LILLIPUTIAN VOYAGERS.
Mr. Cleveland, an American merchant, and author of "A Narrative of Voyages and Commercial Enterprises," having made a voyage to India and another to Europe in his youth, found himself, when just of age, at Havre in France, when he determined to embark on his own account on a mercantile venture to the island of Mauritius. The most remarkable feature of his project was the smallness of the vessel in which he proposed to make so long a voyage. This was a cutter of only thirty-eight tons' burden, or about half the tonnage of a good-sized Thames barge. This vessel had been a packet-boat between Dover and Calais, the owner of which, not having any employment for it, offered it to Mr. Cleveland for a reasonable price, only stipulating that he should pay when he had the ability. This tempting offer enabled the adventurous young merchant seaman to put his trifling capital in the cargo, amounting to about three hundred pounds. On making known to others of his friends the plan of his voyage, two of them engaged to embark to nearly the same amount each, on condition of sharing equally the profits of the voyage. An investment was then made in articles likely to be saleable, and the whole vessel and cargo were estimated to be worth about eight hundred pounds. Mr. Cleveland observes that probably the annals of commerce do not furnish another example of an Indiaman fitted out and expedited on so small a scale.
The "Caroline"—such was the name of the Lilliputian craft—sailed out of Havre on the 25th of September. A great crowd had assembled on the pier-head to witness their departure, and cheered them as they passed. It was about noon, and they were under full sail; but they had scarcely been out two hours when the wind compelled them to reduce it. With the sail even thus diminished, the tiny vessel at times almost buried herself in the waves; but, as every part was sound the adventurous Cleveland flattered himself with the prospect of being able to weather the Cape, and pressed forward through a sea in which they were continually threatened with foundering, in the hope that they should soon be relieved by the ability to bear away from land. He was destined, however, to a sad disappointment, for the wind having much increased towards midnight, an extraordinary plunge into a very short and sharp sea completely buried the cutter, and snapped off her bowsprit. The vessel then turned to the leeward in defiance of the helm, while her last remaining sail was torn to tatters by the gale. In this state an attempt was made to put back to Havre, but in their crippled state this was found to be impossible. When morning came breakers were discovered under the lee of the vessel, and before night she had drifted ashore on the coast of Normandy.
Such a sudden and disastrous termination to a rash undertaking might well have cooled the ardour of the young adventurer; but after a momentary fit of despondency, he set himself quietly to repair the damage. As soon as the gale had abated, the vessel was unloaded, and floated into a neighbouring river. On examination of the cargo, it was found to be but little damaged. In ten days she rode again in the Port of Havre, and some repairs to the keel, and in new planking the bottom of the vessel, again rendered her tolerably seaworthy. The cargo being now again put on board, Cleveland prepared once more for his perilous voyage; but a difficulty arose in procuring men, which for a time appeared insurmountable. It was not, perhaps, surprising, that no one of the former crew, except a black man, named George, could be induced to join again. They had now arrived at the end of October, and each day's delay, by reason of the approach of winter, increased the difficulty and danger of the enterprise. Even the adventurous captain heard with dismay the westerly gales, which were already of frequent occurrence. The nights had become long; and "when I listened," says Cleveland, "to the howling winds and beating rain, and recollected in what a frail boat I had to contend with them, I wished that my destiny had marked out for me a task of less difficult accomplishment." The trouble of procuring men seemed to increase with each day's detention. Those whom he engaged one day would desert the next, alarmed by some exaggerated story of their first attempt. In the course of three weeks he shipped four different men as mates, and as many different crews, who each in turn abandoned him. At length he procured an active young seaman from a Nantucket ship, the captain of which recommended him; while another man and a boy, in addition to the negro George, made up the complement of his crew. No person on board, except the mate and Cleveland, were capable of steering the vessel; but the honesty and fidelity of his sailors made up for other defects, and the voyage proved a fortunate one. The winds were this time propitious; and just three months after leaving Havre, the "Caroline" arrived safely at the Cape of Good Hope. Here a vessel of her character happened to be wanted by the Government, and the ship and cargo were forthwith turned into hard cash.
Cleveland now embarked for Batavia, and thence proceeded to Canton, where he purchased another vessel, only a little larger than the first, which he filled with a suitable cargo, determining to venture across the Pacific, and to try his fortunes on the north-west coast of America. His crew was now made up chiefly of deserters from the Indiamen, the worst class of seamen that could be found; but no others were then procurable. To make profit by the voyage, it was necessary to arrive before the American traders; and he resolved to set sail, although the north-east monsoon was raging. His course was to beat up along the coast of China, the small size of the vessel enabling him, in Chinese fashion, to keep so near the shore as to find shelter from the headlands. The voyage was considered impracticable by experienced seamen ashore; but Cleveland was not easily daunted. Even a mutiny, which broke out among his lawless crew, and which he quelled with great difficulty, failed to deter him from his purpose, and all obstacles were finally surmounted. The voyage was made, the ship and cargo again disposed of, and Cleveland embarked for Calcutta. Such was the beginning of a busy life of mercantile adventure, which Mr. Cleveland records in his amusing narrative.