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HENRY TROWBRIDGE.
AT THE AGE OF 50,

G

RANDFATHER'S

Voyage Around the World

In the Ship "Betsey."

1799-1801.

1895,
DIBBLE & BRINK, PRINTERS,
NEW HAVEN,

NTRODUCTION.

T^HE story of the voyage which I nar
rate I first heard my Grandfather
tell when I was a boy of seven or eight
years of age. No tale which I listened to
in my boyhood days interested me as did
the story of my Grandfather's Voyage.
No story had so much of romance
and adventure as did the one told to us.
Time and again, with his grandchildren
sitting around him in the back parlor
of the old homestead on Meadow street,
he told us of his voyage to the South
Pacific. We never tired of listening to
it. So great an impression did it make
upon us that we could easily see, in our
imaginations, the wonderful incidents and
persons of which he told us.
For myself, I had a personal acquaint
ance, in my imagination, with " old Billy

INTRODUCTION,

and his goats," could see the " Penguins
and Albatrosses " at Falkland Islands ; and
it seemed as if I could hear the old Com
modore shout that " the M-a-1-a-y-s are a
coming," All was real to me and to those
who listened to the story.
In 1853, four years after the death
of my Grandfather, my father carefully and
patiently related the voyage to me, I
wrote it down word for word in a book
which I have carefully preserved.
I now put the narrative into print
verbatim, except that I word it as if my
Grandfather was telling the story as he
did so many years ago.
I dedicate the little volume to the
descendants of our Grandfather, Henry
Trowbridge. Very truly,
Thomas R. Trowbridge.

Voyage Around the World.

T N my nineteenth year I made up my
mind to go to sea, as so many of my
companions were doing. I could have
gone, if I had wished, with my brother
Joseph, who partly owned and commanded
a brig which traded to the West Indies,
but I wished to go on a long voyage, so
that I could learn the duties of a seaman,
as I hoped in a few years to own and
command a vessel of my own. The ship
"Betsey" was at that time (1799) lying
at the end of the wharf, fitting out for a
sealino- voyage to the South Pacific. She
was a fine ship, of about 300 tons burden,
carryino- ten guns and a crew of thirty-two
men, including a cooper, carpenter, black-

IO VOYAGE AROUND THE WOULD.
smith and gunner. William Howell was
commander, and was a kinsman of my
father. The " Betsey " was just the ship I
wished to go in, and as a few more men
and boys were needed to make up her
complement, I determined to do my best
to sail in her. After a long and serious
talk with my father, I resolved to go to
Captain HoweU's house and ask him to
give me a chance in his ship. He was a
good seaman, a stern disciplinarian on
board ship, treated his men well ; but
expected every man to do his best to
earn his wages. He was a " taut man "
— that is, he made every man do his
duty while aboard his ship, I went up to
Captain HoweU's house the same evening,
and asked him to give me an order to
ship. I was a very slender boy at the
time, and fearing that I might be rejected
on that account, I put on two vests and
two jackets to " thicken me up " as much

VOYAGE AROUND THE WOULD, II
as possible. My voice trembled when I
asked him to ship me. However, after a
short talk, he said : " Harry, you may go."
I thanked him, bade him " good night,"
and ran home at the top of my speed
and told the famUy I was going around
the world in the " Betsey." My parents
were pleased to learn of my good fortune,
but my sisters, " Milly and Lucretia, cried
and said " they should never see me
again." The next morning my father went
to a.^ carpenter and ordered a seaman's
chest made for me. It was a very large
one, fully twice the size of any other on
the ship.
The " Betsey " lay at the pier, or
what is now the end of the wharf, and a
few days before she sailed dropped down
into a deeper place. All hands were
ordered to be on board early in the morn
ing of the ninth of September, as the
ship was to go to sea in the afternoon.

13 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
The night before, we " packed my chest,"
putting in a splendid sea stock, enough to
last me the two years which I expected
to be away. Milly gave me a ditty box,
which she made and filled herself ; and
each of my sisters and my brother Amos
gave me something for my comfort on the
voyage. My father gave me nine hundred
doUars to lay out in China in silks and
China ware to bring home for sale. I had
the privilege, as well as those of the crew
who wished it, and that was the reason why
my father had so large a chest made for
me. Very few of the crew availed them
selves of the opportunity to do some trad
ing on their own account, nor had any wish
to do so. I wished to make some money
on the voyage, as well as learn seamanship,
and,, as I shaU show you, I succeeded.
WeU, early in the morning I took a boat
at the mouth of the creek in front of my
father's house, and, with my chest, was

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, I^
pulled alongside the " Betsey," The mate,
a rough, loud-voiced fellow, called out as
we got to the gangway, " What the devil
have you got there^ — a church ? " I told
him that it was " only my chest." " Only
your chest ! why there isn't room enough
in the forecastle of the ship for it. You
better go ashore and get a smaller one."
I felt very much grieved, the more so
when I thought how carefully my mother
and sisters had packed it for me. I said
to the mate, " Let me hoist it aboard and
I will sleep on it the whole voyage."
" Well," he said, " come along with it and
be quick about it, as we want to drop
down to the mouth of the harbor." My
chest was hoisted on board, the top of the
forecastle piied off, and at last we got it
down on to the floor of the forecastle and
pushed it up into the eyes. I slept on it
till we reached the Falkland Islands — about
one hundred days.

14 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
The crew all came on board at about
the same time and the " Betsey " was got
under way and slowly sailed down the
harbor. Nine has always been my fortunate num
ber. It was A. D. 1799, September the
ninth, at nine in the morning, aged nine
years and nine, when I commenced my
voyage around the world.
The shrill whistle of our bo'sun called
the men up from the forecastle, and the
mate ordered them to make sail on the
ship and get up the anchor. This was
soon done, and the " Betsey " commenced
her long voyage. It was Sunday morning.
We could hear the church bells ringing,
and I knew that my family were all going
up Meadow Street and across the Green
to church. I felt very homesick for a little
while, but there was so much to do and
everything was so new and strange that I
soon got over my homesickness and obeyed

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 1 5
any orders which were given me. We did
not stop at the mouth of the harbor, but
kept on down by Southwest Ledge and
out into the Sound. As Lighthouse Point
shut New Haven from our view I again
felt homesick, but soon got over it and
had no more attacks during the voyage.
We had a tedious run down the Sound,
and, though the "Betsey" was a good
sailing vessel, Ave were three days getting
down to Montauk. After we were through
the Race and in the Block Island channel
we met our first sea roll. The wind was
easterly and quite a heavy sea was coming
in. Most of the young men were sick. I
was not, however.
One young sailor from North Haven,
named Luther Dudley, was so sick that he
begged Captain Howell to land him at
Stonington, promising him a fine farm if
he would only put him ashore. The cap
tain told him it was " too late to talk of

Ib VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
going ashore and that he must go the
voyage." Three days afterwards poor Lu
ther fell from the rail and was drowned.
The wind soon came out fair for us and
we sailed well out to sea and then headed
for Cape Horn. The crew were divided
into watches, and I was glad to be put
into the captain's watch. The young mate
(second) who had charge of it was my
friend the whole voyage. I put on my
sea duds and in a short time knew how
to handle my tin pot and pan as well
as the oldest sailor on board. Several of
the New Haven vessels had been to the
South Pacific to seal, and always stopped
at the Cape De Verde Islands to water
and take in the salt to cure any skins
which they might collect. Our ship, how
ever, took in what salt was needed at
New Haven, and so we made no stop at
the De Verdes, but saUed on and on,
week after week, and month after month.

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 1 7
We met the Trade Winds just where
Captain Howell expected to find them,
and for more than thirty days we sailed
along without touching tack or sheet. It
seemed to me that we should never stop
sailing" and sailing. At last, early one
morning, the man on the lookout called,
" L-a-n-d, h-o ! " This was our ninetieth
day from New Haven. I was asleep on
my chest in the forecastle at the time ;
but as soon as I heard the welcome
words I ran up the ladder, just in time
to hear the mate call out, " Where away ,'' "
The watch called back, " Two points on
the starboard bow," I ran up the shrouds
to the top gallant yard and saw, far away
on the horizon, a little blue spot, which
looked like a cloud ; but it was land —
the first which we had seen since we lost
sight of Montauk Point. We sailed all
that day, and at sundown were about
twenty mUes from land. We took in all

Ib VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
of our light sails, backed the main top
sail and hove the ship to till daylight.
Few of us younger sailors had any sleep
that night, as we were so anxious to see
land once more.
At sunrise we were off the Falkland
Islands, near to Cape Horn. Captain
Howell said that we were ten thousand
miles from New Haven. He ordered the
long boat lowered and told off eight men
to pull her ashore. I was one of the
eight, and was also the first one to jump
into the boat as she was hauled to the
gangway. I slid down the tackle, I was
so anxious to go. Not knowing how long
we might be away, we took plenty of
provisions and water. I remember that I
put the contents of the bread barge and
beef kid into a bucket, w^hich was passed
into the boat. The captain took the tiller,
and away we rowed for the Falkland
Islands. It was a long pull of five hours.

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, I9
We were dreadfully tired, but so anxious
to step on shore again that we did not
mind the fatigue. When we reached the
beach we hauled the boat well up and
started to explore the Island. We found
it entirely covered with birds' nests of
every description ; in fact it was a " South
Sea rookery." There were the Penguin,
Albatross, Gulls, Hawks, Ducks, and many
other birds, the names of which we did
not know. The whole place was like a
viUage, divided into streets, which were
used by the birds. It was difficult to
walk without disturbing them. They were
not in the least afraid of us, nor did we
molest them. The Penguins and Albat
rosses marched down and up from the
water, two by two, holding up their heads
and looking more like a military company
than birds. After watching them for some
time, we collected a great quantity of
eggs, which we put into the boat.

20 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD.
I asked the Captain to allow me to go
over to the other side of the Island. He
gave me permission to do so ; and another
young sailor and I started out to explore
the place. We found the whole Island
thickly settled with birds, which were not
in the least afraid of us. On the bank
of a small brook we saw a large animal
about the size of an ox. It was asleep,
and I crept up behind it and gave it a
hard blow on its head. It feU over, as
we supposed, dead. We then ran back
and told Captain Howell of our adven
ture. He said it was a Sea-Horse, and
went with us to see it. When we reached
the spot it had got back into the sea.
The Captain at first thought we had told
him a yarn, but changed his mind when
he saw blood on the ground and my club
lying beside it. We aU went back to the
boat, launched it, and after catching sev
eral dozen ducks, began our long pull

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 3 1
back to the ship. After rowing more than
five hours we got alongside, but I was so
tired I could not climb up the ladder. A
rope was lowered, made fast to me, and
I was hoisted up on deck. As soon as
the boat was secured to the davits we
made sail, and bore away for Cape Horn
and Mas-a-fuera, where we were to catch
our seals.
On New Year's day, 1800, we passed
the Cape and met the long Pacific swell.
The weather was fair, but the roll of the
sea was tremendous — a pleasant change
from the stormy Atlantic. The day before
we lost by death one of our best sailors,
an old Englishman. He was buried the
next morning, Captain Howell reading a
prayer and making some appropriate re
marks. After the ceremony, as was the
custom, the effects of the sailor were put
up at auction. I bought a copy of
" Hamilton Moore," which I have kept

23 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD.
ever since, and from it I learned naviga
tion. We steered for the Island of Mas-a-
fuera, Avhich was to be our sealing
ground, and after many days' sailing, just
at dark, we heard the lookout call " Land,
ho ! " It was too late to do anything that
night, so we lay off and on and waited
till daylight came.
All hands turned out early the next
morning, and after breakfast the long boat
was lowered and ten men got into her.
I was one of the number. We rowed
some five miles before we reached the
shore. The sea was rolling in very
heavil)% and just as we were going to
beach her a big sea caught and capsized
her. Three of our boat's crew were
drowned ; the remaining seven gained the
shore, entirely exhausted. We felt very
sorry to lose our men. The reason they
were drowned was because of the sleeve

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 23
links to their shirts. In order to swim
easier they tried to throw off their shirts,
but when they got them over their heads
their links would not let them slip off,
nor could they pull their shirts back
again ; so they were helpless and were
lost. Another boat was sent ashore to
our relief.
On the Island were eight sailors who
had been left there the year before by
another ship, which was owned by the
firm which owned the " Betsey." These
men had spent all of their time collecting
seal skins to have ready for the " Betsey "
when she should . arrive. They had worked
hard and had gathered over fifty thousand
skins. When we met them they were all
clothed with skins, and the tents in which
they were living were also made of seal
skins. When we arrived at Mas-a-fuera we
discovered a Rhode Island sealing ship

24 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD.
there, laying off and on. The Captain of
this ship had told our eight men that
the "Betsey" was not to come out for
the skins which they had coUected, and
that he had been sent instead for the
skins. Our men readUy believed him and
had already sent about 14,000 skins aboard
of her when we arrived.
Captain HoweU at once sent word to
the Captain of the Rhode Island ship to
return the skins. This he said he would
not do. Our Captain sent him word that
if he did not at once begin to send the
skins ashore he would fire into him. By
this time the two ships were within
haUing distance. The Rhode Island man
still refused to give up the skins, and
Captain Howell told me to fire the
after gun — a six pounder. Just as I
was bringing down the match to the
touch-hole, the Rhode Island Captain caUed
out that he would return the skins.

VOYAGE .\IU)UND THE WOKLD, 2^:,
The next day the seal skins were sent
ashore, and afterwards they were sent to
the " Betsey," We then began to catch
the seals, and for three months the ship
lay off and on, as there was no place to
anchor at Mas-a-fuera, Sometimes the ship
Avould stand out to sea and be gone for
a week ; then returning would, if calm
weather, lie with her sails aback. It was
hard work on shore, but better than the
dull life on board. We were obliged to
have watch and watch — so many days on
shore and so many days on board. It
was the custom in these days to give
the crew a glass of grog twice a day —
morning and afternoon, I never used it,
but gave my allowance to an old sailor
on condition that he should give me
lessons in seamanship and instruct me in
navigation. This he did so well that before
we reached China I could navigate the
ship as well as any man on board of her.

26 voya(;h arou.nd the world.
We were lucky in catching seals, and
at the end of three months had about
one hundred and ten thousand stored
away in the hold of the " Betsey." At
last she was ready to proceed on her
voyage. New sails were bent and all
preparations made to sail in the afternoon.
A boat was sent to the shore for some
things which had been forgotten. I was
one of the men sent in her. We got
the things, and were rowing off to the
ship, when a sudden heav}' squall sprung
up. We began to drift, and soon lost
sight of both ship and land. After drift
ing two hours the squall passed away,
and we found that we had been driven
to the other side of the Island, As soon
as we landed we hauled the boat well
up on the beach and then looked around
us. We saw smoke rising from one of
the high hills in the centre of the Island,
so we started and walked towards it, and

VOYAGE AROl'ND THE WOKLD, 27
at last reached the top. There we found
a large hut, made of goat skins, and saw-
sitting on a bench inside, an old man
dressed in goat skins, vvith a great goat
skin hat on his head. There were five
of us, and all asked me to be spokesman.
So we went into the hut and I asked
the old man if we could stay with him
that night. He said " Yes," and went out,
and killed and dressed a young kid,
cooked it and gave it to us. He made
beds for us out of goat skins and gave
us the best of what he had. I asked
him to tell us how he came there, how
long he had been there, etc. He said his
name was Billy ; that in 1781 (the year I
was born) he ran away from an English
ship-of-war which stopped at the Island,
He had expected to marry a girl in
England, but just before the wedding was
to take place she jUted him ; so he
resolved to turn hermit. He shipped on

28 VOYAGE AROUND TIIE WORLD,
an English man-of-war, intending to run
away as soon as she touched at some of
the islands in the South Pacific. The
chance occurred when the ship touched
at this Island and sent a boat ashore.
Billy was one of the boat's crew, and,
watching his opportunity, ran off into the
woods, and the ship sailed without him.
He told us that we were the first men
he had seen since he ran away, nineteen
years before.
At sunrise the next morning I went to
the edge of the hill to look for the
" Betsey." While I was looking I saw
what I at first thought must be an army.
I ran into the hut and called BiUy to
come out. When he saw what I pointed
at, he said that they were his goats.
There were hundreds of them. They all
marched down in pairs to a brook, when,
after drinking, they marched back again
in the same order. We saw the " Betsey "

VOYACJE AKOUN]> THE WORLD, 39
off the land, standing in for us. So, after
eating breakfast with BiUy, we bade him
good-bye and started over the hills for
the shore. It was a long walk, but we
finally reached the beach and made a
fire vvhich was seen by those on the
ship, A boat was sent to us, and after
picking up our other boat, we were taken
on board. I told Captain HoweU about
Billy and our visit to his hut. He sent
him a quantity of ship bread, pork, beef
and sugar, which Billy was very glad to
receive. As soon as the boat came back
we hoisted her up and squared away for
the Sandwich Islands, where we were to
stop on our voyage to China.
Lines written on my voyage around the
world :
IVe doubled Cape Horn by the aid of each breeze.
And more calmly we reached the Pacific Seas.
In our voyage to China what happy days passed —
We visited fhe Islands where Cooke breathed his last.

30 VOYAGK AUOUND '1-HK WORLD.
We arrived at Honolulu after a good
passage, and anchored the " Betsey " for
the first time since leaving New Haven,
as at the other places we were obliged
to lie off and on. As soon as we
anchored our guns vvere all cleaned and
loaded, and muskets and pikes laid in
handy places. Captain Cooke, the English
explorer, had been killed at this place
only a few years before ; and as the
natives were cunning and treacherous, all
ships which visited these Islands were
obliged to keep constant guard against
surprises by the Kanakas.
We commenced to clean and paint the
ship, overhaul the rigging, mend saUs, etc.
One day, while hard at work, we saw a
large canoe, fiUed with men, coming to
the ship, and soon learned that King
Kamehameha was to pay us a visit. As
soon as the canoe got to the gangway
the King scrambled on to the deck with a

VOYAGK AKOirND THH WORLD, 3I
few of his men, as Captain Howell
would allow but a portion of them to
come on board at a time. The King
had on an old soldier coat and hat, and
a waist clout ; the rest of his body was
entirely naked. We gave him some bread
and molasses. He squatted down on deck
and ate it, lapping up the molasses with
his fingers. Captain Howell gave the
King a quantity of iron and ropes in
exchange for a number of pigs and bul
locks. We remained in Honolulu fifteen days,
and put the ship in splendid order, and at
last, one fine morning, sailed for Canton.
We had a long passage, but finally made
the China coast and anchored in the
river on which Canton is situated. As
foreign vessels were not allowed to anchor
near the city, we were obliged to anchor
fifteen miles down the river. Our object
was to sell our seal skins and brine

32 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
home their value in teas, sUks, Nankeens
and Chinaware.
The day after we anchored Captain
Howell said to me :
" Harry, go below and dress yourself in
your best clothes."
I did so, and went on deck to show
myself to him, and I will say that I was
as handsome a sailor boy as there was
on Canton river.
Captain HoweU looked me weU over,
and I heard him say :
"He wiU do."
He then said to me :
" Harry, I have seen on the voyage
that when you have not been working
you have been busy at your books, and
I am going to reward you for it. I
have decided to take you ashore to
the factory to be my clerk. You will
check everything that comes out of the
ship as well as everything which we

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 33
will take in ; I know that I can trust
you." This was a long speech for our Cap
tain to make. I was proud to be chosen
to be his clerk, and told him so. I then
went forward and told the crew of my
good luck, put more of my best clothes
into my bag, and took the nine hundred
dollars which my father gave me to
invest in China, and went on deck all
ready to go ashore. The boat was
brought to the gangway, the men got
into her and handled the oars.
Captain Howell took his seat aft, and
I, as usual, took my seat and pushed
out my oar, ready to pull away. Captain
Howell said :
" No, Mr. Trowbridge, come aft and sit
with me."
I obeyed him, and we pulled up the
.river for over an hour, when we landed
at the factory and made the necessary

34 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
arrangements for landing the skins. In a
few days they were landed and delivered
to the purchasers, and we began to buy
our homeward cargo.
One day we were at leisure, and a
young American who was at the factory,
proposed that we should go up to Canton
and get inside of the walls. This was
considered, at that time, almost an impos
sible thing to do. We were very anxious
to get into the city, and asked Long,
our Chinese interpreter, if we could do it.
He said :
" No ; you cannot, as the people would
crowd you out."
However, we determined to try it, and
went up to Canton, where, seeing a gate
open, we walked in and went up a street
for about an eighth of a mile. Suddenly
the streets were crowded with Chinese of
all ages, men and women. It was im
possible for us to move, so dense was

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 35
the crowd. They were excited, and con
tinually shouted: "Hong-long! AUong !
Ling ! " etc., the meaning of which we
knew not at the time ; but since have
learned that it meant, " Foreign devils are
among us ! "
We wondered what we could do, when
it occurred to me to throw some of our
cash into the crowd. This we did, throw
ing it away from the road to the gate.
We made slow progress, as when the
crowd ran for the coins we would work
backwards toward the gate. At last we
had but one small handful left. This we
threw with all of our might, and as the
Chinamen ran one way we ran the other,
and gained the gate. We were com
pletely exhausted by our hard work, and
were obliged to lie down on the ground
outside to recover our breath.
We went back to the factory and told
our Compradore about our visit to the

36 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
city. He was surprised, and said we were
the first Americans who had ever been
inside the gate, and he wondered that
we were not pressed to death. He said
nothing but throwing the cash saved us.
We began to receive the cargo for the
" Betsey," and every night saw her grow
deeper in the water, and we began to
think more of home, and all seemed in
a hurry to get there. A few nights
before our ship was loaded a riot took
place among the Chinamen who were
employed at our factory. They did some
damage, and we were afraid that they
would do more. I was very much afraid,
as my own goods were in the factory
ready for me to carry on board the
last day. I had invested the nine hun
dred dollars in the best style of China
goods, such as silks, Nankeens, and sev
eral sets of China ware, so I was alarmed
as to the safety of my property.

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 37
I knew it was an effort for my father
to raise so much money to risk with
me. Almost every one in New Haven was
poor at the time of my voyage, as the
War of the Revolution had wasted much
of the property of every one in the
United States, and few had recovered
from the hard times. I was determined
to protect my property ; so we asked
our Compradore what we had better do
He said we must rush out, catch some
of them and give them a good flogging.
We rushed out into the yard, caught
some of the Chinamen by their long
queues and dragged them into the fac
tory. We then asked the old Compradore
what we should do.
He said : " Cobb them."
So we put each one across a water
cask, one of us holding their heads while
others held their feet. The old Compra
dore then gave them a severe thrashing

38 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD.
with a bamboo rod. After a few had
been cobbed we turned them out into
the street. We saw them talking to the
others, and in a few minutes they all
cleared out and we saw no more of
them. After we had been in Canton three
months the " Betsey " was loaded, and
got ready for the homeward voyage. The
day we were to sail the boat was sent
to the factory to carry the Captain and
me off to the ship. I had on my best
clothes, and had almost forgotten that I
was a sailor. However, as soon as I
stepped on deck the mate called to me
to " go below and take off those ' long
togs.' "
I went below, changed my clothes, put
on my greasy old sailor togs, stowed
away aU of my goods, and then I knew
why my father had such a great
chest made for me. The Captain took

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 39,
my big cedar wood writing desk into his
cabin and kept it untU we arrived at
New Haven.
The next morning we got under way
and began our homeward voyage. We
sailed for many weeks. The ship was
foul, and we made slow progress. Finally
we entered the Straits of Malacca, and
vvhen about half way through, the
" Betsey " touched on a reef and knocked
off her rudder pin. We immediately let
go an anchor and took in all of our
sails and waited for morning.
Early the next day the blacksmith took
his forge ashore, built a fire and soon
made a new pin. The rudder was unhung
and the damage repaired. A fine river
of water was found near to the beach,
and Captain Howell ordered some of us
to tow the water casks ashore and fill
them. Our cooper went with us to
examine the casks. He had an immense

40 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD.
nose, through which he talked. He had
a powerful voice, and was called Com
modore by the crew. After the casks
were coopered we rolled them to the
stream and stationed Commodore on top
of one to watch for any Malays, whom
we feared might be hidden in the woods.
The stream where we were to fill the
casks was about an eight of a mile from
the boat.
We began to fill up the hogsheads, and
all were hard at work, when we heard
Commodore cry out at the top of his
voice :
" The M-a-1-a-y-s are a coming ! The
M-a-1-a-y-s are a coming ! "
We dropped everything and ran for the
boat. My legs were short, and I could
not run as fast as the rest. Every
minute I expected to have a Malay catch
me or else shoot an arrows at me. How
ever, we got to the boat, jumped in

VOYAGE AROUND THE WOULD, 4I
any way and shoved her into deep water.
We saw only two Malays, but as we
thought others vvere hiding in the woods,
we rowed off to the ship and reported
to Captain HoweU, We told him if we
went back we must have arms. He
ordered a four -pounder placed in the bow
of the boat, gave us each a musket and
sent us back to the beach.
We soon reached the shore, when we
saw several Malays, all armed with bows
and spears. We made signs to them
that we were hungry and wished some
thing to eat. Some of them ran into
the woods and soon came back bringing
several dozen fowls and a young bullock,
for which we gave them some old iron
hoops and pieces of broken glass bottles.
They were pleased to get any old things
we had. I gave the oldest one an old
horn button, which he showed to all his
fellows as if it was a precious stone. We

42 VOYAGE ARt)UND THE WORLD,
then filled the casks and boated them off
to the ship. It was very hard work, and
I was glad when it was over.
Early the next morning we hoisted our
anchor for the last time tiU we should
get home, set our sails, and sailed through
the Straits of Malacca, across the Indian
Ocean, pa.st the Cape of Good Hope,
back again into the Atlantic Ocean.
We had some heavy gales on our
way home. One afternoon I was at work
on the main yard of the ship ; she
rolled so that the end of the yard
touched the seas at every roll. It was
all I could do to hang on as she
rolled ; one time 1 almost touched an
immense whale that rose alongside. It
was more than half the length of the
ship. We sailed and sailed towards the West,
which it .seemed vve should never reach.
When we crossed the Gulf Stream we

VOYAGK AROUND THE WOKLD,

«

began to think we were getting near
home. Most of us overhauled our things
and put our chests in order, throwing
away a good many of our old sea togs,
which we thought we would be ashamed
to have otir folks see vvhen we reached
hoTfie. At rtoon one day our lookout cried
ou-t the welcome words :
" Land, ho ! "
We could see nothing from the deck,
but I went up to the fore topmast cross-
trees, and could just make out land. We
ran for it, and found it was the Highlands
of Navesink.
At daylight the next day we sailed
through New York harbor and proceeded
up the Sound. We were off the harbor
at' New Haven at daylight the next day.
As soon as we were as far as the
beach we began to fire our largest guns
and set a color at each masthead.

44 VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD,
Soon the townspeople came down to
the wharf, hearing that the " Betsey "
was home from China. The church bells
were rung, and the ArtiUery Company
fired a salute at the head of the wharf.
When we were a few hundred feet
from the end of the wharf we dropped
an anchor, and our voyage was ended.
We had been one liundred and eighty
days from Canton — a long, long passage.
My father was at the wharf to meet
me. I saw him among his fellow-citizens
— many of whom shook him warmly by
the hand, saying :
"Good news, Mr. Trowbridge; your son
has come home."
After meeting my father we went home,
and found all of my family vvell and
glad to see me. The next daj^ I carted
m)' chest home, unpacked it and gave a
present to each of my parents and brothers
and sisters.

VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, 45
In a short time I disposed of the
merchandise which I brought home. For
it I received about eighteen hundred
dollars, and as it cost me nine hundred
dollars, I exactly doubled my money.
When I gave the sum to mv father he

o

y

handed it back to me, and told me that
as I had earned it by my good conduct,
to keep all of the profit. So I took the
nine hundred doUars and put it away in
the New Haven bank till the time should
come when I could use it in my own
ship. So ends my voyage to the South Pacific
and China.

Appendix.

^

The house where Grandfather lived at
that time still stands (1895) on the south
west corner of Columbus avenue and
Water street. It was one of the first
houses built of brick in New Haven.
Great Grandfather Rutherford Trowbridge
built it about about 1770. It attracted
the attention of^ the British General, Garth,
at the invasion of New Haven in 1783,
and would have been rifled and burned if
it had not been for the intercession of
Captain Rice, who was a firm friend of
Rutherford Trowbridge and a staunch
'Tory. General Garth was his guest when
he noticed the house.

48 APPENDIX. B
The chest, which is a very large one,
is in the attic of my mother's house on
Elm street. The beckets which Grand
father ran in each cleet are still there,
as perfect as they were nearly a century
ago. Properly stowed, it would hold a
vast arnount of clothing, silks, etc. No
wonder the mate of the " Betsey " asked
" if it was a church."

G

At that time there were but five bells
in New Haven which could be rung.

D

HamUton Moore was the- great English
authority regarding ships and navigation.
The book in question is now owned by
the writer. For many years, when any

APPENDIX.

49

questions regarding ships, their handling,
or rigging, etc., arose, my Grandfather
would invariably say : " Let us see what
Hamilton Moore says about it."

:&

Many Rhode Island vessels were en
gaged in the sealing voyages at that
period, principally hailing from Bristol,
Many, too, were owned in Salem and
Boston.

£"

When the "Betsey" visited the Sand
wich Islands it was only twenty-two years
after the massacre of Captain Cook, The
Islanders were a savage, cruel set, and
few of the ships allowed their crews to
go ashore unless a guard went with
them. The natives were treacherous, and

50 APPENDIX,
always ready to attack a boat's crew if
opportunity offered. Gr
Considerable of the Chinaware which
Grandfather purchased is still in existence.
Many of the family have one or more
pieces. The design he drew himself, the
Eagle and the American Shield. The
punch bowl which belonged to his set
vvas (my father told me) a beautiful, rich-
colored piece of Chinaware. Not many
years before his death. Grandfather, in
reaching up to take it from the top shelf
in his China closet to show to the famUy,
dropped it, breaking it into hundreds of
pieces. He mourned over it as long as
he lived.
The " Factory " vvas merely a store
house where vessels of foreign nations

APPENDIX, 51
sold and bought cargoes, and if necessary,
stored them. Each nation had its own
factory.

The cedar writing desk is stUl in the best
of condition — as fair as the day it was
made. It is of " heroic " size. It may
well be called "my big writing desk." It
is owned by the writer.

J

Grandfather, though a taU man, had
rather short legs, but, at the same time,
a powerful frame. He was as handsome
a man as ever walked our streets. When
he visited other cities people would often
turn to look at him. Shortly before his
death, in 1849, he measured five feet ten
and one-half inches, and weighed two

i,2 APPENDIX,
hundred and sixty- two pounds. I well
remember Once seeing him walk up the
middle aisle of the Center Church to his
seat. He wore a black coat. Nankeen
trowsers and vest, ruffled shirt, white
stock, and carried his white beaver hat
and gold -headed cane in his right hand.
It was the custom of sailors returning
from long voyages to throw overboard
whatever they had that they no longer
needed. The same was practiced by
whalers, only that they threw overboard
more valuable stuff. When the last whale
was tried up, everything in the shape of
furnaces, brick work, try pots, etc., was
thrown over the side of the ship.
In the days of the sealing ships it was
the custom in New Haven to give them

APPENDIX, 53
a welcome vvhen they arrived home.
'The church bells were rung and a salute
fired by the ArtiUery Company. Several
of our former old citizens have told me
that they well remembered the salutes which
were given to returning sealing ships.
New Haven at the time of Grandfather's
voyage had only about 4,800 inhabitants,
and as the crews were mostly shipped in
the town, the interest in the ships was,
of course, very great.

IvI

The family of which Grandfather speaks
of finding well were his parents, two
brothers and six sisters. His brother
Joseph, who commanded a large West
Indian trader, was at sea when my
Grandfather returned. Joseph sailed from
New Haven in February, 1804, in com
pany with two other brigs. All were

54 APPENDIX,
bound for West India ports, and each
had a full deck load of stock. They met
a severe gale of wind shortly after they
saUed. Not one of the three brigs were
ever heard of again.

^t>"

The picture of the " Betsey " is copied
from an engraving of her which appears
in Fanning's Voyages, Captain Fanning
having commanded her several years after
Grandfather left her.

The monogram stamped on the cover
is reproduced from a pearl seal which
Grandfather had cut in Canton, China, in
1800. It was carefully mounted many
years ago, and is now in possession of
the author.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 03097 2138