Kaaterskill Books

"Vessel...behaving badly"

[Barrell, James E.], master.

[Manuscript] Statement of General Average case of the Schooner "David Currie."

[n.a.]. 1875. 26 leaves. [Title, 7 pages of text, 40 pages of disbursements, 6 blanks]. Folio. Green cloth, gilt title. Boards rubbed, title gilt faint, split to top of front hinge, endpapers and a few leaves soiled mainly at the margins, faint dampstain to top edge, but still about very good. Item #43282

In a beautiful hand, an accounting for the "David Currie," a two masted square sterned Schooner built in 1866 in Portland, Connecticut, which suffered damage while sailing from Brazos Santiago in Texas to New York on February 2, 1875 carrying a load of wool and hides:

"In crossing the bar they struck heavily several times." It was not until the next night that "in sounding the pumps, discovered that the vessel was leaking badly.... At 7 a.m. a strong northerly breeze sprang up and continued to increase, bringing with it a heavy sea. Later part wind increased to gale. Pumps constantly at work to keep the vessel free. February 4th. Gale increasing with terrific seas.... Laboring and leaking badly.... At midnight, the gale still on, and the sea at times breaking all over them. At 8 a.m. hove to under three-reefed mainsail and storm staysail.... February 5th. Latitude 23 degrees 0, longitude 95 degrees 20. Terrific gale and frightful sea. At times the sea making a complete breach over them... all hands at the pumps to keep her afloat.... they concluded for the safety of their lives and the vessel and cargo to make for a port... February 6th. same weather. Vessel under bare poles and leaking and behaving badly...." Though the weather broke a short while on February 8th, as they neared the coast of Mexico, the gale again picked up. Not until February 9th did they observe the sun, eventually seeking harbor, but with the gale back on they again left for a safer anchorage. Finally on February 20th, they received the Mobil City [Alabama] pilot, and on the 22nd "came to anchor in the stream off Mobile City. The crew having been utterly worn out from constant work at the pumps, men were employed from shore to pump night and day." Three surveyors would come on board, examine the ship, and decide to take her out of the water. The last log entry reads "March 5th. Found repairs finished and vessel ready to take on cargo again." The remainder are the details of the disbursements for repairs, the apportionments for cargo, and the settlements.

Price: $600.00