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 5
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CAPT. WILLIAM BEADLE 1841 - 1912
1
CAPT. CHARLES BEADLE 1839 - 1910
CAPT. NATHAN H, MILLETT 1825 - 1905
CAPT, J. WARREN LUSCOMB 1 838 - 1901
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
away and hoist him to the block. Then a man runs out on the bowsprit and passes a rope with a running bowline in its end to the harpooner, who slips it over the broad tail and then some of the crew haul away on this line while others slack away on the harpoon line, and in that way land him on deck. The meat is very good and the Tiver 'fit for the captain's table.'
.
"Bonito or Horse Mackerel weigh around 40 pounds and are speared with a harpoon or the 'graines' (which is similar to a trident), but the best sport is with a book and line. These fish school around the bow. Cover the hook with a bit of white rag, go out and straddle the jibboom with legs locked between the guys (ropes under- neath) and let the hook jump from wave to wave. These are very game fish and put up a lively fight. Flying-fish frequently fly over the ship and striking rigging or sails fall to the deck. They are then on their way to the cook's pot. They are very fine cating.
"Off the east coast of Africa we passed many enormous sea turtles, but as we were not becalmed at any time we could not stop to lower a boat to get one. When 'running our castern down' in the South Atlantic and Indian ocean we were in the home of the great albatross and molly- hawks. These great birds, measuring 10 fect from tip to tip of wings, would follow us for days, usually flying directly over the poop deck and only about 30 feet above on' heads. I have seen the helmsman dodge his head frequently, thinking that they were going to mistake his head for a piece of salt pork. Fishing for these birds was a great sport. We would bait a cod hook with a piece of salt pork, and tie a float just behind it. Paying out this line over the rail until about fifty feet of line was out, the birds would fight to get it. A bite, and haul away. The albatross tows along, too dazed to make any resist- ance; when alongside, haul up and swing over the rail; the hook merely catches in the horny beak and as soon as the bird lands on deck it drops out.
"But once on the deck this enormous bird cannot get away. He cannot spring into the air as it is his habit to 'take the air' from the crest of a wave or, when on
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
shore, from a cliff. It is interesting to see how they immediately begin to walk awkwardly with their web feet with the evident intention of getting on top of some elevation or reaching the 'break of the poop' to enable them to 'take off.' We would not keep them long in cap- tivity but would steal up behind and, quickly picking them up, toss them over the rail perhaps to take the hook and be given another round trip which in time they might enjoy as a roller-coaster.
"One blessing we always had was good health ; even colds were absent except in port, but, after leaving St. Helena, a strang affection made its appearance. Many of the crew began to complain that their feet were swelling. We all felt well during the first stages and had good appetites and thoroughly enjoyed the fine white rice that we took in as sea stores at Manila. We did not know that it was the terrible beriberi and that this same steady diet of polished rice was the cause.
"There came a day when the second mato climbed in over the rail from a staging hung over the stern, where he was 'drawing' our name and hailing port, 'Salem,' and laid down his brush. He was a fine, stalwart fellow, the strongest man and best 'sailorman' in the ship and a very sweet singer -- our 'chantey man.' He was confined to his bunk only two days. An hour after he died he was sewn up in canvas, with weights at his feet, and placed under the forecastle head. The ensign was hoisted to half-mast, and the ship placed in mourning. At 8 bells, in the morning watch, the main yard was backed and the ship hove-to. Then followed the 'call to service' bell, and all hands gathered in the waist around a grating upon which, under the American flag, lay the body of our shipmate.
"Men were told off to 'stand by,' and the solemn service for the burial of the dead at sea commenced. At a signal, the men stooped and picked up the grating, resting its end on the ship's rail. When the captain came to the- words, 'We now commit his body to the deep,' he raised bis hand, the inner end of the grating was lifted, and the form of the second mate plunged into the sea on his three-mile journey to the Stygian darkness of the sea
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
floor. 'Brace round the main yards.' The sharp command relieved the tension and every man sprang with alacrity to the braces. Then followed days of calm while the ship rolled on the glassy sea, the reef points beating a soft tattoo on the sails.
"At this time the sun was directly over our heads at noon, the decks were like hot iron and the pitch boiled in the seams. Almost all hands were more or less dis- abled. The 'sailmaker' was nearing the fatal stage, and it seemed as if another burial service was close at hand. We were drifting about in that calm region that lies south- east of Bermuda, trying to make the islands. One night I was sitting on the poop with feet up on the port quarter- bitts trying to be comfortable. Forward the crew were ly- ing about on the deck, it being too hot to stand the heat of the forecastle. Some of them were very sick men. We had been without steerage way for days and with the steady advance of the mysterious discase that affected us, we were thinking of that burial at sea and who would be the next one.
"I was looking absently into the gloom of the horizon when I saw a flash. Was it imagination ? It came again. "There's the light!' I cried. 'Where ? Where away ?' 'On the port beam.' All hands lined the rail and someone forward started the doxology, and, from stem to stern, that grand old hymn rang out. It was St. David's Head light, at last, and the next morning the green isles of Bermuda lay across our bows. We were seen, and off came a tug. She ranged up alongside and her captain looked our crew over and sized up the situation.
" 'Want a tow, captain ?'
" 'How much ?'
" 'One hundred pounds.'
" 'Guess not. We will stay here a while longer.'
"Silence for a few minutes, then, 'Well, captain, I am going in. I'll take you for seventy-five pounds. The currents are pretty bad around here.' This for a little tow of ten or twelve miles in a smooth sea was some nerve. My father had his eye on some clouds over the land, and to me he said, 'We are going to have some wind from
-
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
those clouds before noon.' So he turned down the tow- boat and 'trusted in Providence.' We got a breeze and beat the tug to Five Fathom Hole, and anchored. As soon as we received pratique, we lowered the sailmaker over the side and sent him to a hospital.
"We received assistance and fresh provisions and sailed for. Boston. Cape Cod looked good, but the wind was. dead ahead, and we tacked across the bay to Thacher's Island, which also looked good, but when we came about and headed up the bay, the wind 'broke us off,' and we headed back to Highland Light, and our hearts went down. Not for long, however, for a tug came along and took our hawser and soon we were docked at Lewis wharf.
"Our 'sailmaker' reached Boston on crutches, three months later, but our second mate, our sweet singer and chantey man, we had left in a lonely spot southeast of Bermuda, 3000 fathoms deep.
'His form was of the manliest beauty, His heart was kind and soft; Faithful below he did his duty, And now he's gone aloft.'"
CAPT. W. FRANK POWARS.
Captain Powars, the next commander of the Mindoro, was born in Salem, the son of the late Joel Powars, and he died in this city, Dec. 11, 1910. He graduated from the Phillips School, and when only sixteen years of age he enlisted in the 19th Unattached Company Massachu- setts Infantry, was transferred to the Third Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, and served until the company's termi- nation of service.
After the Civil War, he entered the employ of Benja- min Fabens and made a voyage to Cayenne. Voyages to all parts of the world followed. He sailed as mate of the barques Sachem, Priscilla, Sagadahoc, Olivia Davis (commanded by his brother, Capt. Charles H. Rowars), and Doris Echoff. He was mate of the ship Humboldt, in which he was wrecked on one of the Paracel Islands, and passed through a series of most remarkable adven- tures, as before related in this series. He was mate of
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SHIP "SUMATRA "
Built at Chelsea in 1856 From an oil painting by an English artist, showing the ship off the Cliffs of Dover, 1857
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
the ships Highlander and Sumatra, and when the latter was sold in San Francisco he came home across the con- tinent. He was then placed in command of the ship Sooloo of Salem, made two round voyages in her, and then com- manded the ship Mindoro on a similar voyage. He next sailed in the schooner Jonathan Sawyer, Capt. Benjamin O. Reynolds, with whom he was wrecked in the ship Humboldt. Next he was appointed boatman in the United States customs service of Salem and Beverly. He entered the employ of the Boston & Maine railroad shops on Bridge Street, and lastly he was general foreman at the Lehigh & Wilkesbarre wharf, Salem. Captain Powars joined the Salem Marine Society, April 29, 1886, and was master in 1915-1916. ITe married Miss Mary P. Gauss, daughter of Stephen Gauss, and she and her daugh- tcr, Mrs. Ralph Arterson, reside in Salem.
CAPT. CHARLES BEADLE.
Captain Beadle was born in Salem, Dec. 31, 1839, the son of John and Mary M. (Brown) Beadle, and he died Jan. 11, 1910. He was educated in the public schools, and graduated from the old Salom English high school as a member of the 25th class. Captain Beadlo's father was a native of Salem, and a member of the first class of the high school. For many years he carried on the business of a boat builder and ship caulker. He died in Salem, August 31, 1889, in his 76th year, having been afflicted for many years with almost total blindness.
The son, after leaving the high school, went to sea. He made two voyages in the barque Hollander, Capt. Nathan HT. Millet, to the East Indies, followed by a voyage to Buenos Ayres in the barque Swallow. Subsequently he was second mate of the ship Cyclone, Capt. Nathaniel In- gersoll of Salem; mate of the ship Sooloo of Salem, Capt. Daniel HI. Hutchinson ; ship St. Paul on an East India voyage; mate of the barquo Glide, commanded by his brother, William Beadle, between Boston and Zanzibar; mate and master of the ship Mindoro, between Boston and Manila. He was deputy master of the Salem Marine
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
Society, agent of the Franklin building, and secretary of the Salem East India Marine Society.
CAPT. J. WARREN LUSCOMB.
Captain Luscomb was born in Salem, the son of a ship- master, ex-Alderman Joseph W. Luscomb, and he died in this city, April 16, 1901, in his 64th year. A history of his life has already been published in "Series Two" of these articles.
CAPT. BENJAMIN C. CREELMAN.
Captain Creelman was the last commander of the Min- doro, and he made a voyage in her between Boston and the East Indies. He died in San Francisco, Cal., March 10, 1916, while en route to the home of his daughter, Mrs. William H. Swan, at Colorado Springs, with whom he,spent his winters.
He was born'in Topsfield in 1837, and when a young man followed the sea, rising to the command of a big merchant ship, and sailing to the principal ports of the world. Most of his life he was engaged in the China and East India trades, and he rounded Cape Horn 43 times. He commanded the ship Charger and other vessels, but his Jast voyage was in the ship Mindoro, on her last voyage. His death occurred after one day's illness, with pneu- monia.
JOHN TAYLOR.
John Taylor, the builder of the Mindoro, died in Chel- sea, Sept. 22, 1877, in his 70th year. He learned his trade in Medford, and afterwards started in business as a member of the firm of Foster & Taylor, whose ships numbered some of the best specimens of naval architecture known in those days. In 1851, Mr. Taylor removed to Chelsea, where he established himself in business and pursued his occupation with great success. He turned out ships with remarkable rapidity at one time, when ship- building had received a great impetus from the California "gold fever." During one year he launched nine ships from his yard. He built in all eighty ships during his business
MAIS
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
career. 'Among them were the fine ships Witchcraft and Syren in 1851; Malay in 1852; Aurora in 1853; Derby in 1855; Sumatra in 1856; Sooloo in 1861; Mindoro in 1864; and Formosa in 1868. When the subject of ship- ping was under consideration at the Massachusetts State House, he gave his views at considerable length, and showed that Americans, if relieved from onerous taxation, could successfully compete with all other nations in build- ing and running ships. Mr. Taylor was a deacon of the First Congregational Church, Chelsea, and was much esteemed for his geniality and great social qualities.
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
THE SHIP SOOLOO.
One of the good, modern ships of Salem was the second Sooloo, which was built at East Boston in 1861, by John and Justin Taylor, father and son. She was a worthy ,successor of the first ship Sooloo, which was lost on the coast of. Sumatra, May 14, 1855. The ships were owned by Silsbees, Pickman & Allen, of Salem, and cach made many and long voyages to the East Indies. The accom- panying picture of the second Sooloo is a copy of the oil painting hanging on the wall of the Marine room of the Peabody Museum of Salem, the gift of the artist, the · late Charles Torrey, of Brookline.
The Sooloo was built just before the Civil War, when everything that entered into her construction was low priced. In fact, she was the smallest cost ship ever owned by the firm, and also one of the very best. As she passed out by Boston light on her first voyage, the total cost of everything, including sails, was $55,079.97. The writer saw the detailed account of the same, and so speaks with first-hand knowledge.
The ship sailed on her first voyage June 1, 1861, Capt. Charles H. Allen, Jr., for San Francisco, and arrived there Nov. 8, 1861. From there she went to Mazatlan, Mexico, Bremen and New York, arriving at the latter port, Oct. 11, 1862, completing the voyage in 16 months and 13 days.
Charles E. Davidson of Boston, who was a boy on the Sooloo, wrote in the Boston Journal of Dec. 1, 1892, thirty years afterwards, as follows, of this voyage: "Wc reached San Francisco after a passage of 159 days. Off the coast of South America, the ship encountered a cyclone which threw her on her beam ends, the crew holding on to the rigging for their lives, and looking down upon what they thought would be their death in the sea, which was even with the hatches fore and aft. If I remember rightly, but one vessel was seen during the passage, which was off Cape Horn, where we saw the land for the first and only time until we reached San Francisco.
SHIP " SOOLOO," of Salem 784 tons, built at Boston in 1861
From a photograph showing the ship leaving Boston for San Francisco, June 1, 1861
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
"Here, the cargo of coal, railroad iron rails, etc., in the hold, doors, sashes and blinds between decks, was dis- charged. This peculiar, but splendid cargo, was the only thing that kept her from going bottom-up during the cy- clone, tornado or whatever it was.
"From San Francisco we went to Mazatlan, Mexico, where we lay at anchor a few days, thence up the Gulf of California to Buena Vista, although no hut or resem- blanco of civilization could be seen there. Here we lay many days in an open roadstead, several miles from dry land, and took aboard a cargo of dyewood, with the usual accompaniment of scorpions, lizards, tarantulas, etc., that are always found in dyewood.
"Our destination from this place was Cork, Ireland, which we reached after a long and tedious passage, made necessarily so, as I was afterwards told, by taking a new route, out of the regular track of vessels, where we bad very unfavorable weather, in order to keep out of the way of Rebel privateers, which at that time were destroying American commerce.
"At Cork, we discharged a quantity of silver bullion and coin, which made up part of our cargo. Oh, what a haul the old Alabama would have had had she captured. the Sooloo!
"Our next port was Bremerhaven, which we reached in a few days. Here we discharged the cargo of dyewood, and sailed for home. In about 30 days we sighted Cape Cod, which we soon rounded, and went sailing up the bay with a fair wind. The captain, mate and myself, by the way, were the only ones who had made the round voyage, and we were light-hearted with thoughts of reaching home before night, and joining those whom we left 15 months before, when down came the pilot boat, and aboard came the pilot with orders to proceed to New York, where we arrived six days later. This is a brief description of the maiden voyage of the old ship Sooloo, which now lies at the bottom of the sea."
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
CAPT. DANIEL H. HUTCHINSON.
On her second voyage, Capt. Daniel H. Hutchinson of Salem was master, and the trip was between New York, Hong Kong, Manila and Boston.
Captain Hutchinson sailed her on her third voyage, between Boston, Melbourne and Calcutta, making the run from Melbourne to Sand Heads in 36 days, the quickest passage on record, and arriving at Calcutta, July 26, 1864. While at Calcutta, with several other ships, she was driven ashore Oct. 5, during a borer, but owing to the excellent scamanship of her commander escaped with little damage, and through his splendid management was the first ship to get into dry dock, thus meeting with but little expense in consequence. From Calcutta, she went to Bombay, then back to Calcutta, thence to Boston, where she arrived ·Sept. 23, 1865.
On her fourth voyage, Captain Hutchinson in command, she sailed from Boston, Nov. 7, 1865, for Hong Kong. She arrived at her destination and discharged her cargo; sailed for Manila, where she arrived, loaded a cargo of sugar, and sailed for Boston. On her way down to Anjier, after threading her way among various islands and reefs, she was suddenly confronted by a reef of low visibility and known as the North Watcher. The danger of losing the ship was imminent, but Captain Hutchinson and his first officer, Charles Beadle, a native of Salem, were equal to the situation. Orders came thick and fast, to which the crew responded with alacrity. Every effort was made to clear the reef, but it was impossible, and the vessel struck and remained fast. Anchors and kedges were run out, and the ship was moved a very little. She pounded hard for a while, and pieces of the keel came to the surface. She finally worked off, leaking badly. Her rudder was also damaged. Captain Hutchinson bore up for Batavia, the pumps being kept constantly going, in order to keep her afloat. The port was reached in a few days, the entire cargo was discharged, and the ship re- paired. She reloaded her cargo and sailed for Boston, where she arrived Feb. 14, 1867. On arriving home,
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
Captain Hutchinson spoke in the highest terms of his first officer, Mr. Beadle, and the owners subsequently made the latter master of their ship Mindoro.
Captain Hutchinson commanded the ship on her next three voyages, which were to the East Indies. He was then transferred to the firm's ship Mindoro, retiring from the sea after arriving home from one of his voyages in her, on account of illness.
Mr. George H. Allen, one of the owners, in speaking to the writer, said: "Captain Hutchinson was one of our best captains. He was a remarkable shipmaster, with rare presence of mind, always cool and the man for an cmer- gency. His handling of the Sooloo when she was driven ashore in the borer at Calcutta and when she struck on the reef near Java, displayed the very best seamanship and won the highest commendation of the underwriters. He retired full of honors in his profession. On his return from one of his voyages the papers spoke of his ship as looking as clean and bright as a yacht and said that he brought home with him. every member of the crew that started with him-a most unusual occurrence.
All of the remaining voyages of the Sooloo were to the East Indies. Captain John H. Shatswell of Ipswich, who was mate with Captain Hutchinson on the ninth voyage, succeeded him on the tenth, and commanded her three voyages ; Capt. Charles H. Allen, Jr., of Salem, was her commander on the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th voy- ages, and on her last two voyages, the 18th and 19th, Capt. W. Frank Powars of Salem sailed in command.
CAPT. W. FRANK POWARS.
A sketch of Capt. W. Frank Powars was given when he was master of the ship Mindoro.
CAPT. EDWARD E. POWARS.
When the ship Sooloo arrived at New York, June 14, 1884, Capt. Allen reported that the mate, Edward E. Powars, dropped dead of heart disease, at sea, March 26, at night, on the homeward passage from Manila. The body was buried at sea. Captain Powars was a native of
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
Salem, and was in his 47th year. He graduated from the old Phillips school. With the exception of a few years spent in the army during the Civil War, he had followed the sea from boyhood. He sailed as captain in the employ of C. E. & B. H. Fabens on South American voyages, and for several years was mate of ships owned by Stone, Silsbees, Pickman and George H. Allen, and had been the last eight years of his life mate of the Sooloo. He was regarded by his employers as a thoroughly trust- worthy man. He served his country faithfully as a mem- ber of Company II of the gallant old Nineteenth Massa- chusetts Regiment, being mustered in Dec. 1, 1862, and reenlisting Dec. 21, 1863, for three years; but the follow- ing year a call being made for men in the United States Navy, he was transferred to the U. S. Ship Merrimack. He was aboard of that vessel, when all hands were taken off by a passing steamer, a few moments before the ship sank, the disaster occurring some six hundred miles from land. He continued in the Navy until honorably dis- charged. He left a widow and three children.
When the Sooloo, Capt. W. Frank Powars, sailed from Boston, Oct. 4, 1884, for the East Indies, she finished loading Oct. 3, shipped her crew without advance wages in season to clear in the afternoon, and sailed without trouble or detention, Oct. 4, at 10 A. M., being the first ship to receive her crew and sail direct from the wharf since the enforcement of the new Dingley law. Many vessels bound to sea have recently anchored in the stream and taken their crews in small numbers, as they could get them.
Writing home from Manila on his first voyage, Captain Powars said: "I almost believe that the Sooloo could find her own way out here (Manila) alone, so many times has she been over the route. We have had fine weather all the way and I have had to settle the topsail yards but once."
On her last voyage (her 19th) on the passage home she was run into, May 21, 1887, by schooner Messenger, from Salem, May 19, for Port Royal, S. C. The collision occurred during a thick fog, at 5 P. M., 70 miles E. S. E.
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BY GEORGE GRANVILLE PUTNAM
of South Shoals lightship. The Sooloo lost foretopgal- lantmast, main and mizzen topmasts, with everything at- tached, several stanchions and chain plates were broken, bulwarks stove on starboard side, and the hull received slight damage. The Messenger lost jibboom and forctop- mast, but was not otherwise injured, and she lay by the ship all night, in order to render assistance, if needed. The Sooloo was towed into Vineyard Haven, and from there to Boston.
The Sooloo was subsequently sold to the Boston Tow Boat Company, and was converted into a coal barge. She made several voyages between coal and eastern ports, and while deeply loaded with coal, and in tow of a tug, sank ·off Pollock Rip shoal, Nov. 15, 1892.
And that was the end of the good ship Sooloo, which had served her owners so well, and which for nineteen «consecutive, long, deepwater voyages, had sailed the ocean bluc, and had carried the name of Salem, to quote the motto of this old municipality, so well expressed on the City Scal, "To the farthest ports of the rich cast."
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SALEM VESSELS AND THEIR VOYAGES
THE SHIP PANAY.
Capt. Stephen P. Bray, who died in Newburyport in 1897, was, as has been stated, the commander of the ships Mindoro and Panay, owned by Silsbees, Pickman & Allen, of Salem. He entered the employ of the firm as. mate of the Mindoro, then commanded by Capt. Benja- min O. Reynolds. By his ability, his intelligence, being possessed of a very active mind, and his honesty, he soon won the confidence of the firm, and they promoted him to. master on the first opportunity. When the ship Panay was built he was made master of her, and for seven consecutive voyages sailed her to Australia and the East. Indies. On the eighth voyage of the ship, he remained at home to enjoy a well carned rest, and his first officer, J. Warren Luscomb, took command. On the ninth and tenth voyages he was again master of the ship, and it was on the tenth voyage that she was wrecked on the Island of Simara. Captain Bray, on his return to Amer- ica gave up the sea as a calling.
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