USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > Salem vessels and their voyages; a history of the "Astrea", "Mindoro", "Sooloo", "Panay", "Dragon", "Highlander", "Shirley", and "Formosa", with some account of their masters, and other reminiscences of Salem shipmasters > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 Sa32puu 1792569
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Ga. ..
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01095 5901
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/salemvesselsthei00putn_0
494
SALEM VESSELS and
THEIR VOYAGES Series DE.
A History of the " Astrea," "Mindoro," "Sooloo," "Panay," "Dragon," "Highlander," "Shirley," and "Formosa," with some account of their Masters, and other Reminiscences of Salem Shipmasters
Series 3
By GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
Salem, Massachusetts THE ESSEX INSTITUTE 1925
494
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1792569
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ELIAS HASKETT DERBY 1739 - 1799
From a portrait by James Frothingham in the Peabody Museum, Salem
F
8448 . 71
Putnam, George Granville.
ser. 3
Salem vessels and their voyages; a history of the "Astrea", "Mindoro", "Sooloo", "Panay", "Dragon", "Highlander", "Shirley", and "Formosa", with some account of their masters, and other reminiscences of Sa- lem shipmasters, by George Granville Putnam. Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1925.
iv, 164 p. front., plates, ports., facsim. 25era. Lettered on cover : Series III. SHELF CARL "Reprinted from the Essex institute Historical collections, volumes LX and LXI." 1. Salem, Mass .-- Comm. 2. Shipping-Salem, Mass. 3. Salem, Mass .-
Biog. I. Title : Salem vessels and their voyages.
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25-27897
Library of Congress
HF3163.S33P8 Ser. in [5]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
25
Allen, Capt. Charles H., Jr.,
151
Ship " America," .
77
Andrews, Capt. Nathaniel,
145
Ship " Aurora,"
77
Bachelder, Capt. Nathan A.,
101
Bates, Capt. William B.,
49
Beadle, Capt. Charles, .
49
Beadle, Capt. William, .
125
Boswell, Capt. James B.,
41
Bray, Capt. Stephen P.,
101
Brown, Capt. Nathaniel,
89
Clough, Capt. Benjamin P.,
1
Derby, Elias Haskett,.
97
Ship " Derby," .
73
Barque, " Dragon,"
81
Dunn, Capt. Thomas C.,
121
Entwisle, Capt. J. Clifford,
117
Ship " Formosa," .
87
Foster, Capt. Samuel J.,
.
125
Gardner, Capt. Henry,.
85.
Ship " Highlander,"
41
Hutchinson, Capt. Daniel H.,
41
Hutchinson, Horace F.,
81
Hutchinson, Capt. Samuel,
93.
Hutchinson, Capt. Samuel, Jr.,
101
Kinsman, Capt. Nathaniel J.,
49.
Luscomb, Capt. J. Warren,
9
Manifest of the Ship " Astrea," 1790,
49
Millett, Capt. Nathan H.,
19
Ship " Mindoro," .
iii
.
·
.
.
.
.
.
iv
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Mullin, Capt. John, 101
Ship " Ocean Rover,"
141
Brig " Olinda,"
141
Ship " Panay,"
65
Perkins, Thomas Handasyd,
13
Ship " Perseverance,"
.
111
Powars, Capt. Edward E.,
41
Powars, Capt. William F.,
37
Reynolds, Capt. Benjamin Oliver,
33
Ship " Ringleader,"
129
Ship " Rome,"
137
Barque "Sappho,"
.
133
Shatswell, Capt. John H.,
115
Ship " Shirley,"
125
Ship " Sooloo,"
57
Ship "Sumatra," .
53
Ship " Thomas Perkins,"
133
Tibbets, Capt. Charles H.,
89
West, Benjamin A.,
93
Ship " Witchcraft,"
.
137
Woodbury, Albert Knight,
.
87
·
·
125
Snell, Capt. Nicholas T.,
.
.
SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES.
THE SHIP "ASTREA" OF SALEM.
BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM.
Among the many famous ships owned by the late Elias Hasket Derby of Salem, and which was one of four vessels, the Atlantic, Three Sisters, Light Horse and Astrea, to find their way to Canton in 1789, was the last- named-the Astrea. She was built by Mr. Derby and made her first passage as a letter-of-marque, in 1783, to France in 18 days, and returned in 19 days. In a memoir of Mr. Derby, by his son, E. H. Derby, published in the Merchants' Magazine, volume 36, in 1857, the author writes :
The Astrea was one of his (Mr. Derby's) favorite ships; sbe was distinguished for speed, having in one voyage to the Baltic made the run in 11 days from Salem to the coast of Ireland. She was rated at 360 tons. This ship first appeared on the books of Mr. Derby in 1783, and seems to have been a letter-of-marque during the last year of the war. After the peace she made several voyages to London and the Baltic, and continued to run many years in the service of Mr. Derby.
Early in 1588, Mr. Derby planned, for the first time, a direct voyage to Batavia and Canton, and selected the Astrea for that purpose. In those days a Canton voyage was a serious under- faking, and as six months was required to provide the specic, ginseng and other cargo, the ship was sent in the spring up the Baltic for iron; a schooner was sent to Madeira for wine, and letters were addressed to Mr. Derby's correspondents in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore for ginseng and specie. The Astrea, on her return, met with stress of weather, and put into New Foundland. This detention delayed the voyage until the close of the year. Upon her arrival from Russia, Mr. Derby had her thoroughly repaired, and then submitted
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
her to a survey of three experienced merchants, who reported her to be in fine order for an Indian voyage.
In February, 1789, he despatched her for Canton, with an assorted cargo, backed up by shipment of specie by David Sears, Samuel Parkman and other eminent merchants. Her manifest gives the assortment then deemed proper for such a voyage, with a list of the adventures and terms of shipment.
Manifest of the Cargo on Board Ship Astrea, James Magee, Master, from Salem for Batavia and Canton.
Fifty barrels salmon; 100 tons iron, 5,757 bars; 39 pipes Madeira wine, 4,290 gallons; 50 barrels tar; 50 boxes chocolate, 2,500 pounds; 598 firkins butter, 32,005 pounds; 345 boxes spermacetti candles, 8,9331/2 ponds ; 153 hogsheads and tierces ginseng, 55,77634 pounds; 11 pipes red port wine, 1,339 gallons; six pipes Teneriffe wine, 721 gallons; 24 hogsheads beer, 2 barrels each; 24 barrels beer, 40 gallons each; 115 tubs steel; 48 barrels beef; 336 barrels common flour.
Nine kegs snuff; this belongs to Tenney & Brown of Newbury ; 1/3 the net proceeds you are to credit E. H. D.'s account for freight-the other % to lay out on account of T. & B. in light goods.
Two boxes women's shoes, 407 pair ; 14 hogsheads. N. E. rum and one hogshead stores, 1,792 gallons; 19 dozen handkerchiefs; seven hogsheads codfish, nine quintals each, 63 quintals.
One phaeton and harness complete, with saddles, bridles, etc., cased up. This belongs to Folger Rope, after deduct- ing commissions, the net proceeds to be credited to E. H. D.'s account, as friend Derby is to have the use of the money for freight.
Four hogsheads ginseng, 1,998 pounds; 10 half-barrels beef; one box shoes, 94 pair; six cases Geneva ; two pipes red port wine, 237 gallons ; nine firkins butter.
Four boxes spermacetti candles; one pipe Teneriffe wine, 118 gallons. Captain Nathaniel West.
One cask ginseng, 274 pounds, James Jeffrey.
One cask ginseng, one bag, 3101/2 pounds. Ezekiel H. Derby.
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BY. GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
One cask of siftings of the ginseng, 138 pounds. Eze- kiel H. Derby & Co.
Eight hundred and ten dollars; one pipe Madeira wine, 110 gallons (marked with marking irons, G. D. near the bung). George Dodge.
Two pipes Madeira wine, 220 gallons. Benjamin Pick- man, Jr.
Eight boxes containing 4,000 dollars, 19 tierces ginseng 4,086 pounds. Josiah Shippey & Co. This goes one- fifth for freight.
Sixteen tierces ginseng, 3,547 pounds. Josiah Shippey & Co. This goes at 331/3 per cent freight.
Two boxes containing 1,000 dollars, 23 tierces, one bar- rel ginseng, 4,719 pounds. Josiah Shippey & Co. This goes one-fifth for freight.
Eleven tierces ginseng, 639 pounds. John Seaman. This at 331/3 per cent freight.
Boxes containing 15,000 dollars, 16 casks ginseng, 5,570 pounds. David Sears. This at one-fifth for freight.
Fifteen casks ginseng, 4,793 pounds. David Sears. This at 331/3 per cent for freight.
Two hundred Spanish milled dollars; two tierces gin- seng, 430 pounds. Edmund Seaman. This at one-fifth for freight and commissions.
Seven hogsheads ginseng, 2,444 pounds, five boxes con- taining 5,000 dollars. Samuel Parkman. This at one- fifth for freight and commissions.
Five casks ginseng, one keg samples, 1,988, seven bags dollars, 4,000. Eleazer Johnson. This at one-fifth for freight and commissions.
One pipe Madeira wine, 103 gallons; one pipe port wine, 122 gallons; 250 pounds loaf sugar; four cases Geneva, 18 gallons; 20 gallons brandy; 95 dozen nine bottles rappeesnuff, 1,449 pounds, 552 pounds manufac- tured tobacco. James Magee and Thomas H. Perkins.
A box containing 23 pieces plate, weight 255 ounces, 16 pennyweights, 12 grains. William Cabot. Freight and commissions as others pay.
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
A bag containing 500 dollars. Oliver Brewster. At nine per cent freight home.
A bag containing 200 dollars. Robert Breeck. At 25 per cent for freight and commissions.
Four barrels N. E. rum, 1041/2 gallons; 50 cases Gen- eva, 225 gallons; two barrels snuff, 260 pounds. People- Adventures.
Four casks ginseng, 965 pounds ; four casks ginseng, 30 pounds-995. Elias H. Derby. To be disposed of.
It will be noticed that many of the shipments by mer- chants paid a large freight, and that it was the custom for the officers and children of the owner to take an inter- est in the voyage. The cargo of the Astrea was intrusted to the joint care of Captain James Magee and Thomas Handasyd Perkins. The last-named gentleman laid the foundation of his fortunes in this voyage, by establishing a house in China, and was for many years a leading mer- chant in Boston, and one of the founders of the Boston Atheneum and Asylum for the Blind.
The following is the letter of instructions from Mr. Derby on this voyage, and it shows how implicitly the owner was obliged to rely on the judgment of the officers. of his ship :
"Salem, February, 1789.
"Capt. James Magee, Jr., Mr. Thomas H. Perkins: -
"Gents :- The ship Astrea, of which James Magee is master, and Mr. Thomas H. Perkins is supercargo, being ready for sea, I do advise and order you to come to sail and make the best of your way to Batavia, and on your · arrival there you will dispose of such a part of the cargo as you may think may be most for my interest. I think you had best sell a few casks of the most ordinary ginseng, if you can get a dollar a pound for it. If you find the price of sugar to be low, you will then take into the ship as much of the best white kind as will floor her, and fifty thousand weight of coffee, if it is as low as we have heard, part of which you will be able to stow between the beams and the quintlings, and fifteen thousand of saltpetre, if very low; some nutmegs and fifty thousand weight of
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
pepper; this you will store in the fore peak, for fear of its injuring the teas. The sugar will save the expense of any stone ballast, and it will make a floor for the teas, etc., at Canton.
"At Batavia, you must, if possible, get as much freight for Canton as will pay half or more of your charges --- that is, if it will. not detain you too long-as by this addi- tion of freight it will exceedingly help the voyage. You must endeavor to be the first ship with ginseng, for be assured you will do better alone than you will if there are three or four ships at Canton at the same time with you.
"If Messrs. Blanchard & Webb are at Batavia in the brigantine "Three Sisters," and if they have not stock sufficient to load with coffee and sugar, and if it is low and you think it for my advantage, then I would have you ship me some coffee or sugar and a few nutmegs to complete his loading. If his brigantine can be sold for a large pricc, and sugar and coffee are too dear to make any large freight-in that case it possibly may be for my interest to have her sold, and for them to take passage with you to Canton, but this must not be done unless you, Dr. Blanchard and Captain Webb shall think it greatly for my interest; or possibly they may sell their brigan- tine to advantage, and find some Dutch ship that would take their freight to St. Eustatia or Curacoa, so as to make it very advantageous. But there are too often diffi- culties attending the sale of ships so far from home; it therefore must be well thought of before it is undertaken. One thing I have against it is, that I shall have too much property in the Astrea, and not know it in time to make my insurance, which ought to be taken into consideration.
"On your going round the Cape, no doubt you will see some India ships bound home. You will put letters on two or three of them for me, acquainting me with the situation of the ship, and everything you may think I wish to know. Captain Magee and Mr. Perkins are to have five per cent commissions for the sales of the present cargo, and 21/2 per cent ou the cargo home, and also five per cent on the profit made on goods that may be purchased at
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
Batavia and sold at Canton, or in any other similar case that may arise on the voyage. They are to have one-half the passage money -- the other half belongs to the ship.
"The privilege of Captain Magee is five per cent of what the ship carries on cargo, exclusive of adventures. The property of Mr. Perkins, it is understood, is to be on freight, which is to be paid for like the other freighters. It is orders that the ship's books shall be open to the in- spections of the mates and the doctor of the ship, so that they may know the whole business, as in case of death or sickness it may be good service in the voyage.
"The Philadelphia beer is put up so strong that it will. not be approved of until it is made weaker; you had best try some of it first. The iron is English weight; you will remember there is four per cent that you will gain, if sold Dutch weight. As the ships will be about leaving Batavia at the time you are there; if so, you best barter the small ginseng for something those ships may have on board, as no doubt it will do better in that way than at Canton. You will be careful not to break any acts of trade while you are out on the voyage, to lay the ship and cargo liable to scizure, for my insurance will not make it good.
"All freight out and home, it is understood, belongs to the ship, as Captain Magee is to fill his privilege with his own property. Be very careful of the expense attending the voyage, for I more fear that than anything else, and remember that one dollar laid out while absent is two dollars out of the voyage. Pay particular attention to the quality of your goods, as your voyage very much depends on your attention to this. You will not forget what Mr. Shippey says to you on that head of the green tea and nankeens, You are not to pay any moneys to the crew while absent from home, unless in a case of real necessity, and then they must allow an advance for the money. An- nexed to these orders, you have a list of such a cargo for .my own account. as I at present think may do best for me, but you will add or diminish any article as the price may, be.
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
"My own property, I suppose, will take the room of 500 chests, and your freight that you already engaged will take the room of about 500 chests, and then I compute you will have room for 500 chests more on freight, to make up the 1,500 which you think the ship will load on cargo. You must, at Canton or Batavia, endeavor to fill the ship with light freight, and provided you can do it with advantage, you have leave to put my property into more valuable goods, so as to take the less room; but this must not be done unless by calculation you find it greatly for my interest. And I again repeat that I would have the doctor and Mr. Bray made acquainted with the whole business of the voyage, for fear of accident, as, in, case Mr. Perkins should fail, one or both of them might be of great service to the voyage.
"It is my order that in case of your sickness, you write. a clause at the foot of these orders, putting the command of the ship into the person's hands that you think the most equal for it, not having any regard to the station be at present has in the ship. Among the silks, you will get me one or two pieces of the wide nankeen satin, and others you will get as directed. Get me two pots of twenty pounds each of ginger, that is well put up; and lay out for my account fifteen or twenty pounds sterling in curi- osities. . There will be breakage room in the bilge of the ship, that nothing dry can go in; therefore, in the crop of the bilge, you will put some boxes of china such as are suitable for such places, and filled with cups and saucers, some bowls, and anything of the kind that may answer.
"As to the sale of the ship Astrea, it will not do to think of it, on account of the freighters' goods; but if at Batavia or Canton you can agree to deliver the next sea- son for $20,000 or $25,000, you may do it, the danger of the seas, etc., excepted. Attend particularly to the writing of this contract. Provided that you wish to obtain more property home in the ship, it will be most agreeable to me to take such a part of the profit, or take it to come at their risk, and for me to have all above 40 per cent for
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
Hyson tea and light goods; but the goods must be of the best quality, and put in at the cash value; but do not take it on my risk without the property is insured be- fore you leave Canton. If any goods are shipped from Canton in the ship, you will endeavor to get me the con- signment, as it may serve some of my family at Boston. It is understood, where I have one-third of the ginseng for freight and commissions, as mentioned in the agree- ment, I am to allow Captain Magee and Perkins the com- mission for the whole sales out. In case Mr. Blanchard is at Batavia, and purchasing coffee, sugar and other arti- cles, if he can, by taking those articles, put off some of your goods, and give you this money, in any way not to injure his voyage, then I would have him do it. Provided . you, by information, are fully convinced that you can make a freight from Batavia on coffee, sugar, cotton, rice, or anything else, and you can sell my ginseng for a dollar a pound this weight, then I wish to have a third of my quantity sold, but not for less; but in a barter way you will no doubt do better.
"Captain Magee and Mr. Perkins, although I have been a little particular in these orders, I do not mean them as positive; and you have leave to break them in any part where you by calculation think it for my interest, except- ing your breaking Acts of Trade, which I absolutely forbid. Not having to add anything, I commend you to the Almighty protection.
"Your friend and employer, "Elias Hasket Derby." "Salem, 15th February, 1789.
"We acknowledge the above to be a true copy of our orders this day received.
"JAMES MAGEE,
"THOMAS HAND. PERKINS."
[NOTE .-- The foregoing is respectfully submitted to the reader as a specimen of model letter writing, an accom- plishment which is falling to a lower standard in the hurry. and bustle of the present business life of today.]
The Astrea sailed with brilliant prospects, but American
O
, or at any time force.
Kofden?
)
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PORTION OF THE MANIFEST OF THE "ASTREA " JAN. 25, 1790 FROM CANTON TO SALEM
From the original in the Salem Custom House
9
BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
ships were already following the lead of the Grand Turk, which arrived in Salem from China, in 1787, with a cargo of silks, teas and nankeens, and between the fall of 1788 and 1799, no less than fifteen American vessels arrived in Canton.
Mr. Perkins found the market overstocked with ginseng, and sold the large invoice at $20,000 less than the prime cost. He found there, also, three other ships of Mr. Derby. The Light Horse, Atlantic and Three Sisters, influenced by temporary high prices of produce in the Isle of France and India, had come on to China, so that four of his ships were lying at Canton in the summer of 1789.
Pursuant to orders, two of these ships were sold, and the proceeds of all their cargoes were shipped in the Astrea and Light Horse, which arrived safe in Salem, with no less than 728,871 pounds of tea for Mr. Derby. This importation was unprecedented; so also was the entire importation of the same year into the United States, viz. : -- 2,601,852 pounds of iea. And the result was disheart- ening to the merchants who first adventured in the China trade.
Down to this period most of the teas had come at high prices, via Sweden, Holland, England and France. The nation was exhausted by the war, and less than a million of pounds sufficed for the consumption of a country which now absorbs many millions pounds more annually, in ad- dition to coffee and cocoa.
Still another event had occurred during the voyage to dishearten Mr. Derby. The government had been organ- ized .under the Constitution of 1788, and an unexpected duty been imposed on toas, which amounted to $25,000 on his invoices. This duty took immediate effect without any exception for the cargoes on the way.
Under these circumstances, Mr. Derby addressed to Con- gress a memorial, in which, and the letters which accom- panied it, he presented the oppressive weight of the duty, and shadowed forth the idea of the present warehousing system of the United States. The petition presented so strong a claim that it was immediately granted. Amplo
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
time was allowed him for the disposal of his teas. Im- portations were checked ; the low price stimulated demand ; the funding of the debt increased the means of the mer- chants; and it may be inferred, from the energy with which Mr. Derby embarked in the trade to India in 1791, that his means were not impaired, if they were not in- creased, by his tea voyages.
Having gone at length into this outward voyage of the Astrea, detailing the several articles in her cargo, the reader has now presented for his consideration that of the homeward cargo.
Carefully preserved in the safe at the Salem Custom house by Collector William J. Sullivan, is a copy of the Astrea's manifest, now more than 129 years old. It is a formidable looking document, six feet and 11 inches in length, and was saved from being burned in a mass of documents, composed of manifests, imposts and crew lists, by Hon. Robert S. Rantoul, in 1865, when he was Col- lector of Customs of the District of Salem and Beverly.
The document is interesting as showing the composition of cargoes landed in Salem more than a century and a quarter ago. At the top of the instrument is the follow- ing:
"A manifest of loading, which the ship Astrea, burden 330 tons, had on board at the time of her sailing from the port of Canton, China, from which she last sailed on the day of 25 Jan'y, 1790, bound for Salem, in the State of Massachusetts, or at any time since."
The items of the cargo are written on Manila paper, which has been pasted on cloth, and the penmanship is remarkably legible today. It is shown only upon applica- tion to Collector Sullivan, and it is only drawn from its place of deposit upon request, and is never allowed to leave the office.
It contains the details of the entire cargo, with the marks and numbers, the names of the packages and contents, the names of the shippers and their residences, and also of the consignees and their residences. It would be interest- ing to print the entire list, but the following will suffice:
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
Three hundred and fourteen chests of Bohea tea, 50 half chests do., 226 quarter chests do., 575 chests Fouchong tea, and 11 chests green tea, for E. Haskett Derby, Salem.
Eighty-five chests Bohea tea, 30 half chests do., 20 chests Fouchong tea, 80 chests Hyson tea, 17 chests Nankeen tea and three cases silk, for David Sears of Boston.
Twenty-four chests Bohea tea, 10 half chests do., 10 chests Fouchong tea, 20 chests Hyson tea and six chests Nankeen, for Samuel Parkman, Boston.
Twenty-five chests Bohea tea, 10 half chests do., 30 chests Hyson and five chests Nankeen, for Eleazar John- son, Boston.
One hundred and seventeen chests Hyson tea and 16 chests Nankeen, for J. Shippery & Co., New York.
Three chests Hyson tea and one case of silks for Ed- mund Seaman, New York.
Two chests Hyson tea for John Seaman, New York.
Nineteen chests Hyson tea and four half chests Bohea tea for George Dodge, Salem.
Three chests Bohea tea, two half chests do., four quarter chests do., and 10 chests Hyson tea, for Elias H. and John Derby, Salem.
Four chests Hyson tea, two chests Bohea tea and two half chests do., for Elias H. Derby, Salem.
Two chests Hyson tea and two chests Bohea tea for Edward Gibaut, Salem.
Two chests Bohea tea and one chest of do. for E. H. Derby, Salem.
Two chests Bohea tea and one chest Hyson tea and one chest china ware for Nathaniel Weeks, Salem.
One chest Hyson tea for Benjamin Pickman, Salem.
Two chests Hyson tea and one bundle and three boxes tea for William Cabot, Salem.
Five chests Hyson tea and three "tubs" quicksilver for Elias H. Derby, Salem.
One hundred and fifteen chests Bohea tea, 25 half chests do., 50 quarter chests do., 70 chests Fouchong tea and 60 chests Hyson tea for Elias H. Derby, Salem.
Seventy-five chests Hyson tea, 115 half chests Fou-
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
chong tea, one box china ware and one box merchandise for Jonathan Gardner, Salem.
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