At the appointed time a horse and waiter were sent to convey me to the dance, which I knew it was my interest to attend. On arriving at the place I found everything in good order, and was received with the most facinating flourishes of high life, and introduced to a partner three-fourths white, dressed in silk. I was called upon again to lead the figure for the night. At 12 o'clock partook of refreshments, and retired at four next morning, highly delighted with my prowess in dancing.
By this introduction I secured all the trade of the colored population, and retained it until I left, which was several years after the dance.
We next sailed for Corn Island, having parted with all the inhabitants, both white and black, on the most friendly terms. We arrived in two days, and commenced trade, as usual; we procured hogs, poultry, and fruits in abundance. Our trade was unexpectedly interrupted by a gale of wind which parted my largest cable. I lost the anchor, was driven over a reef of rocks, broke the rudder, and found myself at sea in a gale, which lasted about three days; after which we rigged a spar to act as a substitute for a rudder, by which means we regained the harbor. There we repaired the damage, and sailed for Pearl Key Lagoon, where I found Mr. Warner in good health and spirits, and my Indian friends overjoyed to see me. I landed many goods here, that I might get at my assortment and recruit our store, and sold some articles to the inhabitants.
We then sailed for Cape Gracios a Dios. On our arrival, the king, who had built himself a new house, came on board, with some of his admirals and other great men, whom I treated with liquor until they were all badly intoxicated. I bartered some goods in exchange for shell, skins, gums, &c. and proceeded down along the coast to Bluefields, touching and trading at the different harbors, and then returned to the Lagoon, where I landed the remainder of my goods at our store, and then sailed for New-York. Nothing material happening on the passage, I shall omit a description of it. On arriving in the city I was well received by my owners and friends, having made a prosperous voyage. After discharging my cargo, I visited my family in Catskill, where I spent ten days, and then returned to New-York to prepare for another voyage.
CHAPTER XIII.
Schooner Price.—Second Voyage.
Finding our trade increasing, my owners and myself thought it would be much advanced by sending out a small vessel to be stationed on the coast, and employed in running along the shore selling goods, and collecting return cargoes for the Price, viz: tortoise-shell, hides, skins, gums, sarsaparilla, &c. The owners of the Price then purchased a small sloop, called the Traverse, of near nineteen tons burden, having a mast fifty feet long. We sheathed her bottom with zinc, and rigged her for sea. My old mate, Captain N. Soper, volunteered to take command of her; a man from Troy, named Thomas Teft, shipped as mate, and a man from Staten Island as seaman. I had an Indian boy who was bound to me as an apprentice, who volunteered as cook. The Price was armed with a six-pound cannon, well mounted, and the Traverse with a swivel. We soon got our cargoes on board, and insured both vessels. The intention was to keep company as long as the weather would permit. Both were placed under my control. The weather being very cold, and our little vessels deeply loaded, a heavy sea in the harbor had coated them with ice.
On the nineteenth day of February, 1818, we got under weigh, the wharves being lined with spectators to see a vessel of eighteen tons commencing a voyage of over two thousand miles. They gave us three hearty cheers, which we answered by discharging our cannon. A fair wind carried us to sea, where we kept company for three days, when a violent gale separated us. I cruised the whole of next day in search of the Traverse, without finding her. Thinking it useless, I resumed my course and proceeded to the Island of Old Providence, where we arrived after a passage of seventeen days, and opened my trade as usual. The Traverse arrived four days after, having sprung her mast near the deck.
The next day we hauled the Traverse along side of the Price, raised her masts with the schooner's purchases, sawed off the broken part, about five feet, took her sails on shore and shortened them to fit the mast, put them in good order for sea, exchanged part of her goods and gave her a suitable cargo to retail along the coast. Two or three days after I gave the captain orders to proceed to the Main and stop to trade at sundry ports, named in his instructions, and from thence proceed to St. Blas, where he would meet me in the Price. I took Henry T. Smith with me to Lagoon, to act as clerk in our store, in place of Mr. Warner, who wished to return to New-York. I remained here two or three days, and then sailed for the Lagoon. On my arrival Mr. Warner was in good health, and much pleased to find himself released by Mr. Smith's taking his place as clerk in the store. We landed the most of our heavy goods, made every necessary arrangement for business, and giving the proper directions, I proceeded to Bluefields, sold a few goods, cancelled some old debts, and procured a pilot for the coast of St. Blas, for which we soon after sailed.