S

II

NANCY SMITH OF BRISTOL

O much of these early letters as has been quoted

was by way of introduction to the following “Jour

nal of Captain John W. Russell, Mariner, of Bristol, R. I.," as he inscribed the title page of the seastained book in which he kept a more complete and detailed record than in the ordinary log. With this journal begins the romance which was to color almost every thought of the shipmaster in the years that followed. It is during the voyage to Havana, as described herein, that he drinks his first toast to fair Nancy Smith, and by an odd chance his schooner bears the name of the girl he leaves behind him. Her memory seems to be the one bright picture in a voyage which is amazingly crowded with misfortunes. In his first sea venture of the year before, the fortune of war had snatched his vessel from him. Now he loses his cargo by stress of weather, and later is thrown into a Spanish dungeon and his mate sails off from Cuba without him. The journal reads, for the most part, as follows:

May 27th, 1799. I took charge of the Schooner Nancy, then lying in Bristol Harbour, State of Rhode Island, having on board 16 horses, some provisions and lumber, and bound to New Providence and Havana-the wind

blowing every day at S.W. prevented our sailing till Friday, May 31st. When the wind suddenly shifting to N.N.E., at meridian, we weighed and made sail. Before we got down to Newport, it rained very hard and became very thick, so that we could scarce see twice the vessel's length, and blowing hard. We ran in and came to anchor just within the U. S. Frigate Genl. Greene,* Capt. Perry-blowing hard and raining all night.

I have now bid adieu, for a while, to Bristol, where I have loitered some time and which I leave with more regret than I expected. I arrived there with feelings soured by a long course of disappointments and with a disposition so fretted by the corroding hand of misfortune as almost wholly to unfit me for the enjoyment of social intercourse and in fact without a wish to cultivate the acquaintance of anyone but the free, hospitable manners of many of its inhabitants has imperceptibly brought me to relish their society. To Capt. C. DeWolf and his

*The frigate General Greene was built by James DeWolf, of Bristol, and Gibbs and Channing, of Newport, as a merchantman, but was bought by the Government while still on the stocks. She was put in commission in April, 1799, in command of Capt. Christopher Raymond Perry. The General Greene was of 645 tons burden, pierced for 24 twelve-pounders, and carried in all 32 guns and 250 men. On her first cruise Oliver Hazard Perry, later the hero of Lake Erie, was a midshipman. This frigate captured several French prizes, but made an unlucky record. She became infected with a malignant tropical fever which cost the lives of several of her crew. In 1805 she was spoken of as a "sheer hulk,” and in 1814 she was burned to prevent her falling into the hands of the British. In later letters Captain Russell tells of meeting her in Havana harbor and of her useful service in convoying American merchant fleets against the attacks of French privateers.

whole family I am under great obligations—his daughter Abby and her cousin and friend, Nancy Smith, have treated me with such friendly attention as to recall forcibly to my recollection those halcyon days which I formerly spent in the society of those I loved. While I have sighed at the remembrance of past happiness, I have been tempted when in their company once more to open the book of friendship, which I thought I had closed forever. But business calls me away—once more I am on the wing— Adieu for a while ye kind hearted Girls-May guardian Angels protect you from every ill, and may ye each meet with happiness pure as your virtues and exalted as your own benevolent hearts.

Sunday, June 9th (at Sea). Yesterday and last night we experienced the severest gale of wind I ever knew in these seas, beginning at E.S.E. and ending at N.N.W. preceded and accompanied with heavy rain. After every exertion on my part we were obliged at 4 P. M. yesterday to throw all our horses overboard. A most tremendous sea running and being in imminent danger every moment of upsetting, it was with much difficulty we got clear of the horses. At the time we cut away the lee part of the awning the upper part of the stanchions were under water. For several hours afterwards the gale increased and had the horses remained on board half an hour longer nothing short of Omnipotence could have saved the vessell and our lives. We lost some hayour oars-jib, &c. and I got severely bruised among the horses-thank God it is no worse.

Monday, June 10th. Reflections on the preceding

scene.

The Great disposer of events on earth

For some unsearchable and unknown purpose

Is pleased to mark me for adversity.

Teach me O Thou Parent of the Universe to bow submissive to Thy Will-and teach me to discern the hand of a father amid the chastenings of a God.

"Nor God alone in the great calm we find—

He mounts the storm and walks upon the wind."

I ought to feel peculiarly grateful that during the late tremendous trial my presence of mind never for a moment forsook me there was no hurry-no confusion-and were the scene to be acted over again I do not recollect anything I could have done but what was done, nor anything I did which I now wish had been left undone. It was a melancholy scene to see the horses swimming after us-which many of them did for nearly half an hour-but attention to our immediate safety at that time drove away all the other considerations. We were obliged to lower all sail and lay too under bare poles till next morning.

This event is not only unfortunate for the owners and shippers, but it is peculiarly so for me-not only as the greater part of the little emolument I expected depended on the sale of the horses-but also as it is the first business I have ever done for my present employers and the first

voyage I have ever sailed from that port-but whatever my anxiety may be I have the consolation of reflecting that I have done everything that depended on me.

Let me see- a pair of my Bristol friends* made me promise to drink their health every Saturday night at 9 o'clock and engaged at that hour to pledge me. What was my situation at 9 o'clock last Saturday night? At 10 I remember that the fury of the elements having somewhat abated I went below for the first time for several hours dripping with water-having been thoroughly drenched to my skin for 36 hours, and without sleep 42 hours. I then thought that to

"Comfort our hearts with a morsel of dram"

would be good for us all—and though one hour later than the stipulated time, I did not forget to drink

"To the friends I've left behind me.”

Tuesday, June 11th. What a striking contrast is now exhibited to the scene which presented itself on Saturday last. One would hardly suppose that we are now swimming on the same Sea. Then it appeared as if all the elements were rushing together in confusion and that the system of Nature would hardly be able to stand the shock. Now everything looks smiling-the morning beautifully serene though calm. Not a cloud to be seen and the face of old Ocean smooth as the bosom of conscious innocence-in the afternoon a fine breeze, and the wind fair * Misses Abby DeWolf and Nancy Smith.