Part 1
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Transcriber’s note:
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A carat character is used to denote superscription. One or more characters following the carat is/are superscripted (examples: M^R, 13^th, M^cKenzie).
NARRATIVE, &c. &c.
On the 14th day of _May_, 1814, Captain _Campbell_ received orders to repair, without delay, to _Hoseley Bay_, on the coast of _Suffolk_; and there to wait for his final directions from the Admiralty.
The _Rosamond_, at this time, had been lying about a fortnight at _Spithead_, perfectly ready for sea; and it was conjectured that _America_ would have been the place of her destination: of course, many among us were big with the hopes of fame, and many with the expectation of fortune. When the above-mentioned orders arrived, however, all chance of our proceeding to the seat of war appeared at an end: yet we consoled ourselves with the reflection, that we should doubtless be employed on the coast of _Norway_; as the whole of that kingdom had been declared in a state of blockade, in consequence of the _Norwegians_ refusing to accede to the Treaty of _Keil_, by which their country was to be annexed for ever to the dominion of _Sweden_. Accordingly, we sailed from _Spithead_.
May _15th_.—We had light winds all this day. As we passed out of _Spithead_, through _St. Helen’s_, we observed His Majesty’s ship _Adamant_, and an _East-India_ ship, going in. About nine in the evening: we passed close to the _Owers Light_.
May _16th_.—In the forenoon, fine calm weather, we came to an anchor in sight of _Brighton_, to wait the change of tide: saw His Majesty’s ship _Hope_ at anchor in the _Roads_. In the afternoon, got under weigh: observed His Majesty’s brig _Tigress_ standing down _Channel_. Towards nightfall, we weathered the promontory of _Beachy Head_, and passed in view of _Hastings_, where the famous battle was fought between _King Harold_ and _William the Conqueror_.
May _17th_.—At two in the morning, anchored in sight of _Dungeness_ Light-house. At seven A.M. weighed, with a foul wind, and beat towards the _South Foreland_. Came in sight of the coast of _France_: observed a large pillar, or monument, on the hills above _Boulogne_, said to have been erected by _Buonaparte_. In the afternoon, anchored off the town of _Folkestone_. Towards evening, weighed again; and, after night-fall, anchored in _Dover Roads_.
May _18th_.—In the morning we had a fine view of _Dover Castle_, the majestic _South Foreland_, &c. Got under weigh, and stood across the _Channel_;—observed many vessels passing between _France_ and _England_. Saw the spires of _Calais_. Beat up at the back of the _Goodwin Sands_;—observed a three-decked ship in the _Downs_, hoisting the flag of his Royal Highness the _Duke of Clarence_, under a general salute of cannon from all the shipping. Towards evening, anchored in sight of _Margate_; but after night-fall, got under weigh again.
May _19th_.—In the morning, anchored again, near a shoal called the _Galloper_. In the forenoon, weighed. Towards evening, passed _Orford-Ness_ Light-houses, and anchored in _Hoseley Bay_. An officer was immediately sent on shore, to bring on board the final orders. The boat was nearly overturned in landing, in consequence of the heavy surf on all parts of this coast: however, the officer returned about midnight, and delivered the orders to the Captain. Nothing could exceed the consternation and astonishment of every person on board, to find we were directed to proceed, almost immediately, for _Hudson’s Bay_!—Had we been ordered to the _North Pole_, there could not have been more long faces among us. Down fell, at once, all the _aërial castles_ which we had been so long building; and nothing remained, but the dismal prospect of a tedious voyage, amidst icy seas, and shores covered with eternal snows.
May _20th_.—A boat was this day despatched to _Harwich_, from which place we were about ten miles distant, to get on board what few naval stores were wanted to complete us for the voyage. _Harwich_ is a small town, with narrow streets, not paved: there are some pleasant walks in the environs. The harbour is a good one, with sufficient depth of water for a frigate. The place is well fortified towards the sea, and has a small naval arsenal. A guard-ship is generally stationed at this port, during war.
May _21st_.—In the morning, His Majesty’s ship _Unicorn_ passed us, under an immense press of sail, with a Royal standard flying at her mast-head, which we saluted with twenty-one guns.
May _22d_.—Towards the evening of this day, our Captain received orders to proceed to the _Nore_, in order to procure pilots to conduct the ship safe to the _Orkneys_. We had also another motive in visiting the _Nore_ at this time, which I may, perhaps, be excused relating, although it have no immediate connexion with the voyage that we were about to undertake. Previous to our sailing from _Spithead_, a shipwright belonging to the dock-yard had been accidentally killed, by our having fired a signal-gun without taking out the shot. Unfortunately, the poor man’s wife, at the moment of his death, was pregnant of her tenth child. A subscription was instantly opened for her, on board our ship, and £.60 was the next day paid into her hands. I have since been informed, that the different ships at _Spithead_ followed our example, as did also the workmen of the Dock-yard; and a handsome sum was collected in the whole. No blame could be attributed to any person; but, to prevent the possibility of such an imputation, it was thought necessary that the gunner should be tried by a court-martial; and it was to assemble this court, that we were now ordered to proceed to the _Nore_[4].
May _23d_.—In the morning, we weighed, with a strong breeze in our favour; and at noon anchored at the _Great Nore_;—observed a _Russian_ Vice-admiral, with a squadron belonging to that nation, at anchor there also. We remained at this place, waiting the arrival of the _Hudson’s-Bay_ traders, until the 30th; when the two ships arrived; accompanied by a brig belonging to the _Moravian Missionary Society_, bound for the coast of _Labrador_, whither she was to proceed under our protection, or at least as far as our courses lay together. It is a rule with the _Hudson’s-Bay Company_, to make their ships always _break ground_ on the 29th of _May_; although, sometimes, they do not leave the river _Thames_ before _June_. The same day on which the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships arrived at the _Nore_, we were joined by a new Captain (_Stopford_); our former one (_Campbell_) not wishing, for many reasons, to go the voyage. His loss was most sincerely regretted by all of us: however, our new Commander proved himself, during the whole time we sailed together, to be one of the most exemplary captains in His Majesty’s navy. We continued getting our stores on board until—
June _4th_.—Early this day, we weighed anchor. Being the birth-day of our venerable King, all the _English_ and _Russian_ ships of war were dressed with flags, and made a very gay appearance.
June _5th_.—We anchored twice this day, to wait the change of tide: at first, off the _Gunfleet Sand_; and towards evening we brought up, off _Harwich_.
June _6th_.—In the morning, weighed, and beat up into _Hoseley Bay_;—found lying there His Majesty’s ship _Bristol_. Towards evening, sent the purser on shore, to procure fresh beef.
June _7th_.—The boat returned in the morning, with the purser in sad distress; eight men having deserted from the boat, from an antipathy to the voyage.
June _8th_.—A party of soldiers, and an officer, were sent to look for the deserters; but in the evening they returned, unsuccessful.
June _9th_.—In the afternoon, weighed with our convoy, and beat towards _Yarmouth_. In the evening, anchored off _Aldborough_.
June _10th_.—In the morning, we again weighed. At noon, anchored at _Yarmouth_; and sent a boat on shore, to procure beef and vegetables for the ship’s company; as this was the last place we touched at, in _England_. _Yarmouth_ is a large straggling place; consisting of one or two good streets, and many narrow lanes; with open spaces here and there, like squares. The church has a most beautiful spire. The town does not contain any magnificent buildings: here is, however, a very fine market-place; and an agreeable promenade, under the shade of two rows of trees, running along the quay on the banks of the river _Wensum_, on the N. W. side of the town. All the soil around the town is barren; which accounts for the waste of room in the buildings, as land is of little or no value. I know not any place in _Great Britain_ which has finer bathing conveniences. In the evening, we again weighed; and at night-fall passed by _Haseborough_ and _Cromer_ Light-houses.
June _11th_.—In the morning, we saw the _Spurn_ Light-house; and towards noon, we passed by _Flamborough Head_, in _Yorkshire_. Towards evening, we had a fine view of _Scarborough_.
June _12th_.—A beautiful day, running with a fair wind and smooth sea. In the evening, saw the blue tops of the _Cheviot Hills_.
June _13th_.—A fine fair breeze. Towards noon, passed the _Buchan Ness_, and had a good view of _Peterhead_. Towards evening the wind increased to a gale;—hove-to, until morning.
June _14th_.—In the morning, passed the _Pentland Frith_, in which the tide is like a whirlpool; and, after having run by _Long-Hope_ Harbour, we anchored at _Stromness_, in the Island of _Pomona_, the principal of the _Orkneys_; immediately opposite to which is the _Isle of Hoy_, having on it a remarkable high mountain, in shape very like the Rock of _Gibraltar_. Immediately on our arrival, the two _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships fired seven guns each, to give notice to the inhabitants of their arrival. The visits of the _North-west men_, as the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships are denominated, creates a sort of annual mart, or fair, in the _Orkneys_; as it is from hence that they derive all the necessary supplies of poultry, beef, vegetables, and even men, to fit them for so long a voyage:—consequently, the _Orkney_ people listen with anxiety for this salute of cannon, which announces the arrival of the N. W. ships; as almost every person in the island is, in some way or other, interested in their coming.
June _15th_.—We were employed in watering the ship; and found it difficult to procure a sufficient quantity, owing to a great drought which had lately prevailed.
The town of Stromness is an irregular assemblage of dirty huts, with here and there a decent house. There is scarcely any thing deserving the name of a street in the place, although it is said to contain a population of two thousand souls. A few years ago it did not contain above one third of that number. The harbour is small, but very secure: it is defended from the sea by an island called _The Holmes_; and there is a good summer roadstead outside the island, called the _Back of the Holmes_. Firewood cannot be procured in the _Orkneys_, where there are no trees; but _Newcastle_ coal is always remarkably cheap. About six miles from _Stromness_ is a large lake, called _Stonehouse Loch_, in consequence of some high flat stones which stand by the side of it, something similar in appearance to _Stonehenge_, on _Salisbury Plain_: they bear no inscription, and seem to have been set on their ends in the same state as when taken from the quarry[5]:—the view given of them in _Barrie’s_ Description of the _Orkney Islands_ is perfectly correct. The quantities of grouse, partridge, plover, snipe, &c. in the _Orkneys_, is astonishing: neither foxes nor hares are to be found; but rabbits are very numerous. There are some spots of good land in the valleys; but in such a bad state of cultivation, from idleness and want of manure, that at least five weeds are produced to one blade of corn. Wheat is not grown in any of the islands; the produce consisting, principally, in barley and oats. But the chief export of the _Orkneys_ is kelp, ashes obtained by the burning of sea-weed[6], with which all the shores abound: this proves a most valuable acquisition to those gentlemen whose estates border on the sea; as it sells, on an average, at £.11 a ton; and is collected, at low water, without much difficulty. The kelp estates produce triennial harvests; and when this commodity is gathered, it is sent either to _Newcastle_, to _Dumbarton_, or to _Leith_; great quantities being required for the use of the glass-houses established in those towns. The number of tame geese reared in these islands is really surprising: they wander about the barren hills in flocks, like sheep; and the owners give themselves little or no trouble about them, until they are wanted for sale, or for their own consumption.
June _16th_.—I accompanied some of the officers on a shooting party. This circumstance is merely mentioned to introduce a description of the farm-houses; as we visited many of them during our excursion. The delineation of _one_ will answer for _all_: and surely there never was a scene better fitted for the pencil of a _Morland_! In one corner stood a calf; in another, a sheep and its lambkin; in the next, walled in with loose stones, a piece of sail-cloth served as a bed for the family; and the fourth corner, as also the sides and roof of the building, were garnished with decayed farming implements. The centre of the habitation was occupied by a turf fire, before which some oaten cakes were roasting; and, in the middle of the roof, a large square hole was cut, to allow the smoke to escape. By the side of the fire, in a large and remarkably high rush chair, sat an old woman, with a spinning-wheel before her, endeavouring to still the cries of a very dirty infant that lay in her lap. There was also another apartment to the hut, for the accommodation of the cows, of which they had a considerable number. The two rooms were not even divided by a door from each other, and the bare earth was the only flooring of either.
During this day we were still employed in getting water on board, although it is rather difficult to be procured.
June _17th_.—Our carpenters were busily employed in affixing ring-bolts to the rudder; from which strong iron chains were brought in at the quarter ports of the ship, in order to secure the rudder against the shocks of the drift ice; as we were well aware that we should have to force our way through large quantities of it, in passing _Hudson’s Straits_: and we afterwards found this to have been a most necessary precaution. We likewise borrowed from the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships the necessary store of ice-anchors, ice-axes, and ice-poles; neither of those articles having been supplied by the Admiralty, probably from not knowing that they would be requisite.
June _18th_.—During the whole of the time that we remained at _Orkney_ after this day, we were busily employed in getting all kinds of necessaries on board.
June _29th_.—We sailed from _Orkney_, at 8 A.M. with the two _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships, and the _Moravian_ Missionary brig, in company. Towards evening it blew a fresh breeze, and the wind veered round against us. At sunset we had a distant view of the _Caithness Hills_ and the _Isle of Shetland_.
June _30th_.—There being a very heavy sea, with rain at times, during this day, we did not perceive any alteration in the climate. The wind still proving foul, we continued to stand to the northward. In the evening, after some very violent squalls and heavy showers of rain, the wind suddenly veered to the N. W. and reduced us to close-reefed topsails, blowing very hard. During the night we stood to the S. W.