DEPOSITION OF THEODORE JEROME. 225 



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[Deposition above referred to.^ 



" ' Theodore Jerome, being sworn, said : I am a 

 seaman, and belonged to barque Pacific, of New Bed- 

 ford ; Sherman, master. The barque Pacific belonged 

 to Swift & Perry, of New Bedford. She was a whaler, 

 of three hundred and fifty tons burden. She left New 

 Bedford last June was a twelvemonth. The last port 

 we left was Bunbury, in New Holland. We put in 

 there for supplies, and left in January last. The 

 vessel leaked considerably when we left New Bed- 

 ford, but in Bunbury she was caulked. 



" ' We made the coast of New Zealand early in 

 Tebruary last. We were whaling oflT the coast. 

 Shortly after making the coast of New Zealand we 

 experienced several gales of wind, which, according 

 to the captain's opinion, increased the leakage con- 

 si derabl}'. 



" < On the night of the 21st of May the leakage in- 

 creased considerably, and the pumps were kept con- 

 stantly going till near midnight. The carpenter 

 reported the condition of the vessel to be dangerous, 

 and the captain thought it advisable to abandon her. 

 He called all hands aft, and stated the condition of 

 the vessel to them, and advised them to be orderly, 

 and to get in their respective boats without confusion. 

 He turned to Mr. Hood, the chief officer, and told 

 him to put the vessel before the wind, to make it 

 easier for the boats to get away from the ship's side. 

 The captain ordered Mr. Allen to clear away the 

 bow-boat, and lower her; at the same time a heavy 

 sea pooped the ship, and swept her fore and aft. 

 The vessel was by this time settling by the stern. 



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