CHARLES HASTINGS KMZABETH KIN At’ AND HELEN <KY MODR JUDD IN 1856 
Jarvis Island, Oct. 30th, 1858 
My dear Mother, 
I have to acknowledge your letters per Jo¬ 
sephine and “Mary Robinson/' and wish I had 
more time than I have to answer them. 
\ . 1 . 
The Josephine found me alone, but in good 
health, having had time,to complete my stone 
pier, and was as I thought quite ready for clip¬ 
pers, but alas! yesterday there was a heavy 
swell set in the boat entrance which swept com¬ 
pletely over my pier, carrying away plank and 
stones. I was obliged to discontinue loading the 
Josephine, and haul up my boats. In the after¬ 
noon the M. R. arrived. I boarded her with 
Capt. Stone and sent my boat with a hauser to 
make fast to the buoy and run to the ship when 
she came up. The ship got to leeward and could 
not fetch before dark, and we were obliged to 
remain on board all night. I was not at all sea¬ 
sick, and Capt. Harding insisted upon my oc¬ 
cupying his room, which was very comfortable. 
This morning we were in sight of the Island and 
before ten oclock were shackled safely to the 
moorings. Quite a relief to my mind. But when 
I came on shore through a heavy surf, I found 
that the plank to my wharf had all been swept 
away, the boys had been up nearly all night try¬ 
ing to save it, and had saved some plank, but 
the walls are washed away and but a wreck of 
