Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1860-11-23
Gallant Conduct

The Ship Mayfower, Captain Will
liam Chatficld, on the passage from
Boston, bound to- San Francisco, when
off Cape Horn, OH the 31st of May,
1859, saw barque to the windward,
showing signal of distress. The Ship
was under double-rcefctl fore and main
topsaiIs, a dosc-recfed mizen topsail,
rccfed courses and fore topmast stay
sail by the wind, and about three miles
to the lceward of the barque. Captain
Chatfcld Immediately hauled his can
vass up and hove his ship to, and the
barque kept off before the wind, but
steering badly. AS she crossed the
course of the Mayfowcr her captain
reported that she was half full of water,
and that all her boats had been washed
away.
The sea was very high at the time, and
the wind blowing almost gale, but
Captain Chatfield, without a moments
hesitation, hoisted his best boat out, and
sent his chief mate, Mr.. James Seaver,
Of Chelsea, and four scamcn in her, to
rescue the crew of the barlue. The
boat made two trips, and succeeded in
saving all hands, fourteen in number;
but such was the force of the sea, that
nothing could be saved from the barquc,
not even her chronometcrs. When the
boat was alongside, the men had to
watch the roll Of the sea, and in the lulls,
jump for their lives. In this arduous
task, though,managed with consummate
skill, the boat was stove alongside of the
harquc, i'll her last trip. The barquc
was the British Pride, Of Arbroath (Scot-
land, Captain Simpson, bound from Pc
I'll, with guano, for Cork.
A few days before she encountered
q tremendous gale, which blew away
most of her sails; she shipped several
heavy seas, which swept away her boats,
stove her bulwarks and caused her td
spring a leak. The men stood to tho
pumps, contending against ali increas-
ing leak, until she was half full of wa
ter and aim 1st unmanagcablc. When
running to lccward, she could hardly be
stccrcd within eight points, and every
time she heelcd, her crew feared she
would founder. Capt. Chatfeld sup
piled them with clothing and rendered
them every attention within his power.
A few hours after their vessel was ADAM
doned she rolled over and disappeared.
On the equator Capt. Chatfield spoke
the Chariot of Fame, and put five of
the rescued men Oh board of her, as his
own provisions were rather short. Up
on the arrival of both vessels at San
Francisco the British Consul took charge
of the shipwrecked seamen, who pub
lish a card of thanks to Captain Chat
field his officers and crew, for the kind
ness they had received OH board the
MayhOwer.
A few weeks since the Mayhowcr ar
rived at this port, and Chatficld received
from the British Government a beautiful
silver telescope, with the following in
scnption on it,
"Presented by the British Govern.
mcnt to Capt. William Chatfcld, of
the American ship MayAowcr, for his
Kindness and humanity in rescning the
crew Of the barque British Pride, of
Arbroath, whom he received on board
his vessel on the 31st of May, 1889"
In addition to this the British Board
of Trade insisted Upon paying the own
cr, Daniel T. Kelly, of Boston, for the
expense incurred by tho shipwrccked
scamcn while Oh board of his vessel, but
Mr.. Kelly refused all compensation.