Jack in the Forecastle; or, Incidents in the Early Life of Hawser MartingaleSleeper, John Sherburne
General
Jack in the Forecastle; or, Incidents in the Early Life of Hawser Martingale
Sleeper, John Sherburne
Seafaring life
I felt myself included in the list of aliens, and in spite of the
remonstrances of friends, who insisted that the proclamation did
not apply to me, I determined to comply with its directions, and go
immediately to St. George. Accompanied by a gentleman who was connected
with the government, and to whom I had a letter of introduction, I
called upon his excellency. The governor was a thick-set, ruddy-faced
man, with a decidedly military air, of simple habits and courteous
manners. He received me with great politeness. On being informed that
I was an American, he waived all desire for an explanation in regard
to the cause of my residence in the island; and further remarked, that
should it at any time be in his power to render me service, it would
give him pleasure to do it.
When peace was established between the two countries it was expected the
ports in the English islands would be thrown open for trade, as before
the war. In this expectation the planters were disappointed. In order to
protect the trade in the British American provinces, the importation of
produce in American bottoms was prohibited. Consequently there was no
direct communication between English ports in the West Indies and ports
in the United States. Our vessels landed and sold their cargoes in
St. Thomas, St. Bartholomew, or some other free port, where they were
shipped in English bottoms, and thence conveyed to the English islands.
There being no opportunity to go directly to the United States from
Grenada, I sought the means of proceeding to some other port, where I
should be likely to fall in with an American vessel. I called on Mr.
Budge, a merchant of St. George, with whom I had some acquaintance, to
make inquiries. He informed me he was on the point of chartering a small
vessel in which to proceed to St. Pierre in Martinico, should sail in
the course of a few weeks, and would cheerfully give me a passage to
that port.
I returned to the interior of the island in fine spirits, and commenced
making the necessary arrangements for my departure. In due time, having
received information from Mr. Budge that his sloop would sail on a
certain day, I took leave of my numerous friends, bade farewell to the
plantations; to the lonely glens and deep gorges in the mountains,
which for me, had many charms, and took the "Grand Etang" route for
the capital. I could not bid adieu to my kind Scotch friends without
emotion. Several of them expressed an intention to visit the United
States before the lapse of many years, perhaps to settle there for life,
and promised to look me up. But I have never seen them since. With
the sight of a Scotchman, however, is associated many pleasing
recollections; and a Scotch accent has ever sounded grateful in my ear
since I left the shores of Grenada.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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