Previous Plough Boy Journals  Whalesite Next


Lewis Monto Honolulu Fragment #1:
November 10, 1828

Note of September 1828

Lewis Monto Honolulu Fragment #1: November 10, 1828

[Click to enlarge image]

      This fragment of a note in Lewis Monto's hand is essentially a textual "snapshot" of vessels in the harbor of Honolulu. Probably this configuration existed only in the morning of November 10, 1828 after the Sultan had been towed into the harbor. Later that day the Plough Boy and the Young Phoenix "went out" in company.

      Below is a transcription of the fragment. Following the transcription are some notes on several of the vessels listed in Lewis' note.

Transcription:

                                                                                    E
    Plough Boy Nantucket                                    N———S
                                                                                    W
                                              Enterprize [scratched through]
          Partridge England
          Mary England             Louisa Boston
          Oldney England          Franklin Ditto
                                              Sultan Ditto
          Sarah 2400
                                              Voluntier Ditto
          Spartan 2000
                                              Heros of Le Havre
          Friends
    George & Susan               Diana Boston
                                             Griffin Ditto
    Young Phenix
                                              Moneralana Oahu
          Stonington                   [unclear] Boston

Notes on vessels listed in fragment:

Vessel Home Port Notes
Diana Boston Brig, 99 tons; William C. Little, Master; off loading sandalwood to Franklin
Enterprise Nantucket Ship, 413 tons; Obed Swain, Master; The Enterprise sailed from Nantucket on August 1, 1826 and returned on March 7, 1829 with 2,902 bbl. sperm oil. On this voyage the Enterprise sailed from Honolulu on October 14, 1828.
Franklin Boston Ship, 300 tons; John Bradshaw, Master; 14 days from San Diego where, in escaping detention by "Spaniards" was fired on by the fort -- the vessel receiving two balls in the hull and two others in the rigging, making it necessary to replace the main and mizzen yards; loading sandalwood from Diana
Friends New London Ship, 403 tons; Josiah Chester, Master; 1,200 bbl. oil
George & SusanNew BedfordShip, 356 tons; Edward Gardner, Master; 2,000 bbl.; The George & Susan sailed from New Bedford on April 16, 1827 and returned September 17, 1829.
Griffin Boston Brig, 16 days from St. Francisco
Heros Le Havre Ship, 370 tons; Auguste Duhaut-Cilly, Captain; 17 days from San Diego where some assistance was given to Franklin in order to escape from detention by Mexican authorities; with horses
Louisa Boston "Taking off" sandal wood
Mary London Bark; Lock, Master
Kamol'ani? [not Moneralana?] Oahu Brig; 28 days from Sitka
Oldham [not Oldney]LondonPerking, Master; 1,150 bbl. oil
Partridge London Ship, 516 tons; Noah Pease Folger, Master. Folger, at the conclusion of this voyage, was berated by the ship's owner - Mr. Mellish. Folger later shot at Mellish, and was arrested, tried, and convicted of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in Newgate prison. He was released by the king, William IV, on condition that he leave England. Folger died in Nantucket in 1837.
Plough Boy Nantucket Ship, 391 tons; Nathan Chase, Master; 1,300 bbl. oil; The Plough Boy sailed from Nantucket on June 23, 1827 and returned on July 15, 1830 with 2,522 bbl. sperm oil.
Sarah Nantucket Ship, 495 tons; Frederick Arthur, Master; 2,000 bbl. oil; According to Starbuck, the Sarah was on her maiden voyage. She left Nantucket on May 26, 1827 and returned April 19, 1830 with 3,497 bbl. of sperm oil -- "An excellent voyage; the largest quantity of sperm oil ever brought into Nantucket on one voyage."
Spartan Nantucket Ship, 333 tons; William Pitman, Master; 2,000 bbl. oil; The Spartan sailed from Nantucket on May 30, 1827 and returned on July 1, 1829 with 2,321 bbl. sperm oil.
Stonington New London Ship, 351 tons; Nathaniel Gardner, Master; 2,100 bbl. oil; Stephen Reynolds notes the following on Friday, November 7, 1828: "Two men got into a dispute on board Ship Stonington, one a mulatto -- one an Indian The former a lad of 18. Stuck his knife in the former let his bowels out -- of the wound he died instantly." On the following day, Reynolds notes: "Man who committed murder on board Ship Stonington, yesterday, was lodged in Fort. Corpse was buried on Shore. A Jury of Inquest was held over it on board."; The Stonington sailed from New London on May 2, 1827 and returned June 25, 1829 with 1,753 bbl. sperm oil.
Sultan  Ship; 32 days from Lima
Volunteer Boston Barker, Master; 33 days from Norfolk Sound; Vessel purchased by Mr. French for $6,500
Young Phenix New BedfordShip, 377 tons; Simeon Price, Master; 2,100 bbl. oil; The Young Phoenix sailed from New Bedford on November 14, 1826 and returned on December 26, 1829 with 3,000 bbl. sperm oil.

NOTES:

      Why Lewis Monto made a note of the shipping in Honolulu Harbor is not known, but one might speculate that he was documenting vessels in port at the time of the Plough Boy's departure for the purpose of sending it back to Nantucket by a returning whaleship. It was customary at the time for newspapers in the United States to publish such information to account for vessels then cruising in the Pacific.

      This document is now held by the Nantucket Historical Association, Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Dec 3 2021.


Previous Plough Boy Journals  Whalesite Next