Kitabı oku: «Journal of Voyages», sayfa 9

CHAPTER XVII.
Schooner Enterprise

Early in the month of March, 1820, I proceeded to New-York, for the purpose of chartering or purchasing a vessel to carry our timber to the West India market, and spent a few days in the city on that business. While sitting at the breakfast table one morning, I was asked by a ship-master, an old acquaintance, if I did not want to take a voyage to Bermuda. I replied no; that I came to New-York to charter a vessel to go to Catskill, and take in a cargo of lumber there. He said he thought I might make some sale or contract for it in that place. Here our conversation ended, and I thought no more about it. After breakfast he asked me to take a walk with him. When we had journeyed some little distance, we met a man with whom he passed the usual compliment of good morning, and said, "This is Captain Dunham, of whom I spoke to you." He asked me what wages I would require to take charge of a schooner to go to Bermuda. I told him fifty dollars per month. He said he had agreed with a captain to go the voyage for forty dollars per month, but he was unfortunately taken sick and could not go. I bid him good morning, and had proceeded a few rods when he called on me to stop, saying he would split the difference with me. I told him I would go. He then took me into a store, saying, "There is your mate and crew, and I wish you to take them to a Notary Public's office in Pine-street, and have the shipping papers made out, and I will come there with the money and pay the expenses;" which he soon performed. After this was accomplished we went to the Custom House and obtained a clearance, and then parted and went to dinner. He requested me to call immediately after dinner at a lumber-yard he mentioned, where I would find him on board the schooner, as he had engaged a passage for New-Haven at four o'clock that afternoon, where he resided. He handed me a letter addressed to the captain of the Schooner Enterprise, containing direction for the voyage; and telling me he hoped I would do for him as I would for myself, took leave of me. I found the schooner to be one of the large full-built Eastern vessels, having the deck loaded to the height of eight feet. I hurried and got some clothing and a small out-fit, and having left some old clothes and bedding, charts, quadrants, &c. in New-York, on my last voyage; I had them put on board that afternoon, procured a pilot and went to sea at eight o'clock the next morning. We made our passage to Bermuda in seven days, where we discharged our cargo, and taking on board a ballast of fustic, returned from Bermuda to New-York in seven and a half days; making the whole time gone only twenty-nine days, being one of the most pleasant voyages I ever made. My acquaintance with the owner was so short, that, after my return, when he came on board and gave me his hand, I looked for some time before I could recollect him. When I left Catskill I took with me only two or three changes of shirts, &c. promising my family to return in a few days. In the journey I so unexpectedly took there was nothing interesting, and I merely insert it to keep up the chain of my voyages.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Schooner Felicity

About the first of June, 1820, I chartered the Schooner Felicity in New-York, and proceeded to Catskill, and took in a cargo for St. Domingo; returned to New-York, and after shipping a crew, sailed on the twenty-second of June for Port au Prince, in the Island of St. Domingo, where we arrived after a passage of eighteen days, without the occurrence of anything which would interest the reader. I found Port au Prince to be a large but dirty city, no care being taken to clean the streets, the yellow fever often raging here, particularly among the shipping. The government is called a Republic, with a president elected for life, receiving a salary of forty thousand dollars for his services, and thirty thousand for his table expenses. The president being a military chieftain, exercises great power over his subjects, who have only the shadow of a Senate and Assembly, as they are subservient to his will. The soil of the Island is very fertile, producing sugar-cane, coffee, cocoa, and three crops of corn in one year; also, beans, cabbages, water-mellons, and most kinds of garden vegetables: plantains, yams, and every variety of tropical fruits in abundance. The Island at this time was divided into three departments; the northern part was held by a black royal Emperor, who styled himself Christoff, and exercised as much power over his subjects as does the Emperor of Russia over his. The southern part was owned by the Spaniards, as a Republic; the western by the Republicans called Haytians, who were then at war with the Royalists under the command of the black emperor. The war between those two parties had been carried on for many years, and ended in the total overthrow of the Royalists; the emperor blowing his brains out with his pistol.

The president of this Republic lays heavy export duties on the produce of the Island. The stamp duties on paper are said to amount to over two millions per annum. All merchants and mechanics pay a heavy tax for licenses to carry on their business. Whites are excluded from carrying on their trades in their own names, or from purchasing real estate in this Republic. A white can take a black partner, male or female, and do business in his or her name. Most of the white men settled here prefer the latter. This government has a mint, and coin their own money, which contains ten per cent of silver mixed with other metal. They coin no pieces larger than twenty-five cents, none smaller than six and a quarter. This coin is considered a lawful tender, and the laws strictly prohibit the carrying of any foreign gold or silver out of the country, on penalty of forfeiting it. This compels any person selling a cargo there to lay the returns out in some of the produce of the Island, which is consequently the cause of heavy losses to the shippers. The inhabitants are a mixed race of black and white, varying in color from the blackness of charcoal to almost the whiteness of a snow-ball, and hundreds of them have to take hard oaths to satisfy the authorities that they have some black blood running through their veins, which entitles them to the rights of citizenship in the Island. I have seen many red-whiskered fair complexioned men pass themselves off for men of color. Their national religion is Roman Catholic, no other being tolerated, but strictly prohibited. The president keeps up a standing army of forty thousand men, well uniformed, disciplined and equiped. As I shall have to refer to their laws, customs and manners in my next voyage, I shall leave the subject for the present.

Not being able to sell my timber at Port au Prince without a sacrifice, my consignee applied to the government agent to purchase it, of which he acquainted the president, who gave me a letter addressed to the public administrator of Jerimie, and requesting me to proceed with my vessel and cargo to that port, which I immediately complied with, after getting a letter of address from an Italian Jew I found in Port au Prince, but who resided in Jerimie, addressed to Messrs. Laforet & Brier, to whom I consigned my vessel and cargo. On my arrival at that place my consignees sold to the administrator all the timber he wanted, and the remainder at an under price to individuals. My provisions sold at a saving. Jerimie contains about two hundred houses, most of them being in a dilapidated condition, in consequence of the constant alarm in which the inhabitants have been kept by a troop of banditti, headed by an insurgent colonel, who had deserted from the army, and had so terrified the people that the women and children took shelter in the forts during the night, while the men were kept under arms, being obliged to suspend all agricultural pursuits, and leave their villages to decay. A few months since, the chief of the banditti had been killed, his troops surrendered their arms and received a pardon from the president. The inhabitants were now making great preparations to repair their buildings and call back their former trade.

While in this port, the padre, or priest died; he was carried to the church in a chair, being tied fast to it, in a sitting posture, a book placed in his hands. The corpse remained in this situation until about four o'clock in the afternoon, when a marble slab was taken out of the floor, an excavation made in the ground, the body deposited in the hole with the clothes on, and then covered with a thick coat of lime.

A friend of mine, named Ghio, arrived here from Port au Prince in company with one Captain Mills, from New-York, and while he and the captain were walking the streets of Jerimie, Ghio for the first heard of the death of the padre, when bursting into a flood of tears, he exclaimed, "Captain Mills the poor padre is dead, and I suppose I shall have to fill his place again," weeping at the same time. After a moments pause, he said, "Captain Mills, it is a damned good berth, I can make ten dollars a day by it." Ghio acted as a substitute in the place of the deceased padre until his place was supplied by another.

I remained at Jerimie three or four weeks, employed in selling out my cargo and obtaining a return freight of coffee, &c. I procured many orders for house frames and other articles, and was strongly urged to bring out some carpenters and a blacksmith, whom the inhabitants promised to aid and assist in their business. Having disposed of all my cargo and taken on board my return freight, I proceeded to sea, bound to New-York, where I arrived in safety after a passage of eighteen days, sold my return cargo, and sailed for Catskill, where I arrived about the first of November. I then repaired the schooner and prepared for another voyage.

CHAPTER XIX.
Schooner Felicity. – Second Voyage

At Catskill I procured another cargo, filled up all my orders, and taking on board four carpenters as passengers, bound to Jerimie, sailed for New-York, where we remained three or four days employed in shipping a crew, purchasing stores, &c. We sailed from New-York about the eighth of December, and arrived at Jerimie about the first of January, 1821. On my arrival I called on my old friends, Leforet & Brier, where I was politely received, particularly by Mr. Brier, who escorted me to his house to take breakfast. After inquiring about the passage of my vessel, news in New-York, &c. he said he had news to tell me. I told him I should be pleased to hear it. He said, "Captain Dunham, we have got a new padre here since you left for home; he is the smartest padre we ever had; he can beat any man in Jerimie playing at billiards, boxing, fencing, or jumping; he has killed two men in duels, and I assure you, sir, he is the smartest padre in all the West Indies."

Among the orders given me, was one for thirty thousand loose cedar shingles, which, when landed on the beach, I learned were intended to re-cover the church. All the ladies in the town soon assembled at the place where the shingles were landed; rich and poor, some dressed in silk, and others with fine muslin gowns, having hoops in their hands, which they stuck full of shingles, and laying them on their backs carried them to the church, when they were taken by the carpenters, who put them on the roof, not allowing one of them to be carted; thus showing great zeal to protect from contamination every thing connected with their church.

The negroes on this Island are far more numerous than the mulattoes, mustees, and other colors. The old mulattoes being the heirs of their former masters, were many of them sent to France and educated; and the president being a mulatto, gives them as many offices as he dare; but is obliged to confer some on the blacks to prevent an insurrection; still I found there was considerable hatred between them. One day while walking the streets I heard a quarrel between a mulatto and a negro. The mulatto commenced, "What are you doing, nigger?" the negro replied, "Who are you, mulatto? you no got any country; white man got country and negro got country, mulatto no got any country, he's a damned mule."

My carpenters landed and were seeking some employment, when they were informed that they could not make any contracts in their own names, being white men, and not having any license, and the laws of the country not allowing a white man to obtain one. To obviate this a petition was drawn up and signed by most of the inhabitants, and sent to the president, for a special permit for the eldest carpenter to carry on his trade. Some weeks after the president sent him a license, the rest of the carpenters working under him. I was very fortunate in the disposal of my cargo, most of it selling at a good profit, and by paying a large premium I procured about twenty hundred Spanish dollars, which were smuggled on board and brought to New-York.

Coffee being high in that port, I was obliged, in purchasing it, to dispose of the St. Domingo coin I received in payment for my cargo. Being ready for sea, I took leave of my friends and sailed for New-York, where we arrived about the first of May, 1821. The schooner having proved leaky on the passage, I refused to make another voyage in her. Soon after my arrival in New-York I received a letter from my old friend, Mr. Apollos Cooke, of Catskill, advising me to purchase, on our joint account, a schooner called the Combine, which was now laying in New-York, and could be procured very cheap. On viewing the Combine I found her timbers sound, but her decks and upper works badly worn, so I called on the agent, and after some time spent in chaffering, purchased her and left for Catskill, where I arrived about the 26th of May.

CHAPTER XX.
Schooner Combine

 
"A wolf will not a wolf ensnare,
"And tigers their own species spare,
"Man more ferocious, bends his bow,
"And at his fellow aims the blow."
 

After the arrival of the Combine at Catskill, we had her well examined by a carpenter, who found her timbers sound. We then agreed to repair her by laying a new deck, putting in new ceiling, and giving her a thorough overhauling, so as to fit her for a sea voyage, which was done at an expense of nine hundred dollars. Large quantities of freight was offered for shipment, which I advised to take some part of, informing my partner in the vessel, Mr. A. Cooke, that I had but little over two thousand dollars, which would fall short of paying for one-half of the vessel and cargo; but he preferred our owning the whole cargo jointly, saying, "I will advance you any money you may want until you make the voyage." We then purchased a suitable cargo and filled up many orders I had brought from Jerimie. After we had gathered all our bills together, I found my money exhausted and myself indebted five hundred and seventy-two dollars to my partner. The vessel being repaired and loaded, we took on board four passengers, bound to Jerimie, and sailed for New-York. On my arrival at New-York I made it my first business to apply to the Marine Insurance Office for insurance, expecting I should have to pay an extra premium, my vessel being seventeen years old. After applying at all the offices in the city, and producing a certificate from old respectable carpenters, and some of our best citizens, that they considered her timbers as good as any North River vessel of two years old, my application was rejected, and I had no alternative but to proceed to sea as my own insurer, having my little all at stake, except a small homestead. I shipped a crew and made the necessary preparation, put to sea about the 10th of August, and shaped my course for Jerimie, where we arrived the sixth of September.

On my arrival at that port I sold my cargo, as usual, with the assistance of my former consignees, Messrs. Laforet & Brier. Jerimie being a dangerous port in heavy gales of wind, I was advised to send my vessel to Corail, a distance of twenty miles, to remain a few weeks, it being a safe harbor, while I remained in Jerimie to collect debts and procure a return cargo. After remaining here some fourteen or fifteen days, I was attacked with a violent fever, which confined me to the bed until the vessel was ready for sea, when I was taken on board, hoping the air would restore me to health. After being at sea some thirty-six hours, my mate found the fever increasing on me so fast that he gave up all hopes of my recovery, and asked my permission to return to Jerimie, to which I consented. The vessel was put about and steered for that port, we neared the entrance of the harbor early the next morning, when I thought the fever began to abate, and requested the mate to put to sea again and proceed toward home. My health improving slowly, I was helped on deck every morning, where I remained during the day, lying under a small awning to screen me from the scorching sun, and helped into the cabin at night to protect me from the heavy dews. My health continued to improve daily. On the eleventh day of October we discovered land ahead, which proved to be the south side of the Island of Cuba. Finding it impossible to beat up against the current, we concluded to run round the west end of the island. Nothing material occurred until the thirteenth of October, in the morning, when I discovered land, which I identified as Cape Antonio; my health by this time was so much improved that I was able to get on deck without assistance. I told the mate to go below and get some repose, he having had but little rest during my sickness, and that I was well acquainted with the passage round the Cape.

About nine o'clock, while doubling the Cape, we discovered three small schooners, one small sloop, and a large open boat lying at anchor about two miles from the land. In about the space of fifteen minutes the whole fleet got under weigh and bore down for us. One of the largest schooners ran down within musket-shot of us, fired a gun, and we hove too, while the rest of the fleet surrounded us. The largest schooner immediately sent a boat alongside of us, containing eight or nine men, who boarded us with muskets and drawn cutlasses in their hands, each of them having a long knife and a dagger slung by his side. Immediately after getting on deck, one of them cried out, "Foward," two or three times in broken English, pointing at the same time toward the fore-castle. The mate, sailors, and two passengers who were on board, ran forward and jumped into the fore-castle. I being very weak, dragged along slowly, when the man who gave the order commenced beating me severely with the broad side of his cutlass. I remonstrated with him, saying I was sick and could not walk any faster; he answered me, "No intende." I then discovered he was a Portuguese, and not understanding that language, I excused myself as well as I could in the French language, hoping he understood me; but I found it did not relieve my back, as he continued to beat me all the way to the fore-scuttle, and there giving me a heavy blow on the head as I descended, closed it, where we remained about half an hour; they in the meantime appeared to be searching the vessel. After letting us up from the fore-castle they ordered the sailors to work the vessel in near the land and anchor her, which was soon accomplished. While beating the vessel toward the shore, they told me if I would give up my money they would let me go with my vessel. This I readily complied with, hoping to save the vessel and cargo. I then gave them all the money I had, consisting of four hundred and eighty dollars in gold and silver. After they had received it they broke open our trunks, seized all our clothes, taking the finest shirts and vests, and putting them on one over another.

As soon as they had anchored my vessel they hauled their largest schooner alongside, while the rest of the fleet were laying within a few rods of us, and then all hoisted the bloody flag, a signal for death. I was ordered into the cabin, where one of the pirates, having found a bottle of cordial, took it up in one hand, and drawing his cutlass with the other, struck off the neck and handed it to me, flourishing his cutlass over my head, and making signs for me to taste it, which I found it difficult to do on account of the broken particles of glass. After I had tasted it he went to a case of liquor standing in the cabin, took out the bottles and compelled me to taste of them. After this ceremony was over one of the pirates drew a long knife from its sheath, and taking hold of the hair on the top of my head, drew the knife two or three times across my throat near the skin, saying, "Me want to kill you." Another pirate soon approached me with a dagger, with which he pricked me lightly in the body, two or three times, saying, "Me kill you by and by." I was then dismissed from the cabin and driven into the fore-castle with the sailors and passengers. My cook was put on board the schooner lying alongside of us. Some of the pirates went aloft on board my vessel and cut loose her square-sail, top-sail, and top-gallant-sail, and afterwards took our fore-sail, boat, oars, loose rigging, one compass, one quadrant, all our beds and bedding, tea-kettle, all our crockery, knives and forks, buckets, &c. leaving us destitute of every kind of cooking utensil except the caboose. We remained some time in the fore-castle, when suddenly the fore-scuttle was opened and the mate called on deck, and the scuttle again closed, leaving us in the dark in a state of uncertainty. We soon heard them beating the mate; after that noise had ceased, we heard the word, "Fire," given with a loud voice, then after a moment's pause another voice was heard, saying, "Heave him overboard." I had a desperate sailor, called Bill, who flew to his chest for his razor to cut his own throat, saying he would be damned before he would be murdered by them rascals. The pirates had previously robbed the sailors' chests of all the articles they contained, and among them Bill's razor. After a little while the scuttle was again opened, when they called for a sailor. There were four in the fore-castle, who looked earnestly at each other, when Brown, a favourite old sailor, arose and addressed me, saying, "Captain, I suppose I might as well die first as last," then taking me by the hand gave it a hearty shake, saying, "Good bye." I told Brown to plead with them in the French language, as I thought I had seen some Frenchmen among them, and knew that he spoke French fluently. When he had got upon deck I heard him speak a few words in that language, but soon after we heard them beating him severely. As soon as they had finished beating him we again heard the word fire, and soon after, heave him overboard. Shortly after, the scuttle was again opened and the captain was loudly called. I crawled up the scuttle, being very feeble; they then told me if I did not tell them where the money was they would serve me as they had the mate and sailor, shoot and then throw me overboard. I still persisted that there was no money on board, and entreated them to search the vessel. An old Spaniard was pointed out to me who they said was the commodore. I asked him what he wanted of me, looking him earnestly in the face. He replied, he wanted my money. I told him I had no money, but if I had I would give it to him; that the property belonged to him, but he had no right to take my life, as I had a family depending on me for support. Previous to this, the man who had flogged me before had made a chalk ring on the deck, saying, "Stand there," beating me with the flat side of a heavy cutlass until the blood ran through my shirt. During my conversation with the commodore, finding all my entreaties unsuccessful, and my strength much exhausted, I took a firm stand in the ring marked out for me, hoping to receive a ball through the heart, fearing if I was wounded I should be tortured to death to make sport for the demons. Two of the pirates with loaded muskets took their stand and fired them toward me, when I cast my eyes down toward my feet looking for blood, thinking that I might have been wounded without feeling the pain. During this time the man who had beat me before commenced beating me again, pointing aft toward the cabin door, where I proceeded, followed by him, beating me all the time: he forced me into the cabin, at the same time giving me a severe blow over the head with his cutlass. When I entered I found both the mate and sailor there whom I supposed had been murdered and thrown overboard. The next person called out of the fore-castle was Mr. Peck, a passenger, who was immediately asked where the money was; he told them he knew of no more money on board. One man stood before him with a musket and another with a cutlass, they knocked him down and beat him for some time, took him by the hair and said they would kill him. He was then ordered to set upon the bit of the windlass to be shot and thrown overboard, as the captain and others had been. He took his station by the windlass, when a musket was fired at him; he was then driven into the cabin. They then called up the remainder of the men from the fore-castle, one after the other, and beat and drove them into the cabin also, except a Mr. Chollet, a young man, passenger, who escaped beating. We were kept in the cabin some time, and after repeated threats that they would kill us, were all driven into the fore-castle again. They took out all our cargo, consisting of coffee, cocoa, tortoise-shell, eight kedge anchors, all our provisions, except part of a barrel of beef and about thirty pounds of bread. After they had taken all the cargo, spare rigging, &c. of any value, they shifted all the ballast in the hold of the vessel in search of money, and calling us on deck, we were told to be off. After getting under weigh we proceeded but slowly, having no other sails left but the two jibs and the main-sail. We looked back with a great deal of anxiety, and saw the pirates seated on the deck of the largest schooner, drinking liquor and making themselves merry, while we feared that they might change their minds, pursue us and take our lives. Night beginning to approach, I thought best to go down into the cabin and see what we had left to eat or drink. As soon as I had reached the cabin, it being dark, I stumbled against something on the floor, which I found to be our cook, whom we supposed we had left behind, having seen the pirates put him on board the schooner which was lying alongside of us, but knew nothing of his return. I spoke to him, but received no answer, I hustled him about the cabin, but could not make him speak. I at last got a light and looked about for some provisions, cooking utensils, &c. and found about thirty pounds of bread, a little broken coffee, and most of a barrel of beef, but no cooking utensils except the caboose, with one or two pots set in it. The next morning I called all hands into the cabin, showed all the bread we had left, and told them it was necessary to go on allowance of one biscuit a day per man, which was agreed to, until we could get further supplies. I then questioned the cook, (knowing that he was driven into the hold of the pirate schooner,) as to what kind of a cargo she had. He said there were calicoes and all kinds of dry goods scattered about, and more than a hundred demijohns; and "O captain, it was the best old Jamaica rum that you ever tasted." I told him if the pirates had caught him drinking their rum they would have killed him. He said it looked so tempting he thought he would try it. I suppose that after having drank a large quantity he made his escape on board of the Combine before he felt the effects of it, as he was not aware of our release.

The next day we were boarded by a boat from a Spanish man-of-war brig. I plead hard with the officer who boarded us to go in pursuit of the pirates, which he refused to do, saying it was out of their limits to cruise. I asked him for a supply of bread, which he denied me. In our crippled state we reached Havanna in nine days, where we put in for supplies.

On my arrival at Havanna I was met by Captain Dimond, master of the brig Harriet, of Baltimore, who had been robbed by these pirates at the same place, on the 12th of October. Captain Dimond informed me that the pirates put a rope around his neck and hoisted him up to the fore-yard of the brig three times, and then let the rope loose, which caused him to fall on the deck, where he lay insensible for some time. I asked him why he did not give up his money as I had done. He said that twenty-five hundred dollars of the money belonged to himself, which was all he was worth, and having a family to support, he thought he had almost as well part with his life as his money. After he had recovered his senses they made another attempt to put the rope round his neck the fourth time, when one of the pirates told his comrade to let him alone, because he had children. They hauled their vessels alongside of his brig and took out all his cargo, also the greatest part of the brig's sails, rigging, &c. together with twelve thousand dollars, which they found while removing a quantity of fire-wood, and then let him depart.

I proceeded to the American Consul's office, having on an old straw hat, which the pirates had put on my head in place of my own, an old ragged jacket, one pump, one shoe, and an empty pocket. I entered a protest, and asked him to render me some assistance, for which I would give him a draft on New-York at sight. This he refused unless I would bottom the vessel, but referred me to the house of Grey, Fenandes, & Co. who attended to my wants in the most friendly manner. Three days after, the ship Lucies, of Charleston, arrived in the harbor, having a prize-master on board, who informed me that the United States Brig Enterprise, Captain Kearney, had re-captured the Lucies from these pirates, and had taken three of the piratical vessels, (the crews having escaped to the shore,) and sailed for some port of the United States. I called again on Mr. Grey, and told him that Captain Kearney would probably steer for Charleston or New Orleans with his prizes, and I felt anxious to communicate with him as soon as possible, to reclaim my property. He said they had a very respectable correspondent in Charleston, named John Stoney, to whom he would write to claim my property for me if he should arrive in that port; that I could write to Captain Kearney and enclose his letter to Mr. Stoney. Fearing he might sail for New Orleans, I addressed a letter to a friend of mine living there, to claim the property for me, should the Enterprise arrive at that port.