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fr 
 
 Old Shipping Days 
 in Bostonj 
 
 Printed for the 
 
 State Street Trust Company 
 
 Boston, Mass. 
 
 1918 
 
 
 
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Copyright, 1918, 
 
 BY THE 
 
 State Street Trust Company 
 
 ■^7 
 
 ^0/V^ 
 
 Compiled, arranged and printed by direction oj 
 
 Walton Advertising \S Printing Co. 
 
 Boston, Mass. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 THE revival in American shipping and the consequent interest 
 in maritime affairs have recalled to many merchants and to 
 those whose ancestors were seafaring men, the stories of the 
 bygone days when the American clipper ship was queen of 
 the seas. This increasing interest in shipping is due to a certain 
 extent to the present war, which has produced so many daring mari- 
 time exploits that when the stories come to be told they will equal 
 the most thrilling adventures of the sailing-ship days. 
 
 Realizing the extent of this interest in the shipping of to-day, the 
 State Street Trust Company has compiled its thirteenth annual 
 pamphlet entitled "Old Shipping Days in Boston," within the covers 
 of which may be found some interesting stories and reminiscences of 
 the days of the clippers, when the captain was a merchant and trader 
 as well as a bold and fearless navigator, and when the crews were 
 largely "Down-Easters," hailing from Bath, Portland, Portsmouth, 
 Gloucester, Marblehead, Salem, Newburyport, Boston, or the Cape 
 or Sound ports. 
 
 Much of the material has been collected from diaries, letters, and 
 information procured through the kindness of many persons whose 
 families were connected with the early shipping of Boston; and the 
 Trust Company is deeply indebted to these persons who have so 
 kindly placed their knowledge at the compiler's disposal: Captain 
 Arthur H. Clark, the officers of the Boston Public Library and of 
 the Bostonian Society, Llewellyn Rowland, Mrs. F. C. Shattuck, 
 Dr. F. C. Shattuck, Mrs. D. A. de Menocal, D. A. de Menocal, Mrs. 
 Augustin H. Parker, Samuel Cabot, Harris Livermore, G. Peabody 
 Gardner, Jr., Lester H. Monks, Mrs. William Hooper, Mr. Martin 
 of the Widener Library (Harvard College), Mrs. F. S. Converse, 
 F. S. Converse, Samuel Russell, Horace S. Crowell, William G. Wheil- 
 don, William C. Endicott, R. Elmer Townsend, Francis R. Allen, 
 Captain N. B. Washburn, Dr. F. S. Watson, Captain Frederic Hinck- 
 ley, Mrs. Charles E. Perkins, various members of the Dabney family, 
 J. Murray Forbes, Charles H. Taylor, Jr., E. B. Drew, John H. 
 Sturgis, Lawrence W. Jenkins, John S. Curtis. 
 
 Should any names have been overlooked, it is due either to the 
 very large volume of correspondence received on the subject or to 
 the fact that it has been found necessary to divide the pamphlet into 
 two parts, the second half to appear at some future date. Should 
 any readers have pictures of Boston ships or any history or anecdotes 
 connected with the old shipping days, the Trust Company would 
 like very much to hear from them, as it could probably make use of 
 such material in the forthcoming issue. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 The following books, pamphlets, and periodicals have been con- 
 sulted: 
 
 Annals of the Dabney Family, Roxana Lewis Dabney. 
 
 History of the Town of Medford, Charles Brooks. 
 
 Memorial History of Boston, J. D. Winsor. 
 
 Wrecked on a Reef on the China Sea, Frederic Hinckley. 
 
 Landmarks and Historic Personages of Boston, Samuel A. Drake. 
 
 Remarks on the Voyage to Island of Guam, L. W. Jenkins. 
 
 Deacon Tudor's Diary, William Tudor. 
 
 Scribner's Magazine. 
 
 Boston Globe. 
 
 Old Boston Days and Ways, Mary Caroline Crawford. 
 
 Journals of Major Samuel Shaw, Josiah Quincy. 
 
 Narrative of Voyages and Travels, Amasa Delano. 
 
 Memorial of Thomas Handasyd Perkins, Thomas G. Carey. 
 
 History of Merchant Shipping, W. S. Lindsay. 
 
 Early Shipbuilding in Massachusetts, Captain George Preble, U.S.N. 
 
 Life of Father Taylor, Boston Port and Seamen's Aid Society. 
 
 Economic and Social History of New England, William B. Weeden. 
 
 The Clipper Ship Era, Arthur H. Clark. 
 
 Boston — The Place and the People, A. DeWolfe Howe. 
 
 The American Merchant Marine, Winthrop S. Marvin. 
 
 The China Clippers, Basil Lubbock. 
 
 Bits of Old China, William C. Hunter. 
 
 Ships and Sailors of Old Salem, Ralph D. Paine. 
 
 The Story of the American Merchant Marine, John R. Spears. 
 
 Personal Reminiscences, Notes on Navigation, Ships of the Past, China and the China 
 
 Trade, Robert Bennet Forbes. 
 Shipbuilding on the Merrimac River, John J. Currier. 
 Bostonian Society Publications. 
 Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings. 
 New England Magazine. 
 Columbian Centinel. 
 Essex Institute Historical Collections. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE, 
 
 Shipping in the Early Days . i 
 
 Thatcher JXIagoun and the Mystic River 4 
 
 A Few Anecdotes of the Clipper Ship Days ......... 6 
 
 Launching of the First Schooner : . . 9 
 
 Samuel Shaw, Pioneer of the China Trade 9 
 
 Perkins & Co -. 12 
 
 Russell & Co 16 
 
 The Life of the Foreign Merchant in China 18 
 
 Houqua 23 
 
 Father Taylor and his Seamen's Bethel 25 
 
 The First American Ship to sail to Japan . 30 
 
 A Boston Ship, the First to navigate the Globe and to visit the 
 
 Northwest Coast 33 
 
 Frederic Tudor, Pioneer of the Ice Trade 34 
 
 Ships that plied between Boston and Fayal 37 
 
 The Wreck of the "Living Age" in the China Sea 41 
 
 Two Celebrated Launchings 45 
 
Old Shipping Days 
 in Boston 
 
 "THE MERCHANTMEN" 
 
 Beyond all outer charting 
 We sailed where none have sailed, 
 And saw the land-lights burning 
 On islands none have hailed; 
 Our hair stood up for wonder, 
 But when the night was done, 
 There dawned the deep to windward 
 Blue — empty 'neath the sun. 
 
 Rudyard Kipling. 
 
 SHIPPING IN THE EARLY DAYS 
 
 ^^2^HE earliest settlers of New England built their huts 
 near the ocean, first of all, so as to be able to use 
 the sea as a source of food, and secondly to pro- 
 vide for themselves a convenient place of refuge in 
 case of attacks from the savages. In fact all things 
 to do with the sea dominated their thoughts. It 
 is not strange therefore that our colonists became 
 both ship builders and sailors, and although Yankee 
 privateers, Yankee packets, and Yankee clippers no longer plough the 
 seas of the world, nevertheless their fame and the romance that went 
 with them will endure forever. We also owe to these early sailors 
 the development of a seafaring race, — men who during our wars 
 became experts in manning our ships. 
 
 The first vessel built near Boston was the "Blessing of the Bay." 
 Governor Winthrop, who is often spoken of as the father of our 
 American Merchant Marine, twelve months after his own landing, 
 and before Boston was one year old, built on the Mystic River at 
 Ten Hills Farm in Medford, this little bark of thirty tons, which was 
 the first vessel constructed in Massachusetts. He gave as the reason 
 for building that "the general fear of foreign commodities, now our 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 money was gone and things were like to go well in England, set us 
 on work to provide shipping of our own." The "Blessing of the Bay" 
 was launched, curiously enough, on the 4th of July, 163 1. She was 
 half trader and half fighter, and for this reason has been usually re- 
 ferred to as the first American vessel of war, and the ways upon which 
 she stood so long are called the cradle of American shipbuilding. In 
 August of the same year she was ready for service. A solemn little 
 band gathered on the shores of the river, near Governor Winthrop's 
 home, and prayed for the safe return of the colony trained crew, which 
 was bound on the first trading voyage of a New England vessel to 
 the Dutch on Long Island. Her sailing marked the beginning of 
 commerce with the outside world and furnished also proof that our 
 New England forests could furnish sufficient material for shipbuild- 
 ing, which industry increased so rapidly that New England was soon 
 able to say, "My spars of New England pine have been sent to every 
 shipbuilding nation in Europe." England soon realized the value 
 of our tall pine trees and in the first patents granted, reserved the right 
 to send a royal surveyor into the woods to mark with an arrow sign 
 our forest trees to be used by her navy. There is a note of this maiden 
 voyage in Winthrop's journal, which mentions that "among the curi- 
 ous things noticed by the sailors on their voyage were Indian canoes 
 at Long Island, capable of carrying eighty men." The "Blessing of 
 the Bay" is recorded as having been a successful vessel. Her cost 
 was £165. 
 
 The first ship built in Boston was the "Trial," which was launched 
 in 1641, in the North End. The inhabitants of Boston were stirred 
 by the example of Hugh Peters of Salem, and as Governor Winthrop 
 expressed it, "set upon building of another at Boston of one hundred 
 and fifty tons." Constructed by Captain Nehemiah Bourne, her first 
 voyage was to the Azores and West Indies under the command of 
 Thomas Coitmore. Winthrop says in his journal of January 23, 1643, 
 that the "Trial" had arrived in Boston, laden with wine, fruit, oil, 
 linen, and wool, which "was a great advantage to the country, and 
 gave encouragement to trade." "The work was hard to accomplish," 
 continues Winthrop, "for want of money &c., but our shipwrights 
 were content to take such pay as the country could make." For 
 more than two centuries after this, Massachusetts every year sent out 
 a vast fleet of wooden ships, and probably the reason the colony main- 
 tained its position in the maritime world was owing to the care that 
 was taken in the output. As early as 1641 this provision was made: 
 "Whereas, the country is now in hand with the building of ships, which 
 is a business of great importance for the common good, and there- 
 fore suitable care is to be taken that it is well performed, according to 
 the commendable course of England and other places: it is therefore 
 ordered that when any ship is to be built within this jurisdiction it 
 shall be lawful for the owner to appoint and put in some able men 
 to survey the work and workmen from time to time as is usual in 
 England, and the same so appointed shall have such liberty and power 
 as belongs to his office." 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 In spite of the Indians, piracy, and the regulations placed on the 
 colony by England, shipbuilding in and near Boston increased steadily. 
 In the year 1676, Governor Hutchinson stated that there were thirty 
 vessels of between one hundred and two hundred tons in size, two 
 hundred between fifty and one hundred tons, and five hundred smaller 
 ships in the vicinity of Boston. Towards the end of the century 
 Boston claimed almost two hundred seagoing vessels to New York's 
 one hundred and twenty-four, and it is probable that New Yorkers 
 grew very tired of this ditty that was heard everywhere: — 
 
 "Wide-awake Down-Easters, 
 No-mistake Down-Easters, ^_ 
 
 Old Massachusetts will carry the day." 
 
 Boston increased so rapidly as a shipping centre as to bring forth from 
 Bellomont, the Colonial Governor, the remark, "I may venture to 
 say that there are more good vessels belonging to the town of Boston 
 than all Scotland and Ireland, unless one should reckon the small 
 craft such as herring boats." It is recorded that from Christmas 
 1747 to Christmas 1748, five hundred and forty vessels cleared from, 
 and four hundred and thirty entered, the port of Boston, not count- 
 ing coasting and fishing vessels. In the year 1770 it is figured that 
 Massachusetts built one-half of all the ships constructed in America. 
 It may also be of interest to note that on one day, October 27, in the 
 year 1791, seventy vessels sailed from Boston for different parts of 
 the world. A sketch in the Massachusetts Historical Society col- 
 lections at about this time reads: "There are 80 wharves and quays, 
 chiefly on the E. side of the town. Of these the most distinguished 
 is Boston pier, on the Long Wharf, which extends from the bottom of 
 State Street 1743 ft. into the harbour. Here the principal naviga- 
 tion of the town is carried on; vessels of all burdens load and unload; 
 and the London ships generally discharge their cargoes. . . . The har- 
 bour of Boston is at this date crowded with vessels. It is reckoned 
 that not less than 450 sail of ships, brigs, schooners, sloops, and smaller 
 craft are now in this port." 
 
 In 1789 our Government protected its Merchant Marine so satis- 
 factorily that the shipping rose from 123,893 tons in 1789 to 411, 438 
 tons in 1792, and continued to increase for a number of years. The 
 years between 1789 and 1828 have always been considered the golden 
 age of American sea-borne commerce, although there was a greater 
 tonnage in the days of the clipper ships. 
 
 It only requires a little imagination to go back to the early days when 
 most of the farmhouses were near the sea and in front of each usually 
 could be seen riding at anchor a trim little vessel, in which the owner 
 went fishing during the week and in which the whole family went to 
 church when Sunday came round. These sturdy New Englanders 
 have often been referred to with much truth as half farmer and half 
 sailor. 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 THATCHER MAGOUN AND THE MYSTIC RIVER 
 
 One of the most celebrated shipbuilding towns near Boston was 
 Medford on the Mystic River. 
 
 Thatcher Magoun, destined to be the father of a great fleet of 
 ships that sailed out of Medford, chanced to stroll on a pleasant day 
 up Winter Hill, and from a mound of earth that had been thrown up 
 by the patriot soldiers he looked off over the river Mystic. 
 
 "What a fine place to build ships!" thought he, as he watched the 
 full tide sweeping in. A score of questions came to his mind. How 
 deep was the water at high tide.'' Were there any rocks or shoals 
 in the stream.? Could timber be had in the neighborhood, and could 
 land be purchased at a reasonable price.? 
 
 He saw a two-masted schooner at one of the distillery wharves 
 nearby, and set out towards her. 
 
 "How much water do you draw.?" he asked. 
 
 "Ten feet." 
 
 "What's your tonnage.?" 
 
 "One hundred and twenty tons." 
 
 "Do you go up and down the river often.?" 
 
 "Yes. I bring wood for this distillery." 
 
 "Are there any large rocks or bad shoals in the bed of the 
 river.?" 
 
 "No. It's all clear." 
 
 "How deep is the water generally at high tide.?" 
 
 "About fifteen or twenty feet." 
 
 "Do you think that an empty ship of three hundred tons could float 
 down the river.?" 
 
 "Oh, yes." 
 
 "I'll make the trial," probably thought Thatcher Magoun, and he 
 did. 
 
 Timber was bought in the surrounding towns, and the first that 
 Mr. Magoun procured was from what is now Winchester, at the rate 
 of $6 a ton, cut and delivered. "Thus 1802 saw laid the first keel of 
 that fleet of merchant ships whose sails have shaded every sea and 
 bay on the navigable globe." 
 
 Thatcher Magoun served an apprenticeship with Enos Briggs in 
 Salem, with whom he remained five years. Later he went to Mr. 
 Baker's shipyard in Charlestown, which was then located where the 
 Navy Yard is now. There he studied modelling for two years, and 
 made the model of the first vessel he built — the "Mt. Etna," one 
 hundred and eighty-seven tons. Other merchant vessels were built 
 in his yard at Medford, also several privateers for the War of 18 12, 
 his most famous one, the "Avon," being launched twenty-six days 
 after her keel was laid. 
 
 The "Amethyst," "Emerald," "Sapphire," and "Topaz," of about 
 three hundred and fifty tons, were built by Magoun in 1822 for the 
 Boston and Liverpool Packet Company which for a few years ran be- 
 tween Boston, Charleston, S.C., and Liverpool, and back direct to 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 From an old print 
 
 THE "MASSACHUSETTS," THE FIRST AUXILIARY STEAM PACKET TO CROSS 
 
 THE ATLANTIC 
 
 She was built by some enterprising Boston merchants. 
 
 Boston. Six years after this venture another Liverpool line was started 
 to Boston, and for this Magoun built the "Boston," "Lowell," "Liv- 
 erpool," "Plymouth," and "Trenton." Between the years 1822 and 
 1829, he built the "Lucilla," owned by Daniel P. Parker; the "Brook- 
 line," the "Courser," owned by Henry Oxnard; and the "Margaret 
 Forbes," owned by Bryant and Sturgis. All of these ships sailed out 
 of Boston. 
 
 Thatcher Magoun was considered the father of shipbuilding on the 
 Mystic, his yard alone turning out one hundred and seventy-five 
 vessels. 
 
 In connection with shipbuilding near Boston it may be interesting 
 to mention an incident concerning the town of Rowley. The largest 
 vessel ever built there was made on the Common, under the direction 
 of Nathaniel Perley, and from this spot the ship, when completed, 
 was drawn by a hundred oxen more than a mile and a half to the river. 
 She was called the "County's Wonder." Other shipbuilding centres 
 near Boston were Charlestown, Scituate, Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester, 
 Plymouth, Salem, Lynn, New Bedford, Danvers, and Newburyport. 
 A number of vessels, including one called the "Milton," were built 
 in Milton on the Neponset River at the foot of Milton Hill. The 
 "Milton" finally became a New Bedford whaler. 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 From a print Collection of the State Street Trust Co. 
 
 THE CLIPPER SHIP "FLYING CLOUD" ABOUT TO SAIL FOR 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 The "Flying Cloud" was built by Donald McKay in 1851 and was commanded by the 
 noted Capt. J. P. Creesy of Marblehead. She was one of the fastest ships ever built, holding 
 the record up to that time of 4273^ miles for a day's run, and making the voyage to California 
 in the then unheard-of time of eighty-nine days. This record for a day's run exceeded by 
 forty-two miles that of the fastest mail steamship on the Atlantic up to that year. 
 
 A FEW ANECDOTES OF THE CLIPPER SHIP DAYS 
 
 The sea was the Wall Street and the State Street of the days when 
 shipping was in its prime and the chief topic of conversation was 
 as to who owned the fastest ship. The merchants and ship owners, 
 of Boston met "on 'change" in front of the old Merchants' Exchange 
 on State Street, and would lay many a wager from the customary 
 beaver hat to thousands of dollars on the clippers that were about to 
 sail. Every man connected with shipping supported his favorite 
 clipper and many a captain loved his vessel almost as much as the 
 members of his family. It is related that Captain Hardy of the bark 
 "Young Turk" of Boston was obliged to give up going to sea on ac- 
 count of ill health, and as the vessel left the dock he patted her side, 
 while the tears rolled down his cheeks. 
 
 The ships in the China Tea trade usually docked at T Wharf, 
 which was covered with brick warehouses, and here the teas and 
 silks from the East were unloaded. It was a common joke in China 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 that the Americans had nothing to offer in return for the produce of 
 the East except ice, apples, and bills! 
 
 Superiority in speed became more and more necessary to success 
 in shipping. When Daniel Draper, a Boston fruit merchant, had his 
 bark "Jehu" built he told the builder that he must have a vessel 
 that could sail even if she could carry only a box of oranges. A good 
 idea of the deep sea trade is conveyed by Captain Clark, who, in 
 "The Clipper Ship Era" declares that "yacht racing ... in com- 
 parison with the old clipper ship racing, resembles snipe shooting as 
 compared with hunting big game in the wilds of Africa, while the gold 
 and silver yacht racing cups appear as mere baubles beside the mo- 
 mentous stake of commercial supremacy for which the clippers 
 stretched their wings." 
 
 One of the most extraordinary races was from China to England 
 between the "Taeping" and the "Ariel," there being however three 
 more clippers in the contest. The latter was the winner of this six- 
 teen thousand mile race by the small margin of only twelve minutes, 
 and even this was disputed. Another thrilling contest was between 
 the two clippers "Champion of the Seas" and the "James Baines," 
 both bound from England to Calcutta Avith troops. These two great 
 ships raced in from sea almost abreast, with every sail set, with their 
 regimental bands playing national airs, and amid wild cheers from the 
 soldiers and sailors on board. These ocean races which lasted for 
 many weeks were a great strain on the officers and men, and on 
 many a voyage the captains got no sleep for nights on end. The 
 sailors were often a tough lot of men, but they nevertheless had the 
 reputation of being hard workers; in fact, it has often been said of 
 them that they worked like horses at sea, and behaved like asses 
 ashore. 
 
 Our clippers were so successful that the American Navigation Club, 
 of which Daniel C. Bacon of Boston was president, issued a chal- 
 lenge in 1852 to British ship builders and owners, stipulating that 
 "two ships should be modelled, commanded, and officered entirely 
 by citizens of the United States and Great Britain respectively, and 
 that they should sail with cargo on board from a port in England 
 to a port in China and back to the English port, the prize for the 
 winning vessel to be £10,000." Captain Philip Dumaresq of Boston 
 would probably have commanded the American ship had the race 
 taken place. Some of the other members of the Navigation Club and 
 interested in the challenge were T. H. Perkins, J. P. Cushing, William 
 
 (H. Boardman, John M. Forbes, Warren Delano, and Edward King, 
 all well-known merchants of this city. The English newspapers 
 endeavored to persuade their countrymen to accept the challenge 
 before the time limit expired. No acceptance however was re- 
 ceived, therefore the Americans decided to increase the stake to 
 £20,000 and to allow the Englishman two weeks' start, but even 
 with this handicap the proposal was declined. 
 
 During the wild race for gold in California in 1849 seven hundred 
 ^ and seventy-five vessels cleared from Atlantic ports for San Francisco, 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 Massachusetts sending two hundred and twenty-four of this num- 
 ber. Ninety-one thousand four hundred and five passengers from 
 almost every nation on the globe arrived in the Golden City during 
 that year, whereas the previous year only. four vessels arrived from 
 Atlantic ports. Officers and crews rushed ashore in search of the gold, 
 leaving their ships to take care of themselves, and the result was 
 that many vessels never again left the harbour of San Francisco, 
 being transformed into store ships, hotels, hospitals and even prisons. 
 Many were actually left there to decay. One full rigged ship which 
 was run ashore was made into a "bunk-house" as the Westerners 
 called it, a door being then cut in her side, with a painted hotel sign 
 over it. Another vessel was utilized as a saloon, and still another, 
 the "Euphemia," became the first prison in San Francisco. A rather 
 curious thing happened to the "Niantic"; she was beached and turned 
 into a warehouse, gradually becoming imbedded in mud at some dis- 
 tance from the shore. In her new role she made large sums of money 
 for her owner. A fire, however, burned her topsides, but the rest of 
 her hull was utilized as the cellar of the Niantic Hotel, which was 
 the only really dry cellar in the neighborhood. Some time later 
 the building was torn down, and thirty-five baskets of champagne 
 were found hidden between the floor timbers, having been there for 
 over twenty-one years. This wine was very choice, and some of the 
 "forty-niners" celebrated their arrival there many years before by 
 opening a bottle. At the height of the gold fever every shipyard on 
 the coast set to work to build ships, even the farmers becoming wood 
 sawyers, and every one who worked on a vessel was allowed a share 
 in the venture. An ordinary seaman commanded wages of ^150 per 
 month or even more, and there was a yarn that went around among 
 seamen that during these times a captain had to produce satisfactory 
 recommendations from his last crew before a new one would ship with 
 him. At one time freight rates were $60 per ton of forty cubic feet, 
 some vessels netting as much as $72,000 on one voyage out. Beef and 
 flour brought $50 a barrel, and miners were paid from $100 to $1,000 
 a day for washing dirt. 
 
 During this craze the following ditty was sung by many gold seekers 
 bound round the Horn for California: — 
 
 "I come from Salem City 
 With my wash-bowl on my knee, 
 I'm going to California 
 The gold dust for to see. 
 It rained all day the day I left, 
 The weather it was dry; 
 The sun so hot I froze to death, 
 Oh, brother, don't you cry. 
 
 "O California, 
 That's the land for me, 
 I'm going to California 
 With my wash-bowl on my knee!" 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 In 1867 the merchants of Boston formed a steamship line to run 
 between this port and Liverpool. The first steamer built was the 
 "Ontario" and on her trial trip all the stockholders were invited to 
 dinner on board of her. In giving a toast one of the gentlemen pres- 
 ent finished his remarks by saying "and here is my dividend," meaning, 
 of course, the dinner. It did happen that the enterprise was a fail- 
 ure and the dinner was all that any one got out of it. 
 
 A curious accident happened off Cape Cod in 1901. Up to that 
 time only two six-masters, the "Eleanor A. Percy" of Bath, and the 
 "George W. Wells" of Boston, had ever been built, and, curiously 
 enough, these two vessels, the only two of their kind in existence, 
 unfortunately collided, the damage luckily being slight. 
 
 It may interest card players to know that it is supposed that an 
 American packet ship first introduced poker into London. 
 
 LAUN'CHING OF THE FIRST SCHOONER 
 
 Massachusetts holds the honor of having built, launched, and named 
 the first schooner, which has been referred to as the "greatest gift of 
 American shipyards to the merchant fleet of the sea before the Revo- 
 lution." The schooner is distinctly a Yankee type, and Massa- 
 chusetts cherishes the tradition that surrounds her launching. In 
 1713 Captain Andrew Robinson of Gloucester built the first schooner 
 
 igged vessel, and as she slid gracefully into the water, one of the 
 spectators exclaimed, "See how she 'scoons.'" Her owner jumped 
 at the idea and replied, "A schooner let her be!" In this way origi- 
 nated a name which has been applied to two-masted fore-and-aft 
 rigged vessels, a type so popular in and so distinctive of American 
 waters. It should be explained that the word "scoon" was used to 
 describe the skipping of a flat stone on the water. This new rig 
 was a great boon to our Merchant Marine, and it was not long before 
 Europe began to realize its advantages. Such a vessel could sail 
 very close to the wind and could be manned by a small crew. Ever 
 since the year 171 3 Gloucester has been the home of the schooner. 
 This same Captain Robinson was also a great fisherman, and it was 
 
 aid of him that, when the fish were biting fast, he would not leave 
 :he deck to eat his lunch, but instead he had a biscuit brought to 
 lim which he "contrived to eat by working it round in his mouth 
 with his teeth and lip, while his hands were attending to the hook 
 
 nd line." Men like Captain Robinson have made Gloucester one 
 
 f the most noted fishing ports in the world. 
 
 SAMUEL SHAW, PIONEER OF THE CHINA TRADE 
 
 Major Samuel Shaw belonged to one of the best families of Boston. 
 ie served bravely under General Knox during the Revolution, and 
 was so poor after the war that he determined to go into business. At 
 this time some capitalists, being desirous of opening up our commerce 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 From a print In "The Journals of Major Samuel Shaw" 
 
 SAMUEL SHAW OF BOSTON, PIONEER OF THE CHINA TRADE | 
 
 with China, offered him the position of commercial agent for the 
 voyage. Shaw promptly accepted on condition that Captain Randall, 
 a friend of his during the war, should be allowed to share the profits 
 with him. He accordingly set sail from New York in 1784 in the 
 "Empress of China," which was the first American vessel to carry 
 our flag to China. While off the Cape de Verde Islands the "Em- 
 press " happened to anchor • near another ship, of rather doubtful 
 reputation. The Yankee captain, as they were about to be visited 
 by the foreigners, advised caution, saying amusingly, "These fel- 
 lows are St. Peter's children, every finger a fish-hook and their hand 
 a grapnel." This advice probably prevented the ship from losing 
 many valuables. 
 
 The American vessel sailed up the Canton River to Whampoa, 
 twelve miles below Canton, where she was saluted by the other 
 foreign ships, the English sending over an officer to welcome our 
 flag to that part of the world. At Canton the newcomer was visited 
 by the principal Chinese merchants of the city and by the occupants 
 of many of the "factories" of business offices of the foreign countries. 
 Major Shaw was much impressed with the fact that no Europeans 
 
 ID 
 
 I 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 were allowed to- remain in Canton throughout the whole year. When 
 the ships had sailed and they had settled their accounts with the 
 Chinese, they retired to Macao, where each nation ran its own estab- 
 lishment, until their ships arrived the next season. Shaw also men- 
 tions the "banksalls" at Whampoa on the shore for the storing of 
 spars, sails, casks, etc. Each nation had its "banksall" which the 
 Chinese erected at a cost of about $200, tearing them down as soon 
 as they were vacated, in order that they might set up new ones and 
 thereby repeat the charge. 
 
 As no foreigner at that time was allowed in the custom house it 
 was also necessary to employ a linguist at considerable additional ex- 
 pense; nor should the trader forget to bring to the "hoppo," the chief 
 officer of the customs, some "sing-songs" or articles of curiosity from 
 which the " hoppo " selected such as happened to please him. He asked 
 for a price to be fixed, but it was understood that the charge should be 
 about one-twentieth of the actual value. The "hoppo" who in- 
 spected the Yankee vessel was disappointed to find out that there 
 were no "sing-songs" on board, and suggested that on the next voy- 
 age these important requisites be not forgotten. The "Empress" 
 carried out a cargo of lumber, rum, and ginseng, and returned laden 
 with tea and silk. 
 
 The Chinese could not distinguish between the English and the 
 Americans on this first voyage to China, and continually referred 
 to the Yankees as the "New People." When shown the map of the 
 United States, they began to realize we were a separate nation, and 
 when they saw the extent of our territory it gave to them great hopes 
 of future commerce with their country. The Chinese were good 
 traders and never hesitated to offer a third as much as the goods were 
 worth. Major Shaw in his diary quotes the following conversation 
 upon the consummation of a bargain, "You are not Englishmen.^" 
 said the Chinaman. "No." " But you speak English word, and when 
 you first come, I no can tell difference; but now I understand very 
 well. When I speak Englishman his price, he say, 'So much — take it 
 — let alone.' I tell him, 'No, my friend, I give so much.' He look at 
 me, — 'Go to Hell, you damned rascal! What! you come here — set a 
 price my goods?' I see you — no Englishman." Major Shaw said 
 that justice compelled him to add the rest of the Chinaman's remarks. 
 "All men come first time China very good gentlemen, all same you. 
 I think two three time more you come Canton, you all same English- 
 man too." 
 
 Major Shaw made a second trip to China in 1786 to assume his 
 duties as the first United States consul ever sent to China, which posi- 
 tion was deemed necessary on account of the steadily increasing trade 
 with the East. This post carried "neither salary, fees nor perquisites," 
 yet it marked an important era in the extension of the trade of this 
 country. On this voyage the ship met with a curious accident. The 
 main topmast caught on fire owing to the friction of a runner, and fell 
 end first into a chest of powder, luckily doing no harm. Not long 
 after his arrival in China the new consul visited Calcutta, where he 
 
 II 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON ] 
 
 mentioned meeting his friends Benjamin Joy and George Scott, both 
 of Boston. 
 
 In 1789 Shaw built and launched in Quincy on the land now owned 
 by the Sailors' Snug Harbour, the "Massachusetts," which was the 
 largest merchant vessel that had ever been built in the United States 
 up to this time and was the first of the American West Indiamen. 
 The launching was attended by many people and was of national 
 importance. Amasa Delano, a well-known name in Boston and New 
 York shipping, was her mate, Job Prince acting as captain. Just before 
 sailing, Moll Pitcher of Lynn, the celebrated soothsayer, prophesied 
 that the "Massachusetts" would be an unlucky ship. The crew 
 immediately deserted, likewise a second crew, the third one finally 
 going to sea. Her voyage to China with Shaw on board was a failure, 
 as her planking was made of such green wood that it rotted and spoiled 
 her cargo of meat. Curious to say, she carried no chronometer, and 
 it is wonderful that she ever reached her destination. The vessel was 
 sold at Canton. Major Shaw, who was principal owner, died on the 
 voyage home at the age of only thirty-nine. Two years before he 
 married the daughter of William Phillips, who died many years later 
 at Dedham. Major Shaw adopted the two sons of his brother when 
 they were left orphans, and one of them was the grandfather of Colonel 
 Robert Gould Shaw, the famous leader of the colored regiment in the 
 Civil War. Josiah Quincy, who edited his memoirs, said of Major 
 Shaw, "I have never known an individual of a character more ele- 
 vated and chivalric, acting according to a purer standard of morals, 
 imbued with a higher sense of honor, and uniting more intimately 
 the qualities of the gentleman, the soldier, the scholar, and the Chris- 
 tian." He was an excellent man to represent us in a new country 
 and certainly deserves a prominent place in our maritime history. 
 
 PERKINS & CO. 
 
 Fourteen years after Major Shaw's last voyage to China, Colonel 
 Thomas Handasyd Perkins, one of Boston's foremost merchants and 
 head of the Boston house of J. & T. H. Perkins, founded the house 
 of Perkins & Co. in China, the second largest American firm in that 
 country. The house of Perkins & Co. had a successful career, being 
 merged in 1824 with Russell & Co. Many prominent men have been 
 connected with this house, and owe their success and fortunes to this 
 first voyage to the East. Colonel Perkins in his youth was employed 
 by the Messrs. Shattuck, one of the most active firms of merchants in 
 Boston at one time. In 1789 he first turned his attention to China, 
 going out as supercargo in the "Astraea," which was owned by Elias 
 Hasket Derby, often called the King of Salem Merchants. The 
 "Astraea," a few years later, was the first vessel to carry our flag to 
 Manila. The firm of J. & T. H. Perkins fitted out its ships at Central 
 Wharf. 
 
 Just after the fall of Robespierre, Colonel Perkins witnessed the 
 guillotining of the revolutionary Attorney-general Tinville and his 
 
 ' 12 » 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 jury, sixteen persons being beheaded in the short space of twelve 
 minutes. While in Paris, at the suggestion of President Monroe, he 
 arranged for the transportation to America of George Washington 
 Lafayette, on a ship commanded by Captain Thomas Sturgis, a brother 
 of Russell Sturgis, who married the Colonel's daughter. Young 
 Lafayette lived with General Washington in Mount Vernon for 
 one year, and when Colonel Perkins returned home he was asked to 
 visit Washington and receive the General's thanks for the help he 
 had rendered the young Frenchman. In the room where Colonel 
 Perkins slept was a picture of Lafayette, and in the main hall was 
 the key of the Bastille. As a testimonial of President Washington's 
 admiration of Colonel Perkins, he offered him the Secretaryship of 
 the Navy. The latter politely refused the position, saying that he 
 owned a larger fleet of vessels than the United States Navy possessed 
 and believed he could do more good by continuing to manage his own 
 property. It was Colonel Perkins who jokingly used to remark to 
 his young nephew, R. B. Forbes, while helping him to pudding, that 
 he wouldn't get any half as good off the Cape of Good Hope. This 
 prediction came true, for the latter not long afterwards entered his 
 uncle's counting house in Boston and then sailed some of the firm's 
 ships. 
 
 The Perkins family lived in Pearl Street, but later moved to Temple 
 Place, building the house which is now occupied by the Provident 
 Institution for Savings. Near by, too, lived his daughter, Mrs. 
 Thomas G. Cary, William H. Gardiner, and his son-in-law Samuel 
 Cabot. It is said that the Perkins's house had a front door, made of 
 oak cut from one of our celebrated war ships, which closed with a 
 great thud that could be heard by all the neighbors. Temple Place 
 in those days was called "The Court" as it was closed on the Wash- 
 ington Street end, and here the boys of "The Court" played baseball, 
 while the sisters, cousins, and friends looked on and applauded. 
 The letters of Mrs. R. B. Forbes mention some of those who took 
 part in these games: Charles Gardiner; John, Robert, and Thomas 
 Cushing; George and Stanton Whitney; Richard Cary, Louis Cabot, 
 and many others. 
 
 The story of Colonel Perkins's death best illustrates the great 
 strength of character that made him so successful in his business, most 
 of which was conducted with China. When he was dying his sister 
 begged him to leave his chair and go to his bed, to which he replied 
 with decision, "Certainly not; I have always proposed to die dressed 
 and sitting in my chair." And he did! During the funeral services 
 the merchants of Boston closed their offices, a recognition shown to 
 "few others; also the bells of the city were tolled for one hour, and the 
 scores of vessels in the harbour displayed their colors at half mast. 
 During the burial services the children of the choir from the Perkins 
 Institution for the Blind, which had been founded chiefly through his 
 generosity, sang a requiem. 
 
 At one time during his life he and his son and his grandson, all of 
 the same name, made a trip to Europe together. In some later 
 
 14 
 
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OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 From a photograph 
 
 Courttsy oj a member of Russell &• Co., now living in Boston 
 
 OFFICES OF RUSSELL & CO. IN SHANGHAI ABOUT 1867 
 
 On the ground floor of the building in the foreground were the offices of the Chinese 
 Comprador and his assistants, on the second floor were the general business offices, and on 
 the top floor were the bedrooms and parlors of the clerks. The next building was the resi- 
 dence of the partners of the firm. The "Go-downs " or warehouses stood on the left, 
 with large rooms for the Tea Taster and Silk Inspector. The premises were surrounded by 
 a high wall with two entrances in charge of porters. The river ran in front of the buildings 
 and there the vessels anchored to load or discharge their cargoes. 
 
 pamphlet more will be said of the two younger Perkinses, and also of 
 Augustine Heard, the head at one time of an important American 
 house in the East. 
 
 RUSSELL & CO. 
 
 The most important American firm east of the Cape of Good Hope 
 was Russell & Co., which was established at Canton on January I, 
 1824. This house was usually referred to as Kee Cheong by the 
 Chinese, who had their own name for every foreign firm owing to 
 their inability to pronounce correctly the English and other names. 
 Canton was then the only port in China open to foreigners, but later 
 eight other branches were established at Hong Kong, Foochow, 
 Shanghai, and other places. The partners of this house included 
 many well-known New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts names, 
 among the latter such men as Augustine Heard of Ipswich, W. H. 
 and A. A. Low both of Salem, Thomas T., John M., R. B., James M., 
 and F. B. Forbes, all of Boston, Warren and Edward Delano of Fair- 
 
 16 
 

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 W 
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 O 
 
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 j*a>^fc»i*6«.. r . * - t%y**flteV 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 haven, Russell Sturgis, Joseph Coolidge, Robert Shaw Sturgis, Ed- 
 ward Cunningham, George Tyson, H. S. Grew, W. H. Foster, Jr., 
 E. D. Barbour, Walter Scott Fitz, and David O. Clark, also of Boston, 
 E. W. Stevens of Lawrence, and F. Delano Hitch of Fairhaven. These 
 men ploughed distant seas in their New England-built ships, and trans- 
 acted business with every port of the world, and while in China prac- 
 tically lived in exile for many years at a time. 
 
 The firm was founded by Samuel Russell, whose picture is on 
 page 15. Mr. Russell went out to China from Middletown, Con- 
 necticut, in 18 18 as representative of B. & T. C. Hoppin of Providence. 
 In five years he and Philip Amidon, who represented Brown & Ives 
 also of Providence, formed the partnership of Russell & Co. Five years 
 later Mr. J. P. Cushing, who was placed in charge of the house of 
 Perkins & Co. of China at the age of 16, effected a consolidation of these 
 two great firms, John M. Forbes, Augustine Heard, and W. A. Low 
 being taken into partnership. Russell & Co. expanded its business and 
 soon became the most powerful American house in the East, having 
 connections in London with Baring Bros. & Co. and the Rothschilds 
 in France; in India with Jamsetjee, Jejeebhoy & Sons; and in 
 Boston at different times with J. and T. H. Perkins, Bryant and 
 Sturgis, W. Appleton & Co., and Robert G. Shaw. 
 
 The offices of Russell & Co. were in the centre of the row of 
 "Hongs" as shown in the picture on page 20. 
 
 Shewan Tomes & Co. became the successors of Russell & Co. 
 occupying the same old offices. Upon the walls can still be seen the 
 pictures of some of the famous ships that belonged to the firm; even 
 the linen now used by the new firm bears the inscription "R. & Co."; 
 and the same "Kee Cheong" blue and white flag, that has sailed over 
 so many seas, still flies over the building. 
 
 O fair she was to look on, as some spirit of the sea, 
 
 When she raced from China, homeward, with her freight of fragrant tea, 
 
 And the shining swift bonito of the wide-winged albatross 
 
 Claimed kinship with the clipper beneath the Southern Cross. 
 
 Close hauled, with shortened canvas, swift and plunging she could sweep 
 Through the gale that rose to bar her wild pathway on the deep; 
 And before the gale blew over, half her drenched and driven crew. 
 To the tune of "Reuben Ranzo," hoisted topsail yards anew. 
 
 From the haven of the present she has cleared and slipped away. 
 Loaded deep and running free for the port of yesterday, 
 And the cargo that she carried, ah! it was not China tea. 
 She took with her all the glamour and romance of life at sea. 
 
 K. Tardif. 
 
 THE LIFE OF THE FOREIGN MERCHANT IN CHINA 
 
 Every American who has ever been a merchant in China speaks 
 with great affection of his life there, and regrets that the old days have 
 gone by. The same life goes on, however, although conditions are 
 
D- I— I 
 
 -, Kg 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 considerably changed. Many of the old buildings are still standing, 
 but the business is transacted by a large number of small firms instead 
 of by a few large ones, and the profits are much smaller than formerly, 
 owing to increased competition, quicker voyages, and the introduc- 
 tion of the steamship and the cable. 
 
 It may be interesting to picture an American vessel arriving in 
 China in the days of the famous tea clippers. The Yankee ships 
 were noted for their smart appearance as may be seen by the follow- 
 ing chanty: 
 
 "A Yankee ship comes down the river, 
 Blow, boys, blow! 
 Her masts and yards they shine like silver, 
 Blow, my bully boys, blow!" 
 
 The first calling place was at Lintin Island, near Hong Kong, unless 
 by chance the ship stopped for a short time at the old Portuguese 
 settlement of Macao, near the mouth of the Canton River. At 
 Whampoa twelve miles up the Canton River the ship was measured, 
 after which the officials were given a lunch, departing amid salutes of 
 gongs and fireworks. As there were usually several ships to be 
 measured, the day became a holiday. At this port the goods were 
 transferred into lighters and brought up the river to Canton, where 
 they were stored in the "go-downs" or warehouses belonging to the 
 "Hong," meaning either the business house of one merchant or several 
 mercantile establishments with their servants, etc. At Hong Kong, 
 Foochow, and Shanghai, however, the vessels anchored off the house. 
 In the "Hong," the firm lived and had its offices, each individual 
 "Hong" being called a "factory." The "Taipan," or head of the 
 "Hong," usually lived outside, but all the rest of the members and 
 their wives (when women were allowed there) resided and had their 
 meals under the same roof, living as one large establishment. Each 
 "factory" kept open house for the reason that there were no hotels 
 nearby in those days, and when by chance any one dined out it was 
 customary to take one's servant along too in order to enable his 
 master to obtain such food and tit-bits as he happened especially to 
 like. 
 
 Women in the early days were not allowed in these "factories," 
 and it was a well-known fact that the painter of one of Houqua's 
 pictures, a Mr. Chinnery, actually took refuge here in order to avoid his 
 wife. He was in constant terror when for some reason he was obliged 
 to leave his new home on temporary business, and on these occasions 
 his friends increased his anxiety by continually reporting to him that 
 Mrs. Chinnery was believed to be on her way out there to look him up. 
 He would at once dash home to his "factory" which was the only 
 place in the world in which he felt really safe. Some of the wives 
 of English and American captains and supercargoes invaded some of the 
 "Hongs" in 1830 to the horror of the Chinese officials, who believed 
 the "Son of Heaven" would withdraw his "serene compassion" if 
 the "she foreign devils" were not immediately dismissed. The wife 
 of W. H. Low once visited the American factory, whereupon "several 
 
 21 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTO 
 
 old codgers were seen in immense coats, which had been stowed away 
 in camphor trunks for ten or fifteen years, and with huge cravats 
 on, and what once were gloves, on their way to make calls." The , 
 women in later years spent the hot weather in Japan or on a moun-.| 
 tain called "The Peak" near Hong Kong. 
 
 Since i860 the "Hongs" of the different nations at Canton have 
 been situated on an island called Shameen, in the Canton River. 
 Around this island ran a "Bund" or paved walk. Since the French- 
 English war against China in i860 this valuable tract of land has 
 belonged one-third to the French and two-thirds to the English. 
 Each firm doing business on Shameen had its "comprador" through 
 whom all transactions with any Chinese were carried on. This official 
 had his offices in the "Hong" with which he was connected, and 
 guaranteed all transactions with that firm; in short, he was their 
 credit man. The objects in having this sponsor were two-fold; it 
 was necessary to have some one who could understand Chinese per- 
 fectly and who also at the same time was familiar with, and could 
 vouch for, the Chinese merchants. 
 
 When the cargoes, which usually consisted of cotton goods, opium, 
 quicksilver, lumber, and ginseng were sold and the vessel loaded with 
 tea, silk, and matting, the members of the firm at Shanghai had little 
 to do until the next vessel arrived and would therefore take a short 
 vacation by going up river on a hunting trip. Here was to be found 
 good snipe and pigeon shooting, and in the earlier days pheasants 
 were numerous. The trip was made in houseboats, or square scows, 
 which were elaborately fitted up, and which were propelled by six or 
 eight almost naked Chinese, who worked in shifts the tread-mill that 
 turned a paddle wheel at the stern. Many Chinese servants were 
 taken along, and the food and wine were of the best. Each "Hong" 
 had its houseboat and often on a Saturday afternoon six or eight of 
 these craft would start up the river to spend Sunday. It is related 
 that Mr. Edward Cunningham of Russell & Co. was once in the rice 
 fields shooting when news was brought to him that one of the firm's 
 ships was sighted coming up the river. He dropped his gun and ran 
 for a great part of a day in order to get to his offices before the ship 
 arrived. The chief amusements of the "Fankwaes," a word applied 
 by the Chinese to foreigners, were tennis, rowing, regattas on the 
 Canton River, race meetings for horses and ponies at Hong Kong, 
 Foochow, or Shanghai, and yacht racing. A member of Russell & Co., 
 in joking about the small value that a Chinaman placed on his life, 
 used to say that in these races it was customary to carry Chinamen 
 as ballast, and if the wind dropped they were given a few "cash" 
 and told to swim ashore. 
 
 Life in the early days however was rather dull, as foreigners were 
 not allowed to leave Shameen Island. Besides this, not a letter or a 
 newspaper that had just arrived on a ship from home was ever deliv- 
 ered uiltil she had bought her return cargo, as the success of the 
 voyage depended upon keeping secret all the details of the home 
 market. As a result it often happened that the foreigners at Canton 
 
 22 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 "HOUQUA," THE WELL-KNOWN "HONG" MERCHANT AT CANTON 
 
 From a painting in the possession of one of the partners of Russell & Co., now living in 
 Boston. 
 
 had to wait six weeks before receiving letters that they were almost 
 sure had come by the last ship. 
 
 Every foreigner had his nickname among the Chinese, and often 
 the same word, for instance, that meant to the foreigner "fine fellow," 
 by changing the intonation very slightly would mean to the Chinese 
 "damn fool," or something equally unflattering. It can easily be seen 
 how careful a newcomer had to be. 
 
 ■ HOUQUA 
 
 The most celebrated Hong merchant at Canton was Houqua, and 
 through him all of Russell & Co.'s business in that city was transacted. 
 He also acted for Perkins & Co. besides having many transactions 
 
 23 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON! 
 
 direct with the United States, and was always a warm friend of the 
 Americans. While discussing Houqua's honesty one evening at the 
 house of Russell Sturgis, then head of Baring Bros., it was claimed 
 that no written agreements or writings of any kind had ever passed 
 between him and the American firms for |whom he acted. Mr. 
 Sturgis went upstairs and brought down a small piece of paper about 
 four inches long by three-quarters of an inch wide, upon which were 
 written the words "Forty thousand dollars, Houqua." Mr. Sturgis 
 made the statement that this was the only agreement to his knowledge 
 that had ever been found in relation to any transactions between 
 them. An example of Houqua's kindness was shown when an 
 American merchant called Gideon Nye, after a long residence in 
 China, was anxious to go home to the States. He owed the China- 
 man, however, $72,000, and felt that he couldn't leave without first 
 paying this debt. The generous "comprador," hearing of this situa- 
 tion, promptly went to him and said, "You and I are No. i ole flen 
 [old friends]; you belong honest man, only no got chance." He then 
 proceeded to tear up the note, adding in his pigeon English: "Alia 
 finishee; you go, you please. Wish you good luck America." No 
 wonder that this extraordinary Chinaman has gone down to posterity, 
 and that he has been remembered by the large number of Boston 
 families with whom he had so many business transactions. 
 
 Houqua's integrity was again shown when a Canton "comprador" 
 proved dishonest and was found $50,000 short in his account with 
 Russell & Co. Although his word was the only surety bond, he sent a 
 check for the full amount on that same evening to the American 
 firm. 
 
 Houqua was rather a serious man, and according to Mr. William C. 
 Hunter, who was a partner of Russell & Co., and who wrote several 
 books on China, was known to have perpetrated only one joke in his 
 entire life. A merchant called upon him, and referring to the ex- 
 pected English expedition, remarked that foreigners now would be 
 able to see the Emperor at Pekin. Houqua replied, " 'Spose English- 
 men go Pekin, Emperor go 'Shan-Si'" (Shan't See), which was the 
 province adjoining. This remark seemed to please the Oriental 
 exceedingly. 
 
 Houqua in 1830 was supposed to be worth over $26,000,000, which 
 fortune on his death in 1843 was administered by his two sons, who 
 carried on their father's business. The family is still one of the 
 richest in China, although no longer in trade. Houqua at one time 
 owned nearly all the foreign "Hongs" on Shameen Island, leasing 
 them to the different foreign firms; his own estate was one of the 
 largest in Canton, with many acres of gardens, containing fish ponds, 
 bridges, and temples. 
 
 A writer in speaking of Houqua said that "his character left its 
 mark upon the history of Chinese commerce during the half century 
 he was so eminently at its head." 
 
 24 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 FATHER TAYLOR AND HTS SEAMEN'S BETHEL 
 
 "I located my Bethel in North Square because I learned to set my net 
 where the fish ran." 
 
 Edward Thompson Taylor, better known as "Father Taylor," lived 
 at a time when the wharves of Boston were crowded with ships getting 
 ready to sail for all parts of the world and when sailors could be seen 
 in all of the streets. He was known as Boston's sailor preacher and 
 was one of the most curious and extraordinary characters of his day. 
 He was a sailor himself. "I came," he said, "from a Spanish man-of- 
 war; never saw Yankee land; was a Southerner, a Virginian, by 
 birth; and the Sea had been my cradle and the Ocean rocked it." 
 A woman from Richmond, Virginia, adopted him. One day when he 
 was seven years old, as he was picking up chips in the back yard, a 
 sea-captain came along. "Want to be a sailor.^" he asked. Taylor 
 promptly dropped the chip-basket and, without bidding his foster- 
 mother good-by, departed with the sea-captain to become a sailor. 
 When he was seventeen, he drifted into Boston. He saw a hustling 
 little seaport of perhaps thirty thousand people, and crowded Dock 
 Square with its dingy buildings was not very different from the 
 European ports which he had visited. The principal streets were 
 Hanover Street and Cornhill — now Washington Street. Tremont 
 Street was then a residential section, and Summer Street was "the 
 haunt of retired gentlemen and retiring lovers, who did their soft 
 whisperings and languishing promenades under green shadows." 
 He wandered along Tremont Street and, hearing the bell of Park 
 Street Church, paused. "I put in," he said, "and going to the door 
 saw the port was full. I up helm, unfurled topsail, and made for the 
 gallery; entered safely, doffed hat and pennant and scud under bare 
 poles to the corner pew. There I hove to anchor. . . . The old man, 
 Dr. Griffith, was just naming his text, which was 'But he lied unto 
 him.' Pretty soon he unfurled mainsail, raised the topsail, run up 
 pennants to free breeze, and I tell you the old Gospel ship never sailed 
 more prosperously. The salt spray flew in every direction but the 
 more especially it run down my cheeks. I was melted. ... I said, 
 'Why can't I preach so.^ I'll try it.'" 
 
 That was how this Booth of the Boston pulpit began his preaching 
 career that made the Boston Seamen's Bethel world-famous and that 
 brought to its congregations nany famous persons, among them 
 Charles Dickens, Jenny Lind, and Walt Whitman. Here the man 
 who had been a sailor himself, and knew the temptations and hard- 
 ships of the life, fought the battles of sailors the world over. 
 
 Young Taylor's preaching career did not begin immediately after 
 he visited Park Street Church. At that time he could not even read, 
 so he decided to go back to the sea, this time sailing in the "Black 
 Hawk," a privateer. He was captured by a British man-of-war, 
 taken to Melville Island and from there to Dartmoor prison, where 
 he was confined for some time. In 1814 he was back in New England 
 
 25 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON! 
 
 F 
 
 From a print, in "Life oj Father Taylor" Courtesy of the Boston Port and Seamen's Aid Society 
 
 SEAMEN'S BETHEL (AS IT USED TO BE), NORTH SQUARE, BOSTON 
 This interesting chapel is now the Sacred Heart ItaHan church, and sermons are still 
 preached in it. 
 
 again, peddling tin and iron ware in a handcart, and buying rags. 
 He farmed a little, also, and every Sunday preached. It was about 
 this time, or shortly afterwards, that he began his ministry at the 
 "Old Rock Schoolhouse" in Saugus. He kept up peddling and cir- 
 cuit preaching for four or five years, and his facility in preaching 
 aroused the interest of the Rev. George Pickering, who was influential 
 in securing financial aid to send Taylor to school. Mrs. Pickering 
 
 26 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 describes the young man in this way: "When E. T. Taylor first came 
 to our house, he was buying up old junk. He had on a tarpaulin hat 
 and a sailor dress. He would then deliver the most wonderful and 
 unique exhortations ever heard and, if he failed to know a word, would 
 manufacture one admirably suited to the necessity." 
 
 He was soon converted, describing his experience in the following 
 words: "I was dragged through the lubber-hole [he entered church by 
 the window], brought down by a broadside froni the '//i' [Elijah 
 Hedding, the preacher], and fell into the arms of Thomas W. Tucker 
 [the man who urged him to be converted]." Taylor wore at the 
 time his usual costume, consisting of a tarpaulin hat and sailor 
 jacket. 
 
 The Seamen's Bethel was built in 1833 and for more than forty 
 years he trod its quarter deck, as he himself expressed it, and made 
 his name and that of the Bethel known even to foreign lands. R. H. 
 Dana, Jr. in "Two Years Before the Mast" said that the first in- 
 quiry on arriving from a distant land was for Father Taylor and his 
 chapel. A large blue and white flag with the letters "BETHEL" 
 ■on it floated from the low spire. Several sailors, while endeavoring 
 to find the little church, noticed by chance these letters on the flag, 
 and one of them, spelling B E T for "beat" and H E L for "hell," 
 said: "Here we are. Jack, come along, this is where the old man beats 
 hell. Let's go right in and cast anchor." And they did, and Father 
 Taylor from the prow of his "vessel" doubtless beckoned them to 
 their seats, as was his custom, although on some occasions sailors 
 acted as ushers. Here came sailors, mates, and captains of all ages, 
 and often they were accompanied by their wives and families. 
 
 The sailor preacher was most original, and often he would pick 
 out a "tar" in the church and, catching his eye, would remark: 
 "Ah! here you are again, God bless you! See to your helm and you 
 will reach a fairer port bye and bye." Once, noticing a man with a 
 swallow-tail coat walking down the aisle, he shouted out, "Steward, 
 stow that man with a gaff topsail jacket under the wing and stow 
 sailors under the hatches [meaning in the main part of the church]!" 
 During one service he noticed an old sailor in a corner of the church 
 and shouted out the encouraging remarks: "And you, my aged 
 brother, you'll soon go. There are but few cords to keep you here; 
 the last tie will soon be cut. God speed you, brother, — ^you'll be 
 safe moored soon." Some one compared him to a "veteran com- 
 mander peering over the bow of his ship to watch the coming of a 
 hostile fleet." His whole life was devoted to the sailor, and often his 
 prayer was that "Bacchus and Venus might be driven to the ends 
 of the earth and off of it." He was so earnest and convincing when 
 preaching that it is related of him that while vividly describing & 
 sinful soul drifting towards shipwreck a sailor in the congregation, 
 forgetting where he was, cried out, "Let go your best bower anchor 
 or you're lost!" Another sailor visited one of the other chapels in 
 Boston which had its pulpit on one side. This was not at all to 
 his liking so he left hurriedly, ejaculating that he would have nothing 
 
 27 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 to do with a ship that hung its rudder amidships. The Bethel was 
 arranged to please the sailor and, to produce a more realistic effect, 
 Father Taylor had a painting hung behind the pulpit showing a ship 
 in a stiff breeze off a lee shore. 
 
 Once when in the midst of an eloquent sermon, one of his congre- 
 gation rose from his seat and started to walk down the broad aisle. 
 Father Taylor stopped short and said, "Sh! Sh! Keep still all of you 
 and don't disturb that man walking out." Another time, he observed 
 a woman whispering. Scowling at her, he called out, " If that lady on 
 the third row, sitting in the end seat, with a yellow bonnet, don't 
 stop whispering, I'll point her out!" 
 
 Father Taylor preached in many towns on the Cape and attended 
 many camp-meetings there as well. He once visited Duxbury and 
 called on the only minister of the town, a Dr. Allen, and suggested 
 that he would like a chance to preach there. Dr. Allen protested, 
 whereupon Father Taylor asked him if the Bible didn't tell us to 
 preach the gospel everywhere. "Yes," said the Duxbury minister, 
 "but it doesn't say that every 'creetur' can preach the gospel." 
 Father Taylor was obliged to look elsewhere for an audience. On 
 another occasion while attending one of his camp-meetings some one 
 asked him if a certain person were a Christian. "Not exactly," 
 was the reply, "but he's a very sweet sinner." 
 
 During the Irish famine in 1847, when the "Jamestown" and 
 "Macedonian" went over from Boston with provisions to the starv- 
 ing Irish, Father Taylor sailed on the latter vessel as chaplain and 
 supercargo. Colonel Thomas H. Perkins gave .very generously of 
 supplies for these ships. When the expedition returned, an ovation 
 was given at the Bethel for the preacher, and Colonel Perkins was in 
 the audience. To the surprise of the latter. Father Taylor suddenly 
 exclaimed: "Boston's merchant princes!! Do you want to see one 
 of them, boys? There he sits, look at him!" The whole congrega- 
 tion arose and fixed its eyes upon Colonel Perkins while the preacher 
 continued; "God bless you, sir! When you die, angels will fight for 
 the honor of carrying you to heaven on their shoulders." 
 
 On one Sunday before a State election, Briggs was a candidate of 
 the Whigs, and Father Taylor, desiring his election, offered this 
 prayer: "O Lord, give us good men to rule over us, just men, tem- 
 perance men. Christian men, men who fear Thee, who obey Thy com- 
 mandments, men who — but, O Lord, what's the use of veering and 
 hauling and pointing all 'round the compass? Give us George N. 
 Briggs for Governor!" His prayer was answered on the following 
 day. 
 
 According to Captain John Codman, one of his typical sermons ran 
 somewhat as follows: "You are buried down in the lower hold among 
 the ballast and you can't get out for there is a ton of sin on the main 
 hatch. You shin up the stanchions and try to get it open but you 
 can't. You get your hand spikes, capstan bars and watch tackles but 
 they are no good. You hail all the saints you think are on deck but 
 they can't help you. At last you hail Jesus Christ. All he wanted 
 
 28 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 was to be asked. He just claps his shoulder to that ton of sin, it rolls 
 off and then he says, 'Shipmates, come out!' Well, if you don't come 
 out, it is all your own fault." He was certainly, as Captain Codman 
 expressed it, "the sailors' friend." Father Taylor was noted for his 
 frankness. Once he invited a friend of his to preach and when the 
 sermon was finished he rose and said, "If your text had the small-pox, 
 your sermon never would have caught it." The preacher was dum- 
 founded, but was placated by the flattering remarks that followed. 
 
 He was married to Deborah D. Millett of Marblehead one day after 
 the appointed date for the wedding. He went out to Hingham and 
 climbed to a hilltop in order to get a view of the town where on the 
 next day he was to be married. He was talking to himself, as he 
 often did, when some one asked him why he did so. His answer was 
 that he liked to talk to a sensible man. Suddenly the awful thought 
 came to him that it was his wedding day and he was a long way from 
 Marblehead, especially as in those days there was no telegraph, tele- 
 phone, or even a railroad train. He was unable to explain to his 
 bride until the next morning, when his forgetfulness was forgiven. 
 
 During the Cochituate water celebration and the dedication of the 
 Franklin statue. Father Taylor sailed in a ship drawn through the 
 streets, with a crew in uniform on board arranging the yards at the 
 command of the venerable "admiral." 
 
 During the latter part of his life he was talking over old times with 
 a fellow-minister. "We didn't mince matters, did we, in those days?" 
 he said. "If we couldn't lift up the sinner in any other way we 
 just lifted the door a little and let him smell hell, didn't we.'"' 
 
 When Father Taylor was nearing his death, a visitor asked him how 
 he was, to which he sadly replied that he was "sailing by the head." 
 A few hours later he said: "The old hull's breaking up; it has taken 
 a good deal to break her but she's going. I feel her start through all 
 her timbers when those fits come on." He went out with the tide, 
 as one writer expressed it, and as he was dying he doubled his fist at 
 his nurse because she wanted him to die in a different position from that 
 in which he insisted on dying. His wish was to be buried in the deep 
 sea where the seaweed could be his winding sheet, but this desire 
 was not carried out for he lies in Mount Hope Cemetery. A long 
 procession followed him to his last resting-place. 
 
 Walt Whitman, who visited the Bethel, was much struck with this 
 very original preacher, and wrote of him, "I repeat, and would dwell 
 upon it, (more as a suggestion than mere fact) — among all the brilliant 
 lights of bar or stage I have heard in my time — for years in New 
 York and other cities I haunted the courts to witness notable trials 
 and have heard all the famous actors and actresses that have been 
 in America the past fifty years — though I recall marvellous effects 
 from one or other of them, I never had anything in the way of vocal 
 utterance to shake me through and through and become fixed, with 
 its accompaniments, in my memory, like these prayers and sermons — 
 like Father Taylor's personal electricity and the whole scene there — 
 the prone ship in the gale, the dashing wave and foam for background 
 
 29 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 — in the little old sea-church in Boston, those summer Sundays just 
 before the Secession War broke out." 
 
 Father Taylor was kind to every one and everything — even to the 
 little fish which he threw back into the sea with the remark, "There, 
 little fellow, go and tell your grandmother that you have seen a 
 ghost!" 
 
 THE FIRST AMERICAN SHIP TO SAIL TO JAPAN 
 
 The Japanese a hundred years or more ago condescended to do 
 business with no foreigners except the Dutch, who were allowed to 
 send one or two ships a year from Batavia to Japan provided they 
 would submit to certain regulations which were most humiliating. 
 The Dutch merchants who wanted to trade there were restricted to 
 a small island in Nagasaki harbour, and could leave it only once in 
 four years, when presents were taken to the Shogun at Yeddo. The 
 envoys then had to amuse the Court by dancing, jumping, represent- 
 ing a drunken man, speaking broken Japanese, and singing, in fact 
 they had to behave as foolishly as possible for the delight of their 
 audience. It was during this period of curious customs that the 
 ship "Franklin" of Boston, commanded by Captain James Devereux 
 of Salem, sailed into the harbour of Nagasaki, under charter to the 
 Dutch East India Company, the first American vessel to be received 
 there. At this time, in the year 1799, Japan was hardly known to 
 the outside world. The log of the "Franklin" shows the curious 
 customs that had to be observed by the foreign vessels, according to 
 instructions given to the ship captain by the East India Company. 
 On arriving it was necessary to dress ship; to prepare a table on the 
 quarter deck and two cushions for the officers to sit upon when they 
 came aboard; all the books, especially religious works, had to be 
 placed in casks, sealed up and taken ashore, where they had to be 
 kept until the departure of the vessel; on passing the Cavalles on the 
 starboard side a salute of nine guns must be fired, and at Papenburg 
 a similar salute, with more salutes as the ship proceeded to its anchor- 
 age; the officers also had to be saluted when they came aboard, and 
 many other ceremonies had to be carefully observed. According to 
 Captain Devereux's log he was able to satisfy the Japanese in every 
 way, and after a four months' stay, sailed for Boston with such a huge 
 cargo of coffee, sugar, and spices that even the officers were crowded 
 out of their rooms on to the deck where temporary cabins were erected. 
 The voyage to Japan had been such a great success that the "Massa- 
 chusetts," owned by Colonel Perkins, already spoken of, and the 
 "Margaret" of Salem, under Captain Samuel Derby, made voyages 
 to this distant land during the next few years. Many a Salem mansion 
 contains souvenirs of the "Franklin's" voyage, such as trays, boxes 
 of fans, mats, tables, and screens. It was not until 1853 that 
 Commodore Perry made his memorable trip to Japan. 
 
 In 1 801 another Salem ship, the "Lydia," first flew the American 
 flag at Guam, which is now owned by the United States. In connec- 
 
 30 
 
CAPTAIN GRAY OF THE SHIP "COLUMBIA" DISCUSSING WITH A FRIEND 
 AT WHAMPOA THE EXPEDITION TO THE COLUMBIA RIVER IN 1790 
 
 This drawing was made by George Davidson of Charlestown, who in 1790 shipped on 
 the "Columbia" as ship's painter and who was a member of the ship's company when the 
 Columbia River was named on May 19, 1792. Reproduced by courtesy of the Bostonian 
 Society. 
 
 CAPTAIN GRAY FIRING ON NATIVES TO KEEP THEM FROM BOARDING 
 THE "COLUMBIA" IN THE STRAITS OF JUAN DE FUCA 
 
 The original drawing was also made by George Davidson. By courtesy of the Bostonian 
 Society. 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 tion with Guam, an amusing story, though recent, is told of its cap- 
 ture by the United States cruiser "Charleston" in our war with 
 Spain. The Governor of Guam was one afternoon awakened from 
 his nap by the booming of guns from the Yankee man-of-war, and 
 with great politeness sent word to the Commodore that he regretted 
 exceedingly that he couldn't return the salute because he had no 
 powder. To his surprise the Yankee informed the Spaniard that the 
 island had fallen into the hands of Uncle Sam, who has continued to 
 use it ever since as a naval station. Guam is one of the "Ladrones" 
 group of islands. It may be interesting to relate how this name 
 happened to be given. When Guam was first discovered by Magellan 
 in 1 521 the natives stole one of the boats belonging to the Spaniards, 
 who at once bestowed upon the new possession the name "Ladrones," 
 which means "thieves." 
 
 A BOSTON SHIP, THE FIRST TO NAVIGATE THE GLOBE 
 
 AND ^^O VISIT THE NORTHWEST COAST 
 
 The little ship "Columbia" of Boston, only eighty-three feet long, 
 was the first American vessel to circumnavigate the globe, and a few 
 years later was also the first to visit our Northwest Coast. This last 
 voyage was perhaps the most famous one ever undertaken by an Ameri- 
 can merchant ship, and its consequences were everlasting. A young 
 American seaman first called attention to the importance of the fur 
 trade of the Northwest. He endeavored to influence English and 
 New York merchants, but with no success until he reached Boston, 
 where he succeeded in interesting six men: Joseph Boswell, a recent 
 graduate of Harvard; Bulfinch, the architect; Captain John Derby 
 of Salem; Samuel Brown; Captain Crowell Hatch of Cambridge; 
 and J. W. Pintard of New York. These six enterprising merchants 
 subscribed $50,000, which was a very large sum in those days. 
 
 The little "Columbia," which was built on the North River in 
 Scituate, where over a thousand seagoing ships have been launched, 
 was selected for the long voyage, and as her consort an even smaller 
 craft, a ship of ninety tons, called the "Lady Washington," was chosen. 
 The commander of the "Columbia" was John Kendrick of Wareham, 
 the captain of the other vessel being Robert Gray of Boston. To 
 the latter was really due the success of the expedition. The State 
 and Federal Governments were especially interested in the under- 
 taking, and many special medals were struck off and distributed at 
 the ports where the vessels touched. Hundreds of these medals 
 were later found among the Spaniards in South America, throughout 
 the Sandwich Islands, and Oregon. The two vessels sailed from 
 Boston on September 30, 1787, amid a tremendous demonstration. 
 They encountered heavy gales off Cape Horn, and only the determi- 
 nation of Kendrick and Gray enabled them to reach their destination. 
 The smaller of the two, the "Lady Washington," arrived first, and 
 while waiting, Captain Gray and his brave crew were attacked by the 
 Indians, and some of his men killed. This place was therefore 
 
 33 
 
1 
 
 OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 named "Murderers' Harbour." The "Columbia" arrived a week 
 later, her crew suffering frightfully from scurvy, the voyage having 
 consumed one whole year. The cargo of hardware, tools, toys, 
 beads, etc., brought from Boston was gradually exchanged during 
 the long winter for furs, which were taken to Canton, the two cap- 
 tains then exchanging commands. The proceeds of the skins were 
 used to purchase tea, which was brought back to Boston. 
 
 It was in August of 1790 that the "Columbia" reached this port, 
 having carried the American flag for the first time around the world. 
 This feat was so much appreciated that both the town artillery and 
 the Castle fired salutes, and Governor Hancock gave a dinner to 
 Captain Gray, his officers, and owners of the vessel. Attoo, a young 
 Hawaiian prince, returned with the adventurers, having gone on 
 board at the Hawaiian Islands. He marched up State Street with 
 Captain Gray, wearing "a helmet of gay feathers, which glittered 
 in the sunlight, and an exquisite cloak of the same yellow and scar- 
 let plumage." This was the first time a member of his tribe had 
 ever been seen in Massachusetts. The voyage, however, was such 
 a failure financially that Derby and Pintard sold out to the four 
 Boston men, who at once began to plan a second expedition, which 
 set sail in the autumn of 1790. The carpenter under Captain Gray 
 was Samuel Yendell, who later helped build the "Constitution," and 
 who was the last survivor of the " Columbia's " crew. Yendell was the 
 great-grandfather of Governor W. E. Russell of Massachusetts. It 
 was on this voyage that Gray discovered the river which he called the 
 "Columbia," after his vessel, naming the headlands at the mouth of 
 the river Captain Hancock and Point Adams. This discovery was of 
 much influence in deciding the claim of our Government to the 
 Oregon country, which included at that time the States of Oregon, 
 Washington and Idaho. Spain, Russia, and Britain all considered 
 they had previously discovered this territory. This voyage was also 
 a financial failure, in spite of the fact that cheers and salutes greeted 
 the explorer when he sailed into Boston Harbour in 1793, and 
 although the "Columbia" had to be sold at auction, she had never- 
 theless accomplished the opening of what later proved a lucrative 
 trade between Boston and the Northwest. 
 
 FREDERIC TUDOR— PIONEER OF THE ICE TRADE 
 
 Boston in 1805 held up its hands with astonishment when Frederic 
 Tudor shipped two or three hundred tons of ice to the West Indies. 
 Dubbed an eccentric person, Mr. Tudor was left to work out his 
 mercantile problems, which he did efficiently although with more 
 drawbacks than the ordinarily successful man has to contend with. 
 He had heard of the ravages made in the West Indies in 1805 by the 
 yellow fever, which swept before it whole towns and cities and thinned 
 the ranks of the officers of European fleets there. Ice would have 
 assuaged the terror had it been available. Mr. Tudor, therefore, dur- 
 ing the next winter set about cutting loads of ice from his small pond 
 
 34 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 in Saugus. From here he had the ice hauled to Charlestown, where 
 it was loaded on his brig "Favorite" for the island of Martinique. 
 "Crystal blocks of Yankee coldness," was the expression used by one 
 writer to describe the adventure. A Boston newspaper at this time 
 ridiculed the enterprise, stating, "A vessel has cleared at the Custom 
 House for Martinique with a cargo of ice. We hope this will not prove 
 a slippery speculation." "What an absurd notion!" was the com- 
 ment, and Air. Tudor's friends one by one lost confidence in him 
 just as did the friends of his famous contemporary, "Lord Timothy 
 Dexter," the well-known shipper of warming-pans. It was with the 
 greatest difficulty even that sailors could be persuaded to sail with 
 the cargo of ice, as they believed it would be sure to melt and swamp 
 the boat. 
 
 "The ice trade," Mr. Tudor said in later years, "which I originated 
 in 1805 by the shipment of a single cargo of a hundred and thirty 
 tons, in a brig belonging to myself, to the island of Martinique, 
 excited the derision of the whole town as a mad project; but 
 the ability of transporting it successfully had been fully calculated. 
 The first cargo arrived in a perfect condition." From a financial 
 standpoint the shipment was not a success, but Mr. Tudor had the 
 satisfaction of demonstrating that ice could be carried to a warm 
 climate. He was the ice king of the world up to the year 1836. 
 The laurels, however, that came in later years he may well have 
 viewed with indifference, for the price he paid for them was more 
 than considerable, a part of it being the repayment of a debt of 
 more than ^280,000, which it took him fourteen years to settle. It 
 required twenty-nine years to push his business into the East Indies, 
 and while he was successfully doing this he was called a dreamer for 
 attempting the foolishly impossible. "I proposed it," he said, "but 
 I could not obtain the means until 1833," just twenty-nine years 
 after he had built his first ice-house in the West Indies. 
 
 After the War of 18 12, the British Government with certain favor- 
 able conditions offered Mr. Tudor the monopoly of trade in Jamaica, 
 and Mr. Tudor established ice-houses in Kingston, the commercial 
 capital of the island. Shortly after this, the monopoly of Havana was 
 secured and plans were made to introduce ice into other Cuban ports, 
 the shipments being sent exclusively from Boston. Arrangements to 
 get the ice into domestic ports were begun, and the first cargo for 
 Charleston, South Carolina, was shipped in 1817, ice-houses were 
 built in Savannah in 1818, and in 1820 at New Orleans, which later 
 became the largest consuming city in this country south of Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 Mr. Tudor, at the request of the British and American merchants 
 in Calcutta, managed by careful packing to get a small cargo of two 
 hundred tons to that port. The supply was quickly purchased, and 
 a trade was at once begun in Massachusetts ice, which paid well for 
 thirty years. "Indeed," asserts Winthrop L. Marvin, in the "Amer- 
 ican Merchant Marine," "the ice ships gave Boston a long mastery 
 of the general Calcutta traffic. The originality and audacity of this 
 
 35 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 ice export business were vividly American. No man who was not very- 
 sure of himself could have sent such a perishable freight out upon a 
 four or five months' voyage, which involved crossing the fiery equator, 
 doubling Da Gama's stormy Cape, and steering through the furnace 
 heat of the Indian ocean." Thus for many .years Boston was enabled 
 to hold the key to the rich and extensive commerce between Cal- 
 cutta and the United States. 
 
 ]\lr. Tudor had lost in this trade by the opening of 1835 i-he large 
 sum of $210,094.20, which he paid with interest in fourteen years. 
 A short time after Mr. Tudor had begun to pay this large sum he lost 
 control of the Havana market through the dishonesty of an agent 
 whom he had raised from unfavorable circumstances and unfortu- 
 nately had trusted implicitly. 
 
 Mr. Tudor's especial hobby was his garden at Nahant. Though 
 his Beacon Street home was luxurious and from it he commanded a 
 fine view of the Common, where the flag he loved so well was furled, 
 still it was at Nahant that he indulged his love for fruits and trees 
 and flowers. Longfellow mentioned seeing him here and being asked 
 to come inside his grounds and see his wheat-field by the sea. Mr. 
 Tudor heard that wheat could not be grown near the sea and with his 
 usual determination decided to make it grow there and succeeded. 
 
 Concerning the ice business he said in his diary which is still pre- 
 served in the, family: "I began this trade in the youthful hopes at- 
 tendant on the age of twenty-two. I have followed it until I have 
 a head with scarcely a hair that is not white." Again he speaks very 
 discouragingly. "I found myself," he said, "without money and with- 
 out friends, and with only a cargo of ice in a torrid zone to depend on 
 for the supply of both." Some years later after Mr. Tudor had con- 
 cluded a bargain in Cuba he wrote humourously, "Thus is the Winter 
 of my discontent made glorious Summer. . . . Drink, Spaniard, and 
 be cool, that I who have suffered so much in the cause may be able to 
 go home and keep myself warm." 
 
 SHIPS THAT PLIED BETWEEN BOSTON AND FAYAL 
 
 From early in the nineteenth century to the end of the eighties, 
 many American-built ships plied between the ports of Boston and 
 Fayal. They were built for Charles W. Dabney, who was one of 
 the three Dabneys who for many years held the post of American 
 consul in the Azores. The ships carried a limited number of first 
 class passengers and a considerably larger number of third class, 
 the cargoes consisting of oranges and Island wines, sent often as 
 presents to friends in Boston, and at certain seasons of the year, thou- 
 sands of barrels of whale oil which the whale-ships deposited at Fayal 
 to be delivered at New Bedford and other American ports. Some- 
 times these Fayal vessels were sent to Russia, Smyrna, France, or 
 England, but direct communication between Fayal and Boston was 
 never interrupted. Some of the best known ships were the "Boston," 
 "Swiftsure," "Sarah," "Harbinger," "lo," "Hortense," "Azor," 
 
 37 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 "Azorean," and "Fredonia." Each of these vessels had a character 
 of its own, and all were looked upon by the people of Fayal as being 
 almost human. On one occasion, when the "Azor" was overdue, 
 anxiety and grief spread over the whole island, and prayers were 
 offered for her safety. This noble bark was the most beloved of all 
 the ships that brought friends, letters, money, and provisions from 
 America. During the Civil War the "Azor" had many narrow escapes 
 when Captain Semmes of the "Alabama" was scouring the seas. 
 The Southerner was determined to send her to the bottom, but 
 never succeeded in doing so. The "Azor" was built in Maine in 
 1854 and was commanded during most of her long career by Captain 
 Burke. At one time her name was changed to "Fredonia." In 
 1866 she saved many immigrants bound from Liverpool to Boston, 
 and during the famine in the Azores a few years before, Mr. Dabney 
 sent her to Boston at his own expense, where ten thousand bushels of 
 grain were procured through the generosity of the inhabitants of this 
 city. It is no wonder that the people of Fayal had a great love for 
 her. She was sold to make way for a larger bark, the "Azorean," 
 and was wrecked a short time afterwards. 
 
 The "Swiftsure," under Captain Knowles, had a record for making 
 fortunate passages. 
 
 The "Harbinger" was seized by the Constitutionalists during the 
 Portuguese revolution of 1829. She was at one time fitted out as a 
 whaler and proved very successful at this venture. The Dabney 
 families were most helpful in promoting this industry, and Ralph P. 
 Dabney once helped to kill a whale with his own hands within sight 
 of the harbour of Fayal. The "Harbinger" was unfortunately sunk 
 by the "Savannah" which, during a frightful storm, dragged her 
 anchor in the same port and ran into her. 
 
 The "lo" was also built for Charles W. Dabney, who gave it this 
 'short name as he was always fond of being concise, saying that "the 
 most precious things are done up in small packages." The passen- 
 gers enjoyed their first voyage in the "lo" but were annoyed by the 
 constant orders to "Look out for fresh paint" when they were in a 
 heavy sea. She was dismasted several times and was finally wrecked 
 in the harbour under the eyes of the whole family, like the "Har- 
 binger." 
 
 The "Fredonia," which was named after the place in Fayal owned 
 by C. W. and S. W. Dabney, was one of the later ships and was also 
 well known. 
 
 The "Sarah," one of the later packets, was owned by E. A. Adams 
 of Boston and ran for some years among the islands and to Boston. 
 
 The voyages between Fayal and Boston were often very stormy 
 and the best seamanship was required. The captains were men of 
 the fine old stock, the best known being Captains Savage, Burke, 
 Davis, Hale, and Bettencourt. They were very intelligent and well- 
 educated men and won the admiration of their passengers. 
 
 Fayal was a popular winter and summer resort and many Bostonians 
 visited the islands for their health, enjoying at the same time the 
 
 39 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTOnI 
 
 From a print Courtesy of the " Boston Transcript" 
 
 BARK "SARAH," ONE OF THE FAYAL-BOSTON SHIPS 
 
 hospitality of the Dabneys. Many well-known Boston people visited 
 them, including the Cunninghams, Alsops, Olivers, Pomeroys, and 
 Longfellows. J. Pierpont Morgan once visited there; also, Prince 
 de Joinville, Admiral Dewey, the Prince of Monaco, on one of his 
 scientific voyages, and Lafayette's grandson. Before the advent of 
 steamers Fayal was a great shipping port, at one time twelve whale- 
 ships being counted in the harbour, and occasionally the flags of seven 
 nations were seen there on the same day. 
 
 A member of the Dabney family was consul in the Azores from 1806 
 to 1869, with the exception of one year when Mr. Samuel Haight 
 occupied the position. The new consul went out there, took up his 
 residence with Charles W. Dabney, the consul up to that time, and 
 lived with him on the best of terms for one year. He then returned 
 to the United States and requested the President to reappoint Mr. 
 Dabney as he believed he was much better fitted for the post. This 
 was accordingly done. Mr. Cover was consul from 1869 to 1 871 and 
 then Mr. S. W. Dabney was chosen and continued to serve our Govern- 
 ment until 1892 when his family came to Boston. 
 
 An amusing story is told concerning the first steamship that was 
 brought to the islands by a Mr. Nichols of Boston. As it started out 
 from the shore the natives seeing the steam thought it was on fire 
 and rushed down to the water to push off in boats in order to save the 
 unfortunate crew! 
 
 40 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 THE WRECK OF THE 'LIVING AGE" IN THE CHINA SEA 
 
 The ship "Living Age" started in May, 1855, from Boston for a 
 voyage around the world. Captain Frederic Hinckley was her second 
 mate, and he is one of the few men in Boston who from actual expe- 
 rience can to-day tell of those stirring days of trade with China, when 
 at Canton alone there were more American ships than those of any 
 other nationality. 
 
 This voyage of the "Living Age," which before its end was to cost 
 some lives, was from the beginning. Captain Hinckley recalls, unlucky. 
 There was no fault in the building of the ship. New England toil 
 had been put into her, probably in Medford, and New England ships 
 were stanch and fast. For thirty days in midwinter the "Living Age" 
 beat around Cape Horn. Food was short, and scurvy had broken out 
 among the sailors, and after a hundred and fifty-three hard, long days, 
 the ship finally put into Honolulu harbour, where she delivered her 
 freight and went on to Shanghai. 
 
 "On the 25th of December, 1855," says Captain Hinckley, "we 
 weighed anchor for New York with twenty-three souls on board: — 
 Captain Holmes and his wife, three mates, and eighteen men and 
 boys before the mast. These last were Americans and English, with 
 two or three Swedes and one Italian — an excellent set of sailors. The 
 Northeast monsoon, with thick weather, urged us forward, without 
 an opportunity to take observations. There was a fair wind nearly 
 aft, but the fog was so thick that the only reckoning of our position 
 that we could obtain was by throwing the log every two hours to as- 
 certain the ship's speed, and under such conditions reckoning by the 
 log is necessarily very rough. We sailed down between Formosa 
 Channel and the Chinese coast, moving very cautiously, and with 
 constant watchfulness, knowing the perils, and doing our best to 
 avoid them. We succeeded for a while in escaping danger." Day by 
 day the "Living Age" nosed her way through the dangerous shoals 
 of the China Sea. At four in the morning of the fifth day out Captain 
 Hinckley, who was the watch on deck, realized that the ship was near 
 Pratas Shoal. The course was changed to avoid it, but owing to the 
 unreliability of the log line reckonings the ship did not pass the shoal 
 as Captain Hinckley, who was keeping a sharp lookout, supposed 
 she had done. He was confident that open sea was ahead. He peered 
 through the fog, and saw ahead what appeared to be a breaker, al- 
 though as the sea was heavy he was not sure but that it was the crest 
 of a rising wave. A sudden fear of great danger swept over him and 
 he rushed forward to see if the lookout was on the alert. Just as he 
 reached the main hatchway the "Living Age," sinking in the hollow 
 of a huge wave, struck bottom with a tremendous crash. Rising 
 with the following sea, she floated and pushed on, but only for a brief 
 moment. Then she settled again, crushing her bow against the 
 rocks, and stuck fast. All hands rushed on deck. Instant destruction 
 was looked for every minute, as the ship was being pounded terrifically 
 by the mighty breakers. The crew turned to the boats, but before 
 
 41 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 they could cut the lashings the sea tossed them like egg-shells out of 
 sight, two on top of the forecastle and one on the davits being washed 
 away. 
 
 Thinking that he would have to swim for his life, Captain Hinckley 
 rushed to his stateroom to take off the heavy underclothes he wore 
 under his oilskins, with the shrieks of the panic-stricken crew rushing 
 about on deck ringing in his ears. He found Mrs. Holmes, the captain's 
 wife, sitting on his sea-chest, clad in her husband's pants and the mate's 
 coat and vest. 
 
 "Have you a ditty box.?" she asked Captain Hinckley. 
 
 "Yes," said he, and handed her his own box from a shelf above his 
 head. 
 
 Mrs. Holmes, as calmly as if she had been in her own sitting-room, 
 selected from the box needles and thread, which she carefully tucked 
 away in the pockets of her coat. All the while the ship was lurching 
 fearfully and pounding against the coral reef. 
 
 "You don't happen to have an extra hat.?" asked Mrs. Holmes. 
 
 Captain Hinckley handed her a Louis Kossuth hat, which had be- 
 come famous after Kossuth's visit to this country. 
 
 Taking a pair of scissors, she coolly and quickly cut off her hair close 
 to her head, tried on the hat, and secured it under her chin with a 
 tape fastened with safety pins. 
 
 "There, don't I look like a boy.?" she asked jokingly, and went calmly 
 on deck in the midst of the uproar and confusion. 
 
 Mrs. Holmes' manner was never other than brave throughout the 
 fearful days that followed. Where men who had followed the sea 
 for years were frightened, she herself showed no sign of fear, and her 
 example did much towards restoring to order a panic-stricken crew. 
 
 The men threw everything unnecessary for safety overboard to 
 lighten the ship. The crew, officers, and Mrs. Holmes gathered in 
 the topgallant forecastle, and a bed was made for Mrs. Holmes by 
 placing boards from the breast-hook to a tar-barrel, and a sail was 
 hung over the break of the forecastle to keep off the spray. The crew 
 slept on the opposite side of the forecastle from the captain and his 
 wife. For thirty-five days they lived in this manner, each morning 
 hoping that the signal of distress which they had hoisted would at- 
 tract passing vessels, and each night doomed to disappointment. The 
 ship's colors had been washed overboard, but the union jack remained. 
 Captain Hinckley cut up in strips some red and white underflannels, 
 sewed them together for stripes, and attached them to the union jack 
 to form the colors. This hastily improvised banner they kept flying all 
 day, union down. One or two vessels passed within their range, but 
 failed to see their signals. 
 
 "While searching the hold for stores," says Captain Hinckley, "a 
 barrel of English ale was found and divided among all hands. One 
 man, however, managed to procure more than his share, and got very 
 drunk. His antics during the day, and his urgence that the colors 
 should be kept flying all night to attract the attention of passing ves- 
 sels, gave us a hearty fit of laughter. In the search there was also 
 
 42 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 found a music-box belonging to Mrs. Holmes, much injured by salt 
 water, but with some music still left in it. This we kept playing con- 
 stantly, for the music was superb in our ears, and we all took turns 
 at winding it until its last mutilated and fragmentary tune had died 
 away. In vain we tinkered with it. Its last note had fled, and we 
 gave it a sailor's burial." 
 
 It was about the twentieth day on the wreck, that Mr. Baptistea, 
 the French cook, gave notice. It had occurred to Mr. Baptistea that, 
 by the laws of the sea, since he was wrecked and had received no wages 
 he could not work. The officers said that if he would not cook for > 
 them they would build no raft for him, whereupon he set about build- 
 ing a raft of his own. He soon decided, however, that he would resume 
 the cooking. 
 
 A roughly constructed flat-bottomed boat was built, and Mr. Camp- 
 bell, the chief officer, took a few men and started when the sea was 
 smooth to inspect an island lying about ten miles distant. After 
 nearly being driven out to sea by the changing wind the boat's crew 
 succeeded in landing on the island, erected a pole bearing a distress 
 signal, and stationed a lookout near it. One day they sighted a ship. 
 She approached, hove to, and lowered a boat, but to the astonishment 
 of the shipwrecked party the boat after nearing them turned about and 
 returned to the strange ship, which then filled away and disappeared 
 to the south. The men of the "Living Age" did not discover until 
 they were rescued later that the reason for this strange action was 
 that the ship had struck a shoal in approaching them and punched a 
 hole in her bottom, and that, fearing lest the five hundred Chinese 
 coolies on board whom she was carrying to California would in terror 
 at her leaking condition seize the ship if he sent part of his crew 
 away to rescue the shipwrecked party, the ship's captain had decided 
 to make all sail for Manila for repairs and report the discovery of the 
 crew of the "Living Age." 
 
 On the thirty-fifth day after the wreck, a Chinese sampan was 
 sighted by the part of the ship's company which had remained on the 
 "Living Age" and in it were Mr. Campbell and his men. The adven- 
 tures of the crew were related, and on February 6 all hands left the 
 "Living Age" and set sail for Pratas Island where they made them- 
 selves as comfortable as possible. 
 
 "At last at dawn of February 25th," adds Captain Hinckley, "I 
 espied on the horizon a column of black smoke; a whaler or steamer 
 it seemed to be. We hoisted all our signals and launched a boat to 
 intercept her. To our unspeakable relief the spars and smokestack 
 of a steamer loomed up, and she shortly after came to anchor near the 
 shore, lowering her largest boat, the officer of which on hearing my 
 story directed our boat to go aboard, while he went ashore for the re- 
 mainder. The steamer was the 'Shanghai' (English) from Manila, 
 Captain Munroe, and in a short time we all stood without effects on 
 a friendly deck." Thence they proceeded to Hong Kong. For the 
 rescue Captain Munroe received from President Fillmore a gold 
 chronometer. 
 
 44 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 From a print " Gleason's Pictorial" 
 
 L.\UNCHING OF THE "GREAT REPUBLIC," OCT. 4, 1853 
 
 Largest merchant ship at that time in the world 
 
 Captain Hinckley to-day is engaged in the insurance business in 
 Boston. There is a striking reminder of the old days of China trade 
 in his Brookline home, and that is a picture, on page 43, which 
 was reproduced from a painting done for Captain Hinckley by Mar- 
 shall Johnson, the marine artist, of the "Living Age" wrecked on 
 Pratas Shoal in the China Sea. Captain Hinckley followed the sea 
 between 1849 and 1861, sailing in the following ships: "Josiah 
 Quincy," "Horsburgh," "Vancouver," "Cygnet," "Living Age," and 
 "N. B. Palmer." 
 
 TWO CELEBRATED LAUNX^HINGS 
 
 The launching at East Boston of Donald McKay's famous four- 
 master, the "Great Republic," the largest merchant ship ever built, 
 inspired Longfellow to write a poem, the last lines of which are: — 
 
 "She starts,— she moves, — she seems to feel 
 The thrill of life along her keel, 
 And, spurning with her foot the ground, 
 With one exulting, joyous bound, 
 She leaps into the ocean's arms!" 
 
 45 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 LAUNCHING OF THE "FLYING CLOUD," 1851 
 
 October 4, 1853, was a great day for Boston; a public holiday was 
 declared, schools were closed, and business was suspended, as almost 
 every Bostonian wanted to witness the launching. Many thousands 
 of people were present, some coming from very long distances. As 
 the clock on the Old North Church began to strike, the carpenters 
 started the vessel, which slid into the water amid the tooting of 
 steam whistles from the ships in the harbour, and to the accompani- 
 ment of salvos from the men-of-war, the ringing of the church bells, 
 and the cheers of the onlookers. Quite contrary to the custom of the 
 day, she was christened with Cochituate water to satisfy the leaders 
 of a temperance crusade. This innovation was apparently not a 
 success, for the beautiful vessel, shortly after her arrival in New 
 York and just before sailing on what her builder hoped would be the 
 record ocean voyage, caught fire from the sparks that came from a 
 conflagration one block away. The topsails first of all ignited, and 
 then the masts, the sails, and rigging. After a hurried consultation 
 it was decided to cut the masts away, and in a few minutes the 
 decks were a mass of burning wreckage. It was thought the ship 
 had been saved, when, to the horror of those near by, some one 
 yelled to the mate, "There's smoke coming up the main hatch." 
 A burning spar had pierced her three decks and a spark had ignited 
 the cargo. She was promptly scuttled, but the flames caused such 
 damage that she was turned over to the underwriters. McKay's 
 disappointment was naturally very great, and he really never quite 
 recovered his former self, and though he later built a good many 
 ships he retired soon afterwards to a farm and died. The "Great 
 
 46 
 
CLIPPER SHIP "LIGHTNING," A MERCHANTMAN OF 1854, AND HOLDER 
 OF THE WORLD'S SAILING RECORD 
 
 Built by Donald McKay at East Boston and owned by James Baines & Co. The 
 "Lightning" holds the world's record for a day's run, 436 nautical miles, "an average of over 
 18 knots an hour. The cut is from an original painting by Capt. W. B. Whall and was ob- 
 tained through the courtesy of Lester H. Monks, Esq. 
 
 From a photograph taken just after launching Courtesy of Harris Livermore, Esq. 
 
 THE "SUDBURY," ONE OF BOSTON'S LATEST MERCHANTMEN 
 
 Owned by the Shawmut Steamship Co., of which W. H. Randall & Co. are agents. 
 
 One of the part owners of the "Sudbury" is a relative of James Baines who owned 
 the "Lightning." 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 ^i,.,,^^^ 
 
 OCEAN-GOING TUG "R. B. FORBES" ASSISTING IN HAULING THE CUNARDER 
 "CAMBRIA" OFF THE ROCKS AT TRURO BEACH, CAPE COD 
 
 This tug was well known in Massachusetts Bay and assisted in the launching of many 
 noted ships, such as the "Great Republic," "Witch of the Wave," and the wonderful ship 
 "Lightning"; she was also the most powerful wrecking steamer on the Atlantic coast, and 
 saved much property for her owners, the Boston Underwriters. She was built at East Boston 
 in 1845 and was one of the few vessels at that time made of iron and propelled by a screw. 
 Her engines and boilers were designed by Ericsson. The "R. B. Forbes" was bought by 
 the United States Government during the Civil War, but was wrecked a few years later off 
 Hatteras Inlet. She was built by and named after Captain Robert Bennet Forbes, who 
 originated the idea of a large ocean-going, twin-screw tug for salvage purposes. It had been 
 generally believed that such a boat was not needed; that a propeller could not tow as well 
 as a paddle-wheeler; and also that an iron vessel would rust in a short time. Mr. Thomas 
 Lamb and Mr. Balch of the Underwriters Board, however, both believed the boat would be 
 the success she turned out to be. 
 
 Republic" was sold to Captain Palmer, who rebuilt her, and 
 although under greatly reduced sail plan, she nevertheless proved to 
 be very fast. She was used by France as a troop ship during the 
 Crimean War, and by our Government during the Civil War. She 
 was three hundred and thirty-five feet long and fifty-three feet wide. 
 There is a model of this celebrated clipper in the Louvre, and a 
 card underneath gives her history, mentioning also that the " Clipper 
 Americain" was the highest type of wooden merchant ship under sail. 
 Another launching that will always be remembered by the people 
 of Massachusetts took place at Salem, when the "Witch of the Wave" 
 was christened. She was owned by Captain John Bertram and 
 Alfred Peabody, both of Salem, and the vessel was the pride of that 
 port. The Collector of the Port proposed the toast at lunch, "Success 
 to the newest and youngest of the Salem Witches." Two hundred 
 distinguished guests sailed from Portsmouth, where she was built, 
 to Salem, while the Boston Cadet Band played patriotic selections. 
 The tug "R. B. Forbes" was towing. Captain Bertram thought 
 he would set some sail "just to assist the tow-boat a little." Then 
 there ensued a great race between the two vessels, the "Witch of the 
 
 48 
 
OLD SHIPPING DAYS IN BOSTON 
 
 Wave" setting more sail, while the tug put on steam to her fullest 
 capacity. Slowly the sailing ship pulled up abreast of the tug while 
 the band played "A Life on the Ocean Wave." The haw^ser was 
 not used much on this part of the trip. One of the guests on board 
 sang, — 
 
 '"They say she's bound to sail so fast 
 That a man on deck can't catch the mast! 
 And a porpoise trying to keep ahead, 
 Will get run over and killed stone dead." 
 
 And to wind up the festivities all on board sang the following lines 
 from Whittier: — 
 
 "God bless her wheresoe'er the breeze 
 Her snowy wings shall fan, 
 Beside the frozen Hebrides 
 Or sultr\- Hindostan! 
 
 "Where'er, in mart or on the main, 
 With peaceful flag unfurled. 
 She helps to wind the silken chain 
 Of commerce round the world. 
 
 "Her pathway on the open main 
 May blessings follow free. 
 And glad hearts welcome back again 
 Her white sails from the sea!" 
 
 The "Witch of the Wave" was loaded at Boston by the Williams 
 and GUdden Line for San Francisco under command of Captain 
 J. H. Millett. 
 
 THE E.\D. 
 
 49 
 


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