Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-01
NO. 2S3.
miscellaneous.
BRIG MARGARET OAKLEy.
THE INTERESTING STORY OF THE SWIM
DIE OF THE OLpEN TINE, TOLD sY
CART. X. b. FORBES.

An article published in the Traveller, un-
der the caption of "A Boston Pirate, :"
induces the veteran salt. Capt. RIB. Forbes
of Milton. 10 send us the following enter
tanning sketch of a pirate of earlier days.
which he originally contributed to the Adj
vertiser of January IL, 1888:
As the history of the brig Margaret
Oakley's voyage and the conduct of her
captain may be somewhat interesting to
the public will give YOU sketch there
of, that the same may be circulated as
caution against the said captain.
The brig Margaret Oakley. Captain
Benjamin Morrell, sailed from New York
on or about March 2, 1884. She was fit
ted out by several respectable merchants
of that place, at the instigation OF said
Morrell. who persuaded them that he
knew several articles OF commerce among
the Pacific isles; in short that he had the
key TO unbounded riches unknown to any
other mortal. The first news of him
came from the isle of France, where he
put in TO repair damages sustained in
gale off the Cape of Good Hope. He
sailed from there about September. 1884.
after having increased his crew and arma-
ment. rs we'll as his disbursement account
to pay which he gave a bottomrv bond on
the vessel. He did not leave Mauritius
without having excited the suspicious of
the authorities.
| His proceedings in the Pacific (where he
went next are involved in mystery, and
his doings are unknown until his arrival
| in China. in Oct, 1885. with about $4,000
worth of tortoise shell. and some of the
articles originally put on board to trade
off at the terv 'ncognitid, the Eldorado
which he only knew Of His vessel was
beautiful one, well manned and very fast,
and he offered to take a freight to the
United States in ninety days; he had on
board a young gentleman of respectable
connections and standing rs supercargo;
and rs he was supposed to control in Il
great measure, the proceedings of Nor
rell. he obtained a freight, and was dis
patched to my consignment for New York.
Nov. II. 1875. He reports having en-
countcred a severe gale of wind. which
deprived him of his rudder and compelled
him to throw overheard a part OF his val
liable cargo. Whether this jettison con-
sisted of teas or silk he did not conde-
scend to inform his shippers. lie had
laudable ambition always to have his ves-
sci in prime order; he therefore put into
Singapore and repaired damages. at con-
siderable expense of time as well as
moncy--the latter he procured by selling
cargo. lie sailed on Jan. lst. 1886, hav-
ing expended half his promised time in
getting ten days sail from Canton. We
next hear of him rs spoken by the barque
Levant Capt. Dumaresq. somewhere be-
tween the Isle of France and Java Head.
said vessel having sailed from China about
the 25th of Dec. more than n month after
the Nj. Oakley. Capt. Morrell reported his
sails in such a bad condition that he should
be obliged to put into the Cape of Good
Hope to repair.
| Nothing further is known of this dis
| tinguished historian until the arrival of
the Louvre in Boston from Mauritius,
where she put in to repair damages. She
garet Oakley in February. 1886, at Port
Dauphin. Madagascar. where MorreIl
says Gn a protest received year after
the wreckl he put in to fill up with water.
having lost six casks, by the rats eating
into them: On receipt Of this intelligence
at Mauritius, a schooner was despatched
under the auspices of a mercantile house,
a member of which was the United States
1
cargo saved. and some of the men. but not
full and second vessel was despatched
without similar success. In the autumn
of 1886, when these facts were known
here an expedition was fitted out by my
self and the parties concerned i'm 'the in
surance of the NJ. Oakley's cargo. to pro-
ceed to Mauritius in search of the remains
Of the said cargo. The vessel (the schoon-
er Catherine Wilcox. Captain n. S. Os-
good) left New York in January, 1887,
and returned Nov. Z, with about S25 900
net. Of the valuable cargo Of the NJ. Oak
ley, which cost sl50. 900, and would have
produced s250,O00 in the Uni'ed States.
If it had arrived in due time. The protest
of Captain Morrell. drawn up with con-
siderable skill, and duly authenticated by
several unreadable and unimpeachable
names. purporting to be the queen and
royal family OF Madagascar, states that
the brig drove ashore in spite of the most
consumma.e skill and the best anchors
and cables and that under divine proyi-
dencc the shippers are indebted to him
Tor saving Il considerable portion Of the
cargo, which. according TO the same high
authority, consisted of all the plain black
and white silks, sewing silks, teas and
articles OF bulk. and not of any part of
the fancy silks and other articles (of
which he could no doubt make better
use than to put into protest.. He also
states that he destroyed the Invoices and
papers. for fear they might fall into the
hands of the French, with whom he under
stood we were gong 10 war; The read
er will readily comprehend why he open
ed the papers. He took early measures
to get rid Of his supcrcargo by sending
him on an expedition across the island for
assistance and he was supposed for a
long time to have been killed by the ma
tive guides to whose tender mercies Nor
rell had entrusted him. We next hear of
Morrell at the Cape of Good Hope, on his
way to London in the British vessel Rio
Packet. with part of the cargo of the NJ.
Oakley. He arrived in London in due
course, and offered his goods in such a
way as TO excite the suspicious of the
United States Consul, who took posses
sion Of the property, and held it subject
to the claims Of whoever could prove the
i