Boats; Captain George Newell, A Voyage- Part I

As I was recently working on my Newell branch, I stumbled upon a reference to a book named 'Two Brothers' which was a transcript of the 1850-51 logbook of Captain George Newell, my 3x great grandfather. George Newell was born in Sherborn, Middlesex county, in the state of Massachusetts, in 1791. He was the son of Thomas Newell and Polly Phipps, and the second eldest of 9 children in total. His youngest brother was Fisher Ames Newell, who was born in 1808, when George was 17 years old. Despite their distance in age, it appears that they were relatively close.

I started a  search for the book, and discovered that one of my local universities had the book in digital form, for members of their library to access. I turned to a friend, who works at that university, and they were able to help me access the book. Success; I could read about how my 3x great grandfather spent his time from February to 1850, to March 1851!!

The logbook charts the progress of Captain George Newell in the bark named 'Sea Breeze', as he travelled from his home port of Boston, MA, to San Fransisco, Honolulu, Canton, and home via NYC. Most of his entries whilst sailing from one port to the next are fairly dull, and speak of wind directions, weather, and ships they passed along the way. But there are many interesting tidbits of information caught in between, which I thought I would include in this, and a couple of further blog pieces.

Captain George Newell departed from Boston on the 8th February, 1850. By 6am on the 8th March the barque, Sea Breeze had passed the equator;

'The Equator was passed this morning about 6 o'clock and the green ones congratulated themselves on not having received the customary visit from Old Neptune.'

There was, and still in in some places, a tradition when crossing the equator, to use the milestone as an initiation rite for new hands who had never done so before. Names were given to those who had already passed the Equator; 'shellbacks', 'trusty shellbacks',  'honorable shellbacks', or sons of Neptune. Whilst 'green ones', as our captain called them, were 'pollywogs', 'slimy pollywogs', or 'slimy wogs'. The initiation ceremony might be fairly inane, or could take the form of a sever hazing where 'pollywogs' might be subjected to being beaten with boards or ropes, or being thrown over the side of the ship and dragged through the surf, from the stern. It is somewhat of a relief to see that my ancestor was ahead of his time and did not allow such abuse to take place on his ship. 

Crossing the Line, by George Cruikshank, 1826

Later the same month, on the 25th March the captain noted the following in his log;

'At 4PM an albatross was taken with hook and line astern. He gave battle manfully but was obliged to yield to superior force and this forenoon with the help of Mr Reyner I took off his skin and stuffed him. He measured from tip to tip of his wings when extended 91/2 feet.'

I found this interesting and surprising, as sailors, especially of that time, were generally a superstitious bunch, and there was a belief that the albatross was the embodiment of a lost sailor. To harm one was to bring about the sea's wrath, but to see one was considered good luck. It seems that Captain George Newell did not agree with the ancient mariner superstitions and old style sailing.

A couple of days later  the Sea Breeze came across a bark by the name of 'Prudent' who was on it's way back to Boston after a cruise in the Pacific. This is one of the first entries where the captain demonstrates his interest in receiving letters, a common theme throughout his log book;

'Capt. Nash kindly offering to take letters, we hove too and he had a boat lowered and came on board. He stated having seen my brother Fisher at Sandwich Islands some  3 months ago. His wife and family he thought were at San Fransisco. I wrote a few lines to Mess's Nichols Pierce & Co and enclosed some 4 or 5 sheets directed to myself for Mrs Newell at Framingham. I gave him a few of my excellent potatoes- and after being in company about half an hour we separated and made sail, each on his own course.'

(The Sandwich Islands was the name given by European settlers to the islands of Hawaii.)

On the 21st April, after 72 days at sea, Captain George Newell remarked upon something I found astonishing!

'Among the many little delicacies presented by the ladies of Framingham was a magnificent plumb Cake from Mrs I S Wheeler, which, with much regret I say it, we saw the last of it this day April 21/50. Mrs Buckminster's excellent cake disappeared yesterday.'

They managed to make a cake last for 72 days! Amazing!!

After 121 days at sea George described a meeting with an English ship captained by an unintelligible commander.

'... at 4:30am, just at daylight, ran close to and spoke the English Bark (name not understood) with passengers on board.among who were seen "petticoats", also bound for San Fransisco. Her commander spoke in such broken, unintelligible jargon, that not a soul on board of us, and we all had our ears and eyes open, could understand what he said. He was determined to have the last word as we passed ahead, I heard his voice again rising on the quiet morning breeze 'tho to me it was all "Greek". Some of our boys whose ears were better than our aft said his last words were. "You spread canvass enough anyhow; they'll know you're coming at San Fransisco." Meaning I suppose that we spread such a cloud of canvass on our very tall masts that they in San Fransisco might easily see us altho 700 miles distant. She was probably from some port in British North American Provinces.'

After reading this, and knowing something about the accents of the different provinces of Canada, I couldn't help be guess that the unintelligible captain was from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Finally, after 126 days sailing from Boston, Captain George Newell brought the Sea Breeze into San Fransisco harbour, to discover the city in flames;

'The town, or City of San Fransisco was at this moment wrapt in flames, and property to the amount of 6 millions of dollars had already been consumed. The wind blew very strong all the afternoon, and the harbour master was unable to reach the shore again untill near night. 

The fire that George witnessed on the 14th June had started that morning in the chimney of a wooden bakery, by the Merchants Hotel, near Clay and Sacramento. The strong summer winds fanned the flames and quickly it spread, leaving little untouched. Incredibly, the San Fransiscans of the time rebuilt the city within a month, rebuilding houses, and establishing more wells, reservoirs and fire stations in an effort to protect the city better. This had been the 3rd great fire of San Fransisco, the first raging through the city in December 1849, and the second in May 1850. San Fransisco was to go on to suffer further fires to make a total of 6 great fires all within 18 months!

Captain George Newell and the bark Sea Breeze were moored at San Fransisco for about 60 days during which he dealt with a fair bit grumpiness from his crew, who were more than a little disgruntled about not being able to leave the ship, while the harbour was still in recovery from the fire. Almost all the crew refused to do any work and since they could not leave the ship, they remained in their bunks below decks  for an entire day. Later the same day they insisted on receiving their pay or getting consent to disembark and when they were told 'no', they 'all went forward muttering vengeance.' The following day, after the captain himself returned to the ship having conducted some business in the harbour, he was met by the following news;

'I was.... informed that the  men forward had taken their chests out and that they were all going on shore. I went on deck and immediately they all came aft in a mutinous and disorderly manner demanding their wages and protections, both of which I refused to give. They then wen tinto the shore boat which they had hired for that purpose and proceeded to the shore swearing as they left the vessel, that they would make it cost me a pretty sum, and warning me not to let them catch me on shoer, if they did, they would take their pay out of me. A greater set of unprincipled scoundrels I have not seen banded together before for a long time.'

It seems to me that George was a fairly good captain, so those sailors were either after a good drink, or some rumpy pumpy!

The next day the captain started work on moving the ship to a better berth, and taking the cargo off. With his crew mostly gone, he hired a couple of local men with less experience, and in his log book George described a near fatal accident that occurred as a result. One of the lads had been thrown overboard, by accident;

'The poor fellow could not swim and soon sank. Rising to the surface again ropes were thrown to him, but, from his great fright, he did not heed them. Our own boat was astern and before a man could get into her he had sank for the third and last time. At this critical moment a whale boat with 5 men passed round the bow of a Brig close by- they were on the spot in one minute and discovered him about 3 feet under the surface drifting with the tide which happened to be slack. One of the men plunged his arm down it's  whole length, seized him by the hair of his head and hauled him into the boat. The lad soon recovered.'

Our captain makes no bones about his dislike for San Fransisco. On the 20th June, after being moored there for 6 days, he makes his feelings very clear. It's possible that his dislike of the city is due to its state after the fire, and his homesickness for Framingham and his family, most especially his wife.

'The weather here is always fine. Wind fresh from seaward through the day which moderates at evening and the nights are always delightful. Nothing as yet decisive done with the cargo. I do not visit the shore any more than is absolutely necessary, and that is in the morning to purchase provisions for the ship. I am completely disgusted with the place, and my only desire is to be released from the Bark that I may go home to my family. I have visited many, in fact, most parts of the world, but never yet any lace that I dislike so much as this. My prayer is that it may improve and prosper.'

I wonder what he might make of SFC today. I visited the city about 18 years ago, and I would love to be able to tell him that it is much improved!

On the 22nd June George's spirits were much improved because he finally received a letter from his wife!! George Newell was married twice. His first wife, Sophia Reed died in 1836, leaving him with two sons, Frederick (my 2x great grandfather) and George Newell. He married a second time in 1841, to Olive Plimpton with whom they had 8 further children; Clarence, Herbert, Emma, Blanch, Genevra, Alice, Algernon, and Lester. The wife from whom he so desired to receive letters on this voyage, was Olive.

'The cargo of the "Sea Breeze" remains in status quo- nothing yet done. We landed on the 20th a light load of furniture and the carpenter is on shore putting it in order for sale. I saw Lieut. Gordon yesterday and spent the pleasantest half hour of my life in questions regarding home dear home. he arrived in the morning on the steamer from Pananma and proceeded in another steamer up river to Columa in the afternoon. From him also I received a letter from my dear wife. Mr Reyner came on board int he evening with the glad tidings that he had sold the entire cargo to a single firm in this city for the sum of $80,500, to be delivered in the space of 30 days. Nothing could have been more gratifying to me, and now I began to think of home in good earnest. Commenced a letter to my dear bosom friend at Framingham.'

Curious that he had apparently been keen to receive word from his wife for such a long time, and yet the mention of her letter only merits one short line in the middle of this entry! Also, that he doesn't write back to her, but instead, to a friend. According to the log book, George did not return lines to her until 9 days later.

'I sealed my package to my dear wife enclosing a few lines to the laldies of Framingham in the form of thanks for their very liberal donation to me previous to sailing of a box of delicacies for the inner man, never to be forgotten. The steamer "California" sails this afternoon. My letter Mr Nichols enclosed in a package of his own to Messrs. Nichols, Pierce & Co Express, so it goes free of cost to me. Oh! that I could only go with it, free of cost. Delivered a quantity of cargo to Folger, Moore & Hill the purchasers of our entire cargo.'

I adore how George goes from rapturous desire to be home amongst his family again, to relating the business of merchant shipping!

On the 3rd and 4th July 1850 George describes the 74th Day of Independence in the USA, as witnessed by him, in San Francisco harbour. 

'There was much burning of powder in the evening in all directions both from the vessels in port, and on shore also.

The Port of San Francisco was this morning most magnificently decorated with flags of all nations. Firing commenced before daylight and was kept up irregularly by the mass with ordinance of 18r calibre down to the smallest pop gun through the most part of the forenoon.'

An Independence Day Picnic, by Jerome Thompson, 1850

On the 9th July, George mentioned a problem with his eye for the first time. The following day the captain describes how he had to stay in his room, int he darkness, due to his eye continuing to be a problem. On the 14th of the same month George wrote to his wife and;

'In consequence of writing my eye this evening was much irritated and inflamed, with extreme pain.'

The next entry continues to explain how his eye was treated;

'From the above date (14th July) to the 25th, I was confined to a dark state room six feet square, suffering the most excrutiating pain from a severe inflamation of the left eye, from which O could find no relief, until I sent for the Doctor of the US Cutter "Lawrence" who immediately dame me calomel, applied 6 leeches over the eye, and a blister behind the ear, which had a good effect and by the 25th I was able to get out on deck, but altho by this time the inflammation had in some measure subsided, my sight was only partially restored, not being able to discern any object distinctly, however near. The doctor's opinion was that the eye itself was uninjured and that with proper care would soon be well. The doctor sent his bill for 6 leeches, and as many visits, amounting to the small sum of $83, which I promptly paid, deeming myself fortunate in escaping  with any sum short of $100 in this extortionate place. I now set the first of August for leaving this abominable place, and went about making my preparations accordingly.'

Whilst today, most North Americans might consider themselves lucky to receive a medical bill for $83, it's worth understanding that in today's money, $83 in 1850 would had a value of about $3,343. 

The word 'leech' comes from the anglo-saxon word 'laece', which means 'to heal'. 

Captain George Newell departed for Honolulu on the 14th August 1850, presumably with his sight intact. I will save that voyage for another blog post.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line-crossing_ceremony

https://guardiansofthecity.org/sffd/fires/great_fires/june_14_1850.html#:~:text=On%20June%2014%2C%201850%20around,shortly%20a%20mass%20of%20flames.

http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/fire.html

https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1850?amount=83

https://bah.today/about-leech-therapy/history/