Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-03-01

ed to proceed to the States, and seek a partner
in the enterprise.
My friend, Jack Talbot, came into my mind,
and, desiring to visit my native town, | set sail
for H.. / was glad to find my friend
ashoi land without occupation The trade to the
colonies of other powers was overdone; and that
to the British Islands, was prohibited in Amer
lean bottoms. | proposed to charter to him
one half of the vessel, and to furnish my por
tion Of funds, for a lading on joint account: he
to take charge of the whole, as my experience
in mercantile affairs was very limited. BY the
British navigation acts, it was necessary, not
only that the vessel should have been built with
in the possession of the crown, but that the
master, mate, and two-thirds of the rew,sho0ld
be native born subjects OF Great Britain. The
proposal was accepted by Talbot, and we set
about our expedition in earnest. On visiting
the vessel and examining her trim of ballast,he
deemed it insufficient, as we were to take a deck
load of cattle. He accordingly ordered OH a
lighter load of stone, to be taken IN preparatory
Ito slowing the cargo. Every thing being sup
posed right, the lading was shipped, and we
embarked on our voyage. The second day out
the weather was boisterous, and we discovered
that the vessel was unable to bear the neces-
sary canvass aloft. Suspecting that the bal
last ordered off had not been shipped, the mas
ter was questioned ON the subject; and he stood
TO it ~stoutly, that it had been properly slowed.
The wind increasing, every thing was reduced
to make the vessel easy; and although still
crank, we supposed all was going well. But
about midnight, then near the middle OF the
Gulf Stream, a flaw struck us, and threw us
nearly upon our beams ends. We were both
on deck in an instant. II was the mates watch
and the captain was below. Talbot took the
- Il. IL ~.4fo n nln
frightened to make any opposition, and his or
ders being promptly obeyed, we rlghted, with
out loss of spars or deck load. While the ter
ror of the mate continued, he was questioned in
regard to the ballast ordered on board: and he
confessed that the master. declaring that he
knew the trim of his own ship, better than any
Id rebel in the universe. refused to allow 1t
to come on board. When everything was snug
and precautions taken to avoid another catas-
tropbe, the master was reused from his state
room: where he had lain. too drunk to realise
the nature of the disaster, and a lecture read
to him for his delinquency. Yet under the In
fuence of intoxication. he v~apoured about the
invasion of his authority, and threatened the
penalties of mutiny if his orders were disregar-
ded. But when sobered, the danger to which
we had been exposed by his preposterous obsti-
macy: and the judgement of the forecastle, tho
not openly pronounced, being plainly against
him, he lowered his pretensions, and, for the
rest of the passage, wrapped himself in sullen
silence. His command now was merely NOM
lnal: and Talbot, not venturing TO trust the ves-
sci to his care, was upon deck during his watch,
and not backward in giving counsel Whenever
any emergency occurred; which, though un-
eraciously r~eceived,w was not entirely neglected.
Our destination had been to windward; but the
crankness of the vessel preventing us from car
ring the necessary sail, we bore away Tor ia
macia. On our arrival at Port Royal, the ne
cessary protest was made, and we wefe permit
ted to enter. The cargo was well sold for gov
eminent bills on England. II was soon landed,
and as a few few weeks must elapse before the
the new crops came in, we delayed making
contracts for a return cargo. In the mean
time the master, who had been exceedingly
subservieht, after our arrival in port, was dis
charged. The mate was promoted; and one Of
the best forecastle men was rated, pro tenn
pore. as mate. The scoundrelly master, in re-
venge for having been discharged, made some
false representations at the custom house, which
occasioned a ~stricter examination of our papers:
and the Kings official, thinking that something
might be made ont of the affair, ordered the YES
sci seized and placed in charge of two subordi-
mates of the custom-house. Her top-gallant
masts were ordered to be struck, and the brig
was taken to the farthiest extremity ofthe bay.
This was an awkward affair. There were no
legal grounds for the seizure; and the restora-
ton of the vessel was certain. But the delay,
and the enormous expenses of litigation in the
Courts of Admiralty, would have ruined the
VOYAGE: and neither Talbot nor myself were
well pleased with the predicament in which we
were placed.