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 4
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"Sunday morning was very beautiful and I could not help thinking of the contrast between it and the week before. After breakfast, as I was lying down in the tent, Captain Reynolds came in and asked me if I would not like to take a walk down to the ship. I told him, yes, and we started. After looking at the pieces we sat down and had quite a chat by ourselves. Arrived back in camp about two o'clock.
"I had been around during the day with nothing on but a suit of underclothes, but at night I wore a pair of Nankin pants, a woolen shirt, and my little blue coat. Nearly all of us had found a shift of some kind during the week. In coming back to camp that day, I saw an
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1
CAPT. WILLIAM F. POWARS
37
BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
article in the sand that looked like my best overcoat. I dug it out, but it was all in rags. I told Captain Reynolds that that represented $25 of my wardrobe. I did not see more than half a dozen pieces of clothes be- longing to me. The larger part of our cargo consisted of straw hats in the rough state, going to the United States to be pressed into shape and made into nice hats. The beach for over a mile, and the bushes from the beach to a point twenty or thirty feet back, were covered with them. They blew there the night we went ashore. Hats were plentiful with us; we could have a new one by stop- ping to pick it up, and they answered for shoes, being soft and pliable.
"After getting back from the wreck, I took a Bible and lay down to read. After reading a few chapters, I sat up and looked out to sea, wondering how or when we would ever get away from thero. What worried mne most was that it would be a long time before we were missed, for when the time arrived for you to learn of the ship passing Anjier (Java) and you did not hear, you. would suppose that we had passed in the night and did not stop, as a great many ships do. The Captain told me when we left Shanghai, that he should not stop un- less there was a very fine chance, as it is a bad place to anchor this time of year.
"After a while I lay down again to wait for supper time to come, and was thinking how much I would like to be just where I was a year ago, at home in , Salem, when all at once the men outside the tent commenced to shout and run around. I sat up, wondering what was the matter, when one of the men came running in, shouting, "We're saved. There's a steamer coming to- ward the island." I looked out to sea and, sure enough, there was a steamer quite close in, with flags flying. I. went outside of the tent and found the men wild with excitement. I told them to keep cool, as they saw us from the steamer and were in there to take us off, and that, as supper was ready, all would better eat a little something to give us strength. The reef ran off shoal for a long distance, and I knew the boat could not approach
W 4
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
very near the beach and that we would be obliged to swim to it. Most of the men were too excited to eat, but some sat down and made a slight meal, while the others kept running around and waving flags and whatever they could get hold of.
"As soon as we saw the steamer, one man started to tell the lookout at the other camp. When the steamer approached as near as she dared to come, we saw them lower a boat and pull for the beach. One of the men took a flag on a pole and went out on the reef to find the best place for the boat to approach, but they were not to come very near, the reef being so full of humps and hollows. Finding they could come no nearer, he dropped the flag, swam to the boat, and was soon taken in, and others followed him. Captain Reynolds and I said wo would not leave the beach until the rest were safe in the boat, so we waited for those two to come from the other camp. We thought they would never come. Every minute seemed an hour. At last I became un- easy, as the tide was rising and the breakers were getting worse every minute, and I started to run for the men. I had not gone far before I thought how foolish I was to tire myself out running when I knew they would make all possible haste and I needed all my strength to get off to the boat, not being a good swimmer at the best of times.
. "I walked back again and saw the captain out on the reef in the water. He called to me to come before the breakers were too bad, saying we would wait in the boat for the others. He went on, and I soon had the pleasure of secing them haul him in and then I started. I threw away my sling, as I knew I should be obliged to use my arm in swimming. When I reached the edge of the breakers, I said to myself, "I shall never be able to swim to that boat." But I knew I must try. I passed the first line of breakers all right but was knocked down twice while going through the second. I got through without any damage and was soon in deep water, swim- ming away for the boat like a good fellow, with my jacket made fast to my waist. I was soon alongside and
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
was taken in. In a few minutes we saw the men hurry- ing to the beach and they were soon on the reef. One of them pushed boldly out through the breakers and was knocked down once or twice. The other tried it twice and was knocked down and washed back. This fright- ened him so that he started for the shore, waving his hand as much as to say, "I had rather remain on the island than to try to get out there." We shouted for him to come on. After a few minutes he tried again and came through all right and we pulled him into the boat. As that completed the whole lot of us, seventeen in num- ber, we pulled away for the steamer. There were twenty- three, all told, in the boat, and she showed a high side out of water. It was a life-boat, and a large one, too.
"We were soon alongside the steamer and taken on dock. She proved to be the Gordon Castle, Captain Waring, bound to Hong Kong. We were a hard-looking set of men, with out feet tied up in straw hats and with scanty clothing on. The first thing I said to the captain was, "I am glad there are no ladies aboard." As soon as the captain of the steamer could leave the bridge, he came down to us, and ordered his steward to give each of us a glass of liquor, to provide a blanket for each of the crew, to have their clothing taken off and dried in the engine-room, and give them nice quarters down be- tween decks. He took Captain Reynolds and myself into the cabin and gave us a state-room and a change of clothing, We soon shifted our wet clothes for dry ones, and the steward and a passenger washed my lame hand and did it up in nice clean bandages and showed us every act of kindness possible. The steward told me it was the greatest wonder in the world that such a wound as mine had not given me the lockjaw. At the supper table Captain Waring told us he was quite provoked at noon that day to find his ship fifty miles to the westward of where he had supposed her to be, right in the midst of those shoals and reefs, but, having good observations, he concluded to run through. He had traded in China all his days, but had never been caught in there before. Hc was glad now, as things had turned out. About three
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
o'clock that afternoon he had sent his second mate aloft to the foretop to keep a lookout for Lincoln Island. The officer at once saw what appeared to be a junk, but he soon made it out to be a piece of wreck, and then, seeing our flags, he told the captain he had sighted a wreck and that flags were flying on Lincoln Island. The captain went aloft to see for himself, and then ordered the steamer to be headed for the island. She must have been in sight that afternoon as I sat looking off, but as she was in the sunlight from me, I did not see her. I did not turn in that night, as I told the steward my berth was too good for me, and accordingly I slept on the settee.
"On Monday forenoon the steward went among the men and dressed their wounds, and during the day Cap- tain Reynolds, with my assistance, made out a report from the time we left Shanghai up to the time we were taken aboard the steamer. This had to be done from memory, as the log book and all the ship's papers were lost.
"Tuesday morning at eight o'clock we came to anchor in Hong Kong harbor, and as soon as the Consul's office was open, we wont ashore and reported to him. He pro- ยท vided a place for the men ; Captain Reynolds went aboard the American ship Twilight to stay, and I came to Tem- perance Hall. During the day I got a new suit of clothes and went to the Dispensary and had my hand dressed, and that night I was a different looking fellow every way.
"So ends a true account of the loss of the good ship Humboldt and the sufferings of her crew. I thank God for saving us and that it was no worse."
CAPT. STEPHEN P. BRAY
CAPT. EDWARD E. POWARS
CAPT. DANIEL H. HUTCHINSON
HORACE F. HUTCHINSON
41
BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
After this voyage, Captain Reynolds commanded the barque Cheshire, and his last charge was the fine schooner Jonathan Sawyer, which was built for him and of which he was part owner. He was the last survivor of the old East India captains of the Salem firm to die, and he was always considered by them a model shipmaster, a splendid factor, and one who always kept his ships in the pink of condition.
Of course the action of Captain Waring of the British steamer Gordon Castle in rescuing and caring for the officers and crew of the Humboldt could not be allowed to go unrecognized by this government. Upon representa- tion being made to the authorities at Washington, the fol- lowing order was promptly issued :
The Department of State at Washington, D. C., ordered "For presentation to Captain Waring of the steamer Gordon Castle, a gold watch and chain, in recognition of his rescuing the officers and crew of the American ship Humboldt, as a testi- monial of the President's appreciation of his humane and gallant conduct."
Signed, FREDERICK T. FRELINGHUYSEN.
CAPT. STEPHEN P. BRAY, JR.
The next master was Capt. Stephen P. Bray, Jr., who began his sea life as a boy in ship Volant Nov. 9, 1860. December, 1862, in ship Winona as second mate, to Callao and Havre. May, 1864, to 1868, ship Pocahontas. To East Indies, home via Mauritius, Boston, 1868 to 1869, ship Naples, chief mate. To Java and back to Boston, November, 1869, as chief mate of the ship Mindoro, to 1878, when he took command of the same ship till 1877, trading in this same ship to the Eastern ports. Ship Panay, new, September, 1877, as master, nine full voy- ages. The tenth voyage the ship was stranded on the Island of Simara, Philippine group, and was condemned
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
and sold. These ten voyages were to the Eastern seas, China, Japan, and sugar and hemp ports of the Philip- pines. General cargoes outward, largely kerosene oil on owners' account. On retiring from the sea in 1890, he established himself in the coal business in Newburyport, which he continued until his death, which occurred Nov. 17, 1897, in his 55th year. He joined the Newburyport Marine Society Nov. 27, 1873, and was treasurer from Nov. 28, 1895, until his death.
CAPT. HENRY GARDNER.
Captain Gardner followed Captain Bray. He was born in Salem, and he died at his home on Cedar Street, July 19, 1888, in his 54th year. He was engaged in the South American and East India trades. He was in the ship Herald when she foundered off Cape Good Hope. Ilis last voyage was in the ship Mindoro, from which he re- turned very sick, but Jater recovered his health, so as to attend to business ashore. He was a grandson of John Gardner, Esq., who formerly owned the Gardner farm, and a nephew of Henry Gardner, merchant and subse- quent owner of that property.
While in command of the ship Herald, from Iloilo, June 4, 1876, for New York, Captain Gardner was obliged to abandon the vessel off Cape Good Hope, a suc- cession of strong westerly gales having been encountered from the south end of Madagascar to Cape land, with high scas. From Aug. 27 to Aug. 30, latitude 36.06 South, Jongitude 22.20 East, heavy N. W. gales with cross seas constantly breaking over the ship, flooding the decks and cabin with water, were experienced. On the latter date the captain was obliged to jettison about 350 bags of sugar, as the ship was leaking badly. On examination, found that the stem and wooden ends had burst out, and that the vessel was leaking in several places, but in con- sequence of the violence of the weather, it was impossible to get at them or even to stop them temporarily. Finding the leak increasing, the water gaining rapidly on the pumps, and there being eight fect of water in the hold, and fearing that she might sink at any minute, the cap-
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
tain considered it advisable for the safety of all to abandon her, and hoisted a signal of distress in order to attract the attention of those on board a strange sail. Soon afterwards the stranger bore down to the Herald. She was the Mofussulite (of London) from Bimlipatam for London. The master was asked to take off the crew and officers and he did so readily. He sent his lifeboat for the purpose, but as a heavy sca was running at the time, it was with much difficulty that all were rescued. The Mofussulite then proceeded on her voyage, and the Her- ald's people were landed at St. Helena Sept. 13, 1876. Captain Gardner joined the Salem Marine Society Jan. 26, 1866.
CAPT. DANIEL H. HUTCHINSON.
Capt. Daniel H. Hutchinson, the third commander of the Mindoro,' was born in Yarmouth, N. S., in 1826, and he died in Salem, February 4, 1880. Ho sailed on his first voyage, when a mere lad, as cook for eight men on the brig Swan, of Yarmouth, N. S. He continued to follow the sea for many years, and made 65 voyages to all parts of the world, in the following vessels:
Schooners Union, Oceanus, and Emily; Brigantine Maidce ; Barkentine John Wooster; Brigs Swan, Paragon, Southampton, Camilla, Archimedes, Trafalgar, Horatio, and Primrose; Barks Christobel, Reward, and Lewis; Ships No Name, Juniper, Derby, Dashing Wave, Sooloo, and Mindoro. His first command was the brig Primrose.
He was in command of the barque Lewis, when she went ashore on an uncharted reef, on the passage between Aden, Arabia and Zanzibar, and became a total loss. She was owned by Benjamin A. West, father of Arthur W. Wost, of Salem. Captain Hutchinson made several record pas- sages between Boston and Java in the barkentine John Wooster, the vessel being owned by Henry Hastings & Co.
Captain Hutchinson's last voyage was in the ship Min- doro. He had been at home while the ship made a voyage under the command of Capt. W. Frank Powars. He went to the office of the owners in Boston, and was making preparations to go on the next one. While talking with
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
Mr. George H. Allen of the firm, Captain Hutchinson be- came unconscious, falling to the floor. He was immedi- ately taken to his home in Salem, where he passed away in the afternoon.
He joined the Salem Marine Society Nov. 2, 1881; the East India Marine Society, July 11, 1872. He was a most exemplary man and a deacon in the Tabernacle Church. Mr. George H. Allen, speaking of him to the writer, said: "You cannot commend Captain Hutchinson too highly. He was a wonderful and resourceful man and a thorough sailor, and he always brought his ships home in perfect order."
Captain Hutchinson married Miss Martha Frances Cross, daughter of Daniel and Martha (Farrington) Cross, and a niece of Oliver Parsons, a member of the first Salem Board of Aldermen. Horace F. Hutchinson, treasurer of Harmony Grove cemetery, is his son.
In response to a request from the compiler of these articles, Mr. Horace F. Hutchinson contributed the fol- lowing story of a voyage he made with his father in the Mindoro, between Boston, Hong Kong, Manila and Boston. It was his father's last voyage, and the son wrote as follows concerning the trip:
"In response to your kind invitation, and as there are many families in and about Salem, some member of whom made a voyage in the Mindoro, I thought that perhaps they would be interested in a little account of her abilities as a sailer and a sketch of the life on board.
"The ship Mindoro was the last of a long procession of full-rigged East Indiamen that carried the name of Salem on her stern around the world. She was not a handsome ship. She was 'homely' to the sailor's eye, but while her lines were not fine or her rig lofty, she was very heavily sparred and it took a gale of wind to drive her.
"It frequently happened in heavy weather that we would overtake and pass other ships, we carrying, perhaps, everything under royals, while they were under much 'shorter canvas,' although our mates at these times would almost have nervous prostration because the 'Old Man'
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
would not give the orders to 'Clew up and furl the fore and mizzen to-galln't sails,' 'Reef the main to'gall'nt' and 'Haul down the forctopmast staysail.'
"As an example of the Mindoro's ability to 'get there,' I would say that the Lucille, which left St. Helena a few hours after we did, arrived in New York three days after we arrived in Boston, and we lost three days on the way putting in to Bermuda.
"On the voyage out, when about 10 degrees south of the line, we sighted an American ship hull down to leeward. She was pointing higher than we, and in time she was near enough to hoist her number. My job was to handle the signal books, and by referring to the Register found that she was the Luzon of New York. We hoisted, "J. C. V. B.,' which was the Mindoro's code. He hoisted, 'New York, 52 days.' We replied with, 'Boston, 41 days'; to which he immediately replied, 'We doubt your authority.' My father was indignant. 'What does he mean ? Does he doubt my word because we beat him 11 days, and from Boston at that ?'
"By that time the Luzon had another signal flying from her monkey-gaff. I read, 'My name is,' and then he be- gan to spell 'P-a-r-k-s.' 'Oh, that is Jerry Parks, and he was joking. He used to be my mate!' my father said.
"By maneuvering we drew close enough to use a speak- . ing trumpet, which is close enough for square-riggers in a seaway, and helms were shifted to give us more sea room. We sailed for 14 days side by side. As the night shut down on us on the 13th day, the Luzon was about two miles astern; next morning she was still there, but while we were watching her, she set a brand-new forctop- mast stu'n-sail (which we bad seen them busily making on her decks for the last day or two). The breeze fresh- ened and she pulled up and passed out of sight ahead. That was January 6.
"We ran down to 48 degrees south, and 'ran our castern down' on a great circle, riding the 'Cape Horn swells' that in those latitudes roll unbroken around the world, and heading up by the N. W. Cape of Australia, we entered Timor Straits on March 1, and there again overhauled the
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
Luzon! And the Luzon of New York was rated as a half-clipper !
"We had discipline on the Mindoro, and when a heavy hand was needed I have seen it laid on, but the Mindoro was well known among the sailormen as a 'Christian ship.' No profanity was allowed, and was never heard outside of the fo'cas'l. That was the sailors' private retreat, where no officer ever entered unless an unruly seaman made it necessary.
"Every morning at 7.45, the man at the wheel would sound the ship's bell, for divine service. The two watches would assemble aft on the main deck, also the 'idlers,' as the cook, steward, sailmaker and carpenter, were called. The captain would descend from the poop and stand by the main deck capstan and read a short selection from the Bible, followed by a prayer, and then all hands lustily with the doxology.
"It was a service that frequently was accompanied with amusing features. Sometimes we were busy dodging seas that chased each other over the deck, hoisting ourselves up by the main rigging with our feet in the air, until the ship rolled the other way. Of course there were times when no such service could be held, such as days hove-to off the Cape, all hands below, helm lashed, and wheel held by a grummit.
"But it was in the eastern seas that this service was the most interesting, for among the Philippines and in the Java Sca we were surrounded by natives who would climb up the sides of the ship from their boats, and it was a sight to see the expression on the rows of faces looking over the rail when all hands pitched in to that grand old hymn.
"Sunday, a morning and afternoon service, one for each watch below. Moody and Sankey's hymns, a sermon of Spurgeon or Moody read by the captain and a prayer. In port, our Sunday service was a grand affair. We had an awning that covered the poop deck, and a melodeon, that usually graced the after-cabin, was brought up on deck.
"At 10 o'clock the ship's bell sounded over the waters
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
of the bay. Then could be seen boats leaving the gang- ways of the ships Luzon, Daniel I. Tenney, Earl Gran- ville, Tweed, Mary L. Stone, Colchester, Lucille, James A. Wright, and the barque Martha Davis. Aboard would come the captains with their wives, if they had them with them, followed by their boat crews, who would be sent forward on the main deck, while the rest joined the 'after guard' on the poop. Also we would have launches from Manila, with office men from Kerr & Co., Russell Sturgis, Pecle, Hubbell & Co., and others, names all familiar to our old Salem merchants.
1
"If one could have looked into the forward cabin of the Mindoro on a wet, cold, stormy Thursday night, as we run our eastern down in the 'roaring forties,' thousands of miles from anywhere and the nearest land the south pole conti- nent, one would not think that we were afflicted with home- sickness, for Thursday nights were song service nights, and all hands but the watch on deck, were there. And how everyone enjoyed the good old songs! 'Hold the Fort,' 'Pull for the Shore, Sailor,' 'Let the Lower Lights be Burning,' were their favorites. Of course, everyone sang as loud as he could. The mate had a voice like a rusty blackbird, and I used to fight shy of a seat near him. The second mate sang a beautiful baritone (he was the 'chantey man' of the ship), but his was a 'foretopsail yard voice,' which means that it would be heard by a bunch of sailors up there from the poop deck in a gale of wind, so that those sitting near him could not be sure whether they were making any noise or not. These religious services that were held on board were not only a welcome break in the monotony of sea life, but they were of real benefit to the men.
"There is plenty of work on board of a 'wind-jammer,' and every sailor on watch is kept busy every minute of the day, from the first order at 4 a. m. to 'Wash down the decks.' There has been practically no change in his work or diversions for the past 300 years. Some changes, perhaps, in the rig of the vessel, in sanitary conditions and food, but the men who made the name of Salem famous on every sea stood their watch in the old days in
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
exactly the same way, using the serving mallet, the spun- yarn, winch, marling-spike, and the caulking-iron, and knew the old couplet :
'Worm and parcel with the lay, Then turn and serve the other way.'
"He made 'sword-mats' and chafing gear, tarred down the standing rigging, prepared for 'heavy weather' regions by changing all sails made of light canvas to heavy, setting up the rigging, double lashings on all boats and movables, and overhauling the 'preventer braces' and the 'relieving tackles.' Then changing back again to light canvas as the ship leaves the high latitudes. Getting ready for port, holystoning, scrubbing paint, polishing all brass work and varnishing bright work. How old is the saying ?---
'Six days shalt thou work and do all that thou art able, And on the seventh holystone the deck and pound chain cable.'
"On the Mindoro there was no Sunday work, though it was the day for the crew to get out their 'ditty-boxes' and, sitting around on deck and on the forccastlehead, sow on numerous patches and buttons and darn their socks. But it was not all work, for a sailor must have his fun and the dogwatches from 4 to 6 and from 6 to 8 were usually given over to 'Euchre,' 'High Low Jack,' dominoes and checkers, also games on deck, 'tag,' 'puss in the corner,' and 'blind man's buff,' though the 'blind man' would receive such cuffs and kicks that he would sometimes pull off his blinder with 'Who the bloody 'ell did that ?' and would want to fight.
"We had harpoons always ready and 'porpoises under the bow!' during a dog watch meant only sport for the watch below, but something "fresh' in lieu of 'salt horse.' A block would be seized to the end of the bowsprit, a line passed through and bent onto a harpoon. The har- pooner stands under the bowsprit on the back ropes. The porpoises are leaping and tumbling back and forth under his feet and at the same time keeping ahead of the ship as she drives along. The man hurls the harpoon, which fastens in the back of the porpoise, and all hands haul
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