Captain Bur dick Is Caught in a Gale 



On her next cruise to the south shore of Livingston, the Cecilia was under 

 Captain Burdick. He left Yankee Harbor late in the afternoon, December 17, 

 1820, and ran into a westerly gale before he reached the southeast point of 

 Frezeland. The next day he steered along shore and early on the morning of 

 December 19, ". . . came to anchor inside of two rocky Ledges in seven fathoms 

 water, abrest of where our men was stationed." After taking off 981 skins, 

 Captain Burdick again got under way. "At 10 A.M. the wind came out ENE," 

 he records, "whether thick snow, and within fifteen minutes it Blew a tremen- 

 dous gale. Got her under close ref'd sails and Stood to the Southward and 

 Eastward on a wind. So ends with a tremendous sea and perishing cold wether." 

 The Nantucket Captain's entries are of unusual interest. Like Captain Davis, 

 when he had anything to say, he wrote a vigorous, descriptive style. His log 

 gives excellent bearings, so that his various cruisings are always easily followed. 

 For example, during the twenty-four hours when he was caught in the strong 

 gale off southwest Livingston Island, he tells us on January 20, 1821 : 



"Commences with strong gales at East with thick snow and a most 

 tremendous sea ... at 2 p.m. whore round and headed to the Northward 

 & Eastward at 4 a.m. lighted Saw President Island [Snow L] about 

 three miles on our Lee beam and Frezeland [Livingston] ahead and 

 place where we took our seals 1^ points on our wether Bow and gale 

 still increasing. Took in the mainsail whore round run between Presi- 

 dent Island and Frezeland among a parcel of Ledges and hauled round 

 between Ruged Island [and] Frezeland and anchored in 7 fathoms with 

 both anchors." 



This handling of the little shallop in such dangerous waters and running her 

 through Hell Gates is worthy of a closer examination, and the chart gives mute 

 evidence of Captain Burdick's seamanship. 



Meanwhile at Yankee Harbor, this same gale was causing much alarm. 

 Captain Davis recorded (in his log of the Huron) that his anchors were drag- 

 ging and that he put down a third but still could not hold the ship ". . . till 

 we got very near the Beach when she Brought up, not being more than a half 

 cable's Length from Shore, altho so near we had all Fathoms of water under 

 our stern. Ends moderate and Cloudy. "^^ 



The Huron's predicament was still dangerous and so all the shipmasters 

 joined with Captain Davis and his ship-keepers to get her away from the 

 Yankee Harbor's rocky shore. Captains Pendleton, Sheffield, and Dunbar, of 



[42] 



