The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-06-07
A Renaissance of the Portsmouth in 1s47.

A "Reminiscences of the Portsmouth in 1847.
To the Editor Of the Pacific Commercial AdUertiser:
DEAR SIR In the Friend for this month l notice
an article copied from the OcciGent of San Fran
cisco, relating to the late Admiral Montgomery, who
commanded the U. S. S. Portsmouth while she was
in San Francisco Bay in 1S47, and also referring to
the sad calamity of the loss of his two sons. The
editor of the Occideat is mistaken in some of the
particulars of that affair. Myself and another were
the last persons that saw the party after they left the
ship. They were not, as is stated, bound up to SUIT
ter's Fort with a sum of money, but were sent across
the bay only. l will relate the facts as they came to
my knowledge at the time.
1 with another man as my assistant had charge of
n launch, and my business was to supply the ships
of the Navy with beef. Every day 1 left Yerba
Buena in the morning to 60 over to the other side of
the bay to buy and kill q bullock, with which l re-
turned in the evening. On the day that Captain
Montgomery lost his sons, l left Yerba Buena early
in the forenoon-I cannot now remember the date
and after getting to leeward of Goat Island it fell
calm, and a thick fog came on. We got out the oars
and pulled for San Pablo. About half way between
Goat Island and another island then known as Sheep
Island, l dropped anchor to wait until the fog cleared
away. l had no compass and was afraid the strong
ebb tide would take the boat down the straits. I
had not been at anchor long when / heard the plash-
ing of oars and directly o boat hove in sight. l
hailed and asked what boat it was, and was answered
that it was the Portsmouth, boat, bound to San
Pablo. I told them they had better anchor, or they
might drift to sea in the fog, as there was no wind.
I was told to mind my own business. | said, "all
right, jack and in a very short time they were
out of sight, never to be seen again. They were not
seen to pass Benicia, as the subsequent search
proved. The next morning / returned to Yerba
Buena, with my beef, and anxious inquiries were
made of me as to whether L had seen the Ports
mouths boat. / was told it was the Warren's
launch with a crew from the Portsmouth,. and that
they had been dispatched TO the other side of the
bay to bring Antonio Csstro's family and other visit
ors to q party on board that evening, but had not
returned. During the next three or four days, strict
search was made around the bay for the missing
boat, and then Captain Montgomery sent for me to
90 in search. He fitted my boat with everything
necessary. When L took my departure Captain NJ.
was walking the quarter deck with both hands ON
his forehead. seeming in great distress. His words
TO me WERE God bless you-leave nothing un-
turned" As l went over the gangBay Washington
Bartlett, who was the First Lieutenant, shook me by
the hand and said-"M Make every search. in every
hole and corner, and may God bless you =" Robert
Ridley, (now deceased) of San Francisco, was in an
other boat on the same search. l was absent on the
search between two and three weeks, examining
every spot where a boat could go between the bay
and Suffers Fort, and making enquiries Of the H.
dams and Spaniards, but without finding the least
trace of the boat or the party. 1 firmly believe they
never passed Benicia.
About two years afterwards, in lS49. l was mining
Bar. One day l met two of the men I had seen in
the Warren's launch that foggy day in the bay. 1
recognized them at once, and asked them what they
did with the boat and the two boys. They applied
vile epithets to me, and told me | had better keep
my mouth shut On returning to camp 1 told MIR.
Houghtailing (now of this city, of the circumstance.
1 afterwards learned that the men belonged to a very
bad gang that lived up on the Divide" There
was no law in the mines then, and 1 never saw the
men again.
John Watson, now living at Koolau on this Island,
was chief boatswain's mate of the Warren at the
time.
The island called Sheep Island, was near the mouth
of San Pablo creek, and at low tide was connected
with the main land.
l came to Honolulu from San Francisco in 1848.
as mate of the brig Maria Teresa, Capt. Lemoine,
afterwards the San Francisco) owned by Capt.
Francisco and returned to San Francisco in the
same year.
Yours, &c, ALEXANDER McDUFF.