Perils
of a Mariner's Life
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Notes on these
Abstracts
Deposition of George McClester, Master
and Commander of the Flying Fish of Maryland with William
McClester and Thomas Lloyd
Deposition of Clement Bayly, Master
of The Dolley
Deposition
of John Tawes last Master of the Schooner Betsey
Deposition of Samuel Wise late Master or Commander of the Brigantine
Dolphin and Edmond Hopkins Mariner
Deposition of Zedekiah Walley late Master of the Schooner
Betsy
Deposition of William Jones, mate of the Sloop Betsy
and John Banks, foremast man
Deposition of James Handy, late Master of the Brig called
the New Dragon,
Somerset Land Records 1742 - 1745
Folio 161 Deposition of Protest
Barbados: before
Richard Husbands, Deputy --- and Notary Public came George McClester,
master and commander of the Snow Flying Fish of Maryland now
riding at anchor in Carlisle Bay
in the said island and also appeared William McClester, mate and Thomas Lloyd, mariner
both belonging to the aforesaid vessel and deposed that on their voyage from Virginia
bound for this island on the 2nd day of December this instant being then in the latitude of 35
degrees north and ---- 69, 26 west or thereabouts they met with a violent hard gale of wind
at northwest and high seas which obliged them to tend before it their foresail in which time the
sea made several broaches over the vessel and caused her to leak in her upper works
which obliged these appearers to take up both pumps at work for 28 hours to free her and
these appearers say that by reason of the violent hard gale of wind and high seas aforesaid
they are apprehensive the cargo may be damaged wherefore --the said notary at the instance and
request did even protest against the hard gale of wind and high seas against all persons
concerned for all costs, losses, and damages.
Signed: All three
deponents signed in their own hands.
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Somerset land Records 1746 - 1748
Folio 245 Deposition 03/09/1746-7
Clement Bayly, mariner aged about 25 years deposed that in the month of March last
he was employed as master on board a sloop named The Dolley then belonging to this place
of which Robert Jenkins Henry was then sole owner in order to perform a voyage in the said
sloop with a valuable lading in the same vessel also the property of Henry as the deponent
believes to Antiqua or any other British Islands to the leeward of Antiqua and
from thence to return immediately to Maryland and the said deponent further said that he on
board the sloop laded with upwards of 800 bushels of Indian Corn. 2 hogsheads of tobacco,
61 barrels of pork, 1 barrel of bacon and 1 barrel of fish, upwards of 6000 cypress shingles and
20 young live hogs being the proper cargo of the said Henry did proceed on the intended
voyage to the aforesaid island in the month of April 1746 with all caution, care and diligence
but on the 6th day of May next thereafter in the outward bound passaged about 15 leagues
to the windward of the said island of Antiqua the deponent and some other mariners on board
the said sloop with the same vessel and all her cargo as aforesaid were unfortunately taken by
a French cruiser or privateer and the same sloop with her cargo, the deponent and 1 other
mariner were carried to the island of Martinco and there the aforesaid sloop Dolley and her
cargo were condemned as legal price, the certificate of which condemnation to this deposition
annexed the deponent says was brought from the island of Martinco aforesaid and lastly
the deponent says that the said sloop was navigated by him as master from the time of her
having 1st been built that she had not before proceeded on any voyage to the Leeward
Islands and was at the time of capture aforesaid new having performed but 1 voyage from
Maryland to Rhode Island--well sealed, fitted and did for her said intended voyage.
Signed: by Bayly in his own hand
Witnesses: John
Williams
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Worcester County Land Records 1756 - 1760
F:442
"Antigua. By this Publick Instrument of Protest be it known unto all Persons whom these Presents shall or may concern. That on Fryday the third of August in the year of Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty nine, Before me John Webb Notary and Tabethion Publick duly sworn and admitted and dwelling in the said Island of Antigua, personally appeared John Tawes last Master of the Schooner Betsey of Maryland and made oath ... that he sailed in the said schooner from Maryland aforesaid upon the tenth day of June last, and was bound to this Island laden with Corn, Pork, and some living Stock. That he pursued his Voyage without Interruption untill the nineteenth day of July following upon which Day in the Latitude of seventeen and Longitude of about sixty, after being chased for the space of four hours, the same Schooner Betsey was taken by a French Privateer and carried into the Island of Martinico, where the same Schooner was condemed as Prize of War, and the Deponent and his People detained as Prisoners untill the twenty eighth of the same Month of July, and then Discharged and sent on board a Flag of Truce bound to this Island. That the same Flag of Truce in her way hither, touched at the Island of Guadeloupe, where all the Schooners crew were impressed on board his Majesty's Sloop Antigua, except the Deponent himself who arrived here yesterday. All which being sworn to be the Truth. I the said Notary do therefore hereby Protest against the Capture aforesaid for all loses and damages whatsoever, which shall or may be occasioned thereby
John Tawes In Testimonium Veritatis.
John Webb Not. Pub.
1759"
The above entered
into Worcester County record on 8 September 1759
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Worcester County Land Records 1760 - 1763
F:81
16 December 1760
"Barbados By this Publick Act or Instrument of Protest, be it made known and Manifest unto all Men that on the day of the date hereof before me Richard Husbands Esquire Deputy Secretary and Sole Notary Publick of this Island personal by came and appeared Samuel Wise late Master or Commander of the Brigantine Dolphin, Edmond Hopkins Marriner late belonging also the said Vessell who being duly Sworn on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God requested me the said Notary to make or draw a Protest for the Reasons following,
(Viz.) For that those Appearers sailed from Maryland on the fist day of November last past, bound for this Island with a Cargo of Corn Tobacco Flour and Lumber, and proceeding on their said voyage on Monday the first day of this Instant December at nine O'clock A. M. was taken by a French Privateer Sloop of ten carriage Guns about eight leagues to westward of this Island who carried the said Brigantine Dolphin into Martinique where the said Vessell and Cargoes was condemned as a Lawfull Prize as by a Certificate of the Condemnation hereto annexed May appear
Wherefore I the said Notary at the Instance and Request aforesaid did even as I do by these Presents Publickly and Solemnly Protest as well against the said French Privateer Sloop aforesaid as against the Insurers and Owners of the said Dolphin..."
Samuel Wise, Edmond
Hopkins
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Worcester County Land Records 1760 - 1763
F:269
"Guadeloupe - By this publick Instrument of Protest. It is to be known unto all Persons whom these Presents shall or may concern. That on this Saturday being the thirty-first of October one thousand seven hundred and sixty one, before me William Cox Notary and Tabellion Publish by lawful authority duly admitted and sworn and Dwelling in the town of Baseterre Guadeloupe, personally appeared Zedekiah Walley late master of the Schooner Betsy, who being duly sworn ... maketh oath and says That he with the rest of the crew on board sailed from Maryland in N. America on the twenty-fifth of August last bound to Antigua laden with Indian Corn and lumber and on the fourth of September following in the latitude of 3314 and Long 6000 W were taken by a French Privateer Sloop of Carriage & 16 Swivel guns called the King of Prussia, Capt. Garret Mast. Belonging to Martinique where the said schooner was carried and there she and her cargo were condemned by a Court of Admiralty as a lawful prize and that the said deponent was there detained a Prisoner of war until 28 October when he was discharged & put on board a Flag of Truce bound here, where he arrived this day and that the rest of the people are kept on board of the said Privateer, all which being sworn to be the truth. I, the said notary, do therefore ... solemnly protest against the captor aforesaid for all losses and damages whatever suffered and sustained by any person or persons"
William Cox 1761
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From Worcester County Land Records 1763 - 1766
F:356
Island of Dominica: By this publish Instrument of Protest; let it be known to all it May concern that on 14 March 1765 came before me, John Kingslow (Notary Public) and personally appeared William Jones, mate of the Sloop Betsy, (whereof the late Daniel Newton deceased was Master) and John Banks, foremast man on board said Sloop. Jones and Banks made oath that on 18 November last past the Sloop set sail from the Port of Kingston in the Island of Jamaica in order to proceed to Maryland having on board a cargo of molasses and two hogsheads and four small casks of rum. That in the later part of December, Capt. Newton with three other men belonging to the sloop (Samuel Colwell, Samuel A__on, and Elias Wilman were taken ill of the smallpox and on or about the 12th of January they all died of the distemper. On the 1st of January being then in latitude of 36 degrees and 40 minutes north and longitude seventy degrees west from London there arose a hard gale of wind beginning at SW heading to NE which continued fourteen days in which time not withstanding all possible care the mainsail of said sloop was carried away and by the violence of the aforesaid gale, the other sails were much damaged. In that condition, they were obliged to make what sail they could to get to the southeast finding it impossible to make any port to the north because of the small number of hands then on board and the condition of the sails. Sometime in February being then at latitude of 36 degrees north and longitude sixty eight degrees west from London; there arose another gale of wind which continued three days and caused a very bad cross sea. The sloop, in several heavy seas; one of which laid her on her beam ends and shifted the cargo in her hold, in which situation the sloop lay for space of an hour upon which said sloop righted. Those now appearing (Jones and Banks) found it necessary (for the preservation of the said sloop and the remaining part of her cargo and for the lives of these appearing) to cause five hogheads of molasses and one of rum to be scuttled upon which the sloop righted. These appearing have reason to believe that there might be great leakage of the remaining part of said cargo. These appearing say that by this time their provisions were almost exhausted and they were continuing to make sail to the southward in hopes of speaking with some vessel and getting supplies. That on the morning of 18th day of February being then in latitude thirty degrees and forty three minutes north longitude fifty seven degrees that saw a sail bearing NE, distance about four leagues. It being then calm. These now appearing with Asher Donam (a passenger on board) and a Negro man hoisted out their boat and went on board what proved to be the Sloop Charming Sally. Jonathan Parsons Junior as master and from Newbury in New England and bound to the West Indies. Those appearing say that Parsons offered to supply those appearing with everything that he could spare; but the supplies were not sufficient. William Jones (one of those appearing) was then in very bad state of health occasioned by having small pox) and the Asher Donam agreed to remain on board the sloop the Charming Sally and John Banks and the Negro named Dick returned to the Sloop Betsy with two crew of the Charming Sally and the two remained on board until the sloop's arrival at this Island which was yesterday. Therefore I, the said Notary, at the request of those appearing do protest against the wind and weather for all the losses, costs and damages
Signed: William
Jones, John Banks
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From Worcester County Land Records 1780 - 1784
F:448
St. Eustatius
4 May 1782
On this date James Handy personally appeared before Peter Ouckama
Secretary to the Governor and Council of the Island of St. Eustatius
James Handy, late Master of the Brig called the New Dragon, the
property of Hugh Young & Company, Merchants of Baltimore. Handy swears that
he sailed from the Inland of St. Thomas on the 14th April in said
Brig loaded with sundry merchandise and bound for the Port of Baltimore. That on
the night of the very same day and being about the distance of four leagues from
the land, to the northwest of it, and fell in with an English Private Ship of
War called The Regulator commanded by James H. Wilcott. Wilcott
took him with the Brig and carried her into Tortola. Leaving the said Brig, he
proceeded to Antigue taking the deponent with him and after being there some
days, the deponent went from there and arrived at St. Eustatius where he
immediately made this deposition and protest in behalf of himself and the owners