Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-06-23
A Plucky American Shipmaster.

One of your correspondents, observe,
SAYS that he never knew of colored
mate on board of a respectable ship.
When in China, many yea ago, met
Captain Salisbury, of Providence. l
think his ship was called the Washing
ton. His chief mate was a full blOOded
African. 1t seems that his late mate
had been caught asleep in his watch,
and had otherwise given offense to
salisbury, who told him that if he was
ever again found asleep in his watch he
should be put into the galley and that
the cook should be promoted to his
place. 1t was thus that there happened
to be q black man as mate on board the
Washington. On his way home on that
or some other voyage he encountered q
cyclone near Madagascar, and lost
pretty much all bis spars; that is to say,
he was dismasteC fore aud aft, leaving
only ten or tive Dy feet of his lower
masts standing; but salisbury was not
given to panic, and he carefully saved
most of his sails, blocks, rigging, and
portions of her spars. The gale soon
moderated, and the ship did not leak.
Before anything could be done to make
sail fine French ship came along and
sent boat to the Washington. offering
to take off the crew, but Salisbury
laughed at the idea, and said: 'Give
me few bolts of canvas, a spar or two,
and shall be all right" The French
man complied, and inquired where he
intended to put in to refit. The EN-
phatic answer was, "Amsterdam, for
which port have signed bills of lading."
The Frenchman left him, and in q very
few days the Washington was 80 rugged
rs to be able to carry sail about equal to
double-reefed topsails and courses, jib
and spanker. When approaching the
coast of England one morning the same
French ship was seen close by all
a-taunt-ho. excepting the loss of his
mizzen-top. gallant mast. He had, a:
usual with French ships of that day
visited the Cape of Good Hope, St
Helena, and perhaps ASCENSION. Sauls
bury hailed, saying: al see you are il
distress; where do you mean to put in
for repairs?" In those days ships were
not abandoned when they met will
grave accidents.
Another anecdOte of Salisbury cal
vouch for. He was driven on shore il
a "Tay-foong" in the vicinity of Cum
singmoon, not very far west of Lintin
China. The tide was very high, ant
when the gale subsidized the Washington
was found high and dry hundred fee
or more from salt water. Salisbury re
moved all his ballast, the ship havin:
no cargo on board, stripped the ship o
everything save lower ma,ts and groun,
tackle, hired an army of laborers, NAL
and female, and began to dig a dock, leav
ing an embankment on the outer side
about this time Mr.. Dent, the chief G
one of the prominent English houses a
Canton, and the agent of a local Insult
ance company, anchored his little boa
near by and came to pay Salisbury
visit. lie expressed the opinion that a
this was labor lost, and that the shi
could never be floated. Salisbury IT
piled, "She must come or; she is ne
insured" Suffice it to say the big mu
hole was made, anchors were got OF
and planted, we'll backed, and when
high tide came the embankment was r;
moved and the ship was floated.-k. L
| FORBES, in Boston Journal.