BETSY COVE. 
65 
The first ooject which caught the eye on looking over the ship’s side was impressive, 
if not startling. It was a graveyard studded with wooden monuments. On subsequent 
inspection these turned out to have been erected by whalers in memory of comrades, some 
of whom seemed to have been buried on the spot, others having perished at sea while 
876543 
GRAVES IN BETSY COVE. 
engaged in their dangerous work. Nothing is more touching than to come thus, in some 
deserted island, upon the last traces of men who have found a lonely grave far from home 
and kindred. The wooden tablets bear the following inscriptions :— 
1. In memory of Francisco Oliver, died July 29, 1851, aged 50 years. Bark Alert. 
2. In memory of John Murray, who died on board the ship “Julius Caesar, of New London, Feb. 4, 
1851. Aged 35 years. 
3. In memory of Peter Taff, who died December, 1850, aged 22. S.P. “Julius Caesar, W.L., E.M., M.S.R. 
4. In memory of Nathaniel More, an American, who died March 23rd, 1850. JE. 50. 
Henry Hewet, George Dobson, who were drowned while fastened to a whale. 
5. Mark Simons, died on board “Corinthian,” December, 1852. 32 years. 
6. In memory of John Batise de Sant, who died on board bark “ Hannah Brewster, Sept. 25, 1853. 
JE. 21 years 3 m. 
7. In memory of W. Mackey, late of Blaurens, who departed this life July 19/56. Aged 26 years. 
8. In memory of James Skinner, 2d mate of Bk. “ Dove,” who was drowned off Desolation Island, March 
29, i860, while fast to a whale. JE. 21 years. Also John Leonard and Joseph Pena, seamen, lost 
at same time. 
9. 10, and 11 have no inscriptions. 
It is a custom honourable to “ Jack’s ” good feelings—never more conspicuous than in 
the hour of difficulty or danger—to repair and replace, when opportunity serves, monuments 
which may have become dilapidated in the lapse of time. The bottle tied to memorial 
No. 7 contains a record of the visit of the “Challengers men. 
The hills and valleys around Betsy Cove were soon in possession of our surveyors and 
naturalists, our sportsmen meanwhile making good bags of wild-fowl. Amongst the latter a 
kind of wild duck, the flesh of which tastes somewhat like that of widgeon, was killed in 
great numbers, and proved a very acceptable addition to our bill of fare. It is said to feed 
