Schooner Enterprise.
Early in the month of March, 1820, I proceeded to New-York, for the
purpose of chartering or purchasing a vessel to carry our timber to the
West India market, and spent a few days in the city on that business.
While sitting at the breakfast table one morning, I was asked by a
ship-master, an old acquaintance, if I did not want to take a voyage to
Bermuda. I replied no; that I came to New-York to charter a vessel to go
to Catskill, and take in a cargo of lumber there. He said he thought I
might make some sale or contract for it in that place. Here our
conversation ended, and I thought no more about it. After breakfast he
asked me to take a walk with him. When we had journeyed some little
distance, we met a man with whom he passed the usual compliment of good
morning, and said, "This is Captain Dunham, of whom I spoke to you." He
asked me what wages I would require to take charge of a schooner to go
to Bermuda. I told him fifty dollars per month. He said he had agreed
with a captain to go the voyage for forty dollars per month, but he was
unfortunately taken sick and could not go. I bid him good morning, and
had proceeded a few rods when he called on me to stop, saying he would
split the difference with me. I told him I would go. He then took me
into a store, saying, "There is your mate and crew, and I wish you to
take them to a Notary Public's office in Pine-street, and have the
shipping papers made out, and I will come there with the money and pay
the expenses;" which he soon performed. After this was accomplished we
went to the Custom House and obtained a clearance, and then parted and
went to dinner. He requested me to call immediately after dinner at a
lumber-yard he mentioned, where I would find him on board the schooner,
as he had engaged a passage for New-Haven at four o'clock that
afternoon, where he resided. He handed me a letter addressed to the
captain of the Schooner Enterprise, containing direction for the voyage;
and telling me he hoped I would do for him as I would for myself, took
leave of me. I found the schooner to be one of the large full-built
Eastern vessels, having the deck loaded to the height of eight feet. I
hurried and got some clothing and a small out-fit, and having left some
old clothes and bedding, charts, quadrants, &c. in New-York, on my last
voyage; I had them put on board that afternoon, procured a pilot and
went to sea at eight o'clock the next morning. We made our passage to
Bermuda in seven days, where we discharged our cargo, and taking on
board a ballast of fustic, returned from Bermuda to New-York in seven
and a half days; making the whole time gone only twenty-nine days, being
one of the most pleasant voyages I ever made. My acquaintance with the
owner was so short, that, after my return, when he came on board and
gave me his hand, I looked for some time before I could recollect him.
When I left Catskill I took with me only two or three changes of shirts,
&c. promising my family to return in a few days. In the journey I so
unexpectedly took there was nothing interesting, and I merely insert it
to keep up the chain of my voyages.