About the middle of May, 1822, we commenced loading at Catskill, and finished in about ten days, when we sailed for New-York, where I shipped a crew and left for Cape Francios, in the Island of St. Domingo. We met with light winds and strong currents on the passage, which carried us some distance to the leeward of our course, and obliged me to put into the harbor of Port-au-Prince, where we arrived without any material incident. I landed my horses, and having procured a stable for them, was advised to select ten or twelve of the handsomest and proceed with them to the president's country seat, about six miles from the city, where he was confined by ill health. This I consented to as a matter of courtesy, and a black colonel, named Burblong, volunteered to accompany me. I took my hostler and an interpreter and proceeded to his house. At his residence there was an extensive park enclosed by a high brick wall, which we entered after passing two armed sentries, when we drew near to a large wooden building fitted up in good style, having a piazza all round it, and six or eight sentries walking on it, well armed and uniformed. As we approached the outside door of the house we found a sentry stationed there, who conducted us into the hall, where we found another who conducted us into the president's room, which was splendidly furnished, where I was introduced to his excellency by Colonel Burblong. After the introduction was over, he invited us to take a glass of wine with him. The horses were then brought near the door, which, having examined, he said were worth two hundred dollars apiece; but since I had been so polite as to call on him, he would give me two hundred and fifty for as many as his groom should select. The president is about six feet in height, of a mulatto color, rather thin in flesh, and makes a good appearance on horseback, particularly in reviewing his army, who perform their evolutions in the most graceful and soldier-like manner. I sold the president one pair of horses, and disposed of a few to individuals at a fair profit; the remainder sold at a loss, after deducting expenses. The slow sale of horses detained me nearly two months, during which time the yellow fever made its appearance, and raged with unabated violence until our departure, particularly among the shipping. By the laws of the country a ship-master is obliged to land all persons seized with sickness on board of his vessel, and place them under the care of the nurses of the city, who receive them into their houses at a charge of two dollars and fifty cents per day for seamen, and three dollars per day for masters and mates. If a seaman dies on board, the master is fined five hundred dollars.
About three weeks after our arrival here my cook and one sailor were attacked by the yellow fever, I took them ashore and placed them under the care of nurses; the hostler was next landed with the same complaint, and the third day after I put on shore another seaman in like condition. During this day, after a long walk in the hot sun, I retired to the house of one of the nurses, where I was taken down with the same fever; my cook dying about the time I became fairly sick. The next day one of the seamen died. The seamen, hostler, and myself were put under the care of different nurses, and in a few days such of us as were spared returned to duty.
After the death of my cook I hired an English negro, (who had deserted from Turks Island and taken refuge here,) on condition that he should serve a few days on trial, and if both parties were suited he was to act as cook until the voyage was ended, and to receive the same wages I had given his predecessor. After remaining on board a few days, the mate sent a message to me on shore, informing me that the cook had threatened the lives of some of the sailors by attacking them with an axe. I sent a note to the mate requesting him to send the cook on shore. He soon made his appearance, when I took him to the store of my consignees and made out an account of his time, allowing him wages at the rate of fourteen dollars per month, according to agreement. I read the statement to him and he appeared well satisfied. I then asked one of the firm to pay the bill. He said his partner had stepped out with the key of the money drawer in his pocket, but as soon as he returned it would be paid, and asked the cook to take a seat; he walked out of the door and was missing for some time, when he entered the store in company with a black man, dressed in a sergeant's uniform, with a sword and bayonet hanging by his side, who introduced himself by saying he had a warrant for me. I was a little surprised, and asked him if he wanted me to go with him, or required any security for my appearance. He said he did not, and told me I must appear in the third ward, No. ——, to-morrow, at 11 o'clock. The next day I called at the store of my consignees and got the clerk to accompany me to the court. On our way we met a genteel looking, well dressed mulatto man, who asked the clerk where we were going. The clerk related the story to him, and he volunteered his service to defend my cause, and accompanied us to the court room. After we got inside of the door I discovered a sentry dressed in full uniform, with side arms, walking in front of the door. As I entered the court room I took off my hat to show some respect to the honorable black justice. Soon after, my antagonist, the cook, entered the door with his hat on his head, when the sentry approached him without uttering a word and struck him a heavy blow with his flat hand on the side of his head, which knocked his hat across the room; this caused the poor fellow to look amazed for a few moments, when he picked up his hat very carefully. The trial was soon called on. I related the whole story by my interpreter, and the judge, without calling a witness on either side, decided that I should pay him the same amount of money I had offered him, and that he should pay the costs, which was one dollar and fifty cents, being one-half the sum he recovered from me.
When I returned to the wharf to go on board my vessel I found the poor fellow had been impressed, and sentenced to go on board of a man-of-war, and was then lodged in the guard house. He sent a message to me imploring my pardon, and begging my assistance to obtain his release.
About this time there was a very great excitement raised in the city in consequence of the circulation of counterfeit coin, in imitation of the government silver, and a story had been circulated that a considerable quantity of this spurious silver was expected from Baltimore. As several vessels arrived from that place soon after, they were strictly searched, by boring barrels of flour, breaking open boxes and packages of goods, by custom house officers, and otherwise searching them. After some days it was discovered that the counterfeit coin was brought from Jamaica by a Jew, who had been lurking about the city. He was arrested and brought before the president for trial, and a report circulated that he would certainly be hanged. The president sent for a silver-smith to examine the coin, who pronounced it to be one-half pure silver, while the government coin was only one-tenth part silver: upon which the president said, "Damn him, let him go, for his money is better than ours."
The laws of this country are very arbitrary, although they help to encourage industry and suppress idleness and dissipation. The president makes donations from the public lands to all poor individuals who will cultivate them. After they take possession of a lot he obliges them to cultivate it. To accomplish this, he sends a small military guard through the new settlements, accompanied by an officer, who stops at every house, where he makes the following inquiries: "Is this your house and plantation?" which being answered in the affirmative, he proceeds, "How large is your family?" The man answers, a wife and —— children. The officer then compels him to go and show him the plantation, and to point out the number of coffee trees he has planted, &c. If, on examining the premises the officer finds only a few trees, and is convinced of the indolence of the occupant, he says, "You cannot maintain your family by this, and must be a cheat, or steal, you must therefore go with me," and he is obliged to join the army or navy.
The farmers being out of the cities and villages, are not allowed to come to market except two days in each week, say Sundays and Wednesdays, without a special permit. All persons found drinking or rioting about public places or grog shops are immediately taken up under the vagrant act, sent to prison, and then transported to the army or navy as a punishment. The authorities of cities and villages license a limited number of butchers in each town, and compel them to keep the market supplied with meat every day, and limit the price to twelve and a half cents per pound.
Since my last voyage to this Island the president, at the head of his army, had many engagements with the royalists under the emperor Christophe, whom he conquered, and had obtained possession of all his dominions. The emperor, fearing he should be taken prisoner, committed suicide by blowing his own brains out with his pistol. The president took possession of his castle, where they found about seven millions of dollars. By their wars with the French, and their internal wars among themselves, they have reduced the male inhabitants so much that they now estimate there is eleven females to one male, throughout all their dominions.
Having disposed of my cargo and got a return freight on board, I sailed for the port of Jerimie, where we arrived the twenty-fourth of July. Here I collected about eight hundred dollars in coffee, which was due from my last voyage. I sailed for New-York on the twenty-eighth, and arrived at Staten Island after a passage of twenty-two days, where we were compelled to perform a quarantine of thirty days, at the expiration of which time we proceeded to the city, where I disposed of my cargo and then returned with the schooner to Catskill, when we refitted her previous to the next voyage.
We loaded the schooner's hold with an assorted cargo, and her deck with twenty-eight horses, about fifty hogs, a number of coops of poultry; and taking on board three passengers bound for the Island of Trinidad, sailed from Catskill the tenth of November, 1822, and arrived in New-York after a passage of two days, where I shipped a crew and prepared for the voyage. About the seventeenth of November we sailed from New-York, bound to the Island of Trinidad. After we got under weigh I found the greater part of my crew so badly intoxicated that they could not stand upon deck, but having fair wind and good weather I proceeded to sea; the mate, cooper, and cook, being sober, I thought we could manage the vessel until the crew could attend to their duty. We passed the night without getting any assistance from them. The next morning I ordered the mate to go into the fore-castle, where they slept, and search for liquor, and if necessary, break open all the seamen's chests, and if he found any he was to break the bottles or heave them overboard. He returned to the cabin with one bottle containing about a pint, being all he could find. We learned afterwards that they had some more secreted, which he was not able to discover. Towards evening the second day we were able to get them all at work but one. About eight o'clock in the evening that one came on deck and appeared somewhat bewildered with delirium tremens.
I was then called to my supper, being much fatigued, having stood at the helm over twenty-four hours, while the mate, cooper, and cook took care of the stock on deck. Within two minutes after I entered the cabin I heard the cry, "He is overboard," when I jumped on deck and threw over many articles of lumber, long lines, &c. but the night being dark, and a heavy sea running, we soon lost sight of him. This seaman's name was James Currie, who said he was born in Rhode Island, and I found by the papers he left, that he had lately been discharged from the Frigate Constellation. One of his shipmates informed me that he had just arrived from a three years' cruise, and had received three hundred dollars when he was paid off, but had spent the whole of it in three weeks, and was indebted to his landlord about seventeen dollars more. My seamen were all sober and at their duty in a couple of days, and we proceeded on the voyage without any other occurrence worth recording, and arrived, after a passage of thirty-five days, at Port Spain, in the Island of Trinidad, where we landed our horses, which had stood on their feet the whole passage. Many of them had the heaves badly when they were taken on board, but were perfectly cured when they landed. This being the third time of successful experiment with diseased horses as a veterinarian, I pronounced a sea voyage a perfect cure for the heaves, whether in horses or other animals.
The Island of Trinidad was ceded to the English by the Spanish government, and by the law of Nations the Spanish laws were to remain in force for twenty years after the transfer, which time had not expired. A Spanish governor is clothed with almost as much power as an emperor. Sir Ralph Woodford had been selected as governor, and was a tyrannical man, and very unpopular among the inhabitants. The city of Port Spain is one of the pleasantest places I have ever seen in the West Indies. The streets are kept very clean and in good order. No man can leave the Island without a permit from the governor. A merchant of Port Spain visited the Island of Tobago, a distance of about sixty miles, where he remained two or three days and then returned, when the governor had him arrested and committed to jail, where he remained six days: his only crime was leaving the Island without a passport signed by the governor.
A Mr. J. Robbins, an American, informed me that he owned a house in one of the principal streets in the city, which street the governor ordered to be paved, and a tax laid on the property in that street to defray the expenses of flagging. The tax on his house and lot amounting to over six hundred dollars, and not being able to pay it, the property was sold at a great loss.
The license to retail liquors in the city is sold annually at auction, to the highest bidder; one person purchasing the license for the whole town, gives security, and then divides it as he pleases. The soil of this Island is rich, producing sugar-cane and cocoa in abundance. Coffee, and all kinds of tropical provisions and fruits are raised here in large quantities. The Island abounds with snakes of an enormous size. I visited an American gentleman, residing in the country about twelve miles from Port Spain, who had a snake-skin stuffed which was twenty-three feet long; it was shot by one of his negroes, and on opening it they found a whole deer. A few hours before we left the port news was received from the interior of the Island that a snake had been shot containing the bodies of a black woman and child. The principal currency of the country is Spanish dollars punched through the centre, making a hole about the size of a five cent piece; the dollar still passing for the same value in the way of trade, and the plug which is taken out passes for one-eighth of a dollar. After passing through a few hands they find their way to some Jew, who reams the hole so large that you can pass a twenty-five cent piece through them, but they still pass for a dollar by way of trade. To prevent deception and loss, most bargains are stipulated to be paid in whole dollars.
The English government has made a strong effort to introduce the cultivation of tea into this Island, by importing a number of Chinese laborers; it has proved to be a thorough failure. After their arrival in the country they became so indolent that it was found impossible to make them cultivate the land. They intermarried with the negroes, and became useless to society, laboring only to supply their daily wants.
Having sold all my cargo, and taken on board over a hundred hogsheads of molasses, I sailed for New-York, where we arrived about the first of April, 1823. On the passage home we experienced a heavy gale of wind, which caused the loss of one thousand gallons of molasses.
On selling the cargo we found the West India trade unprofitable, in consequence of the low prices of the produce of the Islands, which caused heavy losses on return cargoes. I held a consultation with my partners in the vessel, when it was agreed to sell the Combine at auction and abandon the trade.
The following, copied from the Northern Whig of December 3d, 1822, is a correct account of the capture of the piratical vessels by Lieutenant Commandant Allen, who lost his life during the engagement:
"It becomes our painful duty to record the death of Lieutenant William Howard Allen, of the United States Navy. He commanded the United States Schooner Alligator, and on the 11th of November last, while leading his brave tars in the Alligator's boats to attack a nest of pirates near Matanzas, was shot by them in the head and breast, and survived but four hours. Undaunted, even in death, he cheered his men, and had the consolation of witnessing the surrender of one of the piratical vessels, and the re-capture of five merchantmen before he expired. He was buried on the succeeding day at Matanzas, with military honors.
"Lieutenant Allen was a native of this city, (Hudson,) was born on the 8th of July, 1790, entered the navy in the 20th year of his age. He was Second Lieutenant on board the Argus, in the summer of 1813, and during the bloody conflict between the Argus and the Pelican, the command of the former devolved for a time upon him. W. H. Watson, the First Lieutenant of the Argus, a brave and worthy officer, speaks of his conduct in high and merited terms. He was also in the Congress Frigate during her cruise in the Chinese Seas.
"He was attached to his profession, courted glory, and feared no danger. In the last war he saw much service; and whether in war or peace, never failed to do his duty.
"We shall conclude our brief observations with the following remarks, which have been kindly furnished us at the particular request of a number of the friends of Lieutenant Allen, and which were the conclusion of a discourse delivered from the pulpit, by the Reverend B. F. Stanton, on the Sunday succeeding the day on which the afflictive news of the death alluded to arrived here.
"After a reference had been made to the frequent instances in which, for a few years past, the inhabitants of Hudson have been suddenly and unexpectedly deprived of some of their most respected and valued fellow citizens, it was observed, that, in addition to all the previous calamities of the nature which we had experienced, we have recently been called upon by the righteous Providence of Him whose 'path is in the great deep, and whose footsteps are not known,' to contemplate another, which, in some of its features, perhaps, is the heaviest of all. I shall undoubtedly be readily understood, by most of my hearers, to refer to the tidings which have lately reached us of the lamented death of Lieutenant William H. Allen, a native of this town, and an officer in the United States Navy.
"It is not any design on this occasion to attempt to do justice to his memory by pronouncing his eulogy. This will probably be done by abler pens and more eloquent tongues. My aim at present is merely to advert to a few of the leading traits in his character, and to call on those who hear me to listen to the monitory voice of Heaven which addresses us in this afflictive dispensation. As a son he was filial, as a brother he was kind and affectionate, as a gentleman he was amiable and accomplished in his manners, as a friend he was trusty and sincere, as a man he was humane and generous: he had a soul that was indignant at meanness and vice! In his morals, I believe, he was free from those defilements which are too often known to tarnish the reputation of those in his profession, and to which they are so peculiarly liable: In his religious sentiments, if I am not mistaken, he was a candid believer in divine revelation: As a lover of his country, he was ardent and ever eager, when summoned by her call, to be foremost in her defence; and as an officer he was active, faithful, skilful, and courageous. In the engagement that terminated his naval career, he occupied a post most pregnant with danger, and though mortally wounded in the early part of it, he still animated his valiant tars, while the life-blood was fast ebbing from its seat, to persevere till the victory was gained. By these encomiums, however, it is not intended that he was exempted from a participation in that polution of our nature which is common to every individual of the human family. Though he was possessed of excellencies which we may be allowed to admire and applaud; in the sight of infinite purity, like every other human being, he was a ruined sinner,
"Sprung from the man whose guilty fall,
"Corrupts our arce and taints us all."
But neither the personal excellencies which so strongly endeared him to those who knew him, the affections of his numerous friends, nor the wants of his country, could render him impervious to the shaft of death. No, his generous spirit is fled. Though brave, he has fallen a victim to the king of terrors, who conquers all. A band of piratical marauders, whose iniquitous occupation is the plunder of the seas, and whose perfidies and cruelties, which are audaciously committed on the broad highway of nations, are continually augmenting, and in our opinion, loudly call for the interfering arm of national government, to extirpate, if possible, these freebooters, from the face of the earth; a horde of these unprincipled miscreants, who are the stigma of the human kind, have deprived his country of his valuable services. He has lain down and will rise not. 'Till the heavens be no more he shall not awake, nor be raised out of sleep. His mangled remains are deposited in a land of strangers, and far from his family and his home. He will no more return to alleviate, by his presence, the severe and long continued afflictions of 'the mother that bare him,' to meet the embraces of the fond sisters that loved him, and to receive the gratulations of the inhabitants of this place, who were proud to claim him as their fellow-citizen. Yes, his generous spirit has gone! The war song has died away upon his ear. By the thrilling notes of the clarion, which once prompted him to deeds of valor, he is now unmoved! His body is silent and still in 'the narrow house of all living.' He reposes, with others of his valiant compeers, to await 'the sound of the archangel and the trump of God.' But it is the consolation of surviving friends to reflect, that, though he sleeps, and they shall behold him no more, he has fallen in the arms of victory, and in the common cause of his country and of mankind. His memory will be for ever embalmed in the tenderest recollections of his acquaintances. His loss will be deplored as a national calamity; and we would reverently trust, that, before his spirit took its returnless flight, as he had been educated in the principles of the Christian faith, and knew to whom a sinner has to go, if his soul is ever saved, from his bloody bed of glory he raised his dying eyes and his supplicating voice to that God who is no respecter of persons, but who is rich in mercy unto all that call upon him, in whose presence the rich and the poor alike meet together; with whom the high and the low, the noble and the ignoble, stand upon the same level, in the effulgence of whose holiness the lustre of the hero is dimmed, who permits none to glory before Him, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with whom alone can avail the sacrifice of a broken and a contrite heart."
From the New-York Evening Post.
"With emotions of indignation and unavailing grief, we find from the following article, that one of our bravest American officers and most valuable citizens, Lieutenant Commandant Allen, has fallen by the merciless hands of the sea-robbers who for several years have roamed the seas unchecked, fearlessly plundered our vessels, and remorselessly assassinated their crews with every species of barbarity that hellish ingenuity could invent."
From Relf's Philadelphia Gazette.
"Melancholy Tidings.—We have to-day to record an event which must excite in the breast of every American, and we may venture to add, in that of every civilized man, emotions of profound regret and indignation—Lieutenant Commandant Allen, one of the rising stars in our national galaxy, has fallen by the hands of unprincipled pirates. In the earnest and honorable execution of his duty to his country and to mankind, this gallant and accomplished young officer has become the victim of a gang of desperate buccaneers; but in this, as in most of the occurrences of our naval warfare, he died in the lap of victory. This melancholy intelligence was received this morning from an intelligent gentleman, passenger in the Mary Ann, Captain Cory, from Havanna, (now below,) and is furnished to us in these words:
"About the 9th, two masters of American vessels came to Havanna for the express purpose of raising money for the ransom of their vessels, bound to Havanna, which with two other Americans (bound to New Orleans) had been recently captured by two piratical schooners near Key Romain, and left at anchor in that neighborhood waiting their return. Captain Allen, of the Alligator, on coming into port next day, being informed thereof, started, without coming to anchor, in search of the pirates, whom on that or the next day he discovered in the channel of Matanzas. The Alligator drawing too much water, two boats were manned and stood for them; an action ensued, in the early part of which Captain Allen received two musket balls, one in the head, the other in his breast, and soon died, encouraging his men to do their duty; which they nobly performed, for after a short contest the pirates abandoned their vessel and swam to the shore. The vessels were taken possession of by the victors and carried into Matanzas.
"They mounted one gun each, amid-ship, with forty men each, well armed, and considerable plunder on board. Our informant does not know what became of their prizes.
"The Mary Ann has despatches on board from the American Agent at Havanna, furnishing official information in relation to this disastrous occurrence.
"Since the above was in type, (says The Evening Post,) the following letter was handed us, confirmatory of the melancholy truth of the account, with further particulars. We cannot but express our unqualified admiration of the gallantry of spirit that impelled the undaunted Allen, undismayed by the bloody signal of no quarter, which waved aloft, to attack an armed vessel, with a desperate crew in an open boat, and with only a few men. His virtuous indignation bore away all prudent reflections, and he rushed into the jaws of death itself to rescue or avenge his fellow citizens. Captain Allen is a native of Hudson, in this State, where his mother and sisters now reside. May we not hope that the vessels in our harbor will unite in giving at least one outward testimony of their mourning for his loss, by raising their flags half-mast high to-morrow.
"Matanzas, November 11, 1822.
"To Messrs. G. G. & S. Howland,
"My dear Sirs:—The gallant Allen is no more! You witnessed the promptitude with which he hastened to relieve the vessel which I informed him had been captured off this port. He arrived just in time to save five sail of vessels, which he found in possession of a gang of pirates, three hundred strong, established in the Bay of Lejuapo, about fifteen leagues east of this. He fell, pierced by two musket balls, in the van of a division of boats, attacking their principal vessel, a fine schooner of about eighty tons, with a long eighteen-pounder on a pivot, and four guns, with the bloody flag nailed to the mast. Himself, Captain Freeman, of marines, and twelve men, were in the boat much in advance of his other boats, and even took possession of the schooner after a desperate resistance which nothing but a bravery almost too daring could have overcome. The pirates, all but one, escaped by taking to their boats and jumping overboard, before the Alligator's boats reached them. Two other schooners escaped by the use of their oars, the wind being light.
"Captain Allen survived about four hours, during which his conversation evinced a composure and firmness of mind, and correctness of feeling, as honorable to his character and more consoling to his friends than even the dauntless bravery he before evinced.
"The Alligator arrived here to-day, in company with the prize, and five re-captured vessels. Arrangements are making with the governor, with the concurrence of the commander of the Spanish Brig of war Marte, [of whose conduct the officers of the Alligator speak in the highest terms,] to inter him with the honors of war to-morrow morning. It is certain that the pirates are but little weakened by this contest, and there is reason to fear that our commerce with this Island and New Orleans will be almost annihilated, unless an effectual force is stationed here to prevent it. But the best comment I can make is to add a list of vessels re-taken, and to state that many of the men are missing, and probably have been murdered. Should any of our vessels of war arrive, please state these facts, and leave no efforts untried to procure some additional force to come immediately here.
"In great haste, your's very truly,
"Francis Adams.
"Loss in Alligator's two boats—Captain Allen and two oarsmen killed; two men mortally wounded; three severely.
"[By an arrival at Philadelphia we learn that the United States Schooner Alligator had arrived at Matanzas with the pirate schooner and the vessels re-taken from the pirates, (the Ship William & Henry, of New-York, Brig Iris, of Boston, and Brig Sarah Marael, of New-York, bound to New Orleans; Schooner Sarah, of Boston, for Mobile, Schooner Mary Ann, of Salem, for Matanzas,) are all ordered for Charleston. The pirate schooner has arrived, it is said, at Norfolk.]"
After the arrival of the piratical schooner at Norfolk she was condemned and sold to a citizen of that place, who gave her the name of Allen, in remembrance of the brave but unfortunate commander who lost his life in capturing her. Some time after she was purchased by Messrs. H. & D. Cotheal and A. D. Hallett, the former owners of the Price, and I was employed to take the command of her, and proceed to the Island of St. Andreas, and from thence to Chagres.
About the twenty-seventh of December, 1823, I took charge of the Allen. She was a small sharp-built schooner, armed with a long six-pound cannon, mounted on a circle, with a patent slide, and was well fitted for sea. My crew were three seamen, a mate and cook. We sailed from New-York the twenty-ninth of December, and made our passage to the Island of Old Providence in seventeen days, where we stopped and traded two or three days, and then proceeded to the Island of St. Andreas, where I met Mr. Henry T. Smith, who had been my former clerk in the Indian trade. I supplied him with what goods he wanted and then sailed for Chagres. On my arrival there I wrote a letter to the American Consul at Panama, informing him that I had a consignment of goods on board for him. After a few days I received a letter from a Mr. Montaudevert, informing me that Mr. Craig, the consul had left Panama and departed for New-York on a visit, leaving him in charge of his business during his absence. In three or four days after I received his letter he arrived at Chagres and took lodgings on board with me. The next day he hired a large canoe to take the goods up the river to a place called Cruses, a distance of forty-two miles, which is said to be the head of canoe navigation on that river. The provisions I had on board was all put up in half barrels for the customary mule transportation over the Isthmus, by slinging two across each mule's back, two half barrels being a load for a mule. After all our arrangements were made the canoe was hauled alongside of the Allen. When she made her appearance there I was struck with surprise at her length and breadth, she being some feet longer than my little schooner. I took up a rule and measured her breadth, which I found was eight feet from one side to the other, and her length over sixty feet, being dug out of one solid tree, free from shakes or cracks.
In the morning we loaded the canoe with one hundred and forty-one half barrels of flour, and twenty half barrels of pork and mackerel, and two hogsheads filled with firkins of butter. The canoe had a large quantity of other freight on board before she come alongside of the Allen. After delivering all the goods consigned to Mr. Craig, I sold Mr. Montaudevert thirteen hundred and forty dollars' worth of goods consigned to myself, on a credit of ninety days, and took his note, payable in gold dust, at two hundred and fifty dollars per pound, or Spanish dollars, at my option. Mr. Montaudevert told me if I returned there in the Allen next voyage he would ship on board of her on freight, thirty thousand dollars' worth of dust. This may show the reader that gold dust has been gathered in that region for many years; and if that country was as well searched as California is at this day, no doubt many beds of that valuable ore might be found. I remained in Chagres eight or ten days, selling goods from the vessel at retail at good prices. Having four hogsheads of rum and brandy on board, which I found was a contraband article in that government, I entered them at the custom house for exportation, and afterwards sold them to an American captain, who agreed to meet me a few miles at sea, out of the jurisdiction of that government, where I delivered them and received my pay.
The river Chagres is navigable for small vessels about half a mile inside of the bar, which has about eleven feet of water on it at full tide. The town contains about fifty huts, called houses, built after the model of the Indians. The inhabitants are called Samboes, being a mixture of native Indian, Negro, and white blood. They are a very indolent, harmless, and inoffensive race; and their customs and manners are much like the native Indians.
I got under weigh and proceeded a few miles to sea, when I found the vessel lacked ballast, so we ran into Porto Bello and purchased a few tons of fustic, which put her in good sailing trim, when we shaped our course back towards the Island of St. Andreas, where I took Mr. Henry T. Smith, and his return cargo on board, consisting of four hundred pounds of tortoise shell, and five or six thousand dollars in gold and silver, which he had collected for the owners of the Allen. We soon got under weigh and shaped our course for New-York.
As my little schooner was a fast sailor, pilot-boat model, I beat to the windward, hoping to get sight of the Island of St. Domingo and sail through the windward passage. After a few days we succeeded in obtaining sight of that Island and sailed along under the lee of it; keeping a bright look-out for suspicious looking vessels. Knowing that my vessel had been taken from the pirates, I was fearful that some of the former gang who once had possession of her might capture me, when I could not expect anything but immediate death.
Schooner Renegade firing into the Schooner Allen.
The morning after we got sight of the Island we discovered a suspicious looking schooner laying at anchor near the land, about five miles to the windward of us, who got under weigh in great haste. I soon perceived with my spy glass that her deck was full of men. She bore down towards us, we hauled close upon the wind, which brought her into our wake about four miles astern of us. Both vessels had their colors flying. Neither of us dared to trust the other. Our new neighbor soon after rounded too, hauled up his fore-sail, and fired a large shot, which we could plainly discover skipping on the surface of the water some distance from us. I took the helm myself and kept the vessel close to the wind, fearing my seamen would be careless about steering her. The strange schooner continued firing at us about every half hour, while we were going fast to the windward of him, until about twelve o'clock. In the afternoon the wind became light, when we discovered that the strange vessel was gaining upon us. The captain afterwards informed me that he had thirty sweeps, and most of his men employed in rowing for some hours, being determined to overhaul us. We kept on our course until about 3 o'clock, when we found ourselves near the land on the Island of Cuba, and the suspicious craft gaining fast upon us. We had no alternative but to tack ship; soon after, he fired a shot which struck under our bowsprit, and wet our fore-sail up to the gaff, this was followed by another that grazed our mast-head, and another fell a few feet under the stern. The fourth shot struck the after leach of the main-sail and cut off the bolt rope and the after-cloth of the sail, and glancing downwards, struck the trunk-deck and entered the cabin, passed through my bed, and then followed the ceiling into the hold, cutting away the plank and three timbers and landed in a bag of cotton. Although the ball, weighing thirty-two pounds, passed through the deck within six feet from where I stood at the helm, being much engaged in giving orders to set the square-sail, I did not discover that it had passed through the deck until some minutes after, when the cook came out of the cabin and told me that Mr. Smith was wounded by a splinter striking him on the head. I then raised my spy-glass and took a good survey of my antagonist, supposing him to be a pirate. On looking at him some time, (all hands on board the Allen being greatly agitated,) I discovered a number of red coats on her deck, when our grief was turned to joy, being satisfied that they were English marines. Soon after she approached within hailing distance of us, when I was ordered to hoist out my boat and come on board of her. When I got on board I was accosted by the captain with, "Did you not see the colors flying on board of my vessel." I answered, "Yes, sir, but I do not trust to colors in these piratical days." He then said, "You have cost me a great deal of powder and shot this day." I answered, by saying, "Never mind, King George is able to pay for it." He then asked me if my vessel leaked badly. I told him that I had but little time to ascertain how bad she did leak, but knew that she had some holes in her. He sent a lieutenant, carpenter, and four men on board of the Allen to examine and pump her out, and invited me into the cabin to drink with him. I told him I did not drink any ardent spirits; he then said, "Damn it, you're a Yankee, and can take a bottle of cider with me." After we entered the cabin and were seated, he looked at me with a smile, saying, "Curse me if you ain't game, you stand fire well." In the mean time he called the gunner to the cabin door, saying, "Gunner, how many shot have you fired at this man this day." The gunner answered him, "Sixteen thirty-two pound shot, and four long twelve-pounders."
He then told me, if I thought it necessary to put into some port for repairs, he would recommend Kingston, Jamaica, as the best to sail for; and if I had any valuable articles in her, he would take them on board of his vessel for safety, and convoy me to that port. I informed him that I had over eight thousand dollars in specie, and four hundred pounds of tortoise-shell, worth ten dollars per pound. In the mean time, the lieutenant arrived from the Allen and reported that he thought she could be kept perfectly free from water by having the pump well manned. After some consultation together, he agreed to let his carpenter, sailing master, and four seamen remain on board the Allen, and he would hoist lights and signals, and convoy her to Kingston for repairs. He then gave his name, and a history of himself and the schooner he now commanded. He said, "About one year since I obtained a furlough from my government, and took charge of a merchant ship bound from Liverpool to Jamaica and back to that port. On my passage from Jamaica towards home I was captured by the pirates, robbed of eight thousand dollars, and many articles, and most cruelly beaten and horribly tortured. The vessel he was now in was taken from the pirates by one of his Majesty's ships, and carried into Jamaica, condemned, and then fitted out under the name of the Renegade, for the purpose of capturing pirates; and that he was appointed to the command of her, and was determined to cruise after them until he had obtained some satisfaction from them." After this conversation ended I went on board my vessel and followed the Renegade, who shaped her course for Kingston. Night soon approached, when she showed her signal light, which we followed. During the night the light winds and smoky weather caused us to lose sight of her until the next morning, when we found ourselves near a place called the White Horse, about twelve miles from Port Royal, which lies at the entrance of Kingston harbor. Our vessels were now laying becalmed a short distance from each other. Soon after the sea-breeze arose, both vessels being under weigh, near together, we set all our sails and steered for the mouth of the harbor, and the Allen arrived there three miles ahead of the Renegade. This satisfied me that the use of the sweeps on board of the Renegade caused the long chase between us, and the loss of his Majesty's powder and shot.
On my arrival at Kingston I called on Messrs. O'Hara & Onfloy for advice, when we applied to the admiral on that station to allow the Allen to be taken into the king's dock-yard for repairs, which he refused. We then applied to the collector of the port for leave to take out her cargo, in order to heave her bottom out of water and repair it. The collector informed us that he could not grant us that leave without permission from the governor, who resided at Spanish Town, twelve miles from Kingston. We had to employ a competent person to draw the petition, who let us know that we must advance him thirty dollars to purchase a sheet of stamped paper to write the petition upon. After the article was drawn I was obliged to hire a man and furnish him with a horse and carriage to convey it to the governor, who granted my request. The only favor I had to acknowledge was, the governor's sending me the thirty dollars which I paid for the sheet of stamped paper, in consequence of the assault being committed by an English-government vessel.
The carpenter hove the schooner's bottom out and repaired her in three or four days; but I was detained eight days in obtaining a permit to land the cargo for that purpose. The whole of the expenses were about two hundred and sixty dollars. During this time I often met Captain Fiatt, the commander of the Renegade, at public houses and elsewhere, who was a gentleman in all respects. He was profuse in expressing his regret that the unfortunate occurrence had happened to my vessel; and was still full of his determination to pursue the pirates until he got some revenge for the injuries he had received from them. After the vessel was repaired I took on board four thousand six hundred dollars belonging to my owners, and returned with the Allen to New-York. About one year after, I visited Kingston on my way home from the Spanish Main. When I inquired after Captain Fiatt, whom I left in the Renegade, an English naval officer informed me that while cruising he landed with his boat and crew on the Isle of Pines, and was missing for some time, when another man-of-war's boat was sent in search of him. When the officer and boat's crew landed on the Island they found the bodies of Captain Fiatt and his boat's crew strewed on the ground, riddled with balls, and the captain so horribly and vulgarly mangled as showed that none but fiends could have been guilty of murdering them.
To give the reader some idea of the horrible atrocities committed by the pirates at that time, I have thought proper to insert the following account, copied from The Evening Post of April 15th, 1822:
"Commodore Porter's Squadron.
"Piracies.—The last news that has been received from this squadron is contained in the New-York papers extracted from the St. Thomas' Times of March 5. On the 4th the squadron got under weigh and put to sea from St. Thomas'. Piracies of an enormity that the bare recital of them make the blood run cold, are continually taking place. A Dutch Brig was taken in sight of Moro Castle, at Havanna. The French Brig La Jeune Henrietta was taken on the 17th of March, the captain, passengers, and all the crew were most cruelly beaten, and they and the vessel robbed. The Schooner Success, from Matanzas, bound to New Providence, was captured and converted into an assistant pirate, two ladies, passengers, made prisoners, one of whom was hanged up till life was almost extinct, in order to make her confess where the money on board was secreted. The Dutch Brig Minerva was captured and burned. The Brig Columbia, from Washington, North Carolina, was captured, robbed of parts of her cargo and sails. The Brig Alert, from New Orleans, was boarded off the Moro by three boats, the captain and cook killed, and one man mortally wounded. A brig has lately arrived from the Balize, belonging to Kennebunk, formerly commanded by Captain Perkins, she was from Port-au-Prince, via Campeachy, where he was boarded by a pirate schooner of about forty tons, manned by forty ruffians. 'They stabbed Captain Perkins in a cruel manner and cut off one of his arms; he then told them where the money was, which amounted to two hundred doubloons; after which they cut off his other arm and thigh, placed oakum dipped in oil under his body and in his mouth, and set fire to it, which soon put an end to his life. The mate had a sword thrust through his thigh, and the vessel was robbed of everything moveable, such as cables, anchors, charts, books, rigging, sails, &c.' It would seem by these accounts, which have all come to hand the past week, that our squadron was of little or no use in those seas. The true way we think would be to put armed crews on board of merchantmen, at sea, after they had left the port they sailed from, and in this way the pirates could get no intelligence of vessels destined to go against them.
"Captain Harding, of the Schooner Aspray, who arrived at Boston last Monday, from Havanna, in twelve days, informs that he was chased out of the Bay of Matanzas by two piratical boats, and running down for Havanna threw off her deck load to get clear of a piratical schooner. Brig Alert, of Portsmouth, from New Orleans, had just arrived off the Moro with a deck load of hogs. She was boarded in the night by two piratical boats, with six men each, and Captain Charles Blunt was murdered and thrown overboard; the cook was stabbed, thrown among the hogs and partly devoured by them. The crew were maltreated, and the vessel plundered. Captain Harding states, that when she sailed from Havanna it was hourly expected that orders would be issued for the detention of French vessels in port."
On the sixteenth day of July, 1824, I made a contract with one Captain Oliver C. Murray, master of the Schooner Frances, of New-York, to proceed with him on a trading voyage to the Musquitto Shore, Chagres, Porto Bello, St. Blas, &c. as a pilot and assistant trader.
We took on board an assorted cargo, and sailed from New-York about the last of July. After being at sea some three days Captain Murray was taken sick, when he called the mate and crew into the cabin and told them that he had given up the charge of the schooner to me, that they must obey me accordingly. This was unsolicited by me. We then proceeded direct to Porto Bello, where we opened a trade with the inhabitants, remaining there about three weeks, experiencing heavy showers of rain every day we tarried there, it then being the rainy season on that coast. We proceeded from that port to Carthagena, a distance of about two hundred and sixty miles, where we were informed by the inhabitants that there had not fallen a drop of rain in that place during the last ten months.
Carthagena is the strongest fortified city I ever visited, being enclosed with a wall some fifteen feet high, which is approached by a slope of easy assent. The wall appears to be from fifteen to twenty feet thick, having embrasures with heavy cannon mounted on it, about one hundred feet from one to another, all around the city, with a good road on the top of the wall. On the outside of the wall there is a deep trench, where water can be let in five or six feet deep if the city should be invaded by an enemy. Vessels bound into the harbor are obliged to keep close to the main land, which brings them near a long tier of forts. The greatest part of the channel is filled in with large stones, which appears to have been the work of ages.
We remained here about two weeks, and were visited by numbers of captains of Columbian privateers, most of them Americans, who had obtained commissions signed by General Bolivar; they purchased many articles from us. Before we got the schooner under weigh we took on board three members of the Columbian Congress and their servants. A son of one of the congressmen had been educated in Europe, and spoke good English. We agreed to convey them to Chagres. They came direct from Bogata, the seat of government of this Republic, their congress having just adjourned; they were on their way home, across the Isthmus. The Columbian Congress had passed a law to raise the duties on imports about twelve per cent. We had a large assortment of goods on board, which we sold at retail at every port where we landed. On our passage these members of congress, who had come direct from the seat of government, and assisted to pass laws to raise the revenue and prevent smuggling, purchased over three hundred dollars' worth of goods of us on the passage, and had them put up in proper packages to pass through the custom house as their baggage, so as to defraud the government of the duties.
A short time before we arrived at Chagres one of them, who had an English negro servant, ordered him to tell Captain Murray that he could put some of his goods amongst their baggage if he wanted to smuggle them on shore through the custom house, as their baggage was considered sacred, and that no custom house officer dare to examine it. Being well acquainted with the tricks of these Spanish officers, I prevailed on Murray not to trust them, telling him this was only a trick to cheat him out of his goods, as I had heard, from good authority, of a number of tricks of this kind which had been practised by the collector of Porto Bello and other ports on the Main.
We landed our passengers and remained some days at Chagres, where we sold some goods and then returned to Porto Bello. We purchased some fustic and other articles, and proceeded to the coast of St. Blas, touching at a number of small harbors, where we bought fustic in small quantities. While laying in the mouth of one of these narrow rivers, called Nombre Dios, (name of God,) I found by inquiry that I was only about thirty miles from the residence of one of my old traders, named Campbell, who had visited New-York with me in the Schooner Price, and was there when General Jackson made his first visit to that city. I told Captain Murray that I should feel much pleased to visit Campbell, and I would willingly assist to paddle a canoe thirty miles to see any honest friend. This pleased him much, as he wanted an introduction to the trade on that coast. The next morning we fitted out our canoe, by putting a dinner-pot, fire-works, and some provisions, and a large jug, containing two or three gallons of gin, on board, to treat my Indian friends on my arrival among them. We were now well prepared for the trip, having plenty to eat and drink. If the winds or weather detained us on the passage we could go on shore, haul up our canoe, build a fire, cook our provision and then lay down on the ground and get a comfortable sleep, by keeping a kind of watch amongst ourselves to prevent the fire from going out, that being our only protection from tigers, panthers, and other wild beasts, who will never approach a fire. They are very numerous on this coast. I tried this experiment many years successfully.
We left the schooner early in the morning and proceeded more than one half of our journey, when a strong breeze of head wind compelled us to go on shore and take up our lodging for the night. The next morning, the wind having abated, we got under weigh, and reached Campbell's house that afternoon. I was received by my old friend in the most affectionate manner. He, knowing that I was very fond of craw-fish, wilkes, &c. despatched a number of young men to fish for them, and others to go and gather some of their best fruits for us to eat. At the same time the most of his neighbors visited his house, many of them bringing fruits, sugar-cane, &c. We were treated to the best supper the country afforded, and he furnished us with clean hammocks to sleep in. The morning after, we made a good breakfast; a large assemblage of Indians met at Campbell's house, when he asked me to christen his children, which I declined, by saying I had no book with me. I soon discovered that he felt dissatisfied with my denial, for he had invited all his neighbors there to witness the performance. He earnestly entreated me a second time to perform the ceremony. After some further entreaty I yielded to his request, which seemed to throw a gleam of joy on all the assembly of Indians, whose eyes were steadily fixed upon me. When I got prepared to perform the ceremony, I asked Campbell in his usual way of speaking English, "What him name." He answered me, saying, "Dat General Jackson." I then sprinkled water on his head, laid my hand upon it, and pronounced his name with an audible voice; this was the oldest boy. I called for the next, when he brought forward a younger lad; when I asked his name, the answer was, "Dat must be your name," so I christened him Jacob Dunham; then calling for another, he brought me a small girl, when I asked concerning the name, he answered me, "Dat must be your wife name," and I christened her Fanny Dunham. The fourth one being called for, Captain Murray requested Campbell to have it christened after his wife; he agreed to it, as it was a small girl, and I named her Lucretia Murray. After the ceremony was ended Captain Murray presented the children with fifty cents each. A good dinner was prepared on the occasion, which we partook of in the most jovial and friendly manner, after which we visited a number of the neighboring houses in company with my friend Campbell, where we were received with a hearty welcome, and presented with such fruits as the country afforded.
In the morning, while we were preparing to return to the schooner, Campbell called me out to a small store house, where he took up the hind quarter of a baboon or large monkey, well smoked, and presented it to me to eat on our passage back to the schooner. I did not like to wound his feelings by refusing his present. On looking into his store room I observed a number of large smoked birds about the size of a common turkey, which I told him suited my taste much better than monkey, which he readily exchanged, as the natives consider a fat monkey the best meat that the country produces. He supplied us with bread-stuff and fruits. We took our departure for the vessel, and arrived on board that night.
We continued trading along the coast a few days, when we fell in with an old schooner under Columbian colors, but American built, said to belong to a man named Varney, who was on board of her, but could not hold her papers while sailing under that flag, not being a naturalized citizen of that government. It appeared he had employed a black citizen of that country to hold her papers, in the capacity of captain, who was then laying sick in a canoe on the schooner's deck.
Captain Murray told me he had heard from Carthagena that a government schooner was cruising in pursuit of the Frances to capture her for trading on this coast without license, that we must take the goods out of her and put them on board of Varney's old schooner as speedily as possible, and then proceed to sea with her immediately; that I must go on board of her and take charge of the goods as supercargo. The goods were transferred that afternoon in great haste, without my having time to examine the old vessel as I ought to have done. She had a motley crew of different nations on board. When I took a view of them, I told Murray that I would not trust my life on board of her without he gave me two or three of the Frances' crew to go with me, which request he complied with, when we hurried to sea, bound to the Island of St. Andreas. After we got out a little from the land we tried the pump, and found she leaked very badly, but dared not put back, fearing we might be captured. So we all agreed to pursue the voyage. We were now compelled to try the pump every fifteen minutes during the passage to St. Andreas, which was twenty-three days.
Immediately after our arrival in that harbor I took all the goods on shore. Two days after, Varney undertook to heave the old schooner out, to repair her bottom, when the deck slid off, and she sunk, never to rise again. The negro captain died the second day after we went to sea, when we committed his body to a watery grave.
Some time after Captain Murray arrived with the Frances in the harbor and learned the fate of Varney's old vessel, when he chartered a small schooner belonging to St. Andreas to take the remainder of his goods on board, and carry them to St. John's, on the Spanish Main. The next day they were all put on board of the new schooner. Murray now made up his mind to send the Frances back to New-York, and wanted me to take charge of her as master, which I refused to do, knowing it to be a broken voyage, and if I acted as master of her I could not libel the vessel for my wages. I told him he could give the mate charge of the Frances, and that I would assist to navigate her back to New-York, which he agreed to. He and Varney went on board of the new chartered schooner, and proceeding to St. John's, took out the goods and transported them up that river into Nunanger Lake, on a trading voyage. All our arrangements being finished, both vessels proceeded to sea, when we shaped our course for New-York.
Soon after we got to sea I examined the list of return cargo which Murray had left on board the Frances; it consisted mostly of fustic, which was selling in New-York at that time at reduced prices, and I found that the whole cargo would not pay the charter of the schooner, which was two hundred dollars per month, besides victualing, manning and port charges.
The Frances proved to be such a dull sailer that we could seldom force her more than seven knots per hour, in addition to which her sails and rigging had been badly injured by the continued rains on that coast, which rendered her unfit for any voyage. We were beating to the northward about fourteen days before we made the land, which proved to be Cape Antonio, we then steered into the Gulf-stream, which assisted us to work our way to the northward and eastward, and were a number of days sailing in the Gulf before we reached the latitude of Charleston, where we encountered a succession of heavy gales of wind which split our sails and carried away the greatest part of our running rigging. Finding our water and provisions growing short, we concluded to put into Charleston for relief, and the next day the wind proving favorable we steered direct for that port, where we anchored in a crippled condition. After our arrival there, we wrote to the men whom we supposed were Captain Murray's sureties for the charter of the Frances, informing them of our misfortune, when they applied to the underwriters for relief. When we had waited two or three weeks in Charleston, an agent of the underwriters arrived there from New-York, bringing with him rigging and sails, when we made some tempory repairs, and then sailed for New-York, where we arrived after a passage of two weeks.
After we arrived in port it was discovered that Murray had not over twenty dollars when he first undertook the voyage. He was a good looking man, and belonged to the Masonic order, could sing a good song, and tell a humorous story, and had a peculiar way of gaining the confidence of his associates. He had but few personal acquaintances in the city; but had obtained security from two or three responsible merchants for the charter of the schooner Frances for a voyage of some months, at two hundred dollars per month, and they had loaned him money to pay the advance wages of the mate and seamen, and supplied him with ship stores, besides making large shipments of goods on their own account. He took many goods from different people in invoices of from fifty to one thousand dollars, agreeing to carry them free from freight, and return them one-half of the net profits. Among the shippers was his landlady, a poor widow woman, whom he persuaded to make a shipment of crockery amounting to fifty or sixty dollars, who, no doubt expected it would be sold at California prices. I have since conversed with many of the shippers by the Frances on this voyage, who say that they never received any returns for the goods which they shipped on board the schooner, or any account of the sales of them. The sureties were compelled to pay the seamen's wages and all other expenses. Some years after I learned that Murray died in some part of Central America.
About the first of December, 1831, I entered into an agreement in Philadelphia with a large contractor, who had engaged to open a canal from the city of New Orleans to Lake Ponekertrain. He had hired about one hundred and fifty men, and chartered a brig to carry them to New Orleans. We sailed about the sixth of December, and made our passage out in twenty days. The captain of the brig was a young man who was but little acquainted with that coast. As he found that I was more experienced than himself, he was very civil to me. I gave him information about this dangerous coast. On our arrival at New Orleans we were conveyed to some large shantees, built for the accommodation of the workmen. I was stationed in the store-room, with orders to weigh out the provisions, keep a daily account of the expenditures, and make weekly returns to the treasurer. This I found a very disagreeable situation, as the men were constantly finding fault with their provisions, although they were furnished with good tea, coffee, sugar, smoked shoulders, potatoes, salt fish, wheat bread and butter every Friday, fresh beef twice in the week, and eight glasses of whiskey per day. Notwithstanding this good treatment, we had riots among the men every few days, and all deficiency in stores or cooking was laid to my charge, and they often threatened my life. There were two other encampments on the same canal, one on the lake side, and one in the middle station, where they murdered one cook, mortally wounded one overseer, and severely injured many others.
A few months after they grew so riotous that the City Guards had to be called out to suppress them, when they were discharged by the company, and I was released from my contract. After they had spent all their wages they returned to their work and were very orderly. This canal is only six and a half miles long, and eight feet deep, but has added greatly to the wealth of the city. There was an old canal, formed mostly by nature, running nearly parallel with this new one, having about five feet depth of water in it, but it was often so much out of repair as to make it difficult to navigate, and as it did not answer the desired purpose, the new one was made. I obtained employment in a little schooner, which ran between New Orleans and Covington, through the old canal, crossing the lake and ascending a small river called Chepunkee, navigable some twenty-two miles. We sailed into the mouth of it about three miles, and then took in our sails and towed her the remaining distance to the little village called Covington. The river is so narrow in many places that vessels have scant room to pass by each other; a slight current sets down the river the whole time.
At Covington I found a number of steam sawmills, and abundance of sawed timber and boards, a few hotels, boarding houses, stores, and a printing office and several dwelling houses. This place is considered a healthy resort in the sickly season. Many small vessels find employment here in transporting lumber, brick, and cotton. We soon took in a cargo of lumber and returned to New Orleans, where we discharged it; when I entered on board of another schooner and made a trip to Mobile, which I found a very handsome city. The houses are built in modern style, the place has in it a number of large elegant hotels and stores, and many handsome streets. I was much annoyed with musquittoes while we remained in port, but soon left for New Orleans, where we landed after a passage of two days. In a short time I started for another trip across the lake. On my return I was taken sick. Finding that my small means would not support me long at a boarding house, and also pay the doctor's bills, I applied to the collector of the port, who gave me an order to go to the Marine Hospital, supposing I had a just claim to go there after paying hospital money to support such institutions over thirty years. During my stay in the hospital I found it was a private institution; that the collector and the keeper of it were kinsmen, and that the collector paid the keeper seventy-five cents per day for the board of every seaman he sent there. The daily rations allowed each man were about eight or ten ounces of bread, and five or six ounces of fresh meat, with the accompaniment of a small bowl of tea. The whole would not cost per day over twelve cents per man.
A number of seamen remain here a long time after they are restored to health, without receiving a discharge from the doctor, who is making fifty cents per day, or more, for their board. These men leave the hospital in the morning in pursuit of work, which they generally find, purchase their dinners at eating houses, and return to the hospital at night, where they receive their small rations and lodgings, the keeper pocketing his seventy-five cents per day from government during their stay here. They are left to decide for themselves when it is best to be well. In consequence of this, many of the sick in the hospital are crowded out of comfortable lodgings.
It will easily be seen that the greatest part of the tax collected from the hard earnings of seamen is used to enrich political favorites. I remained in this establishment about sixty days, during that time the yellow fever raged there violently, causing a number of deaths in the house. Many patients were brought there who were unable to walk or stand on their feet, and were most of them soon cured.
After I left the hospital I found some light employment for a few days, when I agreed to take another trip across the lake. Previous to my going on board of the vessel I returned to the hospital, where I had left some of my clothing, took with me such as I wanted, and left some of my heavy articles in charge of a sailor named Daniel Dunn, with whom I had formed a short acquaintance in the hospital, and proceeded over the lake, where we remained a few days, and then returned to the city. On my return I found the cholera had broken out and was raging to such an alarming degree that the inhabitants were terror-struck. The returns of deaths were over two hundred per day. Laborers wages for digging in the church burying ground was seven dollars per day. Not being able to procure laborers sufficient to dig single graves, they dug canals about one hundred rods in length, of sufficient depth to place three coffins one above the other, the water in the bottom of it being about eighteen inches deep. All graves dug in New Orleans are half filled with water before the coffins are deposited in them.
The morning after my return I proceeded to the hospital to see after my clothing. On visiting the building I was much surprised on walking through many of the rooms without seeing a living soul. In the back yard I found eight or ten dead bodies laying on the ground in a putrid state. I then searched the upper stories, and in a room called the small-pox ward, I found one dead body laying on a bed covered with a woollen blanket, in a very putrid state, the offensive gas rising through the blanket like a dense fog. Some few were still alive, but suffering for want of attendance. On descending the stairs I met the assistant physician of the hospital, and asked him the cause of this great neglect of the few who were still living. He told me that Doctor M'Farlane, the proprietor, was very sick, and that the cook, steward, washer woman, and the black man who conveyed the corpses to the grave, were all dead, and that they could not procure any assistance. He asked me if I would try to hire some help for him. I told him that I would use my best exertions to procure him some, but if I could not obtain any I would assist him myself. I then left him and returned to my lodgings. Just before I left my boarding house to visit the hospital I heard one of the boarders, a journeyman hatter, who had been on a drunken frolic for some days, say that he had spent all his money and had not enough left to get his bitters that morning. Knowing that the want of money in such circumstances stimulate men to undertake unpleasant jobs sooner than go without their bitters, I proposed his going to work with me at the hospital, and rendering the doctor all the assistance in our power, which he readily agreed to. When we arrived at the place I introduced the doctor to the hatter. After the introduction was over my partner showed a great anxiety to fix on the price of our day's work, which was soon settled at five dollars each. The bargain being closed we were presented with some antidote, which we were ordered to snuff up our noses.
About this time three or four carts arrived at the door, when we were requested to assist in carrying out the few sick persons that remained in the building, which we found to be only sixteen, being all that were left alive out of about sixty inmates that I left there some ten days before.
The doctor showed us a number of rough boxes, called coffins, which were placed in the back yard. Many of them were made very wide, that they might hold two dead bodies. He requested us to harness up a poor old half-starved horse, which we found on the premises. After a long search we found the old harness scattered about the yard, which we gathered up, both of us being ignorant of the way of putting it together. After a long consultation we placed it on the horse's back, which was so sore that he trembled badly during the operation. After we had rigged him and the cart, we agreed to take on one of the double coffins for the first load. We opened one of them and placed a large body in it, and then hunted for a small one to crowd into the same box; when we had accomplished this we attempted to lift the double coffin on to the cart; finding that we were not able to accomplish it we were obliged to roll it on. I asked the hatter if he would drive the horse to the grave-yard, telling him I was unacquainted with that employment. He told me he was a stranger to that business, and insisted upon it that I must be the driver. I mounted the cart and proceeded towards the burying ground, on the road we found the mud so deep that the cart wheels buried themselves nearly up to the hubs. After driving nearly a mile we arrived at the Catholic burying ground, where we found a long canal and twenty or thirty men employed in digging and receiving dead bodies. Before our arrival there, a board burst off from the coffin, which caused one arm to hang out. The Irish laborers employed there commenced a quarrel with us, swearing that they would be the death of us if we brought any more coffins there in that situation, and we found some difficulty in prevailing upon them to receive the present one. They at last agreed to help lift it off the cart. It was then placed in the canal, where the water was about two feet deep, two men stood upon it until they put another coffin on the top of it, when they placed the third one on the top of the second one, making the tier three deep, laying the coffins crossways in the canal. When one tier was finished they hove large quantities of lime upon it and commenced another.