the river, with the stars and stripes floating in the breeze, and was saluted with a tremendous cheering from the shore. I now was on board of a description of craft with which I was entirely unacquainted ; I had, therefore, much to learn. The lieutenants and prize-masters, however, were a set of clever fellows; but the captain was a rough, uncouth sort of a chap, and appeared to me LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 197 to be fit for little else than fighting and plunder. The crew were a motley set indeed, composed of all nations ; they appeared to have been scraped together from the lowest dens of wretchedness and vice, and only want- ed a leader to induce them to any acts of daring and desperation. Our destination, in the first place, was to cruise on the Spanish main, to intercept the English traders between the West India Islands and the ports on the m.ain. This cruising ground was chosen because, in case of need, we might run into Carthagena to refit and water. When we had run down as far as Lynn- haven Bay, information was received from a pilot-boat that the British frigate Belvidere was cruising off the Capes. This induced our captain to put to sea with the wind from the southward, as the privateer's best sailing was on a wind. On the morning of 22d of July, got under way from Lynnhaven Bay, and stood to sea. At 9 A. M., when about 10 miles outside of Cape Henry lighthouse, a sail was discovered directly in the wind's eye of us, bearing down under a press of canvass. Soon ascertain- ing she was a frigate, supposed to be the Belvidere, we stood on upon a wind until she came within short gun- shot. Our foresail was now brailed up, and the topsail lowered on the cap ; at the same time, the frigate took in all her light sails, and hauled up her courses. As the privateer lay nearer the wind than the frigate, the latter soon droj)ped in our wake, and when within half-gunshot, we being under cover of her gmis, she furled her top- gallant sails ; at the same moment we hauled aft the fore sheet, hoisted away the topsail, and tacked. By this manoeuvie the frigate was under our lee. We took her fire, and continued to make short boards, and in one hour were out of the reach of her guns, without receiving any damage. This was our first adventure, and we hailed it as a good omen. The crew were all in high spirits, b.3cause the frigate was considered to be as fast as any thing on our coast at that time, and, furthermore, the captain had not only gained the confidence of the 19 198 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. crew by this daring manoeuvre, but we found we could rely upon our heels for safety. Nothing material occurred until we got into the Mona passage, when we fell in with the Black Joke privateer, of New York ; and being unable to ascertain her charac- ter, in consequence of a thick fog, we came into collision, and exchanged -a few shots, before^ we found cut we both wore the same national colors. This vessel was a sloop of not very prepossessing appearance ; but as she had obtained some celebrity for sailing in smooth water, having previously been an Albany packet, she wa;; fitted out as a privateer. In a sea-way, however, being very short, she could not make much more head-way than a tub. It was agreed, between the respective captjdns of the two vessels, to cruise in company, and in the event of a separation, to make a rendezvous at Carthagena. We soon ascertained that our craft would sail nearly two knots to the Black Joke's one, iind it .may well be sup- posed that our company-keeping was of short duration. In two days after parting with her, the long-wished- for cry of " Sail ho ! " was sung out from the mas ;-head. Made all sail in chase. When within short gunshot, let her have our midship gun, when she immediately rounded to, took in sail, hoisted English colors, and seemed to be preparing to make a gallant defence. In this we were not mistaken, for as we ranged up, she opened a brisk cannonading upon us. I now wit- nessed the daring intrepidity of Captain S. ] for, while the brig was pouring a destructive fire into us, with the greatest coolness he observed to the crew, "That vessel, my lads, must be ours in ten minutes after I run this craft under her lee quarter." By this time we had sheered up under her stern, and received the fire of her stern-chasers, Avhich did us no other carnage than cutting away some of our ropes and raaking wind-holes through the sails. It was the work oi;' a mo- ment ; the schooner luffed up under the lee of the brig, and, with almost the rapidity of thought, we wero made fast to her main chains. "Boarders away!" shouted LIFE ON THK OCEAN. 199 Cant. S. We clambered up the sides of the brig, and dropped on board of her like so many locusts, not, how- ever, till two of our lads were run through with board- ing-pikes. The enemy made a brave defence, but were jioon overpowered by superior numbers, and the captain of the brig was mortally wounded. In twenty minutrs after we got alongside, the stars and stripes were \/aving triumphantly over the British flag. In this af'air, we had two killed and seven slightly wound- ed besides having some of our rigging cut away, and sails somewhat riddled. The brig was from Jamaica bound to the Gulf of Maracaibo ; her cargo consisted ot sugar, fruit, &c. She was two hundred tons' burden, mounted six six-pounders, with a complement of fifteen men, all told. She was manned with a prize-master and crew, and ordered to any port in the United States where/er she could get in. This affair very much disgusted me with privateering, especially when I saw so much loss of life, and beheld a band of ruthless desperadoes — for such I must call our crew— robbing and plundering a few defenceless beings, who were pursuing both a lawful and peaceable calling. It induced me to form a resolve that I would relinquish what, to my mind, appeared to be an unjustifiable and outrageous pursuit ; for I could not then help believing, that no conscientious man could be engaged m priva- teering-, and certainly there was no honor to be gained by it. The second lieutenant came to the same deter- mination as myself; and both of us most cordially de- spised our commander, because it was with his permis- sion that those most outrageous scenes of robbing and plundering were committed on board of the brig. After repairing damages, &c., we steered away for Carthagena, to fill up the water-casks, and provision the privateer, so that we might extend the cruise. 200 CHAPTER XVIII. BOARDING IN THE NIGHT CAPTURE TAKEN PRISONER BY CANNIBALS HORRIBLE TREATMENT • — RELEASE BY RAN- SOM SAIL FOR CARTHAGENA. In a few days we arrived at our destination, without falling in with any other vessel ; and, on entering the port, we found our comrade, the Black Joke privateer, which had arrived a day or two previously. Cf-rthagena lies in the parallel of 10° 26' north, and 75° 38' west longitude ; the harbor is good, with an easy entrance ; the city is strongly fortified by extensive and command- ing fortifications and batteries, and I should suppose, if ' well garrisoned and manned, they would be perfectly able to repel any force which might be brought to bear against them. It was well known, at this time, that all the provinces of Spain had shaken ofi" their allegiance to the mother country, and declared themselves inde- pendent. Carthagena, the most prominent of the prov- inces, was a place of considerable commerce ; and about this time, a few men-of-war, and a number of privateers, were fitted out there. The Carthagenian flag now pre- sented a chance of gain to the cupidity of the avaricious and desperate, among whom was our commander, Capt. S. As soon, therefore, as we had filled up our water, &c., a proposition was made by him, to the second lieutenant and myself, to cruise under both flags, the American and Carthagenian, and this to be kept a profound secret from the crew, until we had sailed from port. Of course we rejected the proposition with disdain, and told him the consequence of such a measure, in the event of being taken by a man-of-war of any nation, — - LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 201 thdt it was piracy to all intents and purposes, according to the law of nations. We refused to go out in the pri- vateer if he persisted in this most nefarious act, and we heard no more of it while we lay in port. In a few days we were ready for sea, and sailed in company with our companion, her force being rather more than ours, but the vessel very inferior, as stated before, in point of sailing. While together, we captured several small British schooners, the cargoes of which, together with some specie, were divided between the two privateers. Into one of the prizes we put all the prisoners, gave them plenty of water and provisions, and let them pursue their course : the remainder of the prizes were burned. We then parted company, and, being short of water, ran in towards the land, in order to ascertain if any could be procured. In approaching the shore, the wind died away to a perfect calm, and, at 4 P. ]V[., a small schooner was seen in shore of us. As we hed not steerage way upon our craft, of course it would be impossible to ascertain her character before dark ; it was, therefore, determined by our commander to board her with the boats, under cover of the night. This was a dangerous service, but there was no backing out. Volunteers being called for, I stepped forward ; and very soon, a sufficient number of men to man. two boats offered their services to back me. Every dis- position was made for the attack. The men were strongly armed, oars muffled, and a grappling placed in each boat. The bearings of the strange sail were taken, and night came on perfectly clear and cloudless. I took command of the expedition, the second lieutenant hav- ing charge of one boat. The arrangement was to keep close together, until we got sight of the vessel ; the second lieutenant was to board on the bow, and I on the quarter. We proceeded in the most profound > silence ; nothing was heard, save now and then a slight splash of the oars in the water, and before we obtained sight of the vessel I had sufficient time to reflect on this most perilous enterprise. My reflections were not of the most pleasant charac- 19* 202 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ter, and I found myself inwardly shrinking, when I was aroused by the voice of the bowman, saying, " There she is, sir, two points on the starboard bow." There she lay, sure enough, with every sail hoisted, and a light was distinctly seen, as we supposed, from her deck, it being too high for the cabin-windows. We now held a consultation, and saw no good reason to change the disposition of attack, except that we agreed to board simultaneously. It may be well to observe here, that any number of men on a vessel's deck, in the night, have double the advantage to repel boarders, becaise they may secrete themselves in such a position as to fall upon an enemy unawares, and thereby cut them off, with lit- tle difficulty. Being fully aware of this, I ordered the men, as soon as we had gained the deck of the schooner, to proceed with great caution, and keep close together, till every hazard of the enterprise was ascertained. The boats now separated, and pulled for their respective sta- tions, observing the most profound silence. When we had reached within a few yards of the schooner, we lay upon our oars for some moments, but could neither hear nor see any thing. We then pulled away cheerily, and the next minute were under her counter, a id grap- pled to her ; every man leaped on the deck without op- position. The other boat boarded nearly at the same moment, and we proceeded in a body, with great caution, to examine the decks. A large fire was in the caboose, and we soon ascertained that her deck was ent rely de- serted, and that she neither had any boat on deck, nor to her stern. We then proceeded to examine the cabin, leaving an armed force on deck. The cabin, like the deck, being deserted, the mystery was easily unravelled. Probably concluding that we should board them under cover of the night, they, no doubt, as soon as it was dark, took to their boats, and deserted the vessel. On the floor of the cabin was a part of an English ensign, and some papers, which showed that she belonged to Jamaica. The little cargo on board consisted of Ja- maica rum, sugar, fruit, &c. The breeze now springing up, and the privateer show- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 203 ing lights, we vvere enabled to get alongside of her in a couple of hours. A prize-master and crew were put on board, with orders to keep company. Daring the night, we ran along shore, and, in the morning, took on board the privateer the greater part of the prize's cargo. Being close in shore in the afternoon, we descried a settlement of huts : and, supposing that water might be obtained there, the two vessels werarun in, and anchored about two miles distant from the beach. A proposition was made to me, by Capt. S., to get the water-casks on board the prize schooner, and, as she drew a light draught of water, I was to run her in, and anchor her near the beach, taking with me the two boats and twenty men. I observed to Capt. S. that this was probably an Indian settlement, and it was well known that all the Indian tribes on the coast of Rio de La Hache were exceedingly ferocious, and said to be cannibals ; and it was also well known that whoever fell into their hands never escaped with their'lives ; so that it was necessary, before any attempt was made to land, that some of the Indians should be decoyed on board, and detained as hostages for our safety. At the conclusion of this statement, a very illiberal allusion was thrown out by Capt. S., and some doubts expressed in reference to my courage ; he remarking that, if I was afraid to undertake the expedi- tion, he would go himself. This was enough for me ; I immediately resolved to proceed, if I sacrificed my life in the attempt. The next morning, twenty water-casks were put on board the prize, together with the two boats and twenty men, well armed with muskets, pistols, and cutlasses, with a supply of ammunition : I repaired on board, got the prize under way, ran in, and anchored about one hundred yards from the beach. The boats were got in readiness, and the men were well armed, and the water-casks slung, ready to proceed on shore. 1 had examined my own pistols narrowly that morning, and had put them in complete order, and, as I believed, had taken every precaution for our future operations, so as to prevent surprise. There were about a dozen ill-constructed huts, or wig- 204 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. wan:s ; but no spot of grass, or shrub, was visible to the eye, with the exceptio)i of, here and there, the trunk of an old tree. Oiie sohtary Indian was seen stalking on the beacii, and the whole scene presented the most wild and savage appearance, and, to my rnind, augured very unfavorably. We pulled in wdth the casks in tow, seven men being in each boat ; when within a short distance of the beach, the boats' heads were put to sea- ward, when the Indian came abreast of us. Addressing him in Spanish, 1 inquired if water could be procured, to which he replied in the affirmative. I then displayed to his view some gewgaws and trinkets, at which he appeared perfectly delighted, and, with many signs and gestures, invited me on shore. Thrusting my pistols into my belt, and buckling on my cartridge-box, I gave orders to the boats' crews, that in case they discovered any thing like treachery or surprise, after I had gotten on shore, to cut the water-casks adrift, and make the best of their way on board the prize. As soon as I had jumped on shore, I inquired if there were any live stock, such as fowls, &c., to be had. Pointing to a hut about thirty yards from the boats, he said that the stock was there, and invited me to go and see it. 1 hesitated, sus- pecting some treachery ; however, after repeating my order to the boats' crews, I proceeded with the Indian, and when within about half a dozen yards of the hut, at a preconcerted signal, (as I supposed,) as if by magic, at least one hundred' Indians rushed out, with the rapidity of thought. I was knocked down, stripped of all my clothing except an inside flannel shirt, tied hand and foot, and then taken and secured to the trunk of a large tree, surrounded by about twenty squaws, as u guard, who, with the exception of two or three, bore a most wild and hideous look in their appearance. The capture of the boats' crews was simultaneous with ray own, they being so much surprised and confounded at the stratagem of the Indians, that they had not the power, or presence of mind, to pull off. After they had secured our men, a number of them jumped into the boats, pulled off, and captured the prize, without meeting with an 3^ resistance from those on board, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 205 they being only six in number. Her cable was then cut, and she was run on the beach, when they proceeded to dismantle her, by cutting the sails from the bolt-ropes, and taking out what little cargo there was, consisting of Jamaica rum, sugar, &c. This being done, they led ropes on shore from the schooner, when about one hun- dred of them hauled her up nearly high and dry. By this time the privateer had seen our disaster, stood boldly in, and anchored within less than gunshot of the beach; they then. very foolishly opened a brisk cannon- ade, but every shot was spent in vain. This exasperated the Indians, and particularly the one who had taken possession of my pistols. Casting my eye around, I saw him creeping towards me with one pistol presented, and when about five yards oflf, he pulled the trigger. But as Providence had, no doubt, ordered it, the pistol snapped ; at the same moment a shot from the privateer fell a few yards from us, when the Indian rose upon his feet, cocked the pistol, and fired it at the privateer ; turning round with a most savage yell, he threw the pistol with great violence, which grazed my head, and then with a large stick beat and cut me until I was perfectly senseless. This was about 10 o'clock, and I did not recover my consciousness until, as I supposed, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I perceived there were four squaws sitting around me, one of whom, from her appearance, (having on many gewgaws and trinkets,) was the wife of a chief. As soon as she discovered signs of returning consciousness, she presented me with a gourd, the contents of which appeared to be Indian meal mixed with water ; she first drank, and then gave it to me, and I can safely aver that I never drank any beverage, before or since, which produced such relief. Night was now coming on ; the privateer had got under way, and was standing ofi" and on, with a flag of truce flying at her mast-head. The treacherous Indian with whom I had first conversed came, and, with a malignant smile, gave me the dreadful intelligence that at 12 o'clock that night we were to be roasted and eaten. 206 LIFE ON THE OCEAN^ Accordingly, at sunset I was unloosed and conducted by a band of about half a dozen savages to the spot, where I found the remainder of our men firmly secured by having their hands tied behind them, their legs lashed together, and each man fastened to a stake that had been driven into the ground for that purpose. There was no possibility to elude the vigilance of these miscreants. As soon as night shut in, a large quantity of brushwood was piled around us, and nothing now was wanting but the fire to complete this horrible tragedy. Tha same malicious savage approached us once more, and with the deepest malignity taunted us with our coming fate. Having some knowledge of the Indian character, I summoned up all the fortitude of which I was capable, and in terms of defiance told him that twenty Indians would be sacrificed for each one of us sacrificed by him. I knew very well that it would not do to exhibit any signs of fear or cowardice ; and, having heard much of the cupidity of the Indian char- acter, I offered the savage a large ransom if he would use his influence to procure our release. Here the con- versation was abruptly broken off by a most hideous yell from the whole tribe, occasioned by their having taken large draughts of the rum, which now began to operate very sensibly upon them ; and, as it will be seen, operated very much to our advantage. This thirst for rum caused them to relax their vigilance, and we were left alone to pursue our reflections, which were not of the most enviable or pleasant character. A thou- sand melancholy thoughts rushed over my mind. Here I was, and, in all probability, in a few hours I should be in eternity, and my death one of the most horrible description. "O," thought I, "how many were the entreaties and arguments used by my friends to deter me from pursuing an avocation so full of hazard and peril ! If I had taken their advice, and acceded to their solici- tations, in all probability I should at this time have been in the enjoyment of much happiness." I was aroused from this reverie by the most direful screams from the LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 207 united voices of the whole tribe, they having drunk largely of the rum, and become so much intoxicated that a general fight ensued. Many of them lay stretched on the ground with tomahawks deeply imnlanted in their skulls ; and many others, as the common phrase is, were "dead drunk." This was an exceedingly fortunate cir- cumstance for us. With their senses benumbed, of course they had forgotten their avowal to roast us, or, it may be, the Indian to whom I proposed ransom had conferred with the others, and they no doubt agreed to spare our lives until the morning. It was a night, however, of pain and terror,, as well as of the most anxious suspense ; and when the morning dawn broke upon my vision, I felt an indescribable emotion of grat- itude, as I had fully made up in my mind, the night previous, that long before this time I should have been sleeping the sleep of death. It was a pitiable sight, when the morning light broke forth, to see twenty human beings stripped naked, with their bodies cut and lacerated, and the blood issuing from their wounds ; with their hands and feet tied, and their bodies fastened to stakes, with brushwood piled around them, expecting every moment to be their last. My feelings on this occasion can be better imagined than described ; suffice it to say, that I had given up all hopes of escape, and gloomily resigned myself to death. When the fumes of the liquor had in some degree worn off from the benumbed senses of the savages, they arose and ap- proached us, and, for the first time, the wily Indian informed me that the tribe had agreed to ransom us. They then cast off the lashings from our bodies and feet, and, with our hands still secured, drove us before them to the beach. Then another difficulty arose ; the privateer was out of sight, and the Indians became furious. To satiate their heUish malice, they obliged us to run on the beach, while they let fly their poisoned arrows after us. For my own part, my limbs were so benumbed that I could scarcely walk, and I firmly resolved to stand still and take the worst of it, which 208 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. was the best plan I could have adopted ; for, when they perceived that I exhibited no signs of fear, not a single arrow was discharged at me. Fortunately, before they grew weary of this sport, to my great joy the privateer hove in sight. She stood boldly in, with the flag of truce flying, and the savages consented to let one man of their own choosing go ofl" in the boat to procure the stipulated ransom. The boat returned loaded with ar- ticles of various descriptions, and two of our men were released. The boat kept plying to and from the priva- teer, bringing with them such articles as they demand- ed, until all were released except myself. Here it may be proper to observe, that the mulatto man who had been selected by the Indians performed all this duty himself, not one of the privateer's crew daring to hazard their lives with him in the boat. I then was left alone, and for my release they required a double ransom. I began now seriously to think that they intended to detain me altogether. My mulatto friend, however, pledged himself that he would never leave me. Again, for the last time, he sculled the boat off". She quickly returned, with a larger amount of articles than previously. It was a moment of the deepest anxiety, for there had now arrived from the interior another tribe, apparently superior in point of numbers, and elated with the booty which had been obtained. They de- manded a share, and expressed a determination to detain me for a larger ransom. These demands were refused, and a conflict ensued of the most frightful and terrific character. Tomahawks, knives, and arrows, were used indiscriminately, and many an Indian fell in that bloody contest. The tomahawks were thrown with the swift- ness of arrows, and were generally buried in the skull or the breast ; and whenever two came in contact, with the famous " Indian hug," the strife was soon over with either one or the other, by one plunging the deadly knife up to the hilt in the body of his opponent ; nor were the poisoned arrows of less swift execution, for, wherever they struck, the wretched victim was quickly LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 209 in eternity. I shall never forget the frightful barbarity of that hour ; although years have elapsed since its oc- currence, still the whole scene in imagination is before me,: — the savage yell of the warwhoop, and the direful screams of the squaws, still ring afresh in my ears. In the height of this conflict, a tall Indian chief, who, I knew, belonged to the same tribe with the young squaw who gave me the drink, came down to the beach where I was. The boat had been discharged, and was lying with her head off. At a signal given by the squaw to the chief, he caught me up in his arms with as much ease as if 1 had been a child, waded to the boat, threw me in, and then, with a most expressive gesture, urged us off. Fortunately, there were two oars in the boat, and, feeble as I was, I threw all the remaining strengtli I had to the oar. It was the last effort, as life or death hung upcii the next fifteen minutes. Disappointed of a share of the booty, the savages were frantic with rage, especially when they saw I had eluded their grasp. Rushing to the beach, about a dozen threw themselves into the other boat, which had been captured, and pulled after us; but fortunately, in their hurry they had for- gotten the muskets, and being unacquainted with the method of rowing, of course they made but little prog- ress, which enabled us to increase our distance. The jnivateer, having narrowly watched all these movements, and seeing our imminent danger, stood boldly on toward the beach, and in the next five min- utes she lay between us and the Indians, discharging a heavy fire of musketry among them. Such was the high excitement of my feelings, that I scarcely recollect- ed how I gained the privateer's deck. But I was saved, nevertheless, though I was weak with the loss of blood, and savage treatment, — my limbs benumbed, and body scorched with the piercing rays of the sun, — the whole scene rushing through my mind with the celerity of electricity! It unmanned and quite overpowered me; I fainted, and fell senseless on the deck. 20 210 CHAPTER XIX. LEAVE THE PRIVATEER, AND SAIL FOR THE UNITED STATES ENTER ON BOARD A LETTER OF MARQtTE CAPTURED AY THE ENGLISH RECAPTURED BY THE PAUL JONES PRIVAI SER — ENTER AS PRIZE-MASTER HER OFFICERS AND CREVI". The usual restoratives and care were administeredj and I soon recovered from the effects of my cjipture. Some of the others were not so fortunate ; two ol them especially were cut in a shocking manner, ard the others were so dreadfully beaten and mangled by clubs, that the greatest care was necessary to save their lives. My dislike for the captain had very much increased since that unhappy, disastrous affair ; it would not have occurred if he had taken my advice, as his illib- erality, and the hints he threw out in reference to my courage, were the causes of my suffering and tlie sad result of the enterprise. I determined, therefci-e, in conjunction with the second lieutenant, to leav-e the privateer as soon as we arrived in Carthagena, to which port we were now bound. We soon had a good jjretext for putting this determination into execution ; for, two days after the affair with the Indians, we fell in vith a Spanish schooner, and, for the first time since having Carthagena, a commission and flag of the latter place were produced by Captain S. Under this commission and flag he captured the schooner, being deaf to every remonstrance that was made to him by us. The prize was manned, and ordered to Carthagena, where she arrived two days after our entrance into that port. The second lieutenant and myself immediately demanded our discharge, and share of prize money, which were granted, when we received eighteen hundred dollars each, as our part of the captures. With these fupds we pur- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 211 chased, a fine coppered schooner, and succeeded in getting; a freight and passengers for New Orleans. In about a week we sailed, and bade adieu to the privateer and hsr unprincipled commander, who would at any time sacrifice honor and honesty, and expose himself to the ignominious death of a pirate, for sordid gain. We arrived at New Orleans, after a passage of eleven days, without accident or interruption. Here all was excitement, as the news of the capture of the Guerriere frigate by the Constitution had just been received. Three large privateers were fitting out, from the com- manders of which very tempting olTers were thrown out to enter on board ; but I had enough of privateering, and considered it at that time a most unjustifiable mode of warfare ; and, although I could not obtain business for our vessel, and the probability was that nothing would offer for some time, I resolved to remain on shore rather than to engage again in that nefarious calling. ' Nev" Orleans, at that period, was swayed by French and Spanish influence. The manners and customs of these people universally prevailed ; consequently, pre- sented to a mind trained under the strict regulation of moral precepts, the greatest degree of repugnance; and although, in my travels, I had frequently been among these people in South America, and, of course, had beconie acquainted, in some degree, with their habits, yet I could never reconcile the strongly-marked de- viations from those principles of virtue and piety so prevalent in the other states and cities of North Amer- ica. The consequence was, that I soon became weary, and, as we could find no employment for our vessel. I embraced a most advantageous offer as first officer of a letter of marque, bound to Bourdeaux. No time was lost in settling the business of the schooner with my friend, and as he had also procured a berth, we gave a power of attorney to a merchant of high respectability, to act for us during our absence. On the 8th October, 1812, the letter of marque being ready for sea, with the crew, &c., all on board, we cast 212 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ofTfrom the " Levee," dropped down the river, and on the 12th went out of the "north-east pass," and discharged our pilot. This vessel was a schooner of three hundred tons' burden, 'Baltimore-built, and of the most beautiful symmetrical proportions ; she mounted ten gurs, Avith a crew consisting of thirty men.. Our commander was a native of New Orleans, a good seaman, possessing, at the same time, great affability of manners and great decision of character. The second officer was an old American seaman, rough in his exterior, yet. at the same time, frank, open, and generous, with a frame and cofistitution that seemed to defy the hardships of a sea life. The crew were a fine set of able seamen, and in suoh a craft I promised myself as much comfort as could be expected apart from the danger of capture and the perils of the sea. Nothing material transpired until we reached the Maranilla Reef, when, on the morning of the 21st, we fell in with an English frigate. Fortunately for us, we were to the windward, or she would have crippled us, being within gun-shot. All sail was made on the schooner ; the chase continued throughout the whole day ; and at sunset we had not gained in distance more than one mile ; the reason of this, however, was owing to a strong breeze which obliged us to "■ reef down," the frigate carrying top-gallantsails during the whole day. When night set in, under its cover we altered oar course, and eluded the vigilance of the enemy, for in the morn- ing nothing was to be seen from the mast-heed. This Avas the first chase ; and, although I had great confidence in the judgment and ability of Captain N., as a schooner- sailer, yet I had not so much in the sailing of the schooner ; but was informed by the captain that her best play was before the wind. It was not long befcre we had a fair trial of her speed in that way ; for on the 25th, at 8 in the morning, we fell in with an English slcop-of- war, about two miles to the windward. As there was no possibility of escaping her on a wind, it blowing a strong breeze at the time, we kept away right before the wind, so as to bring the sails of the sloop-of-war all on one mast ; in this way, we beat her easily without setting LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 213 our squaresaiL In this, the second chase, our confi- dence in the speed of the schooner became very much strengthened. The weather now became boisterous, with almost continual westerly gales, and it might be said that we were literally under water one half of the time. It was a rare thing, even with a moderate breeze, to see a dry spot on our decks when under a press of canvass, and it was often the same thing below ; but, more especially, the condition of the forecastle was such, that the men had usually to " turn in wet, and turn out smoking." .| We were now reaching up toward the Grand Banks^' and, as that was the usual track for outward-bound' vessels, we expected to fall in with cruisers ; and, conse- quently, kept a good look-out. In this we were not mistaken ; for on the 5th of November, while scudding under a reefed foresail in a westerly gale, we fell in with an English seventy-four, about a mile ahead of us, ly- ing to on the starboard tack. In order to get clear of her, it was necessary to haul up, the schooner holding a better wind than the seventy-four ; the latter soon drop- ped to leeward ; but another difficulty now arose ; a frigate was seen broad upon the weather quarter, bear- ing down for us, under a press of canvass. It was evident that our situation was a critical one ; for, if we bore away before the wind, we must necessarily close in with the seventy-four, and receive her fire ; so the only alternative, therefore, left us, was, to keep away four points, and, if possible, pass to the windward of the sev- enty-four. Setting every rag of canvass that the schooner would bear, careening her lee gunwales to the water, she became now so laborsome that it was necessary to throw the lee guns overboard. This service was imme- diately performed ; and to our no small satisfaction she bounded over the tremendous sea with ease, and her speed was sensibly increased. It was not certain, how- ever, that we could pass to windward of the seventy- four, — at least, it was not probable that we should pass her out of gun-shot ; and, to increase our troubles at this 20* 211 LIFE ON THE OCEAN, juncture, another sail was made on our starboard bow. standing for us on the larboard tack. No alternative was now left us, but to cross the bows of the seventy- four, and take the chance of her fire. It was the work of a few minutes, as we had closed in with her, and it became evident that we should not pass more than half gun-shot off. The seventy-four, perceiving our predica- ment, kept away ; but it was too late ; she was now on our quarter. We received her fire without damage, and in the next ten minutes had a reefed squaresai: set, and our noble craft was running off at the rate of twelve knots. It became now a stern-chase, for already had the vessel to windward, which proved to be a'sloop-of- war, kept away, and under a press of canvass was bear- ing down upon our beam. This was a hard chase, for we soon altered the bearings of the fri>-ate and s-eventy-four ; but it was not until sunset tbat we brought the sloop-of-war in our wake, about two miles' distance astern. The next morning, the gale had increased, and the sea had risen to such a height, that scuoding be- came dangerous ; it was, therefore,, determined to bring the schooner up to the wind. No evolution on board of a vessel, especially in a sharp schooner, i.:, fraught with so much hazard as bringing her to the wind in a heavy gale. The greatest care is necessary by watch- ing the rolling seas, which are generally three in num- ber, after which it is proportionally smooth for a few seconds; occasionally, in these intervals, the wind lulls ; advantage must then be taken, such sail as the vessel will bear must be set and well secured, and then she should be brought to the wind by easing her helm to leeward. This was done with our craft in a seaman- like manner; a balanced-reefed foresail was set. the sheet bowsed taut aft, and a tackle hooked on to the clew, and it bowsed nearly amidships with iho helm two and a half points to leeM^ard. She rode in this v/ay nearly head to the sea, forging ahead two knots, and not makmg more than two and a half points lee-Wc.y. This was the first time that I had seen a craft of this descrip- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 215 tion hove to. and I was perfectly astonished ; for she rode as easy and safely as if she had been in a harbor ; this easy motion, however, was owing, in a good degree, to the management of Captain N. In the hands of one who does not understand managing a craft of this de- scription, they are the most uncomfortable, as well as uneasy, vessels that float the ocean. The gale lasted t\velve hours, after which it moder- ated, and we bore away to the eastward ; the wind con- tinued blowing until the 9th pf November, when we entered the famous Bay of Biscay. The weather now became moderate, with a smooth sea, and we were all elated with the prospect of reaching our port of destina- tion in safety. We were the more confirmed in this hope, because, at the close of the day on the 13th of November, we were within half a day's sail of Bourdeaux, and fully expected, with a moderate breeze, to make Cordovan lighthouse early next morning. Alas! how soon are the brightest prospects frustrated ! At sunset that evening, it fell away calm, and nothing was to be seen from the mast-head ; not a breath of air or " cat's paw " was felt daring the whole of the night. The conversation which I had with Jack Evans, in the ship Dromo, on the night previous to the action, was irre- sistibly brought to my recollection. It was a night similar to this ; and, although it might have been a superstitious feeling, yet I could not shake it off, and a secret foreboding agitated my mind, and kept it in a state of the deepest anxiety and suspense. When the morning dawn broke forth, conviction came, and sus- pense was at an end ; for there lay a ship and two brigs, with English ensigns flying at their peaks. Flight was now impossible, for it was a dead calm ; and resistance was entirely useless, for we lay at the mercy of their whole broadsides. Our ensign was hoisted, but we well knew, to our great mortification, it must soon be hauled down in unresisting humility. The ship first opened her battery upon us, followed by one of the brigs. The rest is soon told. The 216 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. Amtnican ensign was struck, and in twenty minutes they had possession of this valuable vessel and cargo. So strong was my presentiment of some coming disaster, that I had taken the precaution, during the night, to sew up in a flannel shirt all the money I had, consisting of seventeen doubloons, and then put it on. It was well I did so, for these vessels proved" to be three Guernsey privateers. The ship mounted eighteen guns, with seventy men; the two brigs' each mounted fourteen guns, with fifty men. After getting possession of the schooner, they robbed us' of ahxiost every thing they could lay their hands upon. Our crew were distributed among the three vessels; the captain, myself, and two men, were puc on board the ship. The schooner Avas manned, and ordered to the Island of Guernsey ; after which the privateers separated, to cruise on different stations. The destination of the ship, from what I un- derstood, was to cruise on the coasts of Spain and Portu- gal. The captain and myself received good treatment ; for, after we had reported to the captain of the privateer the loss of our clothing, he ordered a search to be made for them, and all were recovered, as they happened to be on board of the ship. They were very much elated with their success, and assured us that the first licensed ship they fell in with, we should be released. Three days after our caj^ture, while standing on a wind, the cry of " Sail ho ! " was heard from the mast- head, bearing on the lee beam. The ship was kept off, until the strange sail could be clearly made out. It proved to be a large rakish-looking schooner, evidently American by the set of her masts, cut of the sails, and ^olor of the canvass. It -was immediately suggested to us by the captain of the ship that there was Another fine prize, and I was requested to look at her with the glass. I soon discovered that she was a man-of-Avar of some description, and intimated as much to him ; he was soon confirmed in this opinion, for the strange sail kept her wind, and manifested no disposition to get out of the way. When the ship had gotten within two LITE ON THE OCEAN, 217 miles of the schooner, she hauled her wind and made every preparation for action. Both vessels were under a press of canvass, standing on a wind on the larboard tack ; but the schooner, lying a point higher than the ship, gained up -to- windward ; and although she did not forge ahead quite so fast as the ship, yet she was not more than a mile and a half astern, exactly in the wake of the ship, at sunset. Night came on : and under its cover the coin'se of the ship was altered, in order, if possible, to elude the one in pursuit. I now perceived that all on board were very much alarmed, especially the captain. The crew, for the most part, were a set of raw greenhorns, and the captain well knew that no dependence could be placed in them. At 10 o'clock, the wind dying away to a perfect calm, all hands were at their quarters, and the strictest look-out was kept. Our vessel now made sure that they had gotten clear of the schooner, for the night was very dark and cloudy ; but, to their great surprise, at half past ten, there she was, not more than two musket-shots off. It was a night of deep suspense to all, and especially to us. The captain of the ship was aware that the schooner would not engage in the night ; consequently every advantage was taken of the wind to get clear of her, but it was all in vain. At daylight, in the morning, the schooner was about a mile astern ; the ship at this time was under a cloud of sail, but it was soon perceived that the enemy came up with her. Capt. N. and myself were now ordered below, when a running fight commenced, the ship discharging her stern-chasers in quick succession, and the schooner dis- charging her forward division, which cut away the stern boat and part of her starboard quarter. In half an hour the contest was decided, most of the ship's crew having deserted their quarters ; the British flag was hauled down, and she became a prize to the Paul Jones privateer, of New York, mounting eighteen giuis, with a complement of one hundred and twenty men. The boats immediately came from the privateer, and the crew 218 LIVE ON THE OCKAN. of the ship was sent on board the schooner. Now, a scene of plunder and robbery was perpetrated, by the privateer's crew, which beggars all description ; every article of clothing and stores, which they could lay their hands upon, were taken without any ceremony. The crew were a perfect set of desperadoes and outlaws, whom the officers could neither restrain nor command. Capt. N. and myself were now conveyed to the priva- teer without our clothes, for we had shared the like fate with the crew of the ship, by having our trunks broken open and robbed of all their contents. The excitement being over, a prize-master and crew were put on board of the ship, and she was ordered to the United States. Capt. N. prevailed with the captain of the privateer to let him proceed in her; but all the arguments I could make use of, to accompany him, were fruitless ; so I concluded to make the best of a bad bar- gain, and was induced, by the persuasions of the captain and the prospect of gain held out to me, to enter as prize- master. The next cruising ground was in the neighbor- hood of the Western Islands, to which, with all possible despatch, we repaired. It may not be out of place here to present the reader with a sketch of the characters of the men with whom I was now associated. Capt. T., a man of about thirty - five years of age, was a gentleman in his manners, yet impatient of contradiction ; bold and fearless ; generally acted with great precipitation, and, consequently, witli- cut the exercise of much judgment. Mr. B., the 1st lieu- tenant, was an educated man, a good seaman, cool and intrepid, and was strongly marked with the protuberance of cause and effect. Mr. J., the 2d lieutenant, was about thirty years of age, an active seaman, with limited edu- cation, but was a smart and enterprising officer. Mr. G., the 3d lieutenant, was a young man who did not seem to be designed for the perils of war or the hardships of a sea life ; he was amiable, but being limited in his knowledge of seamanship, had very little confidence in himself. I imderstood, however, that his courage was LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 219 undoubted. Mr. W., the sailing-master, was about fifty years of age, had formerly been captain of a West India- man out of Connecticut, a tolerably good seaman and navigator; but he was a low, mean-spirited chap, a kind of anomaly, possessing none of those noble and generous qualities which characterize a sailor — avaricious to the last degree, and would resort to the meanest acts to ac- quire gain. The prize-masters, six in number, (includ- ing myself,) were a set of jolly fellows, and believed themselves to be superior in rank and talent to any on board except the captain, because they concluded that they would be installed into the office of commander before the cruise was up. Mr. C, lieutenant of marines, was neither soldier nor sailor, had been a sort of coun- try lawyer, and would rather sit down to a good dinner than face an enemy. In going through the drill exer- cise, he might appropriately be called " Captain Bunker," of the privateer. The surgeon very much resembled, to my imagination, the apothecary of Shakspeare ; he was somewhat advanced in years, and had, in the days of his youth, read physic in a doctor's office, and listened to some half-dozen lectures in a medical college, and was then dubbed M. D., and let off with a diploma, lancet, and pill-box, to practise upon a credulous public. He had obtained some little celebrity by the amputation of a limb ; but as he could not subsist upon fame exclusive- ly, being well nigh starved to death for want of practice, he resolved (to use his own expression) to sink or swim, by plunging into the turbulent scenes of war. His usual remedy to a sick sailor was a pint of salt water, because, he said, other medicines were too costly to be lavished on a common sailor, and because, he added, it was a safe and easy remedy, always at hand, and cost nothing. On one occasion, the doctor unfortunately fell from the gangway rail on the deck, and hurt himself very seriously ; a wag of a sailor hove a bucket over the side, and drew up some water, and immediately pre- sented the poor surgeon with a tin-pot full, swearing it was the best medicine that could be given for a wound 220 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. or fractured limb, "because," he added, with abroad grin, "it is safe and easy, and costs nothing." And now for the crew ; but here description fails. The English language is too poor adequately to do them justice. Imagine to yourself, reader, a company of eighty men, selected from the very elite and respectable por- tions of the lowest sinks located in the " Five Points," " Hook," and other places of like celebrity in New York. Here they were, a motley crew of loafers, highbinders, butcher boys, &c. &c. To be sure, there was, now and then, a good and true-hearted sailor among them ; but, "like angels' visits, they were few and far between." As it may well be supposed, long confinement with such a company as above described could not be an enviable situation to a man of taste ; but the continual hurry- scurry, uproar, and excitement, on board of a privateer, leave but a short time for reflection; and furthermore, being creatures of imitation, we soon become insensibly conformed to the daily habits of surrounding associa- tions. This was my case ; for, although my better judg- ment taught me to despise this mode of warfare, — at best, in my opinion, it is only a systematic method to plunder unoffending men, — yet I soon became in some degree reconciled to my situation. ^21 CHAPTER XX. CAPTURE OF PRIZES CHASE TERMINATION OF CRUISE, &-C. On the morning of the 21st of November, the priva- teer had reached her cruising ground, and on the after- noon of ';he same day, made the Island of Terceira, one of the group of the Azores, or Western Islands. The third day after cruising around those -islands, a small English brig, bound to Fayal, was captured without re- sistance : she was manned, and ordered to the United States. On the afternoon of the same day, we took a -small Eiglish schooner bomid to Terceira, the island being then in sight. We released our prisoners, and putting them all on board this vessel, they steered away for the island. From the captain of the small schooner, we obtained information that the Lisbon and Mediter- ranean fleets of merchantmen, under a strong convoy, had sailed from England. We lost no time, therefore, after ridding ourselves of the prisoners^ to get on the Lisbon station, so that, if possible, we might intercept some of the fleet. A few days, with a strong westerly breeze, brought us up to our cruising ground. Three days thereafter, we fell in with a large British brig, and, after a sharp action of forty minutes, succeeded in captur- ing her. She was from Cork, bound to Cadiz, with a rich and valuable cargo, consisting of Irish cut glass, linens, &c. She was manned, and ordered to the United States, where she safely arrived, and the vessel and car- go sold for nearly four hundred thousand dollars. This was the richest prize taken during the, cruise, and caused the most: extravagant expressions of joy among the crew: but the cruise was not yet up. Entertaining 21 222 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. serious doubts as to the privateer's sailing, I was under the impression that a smart-sailing man-of-war wi:h any chance would capture us, for she could not ccmpete with the letter-of-marque which I was last on board of, in point of sailing. The next day after the capt ire o^ the brig, a large sail was made, broad off on the star board bow. We soon came up with the chase, aid she proved to be an American ship boand to Lisbon. Cap- tain T., suspecting that she was saiUng under a 3ritish license, made the most diligent search for it, buc for a long time without effect. At length, however, the an- chors were unstocked, and, to our great satisfacti )n, we found the license concealed between the upper and lower parts of the anchor-stock. Of course, this settled her business ; she was a good prize, and we despatched her to the United States — all of the crew, except tie offi- cers, entering on board the privateer. At daylight in the morning, December 4th, we fell in with the combined Lisbon and Mediterranean fleets : they were far to leeward of ns ; consequently ve had the advantage of choosing our position, and harassing them under cover of the night ; but we soon peiceived Captain T.'s intention was to run into the midst of the fleet in the daytime. Against this mode of procedure every officer on board remonstrated loudly; the captain, however, was obstinate ; the privateer ran down amidst the fleet, hauled up alongside of a large ship, and engaged her at pistol-shot distance. Signals were now made by all the fleet for an enemy. The convoy, being in the van, quickly perceived what was going on, and a frigate and sloop-of-vvar were seen bearing down upon us under a press of canvass. No other alternati re was left but to run. The wind being moderate, the privateer was kept before it, dropping the frigate, but the si 3op-of- war gained upon us, and it seemed to be almost certain that she would bring us to an action ; but whei with- in gun-shot, she let drive her bow-chasers. By the im- pediment attendant upon her firing, together w;th her yawing to bring her guns to bear, the privateer p;ni!iod LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 223 about a quarter of a mile. By running the guns forward and aft, the schooner was put in proper trim ; and it soon became evident that we were rapidly leaving the chase astern. After running us about six hours directly to leev-ard of the fleet, the enemy hauled her wind, and gave up further pursuit. This unfortunate, headstrong adventure on the part of Captain T., was the cause of destroying all confidence in him. If he had taken advice, and kept a proper position to the windward, no doubt, under cover of the night, we might have captured two 01 three of the fleet, and thus completed our cruise. But, a,^ it was, we ran into the most imminent danger without the least probability of capturing a single vessel. A day or two after, a large ship was made to the windward, having a main top-gallantsail set, and her fore aid mizzen top-gallantmasts down. As we closed in wit 1 her, some bales of cotton were seen lashed on the qi arter. I was sent aloft with the glass, to watch her movements, and soon ascertained that she was a raan-o:-war in disguise, and reported my conjecture to the captain, who made light of it at first; but his tune, howexer, soon changed when he saw her bear up, and in fifteen minutes she was under a cloud of canvass in pur- ' suit of us. The wind was blowing fresh on shore, and as we ha 1 seen the land that morning, we knew that we were not more than forty miles distant from it. It was now about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It appeared to be the object of the frigate, in case we outsailed her, to run us ashore. This was the hardest chase we had during the whole time I was on board; no difl"erence was percep- tible in the sailing of the two vessels. We were run- ning at the rate of eleven knots per hour; consequently, in fou- hours, with the same speed, we should be high and d-y ashore. The days, however, being short at this stason of the year, our main hope was to elude the enemy when night came on. At sunset the land was full ir sight, distant about tw-enty miles; and as we were -imning directly for it, in two hours we should either be a prize or a wreck, unless we could evade 224 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. him by some stratagem. Tlie greatest anxiety and excitement reigned thronghoutthe privateer. The crew v/ere packing up their traps, and the officers manifested the deepest suspense: fortunately, the weaiher was cloudy: and, as night shut in intensely dark, our only chance was to profit by it. The lights were now all put out, and profound silence enjoined. The frigate, on account of the darkness, could iTot be seen. Tlie privateer was luffed to on the starboard tack, every sail lowered, and nothing was to be seen except her hull and poles. In aboilt ten minutes, the frigate appeared, under a-cloud of canvass, about two hundred yards from us, flying away to leeward like a rc-ce-horse. We now hauled on a wind to the eastward, and saw no more of the frigate. Captain T, decided to make a dash into the Irish Channel, to intercept the West India fleet, VN'hich was destined to sail in a few days, having made their rendezvous at Cork. We obtained this information from the captured brig. A few days not only brought us to our station, but it also termhiated our cruise, as will be seen in the sequel;- On the morning of December 14th, it blowing fresh from the south-west, with thick, foggy v/eather, we were in the midst of the West India fleet before w^e saw them, they having sailed from Cork the day previous. No better opportunity could be wished for, to make captures, than the one before us ; the fog would some- times clear up, and then s!mt in thick, so that we could select; any vessel we chose. Hauling alongside of a fine large brig, we boarded and captured he ■ in ten minutes. A prize-master and crew were put on board of her, with orders ta remain with the fleet until night, and then make the best of their way to any port in the United States. As I had succeeded in boarding and capturing this vessel with only the assistance of five men, I was promised the finest ship in the fleet by Captain T. The promise was somewhat piemature, the fulfilment rather problematical. As the fog cleared up, we selected a large ship, and I of course got ready, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 225 and f '"eked my prize crew, to take possession of her witho It further ado. The fog now set in so thick that no ot ject was visible five yards' distance, and when it lifted, there lay a frigate on our starboard bow, not more than i musket-shot off. She quickly saw us ; but being on dif erent tacks, she stood on until she got under our larboard quarter, then tacked, and gave us a taste of her forwaid division, which did us no other damage than to cut away two of the lee main-shrouds. In half an hour, it was clearly ascertained that we outsailed the frigate on a wind. Captain T. now held a council with the of icers, and proposed to bear up before the wind, as that was the privateer's best sailing quality — adding, that no doubt could be entertained but that we could beat the fiigate before a wind, and in the end, by thus manoeavring, we should save our prize. The strongest objections were urged to this proposal, especially by the first lieutenant, who declared it to be his opinion that, if the privateer was kept away, we should be a prize in thirty minutes. All opinions and remonstrances were entirely thrown away upon' the captain. Every sail was got ready, the helm put up, and in a few minutes she was uider a cloud of canvass before the wind. It was not lo ig before Captain T. saw his egregious error; for it wil be evident to every seaman, that we were now runnir g nearly in a line to meet the frigate. The latter, quickl/" perceiving our mistake, kept her wind, and as there vas no time now to be lost with us, the helm was put ddwn, and the privateer brought to the wind; in the a( t of doing which, she gave us another division of her eighteen-pounders, which cut away the fore- gaff, t le slings of the fore-yard, and riddled our lower sails, and, to add to the difficulty, our unfortunate ma- noBuvie gave the frigate the weather-gage of us — the princi])al sail, too, had become useless from the loss of the g£.ff. The next discharge from the frigate cut away the main-topman lift. There being a heavy sea on at the time, the main-boom got command of the quarter deck, and carried awav the bulwarks from the 21 * 226 LIEE ON THK OCKAN. tafferel to the gangway. The frigate now overhauled us without any difficuhy, and opened a most murderous fire, with the marines. We were unable to haul down our colors, from the fact of the topman-lift having been shot away. Seven men killed, and fifteen wounded,. -lay on aur decks ; and notwithstanding the frigate must have perceived that we were so much cut up that we had no command of the privateer, and that she lay like a log upon the water, nevertheless, she poixred into us her quarterdeck carronades,- which, striking us a-mid- ships, nearly -cut our craft in halves. It was ahout four hours from the time we fell in with the frigate until the time of our capture, and in about one hour after, all of our crew were snugly stowed away on board of the frigate. The prisoners were shoved down into the cable tiers ; but the officers, seven in number, were politely treated with the soft side of a plank against the ward-room bulk-head. We were robbed of nearly all our clothing, and as roughly used as if we had been pirates. The prize was manned, and ordered into Plymouth, where, to our great satisfaction, she never arrived, having sunk off the Land's End. The crew, howev^er, were saved in the boats. - The next morning the cry of " Sail ho !" was heard from the frigate's mast-head : in three hours she was Up with the vessel, and, to our great mortification, )t proved to be the prize brig we had taken from the fleet. When possession was taken. of her, the prize-master and nearly the whole crew were found drunk. It appeared they did not make sail on the vessel during the night, and, on being interrogated, the prize-master was endrely ig- norant of the position of the brig. Great exultation was no\y manifested by the officers of the frigate, and, to use their own expression, they had now taken ths " Paul Jones and his mate." In fifty hours the frigate was at an anchor in Plym- outh harbor, and we were all put on board of a prison-ship, with the exception of the capt£,in, firs+ LIFE ON THE OC^AN. 22^ lieutenarirM surgeon, who were entitled to parole. Here we foutid already three hundred and fifty Amsd- can prisoner^:;, v.'lio were crammed away on the two declcs of an old coademiied seventy-four, fitted up for that purpose, and strongly giiarded. We remained in this ship four weeks, daring which time the number of American prisoners was augmented to six hundred ; it became., necessary, therefore, in vie\. oT this daily in- crease, to send the prisojiers to dcj^oi.-- riloi ed for that purpose. Accordingly, several ou'iis \VQ<:e ordei'ed to BtapletQn, near Bristol, a distance of o le hiuid.r-d r.nd thirty miles. It fell to ray lot to be one of the hun-.ba.' composing these drafts, and I was not a little pleased, for I considered that any prison would be preferable^ to the unwholesome air, and close confinement, of a ehio into which five hundred human souls were crammed. January 25y 1813.— -The number of prisoners con- tained in each escort was one hundred, guarded by two hundred foot soldiers and fi.fty dragoons. Our march was severe, having to perform a distance of from fifteen to twenty-five miles per day. Many of the pris- oners broke down from fatigue, consequently, had to be transported in wagons. Seven days brought us to our journey's end, when we were put into a strong prison, with three thousand French prisoners. Our prospects nov/ were indeed gloomy. As for my own part, I had been buoyed up with the hope of being exchanged, which hope, however, v/as now at an end ; and I had nothing to cheer my spirits but the very pleasing prospect of a confinement during the remainder of the war, unless I could devise some [.-Ian to effect an escape ; besides. I had been improvident with what money I had, sharing it with my fellow-oflicers, so that all I had left, out of my seventeen doubloons, \vhen T entered this prison, was. about forty dollars ;, this sum, at furthest, would not last over six months, especially as the allowance from the British government wiis so small, and miserably bad, that, without other mefyas of sub- sistence, no man could exist. Wc receiji^d but one 228 LUt'E ON THE OCEAN. poui;d and a half of black bread per man, which, when pressed together, might be encompassed in a man's hand. This, with a half of a pound of raw, fresh meat — the bones being always included in the weight — was the whole allowance for twenty-four hoiu's. I have often weighed my allowance of meat, after it was boiled, and it never went beyond three ounces. In three months after our entrance into this place, the American prisoners presented a sad spectacle of wretch- edness and misery. Naturally improvident, and at the same time restless, always planning schemes to effect their escape, they could not bring themselves to any species of labor ; many of them, too, coming from the worst grades of society, with habits imbibed from those haunts of wretchedness, soon lost, by gambling, what little means they had. This was not all ; they sacri- ficed their clothing to this nefarious practice, and, now pinched with cold, and half starved for want of food, and with no regular mode of exercise, disease began to make its appearance among them in its very worst form. Many sickened and died; others became almost frantic with hunger ; and that most abominable vice, theft, was perpetrated upon one another with impunity. I have actually seen one himdred, or more, of these half- starved wretches, scraping out, from the piles of offal thrown from the prison, potato and turnip skins, and whatever they could find to masticate, to satisfy their raging hunger. Those who had money fared well, from the fact that the French prisoners were allowed a market, outside of the first wall ; and as the Avhole of these men were industrious, and brought themselves systematically to some pursuit, they manufactured a variety of articles, such as lace, straw plait for bonnets, bonework of almost every description, instruments of music, and miniature ships, &c. &c., which were bought up by the country people, or exchanged for their produce. Indeed, these French prisoners had become so thoroughly reconciled to their situation, (some of them having been here six or eight years.) that their minds appeared to be wholly LIFE ON THE OCKA'N. 229 occupied with gain. L knew many of them who, when peace was effected between France and England, had saved from one to two thousand guineas ; and there were some who did not actually wish to leave the prison. This depot for prisoners of war is situated in Staple- ton, a village about five miles north of Bristol. The coun- try around it is highly cultivated, and presents one of the most beautiful scenes I ever witnessed. From the prisons may be seen the magnificent grounds and castle belonging to the duke of Devonshire. The buildings, three ui number, are capable of containing fifteen hun- dred men each ; the ground on which they stand may, perhaps, cover an area of a quarter of a mile. The yard, in the form of a circle, is surrounded- with a strong wall — say fourteen feet in height — on the top of which, at intervals, are cannons planted, and a sentinel stationed at each gun; outside of this wall runs a ditch, twenty feet broad. Sentinels are so posted around the yard, both day and night, that it is almost impossible to effect an escape from the prison. Three months had now elapsed since we came to this place, and our hopes of being exchanged were less prob- able, from the fact that Commodore Rogers had detained a number of English prisoners in close confinement, as hostages for as many American prisoners whom the British held in bondage, declaring that they were Eng- lishmen ; and of course such, when found fighting against their country, must suffer the penalty attached to the crime, which "is death. This punishment, how- ever, was never carried into execution, supposing, no doubt, the American government would have retaliated. From this time forward, there was no more exchange of prisoners imtii peace was concluded. As my funds were now getting short, it became abso- lutely necessary for me to turn my attention to some pursuit which would afford ? vib^istence; accordingly, I commenced to manufactu/e oiijw plait for ladies' bon- nets. Though riches could not flow in abundance through this channel — with the most incessant toil, I 230 LIVE ON THK OCEAN. could not earn more than one shilling per day — yet it was sufficient to keep me in coffee, bread, &c., as long as I remained in this place. The sufferings of the American prisoners, wherever they were confined in England, were equal, if not greater, than those at Stapleton ; and from this depot, as well as from others, petitions were frequently sent to our government, through the medium of Mr. Beasley, who was the agent for American prisoners in England. These petitions were drawn up in the most respectful manner, and set forth in strong terms the miserable and destitute condition of the American prisoners, the small quantity of daily food allowed by the British government, (in consequence of this scanty fare, many had starved to death,) and speedy and immediate relief was urgently prayed for. On the reception of these petitions, our government lost no time in affording the relief required, by empowering the agent to distribute to each prisoner six shillings and eight pence, monthly. This supply was indeed seasonable to many of our poor fellow-sufferers. Now, the industrious and economical could subsist tolerably well ; but there were yet many among us who, no sooner than they received their monthly allowancCy would resort to the gambling-table and lose it all. Not many of this description lived to see the United States. When peace was effected between France and Eng- land, the French prisoners, of course, were liberated and sent to France ; and, as there were but four hundred American prisoners at this place — not being a sufficient number to employ a garrison — our destination was fixed for Dartmoor. This was a matter of joy to many of us, because we contemplated that an escape would not be difficult ; but, on the other hand, this depot was infi- nitely preferable to Dartmoor. The prison buildings here were far superior to those at Dartmoor, as well as the country around them ; the facilities of a market for the purchase of provisions, and for the sale of whatever articles we could manufacture, were likewise much greater here. 231 CHAPTER XXI. REMOVAL TO DARTMOOR — DESCRIPTION OF IT PLAN TO EFFECT AN ESCAPE. September 20, 1813. — The first draft, comprising one hundred men, strongly guarded, marched out for Dart- moor, a distance of one hundred and ten miles, and one draft weekly thereafter, until the whole number were despatched. It fell to my lot to be in the last draft, and I resolved, if possible, to profit by this march in making an escape, at the first favorable opportunity. Accord- ingly, when we had reached a distance of about fifty miles, conceiving the place and time favorable, although I had marched twenty miles that day, I determined to put my plans into execution that night, having bribed a soldier who Avould be on guard at midnight. The few intervening hours were passed in the deepest suspense. At length the moment arrived, when it was necessary that I should exert all the courage and fortitude of which I was capable. The gaining my liberty solely depended upon the good faith of this soldier, because I should have to pass three sentinels, and, should he prove faith- less by giving a false countersign, detection would be inevitable. The village clock struck the hour of midnight, and ad was wrapped in profound silence. The prisoners, for the most part, were locked in deep sleep, and nothing was heard but the exchange of " All's well," by the sentinels who guarded an old barn, into which the prisoners were crammed for the night's repose. Slowly and silently I passed along to the appointed place of meeting ; jadge of my surprise, when reaching it, to find that double sentinels had been stationed at the place selected to '/.'S2 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. meel the soldier before named ; he was not there. The countersign was given, and the answer to it was, " Go back ! or you are a dead man." All hopes of escape were now at an end ; the bribed soldier, no doubt, had treacherously given me the wrong countersign, and, as I supposed, informed the commanding officer of my in- tention. This most fatiguing and harassing march was con- tinued for nine days, during which many of the prisoners broke down, and were so entirely disabled that it became necessary to transport them in wagons. So unremitting was the vigilance kept over us during the remainder of the march, after my project of escape had failed, that every effort to get away on the part of the prisoners proved ineffectual. At length, we arrived at Dart- moor ; and I think I shall not overstep the bounds of truth, when I say that a more miserable and wretched spot could not have been selected in the Island of Great Britain, to erect a depof for prisoners of war, than this same barren heath presented. In vain may the eye exert its powers of vision to seek for shrub or verdure, and in vain may the mind contemplate a scene more melancholy than to see six thousand intelhgent beings confined in a circumference of about one half of a mile, strongly fortified, and encircled by walls, ditches, and palisades, Vv^ith cannon so planted as to command every part of the enclosure. It was, nevertheless, a relief to enter even this place,^ bad as it was, where we might find rest for our wearied limbs and debilitated bodies. But if the location of Dartmoor inspires the mind with gloom at first sight, much more sensibly did I feel the horrors of confinement, when thrust into the interior. There were about six thousand American prisoners, who had been gathered from all the prisons and prison-sliips i;i England, and, with the exception of those Amcricj- s who had given themselves up from British men-of-war, and who at this time were in confinement at Portsmouth, comprised all the American prisoners now in England. These, then, for the most LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 233 part, were a perfect set of outlaws and desperadoes, having, no doubt, been selected from the most miserable haunts of vice in all the seaports within the United States. It must not be understood, however, that all came under this description of character, for there were some among the number, an honor to the profession of a seaman ; but, then, the loafers and rough-alleys greatly overbalanced the better-disposed, so that the law that "might gives right," was forcibly illustrated, and the levelling system was put into effectual practice. If a man who had been an officer manifested a disposition, to keep himself aloof from these miscreants, he was almost sure to be mobbed, and if he had kept a taut hand and good discipline on board of his vessel, on en- tering these prisons, he was generally tied to the whip- ping-post and flogged. This state of things became so intolerable, that fre- quently the commandant sent in a file of soldiers to rescue the officers from their unmerciful treatment. These outrages continued until those men who had given themselves up from British men-of-war were sent on to this place. They were generally a noble set of fellows, uen of principle, and true Americans — conse- quently, friends to law and order, uniting with the minority, effectually crushed all acts of injustice and oppressicn. Competent men were now selected by the majority to frame a constitution and laws for the better regulation of the whole. Judges, &c., were appointed, and allegiance was sworn to the constitution and laws by a lar^ e majority of the prisoners. After the adoption of these measures, whenever the laws were infringed or violated, the culprit, or offender, was punished according to the ei.ormity of the crime committed. I was forcibly struck, when first entering these prisons, with the miserable, squalid appearance of the prisoners. The clo:hes given them by their captors were mostly yellow, designed purposely, no doubt, to designate them in case of escape. Emaciated from long confinement •^nd scantiness of provision, many of them dirty and in 22 234 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. tatters, they presented to my mind a set of umiarthly objects, issuing from the recesses of Pandemonium, rather than a living mass of human beings. Tha con- duct and pursuits of these men were so strikingly different from the French prisoners at Stapletoa, that my mind not only sickened, but I really felt ashamed of my own countrymen. It must be conceded, how- ever, that they were continually planning schemes of escape ; consequently, they were restless and uneasy, and, instead of settling themselves down to any system of government, or adopting any plan or occupaton, — such as carrying on the various branches of mecha- nism, for instance, — they spent their time with cards, dice, roulette tables, &c. &c. Here and there, however, throughout the prisons, might be seen stands, or shops, for the purpose of selling coffee and various kinds of eatables, and there were no small number of these stands for the sale of ardent spirits, &c. Ther3 were also a number of schools, and it might be said that this was almost the only reputable employment carr ed on among the prisoners. The monthly allowance, with proper care and management, would have been highly beneficial ; but, as it was, to many it proved i. curse instead of a blessing ; for, immediately on recei^ ing it, hundreds would resort to the gambling-table, and in a few minutes would come off minus; hundreds more would go to the rum shop, and their allowance would be quickly swept away. To me, the day of distribution was a day of terror, for the prisoners actually appeared more like a set of demons, let loose from the regions of darkness, than reasonable men. Every where drunken- ness, fighting, and brawlings, might be seen throughout the prisons and prison-yards, and I really dreaded when the period arrived for distribution, although I waj at all times much in want of this small pittance ; indeed, it became more necessary because no market privileges were allowed here as in Stapleton ; and, consequently, little could be sold, even if it were manufactured. This deprivation was a serious matter to many of the prison- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 235 ers besides myself, as I found that the " six and eight- pence, ' with the British allowance, was by no means sufficif nt to procure a moderate subsistence. It became necess iry, therefore, to have recourse to some means to make ip the deficiency. The occupation on which I fixed mj mind to pursue, was that of washing the prisont rs' clothes, at sixpence per dozen. Although this was net the most exalted profession in the world, yet it was ai honest caihng, and as I was enabled to earn one si lining per day, it was amply sufficient, with the otier means, to live as well as the prison could afford. I had not been long at this employment, when I received a letter from an intimate friend, who had been in the counting-house with me before I embraced a sea life. He had heard of my unfortunate capture and subsequent confinement ; and, as he was connected with a mercantile house in London, he not only had the power but exercised the willingness, to supply me with what little means I might stand in need of, to render my situation comfortable ; and this was the purport of the letter received. It may be supposed that I lost no time ii embracing this offer; for, although I had a suf- ficiency to eat and drink, yet I was nearly destitute of clothej, having either lost them, or had them stolen from ne. From this friend, I received a stated sum month ly, and was enabled thereby to procure some good clothe >, besides a competency for subsistence with- out being compelled to labor. It maybe necessary to give the reader some proof of the restless character so peculiar to the American prisoners; and in order to do this, I shall here give a minute description of the situa- tion o]' the prisons. Th( y were seven in number, built on the slope, or rather at the foot, of a hill. They were surrounded by two strong walls, twelve feet high, and abouJ; thirty feet apart ; between these walls was a ditch, twenty feet wide. The walls, as well as the prison-yard, were strong y guarded. Under each of the prisons was a 236 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. drain, cut about three feet in width, and about the same in depth. Water from the adjacent hills constantly ran through these drains, and served the various purposes of carrying off the filth and offal, cleansing th(; prisons, washing clothes, cooking, &c. When it rained, which was not unfrequent, the water ran through these drains with great rapidity. I mention this trifling circum- stance, to show that, in the following account, this small affair was of material advantage to the prisoners. And now for the proof of the restlessness of their character. As all hopes of exchange had long since been given up, the prisoners unanimously agreed to foi'm some plan, for the purpose of effecting a general escape ; it was, therefore, decided to, dig a subterranean passage, with a perpendicular hole inside of one of the buildings. The distance from the prison, in which the hole was to be dug, to the outside wall, was one hundrec. and ten feet. The plan was to dig twenty feet perpendicularly, and then run the parallel passage sufliciently wide to let two men pass abreast. This plan being matured, the prisoners bound themselves under a most solemn oath not to reveal the scheme, the forfeiture of which was death. The work was to be done in the night, as tiere was less danger of detection -the " turnkeys," &c., bjing then asleep, no other watch was kept but by the sentries on guard, as the prisoners were all locked up in the prisons. One or two almost insin-mountable difficulties now presented themselves, viz., what could be done with the vast amount of rubbish which must necessari- ly be dug from this cavern, so as to elude the vigilance of the guards and turnkeys, who inspected the prisons every morning. To put it into our chests and begs would not do, neither would it be practicable to throw it down the common sewers, on account of the large quantity. The only safe plan, therefore, was to take advEvntage of the heavy rains, and to throw it into the drahis before mentioned. The water flowed at these periods with such velocity that it would force it all off into the outer Life on the ocean. 237 ditch. The work was now commenced, and soon the perpei .dicular hole was finished. The parallel passage was legun, when another very serious and unforeseen difficulty presented itself; the immense pressure of con- fined air within the subterranean vault was so great, that, v/ith all our efi'orts to restore a natural circu- lation we were unable to work more than thirty minutes at a ti me ; and as we advanced in distance, the pressure becarr. e greater, until it was absolutely necessary for our safety that air-holes should be opened to the surface. This vas a work of extreme hazard, because sentinels were ])osted, about thirty feet from each other, all around the pr.son yard. Detection, therefore, would seem to be inevit;ible; the risk, however, must be attempted, or the projec: abandoned. The first air-hole was commenced about twelve feet from the commencement of the pas- sage, and extended to the surface without discovery. Th;s mine was an immense undertaking, in view of all the difficulties which surrounded it, viz., the vigilance of the guards, turnkeys, &c., the apprehended treachery of the prisoners, (for it could not be supposed that, out of so nany, all would prove true,) the great difficulty of concealing the dirt, and another of no less magnitude, which was, the frequency of encountering huge rocks, that obliged us to diverge from the straight line, thus increa;dng the work and lengthening the time of our escape. Forty nights, two hours in each, I recollect to have exerted all my physical powers at this work, elated almost beyond measure with the prospect of success, (for, a:, yet, all had been kept a profound secret from the enemy,) and as we had penetrated in our passage as far as the inner wall, we reasonably calculated that, unless we were detected, or that some of our own men should prove faithless, we should effect our object. Alas! how little then did we expect that these buoyant hopes were so soon to be frustrated, and that, too, by one w 10 was among the most persevering in the labor, and perhaps the most ardent in his feelings when this plan w as first projected ! Often did I work by his side, 22* 238 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. and often did we converse as to the mode of operation after we should have gotten clear from the prison. This man was a native American, of respectable connections, who, after he had sworn the most solemn oath not to divulge our plans, basely betrayed us by informing the captain of the prisons of all our operations, the distance we had penetrated, and, in a word, given the particulars of every thing in reference to the mine and the con- templated manner of our escape. For this most base and treacherous act, he obtained his release, and a pass- port to proceed to the United States. The first intimation we received of detection, was being driven into the prison early in the ibrenoon, and locked -up : then a regiment of a thousand men was marched into the yard, and formed a hollow square fronting on the line of excavation. The colonel of the regiment, with a small guard, entered the prison and descended the perpendicular hole, passed into the pas- sage, and, after examining with great care and minute- ness the entire work, he ascended, and publicly con- ferred a tribute of praise to men "who, under so marjy discouraging circumstances, not only managed to keep this gigantic work a profound secret, but who, by their unremitting perseverance, had carried on the work nearly to its completion." He declared, at (he same time, that such men were worthy of their liberty. The work of destruction was commenced by thfi miners connected with the regiment ; and after labo:"iDg two hours they came to the parallel passage ; afte • which, filling up the remaining part was an easy matter, for the ground fell in without any difficulty. At four o'clock the whole passage was filled up, and c ur long- cherished hopes of escape were entirely frustrated. A solemn compact was entered into, by many of :he pris- oners, that, in the event of falling in with ;he base informer in after life, they would take his life. Shortland, the commandant of the prison, aid who, it was said, was a broken-down post-captain sLood no- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 23U torious for his many acts of tyranny ; and it was also currently reported that the Admkahy had, by way of ridding the service of so much inhuman barbarity, placed him here as jailer to those confined within the enclosures of this celebrated depot. After the discovery of this affair, this humane gentle- man restricted every privilege that we had previously en- joyed, such as forbidding the entrance and sale of fresh provisions, vegetables, &c., as also- by closely confining the prisoners, and sometimes by stopping their customary allowance. This treatment was continued at intervals, as spleen suggested to his choleric disposition, during the whole period of our confinement : notwithstanding repeated remonstrances were made to the American agent, in reference to the conduct of Shortland, no re- dress could be obtained. At length, the long-looked-for news of the probability of peace reached our desponding hearts; but when information was received that commissioners were ap- pointed by the contending parties to negotiate a treaty of peace at Ghent, and that the commissioners were ac- tually on the spot, the loudest and most extravagant demonstrations of joy were exhibited throughout the prisons. But on the reception of the news that the treaty of peace had actually been signed by both parties, the eflfect upon the prisoners was beyond all description. The truth of it could hardly be realized. Some danced, while others sang ; some laughed, and others wept, for joy ; many resorted to the intoxicating bowl, and affirmed that they would get royally drunk; this pledge was kept to the very letter ; the shops, or places where liquor, coflfee, «S6c., had been sold, were broken down, and, for a short time, like as in the days of old, all things were partaken of in common, as they expected an immediate release. But they were disappointed in this, for the confinement was as close, and the treatment equally as bad, as it had been before the news of peace arrived ; and in consequence of the delay of providing cartels by our agent, the confinement of the prisoners was pro- 240 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. longed months. This was mainly the cause of the un» fortunate riot and the subsequent massacre of the pris- oners, by the command of the commandant Shortland. For my own part, I was in some degree prepared for the news of peace, by the correspondence held with my friend in London; and yet, when it actually did come, such were my feelings, — vacillating between hope and fear, truth and fiction, — that it was some time before I brought myself to the positive conclusion that it was really true. In a few days, however, all doubts on this subject were entirely dissipated, as I received a letter from my friend, which informed me that he had obtained my release from the Transport Board, and that an order had been sent from that Board to release two of us im- mediately. In this letter was enclosed a five-pound bank note, to defray our expenses to London, also giv- ing his address. I lost no time in getting all my traps in readiness for departure. The next morning, M. and myself were called out, and passports were given to each of us by Shortland, and, a couple of soldiers taking up our trunks, the turn- key conducted us outside of the prison walls. We had previously ordered a post-chaise, into which we both entered, and drove off at a rapid rate for Ashburton, and I believe neither of us gave " one longing, lingering look behind," at Dartmoor prison. Ashburton is about twelve miles east of Dartmoor, a small village, the allotted location of prisoners on parole. Through this town lies the direct route to London. Here, then, we arrived in about an hour and a half, paid ofl:' our postilion with half a guinea, and remained during the night, and the next morning took seats on the top of the mail-coach for London. The mail-coach driving at a rapid rate, we were, of course, very soon at our journey's end, and had but little opportunity to make observations on the highly cultivated grounds and beautiful scenery through which we passed. We were now in the midst of the largest metropolis in the world ; two strangers, just emerged LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 241 from a prison-house ; and although I had frequently been in large cities, yet every thing appeared to be perfectly novel, and I thought myself to be as absolutely green as if I had never seen any thing in my life. This was also noticed by more than myself; one chap, drawing up alongside, and patting my cheeks, very significantly said, " Bang up, Johnny Raw, who made your coachee ? " To which I replied in the most polite and agreeable manner possible to my then state of feelings, by letting him have a rejoinder under the left ear. This off-h—' reply took with the bystanders, for I heard some of tl say, " He's the clean stuff, anyhow." But we were yet rid of their tricks ; for on calling a hack, and giv the driver the address of our friend, we both jumped i the coach, and I suppose he must have driven m least six or seven miles round and about the city ; at length he stopped at the residence of our friend, at which place there was a lady waiting to receive us, as Mr. B. had gone out. The coachman demanded, for his fee, half a guinea ; the lady inquired at what place he had taken us up; after I had informed her, she presented him with a shilling, which he very meekly received, and drove off. From this lady we received the kindest treatment ; she expressed great sympathy when the relation of our confinement was made to her, and, during our stay at her house, she endeavored, by every act of kindness and attention, to atone, as she said, for the injustice of her countrymen, in imprisoning men who, in all re- spects, she affirmed, were equal to Englishmen. This was a great compliment ; but when I learned that she was born and educated at the west end of London, and never had sufficient curiosity (although she was then thirty-four years of age) to visit the eastern part of the city, — I say, when I heard this from her own lips, I was not at all astonished at the compliment she be- stowed upon us. My friend soon arrived, by whom we were most cordially received ; we ate and drank at his table, and 242 LIFK ON THK OC£AN. slept soundly in his well-furnished rooms. After I had given him a distinct narration of nearly all the scenes and circumstances which had befallen me since our separation, we repaired to a "ready-made clothing store," where in a few minutes I was completely meta- morphosed — my prison garb giving place to the cos- tume of a London cockney. My friend informed us that he had procured situations on board of an American ship, which had been lying up in Russia during the hole of the war, but had come to London immediately n the news of peace ; and that she was now actively fading in dock for the United States, and expected to ail in ten days. " In a week, therefore," said he, "it is lecessary you should repair on board; during which -irae," he continued, "I will endeavor to show you all that is worth seeing in London." He was as good as his word, for every hour was employed, apart from our meals, in visiting the almost numberless places and scenes which are calculated to astonish and delight the stranger and traveller. Our week expiring, we bade adieu to our kind hostess and family; and having exchanged our long clothes for a complete sailor's rig, we jumped into a hackney with Mr. B., drove to the London Docks, went immediately on board of the American ship Boston, and were intro- duced by Mr. B. to Captain Finley, as the two young men whom he had engaged to work their passage to the United States in his ship. The captain received us rather cavalierly, said he was glad that we had come on board, for he was short of hands to get in the cargo. He was a very queer-looking chap ; and although dressed at the tip-top of the London fashion, yet his clothes did not sit on him with a good grace, having so much of the sailor about him. After hearing a few very ungenteel epithets bestowed upon the mate, I was inclined to believe that our situation on board would not be the most agreeable. In the end, however, I was deceived ; for he was a good sailor, and though rough in LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 243 the exterior, yet he used every man well that performed his duty according to contract. In a few days the mate was discharged, not being competent to fulfil the duties of his office: the berth was given to me, and I never had any reason to repent of having accepted it. In a few days the ship was loaded, and ready for sea. We hauled out of dock, and I exchanged the parting adieu with my worthy friend, Mr. B. The wind being fair, we soon got out of the river and down to the north foreland, where we discharged the pilot, made all sail with a fine wind from the eastward, and stood down the English Channel. Thus, after suffering two years in an EngHsh prison, besides the consequent perils and dan- gers incident to a state of warfare, I was once more on my favorite element, in a merchant ship, homeward bound, after an absence of nearly two years and a half. It was a matter of some consolation that, amid the varied scenes and circumstances through which I had passed, my Hfe and health had been preserved, and I trust that my moral character had not deteriorated, and that the experience which I had gained from the vicissitudes of fortune would have a salutary effect on my future course of life. Soon after discharging the pilot, I was informed by Captain F. that it was positively certain that we should be the second ship, if not the first, to arrive in the United States after peace ; he having learned that it would be ten days before any other vessel would sail from England. Consequently, it was necessary to improve every opportunity and carry hard sail, (to use his own expression,) and this was done to perfection ; for although we had an exceedingly boister- ous passage, with many heavy and severe gales, yet the ship was never hove to ; and on the 38th day after discharging the English pilot, we had a Chesapeake pilot on board, Cape Henry bearing west-north-west, twenty miles distant. From the pilot we learned that our ship was the second arrival from England since peace ; and that we were anxiously looked for by the merchants in Baltimore. Passing Cape Henry light, 244 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. and entering the Chesapeake Bay with a fine leading breeze, and every sail spread, we stood up the bay, and arrived at the port of Baltimore after a passage of forty days. 3^45 CHAPTER XXII. LOSS OF PRIZE-MONEY VOYAGE TO LONDON NARROW ESCAPE FROM SHIPWRECK, &C. &C. I REMAINED in the ship Boston until her cargo was discharged, and then proceeded in her to Alexandria, the port from which she hailed and to which she belonged, Captain Finley being the owner. Although pressed by Captain F. to remain in the ship, yet there were two prominent reasons which made it absolutely necessary that I should decline his offer. The first was, to look after ray prize-money and property, and the second was, I did not like the employment. We separated good friends, and I proceeded immediately to Baltimore, and from thence to New York, the port to which the Paul Jones privateer belonged, and where, of course, the agent for the crew resided. Previously to ray arriving at this place, I had ascertained that three of the most valuable prizes captured by the Paul Jones had arrived in safety in the United States, and that the vessels and cargoes had been sold by the agent to g 3at advantage. This was cheering news, because I wai at this time nearly penniless, and I knew that my share of the prize-money would amount to between nine r id ten thousand dollars. Judge of my feelings, when,^ after the strictest inquiry, I learned that the agent had managed to get hold of all this vast amount of prop- erty, and then, by fraudulently conveying it over to other hands, had failed, and taken the benefit of the insolvent law. Thus, by this most dishonest act, h6 cheated one hundred or more poor fellows out of their hard earnings — men, too, who had risked their lives, and suffered for two years all the hardships of confine- 23 246 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ment in an English prison. Having ascertained that it would be useless to institute a suit against this agent, I gave up all hopes of recovering any portion of my dues. As there was another source from wliich I fully expected to receive funds, viz., the schooner which was left at New Orleans at the commencement of the war, I immediately wrote on to those gentlemen whom I had empowered to act in my absence. The answer to this letter imparted to me the unpleasant intel- ligence, that I was again doomed to be the victim of disappointment and the dupe of knaves. They had em- ployed the vessel to considerable advantage, after which she was sold, and the proceeds received by them for my account, so that they had actually made money upon my capital, and defrauded me out of the whole. There was yet remaining one more resource, vi; ., that which was placed in the hands of Mr. G., of Norfolk, i This sum — say three hundred dollars — on my making' application for, was remitted forthwith, principil and interest, together with a trunk of wearing apparei. By,; the foregoing it will be seen, that without these funds-^ (and they were earned prior to the commencem 3nt of the war) I should have been penniless, notwiti stand- ing two and a half years had passed away, somatimes with hard fighting and many hair-breadth escape?, with untold hardships, besides a long and most painfi 1 con- finement in an English prison. My intentions now were, first, to vi?it my friends at the north ,• but as I had heard of the death of my father and of the marriage of my sister, I concluded to return to Baltimore, having settled in my mind to make this city a location for future operations. From this place, then, I entered on my first voyage after peace. My determination in this respect was the more settlec, after I had become acquainted with the peculiar constitutional make of the southern people. I found them, in all respects, to be of a different temperament from those of the north ; they were evidently more social, and their hospitality abounded ainiost to excess, especially towards LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 247 5trang«rs ; and as I was myself naturally of a sanguine character, these people, I found, were congenial to my views and feelings, — consequent!}^, I resolved to reside amonp^ them. As before stated, I joined the ship C , Captain G., bound for London, as second officer. It was not long before she was ready for sea, and I had made the neces- sary preparations for another voyage. December 20, 1815. — After bidding adieu to the family in which I resided, and with whom I was on the most iatimate terms of friendship, we cast oif from the wharf, and stood down the river, with a strong breeze from the north-west. 22cl, at 7 A. M., discharged the pilot, and went to sea with a nprth-west gale. This ship bad been originally a French Guineaman, captured by the Enghsh, and was afterwards taken by the Americans darinp. the war. She was an old ship, consequently weak.'and in addition she had been risen upon, and hav- ing n(?w three decks, of course much of the weight of her cprgo was carried above the water. She was there- fore y^iry crank and very leaky. The captain was an old niun and an experienced sailor. The chief mate, his naDhew, had served his time with him, — a young, active and bold seaman; the foremast-men, twelve in number, were all able seamen; nevertheless, we had as much 9s we could attend to during the passage, which, a!thou;;h short, yet was the most boisterous and se- vere of.' any that I had yet experienced. Fortunately, the wind was fair all the way, and we never showed any thing higher than double-reefed topsails, and it re- quired the labor of a watch at the pumps to keep her free. In fourteen days and six hours from the time we cast olT from the wharf, we were to an anchor in Fal- mouth, England. We just arrived in time to escape a long easterly gale, January 15, 1816. — Received orders this day to pro- ceed to London with the ship, and as the easterly gale abatec, and the wind hauled round southward and westward, we got under way, stood out of Falmouth 248 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. harbor, and proceeded up the British Channel. At sun- set it commenced to rain, and the weather was thick and cloudy. The different lights were seen as far as the Bill of Portland. At midnight lost sight of the land, and it blew a gale from off the French coast; close-reefed the topsails, and steered a course so as to keep in mid-channel. At daybreak the ship was judged to be off Beachy Head; the weather being so thick, the land could not be seen. The fore and mizzen- topsails were now furled, and the ship hove to. The rain began now to fall in torrents, and the heavy, dense, black clouds rose with fearful rapidity from the north- ward over the English coast, when suddenly the wind shifted from the south- w€st to north, and blew a hur- ricane. The mist and fog cleared away, and, to our utter astonishment, we found ourselves on a lee shore on the coast of France, off Boulogne heights. The gale was so violent, that no more sail could be made. The ship was so exceedingly crank, that when she luffed up on a wind, her bulwarks were under water. As she would not stay, the only alternative was, to wear ; of course, with this evolution we lost ground, and conse- quently were driven nearer every moment towards the awful strand of rocks. The scene was now terrific; many vessels were in sight, two of which we saw dashed on the rocks ; with the tremendous roar of the breakers, and the howling of the tempest, and the heavy sea, which broke as high as the fore-yard, death appeared inevitable. There was only one hope left, and that was, that, should the tide change and take us under our lee- beam, it might possibly set us off on the Nine-fathom Bank, which is situated at a distance of twelve miles north-north-west, off Boulogne harbor. On the event of reaching this bank, the safety of the ship and lives of the crew depended, as it was determined there to try the anchors, for there was no possibility of keeping off shore more than two hours, if the gale continued. We were now on the larboard tack, and for the last half hour it was perceived that the tide had turned, and LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 249 was setting to the northward; this was our last and only chance, for the rocks were not more than half a mile under our lee, and as it was necessary to get the ship's head round on the starboard tack, which could only be done by wearing, it was certain that much ground would be lost by that evolution. The anchors were got ready, long ranges of the cables were hauled on deck, and the ends were clinched to the mainmast below ; this being done, the axes were at hand to cut away the masts. I have before remarked that Captain G. was an old, experienced seaman ; and I never saw, before or since, more coolness, judgment, and seamanship, than were dis- played by him on this trying occasion. In this perilous trial, the most intense anxiety was manifested by the crew, and then was heard the deep-toned voice of Cap- tain G., rising above the bellowing storm, commanding silence. " Take the wheel," said he to me ; and then followed the orders in quick succession: "Lay aft, and man the braces — see every thing clear forward to wear ship — steady — ease her — shiver away the main-top- sail—put your helm up — haul in the weather fore- braces, and gather in the after-yards." The ship was now ranning before the wind for a few moments direct- ly for the rocks; the situation and scene were truly awful, for she was not more than three hundred yards from the breakers. I turned my head aside — being at the helm — to avoid the terrific sight, and silently awaited the crisis. I was roused at this moment by Capt. G., who shouted, " She luffs, my boys ! brace the main-yard sharp up — haul in the larboard fore-braces — down with the fore-tack, lads, and haul aft the sheet ; — ri^ht the helm! steady, so — haul taut the weather- braces, and belay all." These orders were given and executed in quick succession. The ship was now on the starboird tack, plunging bows under at every pitch. Casting a fitful glance over my shoulder, I saw that we were apparently to leeward of the rocks. Very soon, howev er, it was quite perceptible that the tide had taken her on the lee beam, and was setting her off shore. 23* 250 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. The gloom began now to wear away, although it was doubtful whether we should be able to reach the bank, and, if successful, whether the anchors would hold on. Orders were given to lay aloft and send down the top- gallant-yards, masts, &c. The helm was relieved, and I sprung into the main rigging, the chief mate going up forward. With much difficulty, I reached the main- topmast cross-trees, and, when there, it was almost im- possible to work, for the ship lay over at an angle of at least forty-five degrees, and I found myself swinging not perpendicularly over the ship's deck, but at least thirty feet from it. It was no time, however, for gazing. The yard rope was stoppered out on the quarter of the yard, the sheets, clewlines, and buntlines, cast off, and the lift slackened, and then simultaneously from both mast-heads the cry was heard, " Sway away ! " The parrel cut, the yard was quickly topped and unrigged, and then lowered away on deck. The next duty to per- form was sending down the top-gallantmasts. After much difficulty and hard work, this was also accom- plished; and although I felt some pride in the perform- ance of a dangerous service, yet, on this occasion, I was not a little pleased when I reached the deck in safety. By this time, we had gained four miles off shore, and it was evident that the soundings indicated our ap- proach to the bank. Tackles were rove and stretched along forward of the windlass, as well as deck-stoppers hooked on to the ringbolts fore and aft. " Loose the fore-topsail!" shouted Capt. G. ; "we must reach" this bank before the tide turns, or by morning there will not be left a timber-head of this ship, nor one of us, to tell the sad tale of our disaster." The topsail was loosed and set, and the ship groaned heavily under the im- mense pressure of canvass : her lee rail was under water, and every moment it was expected that the top- mast or the canvass would yield. The deep-sea-lead was taken forward and hove: when the line reached the after-part of the main channels, the seaman's voice rose high in the air, "By the deep, nine ! " It was three I LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 251 o'clock. "Clew up and furl the fore-topsail ! " shouted Capt. G. The topsail furled of itself, for the moment the weather sheet was started, it blew away from the bolt-rope ; the foresail was immediately hauled up and furled. Relieved from the great pressure of canvass, and having now nothing on her except the main-topsail and fore-topmast-staysail, she rode more upright. The main- topsail was clewed up and fortunately saved, the mizzen- staysail was set. " Stand by to cut away the stoppers of the best bower-anchor — to let it go stock and fluke," said Capt. G. " Man the fore-topmast-staysail down- haul ; put your helm down ! haul down the staysail." This was done, and the ship came up handsomely, head to wind. " See the cable tiers all clear — what water is there ? " said Capt. G. The leadsman sung out in a clear voice, " And a half eight ! " By this time, the ship had lost her way. " Are you all clear forward there ? " " Ay, ay ! sir," was the reply. " Stream the buoy, and let go the anchor ! " shouted Capt. G. The order was executed as rapidly as it was given ; the anchor was on the bottom, and already had fifty fathoms of cable run out, making the windlass smoke ; and, although the cable was weather-bitted, and every efi'ort was made with the deck-stoppers and tackles to check her, all was fruitless. Ninety fathoms of cable had run out. " Stand by to let go the larboard anchor," said Captain G. ; " Cheerily, men, let go ! " In the same breath he shouted " Hold on ! " for just then there was a lull, and having run out the best bower-cable, nearly to the better end, she brought up. No time v/as now lost in getting ser- vice on the cable, to prevent its chafing. She was now riding to a single anchor of two thousand weight, with one hundred fathoms of a seventeen-inch hemp cable. The sea rolled heavily, and broke in upon the deck fore and aft ; the lower yards were got down ; the topsail- yards pointed to the wind ; and as the tide had now turned, the ship rode without any strain on her cable, because it tended broad on the beam. The next morning presented a dismal scene, for there 252 I^Ii'ii ON THE OCEAN. were more than fifty sail in shore of us, some of whom succeeded in reaching the bank, and anchored with loss of sails, topmasts, 6lc. Many others were dashed upon the rocks, and not a soul was left to tell the tale of theii destruction. I shall not forget that, on the second day, a Dutch galliot was driven in to leeward of us ; and although, by carrying on a tremendous press of can- vass, she succeeded in keeping off shore until 5 P. M., yet at sunset she disappeared, and was seen no more. After our arrival in London, we learned that this unfor- tunate vessel was driven on the rocks, and every soul on board perished. The gale continued four days, at the expiration of which time it broke. At midnight, the wind hauled round to the eastward, and the weather became so excessively cold, that, although we commenced heaving in the cable at 5 A. M., yet we did not get the anchor mitil 9 that night. Close-reefed topsails were set on the ship, and we stood over to the English coast, and anchored to the westward of Dungeness. During the whole period of this gale, which lasted four days, Capt. G. never for one moment left the deck ; and although well advanced in years, yet his iron constitution enabled him to overcome the calls of nature for rest ; and, not- withstanding the situation of the ship was perhaps more critical than many of those less fortunate vessels which stranded upon the rocks, yet his coolness, and the seaman-like manner with which the ship was handled, no doubt were the means of our being saved. January 22. — The next morning, we took a pilot on board ; but the wind continuing to blow fresh from the eastward, and Dungeness making a good lee, with the wind at that point, we did not get under way until January 27th, and then experienced fresh gales and head winds, which prevented our reaching Gravesend until the 31st; v/herc we exchanged the Dover pilot for one belonging to the river, who understood his business, and who took the ship up the river into the l/ondon dock in handsom.e style, on the 3d day of Feb- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 263 ruary. Thus it will be perceived that we were four and a half days longer from Falmouth to London, a distance not exceeding two hundred miles, than from Baltimore to Falmouth, a distance of three thousand miles. The cargo was discharged with all possible despatch, and, as the ship leaked badly, she was taken into dry dock, and, on her bottom being overhauled, some leaks were' discovered and stopped ; after which she was hauled into the London dock, and entered for loadmg. In this dock we remained for more than two months, a space of time which passed more heavily and tediously than any I had ever experienced, by reason of the strict regulations ; viz., the dock-gates were locked at 4 o'clock ; all fires were then extinguished, and no fire was per- mitted until daylight the next morning. Of course, at this season of the year the days were short, it being dark at 5 o'clock, so that there were about fourteen hours in every tv/enty-four without fire, in those long, dreary, cold nights ; and there was no possible way of evading the vigilance of those who kept watch. I embraced the opportunity frequently to visit my kind hostess, who entertained me so hospitably Avhen I came to this place from Dartmoor prison. Many cheerful hours were spent in the society of this hospitable family. They frequently pressed me to make their house my home during my stay in London, which offer was cordially accepted as far as was practicable apart from the duties of the ship. 9.54 CHAPTER XXIII. PASSAGE FROM LONDON TO BALTIMORE VOYAGE TO OPORTO AND ST. UBES DISASTER ON OPORTO BAR, &C. April 10. — We had now completed taking in our cargo ; and every thing being ready for sea, we hauled out of dock on the morning of the 11th, and stood down the river with a fair wind. The river pilot was ex- changed at Gravesend for a Dover pilot, after which we had light, baffling winds, and did not reach the South Foreland until the 14th, when the pilot was discharged, sail was made, and we stood down the Channel with & light, easterly wind. Not long sifter getting into sea- way, the ship leaked as badly as ever, so that, after passing the Scilly Isles, fears were entertained that we should have to put back, as it required one pump to be kept going continually, and in heavy weather both were necessary to keep her free. Fortunately, however, we had but few gales ; and as we took the wind to the northward, after leaving the Channel, we fell into the middle latitude, from which it was almost impossible to get either to the northward or southward. In this lati- tude, we had a long course of light, southerly winds, veering frequently to the westward ; and during the whole course of our long passage, which was ninety days, we had but one gale, and the remainder was a constant succession of light, westerly winds, with but few excep- tions. We arrived in the Chesapeake Bay, July 7th, after a most tedious and unpleasant passage of eighty-seven days, short of provisions and water, with a leaky ship, and discontent and discord prevailing among the crew. This state of insubordination rendered the situation of LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 255 the officers exceedingly unpleasant, as the duties of the ship must be enforced at all hazards ; consequently, frequent conflicts with the sailors were not utuisual, and when chastisement had not the desired eflect, we found the surest method to bring them to their senses was, to stop the provisions; this generally succeeded. It was a matter of great satisfaction to me when we arrived in Baltimore, on the 10th, after a passage of ninety days from London. I took up my residence in the family of Mrs. J., where I -received every mark of kindness and attention, and for whom I formed a strong attachment, and had reason to believe it was reciprocated by them. This family consisted of Mrs. J., four daughters, and two sons. The two elder daughters were probably, at this time, about fifteen and seventeen ^'■ears of age, and were what are generally called handsome brunettes — pleasing in their manners, and possessing all that good-humor and vivacity which distinguish them from the frigid austerity pecu- liar to the northern ladies. Through their influence and introduction I soon formed an extensive acquaintance, by which my time not only passed ofl!" agreeably, but flew, as it were, on golden wings ; and associations were now formed that fixed the destinies of my after life. Mrs. J. was a widow of about forty-five years of age : the morning of her life had been peculiarly marked with the sunshine of prosperity ; but the evening of her days, and widowhood, were shrouded in the gloom of adver- sity ; reverses had taken place, and, by one or two mysterious acts of Providence, she was not only deprived of nearly all her substance, but also of the partner of her joys and sorrows. She bore these adverse provi- dences with becoming Christian fortitude ; for she feared God, and, notwithstanding all these blighting discourage- ments, she did not give way to despondency or despair ; but, feeling a just sense of obligation to her children, she toiled day and night for their welfare. Providence, accompanying those etforts with its blessing, enabled her to rear her children in great respectability. When I first 256 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. became acquainted in this family, and learned the cir- cumstances which have been related, it was not strange, especially as my temperament was of a sanguine cast, that I should take a deep interest in their welfare ; and, whether I was worthy or unworthy of their faith, yet great confidence was reposed in me By them ; and I began to suspect that the strong attachment I had for them might possibly eventuate in something nearer than mere friendship. I was the more confirmed in this by having, as it were insensibly, bestowed some marked civilities and attentions on the eldest daughter, who at that time had more than one admirer. Thus, then, stood the situation of affairs, when application was made to me to go as mate of the ship W. P., Captain S., bound for Oporto, St. Ubes, and back to the United States. As I had been on shore nearly two months and a half, and the wages and employ were good, I accepted the offer, and immediately went on board, and took in a cargo, which consisted of corn in bulk. In about a fortnight the ship was ready for sea.- The day appointed for sailing had arrived, and all hands were on board ; and after I had bidden adieu to the interesting family with whom I lived, and for whom I had the strongest attachment, next to my own mother and sisters, the ship was cast off from the wharf, and in a few minutes we were under a press of canvass, stand- ing down the river with a light westerly wind. My feelings at this time were peculiar, and such as I had never experienced before when leaving my native land. Certainly, when I left Boston on my first voyage, such was the difference in my condition from a clerk in a counting-house to a common Jack before the mast, that I could not help feeling some regret at the change — especially as the tall spires of the city receded in the distance ,• but then the change was of my own seeking ; consequently, ambition came to my relief, and .soon those feelings gave place to the exciting scenes induced by the novelty of the ship's duty. The case, however, now, was entirely different. I had been eight years LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 257 following a sea life, and my relatives were far distant. What bond was it that had insensibly gathered around my feelings, and caused so much regret, and, as I then thought, unwillingness to depart ? Surely, thought I, a new era must have sprung up in my existence ; and although, at first, I was unwilling to believe that any serious attachment had been formed for any member of the family of Mrs. J., yet conviction flashed over my mind with all the force of truth, and, revolving over how these new feelings would terminate, I was aroused from my reverie by an order from the pilot to set the topmast and top-gallant-studding-sails. The ship was deeply laden, and moved heavily through the water ; but we had a fair wind, and reached Cape Henry in two days, where we discharged the pilot, and, on the 28th September, 1816, took our departure from Cape Henry, at 4 P. M., bearing north-west, distant four leagues. As usual when leaving the land, the watches were chosen, and as the manner of it has already been detailed, I shall enter into no further particulars. After the watches had been chosen, Captain S. made the following speech to the crew : — " In the first place," said he, " yon will disinctly understand, that no swearing or fighting is allowed on board of this ship : be obedient to the officers, and discharge your duty, and you will be used well. You shall have the forenoon watch below, and watch and watch in bad weather. Saturdays will be allowed you to cleanse the forecastle, wash and mend your clothes, &c., as I shall permit nothing of that kind to be done on the Sabbath day." I was much pleased with this harangue, as it spoke favor- ably for the future treatment of the crew. In this I was not disappointed. Captain S. was a native of Nantucket, and had, in his younger days, followed the whale fishery. He v^^as kind and benevolent, moral in his deportment, and a first-rate seaman and navigator. He was companionable and gentlemanly, and yet kept up as good discipline as could be exerted on board of fi merchant ship. The second mate was a young man 24 258 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. of twenty, limited in his experience, though active and foremost in the discharge of the duties devolving to his station. The crew, twelve in number, (including the cook and steward,) were generally stout, able seamen; and, although somewhat refractory, owing probably to the continual state of inebriation indulged in while on shore, yet the firmness and decision of Captain S. soon brought them to their senses, and finer seamen, or better disposed men, never were on board of a ship. My observations on the judicious conduct of Captain S. induced me to believe that, by a proper course of treatment to sailors, many of the evils and hardships experienced by seamen may, in a great degree at least, be alleviated ; and although there are instances where the best treatment is observed towards a crew by the officers, nevertheless the basest ingratitude is sometimes exhibited by sailors in return, — however, as a general rule, I believe that good officers and kind treatment wil' make a good crew. Nothing material transpired during this passage, except that, when we reached the length of the Banks of New- foundland, codfish were caught in great numbers — so much so that, by corning them, they lasted us the remainder of the passage. In thirty-five days we ar- rived ofi" the harbor of Oporto. Saw a number of fishing boats, one of which came alongside, and from which we took a pilot to rnn us as far as the mouth of the harbor ; here it became necessary to anchor, to wait till the tide served. The harbor of Oporto is perhaps as difficult of access as any in the south of Europe. A bar lies off its mouth. The bottom is rocky, and has but twelve feet water at low tide. The navigation of the river is exceedingly difficult, having many shoals, with a rapid tide. We lay ofi" the bar thirty-six hours, and exchanged our sea pilot for two river pilots ; they brought with them two boats having a hawser and kedge in each ; the ends of the hawsers were passed in at each bow, and the boats were stationed in the same direction. It was necessary I LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 259 to take this precaution, on account of the rapidity of the tide as well as the narrowness of the channel. November L — The tide now serving, and the wind being fair, got under way, passed the bar in safety, and entered the river. Here we found the utility of the boats ; the channel being so narrow, and the tide setting in every direction, made it necessary frequently to let go the kedges, in order to cant the ship. The boatmen were more active in working a kedge than any that I had ever seen; indeed, it is highly necessary that they should be so, for on their alertness the safety of the ship and cargo oftentimes depends. We arrived off the town in safety, and dropped the ship into the pier, head on ; made her fast, and ran an anchor out astern, to pre- vent her from swinging. All necessary preparations were made for discharging, such as rigging out a stage from the bows to the pier, &c. It may be well to remark, that every vessel coming to this port with corn is obhged to retail the cargo. This regulation is a good one, because it affords an equal chance to persons of limited means to cope with those whose means are abundant. When the hatches were opened, the in- habitants flocked on board in great numbers, especially the women, who, as I understood, were the only persons that carried on the baking business ; and it was a mat- ter of the most perfect astonishment to see those women carry from three to four bushels of corn on their heads a distance of half a mile, and, for the most part, up a steep hill. These women are rather of low stature, with a broad chest, and in all respects very stoutly made. They are a most hardy race, being a mixture of the Moor and Portuguese. They appear to have iron constitutions ; and, although laboring incessantly in all kinds of weather, they never shrink from the most severe toil. Oporto lies in the parallel of 41° IV north latitude, and 8^ 38' west longitude. It cannot be seen from sea- ward ; but when in the harbor, its lofty buildings and tall spires present a fine, commanding appearance — es- pecially as you have at one view a sight of nearly the 2b0 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. whole city, it being built on the side of a hill ; but, like all other Portuguese cities, the streets are narrow and dirty, and the interior of many of the houses compels one to believe that misery dwells there. This opinion is much strengthened from the fact, that the streets swarm "with beggars of every description, from the priest, in his canonical robes, doAvn to the squalid, misera- ble wretch, whose loathsomeness and importunity often- times oblige one to turn away with the greatest disgust. There, too, may be seen, at almost every bend and corner of the streets, a mendicant friar with a small picture of the Virgin Mary, or of the Savior upon the cross ; this is presented to every one that passes by, and the greatest importunity is made by the priest for alms in the name of the Virgin, or of the Savior, as the case may be. If the person addressed be a Portuguese, he is obliged to give something, or kiss the image ; and should a foreigner be importuned, which is not often the case, they generally give a few pence, to get clear of these miserable men. But, of all the impositions which are carried on, none appear to me to savor so much of injustice and oppression as the exaction of tithes. On board of our ship there were four priests stationed, who obliged every person purchasing corn to deliver unto them a tenth part. I have seen these priests, in many instances, wrest from the poor people — who perhaps were not able to purchase more than one bushel — their quota of corn, notwithstanding the poor wretches would plead for exemption in the most pitiable manner ; nevertheless, these miscreants were inexorable. This was also the case with the poor fishermen, who, after great toil and exposure, had succeeded in obtaining a quantity of fish : yet they were not privileged to dispose of any until- the priests had selected their part, which in every instance were the best fish. Away, then, thought I, with a religion which countenances so much intolerance or oppression ! The spirit of Christianity does not inculcate, neither do its heavenly precepts teach, the doctrine, to grind the face of the poor. And how little, thought I, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 261 do our countrymen appreciate the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and the superior advantages which they enjoy over the greater part of the nations of Europe, especially those who are under the dominion of Catholicism, In twenty-six days the cargo was all sold, the specie on board, the ship ballasted, and ready for sea, being now bound to St. Ubes for a cargo of salt. We had the same pilots and boats who brought us into port. Drop- ped down to the mouth of the river in company v/ith an American bark, bound also to St. Ubes. The weather being boisterous, and the tide not serving, we lay two days at anchor; at the expiration of which, got under way to cross the bar. This was in opposition to the judgment of Capt. S., because at the time there were "neap tides," the weather was squally, and the wind scant, and probably there would be barely sufficient water to carry the ship over the bar. Now, as we had specie to the amount of fourteen thousand dollars, and the pilots were not much better than Moors, Capt. S. was fearful that they had taken this opportunity to cross the bar with a view that the ship might strike, and m that case, they would most certainly get a heavy haul at the specie. On reaching the bar, the wind headed off, and the ship beat violently upon the rocks, breaking all the pintles of the rudder except the upper one. By dint of great exertion and management of the sails, we got her over the bar, and came to an anchor. The rud- der still continuing to hang on, we secured its head as far as practicable, and concluded to make the best of our way to St. Ubes, in preference to going back to Oporto, especially as the captain of the bark agreed to keep company in case of accident. When three days out, we experienced a heavy gale ; but, to our great satisfaction, the rudder continued in its place. After the gale had moderated, however, and the wind had fallen to nearly a calm, (there being consider- able swell at the time,) the pintles all gave way, and down went the rudder. We had taken the previous 24* 262 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. precaution to reeve a stout rope through the rudder- head ; and as the casing was wide, the rope ran out freely, and by this means we saved it. A signal now was hove out to the bark, which was still in sight ; she came up and took us in tow ; after which, the rudder, although of immense weight, was hoisted on deck. On examination, it was found that the composition pintles, four in number, were broken off; the only one remain- ing was of iron, which hung between the water's edge and the head of the rudder. As it may be of importance to some of my readers, I will describe the manner in which we proceeded, in order that the rudder might be re-hung to steer the ship to her destined port. In the first place, the iron pintle was taken off, and the bearding of the rudder above the lower pintle was cut away, so as to fit the iron pintle in its place; then two square holes were cut in the forward part of the rudder, through which was rove a large rope, with a topsail-sheet knot in each end ; at the head of the rud- der, a large ringbolt was driven. These preparations being made, it was hoisted out, as well as the boat ; the ends of the two large ropes Avere then taken in at each gangway, and led to the -windlass, and, to our great satisfaction, although there was a considerable swell, the first attempt that was made, (after we had hoisted the rudder up the casing by sheers,) we succeeded in hanging it ; after which, the ropes at the windlass were hove tadt, so as to secure the heel to the stern post. Straps were fitted to go over the rudder-head, and secured to the deck, in order to keep it in its place : the tiller was then shipped, and we found that she answered her helm the same as ever. The hawser was now cast off from the bark, all sail was made, with a fair wind, and in two days v/e arrived safely at the port of St, Ubes. 263 CHAPTER XXIV. RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES VOYAGE TO THE WEST INDIES SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCES ON BOARD. By the details in the preceding chapter, it will be seen, that it would have been impossible to have ship- ped the rudder in a sea-way, if it had been one of the patent kind ; but as this was an old-fashioned one, and the casing being large, little difficulty was expe- rienced in the whole operation. Another great object was attained: if the ship had been towed into port, of course they would have claimed a salvage of at least ten or twelve thousand dollars ; as it was, however, a small compensation of three hundred dollars was alone award- ■ | ed to the bark, — so that, in view of all this, the old- ' fashioned method of completing the rudder and casing is preferable. The rudder was again unhung and hoisted in ; the carpenter fitted moulds ; and Captain S. proceeded to Lisbon, and got a set of pintles and braces cast, which were fitted on to the rudder, and it was again put in its place. We now commenced taking in a cargo of salt, and it was a matter of astonishment to see with what dexterity and accuracy the Portuguese salt-heavers hove it on the deck. Our rail was at least ten feet from the water's edge ; notwithstanding, they appeared to work with as much ease as if they were heaving it on a level. Six of those men will do more work in a day, at heaving salt, than twenty sailors ; this fact was established by a bet during the time we lay there. In a few days we com- pleted taking in our cargo, and on the 7th of December got under way, made all sail, and stood to sea, home- ward bound. 264 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. The port of St. Ubes lies in uie latitude of 38° 32' north, and longitude 8° 50' west. It has a fine harbor, where vessels may lie with the most perfect security, it being nearly land-locked, and the entrance is very narrow. St. Ubes is an excellent port for shipping, as refresh- ments of all kinds may be had in abundance, and at very low rates ; as a proof of this, our ship, with a com- plement of fourteen men, was supplied with fresh fish for twelve and a half cents per day ; and fruit, especially grapes, may be obtained in great quantities. The grapes here are the largest and most delicious that I have seen in any part of the world. The town of St. Ubes is small, and at this period con- tained about eight thousand inhabitants. The trade is inconsiderable, as it has no other export but salt. Busi- ness can never augment, in any great degree, in this place, because it must remain entirely eclipsed by Lis- bon, which is only about sixty miles distant from it. We continued our course southwardly, and on the 14th of December saw the fine island of Madeira, bear- ing south-south-east ten leagues ; from this period, we had a fresh breeze until we reached the parallel of 27'^ north. This being within the limit of the trade winds, and as they were now fresh and fair, we steered away to the westward. In a few days, however, the trade winds became very light, and continued so until we had run our westing up. After hauling the ship to the north- ward, the weather became boisterous, and on reaching the coast of America, we had long and severe north-west gales. These head winds, together with the light trade winds, lengthened our passage, aniit was 61 days be- fore we arrived in the Chesapeake Bay, which was on the 7th day of February, 1817; and it was not until the 16th that we arrived in Baltimore, making a passage of 70 days. There is no class of persons, perhaps, who have greater enjoyment than seamen, when they arrive in port after a long and boisterous passage, especially if it be in the winter. Indeed, it is only by the depriva- tion of the social comforts of home, with its additional LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 265 blessings, that they can be properly realized and enjoyed. Who, then, is so well calculated as the seaman to ap- preciate those attractions, deprived as he is, for the most part of that which makes life agreeable ? confined to the narrow Umits of a ship's deck, and obliged to breathe the air of a forecastle ; at the same time his living is generally of the coarsest kind, and his associations bounded by the few who belong to the ship; — I say, with all these discomforts, it is not to be wondered at that a sailor is the happiest man on earth when he comes on shore. It is very certain that many sailors circum- scribe their enjoyments to acts of the most disgraceful character ; there are, however, strong and cogent reasons for this conduct. In the first place, they are generally considered an isolated class of beings ; society will not receive or take them by the hand ; and, therefore, they become dupes to designing men, whose interest it is it possible, to keep their senses blunted, in order to falclr. from them their hard earnings ; and by their constant application to the intoxicating bowl, with other scenes of debauchery attendant upon this indulgence, they are thereby, placed among the lowest and most wretched ranks of society. I have known a sailor to be caught in the trap of one of those designing knaves when he first came on shore, with a good chest of clothes, and a huu- dred dollars in his pocket ; to be kept nearly sense- less with rum for three weeks, at the expiration of which his money, as well as his clothes, were all gone, and the poor, unfortunate fellow was obliged to ship ; and, to make up the catalogue of his miseries, the month's advance was taken by his landlord, and then he was dragged like a dog or an ox on board, in a state of insensibility ; and it often happens that they are five or six days at sea before they come to a state of perfect consciousness, when, for the first time, they learn the name of the ship and captaui, and whither she is bound. Once more I was surrounded by the family with whom I had resided previously to my embarkation on the voyage just detailed. With what emotions of 266 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. pleasure does the youthful heart vibrate, especially that of a sailor, when love and friendship are reciprocal. Toils and privations are forgotten; and when dwelling on the rapturous present, he looks forward with unclouded vision for happiness to be enjoyed in the future. The light and buoyant spirit, ever animated by the fair side of hope, contemplates this round world as one vast thea- tre of bliss, on which there are countless resources of felicity within its grasp : the car of prosperity, too, rolls along unimpeded, nor once dreams of change. Hap- pily, the morning or spring-time of life dwells with fervent ardor upon the brighter and gayer scenes which Nature hath bountifully prepared for its enjoyment ; for soon, alas! does the blighting mildew of winter roll along, with its concomitant attendants, — pain, afflic- tion, and woe, — irresistibly reminding us that "all is vanity here below." Three weeks had now passed away almost unob- served since I came on shore, and each successive day I found a stronger interest gathering around me for this family ; and those feelings which 1 had striven to drive from my mind on the last voyage, in reference to one particular branch of it, I not only now found had taken deeper root, but also conceived it necessary to make an open confession of my attachment. To my great de- light, I learned that the attachment was mutual : satis- fied with this explanation, and having bound myself by an obligation which could be severed only by death, I felt it necessary to use every exertion to reach the head of my profession. I was poor, as it may well be supposed, having lost every thing during the war; and as two years only had transpired since that period, of course it may well be conceived that I had not accumulated any great amount of wealth ; besides, I had resolved never to unite myself to a lady unless I could, at least, render her pecuniary situation quite as advantageous as it was with her rela- tives. With these views, then, it did not seem likely that a union could take place in less than two years. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 2G7 About this time application was made to me, by the same owners, to go out as mate of the brig O , Capt. C, bound to the West Indies, with an assurance that, on our return, I should have a berth on board of an East Indiaman. Now, as the voyage was short, and as I did not wish to lose time, for the reasons before men- tioned, I readily embraced the offer. In a few days the brig was ready for sea; and as my private matters were arranged satisfactorily, I bade all my friends adieu, and embarked, on the 11th of March, 1817. The crew being all on board, and the wind fair, though light, we cast off from the wharf, made sail, and stood down the river. We had not proceeded far, when the wind came ahead, and we were obliged to beat. Our craft was a clipper of the first stamp, very sharp, and heavily rigged ; consequently, her best sailing was upon a wind. Capt. C. was what sailors sometimes call "an odd kind of a Christian." The predom- inant trait in his character was indolence ; consequent- ly, he was not much of a disciplinarian ; and yet, when roused, (and this could only be done by some flagrant act of disobedience,) he was a perfect lion. Usually, however, he was good-tempered, mild, and easy, — constantly depending on his officers to carry on the details of the vessel. The crew consisted of ten men and a boy, all told. We continued to beat down, with a wind fresh from the southward, and came to an anchor at 8 P. M., in the outer roads of Annapolis. Voyages to the West Indies, ordinarily, do not elicit much interest ; and I did not intend to fatigue the reader with a detailed account of this one, but for the reason that there were circumstances connected with it which, to many, may savor strongly of superstition ; neverthe- less, they did transpire, and, to me, were perfectly unac- countable. Take the following as one among the more prominent : — I stated that the brig was anchored in the outer roads of Annapolis, distant one mile and a half from the nearest shore ; the two boats (all that belonged to the 268 I'IFE ON THE OCEAN. brig) were stowed on deck ; the night was moonlight, perfectly clear, and cloudless. I mention these circum- stances, because the truth of the following narration depends, in some degree, upon them. At 8 P. M., the anchor watch was set, and, after the usual orders were given by the pilot, we all turned in. About midnight, I was aroused from a sound sleep by hearing a voice calling upon Capt. C. to come immediately on deck. It proceeded from 'the sailor who had the watch. A second call was given more earnestly than the first, begging Capt. C, for God's sake, to come ou deck, as there was a woman, dressed in black, who had inquired for him. Believing the sailor to be half drunk — as was generally the case, at that period, when vessels left port — I drove him away; but he persisted in his importunities for Capt. C. to make his appearance. By this time we all roused up, and proceeded on deck, the sailor pointing out the place where he had seen and talked with the woman. After the most diligent search, however, no sign or trace of the supernatural being was found, and, bestowing a severe reprimand on the seaman, we once more turned into our berths. About 2 A. M., we were again roused by another sailor, for the same purpose ; this was a perfectly sober man, a resident of Baltimore, with a family. He gave us the same account as the former ; said he could not be mistaken, for he saw the woman plainly, and heard her inquire for Capt. C. The crew, being now all huddled together on the forecas- tle, corroborated his testimony. The most scrutinizing search was again made, but without effect. There could be no deception practised on us by the seamen, because the boats were on deck in their places, and the first sailor, who had called on Capt. C, had no inter- course previously with the remainder of the crew. I was determined to know if there were any grounds for the truth of this alarming sight to the seamen ; so I walked the deck-daring the remainder of the night, bat saw nothing. The next morning the wind was fair, and we commenced to get under way ; but the sailors LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 269 came aft, in a body, and begged Capt. C. to give them their discharge ; that they would give back their month's advance, and their clothes and bedding to boot — stating that they could not go out in the vessel, as they well knew that she would never get back again. This was ridiculed by Capt. C, and they became very importu- nate in their demand. The naturally easy temper of the sldpper became much roused; and, as Jack saw (to use an old saying, "If yon tread on a worm he will turn ") that he was not to be played with, they walked sullenly forward, manned the windlass, hove up the anchor, and, in a few minutes, the brig was under a cloud of canvass, standing down the Chesapeake Bay. We had a fine run down, discharged the pilot on the loth of March, and stood to sea. The second day after leaving the land, it blowing ftesh, and being in the Gulf Stream, the brig became very laborsome, straining so much that we were obliged to keep one pump constantly going: before night the top-gallantmasts, yards, rigging, &c., were all sent down on deck and secured. It blew a strong gale, and every sail was furled except the main and fore-topmast-stay- sails. At 6 P. M., the rain fell in torrents, and heavy, black clouds rolled up from the north-west, with fre- quent claps of thunder and sharp flashes of lightning. Between the hours of 6 and 8, in the last dog-watch, the supernatural being again appeared to the two men who first saw her while at anchor, they now having the watch on deck, and the look-out forward. I had charge of the watch myself at this time, but as the night M^as intensely dark, nothing could be seen, except at intervals, by the flashes of lightning ; so that it was not sur- prising, as I was standing aft, that I did not see this unearthly figure. It was, however, a source of the greatest alarm, and I could perceive,- notwithstanding Captain C. affected great unconcern, he nevertheless could not sleep, any more than the crew. The gale mcreased, and the isea rose to a tremendous height: we expected every moment, from the appearance of the 25 270 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. weather, a shift of the wind. At midnight, precisely, the solemn visitor was again seen on the forecastle, but, as before, neither Captain C. nor myself were permitted to behold it. In about twenty minutes after this appear- ance, the wind shifted suddenly to the north-west, and it blew a perfect tornado. The brig was thrown nearly on her beam-ends. Being pressed by the two stay-sails, the axes were got in readiness to cut away the mast ; but before this was executed, the staysail sheets gave way, and the violence of the wind blew the sails away from the bolt-ropes. The brig, being now relieved from the pressure of canvass, righted so far as to feel the action of the helm, which she quickly answered, and, after a few rolling seas had washed over the quarter, she round- ed off before the wind, and in a few minutes she was .scudding at the rate of eleven knots. In this disaster we lost all of our spars, boats, and caboose-house ; fortu- nately, the caboose, being well secured to the deck, was saved, and no lives were lost. The violence of the gale was such, that, in about two hours, the heavy south-east swell went down, and the brig scudded with great se- curity. The heavy, dense, black masses of clouds were driven off by the violence of the gale^ and settled away to the south-east, and, at 4 A. M., the sky was perfectly clear ; the moon shone brightly, and the sea became following and regular, presenting a very different scene from that which was exhibited at midnight. Once more the crew became comparatively cheerful, and when the morning light broke forth, the gale had moderated. Double-reef topsails were set, and we steered away to the southward. Nothing material transpired during the remainder of the passage. The weather was unusually fine, and yet, by no threat, or importunity, could any sailor be induced to go aloft alone in the night ; in fact, it was the iniiver- sal opinion of the crew that the brig was haunted, and, of course, it was a theme of controversy during the passage. I recollect one night, while crossing the trade winds, having the middle watch on deck, that I over- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 271 heard the followmg dialogue by two seamen on the main deck. " Bill," said an old salt to another, that happened to be the same who first saw our lady visitor, " did you look at the old man's phyzog that morning when we went aft to get our discharge ? " " Yes," said Bill, '' and it looked, for all the world, as if he had been frightened out of his seventeen senses. I'd like," con- tinued he, " to be out of this craft ; and I'll tell you what, by the way, she's a little too small to carry me back, if ever these pins get foothold of shore." "I'll bet a month's wages," returned the other, " that this craft, or our long slink of a skipper, don't reach Yankee-land again." "Avast there!" said Bill; " belay that slack rope ; look over the side here, and you won't see a bubble; and yet she's going seven knots by the log, and there's not wind enough to fill an old woman's night-cap. I say, messmate, you'll not have enough coming to you for a single cruise, for you know we've had one month's advance, and at this rate of going we shall get back — " Here he stopped short, and then, as if the supernatural appearance was before him, resumed in a serious tone, " that is, messmate, if ever she does get back." The conversation was then carried on in a lower and more serious tone. "That was a sad night," continued Bill, " when this craft like to have turned the turtle with us." " I jist thought as much in the first dog-watch," said the other ; " so, you know, as it was my first bunk below, and thinks I to myself, if we've got to go to kingdom ceme, it's no time for a fel- low to be catched napping." "I was much of the same way of thinking," said Bill, ''and so we kept the deck together, or we might have had a bit of a hoist out of our bunks. But, somehow or other, I don't much like that old skipper of ours, and I'm thinking, if he was out of this craft, we shouldn't have any more visits from that lady in black." " She is an unlucky craft anyhow," said the other ; " there was poor Ben Billings fell from the topmast-head longside of the wharf, and never spoke a word afterwards — and then I heard old Swipes, 273 LIFE ON THK OCEAN. our cook, say, the other day, that she lost both of her topmasts the first voyage." These and similar conversations were continued for a time, and in conclusion they concerted a plan to effect their escape when we should arrive in the West Indies-. We had a short run out, and arrived safely at the Island of Martinique. Here we purchased a large boat, and some spars, of a French ship; but as we did not iind a sale for the cargo, we proceeded without delay to the Island of Guadaloupe, where we arrived in about thirty-six hours, and anchored in the bay of Point Petre. The cargo was immediately sold and dis- charged, and we commenced taking in a return cargo of sugars. It is well known that Point Petre is one of the most unhealthy ports iii the West Indies : it is almost entirely land-locked, and is situated on the lee- ward part of the island ; consequently it has none of the exhilarating influence of the wholesome sea breezes which blow perpetually in these latitudes. The yellow fever, cholera morbus, and dysentery, prevailed to an alarming degree, and therefore our men were deterred from putting their previous plans of desertion into execu- tion. The brig was now about half loaded, and as yet the epidemic had not visited us ; but the mortality was great among the shipping in the harbor, and it was not unusual to see two or more, corpses carried on shore every morniirg. At length, however, the fatal disease made its appearance among our crew, in connection with the dreaded reappearance of our supernatural visitor. It was reported by two of the crew that, on the night previously to the fatal malady having gotten among us, she was again seen on the forecastle. There wjre six, myself being one of the number, that were seized with yellow fever and cholera morbus. The fever raged with great violence, and three of our men were confined ten or twelve days, to one of whom it proved fatal ; the rest, with myself, were soon relieved. 273 CHAPTER XXV. CONCLUSION OF THE WEST INDIA VOYAGE — 'SAIL FOR LON- DON, BATAVIA, &C. Every exertion was now made by Captain C. to get clear of this port, for it might well be called a vast charnel-house. To whatever point the vision was di- rected, you might have seen the sad remains of some one being conveyed to the silent repository of the dead, and on board of any vessel that was visited, the ear would be saluted with either the groans of the dying, or some one raving under the scorching fever. April 13. — This morning was ushered in with clear and perfectly calm weather. The brig being now ready for sea, it became necessary to tow her out of the harbor, and, with the assistance of three other boats belonging to American vessels, we succeeded in reach- ing the offing at ten A. M. I can safely say that I never felt as much gratification in my life, on leaving any port, as I did on this occasion ; this feeling ap- peared to be general among all hands. Indeed, the fear and dread of our supernatural visitor seemed to give place to a universal sense of satisfaction in getting clear of Point Petre, and once more inhaling the health- ful influence of the sea breeze. The crew were gen- erally weak and much debilitated, and it was neces- sary to proceed with caution until they had gained some strength and vigor from this change, which be- came more and more visible every day. We had a constant succession of fair winds : consequently, had a fine run up to the coast : and as neither accident nor disaster befell us, the idea of our visitor appearing again seemed to be banished from the minds of the crew. 25* 274 LIFE ON THE OCEAi?. On the morning of the 26th, we were in ten fathoms water, and judged ourselves in the latitude of Cape Henry. The weather being thick, and exceedingly threatening, of course we could not see the land. At 9 A. M., the wind shifted suddenly to the north-west, and blew a gale, insomuch that we were obliged to heave to on tlie larboard tack. At midnight, v/e found our- selves in the Gulf Stream ; and as the gale did not moderate until 5 P. M. the next day, the current had set us so far to the eastward, that we did not get into the Chesapeake Bay until the 2d of May. In this gale, the fore-topsail, jib, and trysail, were blown from the bolt-ropes ; the brig had become strained very much with her heavy cargo ; and it was a matter of no small consolation to us all when we made her fast to the wharf on the 4th of May. Thus ended one of the most unpleasant, and, at the same time, the most extraordinary voyage that 1 ever made. Bnt in reference to the voyage, the most inex- plicable coincidence yet remains to be related. When we sailed from Baltimore, the wife of Captain C. resided in Nantucket; on our return, he found a letter awaiting him, conveying the sorrowful information that his wife was dead. Comparing the period of her demise with that of the first appearance of the lady in l^lack, while lying in Annapolis Roads, the time (Exactly corre- sponded. With these relative facts, then, 1 shall leave the reader to form his own opinion as to the possibility, or probability, of supernatural appearances. The East Indiaman, on board of which i was prom- ised a first officer's berth, I found, on my arrival, was nearly ready for sea; consequently, 1 repaired on board, and assumed the duties of my station. She was to proceed to London with a cargo of flour, and from thence to Batavia, and back to Amsterdam as the port of discharge. Having very little time to spend on shore, I need not say that every spare moment was given to the object which had the largest share in my affections. It was at this period that our mutual vows LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 275 were plighted ; but as, in my judgment, it was neither expedient nor proper, on account of my pecuniary cir- cumstances, to consummate the nuptials, our union was deferred until my return. May 14, 1817. — The ship being ready for sea, and the crew all on board, we cast off from the wharf, made all sail with a fair wind, and stood down the river. Every thing with which I was now surrounded, on board of this ship, indicated, to say the least of it, as pleasant a voyage, and as much happiness, as ordinarily falls to the lot of a seafaring life. She was about four hundred tons' burden, considered a fast sailer, strong, tight, and completely fitted out for an East India voyage. Captain R. was somewhat advanced in years, an educated man, and a scientific navigator ; in a word, in him were com- bined all the qualities which constitute a gentleman. The crew consisted of three mates, carpenter and sail- maker, eight able seamen, and four boys, with a cook and steward — amounting to twenty in number. When proceeding down the bay, the folio wnig conversation took place between Captain R. and myself in the cabin. "Mr. L.,"said he, "I am now sixty years of age, and have been buffeting salt water upwards of forty years ; and, as you may suppose, I am not able to undergo much exposure or hardship. I shall therefore implicitly confide to your management and care the duties and details of this ship; with this sole exception, that I expect to be consulted in any and every emergency ; and I also shall direct her courses during the voyage. I shall uphold you in enforcing good discipline ; but as long experience, and consequently much intercourse with seamen, have taught me that kind words and good usage generally make a valuable crew, I expect, therefore, you will observe this kind of treatment to- wards them. My usual custom is, to give watch and watch, and allow them Saturday to wash and mend their clothes, to cleanse the forecastle, &c. ; so that, as far as practicable, the Sabbath may be observed, as it ever ought to be, a day of rest." Tn thirty-six hours 2T6 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. we reached the Capes oi '^'"irginia, discharged the pilot, and went to sea with a fine \v<.iterly wind. At 10 A. M., May 28th, at meridian, Cape Henry bore west-north-west, distant foia- leagues ; at night, the watches were chosen and set, and the regulations of the ship were delivered to the crew — the substance of which was the detailed conversation held with Captain R. in the cabin. Nothing unusual transpired, during the first part of this passage, to interrupt the usual monotony of a sea life. I had the satisfaction, however, to find that we had a fine crew of able seamen, and that the officers were young men of education, with whom i was on terms of the strictest intimacy. Up to June 11th, we had a constant succession of strong westerly winds; at this period, however, the weather became exceedingly boisterous, which obliged us to scud under close-reefed topsails. An occurrence took place this day, June 12th, which shows a remarkable coincidence : viz. : At meridian, heavy, black clouds arose in the northern board, the wind being at this time about west-south-west, blowing a heavy gale, and the ship was under close-reefed fore and main-topsails and reefed foresail, when it suddenly shifted to north, and blew so violently that, before we could get our sails furled, the topsails were torn from the bolt-ropes. For- tunately, however, it did not last long, or the ship must have run under. I mention this as a coincidence, be- cause, in the same latitude and longitude, on a former voyage, a tornado of the same character was experienced, and also, as in the present instance, the fore and main- topsails were blown away. In twenty-five days from the Capes, we arrived in the British Channel ; and no power of description can portray an adequate idea of the serenity of the weather. As far as the eye could reach, vessels of all descriptions were seen, some upon a wind, others before the wind, many stretching up and many standing down the Chan- nel ; but more especially, when we drew up toward the " Fore Lands," it was a matter of astonishment to behold LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 277 the number and variety of vessels bound to London,, the greatest emporium of commerce, perhaps, in the world. jif^ly 9. We took a Dover pilot, and had a fine run up to Gravesend; here, as usual, we exchanged him for a river pilot. These men, as I have before observed, are probably the best pilots in the world — perfect mas- ters of their business ; they assume the entire responsi- bility, and I have never seen a ship handled in a more seaman-like manner than by those men. July 11. We entered the London Dock, and after the customary forms of entering, &c., commenced to dis- charge the cargo. Nothing worthy of note or comment transpired, until the cargo was entirely discharged, the ship ballasted, with every other necessary preparation for an India passage. It was about this time that we received a visit from the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Wellesley and lady, and R. Patterson, Esq. and lady ; Mr. Patterson being a son of the owner of the ship. The ladies were both Americans, and daughters of R. Caton, Esq., of Baltimore. I mention this circum- stance to show that there was nothing strange or un- accountable in the visit to our ship by these persons of distinction; nor do I think it worth while to give a description of them, as it would be foreign to the general object of this work. Saffice it to say, that the utmost good-humor and sociability prevailed among them; and when about to leave, in addition to distributing not a few bank notes among the crew, our venerable captain had a pressing invitation to dine with the noble duke. July2L — The specie was taken on board, and we hauled out of dock, made sail, and stood down the river with a fair wind. 26th. —Discharged the pilot off Do- ver, and proceeded down the Channel. 28th. — The Liz- ard lights bore north-north-east, five leagues distant, from whence we took a departure, being the last land seen. 29th. — Once more we were upon the broad ocean, *' where sky and water meet," under a press of sail, with a 278 LIFE ON THt: OCEAN. fail' wind, and, Avhat is always to be desired, a fine, strong ship, well fitted out, with a good crew, all in high spirits. As the ship is now fairly at sea, I shall pause to relate a circumstance, which may be deemed trivial, but its re- sults to me have been of the most momentous character. After the regulations and discipline of the ship were es- tablished, on our departure from the United States, for the first time during the whole period of my sea life I saw a Bible, which had been put on board by some agent of the Bible Society, for the use of the crew, with this in- scription, viz., "The Word of God, presented by the Bible Society, for the use of the officers and crew of the ship William." My feelings were penetrated with a deep sense of gratitude for this little offering. "Ah ! " thought I, "is it possible that men, who have no interest at stake, should care for the well-being, and I may say the sal- vation, of poor, neglected seamen ? " and, as if roused from a profound reverie, all those reUgious precepts and teach- ings, and especially those wholesome admonitions which were so carefully bestowed on me, by my relatives, in the days of my youth, were irresistibly brought up to my recollection in their most glowing form ; and then memo- ry portrayed, with the strongest coloring, the exposures, dangers, and perils, of the past, peculiar to my vocation. How often had my life been suspended upon a nine or twelve-thread rattling ! how often, too, when on the high and giddy mast, the howling wind proclaimed the funeral dirge of a companion, whose grasp was severed by its fury, and he swept into eternity ! and then, again, while at the cannon's mouth, the enemy's deadly shot had stricken down the youthful seamen, who bid fair for long and happy life ; and then, too, the heavy, roaring surf, with its dashing foam, swept with unrelenting fury one from my side who was the partner of my toil ; — and then, again, the constant exposure upon the fickle element ; a seaman's life is always bounded, between time and eternity, by a two and a half, or three-inch plank, — to say nothing of the hurricane and tornado, the merciless pirate, and the LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 279 often exposure to pestilential climes. These and many other perils passed in review before me. yet from them all, thus far, I had been delivered. Overpowered by these reflections, I resolved to lead a different life, and although the " Word of God " was always a part of my sea-stock, yet I had long shamefully neglected its pe- rusal. With many other officers, I had long been of the opinion, that severe treatment and hard labor were the best means to establish good discipline on board of a ship ; but my views in this respect, however, now began to waver. In considering the character of seamen, I was led to believe that they were generally men of as much character as any other number of men which could be selected on shore with the same education ; and that their peculiarities and habits arose principally from pri- vations and their seclusion from social intercourse with society and domestic life. There is also another feature in reference to the condition of seamen — that is, they are unlike any other class of laboring men ; for while a working-man on shore receives his pay daily or weekly, a seaman receives the whole amount of his wages in one sum, when the voyage is finished. Nat- urally generous and improvident, with a large sum of money in his possession, he soon becomes the dupe of unprincipled men, (of whom there are numbers ready to take advantage of his unsuspicious nature,) and he is speedily stripped of his hard earnings, which necessarily cuts short his time on shore, and obliges him to renew his vocation at sea. As no period of my sojourn upon the ocean was more favorable for impressing upon the minds of seamen the necessity to respect their own moral characters, espe- cially as I had the approbation of Captain R., who, as I before stated, was a man of high moral worth, I re- solved to put into operation what I had contemplated in their behalf. To do this, great caution and firmness were necessary, to maintain the discipline of the ship. In the first place, then, I pointed out to them the 280 LIFE ON THK OCEAN enormity of using profane language. This was the first prohibition ; and, by the officers' rigidly observing the interdiction, it was not long before this miserable practice was almost entirely banished from the ship. My next object was to dissuade them from the per- nicious indulgence of drinking grog. "It is owing to this," said I, " that you are looked upon as the most de- graded class of beings in society, and when on shore you are excluded from all the pleasures of society and the endearments of domestic life ; it is drinking grog that places you on a level with the lowest and basest of our species ; it is drinking grog which filches your hard earnings from your pockets ; and while your senses are benumbed with this worst of poisons, you become the prey of sharpers, and those who smile at you, but at the same time are, without remorse, inflicting upon you the greatest injury ; thus you are dispossessed of your means, and necessarily obliged, with but little intermission, to be constantly upon the ocean ; so that, by persisting in the evil practices of drinking and carousing, in connection with your exposures and hardships at sea, you soon become diseased. Look around you, and where will you find a sailor advanced in years ? To be sure, Captain R. is an aged man ; but then it has been fair weather with him for many years ; there are nearly twenty of us belonging to this ship, and Jack Saunders is the oldest man, (with the exception of Captain R.,) and he has scarcely arrived to the age of forty. Now, I ask, where are all the old sailors ? Why, I will answer that question : many of them go to Davy Jones's locker : and many others, for the reasons before mentioned, soon contract disease, and a premature old age and broken-down constitution are the consequences, and then they are laid up in ordinary, and become useless hulks. It is not long, however, be- fore the disease which has been induced by grog and severe exposure proves fatal, and then poor Jack, per- haps friendless and unknown, is stowed away in Potters' Field." I then endeavored to show them the worth and LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 281 value of seamen, as being the great connecting link which unites nation to nation ; and without whom com- merce could never be carried on, and a navy, which is the defence and bulwark of our country, could never be maintained. These and many other arguments were used ; and, although two or three became converts to total abstinence, yet the others conceived the disuse of grog to be so great a privation, that every argument proved ineffectual to induce them to relinquish it alto- gether. At this period, it was the universal practice to allow sailors a glass of spirits at dinner, and generally, in cold and wet weather, an extra. lam clearly of the opin- ion that many of the difficulties which have arisen at sea have been owing to this custom, for there has been more than one instance, which has come under my own experience, where sailors have saved up their allow- ance of spirits, in order (to use their own expression) to have a blow-out. It was generally the case on those occasions that their conduct became mutinous, and very serious consequences followed. Among our crew there was a fine specimen of a noble and true-hearted sailor ; Jack Saunders was an able seaman, a first-rate sailmaker, and a good carpenter ; he was always the first on deck in his watch, and no man was ever out to the weather-earing before him ; he was one of those generous-hearted souls, who would never fill his main- topsail when he saw a shipmate in distress. But poor Jack had a particular fondness for a glass of grog, although he was as steady as a clock at sea, for the plain reason that there was no grog to be had ; conse- quently it could not be otherwise. I conceived a strong desire to be instrumental in changing this man's habits, and placing him in a condition to which he was entitled by his worth and merit. It seemed, therefore, to be ne- cessary first to gain his confidence, and then appeal to his moral feelings. It was not difficult to surmount the first intention ; but, in reference to the second, however, it required much time to uproot his preconceived notions ; still I was certain that perseverance could even effect this. ^c 282 CHAPTER XXVI. ARRIVAL AT BATAVIA RETURN VOYAGE SICKNESS OF CREW PUT IN AT CAPE OF GOOD HOPE PROFLIGACY OF SEA- MEN ON SHORE, &C. And now to return to the ship. Every thing seemed to conspire to make this voyage pleasant and agreeable ; the wind blew fresh and fair ; and we sailed along the southern coast of Europe and the north-east coast of Africa, passing along to the eastward of the Cape de Verd Islands, and, with the exception of two days of calms and heavy rains, (of which we took advantage to fill up all our water-casks,) we had a strong north-east trade wind, and crossed the equinoctial line in 25*^ west longitude, in twenty-eight days from London. Without any cessation, the north-east trades gradually hauled round to the southward, and gave us a fine run across the south Atlantic, In this passage, we saw the Island of Tristan d'Acunha. The weather here became somewhat boisterous and heavy, and continued thus until we reached the parallel of 38° south latitude, and 34° east longitude; then the wind hauled round to the westward, with steady, strong gales, and, as we had nearly 100° of east longitude to run, we continued to steer in this parallel of latitude, say 38° south. With few exceptions, there was but little intermission of the westerly gales until we had passed the parallel of the Islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam, and had reached 105° east longitude, at which time we hauled away to the northward, and, after experiencing some light, baffling winds, and squally weather, we succeeded in gaining the limits of the south-east trade winds ; of course the position of the ship was such as to make LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 283 these winds fair, so that when they came, the best pos- sible use was made of them. On the 14th of October, we made Java Head, bearing east-south-east 20 miles. Entered the Straits of Sunda at 10 A. M., and, after a tedious passage of four days, anchored in Batavia Roads, having made the passage in eighty-four days from London. Capt. R. proceeded on shore, and gave up the entire details and management of the ship to me. The un- healthiness of Batavia is well known, and it is necessary to use great caution in order to preserve the health of the crew. To effect this, they were kept as much as possible from exposure to the sun and night air ; conse- quently, they were never permitted to go on shore in the boats ; a crew of Malays being hired for the purpose of pulling the boat off and on. On entering this port, we immediately spread awnings fore and aft the ship, and, as is customary on India voyages, she was stripped to her girtlines ; the rigging was all overhauled, together with every mast and spar. This being done, the most favorable opportunity was embraced (say when the sun was obscured) to get the ship rigged again. By observing the most prudent care with the crew, they continued in a healthy condition while we remained in port. This was owing principally to the fact of our having a large quantity of water remaining from our London stock, and which was used by the crew during the whole of our stay, having taken the precaution, at the same time, to fill up our water-casks when we first arrived ; so that, by the time we were ready for sea, it became purified of itself, consequently was used with- out the usual bad effects of Batavia water. Another precaution was also taken which added much to the health of our men, viz., the entire disuse of ardent spirit, and the substitution of coffee in its place. While the yellow fever and dysentery raged, producing great mortality among the crews of shipping lying in port, we did not lose a man, neither was there any of the crew off duty during our stay here. 284 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. December 30. — We had now finished taking in our cargo of coffee, and the ship being all ready for sea, Capt. R. came on board, January 1st, 1818, at which time we got under way, made all sail, and stood down the Straits. This being the season when the little monsoon changes, the passage through these Straits was very much retarded by severe squalls, attended with heavy rains and frequent calms. The heat was almost insufferable ; so much so that we were obliged frequently to anchor, in order to keep the men from being exposed to the intensity of the sun's rays ; and, incredible as it may appear, nevertheless, I have known Fahrenheit's thermometer to range from 100 to 105 degrees in the shade. Nine days elapsed before we got clear of the Straits, and then our troubles com- menced ; eight of the crew were attacked with fever and dysentery, and the remainder of us were much de- bilitated and weakened, which is always the case "with northern constitutions by long exposure to the heat in tropical climates. Nor did I escape from that terrible malady, the dysentery, which reduced me nearly to the last stage of life ; and, although every means proved in- effectual for restoration which kindness and medical treatment could suggest, I was at last relieved by a very simple remedy, proposed by the generous-hearted Jack Saunders, before mentioned. Thirty-seven days passed away without any material alteration in the health of the crew, and it became necessary, for the safety of the ship and the lives of our men, to put into some port ; it was, therefore, decided by Capt. R. to go into Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope. On the 8th of February, 1818, the carpenter, who had lingered until this time with dysentery, expired. This circumstance produced universal gloom through- out the ship, particularly as there were seven others who lay at the point of death. Fortunately, however, for us, the wind was fair, and on the 13th we made the Cape, and entered Table Bay on the 14th, where we anchored in twelve fathoms water, one mils and a half from the shore. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 285 li nay be remarked that vessels can only ride with safety in this bay during the summer months, which correspond to our winter, as the winds usually blow from the north-west at this place in the winter season. These winds have the whole sweep of the south Atlantic Ocean, which causes the sea to run so heavily, that an- chors and cables are of no use whatever. In these months, vessels harbor in False Bay ; however, even in the summer months, the violence of the south-east winds is so great, notwithstanding they blow off shore, that vessels are obliged to ride with all their yards and topmasts struck, and every anchor ahead. As soon as we got our ship snug, the sick were all taken on shore, placed in comfortable quarters, and the best treatment and medical advice were procured for them. In about a week they were all pronounced to be out of danger. The Cape of Good Hope may be con- sidered as wholesome a climate as any part of the world. As Cape Town is situated on a considerable eminence, and the adjacent country being mountainous, conse- quently the air is very pure, and the atmosphere salu- brious. The town is remarkable for its cleanliness; the streets are wide, and, although the buildings are neither large nor magnificent, yet they immediately impress the traveller with the idea of neatness and comfort. At the precincts of the town, on the eastern part, is situated the Company's garden, the size of which is about four square miles, and constructed in the most tasteful and fanciful manner, after the Chinese style. At the extreme end of these gardens is a menagerie of nearly all de- scriptions of wild animals found in Asia and Africa ; the most singular of those which I saw was an ourang- outang, measuring six feet four inches in height, when erect. The vineyards are large and flourishing ; the grape is cultivated to great perfection, from which is extracted wine in great abundance, it being almost the only article which is exported from the Cape. A most singular phenomenon exists respecting these vineyards, or those called the Constantia vineyards, (the grape 26* 286 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. of which produces a very rich and delicate wine,) which are only two in number ; it seems that no other spot (even if the Constantia vine is transplanted) in the Cape colony will produce the Constantia grape, and yield therefrom the same kind of wine. It has been as- certained that, by transplanting the vine, it will entirely degenerate into the ordinary kind of grape. Refresh- ments of all kinds may be had here, and in great abun- dance, especially beef and mutton ; the latter may be purchased at low rates, and forms the principal article of live stock for shipping ; here, too, perhaps, is the finest fresh water in the world. All these advantages con- sidered, it must be conceded that this port is among the best in these seas for homeward-bound East Indiamen to refresh and renovate a relaxed and debilitated crew. We remained here eighteen days, at the expiration of which period our men, being all convalescent, were taken on board. On the morning of the 5th March, v/eighed anchor, made all sail, and stood to sea with a fine south-east trade wind. Having supplied the ship with plenty of fresh stock and vegetables, and the weather being ex- ceedingly fine, it was not long before the crew were restored to their usual health and strength. Having mentioned, in a previous part of this narrative, on a former voyage, the uninterrupted steadiness of the winds and weather, 1 will here merely state that, for twenty- five successive days, the wind continued to blow steadily at south-east, so that we carried studding-sails on both sides during the whole of this period, and crossed the equinoctial line the 26th day from the Cape, in 22° west longitude. Nothing material transpired during our run across the north-east trade winds, until we arrived at the 34° north latitude, and then we had the winds variable, gene- rally from the westward, until we reached the British Channel ; where we took a strong eastwardly gale, which continued to blow with unremitting violence for thir- teen days, when it abated, and we took an English pilot LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 287 for the North Sea, and in three days arrived at the port of Amsterdam. June 10, 1818. — We immediately commenced dis- charging cargo, which was com.pleted in about ten days, and ascertained, to our great satisfaction, that the ship would make a splendid voyage for the owners. This being the port of discharge, according to the articles of agreement, the crew were entitled to their discharge and wages ; they all agreed, however, to go home in the ship, provided they could have a week's liberty, and their full amount of wages. Up to this period they had conducted with great propriety, and perhaps they were mider as good discipline as merchant vessels generally are ; and, as I felt an unusual interest for them, in view of their good conduct, especially for Jack Saunders, I endeavored to persuade them to re- main on board, well knowing that in such a place as the Holder, if they were in possession of their wages, they would probably get rid of the whole before we left the port. My persuasion proved ineffectual ; they per- sisted in their exactions, and of course there was no other alternative but to pay them off, and give them their desired liberty. It fell to my lot to be paymaster. Each one of them had from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty dollars due him. When Jack Saunders's turn came, I felt particularly anxious to retain one hundred dollars of his money, being assured, if he once got on a cruise, such was the generosity of his nature, that he would be quickly relieved of his store of cash. It was of no avail, however, and off they all started for a cruise. This was about 11 o'clock. The next day, I perceived poor Jack Saunders, about half- seas over, rolling down the dike toward the ship. It was with difficulty he got alongside, being so drunk ; and, with the help of the cook- and steward, he was hoisted in and placed in his berth, where he slept for nearly eighteen hours. A more ludicrous figure I never saw, and a more improvident sailor never existed. It seems, immediately after he was paid off. he repaired to 288 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. the shop of a Jew, and purchased a complete suit from head to foot, for which he paid a most exorbitant price. The hat was of the most ordinary kind, and the clothes, as a sailor would say, were made of Nantucket broad- cloth, viz., three threads to an arm-full. The remaining part of his dress was nearly of the same description. To crown the whole, he purchased of this villanous Jew a pinchbeck watch, for which he paid twenty dol- lars, which, in reality, was not worth two. To this watch was attached a chain about a foot in length, made of coarse black hair, at the end of which was a key, not for the purpose of winding the v/atch, but actually a door key; and as a finish to this beautiful collection of symmetrical proportions, connected with the key was a large, rough, cornelian stone, which served as a seal. His next step was, to hire a dance-house exclusively for himself, ready furnished with some half-dozen girls, two fiddlers, and a bar-room par excellence. The remainder of the narration I received from poor Jack. It seems that, after carousing the whole night, he was not only bamboozled out of all of his money, but, in the morn- ing, he was very unceremoniously kicked out of doors. Making his way to the ship as well as he could, he fell into a mud-puddle, and lay there until he was helped out of the difficulty by two men, who placed him on the dike where I first saw him bending his way towards the ship. His hat was much crushed, and, as a sailor would say, " was full of cable-tier pinches ; " his clothes were mud from top to bottom ; and, not having any suspenders on, the bight of his sliirt stuck out about four inches between the trousers and jacket. The immense long watch-chain hung dangling nearly down to his knees ; altogether, poor Jack was completely metamorphosed. When he turned out in the morning, I inquired of him how he feh after his carouse. "Pretty light, sir," replied he, slapping his pockets, "for they have eased me of all my whack." " What ! " replied I, '' all gone ? " "Not quite," returned he; "I've got something to LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 289 show for it;" pulling out his watch with the copious trappings attached thereto, and handing it to me, saying, " A pretty little time-keeper, sir." I examined the watch, iud the result was, that the case was made out of a piece of stout tin washed over, and the internal works bore a pretty strong resemblance to the case. In three days the men were all on board ; and with the exception of two, they had all spent their wages ; but, unlike my protege, Jack, they had nothing to show for it. I have been thus particular in noticing this Dccurrence in full, to show the improvidence of sailors, md to show that very little can be effected to advance their moral character, unless they can be impressed with the absolute necessity of total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks. June 25. — The ship being now ballasted and ready for sea, advantage was taken of an eastwardly wind. We cast off from the Helder, and proceeded once more through the " kyk down " channel, on our homeward passage to Baltimore. We had a fine wind through the North Sea and down the English Channel, and on the morning of the first of July took our departure from the Lizard light, it bearing north-east and by east, five leagues distant. At meridian the Island of Great Britain had the appearance of an irregular dotted line upon the wide surface of the ocean ; and at sunset, the blue speck, which had claimed our attention for some hours past, had sunk in the distance, and once more we were rolling over the broad Atlantic toward our native land. Order and regularity being again restored, 1 embraced a favorable moment to present to the minds of the crew the evil consequence of improvidence, as well as the indulgence of that worst of all practices, viz., the inordinate use of ardent spirits. I pointed out to them the ruin that must inevitably ensue to soul and body by persisting in its use ; and by appealing to their present condition, I showed them that, after nearly a year and a half of toil and privation, they were returning home pen- niless, and all for the single gratification of what they 290 LTl'-E ON TUt: OCEAN. called the pleasures of a cruise ; the sum total of which was combined in swilling grog to drunkenness. The force of these appeals seemed to make a deep impression, and the fact staring them in the face of returning to the United States, after so long an absence, without means, and that they would necessarily be obliged to embark speedily again, was a source of mortification which sometimes wrought them up almost to a pitch of frenzy and madness. I had abundant reason to believe, how- ever, that this was a salutary lesson, as most of them, having seen their error, assured me they had sworn off forever from drinking liquor. How far these resolutions were kept after they got on shore I know not, but while on board they were true to their promise. We had a fine run across the Atlantic, with uniformly good weather, and on the 6th of August, 1818, took a pilot on board, and entered the Chesapeake Bay. The wind being fresh from the southward, we had a fine run up, and on the 8th, once more let go our anchor in the port of Baltimore. 391 CHAPTER XXVII. MARRIAGE TAKES COMMAND OF THE SHIP WILLIAM VOYAGE TO LISBON HEAVY GALES. I WAS once more on terra lEirnia, surrounded by my friends, and her to whom my vows were plighted, and with whom I expected shortly to be united in the holy bonds of matrimony. To this event I looked forward with unmingled feelings of pleasure — with those de- lightful anticipations of enjoying that happiness which is only consequent upon domestic and connubial life. No obstacle now presented itself to prevent its consum- mation : on the contrary, I had reached the acme of my profession, having been appointed to the command of the ship in which I last sailed ; and my pecuniary cir- cumstances and prospects were such as to justify the important step which I was about to take. Considera- tions of this nature induced me to hasten the period of our nuptials, as the ship to which I had been appointed was already taking in cargo, and was destined to sail ir. the course of two weeks. Accordingly, as no objections were raised, the marriage ceremony was performed on the 18th day of August, 1818. I had now entered upon a new course of life ; conse- quently, obligations and responsibilities multiplied with the change ; and although I was in possession of all that happiness which I had long contemplated, yet a shade of gloom would often pass across my mind at the idea of being so soon separated from the object who was as dear to me as life itself Then, again, the pre- cariousness of a seaman's life, with its constant exposure, produced a feeling very opposite to that buoyancy of 292 HrE ON THE OCEAN. spirit which had so strongly marked my character when embarking on former voyages. However, that moral feeling which had of late gathered around my character now excited me to action and diligence ; be- lieving that I saw my accumulated responsibility in its proper light, it was a new motive to stimulate my ex- ertions, in order to sustain with becoming respect the domestic and social relations of life. With these views, therefore, I cheerfully renewed my engagements, and entered upon the duties of my new station as com- mander of the ship William. On the 30th of August, she had completed taking in cargo, and was ready for sea ; and on the 1st of Sep- tember, after exchanging painful adieus, under feelings that can be better imagined than I can possibly de- scribe thenij I hastened, with tremulous steps, on board the ship, and, the wind being fair, in a very few minutes we were under a press of canvass, standing down th(3 river. I shall forbear entering into a tedious detail in refer- ence to the duties connected with a ship on leaving port, as they have been often described in the foregoing part of this work. Being now invested with the entire control and management of this ship, and as I had seen the good effects produced by a course of mild and kind treatment, connected with an unrelaxed state of disci- pline, to the sailors, by Capt. R., on the last voyage, I determined to shape my course, in future, in a similar v/ay. As soon, therefore, as the usual duties were over on leaving the land, such as clearing the decks, setting the watch, &c., a set of rules and regulations was drawn up, and given to the crew, prohibiting all profane Ian guage, fighting, or wrangling ; no unnecessary work to be done on Sabbath days ; and that, in the room of the usual allowance of ardent spirits, they were to have coffee, tea, and sugar ; — they were also to have the forenoon-watch below at all times, and watch and watch in bad weather, and Saturday was allowed for washing and repairing their clothes, &:c. Implicit obe- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 293 dience to the commands of the officers would at all times be required. Every feature of these rules seemed to be well received by the crew, with the exception of the grog ; they chose rather to relinquish the coffee, tea, &c., than have their allowance of spirits withheld ; to this I assented, well knowing that, to deprive a sailor of his allowance of grog by coercive measures, would not only prove the intended effect abortive, but would also be a source of grumbling, and perhaps mutinous conduct, during the voyage. In the first part of this passage, a little difficulty was encountered to restrain the seamen from the use of pro- fane language, owing principally, however, to the fact, that a pernicious example was set them by the officers. By frequent appeals, however, to their moral feelings, and strict adherence to the undeviating course adopted in this respect, its use was soon banished from the ship. This being the month when the sun crosses the au- tumnal equinox, we had a constant succession of heavy squalls and gales since our departure from Cape Henry ; and as the ship was deeply laden with corn, almost be- yond her bearings, every seaman will know that she must have been laborsome and very uneasy. On the morning of the 24th of September, the weather was dark and cloudy, and it blew a gale from south-south- west, with a heavy, rolling sea. The top-gallant yards were sent down and well secured on deck ; the topsails were close-reefed ; and the mizzen-topsail, jib, and spank- er, were furled. At 4 P. M., the gale increased, with heavy showers of rain, attended with severe tlmnder and lightning. At this time, the fore-topsail was furled and the foresail reefed, and the ship was brought to the wind on the starboard tack ; before night the appearance of the elements was awful in the extreme ; heavy, dense, black clouds rose up to the northward, and were driven furiously along until they met with the impetuous south- east scud, when the frightful concussion broke upon the ear with peal on peal of roaring thunder, wljile the light- 27 294 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ning's horrid glare played around the masts and rigging, and, as if impelled by some demon of destruction, threat- ened to envelop the noble ship in one vast sheet of flame. While memory holds its empire, I shall never forget that night. At midnight, wore round on the lar- board tack, furled the main-topsail and foresail, and set the storm-staysails. Such was the deafening roar of the elements, the bellowing thunder, and the terrific blasts of wind, which ever and anon came howling o'er the angry deep, that it was impossible to be heard, with a speaking trumpet, half the length of the ship. At 1 A. M., the dense pile of black clouds lifted their enormous masses from the horizon from north to west, presenting a long streak of clear, blue sky ; at the same moment was heard a heavy-roaring peal of thunder, attended by a sharp flash of lightning ; then came the sudden and awful change of wind from north-north-west. The gale struck the ship with furious blast, and threw her down, two feet of her main deck being under water. To add to the horror of this awful scene, the forward bulk-head broke away below the lower-deck beams, which drove the immense body of corn into the fore- peak ; at the same time, the planks which formed the casings of the pumps started from the joists to which they were secured with spikes, and the corn found its way into the pump-well, which was soon filled up as far as between decks. The violence, too, of the first blast, split the mizzen-staysail, and it blew from the bolt-rope. The only sails she now had on her were the fore and main-staysails ; consequently, having no after-sail, she fell off", and brought the sea a-beam. For- tunately, however, the wind had not blown sufficiently long to make a dangerous sea. It was nevertheless a perilous situation, and it became absolutely necessary for the safety of the ship either to take in the fore-top- mast staysail, or to get tarpaulins in the mizzen rigging, so as to keep her up to the wind. We were soon, however, relieved from the necessity of taking in the staysails ; for at this moment, on came a terrific gust of LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 29$ Wind, and the staysails were blown to pieces. The shin/being now somewhat eased from the pressure of the canva'ss, righted so far as to bring her deck out of water. The tarpaulins were accordingly secured ni the mizzen rigging, and with this she lay for a short time comparatively well. But when the morning light broke forth, the gale, as if with maddening fury, seemed to re- double its violence. No longer was the ship capable of resistance, and the only alternative for her safety, and the lives of the crew, was to get her before the wmd. This was the more unavoidable as she strained exceed- ingly in her upper works, and was now leaking con- siderably : imperious necessity, therefore, demanded that some plan should be executed to get the corn from out of the pmnp-well, so that we might work them, and free the ship. The sea had risen to an alarming height, and every seaman will know the danger of keeping the ship off in such a moment as this. It was, however, the only alternative. Four men were sent on the fore-yard to slacken down the gaskets of the clew of the foresail, and two men were sent into the mizzen rigging to cut away the tarpaulins. All being now ready, the starboard head-braces were hauled i% and the after-yards squared; the helm then was put to weather, the fore-tack was bowsed taut, and the tar- paulins were cut away. For a moment the ship shook violently, but oresently she began to fall off. When about four points from the wind, a heavy sea came rolling on with frightful rapidity. The vessel could not clear it. I saw an awful crisis at hand, and shout- ed for every man to secure himself as best he could. The immense weight of water fell on board, knocking the launch out of the chocks, and sweeping away spars, water-casks, and the starboard bulwarks from the gang- way to the fore rigging. She was now before the wmd^, an^, like an impatient steed when checked, dashed along at the rate of ten knots, sometimes careening on the top of a mountain wave, and then plunging into the fearful abyss which threatened to swallow her 296 ' LIFE ON THE OCEAN. up in its merciless chasms of whirling commotioi _ Four hours of extreme peril and intense anxiety passed away, and not till the sun had crossed its meridian did the gust become less violent. At 3 P. M., it moderated; and the gale, though severe, was not dangerous, as the sea became regular and following. Thus far it had been impossible to do any thing in reference to getting the corn from the pump-well. A barricado was now erected, and the pumps were hoisted out ; then one man was lowered down with a sack, by a girtline, from the main-top. The sack was filled with corn, then drawn up, again let down, and so on in this way we continued to clear the pump-well ; but the progress was necessarily slow. The leak was soon discovered and stopped, and at the expiration of seven hours the well was entirely cleared, the pumps were lowered into their places, and the ship was pumped out, having made but tAvo feet and a half of water during the whole of the gale. The next object was to secure the forward bulk-head : this labor, however, was deferred until the next morn- ing, when the gale had moderated sufficiently, so as to get sail enough on the ship to keep her steady. The bulk-head was secured as strongly as practicable, and the severe disasters which we had received were now repaired ; but the loss of the corn which had been pumped out, and the balance having shifted, it gave the ship nearly four streaks' list to starboard — so that, when we arrived in Lisbon, she was as much careened as when carrying sail in a hard gale. I had no reason to regret having established the course of treatment and regulations, with the crew, which have been stated at the commencement of this voyage ; on the contrary, every man did his duty cheerfully and in a seaman-like manner ; and had it not been for the ability and exer- tions of the seamen, the ship could not have been saved. October 6. — Came to an anchor abreast of Belham Castle, the place appointed for vessels subject to quaran- tine restrictions ; and as our ship was of that number, of LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 297 course we had to comply with the existing laws, which were more rigid with vessels laden with grain, because the importation of this article was much greater from the Mediterranean than from all other ports. To this fear of the plague and other contagious diseases, so prev- alent among the Mediterranean islands, being intro duced, may be attributed the strict regulations alluded to. We were not permitted to send the letter-bag on shore until three days after our arrival, and even then the letters underwent a most ridiculous process before they were delivered to their respective owners. After all, the whole modus operandi of executing these regulations was a mere farce : for instance, grain seems to be the great bugbear; nevertheless it is landed, and taken up to the city, immediately after its arrival, — ^thereby incurring all the risk their obnoxious laws endeavor to prevent ; and it would appear, therefore, that this perplexing delay is intended mainly to make additional expense. Nothing worthy of note transpired during our stay. The corn was all discharged while in quarantine ; and after a tedious delay of thirty days, the ship was per- mitted to go up to Lisbon, where we remained ten days, and took in a cargo of wines and salt. November 17. — We took advantage of the tide, and, the wind being fair, got under way, made sail, and stood down the river. At 2 P. M., discharged the pilot, stowed the anchors, unbent the cables, coiled them down below, and executed such other work as is usual when ves- sels leave port. At sunset, the rock of Lisbon bore east- north-east, distant ten leagues ; and, as the dusk of evening closed in, the only visible appearance was a long dark-blue line upon the surface of the ocean, stretching north and south as far as the extent of vision. I determined to make the southern passage, believing it could be effected in less time, and at much less risk in the wear and tear of the ship, and also much more to the comfort of the passengers and crew. Accordingly, we kept away to the southward, to reach as quickly as possible the limits of the north-east trade 27* S98 LIFE ON THE OCEAiV. winds. The moon this night rose with unusual bril- liancy, and occasionally might be seen a bright star or planet in the azure vault above ; the wind was fair, the sea smooth, and the ship was running along at the rate of eight knots, with studding-sails set below and aloft. It reminded me of one of those beautiful nights in the Pacific Ocean, described in the foregoing part of this work, when 1 was before the mast, and when, too, my old messmate, Jack Sawyer, and myself, spun out many long yarns in the foretop. Nearly ten years had rolled away since that period ,• but the exciting scenes, and the many happy hours, of that voyage, will long live in my memory. How different was now my situation ! I had passed through the various gradations of a sea life, and was now the commander of a fine ship ; and yet it would be difficult to say which was the happier period of my life. Now yon moon shone as resplendently, yet the sight did not produce those exquisite feelings of pleasure and gratification that it had done on my first voyage, when a boy. The ship, too, was now bounding over the trackless deep like some creature possessed of life and animation, present- ing one of the most magnificent sights in creation; and yet even this had lost much of its interest ; and although being homeward bound, which to a sailor is always a source of pleasure, song, and merriment, yet to me it was measurably lost, because of the important trust and accumulated responsibility with which I was now surrounded. Although that buoyancy of spirit consequent upon youthful ambition had passed away, yet the more staid and energetic firmness of capability had taken its place and I felt a degree of pride in the reflection that it was so and notwithstanding the de^ responsibility with which I was invested, that it should even produce greater anxiety in regard to the duties which fell to my lot ; another and greater source of happiness was, that steady enterprise and perseverance would one day place me in a condi- tion to be enabled to relinquish the hardships of a sea LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 299 life, and enjoy all those social and domestic comforts which are only to be found in the endearments of home and society. November 23. — Saw the Island of Madeira ; and as we ranged up towards the centre of it, the wind being off shore, we enjoyed the balmy odors of its fragrant trees and flowers, which were sent oif by the sweeping land breeze. The weather was unusually fine, the wind fair, the sea smooth ; which, together with the delicious odors from the land, conspired to make up one of those delightful days at sea, tending to produce a kind of forgetfulness of its perils and its hardships. At sunset, the island bore north-east twelve leagues distant, from which we took our departure, and soon reached the parallel of 26° north. As we experienced a fine north-east trade wind, I chose this latitude to run down the westing. Nothing worthy of note or comment transpired to intercept the monotony which is usual on shipboard when a long series of fair winds prevails. December 19. — Being in the longitude of 66° west, we hauled to the northward, and soon perceived strong indications of change in the climate. The weather now became squally, with frequent gales. On the 27th, crossed the Stream, and, as the wind blew a severe gale from the north-east, the ship was hove to on the starboard tack, when she was judged to be inside Df the Gulf. This was a fortunate circumstance, as the gale blew with incredible fury for twenty-four hours, so that the ship was driven by its . violence to within twelve miles of Cape Hatteras shoals, when the gale broke. On the 30th of December, being in ten fathoms of water, off Cape Charles, the wind again blew a heavy gale from the north-east, and no alternative was left but to try to run the ship into the Chesapeake Bay, at the risk of being driven on a lee shore, and losing the vessel ; for no pilot had come on board, although lights had been hoisted, and guns fired, during the whole of the pre- 300 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ceding night, to attract their notice. The position of the ship was now critical. It blew a hard gale, the rain fell in torrents, and nothing could be seen ten yards from the deck; and, to add to this perilous situation, we had only nine fathoms of water. Just at this moment, Providence favored us ; the rain ceased, the mist brqjve away, and we caught a glimpse of Smith's Island. It was, indeed, but a glimpse, for it immediately shut in thick again ; but it was enough for our purpose. Close- reefed topsails were put on the ship, and I shaped a course, from the bearings of the island, to cross the tail of the middle ground in five fathoms of w*ater. Here, again, I experienced the great benefit arising from kind treatment to a ship's crew. This was an hour that re- quired all the firmness, seamanship, and activity, a crew could muster to their aid, and, I can safely say, with ours there was no flinching ; for every man did his duty with alacrity, and in a searnan-like manner. In about thirty minutes, I found all was right ; the sound- ings indicated our approach to the middle ground, and presently we struck bottom in five fathoms, as contem- plated by the bearings of the island. In a short tim«, the heavy mist which had obscured the view from all surrounding objects cleared away, and Cape Henry lighthouse was seen directly ahead ; still no pilot-boat was visible, and, as it continued to blow hard, of course the greatest anxiety prevailed throughout the ship. In this critical juncture, I determined to hazard the risk of running her into Hampton Roads; fortunately, how- ever, when the regular soundings on the Horse-shoe were obtained, a pilot-boat was discovered coming down the bay. In a few minutes, to our great relief, we received a pilot on board, ran the ship into the Roads, and anchored. The next morning, at daylight, got under way, and stood up the bay with a fine breeze from the southward ; and, on the 4th of January, 1819, anchored in the harbor of Baltimore, making the passage in forty- eight days from Lisbon. 4 301 CHAPTER XXYIII. VOYAGE TO BATAVIA BUKIAL AT SEA. The strong and powerful feelings consequent upon the meeting of near and very dear friends, after a sepa- ration of nearly four 'months, being over, I not only en- joyed the quiet repose of home, but also the society of her who was now the companion of my life and fortunes. Though much separation would, of course, be our lot, from the nature of my avocation, yet there was now an object in whom I could repose with perfect confidence, and also unite in those sympathetic feelings so dear to the human heart. Never, during the whole period of my life, did time pass so happily, and I may say so rationally, as on the present respite from the toils uponjhe ocean. No cloud presented its dark shadow, no sorrow gave a shade of gloom, and no blighting disease laid its withering spell on our cheerful hearth-side, to mar the bliss of social in- tercourse and mutual love. These were halcyon days swiftly passing on the wheels of time, destined shortly, however, to be interrupted. It was about this period that I assumed the command of the ship Edw^ard, be- longing to the same owners. Two months and a half having gone by almost im- perceptibly, the ship to which I had been transferred was once more completely fitted out for an East India voyage. The duties of supercargo being committed to my charge, created an amount of responsibility which never had before fallen to my lot, and the importance of the trust was a source of considerable anxiety to me. 302 LIFJE ON lllE OCEAN. Here, too, was a voyage before me of not less than one year, subject not only to the perils of the sea, but also to the pestilences of the torrid zone ; for it must be known that I was once more bound to Batavia. , On the 20th of March, specie, amounting to one hun- dred and forty thousand dollars, was taken on board ; and, every thing being in complete readiness, I bade adieu to my companion and friends, and once more found my way to the quarter deck of a gallant ship. The wind being fair, in a few minutes the well-known song at the windlass was heard, and then the hoarse voice of the first officer calling out, " The anchor is short apeak, sir ; lay aloft fore and aft, and loose the topsails and top-gallant sails." These orders were quickly obeyed. The sails were sheeted home, and hoisted to the mast-head, and the yards were braced so as to cant the ship's head to starboard. And again the long-drawn song was heard at the windlass, the anchor was rapidly hove up to the bows, and in a few minutes our gallant ship was standing down the river under a press of can- vass. It was one of those peculiarly bland days which frequently mark the premature advance of spring, but which, at the same time, are the precursors of a coming storm. The day was clear, and the gentle south-western breeze brought with it the mildness of latter spring ; these, together with the genial warmth of the sun, pro- duced an unusual degree of heat for this period of the season; nor was the foliage and verdure unmindful of this premature warmth, for on either side of the river might be seen the springing bud, of various hues, swelling Dut ; and grassy plains spreading forth their delightful green, — on all of which the eye might rest unwearied with pleasure. These sights along the river's banks afforded to the mind a relief which tended to dissipate a part of the gloom induced by the certainty of a year's absence. And yet this was but a transient respite. Every passing object — the numerous craft, and jolly boatmen, with light hearts and cheerful song, plying gayly towards a much-cherished home, from which we were J LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 303 now fast receding — called up more strongly the pangs of separation. Nought could now be seen, by keen affection's glance, of that home which, but three hours ago, we left, except a dark-blue spot ; and even that, perhaps, was but a fantasy of a highly-wrought imagi- nation. On coursed the gallant bark, nor heeded sighs, nor tears, nor sentimental pangs, as the increasing breeze swelled the white canvass, and impelled her more rapidly down the Chesapeake Bay. Blow on, ye winds ! nor slacken your force, nor alter your course, until half this round world is circled, and our bark is safely moored off Java's spicy isle. In thirty hours, we reached Cape Henry, and, although the weather was thick and threatening, with light northerly winds, yet the pilot was discharged, and we stood to sea. On the 22d of March, at sunset, heavy clouds rose up from the north-west, and gave strong indications of a shift of wind. Every sail was furled except the close- reefed fore-topsail. It v/as fortunate for us that we took this precaution, as the heavy north-wester struck us at 9 P. M., and blew with great violence for thirty-six hours, carrying us to the eastward of the Gulf Stream. March 25. — This was a black day in our calendar. One of the young seamen, while in the act of loosing the main-top-gallantsail, fell on the main deck, dislocated his shoulder, cut his head and mouth, and was so much bruised, that he did not speak for eleven days ; but, by great care and attention, in three weeks his bodily health was perfectly restored. This was but the com- mencement of our troubles on this voyage. My first officer, although a good sailor, was a man of no charac- ter whatever ; therefore he could neither be made a con- fidant nor companion. The second officer, although a young man of good education, was neither sailor nor officer ; consequently was unfit for the berth. The crew, which consisted of six able seamen and four apprentices, all nearly equal to able-bodied men, were very refrac- tory ; two of them having been old man-of-war's men. The cook and steward were both good colored men 304 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. Of course, it may be supposed that, with a crew and offi- cers of the above description, it required no little firm- ness and decision of purpose to establish and maintain a good state of discipline ; and, indeed, this was not thoroughly accompUshed until the homeward-bound passage ; it was then effected through the agency of sickness and death, as will be hereafter stated. Although every privilege was allowed, consistent with the duties of the ship ; and although every care was taken with re- gard to their food and diet, as well as to the comfort and cleanliness of the forecastle ; and further, no man was allowed to be called out of his name — yet, notwithstand- ing all these regulations and care to their welfare, there were some of the sailors who never manifested any thing else but the basest ingratitude. After this, the ship was exceedingly laborsome, steered badly, and scarcely a day passed, in heavy weather, that a spar, or some of the rigging, was not carried away. After a passage of one hundred and four days, we arrived in Batavia, and an-, chored in the roads. Here were a number of American as well as other vessels, waiting for cargoes. As soon as the necessary precautions were taken, such as getting awnings fore and aft the ship, sending down the yards, masts, rigging, &c., so as to screen the sailors from the heat of the sun while at work, I repaired to the shore, and procured a crew of Malays to man the boat — a pro- ceeding always necessary for the preservation of the health of the ship's crew in Batavia. It is customary for masters and supercargoes to take up their residences about three miles in the country ; this is done for the preservation of health, and is attended v/ith but little extra expense, for every person doing business is neces- sarily obliged, from the intense heat, to have a carriage always at his command. From the captain of a Newburyport ship, I learned that Mr. P., my mate, had sailed with him on the last voyage, and that he had been detected in embezzling the cargo, as well as guilty of forgery. It was necessary, therefore, as there was no alternative but to keep him, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 305 to use great precaution, and keep a good look-out upon his conduct. Consequently, I took a memorandum of all my provisions, stores, &c., and obliged him to ren- der a strict account of all the expenditiu-es, and when- ever the least particle of any portion of the cargo, was sent off, a receipt for the same was always required. In this way, I managed to keep him tolerably honest. We lay here nearly two months and a half. The crew, with the exception of one man, who was placed in the hospi- tal, were kept in good health. I had completed the pur- chases and shipping of the cargo, and the ship was now ready to proceed on her homeward-bound passage ; but as the seaman who had been sent to the hospital was considered dangerously ill, another was shipped in his place. On the 23d of September, 1819, we got under way from Batavia Roads, and stood down the Straits of Sunda. In passing Anjer Roads, we were boarded by a boat belonging to the United States frigate Constellation, which lay to an anchor in the roads. From her we received despatches, as well as many hearty good wishes for our safe and speedy passage. The weather how be- came very squally, and we did not succeed in getting clear of the straits until the 28th ; and thus our troubles had not only commenced, but from this time they began to multiply upon us! We had no sooner succeeded in gaining an offing from the straits, than four of the best seamen were taken down with fever and dysentery. The remainder of the crew were otherwise much debil- itated and weakened, from the excessive heat always pe- culiar to these climes. Day after day rolled away with- out any materia] alteration, except that one and another were alternately struck down with disease. We had succeeded in reaching the length of the east end of Madagascar, when our condition, as regarded the health and strength of the crew, was truly deplorable ; they were all completely overcome, and I shall not forget a scene which took place on a beautiful moonlight night, about this period. The ship was running along at the 28 306 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. rate of seven knots, with studding-sails set below and aloft ; nought was to be seen save a brilliant moon per- forming slowly and silently her majestic rounds, with here and there a bright star or planet, which seemed to vie with each other in sparkling refulgence, and the blue sky, which appeared to meet and kiss the fathom- less waters ; not a sound was heard except the dashing foam on the ship's bows, as she bounded o'er the wave, or the low tones of the debilitated seamen on the fore- castle, recounting some ghostly tale or bewailing the eondition of their sick shipmates. It was a moment when every other thought and reflection was hushed and absorbed in the sublimity and grandeur of the whole sceue. Looking upward and around, I neither saw, felt, nor contemplated, any thing but the power and immensity of God. A solemn stillness pervaded the ship, interrupted only, at intervals, by the low groans of the sick and dying ; for the life of poor Jack Brown — and a better or truer sailor never handled a raarlin- spike — was fast ebbing away. I had exerted all my skill in the administering of remedies, and every possi- ble care was taken of him, as well as the others; but his strength had sunk under a violent dysentery. At eight P. M., I repaired to the forecastle as usual, to bestow some little kindnesses and nourishment to the sick. I found poor Jack with his face towards the side of the ship, breathing hard. "How do you do now. Jack?" said I. With great difficulty, and with my assistance, he turned his "face toward me, and, after the fatigue occasioned by this ex- ertion, he said, in a Ioav, hollow voice, — "Captain, I am a dying man;" and after another strong eflfort, he continued — " I have a mother now liv- ing in England, God bless her ! I have been a sad fel- low, sir; — she taught me to read the Bible, and say my prayers, and gave me much good advice "; and she often would say to me, 'Don't forget the advice of her who never forgets to pray for you.' " Here the big tears chased each other in rapid succes- sion from the dying eyes of poor Jack. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 307 "O my mother!" exclaimed he; ''could thy dying son live but to make amends for all the pain and suffering he has given thee ! 0, could I but receive a mother's blessing before I die ! " Nature at this moment gave way, and he sank ex- hausted on the pillow, under the great effort he had made. The scene was too much for me ; I found the muscles of my face, and especially ray eyes, relaxing, and involuntarily turning away from the berth, would have given him some spiritual consolation, but, alas, I was not at that period competent to do so. After a pause of a few minutes, he recovered himself, and beckoned me again to his side. Putting my ear near to his mouth, he begged, in a low, tremulous tone, to be placed underneath the forescuttle, so that he might look upon the blue sky, and behold the stars ; the re- quest was immediately granted him, and he was placed in the chosen position, and for two hours steadfastly gazed on the heavens, occasionally repeating the be- loved name of mother. At 11 P. M., his sight failed, and nature was wearing away apace ; the dim light was flickering in the socket, in readiness to expire at every moment. A few minutes before 12 o'clock, he made a slight movement, as if to speak. I again placed my ear near to his mouth : he murmured out, " my mother! " These were his last words; for, just as the bell tolled the hour of midnight, the spirit of poor Jack took its everlasting flight. Then you might have seen a gathering group of sailors around his cold remains, subdued and broken in spirit, eager to perform the last sad offices to a departed shipmate. Poor Jack! he was washed, shaved, and dressed in his best suit ; and carefully, though strongly, sewed up in his hammock, and neatly lashed with close hitches, so as to secure the body in its naval shroud ; after which it was taken on deck, and laid in the launch until the time of burial. The next day, the sun rose into a perfectly clear and cloudless sky, and -over the broad expanse of waters nothing was to be 308 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. seen but an unruffled sea, and now and then a sea- gull, or a Mother Carey's chicken, skimming the swell- ing surface — the only proof that we were not alone in creation's expanse. There was an air of profound sor- row and melancholy reigning throughout the ship. Here lay the cold remains of poor Jack; and in the forecastle languished three others so ill, that we knew not what hour they would share the fate of their de- parted shipmate. It was indeed an hour of sadness, when the ship was hove to, to perform the rites of bu- rial. All hands that were able to come on deck took their stations forward of the gangway ; they were all tidy, and dressed in their best rig ; the stars and stripes were run up half-mast ; the corpse, with a bag of shot tied at the foot of the hammock, was placed on a board at the gangway, after which, thirteen minute guns were fired, and then commenced the reading of the funeral service of the Episcopal Church. It was a moment when all the finer feelings of the soul were brought into play ; the stout hearts and rigid muscles of men who had never flinched, in storm or battle, gave way in sym- pathetic woe. There was a moment's pause as I came to the period preceding the sentence — " We commit his body," &.C. I involuntarily ceased reading as I heard a deep groan from an old sailor. The sentence was finished, a deep splash was heard, and the body of poor Jack sank beneath the blue wave, there to rest until the sea shall roll its millions to the shore. After this mournful ceremony was over, all sail was again made, and we stood on our course, without know- ing, however, how soon the same melancholy duty would have to be performed to some other inmate of the ship. The weather continued fine and the wind fair; and as I was much worn down with the fatigue of the last few days, and especially as I felt an unusual degree of sadness, I concluded to turn in, hoping thereby to get my mind relieved, as well as my body refreshed. The scenes of this day had made a deep impression on me, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 309 and I deeply reflected upon the necessity of being pre- pared for the solemn and awful event, to which I had been an eye-witness. I conceived, also, that I was not only master of a ship, but, being the head of a family, I was called upon, at least, to set an example that should be worthy of imitation. With these feelings I laid me down to rest, and soon fell into a deep sleep, from which I was roused by a tremendous noise and crash, as if the ship had run high and dry upon ledges of rocks. I sprang on deck ; and, to my inconceivable astonishment, the main-topmast was gone close by the cap, and there was the topsail, topmast studding-sail, top-gallant-sail, and top- gallant-studding-sail and royal, with yards, masts, and rig- ging, all fallen forward, carrying away the light spars in their train, and splitting the fore-topsail into a hundred pieces. Here, now, Vi^as work for a weak and debilitated crew! However, it was no time for flinching. Everyman on board, that was able, set to with a will. Such, how- ever, was the enfeebled condition of the crew, that it was six days before we got the wreck cleared away, and another topmast aloft, and the sail set. As we were now on Lagullas Bank, the light spars were not sent up, especially as the late fatigue had broken down the crew, both in body and spirit. Eight men were now sick and off duty, and it nearly became a matter of impossibility to work the ship. In this sad predica- ment, we fell in with a large ship, which proved to be an English East Indiaman, bound into the Cape of Good Hope. Seeing our distressed condition, she bore down, and very humanely ofl'ered to render us any assistance we might want. I cheerfully accepted the oflfer ; and said, if they would put half a dozen men on board of my ship, I would endeavor to work her into the Cape also. The men were sent on board immediately, and in two days we were both safely anchored in Table Bay. Our sick, six in number, were all taken on shore and placed in comfortable quarters, under the care of an eminent physician. But as it was his opinion that the men would not be suf- 28* 310 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ficiently recovered to go on board in less than six weeks, I concluded to pay them off and ship others in their place, and proceed without delay on my voyage. This was accordingly done ; and, after filling up our water- casks, and laying in a good stock of fresh meat and vegetables, we weighed anchor, made all sail, and stood to sea, with a fine south-east trade wind, on the 13th of November. I pause here in the narrative, to pay a tribute of gratitude to Captain Wells, of the English East India ship Warrington. In every respect he acted as a gentle- man; and, but for his kind interposition and promptness in timely assisting me with his men, it would not have been possible for us, in our debilitated condition, to have worked the ship into the Cape. And further, I could not press upon him to accept any remuneration for the great assistance he rendered to us. His generosity and unaffected humanity proved him at once to be a whole- souled sailor and a gentleman at heart ; and as such I shall ever remember him with gratitude. As usual at this season of the year, the south-east trade winds blew fresh and steadily at one point, and nothing of great importance transpired, to interrupt the usual sameness of a sea life, in fine weather and a long course of fair winds. During the passage down to the line, I discovered, for the first time, a defect in my sight : I believed, at first, it was temporary — owing, perhaps, to some obscurity of light in the cabin ; this, however, proved not to be the case. The defect was real, attrib- utable to the fact, that I had measured the distances of celestial objects, in order to determine the longitude, with an inverted telescope. This work being often repeated, of course it was laborious to the organs of vision ; this, together with much exposure in hot climates, affected the optic nerve. The diminution of sight, however, at this period, was so trivial, that I felt but little alarm at ulterior consequences. On the 18th of December, we crossed the equinoctial line, in 35*^ west longitude, and it was with great pain LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 311 that I ascertained as truth what I had some time conjec- tured, viz., that the sailors whom I had shipped at the Cape were English man-of-war's men, exceedingly mu- tinous in their conduct; and, what was still worse, I found that the mate was partially leagued with them. It was, however, fortunate for me, that I had a passenger from the Cape, a young Englishman, stout and active, and of great muscular strength. In him I could place the utmost reliance ; he promised to stand by me in every emergency. In consequence of the unofRcer-like con- duct of the mates, matters continued to go on worse and worse ; until, at length, the disrespect, and ignorance of duty, of the second mate, authorized me to break him, and confine him to his state-room. Thenceforward, from indications shown by the men, I was every day in expectation that an open mutiny would break out. In this event, I could rely upon none except my young English friend, and the cook and steward. Of course, there would be a fearful odds against us. I was not disappointed in my conjecture. It seems that the 25th of December (Christmas) was the time set apart by them to have a blow-out, as they called it, having saved their allowance of grog, for a number of days, for this express purpose. My usual custom was, to have no work done either on the fourth of July, or Christmas-day, but that Avhich was actually necessary — such as making or ta- king in sail, bracing the yards, (fee. ; so that on this day, after the decks were washed and the sails trimmed, the men were given to utiderstand that all unnecessary work would be dispensed with. Every thing was quiet until the hour of dinner, at which time the grog went round ; and, as a consequence, boisterous mirth in- creased very soon to confusion, and the noise became so great that it was necessary to put a stop to it. About this period the wind hauled, and I ordered the mate for- ward, to turn the hands up to trim the yards, set stud- ding-sails, &0C. He went, and quickly returned with the answer, that they refused to do their duty : I saw that the crisis had now arrived. Arming myself, therefore, 312 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. with a brace of pistols, — the young Enghshman doing the same, — and giving the cook and steward their orders, I jumped forward, and ordered the men on deck. They all rushed up in a body, and, with oaths and impreca- tions, swore they would do no more work until the second mate was put on duty. I once more ordered them to brace yards, and on their refusal I fired a pistol over their heads, when they immediately rushed to the quarter deck ; but here they were met by my friend, the Eng- lishman, and the cook and steward, with handspikes. I discharged my second pistol, which took effect in the fleshy part of the arm of one of the villains, and disabled him. My friend had discharged both of his pistols without effect ; not so his fists, for they were better than any pistols; whenever a man came within the reach of his arm, he was sure to be knocked down. The cook and steward played their part well, ^o that in about fif- teen minutes the mutineers begged for quarters ; and thus we completely subdued the mutiny without the aid of the chief mate, who, during the whole of this law- less riot, stood a silent and quiet spectator on the quarter deck, purposing, as I supposed, to join the victorious party, whichever it might be. The men now were quite humbled, and returned to their duty with submission. They promised, if this affair was overlooked, that, for the future, they would give no occasion for a repetition of the same punishment. In reply, I stated that their behavior and good conduct should govern me in my future course towards them. During the remainder of the passage they conducted themselves with propriety, and^ although we encountered intense cold weather, and many hard gales, yet every man did his duty cheerfully without murmuring or flinching. On the second day of February, 1820, we took a Chesapeake pilot, and en- tered the bay with a fine southerly wind, which carried us up. On the 3d, at 2 P. M., let go our anchor in Bal- timore harbor, after a most tedious and unpleasant pas- sage of one hundred and thirty-three days. 313 CHAPTER XXIX. INDIA VOYAGE CONCLUDED — VOYAGE TO NEVT ORLEANS AND LIVERPOOL CONDUCT OP CAPTAIN B., &.C. It may be well said that a sailor's life is a continued scene of excitement. When the vessel which carries him over the trackless deep leaves the land of his birth, and the objects of his affection and solicitude, then fol- low the pangs of separation. When homeward bound, there are a thousand emotions of pleasure springing up in his bosom, which none but a seaman can realize. Fair weather and foul, storms and calms, all conspire to keep his mind in an uninterrupted state of agitation. Thus, when on shore, unless immersed in what he terms pleasure, he is quickly satiated, and sighs again to be rolling over his chosen element. Scarcely had the greetings of affection (after an ab- sence of one year) subsided, and the usual and custom- ary salutations of friendship passed away, ere I was again summoned to get the ship in readiness to proceed to Amsterdam, without delay, with the same cargo. It may be supposed that, after so long an absence, it was no ordinary trial so soon to part with my family and friends ; but a sailor has no command of his time, neither can he choose such voyages as would be most agreeable to his inclination. If this were the case, one half of his days would be spent on shore without employment. The ninth day after my arrival from the East Indies, I was again in complete readiness for sea, with an entire new crew. On the 13th of February, after exchanging the most painful adieus with my family and friends, with a heavy heart I found myself on the ship's quarter deck. The 314 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. topsails and topgallant-sails being hoisted to the mast- head, the fasts were cast off, — in a few minntes she was rapidly sailing over the smooth water, down the river, with a fresh westerly wind. In two days from this period, we were clear of the land, scudding away to the eastward, with a heavy north-west gale. It may be suf- ficient to say, in regard to this passage, that we had an uninterrupted continuation of gales, high seas, and heavy, boisterous weather ; our decks were swept, the long- boat was stove, many of the sails were split to pieces, the fore-topmast and fore-yard were sprung, and the jib-boom carried away close to the cap. Such was the extreme state of the weather, it being intensely cold withal, that we had to subsist on raw provisions for many days : the sea making almost a continual breach over us, it was impossible to cook, or keep a fire in the caboose. In twenty-five days, to our great satisfaction, we got soundings in the chops of the English Channel, at which time the weather moderated ; and in twenty- six hours we took a North Sea pilot, off Dover. The wind continuing fair, we passed the GoodAvin Sands, and in four days were safely moored alongside the Hel- der, in the port of Amsterdam. ' After the usual forms of entry, &c., were made, we commenced to discharge our cargo forthwith, which was all completed, and the ship ballasted and ready for sea, in sixteen days. On the 11th of April, got under way from the Texel Roads, (having lain to an anchor wind-bound for eight days,) and stood to sea. We had not proceeded far down the North Sea before the wind hauled round to the westward, bringing fresh gales and rain, which lasted eight days ; after which the wind veered to the eastward, and gave us a fine run down the Channel. On the 22d of April, at meridian, a departure was taken from the Scilly Isles, and at sunset they had quite disappeared, and once more we were upon the broad ex- panse of waters, bounding over the blue ocean towards our much-loved home. My mind had now become more deeply impressed than ever with the nature of my LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 315 perilous occupation, liable every moment to be launched into eternity. Of late, I had made a constant practice of reading the Scriptures ; and by the light they reflected upon my mind, I saw evidently that my condition was unsafe, because I felt and believed that I was a sinner, and, as such, was justly exposed to the wrath of God. Then, again, the vast amount of goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, which had been extended towards me by the Author of my being, all strengthened the be- lief, that I was the most ungrateful of men. These and similar exercises brought a renewal of that deep convic- tion which I had experienced on a previous occasion, and I resolved, if I was spared, to lead a new life. These resolutions once formed, I felt comparatively easier in mind, especially as I had latterly, and more particularly on this voyage, endeavored to impress on the minds of the crew their moral responsibility to God and to them- selves. It was a source of much satisfaction to see the men generally engaged on the Sabbath day in reading the Scriptures, tracts, &.c. The general deportment of the crew, on this passage, was vastly different from that of any other set of men with whom I had been connect- ed during the last fourteen years ; and, without relaxing in the least in the discipline of the ship, the seamen uniformly obeyed every command cheerfully, and dis- charged their duty promptly. The winds inclining to hang to the northward and westward, I resolved again to make the southern pas- sage ; and nothing material transpiring to contribute ad- ditional interest to the narrative, I shall pass over the remainder of this passage, without giving a monot- onous detail, and will carry the reader along with me to the Chesapeake Bay, which was entered on the second day of June ; afterwards, we had light, baffling, westerly winds, which obliged us -to remain at anchor three days, affording a fine opportunity to paint, clean, and strip the ship of all her bandages, so that we might enter port in ship-shape order. On the 5th, the wind coming in from the southward, we weighed anchor, made all sail, and stood up the bay. 316 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. In twenty-six hours she was made fast alongside the wharf in the port of Baltimore, making the passage in fifty days. Thus was the East India voyage closed ; and thus, also, were my services closed in this employ, for the following reason, viz., I had neglected, at the commencement of the voyage, to have a written agree- ment in regard to the compensation I should have for transacting the business. Of course I was entitled to commission ; but the owners thought proper to substitute the sum of five hundred dollars instead of the regular commission allowance, which would have amounted to three thousand five hundred dollars. These, then, are the reasons why I left the employ. Possibly it would have been for my interest to have remained, especially as it was not generally known whether the merchants had displaced me, or whether I had left them of my own accord. I was not very anxious to embark again immediately, for, as it will be seen, I had been constantly employed for the last two or three years, and it was but natural that I should feel a strong desire to remain on shore with my family for a short time, to enjoy the social and domestic comfort of which seamen are so long and so frequently deprived. Circumstances now tran- spired which are not necessary to relate, but which called upon me to use every exertion, not only to sustain my reputation, but to maintain the social relations that I was bound to uphold. To remain idle was not very congenial to my temperament, or my peculiar situational this time ; consequently, employment was sought for, but not so readily obtained, because I had a weight of interest exerted against me by my former employers, which at length obliged me to accept of a first officer's berth, with a promise of command at the expiration of one voyage. Accordingly, I repaired on board the ship H., and discharged the duties devolving on my station, such as taking in cargo, (fee. The destination of this voyage was as follows, viz., from hence to New Orleans, and from thence to Liverpool ; to return to Orleans, and L.1FE ON THE OCEAN. 317 from thence to Baltimore. The ship being in complete readiness, with crew and passengers all on board, we sailed on the 2d of November, 1821. I should have passed by this voyage in silence ; but as there are circumstances connected with it different from any which have been related in this narrative, I shall give as brief a detail as the nature of those cir- cumstances will admit, and, in doing so, 1 shall en- deavor to divest myself of all prejudice, either to the captain or crew. Having a fine, fresh north-west wind, we soon ran down the Chesapeake Bay, discharged the pilot, and went to sea, November 5th. . By this time I had an opportunity to make my observations on those with whom I ■ was to be associated for at least eight months ; and the result was not of the most pleasing kind. Captain B., an Irishman by birth, was about fifty years of age ; and although he had followed the sea for many years, yet he was not a sailor. Proud and over- bearing, he endeavored to keep his officers at a distance ; and as to the sailors, in his estimation they were but little elevated above the brute creation. The height of his ambition appeared to be in painting, scrubbing the decks with holystones, and employing the steward in some trifles, such as cleaning brass, tins, &c. He was exceedingly vain, of his own person, which was short and thick, — stooping very much, from disease in the back ; with a broad, Irish face, large nose, and eyes that seemed ready to pop out of his head, and a mouth which, when spread, occupied nearly the diameter of his beautiful face ; his legs were short, and his feet might be fitly compared, for beauty and symmetry, to those of a Liverpool dray-horse. " Clothed with a little brief authority," he exerted it on all occasions ; and his chief delight appeared to be to make the situation of the officers and crew as unpleasant as his ill-temper and disposition could suggest. As a proof of this, immedi- ately after leaving the land, the crew were put on an allowance of provisions and water, with orders to keep all hands at work during the who}e day. He endeav- 29 318 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. ored to ape the gentleman, with the passengers ; but it was with such an ill grace, that he failed in the attempt, and he was despised by them. I shall leave him for the present, and say something in relation to the second officer, and crew. Mr. N. was a young man, just out of his time in seamanship ; was not above mediocrity ; indolent in disposition, exceedingly iUiterate, knowing not how to govern himself or command others. The seamen, generally, were disposed to be obedient ; but the ungenerous and unfeeling treatment of Captain B. in- duced a spirit of insubordination and murmuring, so that it was not without great difficulty that I managed to have the unjust orders of Captain B. executed. We had not been many days at sea before I discovered that our noble commander knew very little about navigation — in fact, he had run the ship ten degrees to eastward of the Hole in the Wall, when in its latitude, so that the ship was hove to, three nights in succession, with a fair wind and fine weather. The passengers now be- came exceedingly uneasy ; and, as the owner's son was on board, he requested me to take a lunar observation, saying that he would take all responsibility on himself I complied with this request, and determined the ship's position, which was found to be correct when we made the land. It may be supposed, after this, that the pas- sengers had no more confidence in the abilities of Cap- tain B., as a navigator; for, upon all occasions, I was consulted, which, by the way, proved to be most unforr tunate, for all the malevolent passions of this little great man were levelled at me. But he soon found his vitu- peration was entirely harmless ; and when he ascertained that he could efi'ect his purposes of revenge in no other way, he accused me of drunkenness. This foul slander was easily rebutted, for he was proved to be a liar by the passengers and his own steward, and the most sov- ereign contempt fell upon himself. Immediately after our arrival at New Orleans, in con- sequence of the cruel usage towards the crew, they all deserted. I demanded m^'' discharge; but to this the LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 319 owner's son (who was the consignee) would not listen, •^s'^uring me that, if I would perform this voyage m the 5hip, I should have the command on her retmni: with 'his assurance, I consented. i •, j She was loaded with cotton, for Liverpool, and sailed January 7th, 1822. After the most extraordinary short passage of twenty-four days, we arrived in Liverpool Dock. During the whole of this passage, Captain B. and myself did not exchange a single word together, except as he gave some order pertaining to duty, which was answered by the simple monosyllable of yes or no. The men were used more like galley-slaves than tree- men Besides working hard all day, they were frequent- ly called up two or three times in their watch below at night having continual gales and heavy weather to con- tend against. As in New Orleans, so it was in Liver- pool for we had not been in dock more than twenty- four'hours, before the crew all deserted. The ship was discharged, but did not obtahi a homeward freight until March. Among other things which came on board with the stores and furniture, were six holystones, three of which had iron rings at both ends, and weighed nearly two hundred pounds each. Upon examination, I ascertained that we had barely beef and pork enough to last forty days; this was reported to the Captain, when he replied that it was all-sufficient. March 3. — We hauled out of dock, had a fine run down the Irish ChanneL and steered away to the south- ward, for the Antigua passage. The whole time I spent on board of this ship, thus far, had been as disagreeabxe as can well be imagined ; but the past could bear no comparison with what followed. Eight days had scarc^e- ly elapsed since our departure from Liverpool, when the sailors were put on short allowance of beef and pork ; add to this, all hands were employed two days in the week holystoning tlie decks with those immense stones before mentioned, that required six men to drag thein about. On field-days, all the spars, water-casks, &c., were milashed, and the decks scrubbed in their places ; and, 320 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. to make up the climax of drudgery, as usual, all hands "were kept at work during the entire day. It may well be supposed that my situation was not the most agree- able in the world ; but a seaman can fully conceive what kind of a time I had of it, being necessarily obliged to enforce the orders of Captain B. Although, from my heart, I pitied the men, yet I was often com- pelled to resort to severe chastisement, in order to get the work performed. In a word, to sum up the charac- ter of Captain B., he was cruel, overbearing, mean, and dastardly. When, according to his calculation, we were to make the islands which form the Antigua passage, he was again far out of his reckoning, and hove the ship to, four nights, with a fair wind. At length he humbled himself, and asked me to take a lunar observation. I complied with this request, and, according to the result, we made the land, and arrived at New Orleans after a passage of forty days. As the ship was to proceed to Baltimore forthwith, I determined to remain in her, although it might be at the expense of my feelings and comfort. As a proof that I have not exaggerated, in reference to the character of Captain B., and his general treatment to his men, it m.ay be sufficient to say, that, immediately after we made the ship fast alongside the levee, at New Orleans, every sailor left the ship. On the 12th of May, cast off from the wharf and dropped down the river, and in thirty hours I was again on the broad ocean, homeward bound. Nothing mate- rial transpired during this passage. In fourteen days we arrived in Baltimore, and made fast alongside the wharf. I am happy in being able to state, that, during a life of fourteen years upon the ocean, — and of course I have sailed with many commanders of various temperaments, — the conduct of this last man was a manifest exception to all the others ; and it would be no marvel, if such were the general character of sea captains, that mutiny and insubordination were the general characteristics of sailors. This, however, is not the case ; there are many, very many, honorable exceptions ; and I have never LIFE ON TUK. OCEAN. 321 known a commander, who was a good seaman, to be tyrannical and overbearing. Capt. B. was immediately discharged upon our arrival, and the command was given to me. In consequence, however, of the yellow fever raging violently at the time, the ship remained at the wharf unemployed during the whole summer. In the mouth of October, I assumed the command of the ship Chauncey, four hundred tons' burden, and bound to the Pacific Ocean. It will be seen that my stay on shore was of longer duration than it had been for many years ; and as domestic cares had by this time begun to multiply, I found more difficulty to sever those strong associations which entwined around the affections of mutual love. How much is there in a sailor's life which acts upon him as so many sources of sorrow and disqui- etude, — especially if he be united to one that is capable of appreciating a sailor's love, and one, too, that is a sharer and sympathizer in all his joj^s and sorrows, anc" can feel for his perils and hardships ! This, then, waa exactly my position ; and notwithstanding I had been privileged to remain with the objects of my affection nearly four months, yet, as the time approached for sep- aration, I felt more deeply the anticipated privation which 1 was called upon to endure. The ship requiring many repairs, — such as calking, sheathing, coppering, (§j;,c., — consequently, she was not ready for sea until the first of December, at which time her lading was all completed, and she was in readiness for a two years' voyage. Let me digress here, to give some account of the ship, her owners, and the supercargo, in order that the circumstances connected with the ensuing voyage may be better comprehended. As before stated, she was about four hundred tons' burden, originally built for a privateer ; but, as peace was proclaimed before she was fitted out, she was risen upon with heavy up- per works, her iron fastenings were drilled out, and she was refastened with copper, &c. The ship was very sharp and very weak, her upper works being too heavy for the lower frame. Her principal owner was a Scotch- 29* 322 I/IFE ON THE OCEAN. man, proverbially close and penurious, as may be seen from the following account : The crew of the ship consisted of nineteen souls ; he made a calculation for ninety days' passage from hence to Lima, with the cus- tomary allowance of beef, bread, and pork, for each day. This amount was stowed so as to be at hand when wanted; but the remainder of. the provisions for the voy- age was, according to his orders, stowed underneath the cargo. Remonstrance was useless. The supercargo was a young German, a relative of one of the owners ; he had procured a greater part of the cargo on consign- ment ; he spoke the English language badly, and did not understand a word of the Spanish. The hour for sail- ing drew nigh, and, with a heavy heart and painful emotions, the last interview was now about to take place. It was short and sad, for already the topsails and top-gallant-sails were at the mast-head ; the keen north-west wind blew piercingly ; blue Peter, at the mast-head, fluttered, and the stars and stripes were quiv- ering in the breeze. The time for parting at length came. For a moment I faltered ; but in the next might have been heard the melancholy accents of bidding adieu. I hurried out, saw nothing, heard nothing, and felt nothing, until I found myself on the quarter deck of the ship Chauncey. All were on board ; the single fasts were slipped, and anon she was sailing rapidly down the river. In two (^ays we anchored at New Point Comfort, the wmd being to the eastward, with dark, threatening weather. Here we had a fine opportunity to fill up our water-casks, and to procure a good stock of fresh pro- visions. As the wind continued a-head for several days the spars, water-casks, and boats, were all well secured; the chafing-gear — such as battens, mats, leathers, &c.' — were seized on in their respective places, and the ship was now completely bandaged for a long cruise. 323 CHAPTER XXX. VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC DANGEROUS LEE SHORE AND PROV- IDENTIAL ESCAPE. Before leaving our anchorage, I had a fair opportunity of ascertaining the cliaracter of my crew ; which consist- ed of eight able seamen, a carpenter, six young men (all of respectable connections) as ordinary seamen, cook, and steward ; first and second officers, with myself and supercargo ; being twenty-one in number. Thus far, I had reason to be well satisfied with them. In prosecut- ing this voyage, I put in execution what I had long con- templated. I took no liquor of any description on board ; and, with the exception of a few bottles of wine belong- ing to the supercargo, I had reason to believe that there was none fore and aft the ship ; in the place of which, however, I allowed the men tea, coff"ee, and sugar, and they were all well satisfied with the substitute. As I had now the entire command and control of this ship, I determined to institute such regulations, and observe a mode of treatment to the crew, that would make their time to pass as happily as the nature of a sea life would admit. My first officer was an educated man, and a good sailor ; the second officer was an able seaman, hardy and rough, active, and always ready to execute the commands of his superiors. Before we got under way, the watches were chosen, and the rules and regu- lations for the discipline of the ship were made known to the crew. On the morning of December 7th, the wind sprang up from the north-west, and by the time we got the anchor weighed, it blew a strong gale. The ship's head was canted to starboard, and we ran down to the Capes 324 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. under a reefed foresail. It was with much difficulty and great hazard that our pilot got on board of his boat, and at 10 A. M., we passed Cape Henry lighthouse, scudding, at the rate of eleven knots, under reefed fore- sail. At meridian, it continued to blow violently ; and, as it is customary in every well-regulated ship either to sound or pump the vessel out, the carpenter was now ordered to sound the pumps ; to my great surprise, he reported that there were two feet of water in her. This was a source of great mortification, especially at the commencement of a long voyage ; and the more so, be- cause there is no circumstance that causes more distrust and discontent among sailors than a leaky ship. It now became necessary to keep one pump constantly going in heavy weather, and every hour in moderate weather. By dint of a little tact and management, pumping soon became a matter of course with the seamen, and was performed as cheerfully as any other part of the ship's duty. As a passage similar to the present has been de- scribed in the first part of this work, I deem it advi- sable uot to swell these pages with a repetition of un- necessary detail. Permit me, therefore, to transport the -eader from a sight of Cape Henry lighthouse, with a .ard north-wester blowing, over different oceans and varied climes, and through all sorts of winds and weather, calms and gales, to a position off the Falkland Islands, near Cape Horn, after the very short passage of sixty- four days. All now was on the tiptoe of expectation, believing that we shor.id double this boisterous Cape without much difficulty. I had, hov^^ever, taken the precaution to get the ship snug, and in perfect readiness to encounter adverse weather in this region ; and, in my opinion, this is what every good seaman ought to do ; for no sooner was the ship's head pointed to the south- west, off Staten Land, than it commenced to blow vio- lently from west-south-west. The ship was put on the starboard tack, and it blew so tremendously that noth- ing more than storm-trysails and double-reefed foresail could be carried. Now our troubles began to multiply LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 325 upon us. For thirteen days it continued to blow an incessant gale from west-south-west to south-west, with high seas and severe hail-squalls : during the whole time, neither sun, moon, nor stars, were seen ; in addition to this, we had now been out nearly eighty days, and it became necessary, for the reasons stated at the com- mencement of this voyage, to reduce the allowance of provisions ; and, what was still worse, we had lost near three hmidred gallons of fresh water by the bursting of two casks ; so that each man's allowance was now re- duced to half a pound of salt beef, or pork, three quarters of a pound of bread, and three pints of water, per day. To be sure, we had plenty of beans, peas, and rice ; but then there was no fresh water to cook them in. Thus were we reduced to this scanty allowance at a time when we stood most in need of nourishment and sufficiency of food; and this state of things, too, was brought about by the cupidity and avariciousness of one of the owners. From the closest calculations I could make in reference to the position of the ship at this period, — having had no opportunity to get observations either of sun, moon, or stars, — I judged her to be to the westward of the westernmost point of land off the Cape ; but on the morning of the 26th February, while lying to on the starboard tack, under the trysails, in a hard gale from the south-west, land was seen four points on the weather bow and two points on the weather quarter, while the whole ice-bound coast of Cape Horn stretched along on our lee-beam. Thus we were nearly land-locked, on a frightful lee- shore, in a heavy gale of wind, with a leaky ship. The land on the weather bow proved to be the Island of Diego Ramirez, that on the weather quarter, St. llde- fonso Rocks, and that on the lee-beam was the coast of Cape Horn. No alternative was now left, but either to run between Diego Ramirez and the coast, or to set a press of canvass, and endeavor to beat off shore. Either of these resorts would be attended with great peril and danger. I resolved, however, to choose the latter, so that 326 LIFE ON THK OCiZAx'i. I could have the former — that is, to ran through the channel, if there were any there — as a last resource. The close-reefed main-topsail and reefed foresail were now set upon the ship. With this additional sail, she bounded over the high sea, making little more than two points and a half lee-way. With what an anxious heart, and still more anxious eye, did I note the bearings of the land ! but alas ! the sea rolled so heavily that it forced her to leeward, and she drew in with the laud. The close- reefed fore-topsail was now set, and with this pressure of head-sail she plunged into the sea, as" if goaded to madness by the additional weight of canvass ; and fre- quently the jib-boom, bowsprit, and part of the fore- castle, were under water, while the dashing foam from over the bows, and the heavy, roUing sea, broke fore and aft the deck. It was four o'clock, and the ship was now on the larboard tack. Diu'ing the previous part of the day, she had been pressed with canvass almost beyond the power of her strength, and the gale still blew with unabated violence. The rocks, piled with moimtains of ice, were not more than one mile and a half distant, directly on the lee-beam. With these dangers in view, all hands were summoned to the quarter deck. " My lads," said I, " you perceive the situation of this ship ; we have been carrying a hard press of canvass all day, and yet we have lost ground, and are much nearer the rocks now than we were in the morning ; night is coming on, and it will be worse than useless to attempt to beat off shore in this gale of wind ; we must now wear ship, and stand off under a press of canvass, and should the wind favor us two points, we shall weather Diego Ramirez ; but if the wind should break the ship off, why then we must run through the channel between the island and the coast. There are some sunken rocks laid down on the chart, but, with a good look-out, we may clear them. You see, then, our salvation depends much on your firmness and activity. Let there be no confusion or insubordination ; away, then, to your sta- tions, and stand by to wear ship ! " ■l|i|li|!iP'PW T '» Ifliii/f LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 327 This order was promptly obeyed. The lee fore-tack was stretched along to the windlass, and the braces were manned. " Are you all ready fore and aft ? " " Ay, ay, sir ! " was the reply. " Put your helm up, and round in the after yards ! " The main-topsail shook violently. " Square away the head-yards ! " The ship immediately paid off before the wind, and for a few minutes ran as if driven by a thou- sand furies : presently, however, she came up, and took the wind on the starboard quarter. " Haul in your lar- board braces fore and aft ! — heave down the fore-tack, and gather aft the fore-sheet — right your helm — belay all, and steady out the bowlines." The ship came up to the wind, but its violence hove her down nearly to the quick-work. " She has come up two points, sir," said the helmsman. Thank God, said I, inwardly, — two more points and all is safe. " Away there, aloft ! my lads ; loose the main- sail, and reef it." The first officer looked me directly in the face, as much as to say, " She will not bear it, sir." " She must bear it," cried I, " or the masts shall go out of her, for there is no alternative." The mainsail was loosed and reefed, and the weather clew-garnet was slacked down, while the tack was hove down with the windlass ; then the sheet was hauled close aft. With this broad sheet of canvass in her centre, she dashed through the foaming billows with her lee-gunwale under water. Her head now looked up four points to windward of the island, but darkness was gathering fast upon us. The bearings of each point of land were accurately taken and noted ; and now, to add to the disasters of this fearful night, the lee-pump would not keep the ship free, and the spirits of the sailors began to sink. At ten P. M., the gale moderated, and, the ship being more upright, the weather pump was rigged, and she was soon free. By this time I judged we were nearly 30 328 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. abreast of the island. I was not mistaken in my conjec- tm'e, for as the wind lulled, the roaring of the breakers dashing against the rocks was heard. At midnight, it fell away entirely calm, and the sound of the breakers became clearer, and more distinctly heard. Perilous as had been our situation during the whole day, it was now rendered infinitely more so, by this dread calm. There was not a breath of air, and the ship becom- ing quite unmanageable, she was driven by the heavy south-west swell directly toward the rocks. There we lay until the morning broke. During the night, nothing was heard but the roaring noise of the surf, whicli broke like an immense cataract against the rocks, inter- mingled occasionally with the screams of numerous sea- fowls, which had sought shelter from the storm. A sight the most appalling presented itself that can pos- sibly be imagined ; there we lay within three cables' length of the rocks, upon which the sea broke as high as our topmast-heads, without a single breath of wind ; the heavy swell was forcing the ship nearer and nearer, every moment, to certain destruction. The cables and anchors were entirely useless, for there was no bottom with a hundred and sixty fathoms' line ; the boats, too, were of no service, on account of the tremendous high swell. It was a moment of deep and painful suspense. In twenty minutes, without any wind, the ship would be dashed into a thousand pieces, and all hands would be in eternity. I thought on my home and the dear objects I had left behind. I thought on that Being whom I had so often offended, and inwardly ejaculated a prayer for mercy. The seamen were silent and solemn, and had prepared themselves, by taking off every thing but their shirts and trousers,- to buffet the angry breakers before them. We had, previously to this, set every sail that we could get on the ship, so as to catch the least puff of air that might pass by. Now we were within one and a half cable's length of the rocks, and the wind from the rebounding breakers, falling heavily upon our canvass, forced the ship ahead twice her length. The LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 329 sun rose clear, and not a cloud was seen in the heavens as the glorious orb ascended upon his daily round. A light cat's-paw came dancing over the glassy bosom of the deep, directly off the land. The yards were quickly trimmed, the light sails shivered and swelled out from the masts, and, ere long, the whole surface of the water was raffled with the increasing breeze. The topsails, as if relieved from violent labor, fell asleep. She starts — she moves through the water — she is safe ! In fifteen minutes she was running, with topmast and lower stud- ding-sails set, at the rate of seven knots per hour, directly from the land. We sat down that morning to our homely meal, overpowered with gratitude to Almighty God, for this extraordinary act of his mercy, in deign- ing to grant our deliverance from a violent death, and preserving the ship in safety. The breeze lasting six hours, I took the precaution to get an offing. It was well I did so ; for at 8 o'clock the same night, it blew a gale from the south-west, and the ship was under close-reefed topsails. From the heavy pressure of canvass carried on while beating off shore, the ship had strained considerably, and increased the leak, insomuch that one pump would not keep her free. Fortunately, however, the second day after leav- ing the land, while the cook was getting up wood from the fore-peak, he discovered one of the breast-hooks to work, and the water pouring in through two of the boat fastenings. Upon examination, it was found that all the bolts which secured this breast-hook were iron, and that the copper had eaten them away, leaving nothing but the iron rust in the bolt-holes. Long wooden tree- nails were made, wound round with tarred parceling, and driven into every bolt-hole ; a shear was then fitted, one end of which was placed on the breast-hook, and the other end against abeam ; in this way it was strongly secured, and, to our great joy, the leak was so far stopped as to make it necessary to pump only once in two hours. But our troubles were not yet at an end. The wind continued to blow a gale from west to south-west for 330 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. several successive days, so that it was impossible to get to the westward, and it became necessary once more to reduce the allowance of bread and water — say one quart of water, and half a pound of bread, daily, per man, for seven days. Such was the severity of the weather, that the cook was unable to make any fire in the galley; consequently, we had to eat raw beef and pork, which made our thirst intolerable. On the eighth day after leaving the land, the wind moderated, and it fell away calm. The heavy south-west swell went down, and in the afternoon a rolling swell came up from the eastward. From the indications of the weather, I supposed we should soon have an easterly gale ; and before darkness closed in upon us, the topsails were close-reefed, the courses were reefed and furled, with the mizzen-topsail, jib, and mizzen, so that the ship was now under two close-reefed topsails and fore-topmast-staysaii. My sup- positions were correct; for at 8 o'clock the wind sprang up from the eastward, and before ten it blew a violent gale. The main-topsail was clewed up and furled, and we scudded away to the westward during the whole night, with the close-reefed fore-topsail, at the rate of eleven and twelve knots per hour. 331 CHAPTER XXXI. CONTINUATION OF VOYAGE ARRIVAL AT CALLAO VISIT TO LIMA, &C. The ship was, by computation, in latitude 56° 30' south ; and, as we had run sufficiently far to the west- ward, at daylight in the morning we steered away to the northward, so that, by twelve o'clock, her course was north-north-west. In eight days from this period we were in sight of the Island of Juan Fernandez. It was my intention to stop at this place, and fill up the water ; but, at 2 P. M., the cheering cry was heard, from the mast-head, of " Sail ho ! " At three o'clock we spoke the United States' frigate Constellation, Com. Ridgely, bound to the United States, from the Pacific station. I went on board, and was necessarily obliged to state to the commodore our condition and wants. After bestow- ing some hearty blessings on the owners of the ship, he very politely supplied us with two hundred gallons of water, and three barrels of bread. This seasonable sup- ply precluded the necessity of touching at the island ; so we continued our course towards Lima, where we ar- rived in eight days, and anchored in the harbor of Cal- lao March 25th. 1823, making the passage in one hun- dred and eight days from the Capes of Virginia. Here were a number of British, French, and German vessels, and the market was completely glutted with all kinds of merchandise peculiar to those nations. Flour, however, was in great demand, in consequence of the crop having entirely failed in Upper Peru and Chili. We lay here three months, during which we did not sell more than one third part of the cargo. Our next destination being to the intermediate ports of Peru, then 30* 332 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. in the possession of the royalists, and which were in a state of blockade by the Peruvian government, — of course we remained here for convoy, which was expect- ed every hour from the United States. I took this op- portunity of visiting Lima. Like most, of the other Spanish cities, some of the buildings were large and magnificent, having a court-yard forming a square, the passage leading to which is through a massive folding gate. The greater part of the buildings are of a most ordinary kind, and the streets are narrow, very much confined, and exceedingly dirty. The churches, many of them, are very large, and formerly were famous for their riches, particularly the cathedral, the altar of which was made of beaten silver ; the candlesticks, and the other embellishments, of pure gold ; but since the revo- lution, these riches have nearly all been removed, and coined into money, to carry on the expenses of the war. I visited, also, the Pantheon, or repository for the dead, which is situated at a small distance outside of the city. This place contains about twelve acres of land, with a wall, built in the form of a circle, Avhich encloses all the ground ; this wall is ten feet high and seven feet thick — not unlike the parapets of a fortress— built of stone ; and there are three receptacles, or holes, one above the other, sufficiently large to admit a coffin, each height being three feet apart. The bodies remain here until they are entirely decomposed, when the bones are taken out, piled up into large heaps, and burned. The higher class of persons have splendid tombs erected in the ground, wherein they bury their dead, and from whence they are never removed. At the entrance of this charnel-house, there is a large chapel, which on no occasion is used, except for the performance of funeral rites. This place is unlike any other part of Lima, as it is well construct- ed, and kept in the most perfect and neat order. Lima is situated seven miles north of Callao, a place hut a short distance from the site where old Callao stood, which, it will be remembered, was destroyed by an earthquake about eighty years previous to this period. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 33H With the exception of one man, every soul perished, and every house and building sank, and was swallowed up, in this awful catastrophe. I visited this spot, and, although the country around was exceedingly fertile, yet here was neither verdure, shrub, nor spire of grass, —the whole surface being one entire bed of ashes. The extreme tops of some of the houses are yet to be seen. It fell to my lot, while here, to be a witness of one of these dreadful earthquakes : it happened at night, about ten o'clock, while I was on shore. Many houses were knocked down ; and, while I was endeavoring to get to my boat, the ground rolled, and undulated, like the waves of the sea; for several minutes I found it impos- sible to proceed ; at length, however, I reached the boat, and found the men in the deepest consternation. They informed me, that, for a few moments, the water had retired sixty feet, and then rushed back with incredible rapidity, sweeping all before it. I did not remain on shore, after night, during the whole period of our stay. The United States' ship Franklin, Commodore Stew- art, at length arrived, and we made application for con- voy to the blockaded ports, which was immediately granted. In three days after, we were under way, bound to duilca, under the convoy of the Franklin, and, on the seventh night, anchored off that port. Here we dis- charged nearly the whole of the cargo, by order of the supercargo, for which I required him to endorse the bills of lading. The merchandise was all sent to Are- quipa, the capital of Upper Peru. The intention of the supercargo was to remain at Arequipa, in order to effect the sales of the cargo ; and his orders to me were to proceed forthwith to Valparaiso, and remain there until further orders from him. From my observations on the character and competency of the supercargo, I foresaw that this would be a ruinous voyage; on the strength, therefore, of this belief, I insisted that every order from him to me should be given in writing, which was ac- cordingly done. In eleven days from duilca, we an- chored in the port of Valparaiso, and there discharged 334 LIFE ON THE OCEAN, the remaining part of the cargo, according to order. We lay in this port nearly four months, and, during this period, there was a slight shock of an earthquake once a day, for forty days in succession. I embraced the op- portunity, while here, in company with several of the officers of the Franklin, to visit Santiago, the capital of Chili, and the famous springs of Caukennes. Santiago is situated about ninety miles north-east of Valparaiso, and is one of the most beautiful cities in Spanish America. It is built nearly at the base of the first range of the famous Cordilleras ; the climate is generally temperate, although it is sometimes very warm. Ice has never been known to make in the city, and yet every day presents to the vision the sublime and mag- nificent sight of the perpetually snow-topped and ice- bound mountains, to which the muleteers ascend and bring loads of ice upon their mules, — one of the great- est luxuries in warm weather. Although the buildings of this city are neither so large, nor so magnificent, as those of Lima, yet they far surpass them in neatness and beauty. They are generally rough-cast and white- washed, which gives them an air of the most perfect cleanliness. The streets are wide, and also clean, and are laid out at right angles. There seemed to exist a corresponding congeniality throughout the community, for the inhabitants were more sociable, and more hospita- ble to strangers, than any Spaniards I had evec met with. After remaining here one week, we proceeded to the springs, a distance of one hundred miles from Santiago. On this route we were obliged to take guides, as our course lay sometimes through forests, without any cer- tain marks to distinguish the way. It was a journey full of interest. Travelling the greater part of the distance at the base of high mountains, it was not unusual to see a volcano every ten miles. It was a sublime sight, in the dusk of the evening, to behold these burning mountains sending forth liquid flames of fire. The sec- ond day, at four o'clock, we arrived at the banks of the River Hatchapal, from whence may be seen, on the other LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 336 side, on an elevation of about one hundred and fifty feet, the small settlement of Caukennes. Here we dismount- ed, and the guides led our horses across a swinging bridge, made exclusively of hides ; after which, in about half an hour, we arrived at our journey's end. These springs are famous for the cure of epilepsy and scorbutic eruptions. They vary in temperature, from SO'^ to 160° Fahrenheit. Many persons resort to this place from . all parts of Chili. Bathing in them is said to be a perfect cure for the diseases above named. As there were none of our company diseased, we remained here but one day, and then started again for Santiago at five in the morning ; and, incredible as it may appear, we arrived in Santiago at six o'clock the same evening, changing our horses three times, and resting two hours in the heat of the day — thus having travelled a distance of one hun- dred miles in eleven hours. After remaining here a few days, we proceeded im- mediately to Valparaiso, where I found Mr. V., the supercargo. He informed me that he had obtained a cargo, and forty passengers, at Arequipa, for Cadiz, and that we must proceed forthwith to give the ship such repairs as were necessary, with provisions, stores, &c., and then repair immediately to duilca, where the cargo and passengers. would be in readiness. Now, as this place was in a state of blockade, and as there were none of our men-of-war here at present, great risk would be incurred in attempting to enter that port without a convoy. Again, the expenses of an out- fit for this expedition would be very great ; and, without some guaranty to cover the expense and risk, I believed the whole expedition to be perfectly unjustifiable. I learned from Mr. V., however, that he had no guaranty whatever, except the bare word of the Spaniards. I remonstrated with him upon the great uncertainty which would attend the whole of this enterprise ; all was in vain. He gave me written orders to fit the ship out as before stated. Two surveyors were called by the United States' consul ; and their reports were, that the ship must 336 LTFK ON Tllii OCEAN. be calked, coppered, and that she must have a new mizzen-mast, with some new sails, &c. This was ac- cordingly done — which, together with the provisions, stores, &c., amounted to the enormous expense of six thousand dollars. Every thing being now in complete readiness, we got under way from Valparaiso, without convoy, and, in a few days, were oif the port of duilca. As none of the blockading squadron were seen, we ran in, and came to an anchor. Mr. V. went on shore ; and, to his great surprise and mortification, learned that neither cargo nor passengers were there. This was what I had expected. Written orders were received from him to get under way, and cruise off and on for fifteen days, at the expi- ration of which the ship was to come into port ; and, in the mean time, he assured me, that the cargo and passen- gers would be in readiness to be taken on board. Ail this was done, in accordance with, his commands ; but when the ship reentered the port, neither cargo, pas- sengers, supercargo, nor letters, were waiting for me. Here, then, I was, in a blockaded port, liable every hour to seizure. In this dilemma, I sent an express to Mr. V., at Arequipa, but received no answer. Seven days passed away, during which three expresses were sent, but with no better success, for no tidings could be heard of him. On the eighth day, at 2 P. M., a sail was seen in the offing ; but, as it was quite calm, she could not get in, neither could we get under way to go out. Believing the sail to be one of the blockading squadron, every preparation was made to defend the ship as long as pos- sible. Before night closed in, we ascertained the sail to be a schooner, and, as such, I did not fear her much, as we had six guns and twenty good men. At eight o'clock a boat was seen approaching the ship, which was or- dered to keep off, but, after some expostulation, she was permitted to come alongside. Permission was granted to the officer of the boat to come on deck ; he proved to be an Englishman; said that he belonged to the Peruvian man-of-war outside, and that he had been LIFE ON THE OCEAN, 537 sent by his commander to inform me that this port was under a state of blockade by the Peru\rian government, and that, as I had violated it, of course I must consider the ship as a prize to the Peruvian schooner Lorenzo. I repHed, that the strength of the vessels must be tested before I could think of giving up my ship. He was then ordered into his boat, and away they went. All hands lay at quarters during the night; and in the morning, at daylight, the schooner was within half a mile of us, pulling in with her sweeps; when about three hundred yards distant, she lowered and manned her boat ; at the same time, we manned two of the ship's boats. I took charge of one, and gave the other to the second mate, leaving the first mate on board, to use the large guns should they be needed. As soon as ilie schooner's boat pnUed off, we pulled away also in our two boats. I gave orders previously to the second mate that, when we were abreast of the schooner's boat, we must close in and capture her, and then immediately board the schooner. It was the work of but a few minutes. The Spanish boat was captured without re- sistance, and we boarded the schooner under the cover of our own guns. This being done, I ran her in and anchored her astern of the ship, spiked her large gun, threw all her small arms and ammunition overboard, and moored her boats alongside of the ship. The schooner was detained until we were ready to sail, and then their vessel was given up to them. The detention of this vessel may perhaps be thought an unwarrantable proceeding ; but it will be recollected that my ship had been convoyed by the United States' ship Franklin to this port after the declaration of the blockade, so that I had sufficient proof that the Ameri- can authorities in these seas did not acknowledge it. I had not only a right to defend my ship, but also to put it out of the power of the schooner to capture or surprise us in any way ; and further, it will be seen that neces- sity compelled me to do this, as the schooner had fifty men and one long twelve-pounder on a pivot — a fear- ful odds against twenty men and six small guns. 338 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. Seven days more passed away, and no communication was received from Mr. Y., although I frequently heard that he was dashing away in great style with a Spanish lady, whom he afterwards married. Now, to remain here any longer would be exceedingly hazardous, be- cause some one of the large vessels composing the blockading squadron was hourly expected ; and as forty days had passed away since we first came down to this port, and there being no probability whatever that any thing would be done by the supercargo, — weighing all these considerations maturely, I resolved, in order to save the ship, to proceed immediately to the United States. Accordingly, the next day, June 3d, 1824, after letting the schooner free, weighed anchor, made all sail, and stood to sea, homeward bound. I shall, for the sake of brevity, pass over the space of five weeks, and conduct my reader once more along a vast tract of ocean ; and if he is not tired with a stormy and cold region near to the South Shetland Isles, I will again place him on board the ship Chauncey, surround- ed with fields and islands of ice, in the latitude of 58 de- grees south, on the 12th July. It will be recollected that this is the depth of winter in this region, daylight con- tinuing only about four hours, and the meridian altitude of the sun about 13 degrees. The situation of the ship at this time was perilous in the extreme. At daylight in the morning, after we had gotten into the field ice, no end could be seen to it from the mast-head. For- tunately, however, it was broken into pieces of various sizes, with mushy ice between them. No pen or im- agination can describe the horror of this situation. The intensity of the cold may be conceived from the fact, that Fahrenheit then stood fifteen degrees below zero at the entrance of the cabin. The great danger arising from the probability that the ice would cut our ship through, increased our fears ; add to which, the uncer- tainty when we should get clear of the ice, and the positive certainty that we could not exist a long time in 3] LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 339 this cold region. Despair evidently appeared in the countenances of the crew ; and, although death stared us in the face, yet it was not a time for me to flinch or falter. For the space of a few moments, alone in the cabin, I commended myself and crew to the care and mercy of that God who had so often delivered us from danger, and whose eye never slumbers nor sleeps ; after this, every fear seemed to vanish, and I consulted with the officers as to the best method of protecting the ship from the ice. This was done by running a grass cable round the bows of the ship, and lashing it to the bow- sprit shroud-bolts. Two-inch planks were then placed up and down, and secured to the same bolts, near the water's edge ; then a large, rough spar was run out to the end of the bowsprit, on the end of which was a strong strap ; to this was hooked a tackle from the end of the bowsprit, so that, by hoisting and lowering alter- nately, it might break the ice ahead of the ship. After all these preparations were made, to shield the bows from being cut through, I resolved to make as much sail as possible, to press the ship through the ice, and steer away to the northward. This was accordingly done as long as daylight would permit. At sunset, how- ever, no clear place was seen ; and she was pressed through the ice until midnight, when the sails were furled, and we lay by until half past nine the next morning, that being the time of daylight. The wind now blew a pretty strong gale from the south-west, and the ice was undulating like the waves of the sea, while the sea-fowl, among which were huge albatrosses, gathered around us in great numbers, as if instinctively awaiting the hour of destruction, to seize upon us for their prey. In vain we strained our utmost vision to behold a clear place of blue water ; alas! no joyful sight of this kind was visible. Once more sail was made on the ship, and again was she pressed through the ice throughout the day. At sunset, not only our ears, but our hearts, were saluted with the cheering and joyful intelligence, from the mast-head, that a clear place of 340 LIFE ON THK OCEAN. bine water, two points on the larboard bow, was in sight. Darkness closed in upon ns, before which, however, the bearings of this clear place were taken. We steered directly for it, and before midnight we reached it, when the ship was hove to. The next morning, it was all clear away to the northward of us; and, by twelve o'clock that day, the ice — both field and islands — was far away to the southward and eastward. The cable, planks, and spar, were all taken on board ; a press of cauvass was set on the ship ; " and at sunset, there was no ice to be seen from the mast-head. We had a fine run round the Cape, and passed to the eastward of the Falkland Islands. The peculiar cir- cumstances by which we had been surrounded for the last few days, and the great deliverance which had been wrought out for us, not only made a deep impression on my mind, but also acted upon those of the seamen; many of them became serious and thoughtful ; and I had reason to believe that the impression made upon their minds, in consequence of the many difficulties and perils through which we had passed, produced salutary effects, at least with some of them. For my own part, I was more deeply convinced than ever of the necessity of a thorough change in heart and life, in order to be at all times prepared for the various casualties consequent upon a sea life. The wind continued strong and fair, and the ship bounded over the blue ocean at a rapid rate ; nor was there any cessation until we had crossed the equinoctial line, and reached the parallel of 12^ north, when six days of interminable calm, with all its train of anxieties, were endured ; after which, the north-east trade wind sprang up, and carried us into the variable latitude; and, with but little intermission, we took the wind to the southward, which ran us into the Chesapeake Bay, ninety-one days from Q^uilca. In two days we anchored in the port of Baltimore, after an absence of nearly two years, making the passage in ninety-three days. It may be supposed that no small degree of astonish- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 341 merit existed among the owners when this ruinous and disastrous voyage was made known to them. Of course, I came in for a share of the blame ; and yet, there was no transaction connected with this voyage (except the fact of my assuming the responsibility to return home with the ship) for which I could be justly censured, having acted in all respects according to the letter of my instructions, and having, also, written orders from Mr. V. for all that had been done. It was exceedingly fortunate for me that the bills of lading were receipted, by Mr. V., or the shippers would have made me respon- sible for their property. Thus ended a voyage full of privations, hardships, and perils, alike ruinous to the own- ers and shippers — for, with the exception of eighteen thousand dollars, not one cent was ever received from the supercargo, who married and settled at Arequipa, soon ran through with all his means, and closed his career among Spaniards. How necessary, in view of this statement of facts, together with many other similar circumstances which I have before stated, that commanders of vessels should make themselves capable of transacting the various busi- ness of any and all voyages they may be called upon to prosecute ; and I am thoroughly convinced that, in one half the ruinous voyages that are made, the loss is owing, principally, to the utter incompetency of the supercargo intrusted with the management. 31* 342 CHAPTER XXXII. RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS AND HAPPY RESULTS SAIL FOR HA- VANA AND SOUTHERN PORTS RENCONTRE WITH PIRATES ONBOARD THEIR CAPTURE AND DELIVERY TO THE AU- THORITIES OF NEW ORLEANS. The solemn impressions made on my mind by the many perilous circumstances in which I had been placed, were strengthened by the fact, that, in many instances, human friendship exists in just the same ratio as temporal interest is served ; and, again, that no permanent or lasting happiness can be enjoyed apart from that feast which is only within the province of religion to bestow. The necessity of its enjoyment, therefore, now became the primary object of my pursuit ; and, although I felt the pride of my heart a serious obstacle to its accomplishment, yet, so deep and power- ful were the convictions of my mind in reference to the unsafely of my condition, that even this obdurate pride did not prevent me from making use of the means, both public and private. In this state of mind, therefore, I waited, in expectation that, through the medium of fese channels, I should receive the desire of my heart. When, therefore, the great deep of my soul was broken up ; when I realized the imbecility of my own power to save ; in a word, when I felt that Jesus Christ had can- celled the debt which I had incurred to divine justice ; and when faith laid hold upon him as my only surety, — then it was that joy and gladness sprang up in my soul, the burden of sin was removed, and I felt a peace indescri- bable, and heretofore unknown. Nor was this state of happiness confined exclusively to myself. The one of all others, whom I desired to be a sharer of the same blissful feelings, had, long before my arrival, obtained a like precious faith. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 343 The ship Chauncey was again loaded and ready for sea, bound for Havana ; we sailed on the 25th of Octo- ber, and arrived at the latter place on the 7th of Novem- ber. The cargo was immediately sold, and a good offer obtained for the ship, which was accepted, and she was accordingly sold for the benefit of all concerned. In the course of three weeks, I was again in the enjoyment of all the comforts of domestic and social life, and resolved, if possible, never to subject my- self again to the whims and caprices of men who knew not how to appreciate the hardships and perils of seamen. With these feelings uppermost in my mind, I purchased a sharp schooner of about a hundred tons' burden, and obtained a freight for the Havana ; my intention being to employ her between that port. New Orleans, and one other of the southern ports in the United States. Having now the sole control of vessel and cargo, of course I was at liberty to adopt such regu- lations as my judgment dictated ; and as the religion of the Bible is an expansive principle, and breathes good- will to all men, so I determined to institute its forms on board of my vessel, and disseminate its precepts among the seamen under my command. The schooner being ready for sea, we sailed the beginning of January, 1825 ; and from the commence- ment of this voyage — although the cross was heavy, for 1 had some old, refractory sailors to deal with — I had prayers twice in the week, and worship twice on the Sabbath day. By a judicious and proper treatment towards the sailors, the great difficulty which I had anticipated, to induce them to conform to these rules, very soon vanished ; and I am confiident, from expe- rience, that, if due regard be observed to the feelings and comforts of seamen (and this may be done without relaxing in the least from a good state of discipline) while on shipboard, they may be brought under reli- gious impressions with greater facility than landsmen. The good effects of the observances of religion were abundantly manifest in some of the seamen during 344 LIKE ON THE OCEAN. the voyages I made in this vessel, and particularly so in time of danger and peril, which existed to an alarm- ing degree ; for it must be recollected that, at about this period, the ocean swarmed with pirates, who were com- mitting great depredations about Cuba and the Gulf ofn Mexico. fl It so happened that, on one of my voyages from Havana to New Orleans, I had taken nine Spanish passengers, and a young American midshipman, who once belonged to Porter's fleet, and who had been wounded in a boat-skirmish with the pirates. This young gentleman was going to join his friends in New Orleans. He understood the Spanish language, and spoke it fluently, as well as myself. After getting under way from Havana, and stretching over to the Tortugas Bank, the young midshipman, while I was aloft, watch- ing the manoeuvres of a vessel then in sight, over- heard the Spanish passengers concert a plan to take the schooner that night, throw all the crew overboard, and then run her into Galveston, which at that period was a rendezvous for pirates. They were not aware that the midshipman understood the Spanish language ; consequently, their most barbarous intentions were learned from their own lips, and communicated to me by the midshipman, — they supposing, of course, I was ignorant of their diabolical plans, and that we should fall an easy prey, because there were but eight of us altogether, and they calculated that one watch alone would be on deck. I made the crew acquainted with the intentions of the Spaniards ; and, although there was no weapon on board except an old sabre, yet I made the following disposition, in case of an attack : four sailors were armed with handspikes, and commanded to walk the deck during the night ; the cook, a very stout colored man, was ordered to fill his coppers full of water, and keep it at boiling heat, so that, in the event of a rush of the Spaniards, he was to drench them with the scalding water ; the mate was placed at the helm with a rigger's large marlinspike ; and I took charge of the whole concern with the old sabre in hand. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 345 In order that the reader may better understand all the m.anoeuvres, I will state as clearly as possible the plan laid by the Spaniards, As is commonly the case with all sharp, schooners, ours Jiad a long trunk, in the forward part of which was a hatchway leading into the steerage, where the Spanish passengers slept. One of the hatches was usually adjusted in its place, and the other hatch placed on top of it. The plan concerted by the Spaniards was, to have one of their number sleep oil deck, on the starboard side of this hatchway, and another on the larboard side, while a third was to sleep on a hencoop which extended across the whole breadth of the deck abaft the tiller ropes : and the remainder of them were to go below, as usual. The signal for the attack was as follows : the Spaniard who slept on the starboard side was to give three raps with the ringbolts as a signal for those below to rush out and overcome the sailors, and the one who slept on the larboard side, at the same instant, was to kill the officer of the deck, while the third, who slept on the hencoop abaft, was to silence the man at the helm. With the deepest anxiety, I waited the attack until midnight, when the Spaniard on the larboard side arose and walked forward. At this point, I cautioned the mate to watch the Spaniard abaft, and, if he moved or showed any disposition to an attack, to knock him in the head with his marlinspike. I then placed a man with a handspike by the side of the cook, and ordered th(nii, in case the Spaniards below attempted to rush on deck, to get the other hatch on, if possible, and fasten them down, or, if they found this to be impracticable, then to use the handspikes, and • administer the hot water as copiously as they chose ; but in no case what- ever was this to be done unless they first made the attack. I then went forward where sat the large Span- iard on the forescuttle with his capota thrown around him. At this moment, the preconcerted signal was given by the Spaniard abaft. My antagonist before me rose 346 LIFK OiN THt UCKAN. and drew his knife, which I immediately struck out of his hand with my sabre. Finding himself disarmed, he begged for mercy. It was the work of a moment to throw him down the forescuttle and bar it upon him. Rushing aft immediately, I found the cook had made good use of his boiling water, for, while the Spaniards attempted to gain the deck, they encountered,' to their utter astonishment, the scathing of this terrible and irresistible weapon, causing them to retreat as rapidly as they had advanced. After some further resistance on their part, we succeeded in getting the hatch on, and securing them below. The two remaining Spaniards, who were now on deck, and who were the most promi- nent actors in this tragical scene, seeing that all their plans were frustrated, like dastardly cowards fell upon their knees and sued for mercy. They were tied hand and foot, and lashed down to the ringbolts on deck. In the morning, at daylight, I made them come up one after another, and lashed them in the same way I had the others. Two of them had been considerably scalded, and I had inflicted a small wound on the wrist of the miscreant who had drawn his knife upon me. After they were all well secured, and lashed to the deck, their trunks and baggage were examined, and the contents consisted of pistols, dirks, knives, and carbines, with all sorts of balls, buck-shot, and a large quantity of gun- powder. With all these proofs against them, it may be thought singular that 1 did not make them walk the plank. There was a time perhaps when, in the heat of excite- ment, such atrocities would have met with summary punishment; fortunately, however, my judgment, in- fluenced by a higher power, triumphed, and their lives were spared in the midst of this wild scene of excite- ment. In four days we arrived at New Orleans, and after a protest was entered, these pirates were delivered up to the proper authorities ; but such Avas the influence exerted by the Spaniards and French at this period in this place, that very little could be done with these mis- LIFK ON THE OCEAN, 347 creants in order to bring them to that condign punish- ment which they so richly deserved. Five voyages were made in this schooner between Havana, Matanzas, and Charleston, South Carolina; and it will be unnecessary to enter into all the mmu- tise and detail. I would state, however, that, with very few exceptions, the officers and crew remained with me nearly every voyage, and I had the satisfaction to believe that the moral feelings of the seamen were in some degree advanced by the course which was adopted on board of my vessel. After many hair-breadth escapes and dangers, and after having been hard chased by the pirates, I shall conclude this series of voyages by giving a description of a piratical chase off the Double-Headed Shot-Keys, on the last voyage. Let the reader take passage with me from Charleston, South Carolina, as far as the Salt Key Bank, and then imagine himself to be on board of a sharp schooner, under a heavy press of canvass, with a fair wind, having just cleared the Double-Headed Shot-Keys, and steering away south-west for Matanzas. If he can place himself in the position before stated, he will have a tolerably correct idea of the chase in view. At meridian, the seaman at the mast-head was ordered to take a good look around the horizon, and then come down to dinner : he reported nothing in sight ; but as I never felt perfectly composed in mind, when in the neighborhood of this region at this period, I went aloft myself, and soon discovered a sail about six points on the larboard bow, standing directly for us, and so close that the men could be distinctly seen on her decks, with a spy-glass. By a little manoeuvring I soon ascertained that she was any thing but a friend. Our studding-sails being on the larboard side, they were shifted so as to bring her on the starboard tack, and prevent the strange sail from cutting us off, which appeared to be her object. She was a large sloop under a very heavy press of can- vass, and had closed in with us so much (not being more than gunshot off) that we could distinctly see her deck 348 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. full of men. Up to this time we had stood, on our course ; but it now became necessary, from the suspicious-look- ing character of the strange sail, to haul away from her, and try our rates of sailing. Our yards were accordingly trimmed so that every sail would draw. The very mo- ment that we altered our course and hauled off from the sloop, she ran up a large red flag, emblematic of a pirate, and let us have a shot, which fell at a little distance astern of us. Our situation now was critical : if perchance her shot should cut away any one of our spars, of course we should be taken, and no doubt all of us put to death, as many others had been. Resistance would be worse than useless, because there were but eight of us. Still I had a long French six-pounder mounted on a very high carriage, so that it could be elevated above the rail. The pirate now appeared to gain upon us slowly, which seemed .to have a powerful effect upon the crew. The schooner was then trimmed with all possible exactness, by running the gun aft, and placing the water-casks amidships. Again all was silent ; the one in chase let slip a shot which fell on our starboard beam. The yawing and discharging her bow- chaser had the effect to drop her a little astern. For twenty-minutes she was narrowly watched, and it be- came evident that we were now gaining upon the rascal ; exasperated, doubtless, on seeing we were outsailing him, he opened a brisk fire upon us. Fortunately, however, but one single shot took effect, which cut away the quarter-piece. It was now our turn. Being positive that we could outsail him, the stars and stripes were run up to the peak, and we gave him a shot from Mademoiselle Maria, as our gun was christened by one of the sailors. The pirate continued to chase us about one hour and a half, (nor was he sparing of his shot so long as we were within reach,) at the expiration of which wc had gained about two miles, and, as the breeze was fresh, the pirate gave up the chase, hauled upon a wind, and stood av/ay for the Double-Headed Shot-Keys, which was a rende?- vous for piratiol cruisers at this period. We kept oh LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 349 the same course until the pirate was out of sight from the mast-head, and then hauled in for the Cuba shore, so that, if possible, we might get into the Bay of Matan- zas before morning ; calculating that the pirate, seeing the course we steered when he fell in with us, would naturally judge that we were bound to Matanzas; con- sequently, he would endeavor to get close in shore, so as to intercept us the next morning. I was not mistaken in this conjecture. The schooner was run close into the land; and, although the Pan of Matanzas was seen, yet the night was so dark that it was impossible to enter the bay; as soon, therefore, as we had" run within mus- ket-shot of the shore, every sail was lowered, in order to elude the vigilance of these miscreants. Thus we lay until the morning dawn first appeared in the eastern horizon, and then all sail was made, there being a light breeze from the land ; but when the morn- ing light chased away the mist of darkness, there lay our antagonist, the pirate, about three quarters of a mile distant, directly on our beam. In a few minutes he was under a cloud of canvass, and, to our great mortification, the land-breeze died away, and the sea-breeze began to set in lightly, with overfalls and cat's-paws. This, of course, brought the pirate to windward, with the advan- tage of a breeze in his favor, when we were the mean- while becalmed ; occasionally, however, with an over- fall, the wind would strike full into our sails, while his were flapping the masts. In this way the wind con- tinued to baffle about for half an hour, after which it sec in steady and fresh ; but the pirate had gained at least a quarter of a mile upon us. The Bay of Matanzas, however, was now open, and into it we steered under a press of canvass, the pirate following close at our heels, keeping up at the same time a brisk fire ; nor were we very slow in returning the like civilities. Immediately after we hauled round the point at the entrance of the bay, one of his shot passed through our mainsail, when Mademoiselle Maria, primming up, returned the compli- ment by cutting away his bumpkin and rail. The 32 350 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. chase now became severe, and for a short time our safety was exceedingly doubtful ; in consequence of which, I ran the schooner within pistol-shot of the beach, being determined to run her on shore rather than risk our lives in the event of capture ; but as our shot had thrown them into some confusion, and as we had now reached abreast of the first fort, the pirate, dis- charging the contents of his large gun loaded with grape and round shot, hauled his wind and stood out of the bay, while we ran in and came to an anchor in the harbor. It may be remarked that the general supposition was, at this time, that a greater part of the piratical vessels in these seas were fitted out in Matanzas, and this may account for the fact, that no notice was taken by the fort of the pirate which chased us within two hundred yards of it before he hauled his wind ; and further, pre- viously to my leaving this port, the very identical pirati- cal sloop came in as a sugar-drogher fro;ii Havana, hav- ing, at this time, only four men on board. We lay here about two weeks, and then took in a full freight, and proceeded to New York, where we arrived after a passage of twelve days. The cargo was all dis- charged, and a liberal offer being made for the schooner, she was sold; and very soon afterwards I found myself again surrounded by ray family and friends, with a grate- ful heart for h; ving been delivered from so many dan- gers and perils during a year's absence. From the exposure to the heat, and the great anxiety which had fallen to my lot during the last year, I per- ceived a sensible diminution in the strength of my vision. It will be recollected that I had navigated those seas which were infested by pirates of the most san- guinary and bloody character, and the heart sickens not only at the recital, but at the reflection, of the numerous atrocious murders committed by Gibbs, and his asso- ciates, about this period. Being for a year constantly in the vicinity where those outlaws -"^ere carrying on their bloody tragedies, it may be supposed that my mind was LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 35 in a constant state of excitement and anxiety. These circumstances, then, connected with the heat of the cli- mate, and the frequent exposure endured with the eyes, sensibly affected the optic nerve, and produced, as before stated, an incipient state of inflammation, and a partial deprivation of sight. It became necessary, therefore, to enter upon a course of medical treatment, which was accordingly submitted to ; and happily, so great a benefit was experienced, that I was again in a condition lo pur- sue my vocation on the ocean. Once more, then, lam in command of one of the most beautiful models of a vessel that ever floated on the ocean — I mean a Baltimore clipper schooner, of one hundred and forty tons' burden, with proportions as scrupulously exact as if turned out of a mould. The workmanship was in all respects as neatly executed as if intended as a beautiful specimen of cabinet excel- lence ; her spars were'in perfect symmetry of proportions with the hull, and she sat upon the water like the sea- bird that sleeps at ease on the mountain billow. The destination of this beautiful craft was a hazardous one, because it was in the vicinity of those seas infested by pirates, viz., the Gulf of Mexico. Her intended employ- ment was, mainly, to bring specie from thence to the United States. She was well armed and manned, and, like some aerial being, as report had it, would outstrip the wind. December 20, 1825. — Being ready for sea, the wings of this beautiful craft were spread to the breeze, and in a few minutes, with noiseless speed, like a swift dolphin, she was skimming over the bosom of the river, bound to Campeachy, Lagnna, and Tampico, in the Gulf of Mexico. In twenty-six hours, we had not only dis- charged our* pflot, but we were out of sight of land, scudding away with a brisk north-west gale, and in two days and a half we crossed the Gulf Stream. So great was the transition from the extreme cold weather in the bay, that now we could not bear the weight of our winter clothing. 353 LIFE ON THE OCEAN, The crew, sixteen in number, were stout, able sea- man, and the officers were young men of some educa- tion, and active, fearless seamen. The same rules and regulations in reference to morals and religious obser- vances, and the same judicious treatment, were adopted with this crew, as enforced on my last voyages. I soon perceived that great respect and deference were paid at the usual periods of our devotion, and profane language was banished from use ; and, as I have before stated, no spirituous liquors were permitted to be used, but, instead thereof, small stores, such as tea, coffee, sugar, &c,, were abundantly supplied. The good effects of this measure were incalculable ; no jarring or wrangling, no debilitated frames, or inability to discharge the duties of the vessel, were known among the crew ; they were cheerful and obedient, prompt in the execution of every command, ready and willing at all times to defend the officers and vessel at the risk of their lives. In such a crew I had the most unbounded confidence, and could trust them in times of the greatest hazard and peril ; and perils did transpire, as will be seen hereafter. The wind continued fair, and I had not been deceived in the reports of the schooner's sailing ; in fact, it seemed like enchantment when, on the morning of the sixth day after leaving Cape Henry, we struck soundings on the Bahama Banks, and passed the Moro light on the seventh night. The speed of her sailing was almost incredible ; and, with a fair chance, I did not fear any vessel that floated the ocean. In ten days we arrived at the small port of Sisal, in the province of Yucatan, the capital of which is Merida, situated about forty miles south-west of the port town. The port of Sisal — if it may be called a port — has no shelter whatever, and is exposed to the whole sweep of the Gulf, and the n*orthers, which blow with great vio- lence. The place has a custom-house, and a large fort, garrisoned with about fifty soldiers. About forty houses, miserably constructed, constitute the town. Their mode of living would indicate an arrear of a century, at LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 353 least, in civilization. A long pier, or wharf, strongly constructed, extends out a hundred feet beyond the surf, which roils in heavily. On this pier is first landed the merchandise, which is afterwards to be transported by the Indians to the custom-house, a distance not less than a quarter of a mile. After discharging a part of the cargo here, we proceeded forthwith to Campeachy, La- guna, and Tampico, at which several places the re- maining part was discharged, and specie, indigo, cochi- neal, and logwood, were taken in for Baltimore, where we arrived, performing the voyage in seven weeks, and loaded immediately again for the same ports. Six voyages were made in this vessel ; and as I have detailed a general account in the first, as regards the different ports, and the nature of the business, I shall content myself with detailing exclusively the more prominent circumstances which transpired during the remaining voyages. 32* 354 CHAPTER XXXIII. PIRATICAL CHASE AND NARROW ESCAPE RELIGIOUS SCENE AT SEA, &C. As on the former voyages in these seas, so now, the mind was in a continual state of excitement and anxiety with conflicting perplexities; the most prominent of which were the danger of the pirates, the difficult navi- gation, and the surrounding hazard and peril while lying in port in the Gulf. With all these embarrass- ments to contend against, it acted upon my physical frame, and upon my sight, detrimentally. On the second voyage, when outward bound, and while cross- ing the Catouche Bank, running under easy sail at nighty to avoid a dangerous shoal, and also being overbur- dened with anxiety, I remained on deck until midnight. Relieved by the chief mate, I gave him strict orders to keep a good look-out, not only for the shoal, but also for any vessels which might come within sight, and in the event of falling in with any, he was to call me immediately. The schooner was at this time running under the foresail alone, the other sails being lowered down, but not furled. I threw myself on the locker below, and was soon lost in sleep, from which I was aroused by the mate informing me that there was a sail close on our weather beam. I sprang on deck immediately ; but the stranger had already kept away, and was close under our stern, afid the first thing with which I was saluted was a musket-shot, which came whizzing aboul our ears, and passed through the foresail. The strangei rounded to under our lee, and presented one of the most frightful specimens of a piratical craft that I had LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 355 ever witnessed. He hailed in broken English, ordered me to heave to, and he would send a boat on board. Perceiving at once that the commander was either no sailor, or that he had mistaken the character of my ves- sel by running his craft to leeward, I took advantage of his ignorance. My men were stationed, some at the main-halliards, others at the fore-topsail and jib-halliards ; and as soon as his boat was swinging in the tackles over the side, they had orders to hoist the sails up with all possible despatch, at the same time the most profound silence was to be observed. I knew this was our only chance, to make the best of our way, and then run the hazard of her fire ; for if the pirate's boat was permitted to come on board, all would then be lost. Therefore, I preferred the chance of having some of our spars cut away, or even the loss of some of our lives, than to give up the vessel with the absolute certainty that the whole of us would be sacrificed by these atrocious marauders. At length the looked-for moment came ; the pirate's boat was swung in the tackles over the side, our sails went cheerily aloft, and in,a fevir minutes our beautiful craft was bounding over the smooth sea at the rate of ten knots per hour. Q,uickly there was a broad sheet of flame issuing from the pirate's bows, and whistling came the deadly shot, which fell at least a quarter of a mile ahead of us. My lads were all firm and undaunted. It was a moment that called for energy and decision of character. Shot after shot passed over us, but as yet none had done any execution ; and as it became necessary to increase our speed, in order to get out of gun- shot if possible, orders were given to get the square-sail aloft, ease oif the main-sheet, and run the long nine- pounder aft. These orders were instantly executed; and, v/ith the additional press of canvass, she, like a dol- phin when hard chased by the ravenous shark, seemed to jump out of the water; for she was now running off twelve knots, and the pirate, as the shark, sped on in full chase, under a cloud of sail, keeping up the while a brisk fire with single shot ; but as the distance be- 356 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. tweeii us was increasing every moment, and the pirate,' no doubt, becoming exasperated at our superior sailing, vawed, and gave us his whole broadside, which cut away the lower studding-sail boom, and one shot passed through our square-sail. This was his last success : for by the time he hauled up again in our wake, and fired his next shot, it fell short of the mark. Then we re- turned his coaxing civilities in compliments of his own heart's choice, by letting him have a shot from our long nine-pounder. It could not be ascertained whether the return-favor did execution, or was pocketed as a gross affront ; but, nevertheless, the wild steering which fol- lowed was conclusive that the pirate must have been thrown into confusion by some circumstance transpiring at the moment when we fired. In fifteen minutes from this time we were far beyond the reach of his shot, and continued to run under a press of canvass during the remainder of the night. The next morning our unwel- come companion, the pirate, was not to be seen. This voyage was concluded in safety, notwithstand- ing there were many circumstances connected with it of an exceedingly perilous character. The unerring hand of Providence was always stretched forth to deliver me, not only from butchery of the pirate, but also from the appalling storms with which we had to contend on the coast of America. It may be worthy of remark — as has before been hinted at — that the same crew and ofiicers, with the exception of one, remained with me during five succes- sive voyages, notwithstanding so much hazard was connected with them. Indeed, the moral state of feel- ing which seemed to have taken hold of the seamen was as remarkable as it was gratifying. Fearless in the hour of danger, they were consistent and serious in those hours set apart for devotional exercises ; and at the same time, they were under the most perfect state of discipline, as their coolness and intrepidity exhibited, in the many trying circumstances which we were called upon to pass through, and as will be further seen by the following narration. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 35# On the fifth voyage, after having discharged all the outward cargo, and having completed the lading of our retnrn cargo at Campeachy, nothing was wanting but the papers from the consignee, to be in readiness to sail. I shall have to digress, in order to give the read- er an idea of the harbor of Campeachy, so that he may the better comprehend the situation of my vessel in the perilous incident which I am about to narrate. The harbor of Campeachy has but little depth of water, and is not capable of admitting vessels that draw more than six feet; consequently, those of a heavier draught are necessarily obliged to anchor two or three miles from the landing, or city. This was my situation ; and, as before stated, being ready for sea with the excep- tion of my papers, I went on shore in the afternoon with the sea breeze, intending to go off with the land breeze, which generally sets in about ten o'clock at night. I had not been many minutes in the counting-house of my consignee, when a stout Spaniard, bearing the ap- pearance of a seaman, entered ; and, taking Mr. M. apart, made the "following alarming relation, which was im- mediately communicated to me, viz., that a plan had been matured by eighty Spaniards, to go off that night in two vessels, and capture the schooner, and that these miscreants had made application to him to make one of the party. It being now four o'clock, the safety of my vessel and the lives of the crew depended entirely upon my getting off that night by ten o'clock, because those on board would not be aware of this diabolical plot, and of course would be unprepared to give them a proper reception. The sea breeze still blowing fresh, it was impossible to get off in my own boat with but two hands. There was a boat close by with six hands belonging to a French ship, which lay far out in the offing. I made application to the captain, who was then on shore, to let this boat take me on board of my vessel, Avhich was immediately granted. Taking my men with me, we succeeded in reaching the schooner about nine o'clock that night. The French boat went on board of ' 368 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. her own vessel immediately. So far, then, all was yet well. As soon as I had made known to the officers and crew the sanguinary plot which was about to be enact- ed, the anchor was lifted, and our position altered by running half a mile out to seaward. The anchor was then let go under foot, and the sails lowered down, but not furled. The two long nine-pounders were loaded nearly up to their muzzles with langrage and grape shot, and all the small arms, such as muskets, pistols, cutlasses, &c., were mustered on deck. Supposing they would attack us simultaneously ahead and astern, one of the long nines was run aft and the other forward, with an equal division of the small arms, as well as the boarding pikes, among the men. These preparations being made, the lights were all extinguished except two matches, which could not be seen, and then all hands were summoned to the quarter deck. "My lads," said I, "since we have been together in this vessel, we have been called upon to pass through many perilous scenes, and I have never had any reason, so far, to doubt your firmness and courage. You will probably again be called upon to-night to defend this vessel ; her safety and our lives depending upon your firmness and good conduct. These cowardly Spaniards suppose they will fall upon us unawares, and thereby we shall become easy victims to their treachery. 1 hope to prove this night, that American seamen are not only- alert, but also fully competent to beat off these dastardly marauders, although they may far exceed us in numbers. I expect they will come upon us head and stern; there- fore, we will divide ourselves into equal parties ; Mr. W., the chief officer, will take command of the forecastle, and I will look out for the quarter deck. Let there be no confusion or disorder, and not a shot be fired, until orders are given to that effect ; after which, you are to load and fire the small arms with all possible rapidity. Should the Spaniards succeed in getting alongside, the boarding pikes and sabres are your best weapons ; so use them freely. If the breeze should spring up, we will LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 359 > slip and get under way. Away, then, to your quarters forward and aft, and let every man, this night, prove him- self to be an American seaman." In a few minutes, the most profound silence prevailed throuo-hout the vessel. It was a clear starlight night, scarcely a cloud was seen, and to seaward the horizon was well defined. In such a night, objects might be distinguished at a long distance. No sound was heard except the reverberation of the roaring surf, or the slap- ping of a porpoise, which ever and anon disturbed the surface of the waters by a deep splash, or the faint moans, throuo-h the rigging, of the expiring sea-breeze. Eleven o'clock had already passed away; it was an hour of deep suspense and the most intense anxiety. I had swept around the horizon with the night-glass during the last half hour, but no object was visible. Now, reflection, busy with the past, brought in review before me the period when I first embarked to undergo the perils of a sea life. How many dangers and trying difficulties it had been my lot to encounter! how many hair-breadth escapes had I passed unscathed ! — amid the storms, the battles, at the cannon's mouth, m earth- quakes, in prisons, in pestilence, at times when, at sea, nearly deprived of food and water ; and last, though not least, among pirates : and yet, out of all these I had been delivered. This thought overpowered me with a deep sense of gratitude ; and although my present situation was perilous in the extreme, yet a voice whispered, all would yet be well. At midnight, while ranging along the horizon with the glass, I saw two vessels, the one exactly ahead and the other astern; the headmost vessel being at the greatest distance. As it was now perfectly calm, and as the distance was lessening every moment between us, it was apparent they were using their sweeps. I was not mistaken in the opinion entertained as to their manner of attack. The moment of trial was at hand, for the sternmost vessel was within gun-shot, pulinig directly in our wake, apparently approaching us with 360 LpE©N jE-pE OCEAN. great caution ; the one ahead was at a niach greater distance. Orders were now given to run the glins out of the stern and bow ports, elevate them with precision, and let the matches be ready; to see "that the small arms and ammunition were all in readiness, so that there should be no confusion ; and then all hands were or- dered aft, that proper respect might be paid to the gen- tlemen who came to visit us at so unseasonable an hour of the night. These orders were quickly executed. The pirate was now withni two musket-shot. " Are you all ready ? " " Ay, ay, sir ! " was the reply. I buckled on my cartridge-box, thrust my pistols into the belt, and grasped a long sabre. I saw the pirate was now pulling rapidly towards us, being, at this moment, but a musket-shot off. "Is the gun elevated, and are you ready?" The affirmative was given. *' Fire ! " At the same moment we received their fire of musketry, which was returned in rapid succession by our men. The pirate was now close under the quarter; but the screams of the wounded, and the groans of the dying, from our galling fire, gave him a severe check. He hesitated — not a moment was now to be lost. We followed up this advantage by pouring volley after volley, in a most galling fire, with musketry and pistols. He was thrown into confusion, and backed off with his oars. When about three lengths of the schooner from us, the pirate pulled the head of his vessel round, and gave way with all possible despatch towards the shore, so as to get out of the reach of our guns. It was now high time to look after the unwelcome visitor ahead. There he lay, about, half gun-shot off, apparently upon his oars — waiting, no doubt, to ascertain the result of his comrade's reception, not caring to be in the vicinity of such hot work as had been going on for the last fifteen or twenty minutes. A shot from our bow gun, however, disturbed his repose ; and, as he doubtless thought that the better part of valor was dis- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 361 cretion, he made the best of his way in shore, probably to condole with his more unlucky companion. In this affair, two of our men were slightly wounded, and a few musket-balls entered the main-boom and main-mast. No doubt, the little damage we received was owing to the fact, that the pirates were confident of taking us by surprise ; but, being deceived in their expectations, they were utterly confounded and thrown into confusion when they received the contents of our long nine. Thus ended one of the most murderous intentions (if it had succeeded ) that was ever planned by man or demon. The next morning I went ashore after my papers, and saw the craft that had proved so unwelcome a visitor the previous night. She was completely riddled with our shot ; but I could not ascertain the loss of killed and wounded : it must have been considerable, from the num- ber of men on board. My papers being all ready, I immediately repaired on board, got under way, and bade adieu to this nest of piratical marauders. The voyage was safely concluded, and we embarked once more, when I sincerely desired that it would be the last time that we should make our acquaintance with the pirates ; and especially as all these combined circumstances had acted so powerfully upon my physical frame, that the organs of vision had be- come greatly impaired, — consequently, I needed some respite, and active treatment. Numerous, however, as had been the dangers and privations connected with these voyages, yet there were also very many circumstances which had left on my mind the most pleasing and gratifying reflections ; among the more prominent were, that moral and reli- gious impressions had been made on the minds of the crew, giving the most satisfactory evidence that, by ju- dicious treatment, little difficulty will be experienced to convince seamen of their moral obligations. Anotlier source of pleasing reflection was, the order and decorum with which the Sabbath days were spent at sea ; and, as it may not be uninteresting to the y^ader to see how . 33 362 LIFE ON THE OCEAN- easily a sailor may be trained to attend to the fornjs of religion, at sea, permit me to give you a description of a Sabbath day's devotions, in the latitude of 28° north, and 73*^ west longitude. The morning dawn broke forth from the eastern horizon ; and, as the rising sun advanced, the stronger light scattered the mists of darkness; and when the glorious orb presented its upper limb, the clouds dis- persed, exhibiting to the eye an unbroken contact of sky and ocean. It was a sight that would have ravished the astonishing powers of Raphael's pencil. Briskly blew the north-east trade wind, and lightly flew our beautiful craft over the bosom of the smooth blue ocean. The scene before me, in connection with the wind and the weather, and the rapid, though almost noiseless movement of our craft, all conspired to induce happy, yet solemn and devotional feelings. Over the whole expanse of the^ wide waste of waters, nothing was to be seen except, now and then, a porpoise jumping and plunging into the deep abyss; or the affrighted flying- fish, disturbed by the breaking of the water at the bows, appearing to be more like the inhabitants of the air than belonging to the finny tribe ; or the Mother Carey's chicken, with buoyant wing and twittering voice, seem- ing, with its elastic tread upon the fluid surface, as much at ease as if it stood upon a solid base, gathering what, perchance, might fall from the vessel, to satisfy its cravings. Seven bells were struck — the hour for rousing the watch below to breakfast. The decks had been scrubbed and washed the night previously, and were so clean and white, that you might have spread the bleached damask cloth on them for a morning's repast, without danger of its being soiled. The breakfast now being past, the awning was spread over, the whole length of the quarter deck, as a screen from the scorching rays of the sun. At 10 o'clock precisely, the crew were all summoned to the quarter deck ; there you might have seen ten stout, able seamen, with faces that had been LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 363 bronzed with the sun's rays, with hard features and brawny limbs. Solemn and serious, they sat on benches placed on the weather side. They were all neatly and cleanly dressed, in a blue jacket, with white duck trousers, check shirt, with the black silk handkerchief tied before with the peculiar sailor's knot, and the ends flowing loosely down in front. The exercises com- menced by reading and singing a hymn, in which the greater part of the seamen joined. A short prayer was Iheu offered up, to which some of them responded, es- pecially the first officer, who appeared to be deeply affected ; after which, a chapter in the Bible was read and adverted to, by calling the attention of the seamen to its teachings, and then briefly pointing out their ob- ligations to Almighty God, for his protection amid all their exposures. I showed them the necessity, on the principles of gratitude as well as for their own safety and happiness, to repent of their sins, give to God the sacrifice of their hearts and lives, in order that they might be prepared to obey cheerfully the time to depart ; that the coral pillow and seaweed winding-sheet might have no terrors for them. These simple, though sincere, exercises had a most powerful effect upon the minds of the seamen, and were always concluded with singing and prayer. A few days were now spent with comparative ease of mind, but the wind soon wafted us on to the vicinity of those scenes of excitement which had so powerfully wrought on my mind in the preceding voyages ; nor was it long before it was roused to the highest pitch of action. A few days previously, we had spoken a vessel which had been chased by the pirate Gibbs, and which informed us, that she would have been captured but for the circumstance of falling in with a man-of-war brig, while the pirate was in chase. A minute description of the pirate was also given to us by this vessel. After we had passed the Double-Headed Shot-Keys, at day- light in the morning, a vessel answering exactly to the description of the pirate was seen, about two miles 364 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. astern. For a short time she gained upon us rapidly, insomuch that we distinctly made her out to be a vessel of war, and in chase of us. Thus far, we neither had the square-sail nor studding- sail on the schooner. It was, howex^er, now high time to try our rates of speed, for no doubt remained but that the stranger in chase was the pirate Gibbs ; accord-™ ingly, our craft was dressed with all the canvass thajfl could be set, and hauled up so that every sail woula draw on the starboard tack. The pirate was no laggard. Hour after hour passed, and no perceptible difference was discovered in the sailing of the two vessels. She was nearly within gun-shot, and it became absolutely necessary, for our safety, that the pirate should be kept at that distance, so that he might not cripple us by cut- ting away any of our spars. Sometimes he appeared to overhaul us, and then again it was evident we had gained upon him. It was a fair trial of speed, and the most equal chase that I had ever witnessed, apart from the design of the one and the wishes of the other. When the breeze would freshen astern, he ranged up within gun-shot; but evidently supposing that he would at length overhaul us, he did not fire his bow-chaser, knowing that it would have given us the advantage. At meridian, it could not be ascertained that either vessel had the advantage in sailing ; but the wind now began to slacken its force ; and as, in a light breeze, nothing that was ever built could, probably, sail faster than this beautiful craft, it became evident that she was stealing away from the pirate. Exasperated, no doubt, at the prospect of losing his prey, he opened a brisk cannonade upon us ; but it was in vain ; for every shot fell short of the schooner, and every dis- charge from his guns slackened his speed, and gave us a corresponding advantage. At sunset, we had gained about one mile, and when the night set in, he was still in chase. As we had been steering our course during the whole day, I did not think it proper to change it at night, and continued to run under a heavy press of sail LIFE ON THE OCEAN, 365 At midnight the breeze freshened, and obliged us to take in studding-sails. At daylight in the morning, the pirate was again about a gun-shot and a half astern, under a cloud of canvass. Our studding-sails were again set, but not without the expectation of losing the booms, sails, &c., as the wind blew strong, and our craft was bounding over the sea at the rate of twelve knots. It was a hard, although a most splendid chase ; and I know not how it would have terminated, if we had not, at ten o'clock, fallen in with the American man-of-war schooner Shark, which, when discovered by the pirate, caused him to take in sail and haul upon a wind. The last we saw of him was in full flight from the man-of-war, although he appeared to outsail the Shark with ease. We arrived at our port of destination without further molestation, and discharged our cargo at two ports, then took on board twelve thousand dollars in specie, and proceeded to Sisal, where we took in a cargo of bagging, and grass hemp, for Havana, and in three days arrived at the latter port, discharged the cargo, and, having a large offer for the schooner, she was sold, according to orders, and I took passage for Baltimore, where I arrived safely, July 20th, 1826. It now became absolutely necessary that active med- ical treatment should be instituted for the relief of my vision, as the sight had become so much injured that great fears were entertained of its entire loss ; yet I was unconvinced, and would not submit to active treatment, vainly supposing that the vision would get stronger when I went to sea. Every remonstrance was used by my friends to deter me from embarking again on the ocean, before I had submitted to the means recommended to restore my sight. But I was young ; and, my responsi- bilities accumulating every day, it was necessary that I should be employed, to sustain the relations which de- volved upon me. I was, therefore, deaf to the entreaties of my friends, and madly engaged to perform another voyage to the Brazils, in the command of a new and 33* 366 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. beautiful clipper brig of two hundred and fifty tons' burden. Alas! how short-sighled is man! From the stubbornness of this proceeding, years of suffering and sorrow have marked my path in life. Sept. 13. — The brig was loaded, and ready for sea, bound on a running voyage to Rio de Janeiro. We sailed ; and, after a short run, reached the Capes, dis- charged the pilot, and went to sea, with a strong gale from the south-west, with cloudy weather. For five days the wind blew strong and fair, and no opportunity had offered to get a meridian observation. On the sixth day, however, the weather became clear, the sun shone brilliantly, and its rays sent forth an unusual degree of heat. Although I had perceived that my vision had become more and more obscure, nevertheless, as this was the first opportunity, since leaving the Gapes, to get the sun's altitude, and being very anxious to determine the latitude, the quadrant was adjusted, and the dark screen-glass put down, so as to prevent the glare of the sun from striking upon the eye. When the sun was brought down midway from its height to the horizon, the sight of the right eye was instantaneously discov- ered to be gone. My feelings can be better imagined than described. We were now about one thousand miles from the Capes, and the success of the voyage depended entirely on its despatch. To return would ruin the voyage ; and to proceed on for so long a time, without medical treatment, might cause the entire loss of sight. In this sad dilemma, however, I resolved to prosecute the voyage, especially as there was an ample medicine- chest on board. I immediately commenced an active self-treatment. Sad and sorrowful were the hours dur- mg the remainder of this passage. All efforts that were made to restore the right eye proved fruitless ; and the keenest anguish was experienced when the horrible, truth flashed over my mind, that the remainder of my days would be spent in darkness, from the fact, which could not now be concealed, that the sight of the left eye was diminishing every day ~ insomuch that, when LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 367 we ran into the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, I could scarcely discern the high land, forming a sugar-loaf, which may be seen at the distance of twenty miles with eyes of ordinary capacity. I was, of coarse, now necessarily obliged to give the command of the brig to the first officer; and, taking rooms on shore, with the advice of my consignee, pro- cured the ablest physicians in the place. Thirty days I submitted to a most active treatment, but without the least perceptible effect. I then consulted with the sur geon of the United States' frigate Macedonian, which was then on that station ; and as my vessel was now ready for sea, on her homeward voyage, I procured from this gentleman the proper medicines, and written in- structions how to proceed, with a course of self-treat- ment, on the passage home. But, unfortunately, when about ten days out, I was violently attacked with a nervous fever, which lasted nearly all the passage. We arrived, after a very extraordinary passage of thii'ty-three days, in the latter part of December; and, on account of the ice, and severity of the weather, I was obliged to disembark at Annapolis, and proceed to Balti- more in the stage. The consequence was a severe cold, and a relapse of the nervous fever ; and, although I was now once more surrounded by ray family, — the nearest and dearest objects of my affection, — yet I presented to their sorrowful gaze the afflicting and melancholy spec- tacle of a blind man. Scarcely had thirty winters now elapsed, ere the desolating hand of disease fastened on this hapless frame. The countenance, from which beamed the glow of animation, and on which you might have read the index of health, now became pale and ghastly ; and the eye, from which flashed the vivid fire of acuteness and perception, now was dim ; and, lastly, to fill up the catalogue of woes, the eye became void of perception and sightless, and the form, too, once robust and vigorous, now presented an enfeebled and emaciated frame. O, could you have seen the deep affliction of the 368 LIFE ON THE OCKAN. heart, and have read the painful exercises of a mmd immersed in sorrow, contemplating the cheerless pros- pect of the future, compelled to pursue a path of dark- ness and dreariness, and excluded from all the beauties which nature's variety present, — could you have beheld that trembling form, not crushed by the pressure of age, but reduced by corroding care and wasting disease, — nature's sensibilities would have aroused all its sym- pathies, and the falling tear might have dropped unre- proved. Now follows the sad condition of deep de- pendence, and the appalling connecting circumstances, to be dreaded by every sensitive mind, — such as unmean- ing sympathy, mortifications of wounded sensibilities, inability to discharge social and relative responsibilities, pinchings of poverty, and many other shocks of chill- ing import, peculiar to that condition. This combina- tion of woes gave a settled appearance of dejection and sadness; while on every lineament of the countenance were visibly depicted the deep furrows of adversity. Nature, after repeated struggles during a lapse of fifteen years, gradually yielded ; and son'ow, being refined and sublimated by the powerful aid of religion, patiently submitted to its lot ; and now, when a smile lights up the care-worn brow, you may there read the workings of a grateful heart, and the persuasion of a contempla- tive mind, that firmly believes that all is for the best, and that " there is nothing true but heaven." 369 CHAPTER XXXIV. REFLECTIONS ON THE CHARACTER AND CONDITION OF SEAMEN. Not many years have elapsed since sailors were con- sidered a class of isolated beings, scarcely worthy to be ranked among the lowest and most degraded of human kind; — when it might truly have been said, that " no man cared " either for their souls or their bodies ; and, even up to this hour, there are very many in our com- munity that look upon poor Jack as a kind of wild animal, dangerous to society, and who ought not to be suffered to roam at large. Although the moral sense of the Christian public has been aroused to engage in the benevolent enterprise of meliorating the temporal and spiritual condition of sea- men, yet, when this philanthropic object is presented for the consideration of our countrymen, a vast majority treat it as a scheme perfectly chimerical, and they will neither lend their influence, nor means, to accelerate this praiseworthy object. Such do not consider the relative importance of seamen, either for the advancement of commercial pursuits, or for the protection of our country's rights, or for the maintenance of our national honor. They do not consider that seamen are the great links of the chain which unites nation to nation, ocean to ocean, continent to continent, and island to island ; and it is a matter of astonishment, when such people are reminded that seamen are the instrumentalities who fill our na- tion's treasury, enrich the coffers of the merchant, build the stately warehouses which overflow with the fabrics of every clime, erect the magnificent and splendid mansions which beautify and adorn our seaports, and 370 LIFE ON THii. OCKAr construct the most beautit'ul specimens of naval archi= tecture that float over the ocean. It is seamen that give employment to the shipwright, the ship-joitier, sail- maker, blacksmith, blockmaker, &c. In a word, it is seamen who must fulfil Scripture prophecy, by carrying the glad tidings of salvation, and planting the standard of the cross in the dark regions of idolatry and superstition. Yes ; it is by their indefatigable exertions, that the light of the glorious gospel is to shine upon the benighted hearts of the heathen, until this moral darkness shall have been every where dissipated by the risings beams of the Sun of Righteousness. It must not be understood, that it is meant that sailors are, naturally, better than landsmen ; yet an ex- perience of twenty years with their traits has given me an intimate knowledge of their character; and, although I am compelled to say that there are some among them who disgrace human nature, yet, in general, they are brave, generous, manly, and unsuspecting. The sailor's insight of human nature is limited, and drawn altogeth- er from the objects constantly before him ; he is apt to think all mankind candid, open, honest, and void of trickery, because he himself is so. Jack is unpractised in the arts of acquiring, or preserving, property, or im-^ proving his condition in life. He attaches no other value to money than as a means of procuring him present enjoyment. No class of men obtain their little money with more hardship and difficulty. This, one would think, would lead them to estimate it at its proper value. But such is not the case. They scatter it with profuseness, as if they were ardently desirous of getting rid of an encumbrance ; and, consequently, it does not trouble them long. The generosity of a sailor is proverbial. Although he acquires his dollars amid toils and dangers from which a landsman would shrink with aff"right, he can feel deeply for the wants of others, and has a hand ever ready to assist the distressed. He will share the last copper with the wretch who is in need of pecuniary LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 371 assistance, and will combat manfully in behalf of the victim of oppression. It is certainly true, that the gen- eral conduct of sailors, when on shore, compels us often- tnnes to turn away from them in disgust ; and one would naturally suppose that, after a long absence, the weath- er-worn voyager would take care of the small pittance which he had so dearly earned, or, at least, expend it in providing himself with some appendages to assist him in gaining useful information, or in the enjoyment of some rational amusement, which might, at the same time, relax his mind and furnish him with instruction that would prove useful to him in after life. But such, however, is not the case ; for they often seek to indulge their sensual appetites, at the expense of all that is moral and intellectual. The thoughtlessness of these sons of the ocean is not, however, to be wondered at, when we look at their privations, and the peculiar habits of a sea life which, in port, they are compelled to lead. For example, see that gallant ship just about to cast off her moorings, bound for the East Indies ; go on board, and you may, perhaps, see about a dozen seamen ; then range your eye fore-and-aft the decks, which may be one hundred and thirty feet long, and thirty feet broad ,• this, then, is the whole length and breadth of .Tack's world — his only associations for one year, at least. Did I say one hundred and thirty feet? — No, you must take off thirty or forty feet for the quarter deck ] for, in all well-regulated vessels, a hand before the mast is not allowed to set foot on the quarter deck, except to take his turn at the helm, repair the sails, or to perform some act of duty about the mizzen-mast, &c. Thus, then, about ninety feefts the extent of his oat-door rambles. Now, let us take a look into the forecastle, a spacious apartment of about twelve feet in length, and about the same in width, when deducting the breadth of two berths, — the whole tapering off to nothing, forward. Here, then, is his dining and dressing room, bedchamber and parlor. And now let us examine the furniture. The chests, which are closely stowed, present a surface 372 LIFE ON THE OCEAlS'. nearly as level as the deck, and perform the office of a table ; then, there are kids, tin pots, iron spoons, and, perhaps, two horn tumblers, which answer the double purpose of first measuring out to each his allowance of grog, and then taking the place of the vinegar cruet. Now, cast your eye towards the bowsprit-bits, and you will see, ^ not a magnificent chandelier, — but an old tin lamp with a long spout, filled with slush, serving the purpose of oil, and an old rag, slack-twisted, for wick. This splendid piece of decoration serves to illu- minate the obscure forecastle. Let us now examine the bunks where Jack sleeps. The bed, gentle reader, is not composed of down ; but lo ! a mattress made of cat- tails, the bulk of which, rolled up, might be stowed in a large bandbox, first strikes the eye ; and then, instead of the snow-white sheets, there is a blanket, which has been Jack's companion for many a long voyage, and for which he has so great an affection, that, in order to preserve the precious relic, it has been heavily quilted throughout with yarn; and it now answers the twofold purpose, with the help of his pea-jacket, of blanket and qnilt; and his canvass bag, well stowed with dunnage within, and well coated with tar without, is the pillow, to complete the whole trappings of a forecastle bedding. Let us now imagine this ship and her crew sailing o'er the blue ocean on a Sabbath day, after eight bells in the forenoon watch, — this being the dinner hour, — and then I will introduce the reader to a sumptuous re- past in the forecastle. Conceive, then, about a dozen sailors seated on the chests, forming a kind of ring, in the centre of which is, first, a kid containing a huge piece of salt beef, boiled in salt water — the (Mtside of the meat grinning most horribly in crystallized salt. Another kid contains a pudding, or duff, weighing from ten to fifteen pounds, more or less, compressed greatly by the operation of boiling; there is still another, containmg bis- cuit, which, with a tin pot of molasses, and the vinegai cruet, alias the horn tumbler, finishes this endless variety. And now for the conversation around the festive board. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 373 '< Avast there, Tom," says an old salt, while the for- mer is cutting off the best and fattest part of the beef: "cut fair, and no gouging — just parbuckle that pretty little morsel of bull-meat over this way." " Hallo," says another, " what have we got here ? " eyeing the beef sarcastically: "why, this is a fine stock of provisions for a soldier's knapsack ; he could march a whole campaign without danger of greasing it, or his pipe-clays." So saying, he cuts off a junk to his liking, which is readily subdivided into morsels about the di- mensions of a common-sized egg ; and then, to neutral- ize the salt, it is thrust into the vinegar cruet, with a dust of pepper, and the savory titbit is swallowed with peculiar relish. ,' The first course being over, the dessert is brought for- ward, at which they all brighten up with an inward chuckle, apparently delighted with this weekly extra allowance ; then an old roaster, and a hard-visaged chap, who sits opposite, bawls out, " Handle yourself this way, with your long shears, and cut me up the duff." The pudding is then first slabbed oflf into blocks, then di- vided into slices, to be again subdivided into pieces, when the contents of the tin pot of molasses is poured mto the kid, and a hasty stir-about completes the prep- aration. Now, then, with their iron spoons, they fall to with a will, while piece after piece rapidly van- ishes, till the whole mass disappears ; when, if a full stowage of hardware fail to bring a conviction, to the participants, of the moral of the truth, "Enough is as good as a feast," — alas! the empty kid too plainly ad- monishes them of the truth of the moral, " There is an end to all thingste?' This done, some one sings out, " Clear away the wreck! " a very unnecessary call, for there is nothing left but the empty dishes to clear away ; the beef, pudding, molasses, pepper, vinegar, and grog, having all been stowed away, to satisfy the enormous appetites of the sailors. The above is a pretty fair sample of their meals, with the exception that they are generally allowed beans, 34 374 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. peas, rice, and sometimes potatoes, as a change. Salt pork is also given instead of beef. With this kind of living, it not mifrequently happens, that they are obliged 10 work all day, and then are called up perhaps two or three times in their watch below at night. They are not only frequently exposed to storms and tempests, wet and dry, sudden transitions of heat and cold, but it sometimes happens that, from stress of weather, calms, or otherwise, they suffer incredibly for want of provis- ions and water. Add to all this, it is often the case that a sailor does not receive a kind or pleasant word from his officers during a voyage ; and, although there are many honorable exceptions in commanders of ves- sels, yet I am compelled to acknowledge that there are many who look upon a common hand as nearly allied to a brute, and, consequently, treat him as such. At best, a sailor's life is full of hardship and peril ; and if to these are added hard living, hard usage, and hard words, it may be imagined that his life at sea is not very desirable. No wonder, then, when a ship arrives in port, and a land-shark comes on board under false colors, with smooth words and sunshine in his countenance, — especially if he has a bottle of rum to treat poor Jack with.— -no wonder, I say, that he becomes an easy dupe to this designing knave. Presently, you will see the land-pirate have, perhaps, a whole crew in tow, and they are quickly stowed away in a fire-ship, — or, to speak more plainly, a grog-shop, — which comprises a part, at least, of a sailors' boarding-house. Here, then, he is constantly plied with liquor, and kept half stupid; in which situation he is sometimes permitted to sally forth into the streets, where he is generally scoffed at and despised; — by reason of which, he plunges deeper into the vortex of misery and wretchedness. Now, it must be acknowledged that there are many men, who are an honor to their species, endeavoring to exert their influence and means to extricate sailors from this sad condition ; yet there are many others, LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 375 when it is proposed to rescue seafaring men. from the grasp of designing men, and advance their moral and religious condition, so that they may sustain a rank in society to wliich their vahie and importance justly entitles them, — I say, when this is proposed, the answer is, " Why do sailors permit themselves to be so duped and carried away ? '' The reasons have been given. But it may be asked, who goes on board of a vessel, when she first arrives, and takes the poor sailor by the hand ? and, when on shore, who is it that will introduce him into society, and give him a place at the social board, or around the domestic fireside? Who is it, I ask, that will whisper kind words into his ear, and, with whole- some admonition and advice, tell him about the value of his soul, or go in company with him to the house of God? When it is proposed to make special eflorts to erect temperance houses, and mariners' churches, for the benefit of seamen, the objections generally are, that there are already houses of sufficient respectability for their reception, and, as to places of worship, why, they abound in all our cities —consequently, sailors have the same opportunity to make use of the means of reforma- tion as landsmen have. Now, this is very bad reason- ing. Suppose, for example, that a sailor could get from under the clutches of his landlord long enough to keep sober twenty-four hours; let him then have a "go ashore wash," as he would call it, and dress him in a complete sailor's rig — say blue jacket, white trousers, black silk handkerchief tied with a sailor's knot, — the other parts of his dress to correspond, — except that his head is decorated with the indispensable tarpaulin ; thus ••igged out, let hinar enter one of our large and fashion- able churches; — and how many pew doors, do you suppose, would be thrown open for his reception? It is highly probable that many of the ladies, fancying the air perfumed with tar, or oakum, would faint at the sight of this outlandish creature ; and no doubt the seiton, in this most deplorable dilemma, would, if the audacious intrusion had not too far ruffled his temper, in a delicate and agreeable manner show him the way to the door. 376 LIFE ON" THE OCEAN. The facts are simply these : a sailor is so accustomed to the seventy of discipline on shipboard, that he Would as soon taice up his residence in the cabin — in the laud of plates, knivres, forks, &c,, as they term a gentleman's parlor — as frequent a place of religious worship, where all are so different in dress to him; for he conceives immediately that he is out of his element. If, then, religious truth is ever brought to bear upon his character, the impression must first be made, that he has a timber-head in the church, to use his own phrase with a sailor's chaplain; and it is further necessary that he should be surrounded with those who, like himself, are rigged out in the costume of the sailor. In this way, and in no other, will you gain his confidence. And if once the blessed truths of Christianity make a lodgment in his heart, there is no class of men that are more devoted, or that live more consistent hves than do seamen. It is not a difficult matter to affect the heart of a sailor ; only keep him sober, and bring him within the range of religious influence, and persuade him, at the same time, by the interest you feel in his behalf, thatj you are his friend, his reformation is almost a certaintyj I boldly assert that which experience has confirmee during a series of voyages, as has been noticed in the preceding narrative, that my uniform practice was to have religious worship on board ; and I can safely— affirm that a judicious course of treatment, and theS influence of these observances, not only made a deep and lasting impression on the minds of many sailors, but also enabled me to gain their confidence and sup- port in many a trying hour. Indeed, during a course of many years' experience with them, I never knew a sailor who was an infidel ; and I do not think any man of reflection, following a sea life, can be one, surround- ed as he is at all times with the immense displays of the power and wisdom of God. Looking upward, they behold the blue heavens ; looking around, they see the vast^ unfathomable abyss^ without limit, except that their LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 377 contracted vision makes sky and ocean meet. In the hurricane and storm, he views his wondrous power : and wlien he also beholds the enormous growth and the vast variety of the finny tribe ; and when too, above all, he recollects his ow-n exposures on the inconstant ele- ment, and how he has been preserved amid its various perils and dangers ; when, I say, he reflects upon all these things, (and I believe every sailor does so, more or less,) he is constrained to acknowledge that there is an overruling Providence, a Being who supports and up- holds all things by his wisdom and power. If, then, a proper estimate is made of the value and importance of seamen to our communities ; if our obligations to them are rightly considered ; and if our responsibility to God in their behalf is manifest, we are bound to put forth the most strenuous efforts to alleviate their temporal and spiritual condition. If we do not do all this, and more, there will be a fearful account to give in the day of final retribution. Experiments are now being carried on, and have proved successful beyond the expectations of the most sanguine. Seamen's homes, and mariners' churches, have been opened in almost every seaport in the United States, as well as in foreign ports; and although much has been done, yet much more remains to be done, which requires the united cooperation of all. In this great work, a vast amount of responsibility rests upon the commanders of vessels, because it is well known that they can exert an influence, over the minds of sailors, which is quite beyond the power of any other class to effect. It seems, then, that it is absolutely necessary that a commander should be under the power and in- fluence of gospel truths, that he may regulate his own life accordingly, and observe a judicious and proper treatment to sailors, as well as to recommend, by precept and example, that divine principle which he professes to enjoy. If this were generally the case, how much more would the privations and hardships of a sea life be lessened ! Let men be brought to feel their responsi- 34* 378 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. bility to God and to each other, and there certainly would not be a want of obedience on shipboard from inferiors to superiors ; and on the other hand, officers would be just, and consider that the soul of the sailor is as precious in the sight of God, and cost as much to redeem, as that of any other man. It is certain, if this divine principle were enjoyed by seamen in general, then every vessel would become a Bethel, and every sailor's heart a temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in. But sailors themselves, being the most interested, are called upon to be co-workers in that v/hich is to elevate their condition in society, by reforming their habits and lives, and endeavoring to practise those moral and religious truths which are not only calculated to smooth the sorrows of life, and make men happy, but, after all, give a proper estimate to character. Sailors, during the progress of their calling, are oc- casionally in the habit of visiting every portion of the habitable globe. Their business frequently leads them among the less informed, the uncivilized, portions of mankind. And it is here that the examples taught by the white men, who mingle with the natives, may have a mighty influence on their conduct. The white man is soon known to possess a mind of a higher order than the savage, and is by him looked up to as a superior being. If the moral feelings of the white man correspond with his intellectual power, the influence which he may thus exercise will be unbounded. But if the savage finds that the white man seeks to deceive him, is dishonest, cunning, licentious, and intemperate, he can no longer respect him, although it is possible lie may fear his power. The ignorant, untutored savage can discriminate be- tween good and evil ; and although he, perhaps, has never cultivated the moral sentiments, he will despise, from the bottom of his heart, the pale-faced stranger who allows the animal passions to predominate over the nobler faculties of the mind. If you take away virtue, you will deprive intellect of half its force. It is therefore evident, that sailors who visit those countries LIFE ON THE OCEAN. S79 should be men correct in their moral conduct, and thus be able to set before the savage a copy for his imitation, not a picture for his abhorrence. It will thus be seen that the bearing of the sailor, when abroad, is always of the greatest importance, and should every where be characterized by frankness, benevolence, decorum, and virtue. This conduct is particularly necessary when holding communication with the savage. The sailor might pave the way for the missionary or the philanthropist, who would be able to instruct them still further in their religious and moral duties. But if, on the contrary, sailors should exhibit a character, to them, marked with vice and sensuality, the savage would soon see enough of the white man, and be more disposed to drive him from his territories, or take his life, than to receive from his lips the lessons of advice or the precepts of morality. It is evident that, before a person can be successful in instructing others, whether children or adults, he must be respected ; and he cannot be respected, either by the white man or the savage, unless he strictly fulfils his moral duties. An American sailor, when abroad, should recollect that he is a repre- sentative of his countrymen, and that it is in his power to convey to those among whom he mingles a favorable impression of the general conduct, manners, and morals, of his countrymen, or to excite their prejudice against the name of an American, by a bearing unjustifiably incorrect or immoral. And this consideration alone, if he have a proper love for his country, and a due regard for the character of an American, will be sufficient to induce him to be circumspect in his actions, and desirous of gaining a good name among foreigners, whether civilized or barbarous, whether Christians or pagans. But there are better and nobler motives to influence the conduct of the seaman, when acting in some sort as the representative of his countrymen in a distant land, — a just sense of moral duty ; a wish to act correctly wher- ever he may be placed, or in whatever circumstances ; a regard to his own character, and happiness, and wel- 380 LIFE ON THE OCEAN, fare hi a future state. But, in order that seamen may the more effectually exert a moral influence among those with whom they have intercourse, it is absolutely necessary that they should become temperate men. After all, the great prolific cause of all their miseries and wretchedness, as well as of the peculiar characteristics of their aiiomalous character, is the almost universal prev- alence among them of practical intemperance. This vice will ever keep them from mingling with society ; it destroys confidence and respect, and is disgusting to all good men ; because the liabitual inebriate places himself on a level with the brute ; and further, the sailor, when he is half drunk, not only becomes the dupe of every designing knave, but also is in a fit condition to plunge --himself into the lowest scenes of sensuality. It is the vice of intemperance that destroys the constitution, and brings on premature disease and death. Look around ; how rarely does it occur that you see an old sailor! Where are they ? and what becomes of them ? Why, they either go to Davy Jones's locker — that is, they fall overboard and are drowned — or they are shipwrecked or foundered. But the greater part, by the inordinate use of rum, prematurely induce disease, and then poor Jack is taken to the hospital with a broken-down constitution, and very shortly slips his v/ind. It is morally impossible, also, that the word of God can take effect upon the heart of that man whose senses are benumbed with liquor ; so far from it, that, just in proportion as ardent spirits are taken into the stomach, just in the same ratio will the divine influence of the Spirit of God be shut out from the heart of such a man. And I hold it to be next to impossible that religious impressions can take effect ; or, if they do, they will only be casual, — consequently, no permanent benefit will be the result. Let me say, then, to seamen, that tem- perance is not only a virtue in itself, but it makes men virtuous, and paves the way for all that is good and great ; it brings with it reflection and consideration, which are the primary steps to the possession of morals and religion. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 381 There is another class of persons who are deeply in- terested in the reformation of seamen; these are the merchants and ship-owners. It is surprising, however, to behold the apathy and indifference manifested by many of those gentlemen ; and it is a melancholy fact, that there are ship-owners who give command of their vessels to profane, overbearing, tyrannical men, in pref- erence to those of high moral worth, vainly supposing that such persons are not only the best seamen, and alone competent to command, but also that their in- terest by such will be better served. Long experience on the ocean has convinced me that, in the general, the very reverse is the truth ; for it requires something more than the mere handling of a marlinspike, handing, reef- ing, steering, &c., to constitute a good seaman. If to these qualities a sound judgment is not connected, then the most prominent feature is wanting to make a com- plete and thorough seaman ; and, in the general run, at least eight times out of ten, an overbearing, tyrannical commander will make a bad crew ; and he who cannot govern himself is unfit to govern others. Besides, the principal part of the difficulties and troubles on ship- board, at sea, is owing, ultimately, if not immediately, to the peculiar character of the crew ; and thus is the interest of voyages not only greatly injured, but, also, it sometimes happens that mutiny, with its horrid conse- quences, is the result. But it is certain that, if the interests of the merchant are advanced by having, as commanders of their vessels, men of moral feelings and just conceptions of responsi- bility, it is also certain, that the sailor's character ought to correspond with the officer's ; for what guaranty can a merchant have for his property at sea, while under the care and management of a crew that neither fear God nor regard man, and, consequently, have no proper no- tions of moral obligation. To be sure, it must be con- fessed that many safe and expeditious voyages have been made with such crews ; but then, this is no argu- ment why the moral condition of seamen should not be 382 LIFE ON THE OCEAN, elevated. In fact, there is an imperious obligation de- volving on the merchants, in reference to seamen ; it is a debt of gratitude due by them ; the reasons for which have been stated in^ the preceding pages. In what bet- ter way, then, I ask, can this claim be liquidated, than for the merchant to lend his influence and means in elevating the sailor to that rauk in society which his worth and importance demand ? But there is yet a higher and nobler motive which should induce merchants to rescue seamen from the low and grovelling condition which, unfortunately, too many of them now sustain ; that is, by exercising that universal love and good-will, which is not prompted by sordid or mercenary motives. It is a species of that love which induced the blessed Redeemer to give his life a ransom for all. Now, if the heart is actuated by a principle like this, there will not be vvatiting the most strenuous efforts on the part of merchants to snatch weather-beaten sailors, as brands, from the eternal burn- ing, especially when it is seen what vast numbers are annually swept off by shipwreck and other casualties at sea, and ushered into eternity at a moment's warning, without preparation to appear at the bar of God. It may be asked, How is this to be effected, and how are sailors to be reached ? I answer, Let the merchant en- tirely discountenance those places where sailors gene- rally take up their residence when on shore, which are usually denominated sailor boarding-houses ; the better appellation, however, would be grog-shops, or haunts of dissipation. In such places as these, the unsuspecting sailor is amply plied with the intoxicating bowl, which not only drowns his sensibilities, and keeps him upon a level with the brute, but here, also, his hard earnings are filched, and then, when no more can be drained from him by mock caress or venal device, he is shipped on board of some vessel in a state of stupefaction, or, what is worse, with the delirium tremens. The keepers of such places should be discountenanced by all good men ; and that which perhaps will more LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 383 effectually bring about the object intended is, let not the merchants employ shipping-masters who keep such houses, or that ship any sailors from those places. There may be some difficulty, perhaps, at first, in effecting this, but it will soon vanish away, provided the ship-owners will give their entire countenance and support to men of worth and standing, who keep temperance houses, and seamen's homes, where the sailor may resort after his long and perilous voyage, and have both his tem- poral and spiritual interests greatly advanced ; and where, instead of being robbed of his hard earnings, his con- stitution shattered, and packed off to sea like a beast, he may have his money put in a savings bank, and, when he is about to go to sea, he may have a chest of good clothes, and clean bedding, with a sound, vigorous frame, and go on board of a ship able to perform his duty in a seaman-like manner. It is exceedingly gratifying to know that a growing interest is gathering around the community in behalf of seamen ; and well it may, when we consider the vast number employed in our naval and merchant service, including also our inland navigation ; they are at pres- ent estimated at about five hundred thousand men, — a class, perhaps, of more value to the real interests of this country than any other — a class whose interests certain- ly have been more neglected by society than even the pauper who prowls about the streets. It is singularly strange that this should be so ; for the blessed Redeemer, in the days of his incarnation, not only honored the Sea of Tiberias and Gennesaret with his presence, but actu- ally called seamen to be his first heralds to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to a lost and ruined world ; and he preached his own everlasting gospel, dispensing the bread of life to the famishing multitude, from a vessel's deck. And yet, it is not more than thirty years since, that any special efforts were made in behalf of seamen, to better their condition in society, and effect the salvation of their souls. The light first began to dawn upon their moral horizon in the British Isles, in 1810; and very 384 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. soon its benign rays were reflected across the Atlantic, upon the American shores ; and then, for the first time, the voice of the man of God was heard, proclaiming, " Sailor^^ there is hope for thee ! " 385 CHAPTER XXXV. SVOGESTIONS IN REGARD TO THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT Or SEAMEN. It is a matter of speculation and much doubt with many, whether the plan of reforming sailors, and of making them religionists, so that they may sustain their place in society, is at all feasible. This is not to be wondered at with landsmen, who have no other op- portunity of forming an opinion of sailors, except by the conduct which is exhibited by them while on shore. This, indeed, will bean erroneous judgment; because the baser passions are alone manifested, by reason of the many temptations and baits which are thrown out, by designing men, to allure them from the path of rectitude, which, unfortunately, not only prove too successful, in the ruin of thousands, but also stamp their general char- acter with infamy in the estimation of a large class of landsmen. It is impossible to judge of the real character of a sailor by what is seen of him on shore ; and although he seems to be impervious and callous in regard to the great subject of religion, yet there is no class of men that might so easily be brought under its influence, if properly managed, as seamen. Permit me to give a few of the more prominent reasons why "there is such an ap= parent indiflference among sailors in regard to morals and religion. First, then, it is owing to the almost total neglect of its observances and requirements on board of nearly all vessels that navigate the ocean. The Sabbath is des- ecrated, and little or no difference is recognized be- tween it and other days of the week : oaths and impre- 35 386 i.IFE ON THE OCEAN. cations are. the general tenor of the conversation which issues from the cabins of many vessels, and even tlie forms of religion are not known in many a long and perilous voyage ; and it not unfrequently happens that it is neither seen, nor exhibited, in the whole course of a sailor's life. Can it, then, be a matter of astonishment, to behold the indifference and recklessness of sailors, in regard to these matters ? Just, for a moment, behold them on the ocean, excluded from the restraints of society, deprived of all those instituted means of grace, on the Sabbath, which are always within the reach of landsmen, besides being surrounded on all sides with evil example, and especially that which is exhibited by their su- periors ; looked upon, in many instances, as possessing no souls. I say, when all these things are considered, it is not surprising that sailors manifest but little relish far morals or religion. It may be asked, What course shall we pursue with sailors, while on the ocean, in order to impress their minds with a deep sense of their obligations to God, and the necessity of seeking the salvation of their souls? I answer, if possible, let the commanders of all vessels, if not strictly religious, be at least moral, and observe the forms and restraints of Christianity on the Sabbath day. This observance, in keeping alive a state of moral feel- ing, will., consequently, give a check and restraint to those outbreakings of profane swearing, and other vices, so common among sailors. It may be objected that these observances, will interfere with the duties of the ship, or that it will be impossible to bring many sailors to attend to these forms of devotion at sea. In the latter years of. my sea life, as will be seen in the preceding narrative, I never found any obstacle, either in reference to carrying on the duties of the ship, or the. unwilling-, ness of sailors to obey orders. Certainly, if a corre- spondent and uniform course of discipline is not ob- served, it cannot be expected that sailors will either be willing to attend to those exercises, or place confidence in the highest profession. LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 38- '%*econaly, let every vessel that floats over the ocean have the total-abstinenCe temperaace flag nailed to the mast-head. Here, too, the example should be ex- hibited from the quarter-deck ; for I hesitate not to affirm, that the greater part of the difficulties, insubordination, and mutinies, which have taken place among seamen •on the ocean, have arisen principally from the fact, that the demon of intemperance had the exclusive command of the ship. Nay, I may go further, and not overstep the bounds of truth ; and say, that, in former years at least, many of the losses, shipwrecks, and, consequently, loss of life, &c., which have occurred at sea, were caused by the practical inebriation of the cabin officers. But it is a source of great satisfaction to know, that this great evil is now almost universally banished from the cabins of nearly . every vessel that floats on the ocean; and, indeed, it has latterly been exchided from the forecastles of some of our gallant ships. In connec- tion with this, care should be taken, as much as possi- ble, for the comfort of sailors, in regard to that part of the vessel which is assigned to them for their eating, sleeping, &c. I have been before the mast myself _ in vessels, in the forecastles of which (so far from being sufficiently capacious for a dozen men to live in) there was not really room enough, as a sailor virould say, to swing a cat in; and besides, what with ,the decks leaking, and the seas thrown into it as the ship plunged through the water, — by reason of these, we scarcely kept our bedding or clothing fit either to sleep in or wear ; and in those cases I invariably found the main deck the more comfortable place of the two. It is certainly astonishing that, while the owners of ships instruct the builders to make ample room for ihe cabin, where there are in general not more than three per- sons, yet there is not allowed, in general, more than one half the space of the cabin to be devoted to the comfort and convenience of the crew, consisting, perhaps,_ of twelve or fifteen men. Of course, it is not my provnice to dictate, or lay down, any specific rules for the regula- 388 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. tion and discipline of vessels ; these must ever vary according to circumstances. It may be necessary, on short voyages, to limit the privileges of time ; and again, when vessels are just off the stocks, and new, of course, there is more duty to perform on board of such a one, than on board of others which have been for some time running. On long voyages, however, I have invariably found it to be the better plan, to give the forenoon watch below, and in heavy weather to have watch and watch ; and a uni- form rule, from which I never deviated, apart from the necessary duties of the ship, was to allow them Satur- day for the purpose of washing and mending their clothes, cleansing the forecastle, &c. This was done in order that the Sabbath day might be respected, and that no excuse might be made for want of time, should they be found violating it. In this way, I generally managed to get the duties of the ship performed cheer- fully and with promptness; and, with one single excep- tion, during the whole period of my command I never had but one difficulty at sea. and that was owing en- tirely to druuKenness on the part of the crew. Once more : — I generally endeavored, so far as it was in my power, to have good and wholesome provisions for the seamen, and to see after the manner in which they were, cooked and served up to them. Their living, at best, is not of the most superior kind ; and il becomes infinitely worse when it is half cooked in filth, which is too often the case. Again, I never put men on allow- ance except imperious necessity demanded it ; and this may often happen at sea ; for sailors are sometimes ex- travagant and wasteful, and sometimes, from a long course of head winds and calms, provisions may get short ; and not unfrequently, on board of merchant ships, where there are several water-casks lashed on deck, some of them are swept overboard by the violence of the sea ; consequently the quantity is reduced. From these and many other circumstances, then, it becomes absolutely necessary to go on allowance of provisions LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 389 and water. Ordinarily, however, the more judicious plan is, not to allowance sailors, because it engenders much bad feeling, by souring their tempers, and caus- ing them to grumble, which generally ends in difficulty and trouble. 1 know not why sailors should not be treated (if they conduct themselves with propriety, and discharge their duty) as well as landsmen. It is well known that, if mechanics are employed at any particu- lar business, they will never suffer themselves to be treated contemptuously, much less will they admit an employer to vent oaths and curses upon them, with im- punity. I do not institute this comparison with the view of giving sailors license to insubordination, but merely to show, that an employer 'on shore never con- ducts himself, towards the employed, in this way. There is a feeling among landsmen — and, in some degree, among the officers of vessels — that sailors have sprung from the most degraded part of society ; and this feel- ing seems to be almost universal, producing a degree of aversion and contempt, arising solely from unjust pre- judices towards them. There is a great mistake existing among the com- munity in reference to this matter ; for I will venture to affirm that sailors, as a class of men, have a descent quite as reputable as the generality of landsmen ; and, indeed, there are many among them whose parentage is of the first respectability, such as those who come from the Eastern States, which may truly be called the nursery of American seamen. These, at their advent upon the ocean, do not go to sea as a matter of con\renience ; neither are they so bad that their friends can do nothing with them on shore, in consequence of which they must be sent to sea; but, as a matter of choice, they enter upon the business of a sea life, as they would upon any mechanical pursuit, and follow it through all its gradations, until many of them arrive at the acme of their profession. In this view of the case, then, it is very evident that men must be thorough-bred sailors, before they can be capable to command. Now, then, if 35* 390 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. there are thousands of sailors in our merchant service of a character just mentioned, it follows that they are en- titled to the same kind of deference, in their sphere, as landsmen, particularly if they discharge their duty agree- ably to contract. That they are bound to do so, and also to conform to any course of discipline, there can be iio question ; and when these obligations are fulfilled., it becomes the imperious duty of the commander and officers to discharge the high obligations which devolve upon them towards seamen. And it does appear to me, after an attentive observation of many years, in regard to the character of seamen, that if a judicious line of conduct were instituted with them on ship board, not only would many of the hardships and privations con- sequent upon a sea life be ameliorated, but, also, they would have a more just conception of moral responsi- bility ; or, in other words, their duty towards God and man would be sensibly enhanced. It does not require the depth of a casuist to see that, if this were the general character of our seamen, they would not only command that respect on shore to which their condition entitles them, but, as they must be the vehicles by which the glad tidings of salvation are to be carried to the heathen, and the standard of the cross must be planted in the dark corners and habitations of idolatry, — I say, as they must be the channels of com- munication by which this glorious event is to be con- summated, how infinitely better must they be^ prepared to discharge this duty, when their characters are in- fluenced by morals and religion ! When we look" at the great good which may be ef- fected by the influence and deportment of seamen in foreign lands, —not only as it regards the establishing of our national character as good or evil, but also as dis- seminating the seeds of virtue and religion in the minds and in the hearts of the heathen, and among those where the blessed light of Christianity hath not shed its benign rays, — I say, when the importance of these things is considered, is it not wonderful, that the Christian com- LIFE ON THE OCEAN. 391 munity seems to be in a state of torpor' and supineness in regard to the great subject of reforming sailors ? Yet there does not appear to be any want of disposition, on the part of Christians, both real and nominal, to exert their influence and means in sending forth the mission- ary of the cross among the benighted sons and daughters of superstition, in order to spread the blessed effects of the gospel among them. And yet there are thousands navigating our ships over the ocean who are as deeply benighted, in reference to the great subject of morals and religion, as the heathen ; and it does appear but just, that, while such great exertions are made to send the bread of life into foreign lands, something certainly ought to be done for those who are the vehicles of com- munication, and without whom the effects of Christianity would be exclusively confined to civilized and Christian- ized nations. It has been said, and with great truth, when the re- ligion of the cross gets firm hold upon the sailor's heart, that he becomes a more zealous champion for the truth than one of any other class of men. If this be true, — and the very nature of his occupation confirms the as- sertion, — how much better calculated is he, then, to advance the cause of Christianity, than a landsman ! and it follows, of consequence, that, as the nature of his voca- tion obliges him to visit almost every clime that has been, and that yet will be, discovered, — when all this is taken into the account, it is evident that seamen are the best-calculated and fittest persons for missionaries. It is true, that the community is now being aroused to a sense of their obligations to sailors ; and yet, with the exception of a small minority, the majority of the people deal too much in generals, believing that special efforts are not absolutely necessary for their reformation. As I have expatiated largely, in the preceding pages, in reference to this subject, I would merely say, further, that the good which may be effected in this way will be exceedingly limited. If a universal benefit is to be conferred on sailors, the effort must be exclusively made 392 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. for their peculiar, and I may say exclusive, character ; and experience has shown that, since specific efforts have been made to bring sailors within the range of the gospel, it has given a moral influence on the bearing of many ; and when we contrast the material alteration for the better now, among sailors, to what it was twenty years ago, we are compelled to acknowledge that it is owing principally to the blessed influence of Christianity upon their hearts. It is, therefore, a source of gratitude to Almighty God, that, notwithstanding the very limited efl'orts that have yet been made to ameliorate the condi- tion of sailors, He has crowned those feeble efl'orts with abundant success; and it should be a stimulus to all classes of men, (but especially to those who are more deeply concerned,) to redouble their exertions in behalf of the condition of poor sailors. Let these exertions widen and extend ; and, as the Almighty has chosen men as instruments to promulge his blessed truth, and be the means, in his hands, of the salvation of their fellows, — and especially if we are firm believers in that truth, — let us not slacken our energies until the. prophecy is fulfilled, " When the abundance of the sea shall be converted to God." For the fulfilment of this glorious epoch, let all Christians unite ; and the time is not very far distant, when the high praises of God shall universally ascend up from old ocean, and when the tribes of Zebulon shall be joined to the tribes of Judah, and the mountain wave be united to the mountain of the land, and when all shall join in loud hallelujahs, '' The Lord God omnipo- tent reigneth! " 393 CHAPTER XXXVI. CONCLUSION. Among the most pleasing reflections of my life is the recollection that the Bethel flag was first hoisted in the port of Baltimore, on board of the ship which I com- manded. It was, to be sure, a small beginning ; for al- though it was a novel sight to behold the Bethel flag floating at the mast-head of a ship, as a signal to re- pair onboard for the purpose of religious worship, — yet, when the hour arrived, how many do you suppose com- posed the whole congregation ? 1* pause, not because the number is bevond calculation, but because a feeling of sorrow now pervades my mind at the recollection of the keen disappointment that was then exhibited by every person present ; and the reader will not think it strange, when I tell him that, from this famous Monu- mental city — a city so celebrated for its numerous churches and its widely-extended religious influence — 1 say, the reader will not think strange the keen- ness of my disappointment, .when I tell him, the whole congregation on board consisted of seven souls. This was, indeed, not very flattering ; for as yet the scheme was treated by many as entirely futile ; but, like all other beginnings, which are generally small in the com- mencement, ours had to struggle against prejudice; and although it had to contend with many discourage- ments from various quarters, yet, through the indefati- gable exertions of a few benevolent spirits, the work progressed slowly, but efficiently. The first year, the word of God was preached on board of such vessels as could be obtained for that pur- 394 LIFE ON THE OCEAN. pose ; but there were very few, at that period, who were willing to let the sailor's missionary go on board and dispense the Word of Life ; very few, indeed, would con- sent to let the Bethel flag be hoisted on board of their respective vessels. This inconvenience was " so great, that it was found absolutely necessary to relinquish the preaching of the Word on board of vessels ; and, the second year, a sail-loft was obtained for that purpose. Here, a growing interest for the success of the cause was abundantly manifested, and numbers accumulated. Sab- bath after Sabbath, (especially those who were connected with seamen and navigation,) to hear the Word preached, until it was found too contracted for the multitude which resorted thither. Then it was that benevolent and philanthropic men conceived the noble project of erecting a church especially dedicated to the moral and religious benefit of seamen. In 1825, a location was obtained ; and the building erected, and dedicated as a mariners' church, fo be conducted on the missionary plan, the operations and benefits of which were exclu- sively designed for seamen. For some years it had to contend with a variety of opposition — so much so that many were discouraged, especially as there did not ap- pear to be much good effected in the morals of seamen : this, however, was principally owing to the counteract- ing influence of intemperance, so prevalent among seamen, and the united efforts of the keepers of sailor boarding-houses to deter poor Jack from attending di- vine worship ; or, if he did, they usually plied him so freely with the intoxicating draught, that, if any good impressions had been made, they were soon driven from his mind. Another serious discouragement was, that the various denominations of Christians rarely lent their counte- nance or presence, to aid the institution. In this way, then, for a long time, the Bethel ship had to con- tend with head winds ; and, for want of a nucleus around which the captain and missionary might rally — I say, for the want of a crew to work the ship, she well HFK ON THE OCEAN. 395 nit'h had stranded. In this condition she hove out a signal, and the temperance ship, being well manned, bore down to her relief. Some of the temperance crew were put on board the Bethel ship, and worked her off into blue water and plenty of sea-room, since which time she has been kept under way, and the crew, although slowly, has steadily, increased in number ; and the influ- ence which this Bethel .ship has exerted, and continues still to exert, is incalculable, and will tell upon the des- tiny of m.any a poor weather-beaten tar, as well as upon those connected with seamen. In this port, already, there are many auxiliaries to this institution, which tend greatly to ameliorate the condition of seamen, as well as to extend the hand of charity to their distressed widows and orphans. There is a seaman's home conducted on temperance principles, in which the sons of the ocean may be secure from designing men, and find a comfortable residence while on shore, as well as have access to a library which is attached to this institution for their especial benefit. There is likewise a society established for the relief of seamen's widows and orphans, through the instru- mentality of which, and the untiring exertions of the missionary, not only has many a poor sailor's widow and orphan been relieved from the griping hand of poverty, but also many, very many, have been rescued froi,n im- moral wretchedness, and brought within the range of religious teaching, which has exerted' a most salutary influence over the destinies of this class. But although much has been done, yet much remains to be done ; and so long as the various denominations of Christians keep aloof, this work must be retarded ; but when all shall see eye to eye, and unite hand in hand to push forward this noble enterprise, then we shall quickly see the sailor elevated to that situation in society to which his worth entitles him. THE END.