AN EARLY VOYAGE BEYOND THE CAPE OF 

 GOOD HOPE. 



"THERE WAS A SHIP QUOTH HE." 



Yet in this case not a myth, but a veritable ship, 

 henceforth to be recorded among many others whose 

 names are an honor to Salem. 



This ship was one * of the first to sail from an Ameri- 

 can Port for commercial pm'poses to the Indian Ocean. 



For an authentic account of this voyage we are in- 

 debted to Mr. Jonathan Tucker of Salem, whose grand- 

 father was master of, and whose father was one of the 

 crew of the vessel. Family traditions, confirmed by the 

 ship's papers left by his grandfether, had amply qualified 

 him to give the narrative to which we listened. 



About the close of the year 1786, what was then 

 considered an adventurous voyage, around and beyond 

 the Cape of Good Hope Avas projected by Elias Hasket 

 Derby, Esq. For a vessel he took a Bark of 240 tons 

 burden. She had been captured from the British during 

 the revolutionary war at a time when she had on board a 

 company of Light Horse troops, therefore, when subse- 

 quently purchased by Mr. Derby he named her "Light 

 Horse." 



For captain, it was not uuuatural that he should select 

 Capt. John Tucker of Salem. He had been a successful 

 commander of privateers, and had as tradition says, cap- 



* The first vessel to leave an Americau port for the extreme east 

 was the ship "Grand Turk," Ebenezer West, Master. She cleared from 

 Salem for Canton in January 3, 178G, but her voyage was not a declared 

 success, until four months after the commencement of the voyage liere 

 recorded. 



