USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Boothbay > The shipping days of old Boothbay from the revolution to the world war : with mention of adjacent towns > Part 14
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Thursday, March 19. Cold and overcast. Fair wind. Heavy shower in the afternoon. Between 10 and 11 o'clock P.M. ran on a bar off Cape Cod near the light. Stove the water and hauled after chain cables. Got off about 121/2.
Friday, March 20. Came up the Bay and took in a pilot. Snowstorm and head wind, anchored off Boston Light. In the afternoon weighed anchor and made some gain. Anchored for the night.
Saturday, March 21. Last day aboard ship. Came in with a fair wind, and anchored off Rowe's wharf, and so ended my voyage.
FINIS
CHAPTER X
BRIGS CONNECTED WITH BOOTHBAY
T THE hermaphrodite brig Olive Branch was constructed at Warren, Maine, by Philip Montgomery for Captain Joseph Emerson, who owned ten-sixteenths of the vessel. The enrollment at Thomaston in April 1835 lists her tonnage as 165.
The maiden voyage to New Orleans with lime brought them to the bar of the Mississippi in June. A tow, consisting of ship Bolivar, brigs America, Olive Branch and schooner Bee, was made up by the Gram- pus, but progress up river did not begin to compare with the puffing and noise the small towboat made, for the passage of one hundred odd miles consumed three days. Captain Emerson sailed for New York, thence to Thomaston to load lime for the metropolis of the nation, thence in November for Sydney, Cape Breton Island, where the brig engaged in coal carrying for several voyages. The first regular mining of coal there seems to have been for the supply of the fortress of Louis- bourg, although its use is mentioned earlier. A report to the British Admiralty in 1711 stated: 'The island has always in time of peace been used in common, both by the English and the French, for loading coals which are extraordinarily good here, and taken out of the cliffs with iron bars only and no other labour.'
A Captain Crawford took the brig to New Orleans, sailing in Sep- tember 1836 for Boston and on arrival found the Alert, an able ship with full lines, recently arrived from California with seaman Dana, later author of Two Years Before the Mast. Captain Emerson resumed command and sailed for New Orleans with the usual cargo, and in March 1837 departed in company with brig Castor for Tampa Bay, both vessels loaded with government stores for troops engaged in sup- pressing the second Seminole Indian war. The provisions were landed safely, for Fort King. The Olive Branch returned to the Crescent City and sailed for home via Saint Marks. A Spanish fort called San Marcos de Apalachee was built there about 1718. On account of numerous oyster banks and shoals, it was not considered a good seaport, but was advantageously situated for trade.
During the summer of 1837, Thomaston received a visit from Na-
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THE SHIPPING DAYS OF OLD BOOTHBAY
thaniel Hawthorne who, after viewing the home of General Knox, wrote: 'On the banks of the river where he intended to have one wharf for his West India vessels and yacht, there are two wharves with stores and a lime-kiln.' It was here that the Olive Branch loaded lime for Southern ports.
Captain Joseph entrusted command of his brig to a younger brother, William S. Emerson, who later bought Joseph's interest. With N. Montgomery as mate he sailed for Apalachicola, where part of the cargo was sold. Lime was in demand, and Olive Branch sailed for Mo- bile and in December 1837 anchored off Sand Island, where a lighthouse was under construction. In 1873 the island was described as merely a sand bank of about four hundred acres in extent, constantly changing its outline. The greater part of it was washed away in the September hurricane of 1906. From Mobile the brig crossed to Havana with 94,000 feet of boards, and passengers, and while there old Spanish ship- ping records state there were ninety-eight vessels in port March 3 1838, of which forty-two were American.
The Gulf was crossed in ballast, and on arrival in New Orleans yellow fever was rampant, therefore Captain Emerson made good des- patch and cleared with freight and two passengers for Virginia. After a sixteen-day passage from the Pass, he arrived at Norfolk, and while there the cook committed a misdemeanor, or 'bowsed up his jib,' and was jailed; the master paid his fine and the brig returned to Maine. During the remainder of the year 1300 barrels of lime were delivered in New Orleans and Mobile, and in coasting from Boothbay a sailor was lost overboard.
The next voyage was to the coral-reefed island of Barbados and to Saint Thomas, once the greatest entrepôt in the West Indies. On the nineteen-day homeward passage an average day's run with moderate winds was ninety-four miles, and the longest was 173 miles. Arrival home was in May 1839, and at Thomaston the following day. Emer- son's mates on the trip were Samuel Hawes and Rasmus Anderson, a young man who came to Thomaston from Norway and was lost over- board in 1852 from the vessel he commanded.
The Olive Branch continued in the lime trade under William Watts, who touched at the Turks Islands in 1844. On sailing stormy weather
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prevailed, and the storm-tossed brig was unable to render assistance to a ship in distress. After being fourteen days north of Hatteras in the ever surging sea, the brig made New York with loss of mainboom and sails split by wintry blasts. A pilot had been on board a week, for the vessel had been blown off Sandy Hook twice.
Owen Long succeeded Captain Watts in June 1844, and both were Thomaston masters. In October Long set sail from Frankfort for Charleston, and a violent easterly gale overtook the brig. Heavy seas stove the bulwarks, galley and long boat. Butts were started, and she began to leak badly. In a tremendous squall the brig was thrown on her beam ends. All appeared lost as the cargo shifted, but the master righted his vessel by good seamanship. In the evening, before the shades of night and storm-scud obscured the view, the dismasted hull of a ship was seen amid wind-whipped waves. In this tempest the whaleship Cyrus, from the Pacific for Nantucket, lay with her lee rail in the water for four hours and lost all her boats. The brig arrived in distress, and later lost part of her deck load overboard on a passage from Wilmington to New London. A voyage to Saint Pierre, Mar- tinique, followed, thence to New Orleans in January 1845. Captain Long arrived home late in May.
William S. Emerson resumed command in June and began several coasting trips. While bound to New York from Machais in October, he was obliged to throw overboard part of his cargo during a gale to avoid the dangerous shoals of Nantucket. There was no lightship there then, and many sailors and vessels were swallowed up in seething seas and sand. Buffeted about by wind and wave, he was unable to make port for several days. The last trip was from Lubec to Philadelphia, and shipwreck followed, described in a letter to his wife:
Delaware Breakwater, September 9, 1846.
After a passage of fourteen days out and the pilot getting me on shore two or three times and other detentions, I had a head wind all the way down the river. After I got down the wind hauled round northeast, right ahead to go to Boston. I made a harbour here on the sixth and have to tell you my mis- fortune on the eighth. It was blowing a complete gale at northeast and this is a very open harbour. There was a very heavy sea running and I was riding with both anchors ahead. One of my chains parted and in a minute she took
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THE SHIPPING DAYS OF OLD BOOTHBAY
the other anchor and went down across another brig's bows and the first time the sea lifted her bow out of water and then falling against the brig, cut us to the water's edge. The next stove a hole through our broadside and we were obliged to jump on board the other brig to save ourselves.
The Olive Branch sank in about four fathoms of water carrying down with her all my effects. We had no chance to save anything. The brig's spars stick out of the water and when it moderates, if it ever does, I shall try to recover her sails, rigging, anchor and whatever I can. As soon as I can get all that I can from the remains of the old brig, I shall take passage in one of the vessels here for Boston. I had 225 tons of coal in the Olive Branch of which five belonged to me. My misfortune was unavoidable and shall try to submit to it without murmuring and hope you will do the same.
William S. Emerson.
Wreckage, a boat and a chest containing old log books of the Olive Branch washed ashore at Lewes, Delaware. Soon afterward Captain Emerson and his first officer, Daniel H. McCobb, made their way home to Boothbay.
Wanderer, constructed at Bowdoinham in 1845, registered 197 tons. Ozias McCarty of Westport was the principal owner and master. Early in 1850 he sailed from her home port, Bath, and lost deck load en voyage to Cardenas. About 1855 a younger brother, Elijah S., suc- ceeded him at the age of nineteen. One of his many voyages was to Mar- tinique in 1857, and that autumn found the brig off Cape Saint Nico- las, bound to Santo Domingo, now Haiti. Illustrative of sea life in sailing-ship days, excerpts from the brig's log follow:
Light breezes throughout and pleasant weather. Standing off and on the land all night. At 8 A.M. took the sea-breeze from southwest; squared away for Point Pierre. At noon it bore E. by S. eight miles; at 2 P.M. passed the Point; at 3 received a pilot and at 4 P.M. came to anchor in Gonaives bay in three fathoms water with fifteen fathoms chain on best bower. Visited by Customs and Health officers. Employed in getting the boat out, furling sails, etc., the rest of the day. This day is made thirty-six hours long in order to commence port journal.
Sunday, September 13, 1857. Fine weather and strong land breezes all day. Two of the crew & 2d Mate ashore on liberty. The Cook left the Brig.
Tuesday, Sept. 15. At 6 A.M. weighed Anchor; received a pilot, made sail and proceeded down the Coast to Grande Salines; at 4 P.M. Came to abreast
W
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Salines with 45 Fathoms cable in 28 Fathoms water & run a Kedge inshore. At 8 P.M. a Heavy and Violent Squall of wind and rain Accompanied with Thunder and Lightning. Brought the Anchore home and before we had time to let go the 2d Bower anchor we were off Soundings. Set the Trysail to keep her up to the wind. Employed all Night getting our anchors.
Wednesday, Sept. 16. At 2 A.M. Made Sail and began beating in towards the Coast, wind about ENE., Salines bearing ESE. At 1 P.M. Came to with both bowers with 36 Fathoms Cable in 18 Fathoms Water, and a Kedge on Shore. Furl'd all Sails. (17th) Laying off the Town of Grande Salines. The Crew & the Stevedores Gang employed Stowing Logwood. 2d Mate gone to 'port au prince' with Liberty to Stop 3 days.
Wednesday, Sept. 23. Strong and Heavy Squalls from the South'ard. Brought the Kedge home and Swung foul of the British brig Purchase, but done no damage. Continued heavy winds and weather throughout and a very heavy Sea. Brig rolling very heavy. Employed Stowing Logwood. In the evening haul'd the Kedge up & Took it ashore and buried it again. (24th) Finished Stowing in the Hold & Took on part of deck Load; Jackson at work again. 2d Mate not returned from 'port au prince.' (25th) Heavy squalls at Sundown. Finished loading at 11 A.M. Crew employed the rest of the day in Making preparations for Sea. At Midday Capt. McCarty Started for Gonaives in the boat to Clear.
Near the end of the hurricane season in October there was a gale: 'Heavy old Sea from NNE., the Brig laboring very much and Making more water than usual. Pumps going every half-hour.' However, she arrived safely in New York.
Damariscove, a copper-fastened brig of 200 tons burden, was launched at Eastport in 1847, commanded by Captain Knight. She soon grounded on Little Gull Island, carried farther ashore by wind and tide. Floated and repaired at New London, such strong head winds were encountered in 1850 that only 750 miles' progress was made in thirty days. Rounding Cape San Antonio in 1853, the brig struck on a reef of the Colorados. Cargo was jettisoned, and she floated off. Under one Sweetzer the next year Damariscove sailed from Portland and began to leak, followed by six futile days at the pumps. Brig Beronda appeared, took off and landed all hands. The abandoned vessel sank.
Earlier Captain Knight and brig were in Boothbay. His ancestors had lived on the island of Damariscove in early days, but John B.
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THE SHIPPING DAYS OF OLD BOOTHBAY
Knight settled at Eastport, later in Portland. There the Damariscove was owned by Knight, Pool and Company.
The Rio Grande was built on Arrowsic in 1852 and owned in Bath by Elwell P. Swett and others. Under 200 tons, the brig was a West Indian and South American trader, and was named after the Brazilian seaport of Rio Grande do Sul, in thirty-two degrees south latitude. In pleasing contrast to drifting sand to the southward of the town is a fertile island near by. The export of horns, hides, tallow and dried beef from the small but prosperous place amounted in 1861 to 509,843 pounds sterling, and 1148 vessels entered and cleared. Many years before, however, cargoes awaited export, and the anchors of Maine ships were hove up and catted to the old chanty:
Oh, say, was you ever in Rio Grande? Way, you Rio! Oh, was you ever on that strand? For we're bound to Rio Grande.
Andrew Tarbox, of Westport, was the first master of the brig, fol- lowed by Daniel H. McCobb who, out of Wilmington in the summer of 1854, put in at Holmes's Hole with split sails and crew sick with yellow fever. In southerly gales the haven afforded good shelter for vessels northbound to Boston and Maine, but was exposed to northers. Later, on a May day in 1857, he passed Portland Head Light, ten days from Cardenas. Afterward Captains Cunningham and Silas H. Green- leaf had the brig, which in 1864 was sold for $5000. However, the latter retained command about two years, and was relieved by Alfred R. Bennett.
In September 1869 the New England coast was swept by a brief storm, which the Rio Grande experienced under John E. Race. 'The gale commenced about seven P.M. accompanied by a pouring rain and was at its height about half-past nine,' related the Seaside Oracle, 'from which time it gradually subsided until eleven o'clock, when it had en- tirely passed away, and the stars were shining as brightly as if nothing unusual had happened.' One of the crew, Alfred Race, says that as they advanced northward from the Virginia Capes numerous fishing and coasting craft were seen stranded along the coast.
The old Rio now hailed from Boothbay under local masters, and in
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1871 was in the Kennebec on Christmas Day. Her days of usefulness were drawing to a close.
The Tempest was launched at Wiscasset in 1856, and before sheathed with copper cost her owners, Wilmot and Edward H. Wood, about $13,000. Under the latter she voyaged to Rio Grande do Sul in the winter of 1856-57, and the return to New York was a very rough one with loss of boat.
A little later John B. Emerson, of Boothbay, took the brig at Wis- casset and proceeded to Calais to load lumber for Matanzas. The trip was uneventful and the brig wended her way to Florida.
Dear Mother,
Pensacola, December 1857.
I have been in port eighteen days and probably shall be here a month or two at least, as I have not found anything for the vessel to do and the pros- pect is anything but favorable for them to do any more than pay their way for a long time to come. To-morrow is Merry Christmas and I hope it may be one to you at home. I wish I could be there in the morning to put some- thing in the boys' stockings. I had a couple of nice fat ducks presented to me by a gentleman on shore for a Christmas present.
I feel the younger members of our family have met with a more severe loss than we have, the loss of a good father's influence and instruction. I wish they might realize the importance of a good education, as I do now that it is too late. I thank you for the good advice you always send and hope to follow it. I hope to get a letter every day or two for you can't imagine how it makes my heart leap to get a letter from home. A Merry Christmas to you all.
John.
Captain John was only twenty-two. He made it a practice to carry on shipboard a small but well-chosen library, and thus supplied the deficiencies of his limited schooling. It was a year of depression, and on arrival in New Orleans he found many idle ships in port. The day the Captain cleared, January 23 1858, there were 161 ships, forty-six barks, twenty-four brigs and thirty-two schooners. His freight list to Balti- more on sugar and molasses was $2400.
Edward H. Wood, afterward master of ships George Stetson and Richard III, resumed command of the brig, and later Daniel H. Mc- Cobb was master. In December 1872, northbound from Jamaica, the Tempest collided with a vessel off Hatteras and sank to a watery grave.
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In September 1864 an unnamed half-brig was launched at Wiscasset, for command of Eleazer S. Giles. The name finally chosen was Hiram Abif. After a few voyages, Captain Giles arrived in New York ill with fever, and died there in March of 1865. Soon after Gardner G. Tib- betts took command, and employed the brig for a number of years in ice, lumber and West Indian trade. On one of his trips she went ashore at Barnegat, and the cost of freeing her almost equaled the value of the vessel. Early in 1876, while bound from Cardenas to New York, the brig sprang a leak, and Captain Tibbetts had to put in at Key West, dis- charge and repair. Eventually the brig, captained by Marshall Brown, is said to have been lost in the West Indies.
Captain Tibbetts's first officer was John P. Perkins. To an old ship- mate, John McFarland, Mr. Perkins wrote occasionally detailing voyages in the brig:
Philadelphia, August 13, 1872.
We had a long drill of it at Cardenas, laying there forty-two days, having eleven days' demurrage at forty dollars per day. We chartered and finally loaded at $2.50 per hogshead. John, my hands were sore when I got this ark stowed with molasses. I like to stow her, she is a perfect box. Have got the largest cargo in she ever had, 592 hhds., 20 of the cart hhds. held 260 gallons each, and have 55 tierces.
We had a time of it getting out of Cardenas, drawing fourteen feet, four inches, and the old Hiram dragged all they way out to the Mona and stopped twice; and after we did get out we drifted home, calm all the way. Two of the Sinbads skeddadled out there and we came home one man short. Mr. Wright has been second mate with us, but he has left and will come home direct from here to tend the Millinery ship at the head of the harbor. We have not commenced to discharge as yet.
Have you seen the shipping act? It is a damn humbug, a copy of English laws. American statesman are nearly imbecile and cannot act for them- selves. I am as dry of Boothbay news as a skimmilk cow. Where is the old Rio and the Agnes?
Savannah, October 13, 1872.
I found the widow's son [brig] at Pittston loading, called over to Gardiner and saw Sumner Tibbetts and talked over old times. We finished loading Wednesday morning and towed to Bath, anchored at Bath at 6 P.M. I went on shore and left little Eddie, the little fellow crying as if his heart would break.
£
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BRIGS CONNECTED WITH BOOTHBAY ·
Old Ben hitched on to us and towed us to Pond Island, cast off and left us in our glory; made all sail, wind blowing fresh from WSW. and a heavy old chop on, the Hiram heading off SSW. and I got some good ducks before we got the hauser hauled in. It blew fresh during the afternoon and first part of the night, but after that we had a fine southeast wind till nearly to Hatteras, then the wind came round to north. We poked along nicely till yesterday morning, when we made the industrious Martin, soon after North Tybee lighthouse and at noon entered the river and came up all right; ar- riving the same time with the new three-masted schooner White Wings from Bath, beating her four days on the passage. The old Hiram is a hound, if she is no beauty. When we anchored the White Wings came across out hause and took all head gear away, parted jumper chain, martingale and did sundry damage, a bill for her to pay and a job for old John.
The old Seguin lies here, waiting turn, also a barque and a large three- masted schooner now discharging, so our turn will not come this week and we will be here ten days if not longer. Freights are very good, one and one- fourth ct. for Havre on cotton and only a few ships here, among them the old packet-ship Lancaster, Universe, the brig George S. Berry, the Seguin and others.
We are going from here to Union Island, Darien, to load flooring boards for Baltimore or Philadelphia. I have a thick-headed Dutchman for second mate and a Portuguese crew. Had to lam one the other night for saying bad words; it shocked me. Savannah looks as if it had a blight, a real woe- begone place. The bummers of Sherman's army left their curse on it.
Union Island, Doboy Sound, Nov. 7, 1872.
We arrived up here a week ago last Monday and had to put our ice-fit- tings out and into a scow and tow it across the creek and discharge it. This is a quiet place to lie and nothing to molest one. The river is crooked as a ram's horns and we are not in a direct line from sea over five miles away, but by river over twelve miles. I suppose you have been in this place often. The old brig looks well. I had plenty of time in Savannah to fix her up, scrape, paint and tar. I laid there longer than I wanted to, but that we have to take as it comes along.
Did not commence loading until Tuesday and finished to-day, making in all eight and one-half working days. Cargo all small boards from eight to fifty feet long, three to twenty inches wide, one and one-fourth inch stuff. It was slow and tedious work, could have handled timber in half the time with less labor. But we did well and only hired two mouks to help and had
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to carry the boards the width of the wharf. Had one of our man sick with the fever, broken bone and yellow mixed up, but now he is convalescing. - Your old Perk is all right, never better, and the only trouble is I have lost my appetite and found a horse's. Captain Gardiner believes in good living and plenty of it. We are bound to Baltimore and hope to be there on or about the twentieth inst., Deo volente.
I see the old Rio has got back to New York. Has she done anything this summer? I am writing this in a hurry with the sand fleas biting like the devil.
Havana, December 1, 1873.
I had a long stay in New York, but not very pleasant. Gardiner went home and I took the old brig up to Greenpoint to the kerosene oil factory and did not lay very comfortable there, as no fire was allowed on board. I expected the works would burn up any day, but, as usual, they did not oblige me, so I borrowed trouble for nothing. We took in 10,776 cases of oil, two cans in a case, pretty cargo to handle both taking in and discharging and the Hiram stowed it like a canal boat.
We left New York in a hurry, the wind had been ESE. all night blowing and rainy, but shifted in the morning to N. and off we came into a head sea and blowing a gale. The old brig began kicking up and never stopped until we were in the Mayaguana passage. We had gale after gale from SW. and twice we had the Hiram under main trysail and foretop and main staysail with bonnet out. You can bet she did not forget to roll. We had 150 of those D. D. carboys of vitriol on deck, but as good luck would have it we did not break one.
We are half discharged and have been five days lying away up in East Regla. The oil factory here is the old hospital building and the yard where the oil is stowed is the graveyard where many a good Yank lies buried, Cephas Reed included.
The Spaniards say if the United States wants a licking, come on. It is dangerous to go ashore and for several nights many of the foreign inhabi- tants of Havana have come off and stayed on board the vessel and we ex- pect to see them flock off any time. Don't know how soon the cowardly devils will go for the whole of us, but if they will let us alone for two or three days more we will be out of this. We are going over to Mobile in ballast to load lumber back here, but as prospects are now, not for Joseph. This is the second time within a year I have been to this hole and I have never put my foot ashore as yet and don't think I shall with compulsion. I think Gardiner is sorry he came the voyage.
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Our cook skedaddled last night. I very politely told him I wanted my coffee at five A.M. He said I could not have it. I gently argued the point and he left during the night. The two fellows that left me last summer going down the bay from Baltimore were both caught, one got twelve months, the other six. The Hiram is a lovely packet for shirks. The weather is fine for the season and Yellow Jack, bad as it was, is fast leaving here. I forget it is snow-time down your way. Has that Old Wagon braced up yet or still going with squared yards?
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