Leaves New Bedford. Touch at the Azores. Description of them. Encounter a heavy squall. The author is struck by lightning. Goes on shore at Fernando Po for water. Trade with the natives. Treatment offered a thief. See a native suffering with the Chiger. Deceive a British Man-of-War. Have poor success and sail for the Brazil Banks. Providential escape at Barbadoes. Land at St. Vincent. Great frolic with the natives. Thrown in prison. Sail for N. Bedford. Storm in the Gulf Stream. Arrive at New Bedford.
On the 17th of July, 1830, the brig Partheon, Capt. Maxfield, weighed anchor, spread her sails to the breeze, and fast the land receded from view. I sat on deck and watched the last hill sink away in the dim distance, and the breach forever increasing between me and my native land. Then the joys of home, a mother's kind care, and a sister's fond love rushed upon my mind and I half regretted the step I had taken. For their sakes I did regret, but when the remembrance of that ill-fated morning came to my mind, I sprang to my feet determined to share my joys and sorrows with none known to me by kindred or other ties. Striving to forget the past, I went to my duty. We stood for the Azores, where we took in water and provision. Those Islands lie between Europe and America, between 36° and 39° N. Lat. and contain about 1200 square miles, and belong to the Portuguese; have a clear sky and a salubrious air, and are extremely fertile, producing wine and various fruits in great abundance; are nearly free from venomous reptiles; are supposed to contain about 250,000 inhabitants. Our stay was short; stood for the Cape Verde Islands, about 15° N. Lat., off the African Coast 300 miles; are about twenty in number, though many of them are of small note, being only barren rocks uninhabitable; one of them is a mere volcano, called Fogo.
St. Jago is 150 miles in circumference, and the most fruitful, producing Indian Corn, Sugar, Cotton, Oranges, Limes, &c. A great trade is carried on in the article of Madder, which grows in great abundance among the rocks.
Praya, situated on the easterly side of the group, has a beautiful harbor, and is much visited by vessels for refreshments.
An immense business is done at the Island of Mayo, another of the same group, in making salt from the salt water, by the heat of the sun. At Spring tides it is received into a basin, or pan, formed by a sand bank, which runs for several miles along the coast.
The salt costs nothing, except the raking of it together, and taking it to the boats, which is on asses, and at a very cheap rate.
While off the Isle of St. Jago we encountered a tremendous squall, which came near throwing us upon the rocks, and would, had not we had a most skillful commander. After the wind abated we repaired the slight damage we received; cruised for whales, but with the poorest success; stood for the Brazil Banks, hoping to be more fortunate; touched at the Island of St. Thomas, which with Princes Island and Fernando Po, constitute what are termed the Guinea Group. The two first, St. Thomas and Princes Island, belong to the Portuguese; Fernando Po is occupied by the British. At Princes Island we were allowed liberty on shore; that is a privilege of one day on shore granted to one half of the crew at a time, while the remaining ones attend to the ship's duties.
We remained about these islands a few days, taking three whales only. This was about the season of the year for violent tornadoes, which greatly impeded our operations, being constantly obliged to be on lookout, and in readiness for their approach. On whale ships sail is usually shortened at sundown and the vessel hove to under stern sails. One night while we were laying to, a violent squall suddenly arose, giving us hardly a moment's warning. The rain fell in torrents, the lightning played most vividly, which rendered the darkness still deeper. In executing the order, "haul down the fore-top-mast stay-sail," the halyards became entangled. I sprang upon the windlass to extricate them; at that moment the lightning struck, shivering the fore-top-gallant-mast and fore-top-mast into a thousand atoms. The shock was sensibly felt throughout the ship, and most severely so by myself, leaving me senseless for a number of hours.
Shaped our course for St. Thomas island, where we replaced our spars with such as the country afforded, being quite an inferior article, heavy and very brittle. Our vessel being repaired, we stood for the same ground again, where we cruised two months, entirely disheartened, by our bad luck, only taking two whales.
Our water getting quite low we stood for the British Settlement on Fernando Po. We deemed it unwise to go on shore there on account of the dreadful sickness then prevailing among the inhabitants. We sailed around the island till we came to a little harbor, lowered sail, and searched for water. The boat was manned by five oars-men with the captain. As we came around a point of land, we came suddenly upon several negro families loitering upon the beach entirely naked. They did not perceive us until we were close in upon them, when they gave a loud whoop or yell which almost deafened us, and took to their heels. We ransacked their huts, found they possessed, and perhaps needed, but little, living by fishing principally.