My dear little Grandson,

A few interesting occurences come to my mind which will perhaps amuse you and compensate in some measure, for the monotony and general dulness of my long and I fear too tedious story --

One remarkably pleasant afternoon, while we were at Wnampoo, a large American ship appeared coming up the river; such an occurence, which in those days seldom happened, soon attracted the attention of the officers of the ship, and the sight of the glorious stars and stripes gave a thrill of joy to every heart on board -- It was then customary and is still, Ibelieve, on the arrival of a ship bearing our national flag, in a foreign port, for all the American ships in port to display their colors. This custom is observed by all nations on arrival of their countrymen -- Our Chief Mate, now having command (the Captain being at Canton), gave orders for our colours to be displayed fore and aft, which was accordingly done in the following manner, Viz. the ensign was bent on to the halyards of the Mizen Peak, the long Pendant at the main royal mast-head, the Burgee at the fore, and Union Jack on the fore stay. At each of the halyards a man was stationed, ready to run up the colors when the word of command was given. A gun was now got ready, loaded with a cartridge only, at the firing of which, the colors were all to be run up together -- And now the American ship comes full in view -- she is now nearly up with us --

"Gunner are you all ready?" “Aye aye Sir'' -- "Stand by boys to run your colors up nimbly when the gun is fired"-- "Fire!!" Shrill sounds the Boatswain's whistle - aloft go the colours -- Now they are all floating handsomely in the breeze -- The ship passes us, she is of and from Philadelphia and showing a tier of guns between decks, and looking like a small frigate -- Our mate now gave orders to have the pinnace manned as he intended to go on board the New Jersey. This was soon done, every one being eager for a chance to go in the boat. The boat is now manned, hauled to the gangway and reported all ready -- The mate being highly respected and beloved by all the crew, and they being desirous, on this occasion to show him a little extra attention, selected two of the best looking lads, had them dressed in their Sunday clothes, and placed in the gangway each holding a man rope for the mate to descend into the boat by; this is called manning the side, and is always considered a mark of honor and respect.

The mate now came on deck and appeared well pleased at seeing everything so well arranged. He now descended the ship's side, took his seat in the stern of the boat, the men all standing with oars in a vertical position, the bowman with boat-hook ready to shove off and the boatswain at the gangway ready to pipe “away"-- Now is heard the shrill sound of his whistle - the boat is shoved off - the oars fall together in the water and she is on her way towards the New Jersey. This ship had come to anchor about half a mile distant from us; our boat was soon alongside. About an hour after, she returned with all the news that could be gathered in so short an interview -- On board the New Jersey they found Mr. Darling the chief mate of the ship Pallas of Salem, and four seamen, who were separated from their ship in a violent squall, while taking the soundings of a shoal, in the Straits of Malacca, and after being a numbers of days in the boat suffering greatly for the want of food and water, were providentially fallen in with by this ship and rescued from the very jaws of death -- While they were drifting great in the Straits, they fell in with a Malay Proa. Their sufferings at the time being so great they were induced to run the risk of trying to procure something from those Malays to eat and drink, as they were in a starving condition, so they went alongside the Proa, very cautiously however, when finding from appearances that they designed to make captives of them, after obtaining a little water and a few cocoa-nuts,watched an opportunity, eluded their grasp, summoned all their strength,and, it being calm, pulled their boat beyond their reach; this little relief served no doubt to prolong their lives until they met with as related.

The ship Pallas was bound to Canton, and Mr. Darling was quite disappointed when he found she had not arrived -- While waiting for the arrival of his ship, he past a great proportion of his time with us. He was a very agreeable, intelligent man -- About ten days after his arrival, one afternoon he was on board our ship, when a sail was discovered coming up the river. Mr. Darling took the glass and looked at her and soon recognized his old ship the Pallas. He was greatly rejoiced at the sight of her, so eager to get on board of her that he could hardly wait for a boat to be got ready to take him on board. He was obliged to wait however, as there was no other way of accomplishing his wishes and as our mate chose to have everything on board the Eliza, done "Ship-shape, Bristol fashion", as the saying is. We went through the ceremony of hoisting colours &c. as before related; this, however, did not take a great deal of time, the boat was dispatched and the anxious Mr. Darling, accompanied by our chief mate, started for his ship. I will not attempt to describe the scene that took place when he arrived alongside of the Pallas. After losing sight of the boat in the Straits, the ship cruised about, a number of days, in hopes of finding her, but seeing nothing of her, gave the mate and boats' crew up for lost, and never more expected to have their eyes blest with the sight of them. Conceive then of their joy and astonishment, on their first arrival at Whampoo, at seeing the mate and all four of the men alive and well -- Captain Ward of the Pallas was once or twice on board our ship. He was a gentleman of the old school, and very highly respected. His son was with him a boy at that time, about my age, and now the highly respected agent of the well known Banking house of Baring Brothers & Co. London. Mr. Darling, the mate of the Pallas, had command of her the following voyage, he died in Salem a few years after --

In the relation of the circumstances in regard to Mr. Darling and boat's crew, I may have made some mistakes for it was a long time ago. I believe however in substance my account is nearly correct.

While lying at Whampoo our cook ran away and went on board an English ship, and it became necessary to employ a Chinaman to fill his place which was accordingly done. The fellow got along pretty well with the cooking for a few days but he proved to be a great scamp -- You must know, the laws of China at that time were, that if a Chinaman was killed on board an American, European, or any other vessel either by accident or design, one of the crew of such vessel was required to be given up to the Chinese authorities and by them made to suffer death. This unrighteous law was in a few instances submitted to by the English. One case that I remember to have heard was of a gunner of an English ship being given up, in consequence of a Chinaman being killed in firing a salute, one of the guns by accident having a shot in it. This unrighteous law is no longer submitted to -- The Chinese cook, above alluded to, tried to play a trick upon us, such a one, as, in many instances has proved successful. One day, he managed to get into a quarrel with one of the men, in consequence of which he received a slight blow from the man. This was all he wanted, it was his death blow. He immediately fell upon the deck, managed to set his teeth bleeding, bled profusely at the mouth and was certainly going to die. He was now taken from the ship on board the Hoppoo boat (this is a government boat that lies alongside the ship all the time to prevent smuggling or any violation of their laws). A Chinaman soon came on board the ship to make report of his case to the mate, the amount of which was, that the wounded man was certainly dying. "His death, however”, he said, "might be concealed the government, if the Captain was willing to pay for it". The mate asked him what amount would be required? He said "three hundred dollars".  However the fellow did not make out to die, neither did he succeed in extorting the money, for the concealment of his death. He went off and we heard nothing more of him.

One of our crew named William Collet, a native of Philadelphia, had resided a number of years at the Sandwich Islands, and had become so accustomed to savage life, that he was very desirous of getting back there. He was brought away from there, without his consent, in the following manner. An American ship arrived there, on board of which he frequently went to visit his countrymen. The day she left the Islands, he went on board, indulged himself pretty freely with the bottle, fell asleep, and when he awoke, found himself at sea out of sight of land. He had formed attachments at the Islands and was now greatly grieved at his own folly, and the treachery of his shipmates; however he made the best of it; The ship was bound to the United States, where he arrived safe, shipped on board our ship bound to Canton, intending no doubt to improve the first favorable opportunity to return to the Sandwich Islands. An opportunity presenting at Whampoo he left our ship & joined a ship bound for the Sandwich Islands and Northwest coast. He was a good seaman and a kind friend to me; I never heard of him afterwards. He was a man of intelligence and I derived a great deal of amusement from hearing him relate his stories about the natives of the Sandwich Islands.

This must suffice for my first voyage - Shall I commence upon another voyage? perhaps you are tired of these old "tales of the sea" -- However as I have promised you an account of my life and as my life, in a great measure, has been made up of voyages, I have no alternative but to go on dull and uninteresting as my story may prove to be --

Having acquired a thorough knowledge of navigation and Lunar observations and obtained a certificate from my instructor to that effect, I felt capable of navigating a ship to any part of the world and resolved to push forward with vigor and attain command of one; to do which however, it was necessary that I should arise in due gradation, and having taken the first step as a boy, my next must be that of a sailor before the mast. At this time an opportunity presented of obtaining a berth on board the ship Astrea of Boston, (belonging to Francis Amory Esq. the same gentleman that owned the ship Eliza) commanded by Solomon Stanwood of Gloucester. The mate George Sawyer, and second mate Eliphalet Davis, were likewise my townsmen. Capt. Stanwood gave me an invitation to go with him, and the ship being a good the and bound on a good voyage, I consented to go; another inducement was that most of the crew as well as the Captain and officers were my townsmen -- I was all ready to start upon a voyage, and had been for some time, so there was nothing to be done but to take leave of my sisters and be off. This leave taking I always found the hardest part of the voyage and generally managed to evade it when leaving home and so let “good bye” and “welcome home" come together on my return --

The time now arrived for me to take my departure -- As we were all to leave together, an arrangement was made for Captain, mates, and all hands to assemble early in the morning at Low's Tavern, where coaches were to be in readiness to take us to Boston -- The morning alluded to was a cold and dreary one in the month of November. At the time appointed, we all assembled and took our seats in the coaches. And now all being “aboard” we gave three hearty cheers, the horses started with rapid speed soon past the narrow strip of land called "the Cut" and turned the bend of the road. Our view of the town was here intercepted and on turning I took my last look home and sighed a long adieu to my dear and much loved sisters. I parted with the evening before but took no leave, and in the morning I left home without seeing them. I could not bear to say “good bye", and from that time to the present when starting upon a voyage I have taken my "good bye" to sea with me and brought it pack to keep company with "welcome home”

 My companions of the voyage were full of fun and frolic as the true sons of the ocean generally are; I could not however participate in their mirth. They were my shipmates, it is true, but not congenial spirits; I found it necessary, however, to accommodate myself to the company I was destined to associate with during a long voyage; to do which, at the present time, was anything but an easy task -- I was leaving home to encounter all the perils and hardships of a sailor's life; I felt serious but not sad, my vocation I knew was a hard one, but I had not adopted it, without due reflection and a fixed determination to persevere manfully, do my duty faithfully and trust in God, for protection and promotion -- At the time I am writing about, the road from Gloucester to Boston was very rough, there was no turnpike and as for railroads they had not then entered the imagination of man. We were consequently a long time on our journey "from nearly dawn to dusky evening". The song, the laugh, and the jest, went round without cessation although a cold and bitter storm was raging during the whole journey. -- At length we arrived safe in Boston, and it being night, each one shifted for himself. One of my shipmates, (a young man about my age) and myself found a comfortable house near what was then called the drawbridge where we partook of a good supper, and took lodgings for the night. Early the next morning we paid our bill and without waiting for breakfast, set off to find the ship. On our way to the ship, seeing a comfortable looking stall near Faneuil Hall market, with an old woman in it, warmed by a pan of coals, displaying a good supply of cakes, pies, hot coffee &c. we were tempted to stop and take some breakfast. The good woman treated us with the best she had, and we paid her to her heart's content and proceeded on our way to the ship -- We were early, none of our shipmates had made their appearance on board. In a short time, however, they came along one after another and at length Capt. mate, and all hands were assembled on board.-- The ship was lying at "Russell's Wharf" now called Russia Wharf -- The next thing to be done was to sign the articles, receive our month's advance wages, get our chests and bedding on board and prepare for sea. All our chests and bedding were on board a packet called the "Yarico” Capt. Tucker, then lying at Long Wharf, so it was agreed that three of the crew should take the ship's long boat and go for them. The boat was accordingly dispatched and soon returned with all our effects.

By this time the owner of the ship made his appearance prepared to"ship the crew” and pay them their advance wages. One, by one, we were now called into the cabin each returning with his money and considering himself engaged for the voyage. being the youngest, my turn was the last and a circumstance now occured that came quite near preventing my going in the ship. There was another lad, about my age, going in the ship and we had both agreed with the Captain to go as"light hands" (so called in contradistinction to "green hands"). We had each of us been one voyage and our wages were to be equal. I think we were to have thirteen dollars a month. The lad alluded to, was shipped by the owner without any hesitation. He had been to the Northwest Coast, had learned to "chaw" tobacco,had a "Devil may care" sort of look and was rather stouter than I was --The wages the Capt. had agreed to pay him were not objected to by the owner -- my turn now came to sign the articles. "Well" says the owner, "how much did you agree to pay" "The same as the other" answered the Captain, “I can't give it" said the owner, "why you only had five dollars a month in the Eliza, besides you are not near so heavy as the other lad. I can't think of giving you more than twelve dollars a month". "Indeed sir", said I, "I cannot think of going for less than I agreed to go for, the value of a man cannot always be estimated by his weight. I think myself equal in value to the lad you last shipped and shall not go for less" -- Now, do you see, there was a point of honor in this matter, that forbade my yielding, so I left the cabin and went upon deck with the determination of taking my chest bedding back to the "Yarico", with a view to returning home, for the purpose of joining the ship (Winthrop and Mary) then fitting out in Gloucester for the Island of Sumatra. James Pearson, an old school fellow of mine was going in her and I knew I could have a berth on board of her,and was rather desirious of going. While this matter was occupying my thoughts, and I was preparing to let my chest down into the boat the Captain came on deck. “Avast there boy" said he, “you came up to go with me and must not leave the ship, go below and sign the articles for what the owner is disposed to give you and I will make up the difference out of my own pocket". This I agreed to, signed the articles, and took my month's advance. The turn this matter took, I ever considered one of the most fortunate events of my life. The ship f(Winthrop and Mary) that I intended to have shipped on board of, was never heard from after she left Sumatra, bound home; it was supposed she was lost in a hurricane off the Isle of France and all on board perished -- My friend James Pearson was one of her unfortunate crew. I never saw him more! -- If I had joined this ship as I intended to have done, this dull and stupid tale would have remained untold ----

It being customary to allow the crew the balance of the day, after signing the articles, to attend to their own affairs, we did not go on duty until the following morning. I took up my lodging on board that night, and from that time made the ship my home to the end of the voyage. Our ship was in a light ballast trim, bound to Charleston S.C. and from thence to London. We soon got all ready, took a fair wind and put to sea. And now began the hardships of a sailor's life, we did not get out of Boston Bay, before the wind came to the N.E. and blew a gale attended with snow, hail, and rain. We were truly in a perilous situation, our ship was too light, the ballast in the hold was shifting, and we were in danger of being stranded on Cape Cod. There was nothing however to be done, but to carry all the sail we possible [sic] could, and weather the Cape or go on shore. By the aid of a kind Providence, the wind favored us a little and we got out of the bay. Our crew were quite exhausted having been all night employed reefing, sending down topgallant-yards, launching top-gallant masts and in the hold securing the ballast in the best manner we could; it was a hard beginning for me but I stood it like a veteran. In the morning the weather moderated, and after getting some hot coffee, and some beef and bread, we were all recruited and soon ready to encounter another gale. The whole passage was a stormy, unpleasant, and long one.At length, however, a bright morning appeared and with the sight of Charleston lighthouse, and a pilot-boat from which we soon obtained a pilot and a few hours afterwards arrived safe in Charleston harbour, hauled the ship alongside of a wharf preparatory to taking on cargo -- We were detained in Charleston about three weeks during which time we took on board a full cargo of rice, which made our ship very deep, too deep to cross the Atlantic at that season of the year it being mid winter. The ship being now ready, we sailed for London with a fair wind which soon took us off clear of the land and into the Gulf stream. From this time until our arrival in the English Channel we had almost one continous gale of wind. Our ship being so heavily loaded was continually under water, the forecastle where the crew slept leaked so badly that all our bedding was continually soaked with water, and I can say with truth that during our passage, we seldom knew what it was to have dry clothes or a dry bed to sleep in. I suffered a great deal from cramp during the passage but in every other respect my health continued good. At length after a passage of about 35 days we arrived in London safe and sound -- Our ship was hauled into a tier nearly opposite St. Catherine's Stairs, where we discharged our cargo into Lighters under the inspection of one Custom-house officer and one excise officer. These chaps were put on board by Government to prevent smuggling. They lived in the cabin and were maintained while on board at the expense of the ship. This I always thought degrading, first to have our honesty doubted and then to pay the expense of being watched.

>> Some amusing and many provoking occurences took place while we were inLondon. The British at this time were in the habit of “impressing" seamen for the Royal Navy, that 1s taking men against will and inclination to man their ships and fight their battles. They pretended to confine this impressment to British subjects only, their practice however gave the lie to their pretentions, of which I am a living witness. Many of our crew were taken by the press-gang while on shore, carried on board the guard-ship and then confined -- In every instance but one, our Captain, after a great deal of trouble, succeeded in recovering our men from the rapacious jaws of the British Lion. One of our men was taken on board of a man-of-war by the press-gang, we could not trace him, and never heard of him more. He was probably killed fighting their battles, or died in their service. This was the fate of many, very many, native born Americans. The impressment of our seamen Was one of the most prominent causes of our last war with England would undoubtedly again cause a war, should they attempt to put this nefarious outrage again in practice on board an American ship, or on shore in any part of the world, upon an American citizen. This fear of impressment prevented my seeing a great deal of this famous city that I should otherwise have seen. I took an opportunity however, one Sunday, to take a walk through the city under the escort of an old cobbler, This old fellow.was frequently on board our ship, was kindly treated by all on board, and appeared very grateful for our kindness; he mended our shoes for us, we shared our mess with him, besides paying him well for his work; so he volunteered his services to show us the city. Two of us availed ourselves of his offer, and one Sunday morning after partaking of a good breakfast on board, set out for a day's cruise in the city of London under the guidance of our old cobbler. We visited St. James Park, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's church and many other places that I have now forgotten, regaled ourselves and our friend the cobbler with bread, cheese and brown stout, and after satisfying our good old guide to his heart's content for his trouble returned on board a little after sunset well satisfied ourselves with the services he had rendered us. ---- An occurence [sic] took place about this time that may be interesting to you, our crew, to a man, were as kind-hearted set of fellows as ever stood between stem and stern of a ship and in whatI am about relating you will see how well they were repaid for their kindness. We were bound to Teneriffe, one of the Canary islands, a man came on board claiming to be a native of one of those Islands with a pitiful story; he had been shipwrecked and had met with a great many misfortunes and was desirous of getting home to his friends, he was destitute, and begged a passage in our ship. His story was so plausible that every one on board felt a sympathy for him and each one showed him some kindness. The mate told him he had no doubt the Captain would give him a passage, and gave him liberty to stay on board until the following day, when the Captainwould be on board. In the meantime the cook was ordered to furnish him with food and provide a bed for him in the sail-room, on the top of the spare sails. This was a very good lodging place and proved a very convenient one for my gentleman. This sail room was so situated that a person lying in it could see everything that was going on in the Forecastle and here he took up his lodging. Our crew, you must know, were pretty well off in regard to money, each had an adventure on board which sold at a profit and for which they had this day received the proceeds from the captain. They had all been on shore and returned late in the evening, each with something he had been buying, mostly clothing and after depositing their purchases in their chests, all hands turned in and were soon in a sound sleep. In the morning when all hands were called, the first man that turned out, exclaimed "some one has been overhauling my chest tonight by the looks of things". All now turned out, and after examining their chests, found themselves robbed of value that they had; all their new clothes, money, and everything was gone, the passenger that had been so kindly treated, was gone and we never heard more of him. On this occasion I was more fortunate than my shipmates generally were, my chest containing nothing of much value except my Bible, one of the last things a Jesuit would be disposed to make love to - This fellow that robbed our forecastle I have no doubt was a Jesuit, he doubtless had accomplices, otherwise he would not have left the ship as a boat must have come alongside to take the rogue and his booty. The police were informed of the robbery as early as possible and measures were taken to find the robbers, but like true Jesuits they managed the affair so adroitly as to escape detection.

Our ship being now unloaded, preparations were made for having her coppered. There was at that time a floating dock moored in the river Thames, of rather a curious construction. It was made of the hull of a large line of battle ship in the following manner, the decks, and beans,were taken out and the stem converted into a gate. When our ship was ready to enter the dock, the gate was opened, the water flowed in and the ship hauled in, after which the gate was closed & the water all pumped out; the ship being first shoved up to keep her upright. All this having been done, the carpenters went to work and caulked and coppered her. The work was one with great expedition. I never saw a Dock of this description before, or since, until within a few years. There are now two in Boston built upon the same principal improved upon, with steam power to pump out the water and they are large enough to take in our largest merchant ships of 800 or 900 tons.-- The ship being now out of dock, we dropt down to Gravesend, took on board a quantity of chalk for ballast and sailed for Orotavia in the island of Teneriffe. After a pleasant passage of about three weeks the Canary islands appeared in sight; high rising above the rest towered the peak of Teneriffe. Having reached the port of Orotavia a pilot came on board to take the ship to her anchorage; the first thing, after he came on board, that he turned his attention was our cables and anchors. Our brown cables he found on enquiry were too short to come to an anchor with, the water being very deep, and the Place of anchorage an open roadstead; consequently we had to tack ship and stand off, until we could splice our cables together, which being done we ran in and came to anchor. The ship lying without shelter, was greatly exposed to wind and sea, consequently we were obliged to keep continually prepared to go to sea if it came on to blow hard. This alternative ships frequently had to resort to while taking in cargo in this place. In such cases, the cable was shipped, a buoy put upon it and after the gale was over the ship returned to her moorings, in some instances they did not return for several days. Our stay in this place was short, and the weather during the time we staid [sic] was good. We took on board part of a cargo of wine which was brought alongside in lighters; owing to the continual roll of the sea, great care was necessary to prevent staving the casks as they came over the side of the ship. Our loading was accomplished without accident and all things made ready to sail for home.-- I am not able to give much account of this place as I was only on shore once and then for a short time. The port of Orotavia is small, and its inhabitants appeared poor. The island of Teneriffe, however, is considered the richest of the Canary Islands abounding in wine, fruit, cattle and game. These islands are under the government of Spain. Teneriffe is remarkable for a high mountain called the Peak of Teneriffe which is 12,500 feet above the level of the sea.

The ascent to the Peak from the port of Orotavia, at the base of the mountain is about eleven miles, on the summit is a small crater of about an acre and a half. I should have been glad had it been in my power, to have made a journey to the top of this majestic mountain, but was compelled to satisfy myself with gazing upon its grandeur. the cheering sound of "all hands ahoy" ! up anchor” with its echo from the mountains fell upon our ears on a bright and cheerful morning; we were to weigh anchor's for home and all hands were soon upon deck. Then windlass was manned and the good old song of "Yeo! heave ho” added to the thoughts of sailing for home gave us the liveliest sensations of joy. We had out a long string of cable, but with a brisk turn of the windlass, the anchor was soon up, and with the life and energy what characterized the true sons of Neptune, our ship was soon on her course for home with all sails set. Our passage home was a pleasant one, the thoughts of returning home increased the pleasure of our winds, and gave us patience to endure those that were adverse. In about thirty days from the time we sailed from Victoria, we came to anchor in Boston harbour, all well. We hauled the ship into May's wharf, made her fast; and being honorably discharged and paid off, took the stage to Gloucester and in due time arrived there in safety, found all friends well and rejoiced to see me, and this brings me to the end of my second voyage.