Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Paul Cuffe, a Pequot Indian, During Thirty Years Spent at Sea, and in Travelling in Foreign LandsCuffe, Paul
History
Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Paul Cuffe, a Pequot Indian, During Thirty Years Spent at Sea, and in Travelling in Foreign Lands
Cuffe, Paul
Cuffe, Paul, 1795 or 1796-
We hoisted sail sometime in the month of August, 1814, and steered away
for Baltimore. Our ship was called the William Penn. Captain Turner. In
about eighteen days after leaving Port Royal, we made Cape Henry, on
the Virginia coast, where we found a British blockading fleet at
anchor, the commander of which ordered us to Philadelphia, to which
port we steered away, but we had the bad luck to strike upon the shoals
of Barnegat, during a thick fog that came on that afternoon, but after
three hours hard labor we got off and went on our voyage and soon made
the Delaware bay, which was also blockaded. Here we were again refused
the privilege of going into port, but were ordered to Boston, and were
told by the British officers to get out to sea within three hours or
they would fire into us. At this time we were almost out of provisions
and water. Of this we made the tyrant officers acquainted, but they
utterly refused either to furnish us with these necessaries or permit
us to enter Philadelphia. So we were again compelled to go to sea with
one day's provisions and water, and steered away for Boston. The next
day about 10 o'clock, A.M., we made Great Egg Harbor. The crew then
told the Captain that he must go ashore, for they would not stay aboard
and starve.--He said he dared not do it. They then told him that they
would give him half an hour to think of it, and if he did not then
comply that they should take the ship ashore. He however complied, and
we steered away accordingly. We were soon aground and were compelled to
throw overboard all the ballast, casks, and every thing on board;
however, after much hard struggling with the sand and waves we got over
the bar, and got as near shore as possible, where we drove stubs down
to keep the vessel. After which, we stripped her of all her rigging and
sails. The next morning we saw the shore lined with the militia of New
Jersey, who took us to be an enemy, but they soon found their mistake.
Instead of an enemy, they found us a poor set of weather-beaten,
starved fellows. Soon after this, the Custom-House officer sent down
boats and took us off, and carried us to the village that was near by,
and gave us all a good dinner; after which, we dispersed; some went to
New-York, and some to Philadelphia. This was about the middle of
September, 1814. Two hundred and seven of the crew started the next day
after we got ashore, for Philadelphia by land, which was about one
hundred and fifty miles. With this number I journeyed. We suffered much
on our journey, being destitute of money, and being compelled to beg
what little we eat on the road. At night we slept in the woods. We were
seven days in getting to the place of our destination, two of which we
eat nothing but whortleberries, which we picked by the way side. On the
third day a Friend Quaker kindly provided us with a good breakfast and
gave us money to pay our bridge fare. This man's name was John Rogers;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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