Around the World: a narrative of a voyage in the East India Squadron, under Commodore G. C. Read ... By an Officer of the U.S. Navy

Front matter

AROUND THE WORLD AROUND THE WORLD: A NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE IN THE EAST INDIA SQ.UADRON, UNDER COMMODORE GEOEGE C. READ. BY AN OFFICER OF THE U. S. NAVY. " With eyes that hardly served at most Ty guard their master 'gainst a post, Yet round Ihe world the blade has been, To see whatever could be seen." The Chameleoss IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. NEW-YORK: charles s. francis, 252 broadway. boston: JOSEPH H. FRANCIS, 128 WASHINGTON ST. 1840. Entered, according to tho Act of Congress, in the year 1840, DV CHARLES S. FRANCIS, In the Clerk's OlBco of tho Southern District of New-York. PRiNTOr-r>T cffcojoiiuLl 0) lenninjjj, 111 Fultoo-etreet, N. Y.

Introduction

. A public ship is ahvays an object of national interest wherever she goes; it therefore cannot be uninteresting for her republican parents to know of her wanderings. The frigate Columbia was built at Washington in the best skill of capitol architects. She was launched and fitted with ex ultant pride, and pronounced not only good, but the very best of her class in the service. Various were the destinations suggested and conned at Washington for this new champion ofthe nation. Where might she best display her powers and cap tivating charms, was a question of as much solicitude for awhile, as the bringing out of an heiress in London. The Mediterranean was like a public saloon, too crowded and common ; the West Indies was too dull and vulgar ; and, if sent to the new field in the East, it was feared that her beau tiful proportions, her symmetry, grace and ease 1* VI

INTRODUCTION.

. of motion, might not be appreciated. But it was nevertheless deemed desirable to send one ofthe most favourable representatives to make a deep impression in the new field ; and the East Indies was accordingly fixed upon for the Columbia and her noble consort, the John Adams. The East Indies have been long known to be an important source of American commerce, where from eighty to one hundred and twenty ships are annually employed — many in the increasing spice trade about Sumatra, Java, and Ceylon ; in the su gar trade of Siam ; and in the vast tea trade of Chi na — and till within a few years, without any protection. But tlie loss of the Friendship, by the barbarous treachery ofthe natives in Sumatra, seemed to startle our government from its drowsy in difference, and induced them to cast a glance to the East.

The frigate Essex, the Congress frigate, and six years afterwards, the Vincennes, a small sloop, were the only American war-ships that had crossed the Indian seas previous to the outrage referred to ; and although American tra ders were seen at nearly every port ofthe East, at all seasons, America was scarcely known there as a nation able to protect her commerce. The Potomac was despatched in 1832 to redress the grievance at Sumatra, and the sloop Peacock and schooner Boxer sent the same year to aid the form-

INTRODUCTION.

. VII er squadron in case of casualties. That mission was not only nobly accomplished, but, through the agency of our minister, Mr. Roberts, important and new avenues for trade were opened in several dominions, and the necessity of establish ing a naval station in the East made quite apparent and conclusive. Accordingly it was determined by the government to send one or more ships of war every three years to cruise about the East India trading stations, and thence, returning by the opposite cape, to complete the circuit ofthe world. The Peacock and Enterprise, under com modore Kennedy, once more bearing Mr. Roberts as our agent to complete the diplomatic work he had commenced with eastern courts, proceeded in 1835 from the United States, as the first regu lar squadron for the new station. The Columbia, with the John Adams as her consort, were com missioned in 1837 to follow in the same round, and to touch at as many other ports as occasion might require, or time permit.

It is of this last cruise that the writer has undertaken to narrate his impressions. Respecting his style, the writer makes no pretensions, although he is aware that so much de pends upon it, that the simplest incident is em bellished by it; and the naked truth of many topics entirely fail to interest when ungraced by its

INTRODUCTION.

. drapery. The walk of an insect across a lady's neck, by the magic pen of Burns, has' the charm ofa romance ; and the stories of Sam Weller or Sam Slick tickle the mind with far more delight, on account of their style, than much worthier sub jects swaddled in mere dry details. Still the wri ter feels assured that the simplest account of a voyage has such indiscriminate popularity at the present day, that he may safely rely upon the in terest of his subject, without special reference to style. Something, however, should perhaps be said in apology for defects in stiis particular. In the first place, the book was written on board ship ; and any one, who has been at sea, must know full well that, " A ship is a thing that one never can be quiet in." Bishop Heber in his voyage to India says : " I find two circumstances for which, at sea, I was by no means prepared, namely, that we have no great time for study ; but for me, at least, there is so much which interests and occupies me, that I have no apprehension of time hangiug heavy on my hands."

A ship of war is worse than a merchant-man : boatswains, and boatswain's mates are whistling and roaring their orders about the ship at all times ; holy-stones are often gratinoover the sanded deck with the grit of a thousand files

INTRODUCTION.

. IX in a machine shop ; the rattling cogged wheels of the " rope wenches," are as frequently clattering with the noisy din of a cotton factory ; while of the five hundred persons on board, some are learn ing to play on violins, flutes, or bugles — others whistling, singing, sky-larking, or chattering; and cocks are fighting, pigs squealing, ducks cackling ; and there are many other annoyances that form but the common affairs of every day — aside from the general quarters, musters, and gangway exhibitions — and yet, amid such " confusion worse con founded," was this book written, and that too without the privacy of a room, or a retreat of any kind. Nevertheless, the writer has endeavoured to " pick up the wee things about the deck," that might serve for incident ; and also to "tak notes" of affairs and objects abroad as well as the limited time of flitting visits ashore would allow.

It might probably have been better had he followed more exactly the excellent directions of good Mas ter Bayle, who in a rule for Concord says, by way of illustration : " I come into a coffee-house, or some other place where witty men resort ; I make as if I minded nothing ; but as soon as any one speaks — pop, I slap it down, and make that my own ;" and in his prescription for invention he adds : " Why, when I have anything to invent, I

INTRODUCTION.

. X never trouble my head about it, as other men do, but presently turn over my book of common places, and there I have, at one view, all that Per sius, Montaigne, Seneca's tragedies, Horace, Ju venal, Claudian, Pliny, Plutarch's Lives, and the rest, have ever thought about the subject : and so, in a trice, by leaving out a few words, or put ting in others of my own, the business is done." But although these sage rules have not been the guide for the writer of this book, yet whenever he has had a statement to make, in connection with his subject, that belonged to the common stock of history or science, or has had views and sentiments to convey which another has better expressed than himself, he has not hesitated, without further acknowledgements, to use such materials, in part or entire, and to blend them with his own into a kind of mosaic, in which he admits that his part is little more than the cement.

But he has not carried this freedom to so very great an extent as many authors who have been more infected with the dreadful " cacoethes scri bendi;" and the reader need not expect to find, as in more learned travels, the history of each place run back to primeval dates, including com plete treatises upon the Botany, Mineralogy, and Zoology of every place ; for the writer has only

INTRODUCTION.

. noted the objects and topics which interested him at the moment. Finally, if any passages should have a slight taint of censoriousness, it may be said, with truth and candour, that nothing hath been extenuated, nor aught set down in malice. AROUND THE WORLD.

Chapter I

Luxuriant in her pride, Behold the splendid mass exulting ride! * * » * Full fifty metal guns her port-holes fill, Ready with nitrous magazines to kill, From dread embrasures formidably peep, And seem to threaten ruin to the deep." Falconer. Twice had the Columbia left her moorings at Gosport Yard, and anchored off the forts of Nor folk. Each time something happened to send her back, for she had set out on Friday : so, partly in consequence of a heedless and arrant defiance of fate, and partly on accountof the pending questions in Congress upon the Mexican and specie difficulties, the departure ofthe squadron was delayed from October, 1837, to May, 1838. Many difficulties arose from this delay. One of the lieutenants, as true a son of Neptune as he was of the " Old Do minion," appeared inclined to act the Cassandra for us, and to cry, Wo ! declaring that he would not sail in the ship, if her anchors were weighed again on Friday ; and surely there were enough among the 500 sailors on board to second his bo- IN PORT. dings; for who does not know that sailors arc proverbially superstitious ?

And why should they not be ? Tossed as they ever are upon elements that seemingly defy all laws but those of a capri cious fatality — -imbued as they are with the mar vellous — and schooled in the legendary yarns of their craft, even from their first essay, " As ship-boys, rocked upon the high and giddy mast," up to hoary age, or an untimely grave — ever as thoughtless of prudence in themselves, as they are of a providence in nature; ignorant, too, as a class, and away from the order and teachings of civil life ; inured as they are to alternate hardship and indolence, and subject to the winds and billows, or to the wilder storms of man's despotism — why should they not be superstitious? It is but a little cycle of time since the whole world was merged iu ('im merian ignorance ; inanimate oracles were con sulted at Delphi and elsewhere, and palmistry, as trology, alchemy, and priestcraft, bewildered the sagest minds and usurped the place of right and reason.

It is still later since Kepler, and Bacon, and Mesmer, and the witchcraft judges, and a host of sapient men were addled by superstition. It is but a day since comets were regarded as the bloody and fire-winged messengers of war and pes tilence ; and almanacks were relied upon to fore tell the weather of a year by intuition. Why then should not the sons of Neptune whistle for a breeze in a calm, and fear to whistle in a gale ? Why should they not dread the omen of a black cat, a priest, or a Jonah on board ? Why should they not look for signs and wonders — the course of the stormy petrel — the sports of porpoises and sharks? EVILS OF DELAY. Why should they not toss over the last old shoe of a departed comrade, to appease and avert his haunting ghost ? And why should they not fear to sail on Friday ; since the transmitted log of events, in their fraternity, shows, that from the crucifixion of Christ on fatal Friday down to their own experience, and the too fatal temerity of the Connecticut captain, disaster has attended the deeds and voyages begun on that day ?

But enough of these whys and wherefores ; the fact is, that sailors are superstitious about sailing on Fri day, and for this very reason they might in times of great difficulty, relax their efforts against what they would deem the omnipotence of fate. But the evils occasioned by delays began to be more developed: dissensions among the officers disgust with the expedition, which was beginning to lower over them like a second South Sea exploring affair — dismissals and changes were occurring — and not a few were becoming en tangled in the meshes of Hymen and Cupid ; for the pleasant town of Norfolk is famous for sharp shooting eyes that make fatal havoc, particularly with all hearts screened under blue coats and ea gle buttons. Indeed, one mother wrote from afar to a Commodore on that station, begging him to keep her darling son, then a midshipman, closely busy with his studies, and away from the society of the place, lest the dear boy should fall in love.

However, the troubles were nearly settled — the former first lieutenant, a firm, impartial, and effi cient officer, who fitted out the ship, had been su perseded or changed for one much his junior, and other similar changes made ; when sometime in April the two ships were ready to drop down to Hampton Roads ; the broad pennant was up, the IN PORT. sails bent, and all " idlers '' ordered aboard. At this time the writer put off for the frigate, in company with some visiters, to make a final settlement in that floating palace, which was to be his home for the next three years. " What a magnificent ship ! " exclaimed one and another as we neared her bow. " How majestic and graceful ! " (and those who spoke were no ordinary land-crabs:) then the coxswain burst out in a few superlatives, for he was the boat's master too, while I, looking only with lubber eyes, and not feeling myself exactly as a true sailor, to be a part and appendage of the ship, only answered in monosyllables, lest a weak praise might appear dispraise ; but I too felt that she was a beautiful object to look upon.

From her immense but symmetric form, rose her gallant masts that stood as if proud of their new berths ; and throughout her rigging, her tapering spars, and delicate blocks, each part seemed to lend and gain a charm from every other ; and, as Jack Fid said of the Rover, when he stowed into his cheek a lump that resembled a wad laid by a gun-slide, "I care not who knows it, but whether done by honest men or done by knaves, one might be at Spithead a month, and not see hamper so light, and yet so handy, as is seen aboard that flyer. Her lower rigging is harpened in, like the waist of Nell Dale, after she has had a fresh pull upon her stay-lanyards, and there isn't a block among them all, that seems bigger in its place than do the eyes of the girl in her own good looking countenance." Scarcely had the visiters seen the ship, and touched their hats to the officers of the deck, as they returned over the side, when the shrill whis tles and gruff voices of the boatswain and half a dozen mates piped all hands to " up anchor !

" But THE FRIGATE UNDER WEIGH. soon after, when the call to " make sail," brought the interminable throng from below through every hatchway, like trains of ants to their several sta tions, it was a strange and confused scene to the idlers, who stood for the first time upon the full manned deck of a ship of war. The shrill whistles piped again upon the deck, and from top to top the word was given — the fifes struck up a well-timed quick step - — and tramp, tramp, stepped the centipeded trains over the deck, and in a moment the helm was up ; the top sails braced round — the bellying canvass filled — and then the ship careened a moment to the breeze, and bounded forward like a startled deer. She had never before spread the broad canvass that she wore that day ; and many who had been anxious to witness her first trial, pronounced her at once a splendid sailer; and predicted that, in good time, she would probably surpass her airy consort, that had long worn the laurel for speed in the American Service.

But to stand upon the arm-chests of the tafferel, and look over her deck and fair proportions; to think that near two thou sand trees of the forest had been fashioned into that noble structure — to see her glide so lightly over the bosom of the waves, and yet be the dwelling place of a city, with all its provisions and armament, and one that could be turned this way and that, like a well trained steed — it seemed indeed the nearest semblance to a giant " thing of life," of aught that had not life. It was near two hours before the two ships were anchored at Hampton Roads, whence in a short time they were to take their final departure. Fare well had undoubtedly been said and written often by those on board to their distant friends, but not 2* IN PORT. till then did "the silent manliness of grief" begin to show its signs.

There were young husbands among us, and lovers, and brothers, and sons, part in? for the first time and for three long years — nay, perhaps forever — from their dearest objects of af fection. Who, then, that possesses the sensibility which becomes humanity, would or could resist the gloom of grief at such a period? One may utter a prayerful farewell to a departed spirit, and be calm : for grief, with all that may be tried, is un availing to bring back to us the lost and loved. But when we are on the verge of parting with dear and living friends, for months and years, we feel that the separation is not imperative and absolute ; that if we determine so to do, we can return to them ; and we therefore hesitate and linger, while the associations of the past, with the hopes and fears of the future, crowd tearfully together over the mind : and as the ship that bears us spreads her wings to take us from home and its cherished endearments, we feel that we must go, but that however far it may be, we must still drag the lengthening chain of affection that holds fast the heart and cannot be unmoored.

But all at such times are not sad ; poor Jack is seldom or ever so. His home is on the seas, and thence he only visits his few friends ashore, in a casual way; and as he launches again upon the deep, he feels perchance 1 i ke one who leaves a hospitable place, where he has wiled away a few jovial hours, in a social way ; though at times a thought may cross him that perhaps before he visits those same scenes again, there may be many changes hap pen some chick or two may be dead or married — an old couple widowed— or a friendly comrade be come too proud or crazy. But all that kind of THE PAINS OF PARTING. gratuitous boding will be little more than a flash across Jack's mind, and if it finds utterance at all, a stanza like the following may give it full vent. " The sea-bird wheels above the mast, And the waters fly below, And the foaming billows flashing fast, Are leaping up the prow. Hurrah ! hurrah ! the shores we quit; And those who are within, May they be safe and standing yet, When tee cross these waves again !" AT SEA

Chapter II

" On ! on, thou eagle pinion'd bark, Haste on thy watery way ! Thou It meet the tempest wild and dark, For many a weary day : For many a day, and many a night, Thou 'It plough the billows deep, Or o'er the crested waves of light, Majestic beauty sweep." Ol.D SOUG. On Sunday, the sixth of May, before the sun was far risen, all our boats in, canvass spread, and men at their divided labours, affairs began to assume a "ship-shape " appearance. We had log ged our departure from Cape Henry light-house ; the shores of our beloved country were fast rece ding in the horizon ; the pilot had left us with his bag of final letters — undoubtedly a curious bud get, if one could see all — and we were indeed upon " The deep, the blue, the open pfea. The John Adams, following gracefully in our wake, had fired the customary salute of thirteen guns to the blue pennant of Commodore Read, and the big guns of the frigate had returned the compliment to Capt. Wyman, when by way of scaling the guns, as the phrase went, the batte ries of both ships roared forth their pealing thun ders over the waters, loud enough to rouse old Neptune from his deepest cavern, and to tell him we were coming.

INTERIOR OF THE FRIGATE. But I must initiate the reader a little farther in to the recesses of the frigate ; and although it may appear somewhat egotistical, I cannot better con vey an idea of incidents and peculiarities, than by relating impressions that most affected myself. Certainly, of all my impressions, the most lasting were made by the circumstances which I am about to narrate ; and I think, moreover, they in volve a little of naval principle, - — otherwise, for certain good reasons, I would let them rest, and veil my name, and every sign that might betray my identity as the writer. There were three Professors of Mathematics in the squadron, one a passenger, and the other two regularly attached to the respective ships ; among whom, as the old codger remarked, who gave the famous toast, " to those who fought, bled, and died on Bunker's height," I myself was one.

Now the grade of Professors in the sea service was adopted as an experiment only about five years previous, and up to that time, although few of them had been at sea, they had invariably messed and occupied commodious apartments with the ward-room officers. So it was with the Professors in our squadron, till within a few days of our departure, and every provision was made accordingly, when to our sur prise and confusion, we were graciously informed that a letter had been received from the Board of Commissioners, declaring that Professors had no right to mess in the ward-room. This was indeed astounding, since we had been assured by the Hon. Secretary of the Navy, by our friends in the service, and by every legitimate precedent, that we were individually entitled to a state room, and to the privileges of the ward-room.

But it ap- AT SEA peared to us, that there was a prevalent jealousy among those naval officers, against all civilians in the service; and that besides this, the lieuten ants of our two ships, as a body, were unusually young, and knew not well how to wear their thickening honours without arrogance. It occurred to them, however, that they were unjustly crowded ; that the department had thrust in upon them unswabbed, unhonoured, non-mili tant spies, without regard to their comfort; and they considered the act. as an innovation — an in cubus, that must be thrown off; and they accordingly determined at least to reject the Profes sors, and if possible, to run them out oi" the ships. But how was this to be done ? Why, nothing so easy to their minds. They could see no difference in rank between Profes sors, andthe oldgrade of dissipated, worthless scape goats, ycleped the un examined, unqualified, temporary teachers : and they were very sure that none of that grade ever messed in a ward-room : ergo, there was precedent enough for their purpose.

So thereupon, a joint letter to that effect was sent to the Secretary of the Navy ; by him it was referred to the Board of Commissioners, in stead of the Attorney General, and the obnoxious letter of ejectment was returned in answer. The Professors were told of the decision, with out being allowed to see either letter ; but they sent a remonstrance, though of course too late for redress, to the following purport : that the sub scribers regarded the decision of the Hon. Navy Board, as a hasty one, both illegal, and unneces sarily militating with the rights and usefulness of Professors. They had understood that the office to which they were appointed, had been purpose- STANDING OF PROFESSORS. ly elevated in rank, and encircled with extra privileges, conditions, and honours, in order to induce gentlemen of known ability and refinement to enter the profession.

It was feared, with all de ference and respect, that the Hon. Board had not duly considered the fact, that by their decision they had placed the Professors in the same irre sponsible, inefficient position, which was held by the temporary teachers — a position that in every instance, made that disrespected office almost a sinecure, and was the basis of the argument for trying the experiment of a higher grade, having superior rights and auihority. It was presumed that the Hon. Board knew very well, that officers who mess in any lower degree than the wardroom, in our ships of war, are indiscriminately treated like striplings at a boarding-school ; and if a teacher be upon the same subordinate level with such, he can of course have little more influence over them than one of themselves ; or at best, act as a servile usher to officers who may know noth ing of his business.

It is expected ofa Professor that he shall have spent his youth and much money in his education ; that he should be a man grown — having experience in the art of teaching — with habits fixed as a man, and with the refinements of a gentleman : and can such expectations be answered, when the Professor is placed beyond the pale of manly privileges and associations — when the door to common courtesies is closed upon him, and he is forced back into the frolics of youth, and made to jostle constantly with those, among whom many are just acquiring the proper sobriety and deference that become a manly intercourse? For the young gentlemen, the " sky-larking," AT SEA laughter-loving middies, such a condition is not only tolerable, but agreeable ; particularly since they are in the line of promotion, and can anticipate the day when they shall enjoy the exclusive comforts ofthe ward-room and cabin.

But for the Professors, with no chance of improvement in rank or pay, however low may be his position, and with a mere competence at best for a respectable per son, and yet subject to the orders of the Depart ment on shore, without pay, it is intolerable, it is more than the government intended, and more than a gentleman should suffer with patience. Thus indeed it was with myself; but what could I do ? I could not get detached — my resignation could not be accepted — there was no time to go to Washington for a release, and to desert was dis honourable. Go then I must ; but how or where to mess I knew not. In this dilemma, there came to me " a comely youth — neat, trimly dressed" — with classic head, balanced a little aft with self-esteem, and an air so recherche, that I was prepossessed. He represented that he was a caterer on board the Columbia, and one of their assistant surgeons, who, with two others, composed the cockpit mess.

They had made their arrangements with out expecting an addition to their number — and all the rooms of their apartment excepting two, were occupied by the stores of different messes ; but, if I would accept of a privilege in the coun try of the cockpit and join his mess, he assured me, that my society would certainly be a great pleasure to them, and I should be fully welcome to a share of their rights and accommodations. I did not hesitate to accept this offer, and, having despatched -my boxes of instruments and ACCOMMODATIONS. books, which I was told could not be allowed a place in the ship, I repaired with the doctor on board, to take possession of my new allotment. Down, down, down, I went, through three hatchways, of that deep frigate, to the veriest submarine cellar that ever a landsman beheld.

There, amid thick darkness, and thicker filth and dampness, there was the abode in which I was invited to spend three years. The open area, called " the country," was about twenty feet square — ■ lumbered with the mess and personal chattels, including those of the boys, of eight persons. About the sides opened the store and bread rooms of every mess in the ship, ex cepting that of the cockpit, which was unfortunately in the vocative : then, beneath was the spirit-room, which, when opened, as it was thrice a day, and often all the day — required us to have our light doused or extinguished — our only light — for the light of day was shut out effectually by many a beam and plank, opaque and thick. The two state rooms, indeed, afforded a screen of privacy to two assistant surgeons ; but, the re fuse of us had not even the chalked lines of an Irish colony in a city garret, nothing to distinguish the premises of meum et tuum.