James Fenimore Cooper Ned Myers

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We passed a fearful night, working at the pumps, and endeavouring to take
care of the ship. Next morning it moderated a little, and the vessel was got
before the wind, which was perfectly fair. She could carry but little sail;
though we got up top-gallant-masts for top-masts, as soon as the sea would
permit. About four, I saw the land myself and pointed it out to the mate. It
was Cape Clear, and we were heading for it as straight as we could go. We
hauled up to clear it, and ran into the Irish channel. A large fleet of
vessels had gathered in and near the chops of the channel, in readiness to run
into Liverpool by a particular day that had been named in the law opening the
trade, and great had been the destruction among them. I do not remember the
number of the ships we saw, but there must have been more than a hundred. It
was afterwards reported, that near fifty vessels were wrecked on the Irish
coast. Almost every craft we fell in with was more or less dismasted, and one
vessel, a ship called the Liberty, was reported to have gone down, with every
soul on board her.
The weather becoming moderate, all hands of us went into Liverpool, the best
way we could. The Sterling had good luck in getting up, though we lay some
time in the river before we were able to get into dock. When we got out the
cargo, we found it much damaged, particularly the wheat. The last was so hot
that we could not bear our feet among it. We got it all out in a few days,
when we went into a dry dock, and repaired.
This visit to Liverpool scattered our crew as if it had been so much dust in
a squall. Most of our men were pressed, and those that were not, ran. But one
man, us boys excepted, stuck by the ship. The chief mate--a foreigner, though
of what country I never could discover--lived at a house kept by a handsome
landlady. To oblige this lady, he ordered William Swett and myself to carry a
bucket-full of salt, each, up to her house. The salt came out of the
harness-cask, and we took it ashore openly, but we were stopped on the quay by
a custom-house officer, who threatened to seize the ship. Such was the penalty
for landing two buckets of Liverpool salt at Liverpool!
Captain Johnston had the matter explained, and he discharged the mate. Next
day, the discharged man and the second mate were pressed. We got the last, who
was a Swede, clear; and the chief mate, in the end, made his escape, and found
his way back to New York. Among those impressed, was Jack Pugh, who having
been bound in London, we did not dare show his papers. The captain tried hard
to get the boy clear, but without success. I never saw poor Jack after this;
though I learn he ran from the market-boat of the guard-ship, made his way
back to Wiscasset, where he stayed some time, then shipped, and was lost at
sea.
Chapter IV.
At length we got a new crew, and sailed for home. We had several passengers
on board, masters of American ships who could go back themselves, but not
carry their vessels with them, on account of certain liberties the last had
taken with the laws. These persons were called "embargo captains." One of
them, a Captain B----, kept Captain Johnston's watch, and got so much into his
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confidence and favour, that he gave him the vessel in the end. The passage
home was stormy and long, but offered nothing remarkable. A non-importation
law had been passed during our absence, and our ship was seized in New York in
consequence of having a cargo of English salt. We had taken the precaution,
however, to have the salt cleared in Liverpool, and put afloat before the day
named in the law, and got clear after a detention of two months. Salt rose so
much in the interval, that the seizure turned out to be a good thing for the
owners.
While the ship was lying off the Battery, on her return from this voyage, and
before she had hauled in, a boat came alongside with a young man in her in
naval uniform. This was Cooper, who, in pulling across to go aboard his own
vessel, had recognised our mast-heads, and now came to look at us. This was
the last time I met him, until the year 1843; or, for thirty-four years.
We now loaded with naval stores, and cleared again for Liverpool. Bill Swett
did not make this voyage with us, the cook acting as steward. We had good
passages out and home, experiencing no detention or accidents. In the spring
of 1810, Captain Johnston gave the ship to Captain B----, who carried us to
Liverpool for the third time. Nothing took place this voyage either, worthy of
being mentioned, the ship getting back in good season. We now took in a cargo
of staves for Limerick. Off the Hook we were brought-to by the Indian
sloop-of-war, one of the Halifax cruisers, a squadron in company. Several
vessels were coming out at the same time, and among them were several of the
clippers in the French trade. The Amiable Matilda and the Colt went to
windward of the Englishmen as if the last had been at anchor; but the
Tameahmeah, when nearest to the English, got her yards locked in stays, and
was captured. We saw all this, and felt, as was natural to men who beheld such
things enacted at the mouth of their own port. Our passages both ways were
pleasant, and nothing occurred out of the usual course. I fell in with a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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