The Portland daily press., 1888-04-28

de had taken passage in the schooner from
cape Mesurado to the Cape de Verde Inc
governor had tooth extracted by negro
doctor before sailing, and it continued 10
bleed. A French frigate sighted the schoon-
er, took her for SLAYER and gave cnaSe.
Inc governor was growing weak from tne
loss of blood. Capt. Enoch Preble was IN
command. and allowed the frigate to. come
up and spoke her. On learning the circum-
stances, the French captain sent the surgeon
of the frigate on board and staunched the
bleeding, but not until Mr.. Ashman was eX-
hausted ! had this fact from the late Ad-
miral Preble, who was son Of Capt. Enoch
Preble.
On the first voyage of the Romp, in charge
OF Capt. John Waite, she was capsized in
gale off Georges shoal. The captain cut
away her masts and rghted her without
wetting the cargo. He rugged jurymasts and
worked the schooner back to port When
she was remasted she was rugged as a her
maphrodite brig, and Capt. Waite made the
voyage without discharging the cargo.
first port was usually Madeira, selling what
they could there and replacing it with wine
for Portland. Then to Goree and Port
Praya, where they got camwood, gold-dust
and elephants teeth. | recollect some of
monstrous size which were landed at Long
wharf, see by an invoice that one lot
averaged 80 pounds weight, but some were
much larger Salt at Cape Verde Islands
was the last resort to fill up for home. The
mention of salt reminds me of an anecdote
of the time, related to me by a ship captain,
who sailed his own vessel. He had arrived
from st. Ubes with cargo of salt, and was
peddling 1t out at Central wharf. The ship
John hauled in at Long wharf with salt from
the Cape Verde. The Central wharf cap
tain feared glut in the market, and the next
day went to take look at the cargo of the
John. 1t was at noon, the matches were open
and Mr.. Cox's man-of-all-work ian Irish
mani was the only person on board. About
the time the John was ready to sail from the
islands a New Bedford whaler called there
and prevailed on the captain Of the John to
take some of his oil home on top of his salt
on freight. For the want of dunnage bum
dies of goat skins were used to stow the bar
rels. On the passage the heat caused the oil
to swell and the barrels to leak, which sat-
urated the goat skins and stained the salt.
The Irishman was spreading the skins to
dry They had strong smell, and the Cen
trail wharf captain said TO the man, Those
skins must be spoilt;" when he replied,
swate-it is the nature of the baste-they
stinks alive they de- The captain went
back to his vessel satisfied that the Cape
Verde salt would not interfere with the sale
of his.
In December, 1926, Mr.. Cox despatched the
brig Romp. Capt. Allen, to the coast. As
supercargo, or clerk, he sent George Hayes,
who had for some time been clerk in his
counting room, and gave him written in
structions how to proceed. He was. then II
years old After Mr.. Cox gave up business
young Hayes obtained a commission as
lieutenant in the revenue service, and was
long on the Portland station. Siuce that his
business has been as agent for the lnterna-
tional line of steamers at Eastport. Ii he is
alive he must now be in his S0th year. By
the favor of the late I. r. Hayes, who was a
brother, have Mr.. Cox's instructions to his
clerk, which will give thorough knowledge
of the African trade as pursued by Mr.. Cox
at that time;
Mr. George Hayes
Respecting the duty you will perform on board
the R0mp, ii is my wish that you pay as partcu-
Lar attention to the accounts as if you were in any
store where you bought and sold goods on a cred
it, every article ever so tritiing that is sold make
a charge OF 1t, and every article that is purchased
give credit for 1t. Charge the vessel with all that
Is taken for ships use. As you will have much
leisure time 81 my wish that on learn na
will be no disadvantage to you to have some en-
ployment. Fry and assist Capt. Allen, and take
him different man from Captain Clough Study
to please him and all on board. You are new at a
time of life when all depends on yourself, whether
you will be smart active man or the reverse
Be prudent as respects your health.
Do all you can to sell the cargo to good advan-
tage. Have new invoice made out and IN such
way as will appear correct. Say to Mr. Cushman,
Governor Of Liberia) that camwood will not
answer for return cargo. 1t has declined more
Johns cargo fell short tons and sold for S35
per ton on 8 and II months credit. Unless the
price is reduced in Liberia it cannot be an object
of trade Be particular about the dry goods fur
nished'by Mr.. Vinton and Mr.. Harrod, they ought
to pay great profit Should you go down to
Mesurado, keep memorandum of what is want,
ed at each place for another voyage; what it will
sell for and what can be had in payment and at
what price; You must say to Mr.. Ashman that
trade at Liberia can not be made profitable I'M
less a large quantity of ivory can be had or some
thing better than camwood 1t is great dis
50 viii answer or the rade ms
very high. l have to pay per cent on the Are
tas and Romp this voyage.
1t will not do TO leave any more property on the
coast, the risk is too much; besides it would COM
pei me to send another vessel down there for IL,
Which DO not not IKE to az 90 not wsn amy
or something else cannot be had lin payment
the Romp Imust go down the coast. No
doubtthere is plenty of ivory, shell, gold DUST
palm oil and hides to be had there. and
tobacco, rum. cotton goods, pipes etc,
win pay well there The Aretas is to take all the
proceeds that can be collected and come home
Immediately calculating to get another cargo to
the coast before the rainy season commences. l
wish the Rcmp and Aretas both TO bring home as
much camwo0d as they can bring if nothing bet
ter can be had. You viii recolect that the Union
is also bound down the coast-at least it must be
so understood by those persons whom you may
fall in with at the islands.
Let no opportunity pass without writing me.
When You al leave the Cape Verde ISLANDS leave let
tiers to come home by the first vessel. Capt H0-
mer will go down the coast before the Romp,
calling on his way at all places for trade, and I
am in hopes he will get cargo of hides and ivory
and be in Portland in four m0nths-shall also ex-
pect the Union to return in four months. If the
Romp has to 60 down the coast cannot set any
time for her. Yours
JOHN Cox.
The captains compensation in Mr.. Cox's
vessels was usually $25 per month wages, 8
per cent. on the gross sales outward, and
twenty barrels privilege; amounting usually
to about $500 exclusive of the privilege"
Mr.. Joseph Harrod, a. well known dry
goods dealer and brother-iR-law to Mr.. Cox,
was endorser for him and Quincy and Pack
ard were his agents in Boston, making ad-
vances on bills of lading and endorsing for
him. Mr.. Harrod became alarmed at the
amount of Mr.. Cox's paper. on which he was
endorser. He went to the banks and told
the officers that his name was no security, as
he was endorser already for more than he
was worth. They quieted his fears by say
ing that the Boston firm was good. In about
1881 Quincy and Packard failed and Mr.. Cox
and Mr. Harrod went under in the same re-
vulsion. w. q.