The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-11-03
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Commercial Advertiser.


Any incident connected with the history OF our
city, its whaling enterprises, and the ships and ship
masters connected Herewith, are matters OF interest
and we'll worth preserving in some public journal.
In the Daily Standard Of Aug. IL, was published,
GA Leaf from the Log Book of the Old Barclay,
The reading of that LEAF called up to the mind OF
Can't. Wantou Rowland of South Dartmouth. remem-
brances of the Barclay. that should not be lost. Capt.
Rowland is now in his seventy ninth year, and is the
| only individual now living Of the number that COM
posed the crew Of the Barclay on her fourth voyage,
which was a lengthy but successful one. we shall
by permission, give the items Of that voyage IN the
language of Capt Rowland as he narrated them to us
a few evenings since in a familiar Conversations
The ship Barclay was built in New Bedford, by
Col. Claghorn, A. d. 1852, of good and substantial
materials, which her durability, the many storms she
has rode out and the great number OF successful voy-
ages accomplished clearlgHyoves. The first voyage
was to London. She was sent out expressly to bring
home to New Bedford, the venerable William Rotch
and his family. Capt; SWAIN MASTER dr'mn
The Barclays second voyage was to the Indian
Ocean in pursuit of whales, commanded by Capt.
Griffin Barney. Her third voyage was round Cape
| Horn in pursuit Of whales and seals under the same
commander. Her fourth voyage was round Cape
Horn solely in pursuit Of seals, Capt. Griffin Barney,
commander, Davenport Sherman, mate, Elijah Stod-
ard, second mate, George Almy, steward, Joseph
Whelden, cook. The crew were principally from
| Rhode Island. Tiverton and Dartmouth. SAmong
| those from Dartmouth, were Paul Rowland, WAnton
Rowland and Charles Russell. She sailed from New
Bedford Oct %, 1899. On the passage out she stop
ped at the Cape de Verd Islands for salt. and at the
| Falkland Islands. She arrived at the island of Mas
| safuero March 18th, 1900. During her stay Of about
six months at the Island. sine took $1,000 seal skins.
Having completed her voyage, all the skins on board
and slowed away, all was made snug, ready to sail
on the following day. A few unimportant articles
having been left on shore, the mate and four men In
o boat went for them. In attempting to land through
the surf, the boat by an accident was capsized. Ihe
mate and two colored men, Levi Gray and Elisha
yu;l:, ,os xvara drowpo1 WanfoD Rowland and
Levin Crank, a colored man. were saved. or the
drowned men the only body recovered was that OF the
mate, which was decently buried on the island, at a
place called Pease's Gulch.
ON the 22d of Sep,ember, the Barclay sailed from
Massafuero direct for the island of Hawaii. The
track then never having been surveyed, OF course
there were no correct charts. Capt. Barney kept q
constant watch at mast head during the night, for
fear of running afoul of some unknown island.
When close off the island Of Hawaii, five natives,
three men and two women, came alongside In their
canoe and boarded the ship. By signs they requested
the Captain to anchor where Capt. Cook anchored his
ship at the time he was killed by the islanders, but
the Captain thought it not advisable to do so. These
natives would not accept spirituous liquor that was
offered them, indicating by signs that it would throw
them down. After giving them a few iron hoops and
q little tobacco, the Barclay bore away for Canton.
The first land made was the Ladrone Islands. Land
ed on Tinian, an island twelve miles long and six
broad, then uninhabited. On the hills were seen
immense droves of white cattle, and the crew gather
ed an abundance Of lemons and red peppers. Pass
ing through the China Sea, arrived safe in Canton in
January, A. d. 1901. There disposed of the seal
skins and took in part of a cargo of tea and China
ware. The ship not being full took freight for Mr..
Dorr, of Boston, which freight bill amounted to $10,-
900. On the first of March sailed for home in COM
pany with six other ships bound to the Unired States.
The flag ship was the John Jay, of Providence, which
the Barclay in regular order followed through the
China Sea, straits Of Banca and Sunda, being afraid
of the Ladrone pirates. The ships were generally
well armed. The Barclay mounted eight guns, two
four Founders and six quakers. (woodeu guns for
SNOWY Immediately after leaving the island of Java,
took the trade winds till nearly up with the Cape of
Good Hope. The ship stopped at the island Of st.
Helena for water, and then shaped her course for
New Bedford, where she arrived on the 4th Of July,
1901, having been absent twenty months and twelve
days. The Barclay on that voyage was the first
ship from New Bedford that ever circumnavigated
the globe.-.E. B. Standard.