Simon's Bay - Cape of Good Hope,
July 26th, 1835
Brother Thomas,
I wrote to father a few days after my
arrival here in hope it might reach home
sooner than this, but you may possibly receive both together -
Since I wrote that letter we have had some difficulty with our
crew - I shall try and give a hasty sketch of the affair -
You must know that our Cargo consists of Rum, Brandy, Gin, tobacco
soap, candles, flour, cigars, Starch &c. We sold all our
tobacco and candles and in breaking out for them we were obliged
to move a great number of casks of liquor - The men in the hold
got at some of the spirits unbeknownst to me but I mistrusted as
much and mentioned it to Capt S. - but he said he did
not think they would trouble it, and selected the men to be
put in the hold, but in the after part of the day I found they
had been drinking and having no no. 2 officer knew of no way
to prevent it, the Capt being on shore I could not leave the deck -
one man by the name of Peter a little in liquor gave me some
insolence, but as the Cap. was on shore I thought proper to
pass over but told him to go below and turn in -
On Capt. Sumner coming from on shore, was informed of the
affair & he ordered said Peter to his work to which he promptly
refused - Capt S. then took a small piece of rope with
the intention of coercing him to his duty - when a man
by the name of Bill armed with a piece of a wood seizes Capt S.
by the collar and menacing his billet of wood, while the
above mentioned Peter attempting to strike him on my offering
to rescue Capt. Sumner was seized by 3 others and held so fast
that I could render him no assistance on Capt S. extricating
himself, took 2 boys in the boat and went for assistance from the
Police - In his absence they conducted in a very disorderly &
mutinous manner; they consulted whether they should seize
me and flog me but the majority were against it. If they
had attempted to seize me the 2nd time I should have
defended myself with a cutlass for on being released
I ran into the cabin and got a cutlass out ready for use if
necessary; there being no pistols ready loaded
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Capt Sumner came on board with 2 Police officers armed
with pistols when there was a general combination to resist
them, so that we were obliged to send to an English ship of
War (that was at anchor close by) for soldiers to take them to
jail - The five were tried a few days since by the Police
Court and condemned to 14 days solitary imprisonment
and only ½ Rice and Water in proportion per day -
Since the above affray we have shipped five other men
in their place and expect to go to sea on the 28th Instant
for new South Wales - There were 4 of the Crew
silent spectators of the scene- but the other five took
an active part in the business - they all call themselves
Englishmen and have conducted in a very obedient
and orderly manner during the whole passage out with
the exception of one man and this one is the only one
I have flogged or has occasion to say anything amiss
I think Capt Sumner has been too easy with the men - for it
you are not strict with a sailor he will raise his hand against
you - they have all most always been used to it and if they
meet with good treatment they are spoiled while they are
under your command. I have found by experience that thee
only way to get along with a salior is to keep a tight hand with him.
When I was making the arguement with Capt. Sumner in Boston,
about going with him, he said he expected me to never
strike a man or give any bad language to them. I
told him that, that would be something I had not been
used to for if a sailor gave me insolence I punished
him for it but he said he should always know it first -
Capt Sumner has not struck a man nor ever used any bad language -
He is exactly what he calls himself a man of reason -
But he is now partly of my opinion - that it is necessary
to be quite sever with sailors for he now says - if they
dont do their duty - make them - I like Capt Sumner
very well and I fancy I enjoy his confidence - For these
four or five days past he has been at Cape town - he came
down a few hours to day and has returned leaving orders for
me to have the ship ready for sea on the 28th Inst -
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I shall finish and send a letter to Charles with this -
but shall send it single so that it may go right on from Boston
or New York or where ever the vessel arrives that will carry this --
I should like to hear from home when I get to Sydney but I
know of no way for you to send a letter unless you can find
a very deep hole and then put a small piece of lead to your
letter and drop it in, it may possibly find its way through to
me. I shall very likely sail directly over the
good old town of Rye and shall when about opposite to it -
seal a letter in a bottle & throw it overboard to the
winds and waves - it may find a shortcut through the
earth and be picked up on your shores - so you had
better have a lookout kept about the last of September
or the first of October, that will about the time
I shall throw it overboard with a very [Part of letter missing]
to it perhaps it may not have more [Part of letter missing]
though if it goes as fast all the way as [Part of letter missing]
overboard -- I have enjoyed the best of [Part of letter missing]
and trust I shall return so it will be a very [Part of letter missing]
voyage. We shall in running down for New Hampshire[?] [Part of letter missing]
keep upin the latitude 40 or 45 South for the [Part of letter missing]
stronger and more steady than in latitude [Part of letter missing]
We are almost certain of westerly winds most all the way
and expect to have about 50 to 60 days passage to
Sydney. I shall write again when I reach there
but it will be doubtful wether you will ever
receive it - or not so you need not expect to hear
from me very often and perhaps not for
12 to 15 months to come in which time I am in
hope to be at home. I hope all the
folks are well. I persume Emily has entirely
recovered and is over the old mansion house
the last accounts of John were that he was
preaching with success - Abby must be
sent to the Academy if she has not been. I suppose
Father has sent Warren to study Phisc[?] already -
Thomas Ira must be sent to the academy soon for I suppose you
resign him for a trader. Tell Eliza that I shall not be
home next year time enough to partake of her nice mince
pies. Remember me to all my old friends and acquaintances.
Perhaps it will be a long time before you hear from me again
your Brother Forever. William Parsons
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I believe I am very well provided with regard to clothing. Some of the passages may be quite long
before I arrive home but I shall get every thing washed up in every Port that I leave. If we
return by way of Cape Horn more especially. Tell Mother she thinks ten times as much about Charles
as he does about himself. She makes herself unhappy when her children are enjoying all the comforts of life