Morning herald., 1837-11-06
Extract from my journal.

but, thank all the gods our noble craft exceeds our
most sangune antlcipations. She wore, and stays like
yacht. Just imagine yourself standing the wealth
side Of the poop whle-the officer Of the deck sends
an order to the boaswain to call all hands 70 tack shr
and then you will in your minds eye see the tear
ing up from below and down from alo their stations,
manning the braces, tacks, sheets, &c.
Helms lee."
Directly she came up in the wind and her light sails
began to utter, the and topsals tapped heavi
| ly against the mass,-rise tacks and sheets.
"Well there well. your weather clew garnets, well;
haul taut-mansail haul"
Hardly were her after yards braced up before she
filed away and again the officer of the deck heard
| bawling through the trumpet,
Haul well aat-let 60 and haul
By this time she walking off with her starboard
tacks aboard laying up with points OF the wind,
land boy steer herr the rate of nine knots she
braced sharp up and look ed neat and trim
| n Broadway belle with boddce waist, tight sleeves,
small foot, pretty ankle. &c Next to pretty woman
love beautiful ship and this craft pleases well.
| We have no less than four pilots on board-the old
| gentleman from New York induced to stay with
by particular requests the other three Boston pilots
all good and true; fthere is safety in numbers,
think pretty well insured; was walking and
talking with of the pots-a real cute, clever iel.
| low for a down. easter.
| " How far" l asked, are we from Georges
Bank?'
About hundred niles he answered.
81 was very near losing the number of my mess on
that shcal once / said.
81 want 10 know said he chow did that hap,
pen?"
"I don't know" l answered. Il had nothing do
with it, but certain it is struck three times on that
place, devilish heavy too"
"Why my dear sir" he said, you must have been
all drunk asleep; if you not, cannot conceive
how or in what way you could have managed to bump
your ship Georges, for if you chose to the
outside, you have ninety miles of deep water betwxt
and the South Shoal and fyou keep in shore you have
sixty miles good room between the shore and the
shoal every thing goes through the east channel,
and if understand you right, you had fair wind and
a good departure from Cape Ann, and how the devil
you could have navgated To your ship aground on
Georges, can't imagine II merchant captain
to work that travase with his ship his owners would
give him indefinite leave of absence the instant;
but tell me, if you please, how it occurredY
"Wel" said l, 'as as recolect, twas not
many years ago since sailed from the port to which
we are now bound in fast a craft cruised
fore and aft the Mediterranean. We babe adieu
pilot about twelve o'clock in the day. took departsre
from Cape Ann, as before stated you, and off
went fuking with good breeze points aba the
beam; the next morning just before daylight II in
my birth the doctors list at the time, more than two
thirds dead she struck somewhere forward of the main
mast the shock threw against the bulkhead with
considerable force; she rolled to leeward and again
struck amdships, and picked myself up from of the
deck just then heard one of my messnates roaring
the top Of his voice turn out t. the ships aground
/ was already out and all had to do wrap my
precious self in old boat cloak and make tracks for
the spar deck. Scarcely had got the combings
the stowagc hatch before she again struck and was
rolling in the lee scuppers. Finally succeeded in gain
ing the deck, and there that baies descrp
ton. Twas cold, raw, drizzling wet mornings the
watch deck paralyzed; these that
had rushed up from below where they had been sleep
ing were shvering with cold and alright of them
had jacket without any other clothing some had
one leg in their and others were IN their shirts
each staring his neghbor with look OF
horror his mouth and eyes wide OPEN holding his
breath and waiting in awful silence for the blow that
was 10 plank and let in the rushing waters to
whelm and swallow all in common chaos
I rever the VIII Die cf my tedious existence,
saw more grotesaue and horrifed of human beings
than stood between that ship stem and stern As for
myself cannot say what my feelings. Certain 1t
is was frightened before stated was quite
sick the time and thought would not take me long
drown-and drowning is the most comfortable death
die. / speak from experience. / was
drowned dead salted mackerel once, and all the
pain suffered while they were bringing to life
again and be damned them. During the time that the
running down my throat, felt as happy
oyster roasting under pile OF burning taggots But TO
return TO the quarter deck which / standing
the braces sheets, &c. were let along ready at
rnents warning. and could not help smiling young
eccentric officer, apparel just he had turned
of his hammock, who flying around the decks, put
ting the ropes into the hands OF the half frantic and
pd poor wretches, who knew not whether they
standing on their heads or their heels
FINALLY the ship put the other tack, and went
off clear. When THANK God, she's safe J" burst
simultaneously from the lips Of many who had not
thought their God for twevemonth before. As for
myself always thank God when get Of a scrape,
and pray heartily while the difficulty lasts. After
II ascertained that she entirely clear of the
shoai the first Lieutenant sung out through his trumpet
but after keeping watch the pumps for eight hours,
found that she made ess than she did before
she struck The shocks did appear to have affected
her in any ether way than by shaking her up together,
and making her sail faster. have since that
ship bottom, but il the opinion Of all hands. that
piece OF her false keel knocked off,
Well" said Ell Photo, il was fortunate escape
for you for If your ship had gone TO pieces that
shoal, every soul OF you would have went To -"
You're mistaken there. my dear sir" said" for
YOU must know / am a catholic, and absolved by
one Of the Ursuline nuns, just before left Bostou-a
very pretty she was too-so think my chance
ef getting TO heaven would have been a pretty good
one"
just then messenger boy athwart our bows, and
said To me- The First Lieutenant wants you sir II so
good night TO you for the present.
BosToS BAY, Oct. ia, 1897.
went on deck this morning about eight o'clock, and
there ascer,sined that old ship walking of,
her course the Of royal breeze, the Of
ten knots. At nine he wind increased, and took in
our royals. At furled togalant SIS at eleven
o'clock IL blowing pretty fresh, and all hands were
called to reef topsails We took two reefs IN the top
sails and at eight bell when the drummer rolled to grog
she was going ahead thirteen knots dou
BILE reefed tepsails, ib and spanker, with the wind
point forward the BEAM and If she had been down TO
her proper bearings that could have carried top
gallant sails Amphiirite herself. old oceans Queen,
would not have gone ahead OF her. and thank fortune,
my patron lady saint and the Boston pilots, now
riding by the ring of one anchor, with two lights
- IL. II. -. al.