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[Illustration: CAPT. JACOB DUNHAM.]
JOURNAL OF VOYAGES:
CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF
THE AUTHOR'S BEING TWICE CAPTURED BY THE ENGLISH
AND ONCE BY
GIBBS THE PIRATE;
HIS NARROW ESCAPE WHEN
CHASED BY AN ENGLISH WAR SCHOONER;
AS WELL AS HIS BEING
CAST AWAY AND RESIDING WITH INDIANS.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
Some account of the Soil, Products, Laws and Customs of Chagres,
the Musquitto Shore, and St. Blas, at the Isthmus of Darien.
With Illustrations.
BY CAPTAIN JACOB DUNHAM.
NEW-YORK:
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR,
And Sold by Huestis & Cozans, 104 and 106 Nassau-street.
1850.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and fifty, by JACOB DUNHAM, in the Clerk's Office
of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York.
D. Fanshaw, Printer and Stereotyper,
35 Ann, corner of Nassau-street.
CONTENTS.
page.
AUTHOR'S APOLOGY, 9
EARLY LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, 11
CHAPTER I.--Sloop Rover
Capture by the English--Sale and sinking of the Sloop Rover, 13
CHAP. II.--Sloop New-York
Second capture by the English--Exchange of Prisoners, 30
CHAP. III.--Sloop Biddle
Captain's Mitchell and Lafitte, the Pirates, 37
CHAP. IV.
Casting away of the Sloop Biddle near Waa-waa River--with
some account of the Indians, 52
CHAP. V.
Pearl Key Lagoon, and more of the Indians, 70
CHAP. VI.
Runaway Negroes among the Indians--The Sookerman, 77
CHAP. VII.--Visit to Corn Island, 89
CHAP. VIII.--Visit to Bluefields
Permit of George Frederick, King of the Musquitto Nation, 92
CHAP. IX.--Mode of Taking Turtle
Musquitto Laws--Produce--Customs, &c. 98
CHAP. X.
Some description of the country and inhabitants of the
Musquitto Nation, 105
CHAP. XI.--Sloop Governor Tompkins, 111
CHAP. XII.--Schooner Price, First Voyage
Leading the dance in Old Providence--A ball at St. Andreas, 115
CHAP. XIII.--Schooner Price, Second Voyage
Landing at St. Blas, 120
CHAP. XIV.
The harbor of Little Cordee--Trading with the Indians, 125
CHAP. XV.--Schooner Price, Third Voyage
A fleet of Patriots (or pirates) at Old Providence, 140
CHAP. XVI.--Schooner Price, Fourth Voyage
Our Boats fired into at Corn Island, 151
CHAP. XVII.--Schooner Enterprise, 160
CHAP. XVIII.--Schooner Felicity
Republicans and Royalists of Port-au-Prince, 162
CHAP. XIX.--Schooner Felicity, Second Voyage
The smartest Padre (or priest) in the West Indies, 167
CHAP. XX.--Schooner Combine
Captured by the Pirates--Placed in the ring to be
shot--Capture of the Aristides by Pirates, 170
CHAP. XXI.--Schooner Combine, Second Voyage
Our trade in Horses--The Yellow Fever at
Port-au-Prince--Counterfeit Coin--Arbitrary Laws, 187
CHAP. XXII.--Schooner Combine, Third Voyage, 194
CHAP. XXIII.
Capture of the Piratical Vessels by
Lieutenant Commandant Allen, 199
CHAP. XXIV.--Schooner Allen
Chased by an English Schooner--Horrible attrocities
committed by Pirates on the Spanish Main, 205
CHAP. XXV.--Schooner Frances
Trading Voyage to Musquitto Shore, Chagres,
Porto Bello, &c.--The Author officiates at a christening, 216
CHAP. XXVI.--Voyage to New Orleans
The Hospital--Direful visitation of the
Yellow Fever--Disposal of the Dead, 226
CHAP. XXVII.--Schooner Horizon
Peak of Teneriffe--Queer Carpenter, 236
CHAP. XXVIII.--The Sloop First Consul
Sinking of the Sloop--and return home penniless, 240
AUTHOR'S APOLOGY.
_In presenting the following Voyages to the public, I must inform my
readers that I have had but a common school education, and am
unaccustomed to composition. I can only tell my story in a plain
straight forward way, not being able to ornament it with flowery
language._
_My Voyages were all written by myself. I employed competent persons to
copy the work from my manuscript, and they corrected the small
inaccuracies that had escaped my observation._
_I thought, that although my book might contain many defects, if
composed by myself, that it would still gain more than it lost, by being
the production of the very person who had seen and taken part in the
scenes he related, and could vouch for the truth of all he had
witnessed. It is not given to the public as a specimen of the beautiful
in style, but as the story of an old sea captain who had lived in one of
the most eventful periods of our country's history; and one who had
nearly arrived at his last anchorage._
_With this brief outline of my life, and this short explanation, I
commit my little book, with confidence, to an indulgent public._
_Jacob Dunham._
RECOMMENDATIONS.
Captain Jacob Dunham, having applied to the Congress of the United
States, for relief, on account of losses sustained by him by piratical
robbery, We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that we are well
acquainted with the said Jacob Dunham, have known him for many years
past, that he is a man of truth and veracity, and that his statements
are entitled to full faith and credit:
Thomas O'Hara Croswell,
Post-Master, Catskill.
Abel Bruce, M. D.
Robert Dorlon, Esq.
Orrin Day,
President of Tanner's Bank, Catskill.
Hon. Malebone Watson,
Judge of Supreme Court, New-York.
Hon. John Adams.
Caleb Day, Esq.
J. D. Beers,
President of Bank of North America, New-York.
Jacob Haight,
Treasurer of State of New-York.
Hon. Zadock Pratt.
T. K. Cooke,
Member of New-York Assembly.
James Powers,
State Senator.
Calvin Balis,
Alderman of New-York City.
W. P. Hallett,
Clerk of the Supreme Court of State of New-York.
Edwin Croswell,
State Printer, Albany, New-York.
_Catskill, New-York, December 30, 1839_
EARLY LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.
On the twenty-seventh day of April, 1779, in the town of Colchester, in
the State of Connecticut, I was launched into the world, and entered on
the tempestuous voyage of life.
While yet an infant at the breast, FATE snatched me from my mother's
arms, viewed me with a scornful eye, and exclaimed, "I doom this babe _a
slave to hardships, dangers, and disappointments_."
The following pages will show how far the prophecy has been fulfilled.
My father, Samuel Dunham, was a Warrant Officer in the American Navy
during the Revolutionary War, and followed the sea during almost his
whole life-time. Whether the occupation of my father before me has had
anything to do in shaping my course in life, the author is not wise
enough to say, but leaves it to those who make greater pretensions than
himself.
In the year 1785, the Author emigrated, along with his father, to where
the village of Catskill now stands. The whole village contained but
seven houses, and was cut up into cultivated fields and gardens. My
father having bought half an acre of ground situated about where the
Greene County Hotel now stands, built himself a small house. After
living in Catskill about one year, my uncle sent for me to come to
Connecticut and live with him, which I did. I returned to Catskill in
the Spring of 1793, and then went as an apprentice to the Messrs. Thomas
O'H. & Mackay Croswell, Printers, who then published a small newspaper
called _The Catskill Packet_. I lived with the Croswell's about six
years and a half, where I was well treated. Having a great desire to see
some of the world, I went to Charleston, South Carolina, where I found
employment in a Printing Office for a few months. During that winter I
witnessed a large funeral procession in that city in commemoration of
the death of General Washington. In the Spring of 1800, I returned to
Catskill, and found some employment in the coasting trade, on the Hudson
River. During the summer and the winter following, I made three voyages
to Charleston and Savannah, and then returned to Catskill and worked at
the Printing business about two years. I then made one voyage to the
Island of St. Croix as a seaman. During this time I was married, in
Catskill, in August, 1801, to a young woman named Fanny Morgan. I then
found employment in the coasting trade in different vessels for one or
two years, when I entered the employment of Messrs. T. B. & A. Cooke, as
one-fourth owner of a packet sloop which sailed between Catskill and
New-York, where we did a good business for many years. Not being content
in doing well and making money in a moderate way, and a war breaking out
between England and America, I determined to try my luck again on the
Ocean; picturing to myself a rapid increase of the little property I had
gained by hard and slow earnings.
From the time I left this safe business to embark on the Ocean, my
adventures predicted by dame Fate, commenced. Since that time I have
been rudely driven by winds and storms, captured by enemies, robbed by
pirates, and have made many hair-breadth escapes both by sea and land,
until the present time. I have now brought my poor old sheer hulk to
anchor in the harbor of Catskill.
Not having much to occupy my mind, I frequently take a survey of my past
life, which has been checkered with many frightful scenes.
Being strongly urged by many old friends, for several years past, to
publish some account of my unfortunate adventures, I have reluctantly
yielded to their request. In so doing, I must crave the indulgence of my
readers.
CAPTAIN DUNHAM'S
NINETEEN VOYAGES.
CHAPTER I.
"The sailor ploughs the raging main,
"In hopes a competence to gain,
"And when his toil and danger's o'er,
"Safe anchors on his native shore."
Sloop Rover.
About the middle of May, in the year 1813, having a great desire to
engage in some adventure; and hoping that fortune would smile upon my
undertakings, I purchased of Messrs. Coddington & Thorp, of New-York,
one quarter of an old Sloop called the Rover; for which I paid one
hundred and twenty-five dollars. Messrs. Coddington & Thorp, and Captain
Silus S. Vail, were owners of the other three-quarters.
The Rover was an old condemned sea vessel, having old thin sails, two
deck beams broken, without top-mast, and a large piece of leather two
feet square nailed over a rotten plank in her bottom.
As this was during the last war between the United States and England,
the port of New-York and our whole north-eastern coast was closely
blockaded by English shipping. It therefore became necessary for our
citizens to transport large quantities of flour and other commodities
from Baltimore and adjoining towns, to New-York by land; and from thence
to be conveyed to the Eastern markets. The expense of transporting flour
and other heavy articles by land, caused speculators and traders to seek
shipments by water to Eastern ports. Freights of course were high, and
but little attention paid by merchants to the crafts they chartered. A
number of old vessels were offered for freight, the Rover rating No. 1
among them. The carrying business being well up, and much in that line
offering, I embraced a proposal of one dollar per barrel for
transporting 500 barrels of flour and 70 barrels of bread from New-York
to Providence, Rhode Island.
I sailed from New-York about the 20th of May, intending to run through
the most exposed places in the night, watching the movements of the
blockading vessels closely, and when I got into a good harbor I intended
to remain there until another dark night.
In heavy gales of wind the blockading ships generally put to sea for
their own safety; which gave me an opportunity to make my passage
unmolested.
I arrived, after a passage of forty-eight hours, at Stonington,
Connecticut, without discovering any of the vessels of the enemy. I
found a number of vessels had taken shelter in that harbor to avoid an
English frigate which was cruising between Block Island and Newport. I
remained at Stonington a few days, when a dark night appearing, I again
made sail, and arrived at Providence, my port of destination, in safety.
We landed our cargo, and Mr. Thorp, one of the owners, who had
accompanied me for that purpose, was left to dispose of it.
Two or three days after unloading my vessel, I again sailed for
New-York. We anchored at the mouth of Newport harbor for the purpose of
awaiting an opportunity of returning when the blockading frigate should
stand out to sea. I had to wait but a few days; as soon as I saw she was
far enough from the port I made sail, and by keeping near the shore,
arrived at Stonington without molestation from the enemy. Here I learned
that New London, a port between me and my destination, was closely
blockaded by a British fleet consisting of two 74 gun ships and two
frigates. There were ten or twelve sail of coasting vessels then lying
in the harbor at Stonington, most of which had been East with cargoes,
and were waiting for dark nights or other favorable opportunities to
pass the blockading squadron. I remained here eight or ten days. During
this time the inhabitants of the town were much alarmed, fearing the
enemy would send in armed boats to cut out our vessels, and by that
means annoy the inhabitants and fire the town.
To show our patriotism and courage, a meeting was called of the officers
and crews of all the vessels in the harbor. We volunteered our services
to stand night watches, and do all in our power in case an attack should
be made. Our means of defence were scanty; a few fowling guns being the
only weapons we had on board our vessels.
Some of the inhabitants finally procured for us an old ship gun, which
we loaded with powder, but could not procure balls to fit it. We at
length found one which we imagined we could force into the gun. After a
long time, with a sledge and crowbar, we succeeded in driving it within
six or eight inches of the cartridge.
The captains drew lots for the first watch, which fell upon me. I took
charge of the watch until 12 o'clock that night, and was much pleased
that we were not annoyed by the enemy, as I concluded that the firing of
our own gun would make more havoc among us than all the enemy could
bring against us. At the close of my watch I learned that two Sag-harbor
vessels were getting under weigh, intending to pass through Plum Gut,
which would conduct them some distance from where the enemy lay at
anchor. As it was a dark night, and not being myself a good pilot
through that passage, I concluded to follow them. The wind being light,
they outsailed my vessel until I lost sight of them. About break of day
it was so calm that I could not pass the fleet or get back to
Stonington. I soon discovered a barge in pursuit of me, but there was no
way of escape. The boat had on board a lieutenant, a midshipman, and
twelve armed men. They left a prize master and two men to take charge of
my sloop, and then proceeded to capture another small vessel at that
time in sight. They soon overhauled her; but as she had nothing of value
on board, having only some household furniture, and women and children,
they let her pass. Three of the British vessels after firing a number of
guns toward the shore proceeded to sea, while my vessel was taken within
a small distance of the commodore's ship, which remained at anchor.
And here, as I deem it will not be altogether uninteresting to my
readers, I will make a slight digression, in giving a brief description
of the personal history of Commodore Hardy; for such was the name of the
officer who had command of the fleet which had captured us. Although
some Americans are under the impression that nothing good can come from
British officers, which idea in many instances has been justified; yet,
with regard to Sir Thomas Hardy, it might truly be said, that he was
"One of Nature's noblemen;" for such his conduct to myself and crew
fully showed him to be. He appeared to be a man about forty-five years
of age, about six feet in height, elegantly formed, and possessing a
benign expression of countenance, scarcely to be expected from one who
had been following, from his youth, a sea-faring life, and had been
engaged in some of the most bloody naval battles on record. When a poor
boy he was taken on board the English fleet by Lord Nelson, continued
with him during his various engagements, and became Nelson's principal
fighting commander. At the battle of Trafalgar the admiral died in his
arms.
On a signal being made we were ordered on board the commodore's ship. My
vessel being old and shabby, I thought it best to keep on my working
clothes to show my apparent poverty, which would excite some sympathy,
but I had a good suit of clothes in my chest. When I got on board I
found I was in his majesty's ship Ramillies, Sir T. W. Hardy, commander.
I cast my eyes about in as awkward a manner as I could; the officers
gathered round to have a little sport with a poor Yankee. They commenced
their conversation by asking me if I were ever on board of a
seventy-four before; I answered in the negative. The captain of marines
then, taking hold of my striped cotton pantaloons, asked me if we made
such fine cloth as that in our country. I told him a little, just to
cover our nakedness during the war. Soon after a message came for me to
go aft to see the commodore. I thought I would show myself very
submissive by taking off my hat and putting it under my arm. The first
salutation I had from him was, "Put on your hat, sir. Did you know that
we were lying here." "Yes, sir," was my reply. He said, "How dare you
venture out." I answered that I had been lying at Stonington a number of
days, waiting for a dark night to get past him. He then told me he must
burn my vessel and send me to Halifax. I told him if the sentence was
irrevocable, I had nothing to offer. I then left him and went forward
and sat down on a gun in a pensive manner. He soon accosted me by asking
me to go and get some breakfast, saying, "If I keep you I will not
starve you to death." I thanked him, but told him I had taken breakfast
before I left his prize. I kept my seat on the gun for a long time,
until I excited the attention of the sailors, one of whom accosted me by
saying, "Captain, don't look so sorrowful, our captain is a damned
clever fellow; I guess he will give up your old serving mallet," as he
called my sloop. "Yes," said another, "I would willingly give up my
share, for it will not be enough to make more than a glass of grog
apiece." The officers made themselves merry by passing many jokes with
me, supposing they had a green Yankee to sport with. In the afternoon
the commodore said, pointing towards my vessel, "That is a fine large
sloop of yours; can't you give me fifteen hundred dollars for her; I am
going to send two officers on board to prize her." I told him that was
three times more than she was worth, and five times more than I was
worth; that she was an old condemned vessel; that he could not send her
to Halifax or Bermuda. I told him I thought if I could get on shore I
could raise one hundred dollars, and perhaps that would be a
compensation for the trouble he had in capturing her; that I presumed he
would make a target of her to fire at if he retained her. He then left
me: about half-an-hour after he called me into his cabin and said that
he wanted to raise a little money to distribute among his crew; that he
had not enough to allow one dollar apiece to them. Said he, "I want to
use your old sloop for about three days. If you think you can raise one
hundred dollars by going on shore, you can take your boat and go; and if
you return in three days with the money, you shall have your sloop
restored to you."
My two men immediately hauled the boat alongside ready for embarking. I
bid the commodore good-by, and was going over the ship's side, when he
called me back, saying, "I must parole you before you go!" "Just as you
please," said I. "He said he was only doing me a favor, for then my own
countrymen could neither draft nor impress me after I landed." I then
took my boat and proceeded to Stonington, and arrived there that
evening. I found most of the vessels that I left there before my
departure. The captains assembled around me, eager to learn the news. I
related my story and the bargain I had made with the commodore. Some
thought I had made a good bargain, while others thought me foolish;
saying, that if I returned on board he would keep my hundred dollars and
send me to Halifax as a prisoner. The next day I negotiated with a
merchant of that place for a loan of eighty dollars, by giving a draft
on my friend in New-York for eighty-six dollars, and pledging my watch,
quadrant, charts, &c. and a note I held against a merchant in New-York
of one hundred dollars, as a security for the payment of the draft.
This, with thirty dollars in bills, which I had in my pocket, was more
than sufficient to ransom my vessel.
I returned to the Ramillies that afternoon. The boatswain, a grave
looking old gentleman, very hospitably took me by the hand and asked me
to go and live with him. He conducted me down two or three pair of
stairs into his own room, which I found well furnished, but had no other
light than a lamp, as his room was below the water. He told one of his
boys to make a clean cot for me to sleep in, and to wait on me if I
wanted anything. He treated me with some old rum he said he had kept on
board for three or four years. He lamented much that England and America
were at war with each other; that he never could realize us as
prisoners, because we both spoke the same language and sprung from one
nation.
The next morning I rose early, put on my best suit of clothes and went
on deck. I saw the first lieutenant on the starboard side of the deck
with his hands in his breeches pockets, walking very gracefully to and
fro. To amuse myself I put my hands in my pockets, and commenced walking
the opposite side of the deck in the same manner. He immediately stopped
and looked at me with some surprise, exclaiming, "Is that you? Damn it,
you have better clothes than I have. When we captured and brought you on
board you had on an old short jacket and cotton trowsers, and looked so
pitiful that most of the crew offered to give up their share of your old
shallop if the commodore would let you go. But I give you credit for it.
You have Yankeed us better than any one we have taken yet." I looked
about to see my old vessel which I left at anchor about half a mile from
the ship, but she was missing. He asked me if I was looking for my old
sloop. I told him I was. He said that I would never see her again. I
told him I was not alarmed about it, for I had the commodores word for
it. He said he would be damned if I ever got her again. I told him the
commodore had promised me to give her up in three days, and if he did
not keep his word I would take my boat, land at New London, and get a
warrant for him. He was pleased with the joke and soon after called his
brother officers around him, who took me into a room and treated me with
wine, segars, &c. They were very polite to me during my stay on board.
New London appeared from the deck of the ship to be four or five miles
distant. Fishing boats came every day from the town and fished within a
mile, without interruption. On their return they were often hailed from
the ship to come on board, and the officers and crew purchased what fish
they wanted, and paid a liberal price. I could see from the deck, with
the spy glass, colors flying, and troops marching and re-marching in the
city of New London. Above the city were the frigates United States and
Macedonia, and the sloop-of-war Wasp, at anchor. During my stay of four
or five days on board, the commodore would every afternoon send for me
to come into his cabin, for the purpose of having some humorous
conversation, which caused the time to pass very agreeably. The
remainder of my time was passed among the officers, some of whom had
relatives living in the city of New-York, with whom I had formerly
traded. We became familiar, and they insisted on taking my name and
number of my boarding house, saying, that when they took the city of
New-York they would come and take a bottle of wine with me. I told them
if ever they saw me in the city of New-York after they had captured it,
it would be without a head.
The day before my departure from the ship, finding the commodore in good
humor, I told him that I was a poor man and had a large family to
support with my old sloop, that flour was worth only seven dollars per
barrel in New-York, and was worth fourteen dollars in Boston, and that
it would do him no harm to give me a passport to carry a cargo to Boston
or neighboring ports. He paused for awhile, and then with a smile said,
"You look like a pretty clever fellow, and if you go to New-York and
take in a cargo, and come back here before I leave this station, which
will be in about three weeks, I will then give you a passport. But if
you attempt to run by me in the night, I shall make a prize of you."
The next day my old sloop returned to the Ramillies with a quantity of
beef on board. I made some complaint to the first lieutenant that the
sailors had eaten up all my provisions and lost my lead-line, and
hand-saw, &c. He remunerated me by giving me five times the value of
what I had lost. I paid the commodore the ransom money, received their
best wishes for a prosperous voyage, and departed.
On my arrival in New-York I was much interrogated to know why I had not
obtained a license from Commodore Hardy; to which I gave evasive
answers. Congress having about this time passed some stringent laws
requiring our vessels of war to overhaul and search all vessels bound
to, or coming from an enemy's ship, I thought best to keep my own
secrets. An acquaintance of mine called on me and asked me if I thought
it safe to take a cargo to Boston or some of the Eastern ports. I told
him if I were able to purchase one, I would try it. He told me to call
on him in a short time, as he thought he could procure a freight for me.
He soon obtained five hundred barrels of flour, and seventy barrels of
bread, at one dollar per barrel for freightage, and three per cent
commission for selling. I was to remit the proceeds by mail, or pay it
to their correspondents in Boston.
About the 20th of June I sailed from New-York and arrived within about
five miles of the Ramillies, where I anchored. At daylight I found a
barge coming towards us. My seamen were frightened, and attempted to
make their escape to the shore, a distance of two miles; by threats and
persuasion I prevented them. Soon after the barge came alongside. The
commanding officer asked me what cargo I had on board, and sundry other
questions. He then said, "You must be crazy. It was only last week we
had you prisoner, when we pitied you so much that we volunteered to give
up our shares in your old sloop if the commodore would let you go." I
told him I thought the commodore would let me pass. He replied, "You
need not expect any favor from him, as he has sworn vengeance against
all Americans. Yesterday morning we discovered a schooner lying at
anchor near where you now are. I was ordered to go and capture her. I
proceeded towards her, and saw the crew take her boat and pull for the
shore; when I boarded her I found no person on board. In the cabin I
found a manifest of her cargo, and in the list, some naval stores which
we wanted for the ship's use. We got the schooner under weigh, beat her
up within half a mile of the ship and came to anchor. Mr. Collingwood,
our second lieutenant, whom you well know, was sent to relieve me, and I
went to report to the commodore. The hatches were taken off and the
tackle hooked on to a barrel of naval stores, when the schooner blew up.
There were fourteen men on board, and all were killed except three
seamen who were furling the fore-topsail. Those three were thrown some
twenty rods, when the fore-mast was blown out of her. You cannot expect
any favors of the commodore." Before leaving New-York I learned that
some persons who had been captured by the commodore, ascertained, while
on board, that he was in want of naval stores; as soon as the news got
abroad, some merchants purchased by subscription an old schooner, and
placed thirty casks of powder in her hold. Some machinery was attached
to the powder by a string, which was also fastened to a barrel of naval
stores, and when it was raised had caused the explosion, as related by
the lieutenant.
[Illustration: Blowing up of the old Schooner near the Ramillies.]
My sloop was soon brought and anchored within half a mile of the ship. I
was taken on board the ship and conducted to the commodore, who spoke to
me in a pleasant manner. "Well, sir," said he, "I see you have arrived
here again. What does your cargo consist of? Where are you bound?" I
told him my cargo was flour, and that I was bound to Boston and some of
the neighboring ports. He gave me a passport to protect me from capture
by the English ships, and told me I could proceed on my voyage. I then
steered for Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where I sold some of my flour at
sixteen dollars per barrel. Finding the market dull, I proceeded to
Newburyport, where I found an abundant supply. From thence I proceeded
to Boston, where I sold the remainder of my flour at auction, at
fourteen dollars per barrel.
After my flour was disposed of I purchased a cargo of boards to carry
to Providence, Rhode Island. I loaded the sloop, intending to be ready
to sail in the morning, but the tide receding during the night, the
Rover was left aground at the Long Wharf. When I awoke in the morning I
found my vessel had fallen over on her side, and had five feet of water
in her hold. I procured a caulker, who, with myself and crew, went into
the mud and water and commenced stopping the leaks, while the water was
running out from her bottom from almost every seam. We caulked the
largest with table knives, wooden wedges, &c. We then took four pounds
of candles and a quantity of wood ashes and made a kind of putty, with
which we stopped the remainder. In the mean time my two seamen were
arrested for stealing and sent to jail. I hired a number of men and
bailed and pumped out the water. I then shipped a new crew and proceeded
to Providence. On my arrival there I was cordially greeted by the
inhabitants, and disposed of my cargo very advantageously. In
consequence of my good fortune a number of Quaker, and other persons,
who were strangers to me, urged me to take charge of a good brig;
supposing that I could protect their property. I declined taking another
vessel, as my passport would not protect me with any other than the one
I had. I, however, did not state to them the reason.
The rage for shipping in the Rover was so great that I could get about
five times more for freightage than I could in time of peace. I took on
board 31 pipes of brandy, 20 hogsheads of sugar, and 100 ceroons of
tallow, and sailed for New-York. When I arrived at Hell Gate and was
attempting to pass it, the wind being light, the sloop drifted upon the
rock called the Hog's-back, and the tide falling, her bottom was left
half out of water. At about 11 o'clock at night I made out to remove her
off from the rocks, having four feet of water in her hold. She drifted
back out of the Gate, when I succeeded in hauling her on shore and made
her fast to the rocks. As it was dark and rainy, we could not tell at
the time where we were. On groping my way into the cabin I found the
water six inches deep on the cabin floor. I then lay down with clothes
wet through to my skin. At daylight I found the Rover, the tide having
left her, some rods high and dry upon the rocks, and the water running
from most of her seams. I called all hands and went to caulking with
table knives, &c. We then applied a few pounds of putty and ashes to the
seams. At high water she again floated. After hiring four negroes to go
with us to New-York to assist in pumping and bailing, we proceeded on
our course.
When we got to the city we hauled her into Coenties Slip, where the
bottom is soft and muddy. The mud having filled up her seams in a few
hours, she ceased leaking, and passed for a tight craft. I notified my
consignees of our arrival and then landed the cargo. Five hogsheads of
sugar were damaged in consequence of the leaking of my vessel. The
consignees paid me for all the freight, and threw the loss of the
damaged sugar upon the underwriters in Providence, who insured a
considerable amount in the cargo.
As I had now been some time absent from my family, who resided in
Catskill, I concluded to make them a visit. I agreed with my partners in
the sloop to sell her at auction during my absence. The Rover was
visited by multitudes of people, who pronounced her the most lucky
vessel in the harbor. Many of them, I suppose, thought her to be a
phantom ship. For myself, I felt well satisfied, as I had over two
hundred dollars per month during the three months I sailed her, on a
capital of one hundred and twenty-five dollars.
The fame of the Rover was so great that she sold for $480. The purchaser
took her up the Sound to Long Island, and laid her on shore at high
water. He then loaded her with wood by driving alongside at low water.
But when the tide rose he found her sides broken in and her hold filled
with water. My hand trembles while I write of the untimely end of the
charming sloop Rover.