Schooner Price.--First Voyage.
About the last of May, 1817, my former owners of the Biddle and Tompkins
purchased the Schooner Price, built at Baltimore, sixty-eight tons
burden. On my last two voyages I found all the harbors along the Spanish
Main so destructive to a wood-bottomed vessel, that in a few months it
would be entirely destroyed. The fresh water emptying into the sea at
these places make the water brackish, which increases the quantity of
worms. The Price being iron fastened, obliged us to cover her bottom
with zinc instead of copper, which was accomplished in a few days. We
then put an assorted cargo on board suited to that market.
On the second day of June I sailed from New-York, bound to Old
Providence, St. Andrews, Corn Island, and Musquitto Shore. Nothing
worthy of notice took place on the passage. We arrived at Old Providence
in seventeen days, where I commenced a brisk trade. The inhabitants
urgently requested me to give them a ball. I had on board a drummer and
a cook who played the flute; they had a fiddler and triangle player on
shore. I complied with their request, they agreeing to make all the
necessary arrangements, as my time was occupied in selling goods, (such
as calicoes, jackonets, muslins, shoes, ribbons, jewelry, cologne water,
pomatum, beads, liquors, &c.) having an invoice of one hundred and sixty
different articles to be sold at retail. During the day the managers of
the ball came on board, and I furnished them with coffee, sugar,
crackers, cheese, &c. Soon after sunset I went on shore, where I found a
motley group of English, Spanish, and Curracoa natives of all colors. I
was introduced to a young white lady as a partner, who had been educated
in Jamaica, and understood the rules of country dances. According to the
custom of the place, the person giving a ball is expected to lead the
figure during the whole night. I conformed to the fashion of course. On
examining the room, I soon found it had no floor, but being an old
sailor, thought I could beat my way, which I accomplished in as gallant
a manner as did Lord Nelson when he fought through the combined fleet.
I had a trunk full of sheep skin morocco ladies' shoes on board, which
cost at auction thirty-one cents per pair, I sold most of them here at
two dollars per pair; many of them were danced out in one night. I sold
many other articles at about the same per centage.
By the custom of the Island, every person invited to a ball must give
one in return. One of the ladies who attended my ball gave one two
nights after. Her outlay for goods bought from me was over sixty
dollars.
Two or three days after the second ball I sailed for St. Andrews, where
we arrived the same evening. Immediately on our anchoring a large number
of the inhabitants of the Island came on board, ours being the first
American vessel they had seen there in fourteen years. I commenced a
heavy trade with them. This Island contains three times the population
of Old Providence. As these Islanders had heard that I gave a ball at
Providence, it would not do to refuse them one. It being agreed upon, I
told them to appoint their own managers, and then send on board and get
such articles as they required to treat their company with, not wishing
to be annoyed until they were ready; and as I was a stranger, I did not
want to have anything to do with giving the invitations. At the
appointed hour I went on shore, a horse and servant were waiting to
convey me to the ball-room, where I found a polished English lady, who
was to act as my partner, and lead the figure during the night, which I
was compelled to submit to until the ball ended. There was a floor in
the ball-room here, which made our dancing less laborious. We kept it up
briskly until 12 o'clock, and then partook of some refreshments. We then
recommenced dancing, and kept perseveringly at it until sunrise next
morning. But my trouble had just commenced. More than one half of the
free inhabitants were colored, whom I afterward found to be my best
customers, none of whom had been invited to the ball except an old man,
by the name of Bent, the wealthiest man on the Island, owning about
ninety slaves, whom the whites dare not overlook. I satisfied the
colored people that it was no fault of mine that they had not received
an invitation to my ball, at the same time treating them with the
greatest politeness, inviting them on board to partake of refreshments.
They, in order to be revenged on their white neighbors, gave a ball two
or three nights afterward, passing a resolution that no white man except
Captain Dunham should be invited.
At the appointed time a horse and waiter were sent to convey me to the
dance, which I knew it was my interest to attend. On arriving at the
place I found everything in good order, and was received with the most
facinating flourishes of high life, and introduced to a partner
three-fourths white, dressed in silk. I was called upon again to lead
the figure for the night. At 12 o'clock partook of refreshments, and
retired at four next morning, highly delighted with my prowess in
dancing.
By this introduction I secured all the trade of the colored population,
and retained it until I left, which was several years after the dance.
We next sailed for Corn Island, having parted with all the inhabitants,
both white and black, on the most friendly terms. We arrived in two
days, and commenced trade, as usual; we procured hogs, poultry, and
fruits in abundance. Our trade was unexpectedly interrupted by a gale of
wind which parted my largest cable. I lost the anchor, was driven over
a reef of rocks, broke the rudder, and found myself at sea in a gale,
which lasted about three days; after which we rigged a spar to act as a
substitute for a rudder, by which means we regained the harbor. There we
repaired the damage, and sailed for Pearl Key Lagoon, where I found Mr.
Warner in good health and spirits, and my Indian friends overjoyed to
see me. I landed many goods here, that I might get at my assortment and
recruit our store, and sold some articles to the inhabitants.
We then sailed for Cape Gracios a Dios. On our arrival, the king, who
had built himself a new house, came on board, with some of his admirals
and other great men, whom I treated with liquor until they were all
badly intoxicated. I bartered some goods in exchange for shell, skins,
gums, &c. and proceeded down along the coast to Bluefields, touching and
trading at the different harbors, and then returned to the Lagoon, where
I landed the remainder of my goods at our store, and then sailed for
New-York. Nothing material happening on the passage, I shall omit a
description of it. On arriving in the city I was well received by my
owners and friends, having made a prosperous voyage. After discharging
my cargo, I visited my family in Catskill, where I spent ten days, and
then returned to New-York to prepare for another voyage.