DIARY OF CAPTAIN LAMSON 155 



was there. We lay in Havana and took 

 aboard our cargo of molasses and sugar. 

 Just before lading, the Governor of Cuba 

 ordered an embargo on all vessels in port 

 until a fleet of Spanish ships should sail for 

 Mexico, consequently, we lay till the first 

 of May, when we sailed with about one 

 hundred and fifty sails, of American mostly, 

 for our respective ports. 



We shaped our course for the Florida 

 channel and on the second night, while we 

 were going at the rate of seven knots an 

 hour, we discovered white water. The cap- 

 tain and officers were uncertain which side 

 of the channel we were on, and in a few 

 minutes the bark struck and continued a 

 little longer when she struck and broke off 

 her rudder, unshipped it and keeled over so 

 that our lee-gunnels were in the water. Our 

 captain was in great distress, as well as the 

 second mate, at the horrid appearance of 

 the night. The wind was strong and the 

 breakers high, and our false keel had come 

 up alongside, our plank to the starboard, on 



