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The Diaries of Obed Macy, Nantucket Merchant and Historian
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by Edouard A. Stackpole
(continued from October, 1978)
IT IS QUICKLY apparent when reading Obed Macy's journals that, although his interests were well rounded, his business as a whaling merchant kept him constantly alert in matters relating to the sea and the progress of Nantucket's major industry. In November, 1799, he noted that the whaleship Hector, which had sailed in 1797, had returned from a successful voyage under Captain Benjamin Worth "from the Coast of Peru". A few days later the ship Trial, under Captain Simeon Starbuck, arrived from the Pacific "full of oil", having also been gone two years. Concern was expressed for the ship Hope, Captain Giles.
On November 25, 1799, Macy wrote:
"A long spell of moderate weather about this time. We have had but very little frost, and no snow, which is much in favor of the whole Inhabitation, but more especially to the poor who would hardly be able to get their wood & provisions was it otherwise. Wood is $5.50 per cord; Flour $11."
The first snow of the winter season fell on November 30, when he noted: "Cold, blustery weather, with squalls of hail and snow." On December 3, a vessel bound for Baltimore from Boston struck on Tuckernuck Shoal, lost her rudder, one anchor and cable, and driven by a northwest wind came over the bar and went ashore in the Chord of the Bay. "On the last account the vessel has not bilged and the cargo is being taken out," he observed.
On December 10, Obed Macy sailed for Bedford to attend the Quarterly Meeting of the Society of Friends, leaving at 11 o'clock in the evening and arriving at Bedford at 7 o'clock the next morning. Four days later, he started home, but when the packet came in sight of Woods Hole, the wind came around dead ahead and they were forced to return. The passage took from 9 o'clock in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. On December 15th, the next morning, the packet sailed at 6 in the morning, and after a fine passage, "the weather more like summer than winter, we arrived home between 2 and 3 in the afternoon."
The whaleship H o p e , Captain David Giles, for the safety of which many were concerned, finally arrived from her "long and tedious voyage to the Pacific Ocean, having been looked for for many months." Some of the adventures of Captain Giles and his crew were described by Obed Macy in a few terse sentences:
"Dec. 14. . .The reason for their not coming in season was they left the Coast (Peru) at the time they were supposed to get off with the Cape (Horn) and met the Ice. Their rudder proved Bad and the ship Leaky, so they put back and went into a harbour called Coqimbo and there repaired & then proceeded again to come home, which throughContrary winds & Calms took them 7 months. When off with the Cape Seth Hussey fell from aloft and lost his life by the fall. One black Man died from illness."
On the first day of the new year, 1800, Obed Macy recorded the death of a friend and a relative of his wife, Abigail. He wrote:
'Paul Pinkham died at Great Point. He had the care of lighting the lamps in the Lighthouse for many years past. . .brought to town. (Jan. 3.) Was buried today."
Captain Paul Pinkham was the first Keeper of Great Point Light, from the time the first tower was erected on what was also called "Sandy Point". In 1791 he completed his famous chart of Nantucket, showing the dangerous shoals which surrounded it, and with reference to his observations as well from the lighthouse tower.
In commenting on the mildness of the season, on January 17th, Obed Macy noted: "The Winter thus far is very moderate, more so than has been known within the limits of my memory. Not one snow storm, neither the harbor nor the docks has been frozen." A week later, the scene changed and he described a northeast blizzard which covered the ground with snow to a depth of several inches. The following day was recorded as clear and "the coldest of the season".
As has been the case with Nantucket winters, on January 28 one of the great storms of the season broke, with the wind from the north, bringing 2 inches of snow on the level and, "in many places high drifts to the top of the fences. . .The sleighs driving through the streets — 15 or 20 at the same time . The cold continued, with ice making from the harbor out to the bar, and "the horses and sheep appear to be in a suffering condition".
THE DIARIES OF OBED MACY
On January 30, 1800, he recorded:
February was a stormy month, with gales and snowstorms. The Diary also mentioned the arrival of Captain Benjamin Barnard, who had completed a voyage from London to New York, bringing home James Fosdick who was free from "his apprenticeship with us on the 6th of 11 month, last year". The custom of taking on apprentices was quite common on Nantucket, and early in March, it was duly noted: "Freeman Keen began to work for us at $8.50 per month, as per agreement; he is to work till the beginning of next winter, and in the above bargain he is to have one pair of shoes."
On March 9, 1800, Captain Benjamin Paddack arrived at (New) Bedford in the Maria, one of William Rotch's famous whaleships, and probably his favorite. This was the fourth voyage in five years that Captain Paddack had made in the Maria around Cape Horn, "and he now thinks of quitting the sea and going into the country".
The dangers of travel by sea to the mainland in those days by packet was contained in a brief paragraph; the date being March 15, 1800:
The ship R u b y , with Andrew Myrick as master, arrived home from '"round Cape Horn", with 1000 bbls. of sperm and 50 bbls. of whale oil. The ship had sailed for the Pacific in November, 1798, and sailed again in July of 1800 for her second voyage under Captain Myrick. During her long and successful career, the Ruby made twelve voyages—from 1793 to 1822, when she was condemned at Oahu, in the Hawaiian Islands.
Deaths of Nantucket mariners in foreign ports, or on the way home from voyages, were carefully noted byObed Macy:"Richard Bunker died at Guadaloupe; Stephen Kidder died on his passage from the West Indies with the smallpox; Nathaniel Folger died on his passage from the West Indies; Zebulon Morselander died in Havannah; Obed Morselander died at Baltimore; Tristram Pinkham, son of Tristram, died of the small pox at Liverpool."
22 HISTORIC NANTUCKET
Although the life of the Island revolved around the whaling industry, an event of unusual circumstance occurred on April 10, 1800. Captain Amaziah Gardner sighted a whale off Nantucket bar and killed it. Obed Macy described it as a "scrag", and that Captain Gardner brought it into the harbor. His account continued:
"It was so great a Novelty that they rolled her up on the Cross Wharf, in order that the spectators might have a full opportunity of viewing her, which was done by the greater part of the Inhabitants, both Men, Women and Children. She made 16 bbls. In the evening James Brown brought in another one of the same kind, with her flukes on, which still adds to the curiosity. She made 31 bbls."
It was quite evident that Obed Macy enjoyed the farm which he had purchased at Polpis, and where he had erected a farmhouse and large barn. There are frequent references to it throughout the Diary, for example: "Planted some corn, beans, squash, etc., at Polpis. The season now comes forward apace — it appears likely to be a good crop of hay. . . Washed sheep to the eastward, and afterwards went on to Pocomo and sowed French turnips. . .Moved to Polpis to the new house with my family to reside for a while. . .the cool sereneness of the air gives life and vigour to the spirits."
On July 3, 1800, Captain Simeon Long, in the whaleship Rebecca, arrived from the Brazil Banks with a full cargo of oil. He brought sad news, however, of the ship Industry, which had sailed at the same time under Captain Elisha Hedge. While being towed by a whale, Captain Hedge became caught in a bight of the line and pulled out of the boat, together with John Coffin, son of John, who was whipped overboard in the same line. Both men were drowned in the accident.
Two other whaleships arrived home on July 17; the Mary Ann, Captain Tristram Folger, returning from the Pacific Ocean; and the ship William, Captain Eber Coffin, from the Brazil Banks in the South Atlantic Ocean.
In July, also, Obed Macy recorded the purchase of 20 ewes and 19 lambs, which Abishai Lumbert brought from the Vineyard, at a cost of 13 shillings per pair; also "a yearling steer, large for its age, a brindle, and one yearling heifer, red all over, a smart, likely creature, price $16. . .drove the whole up through Quaise and turned them into the middle pasture."
The Island was experiencing a severe drought in July, and Macy noted:
THE DIARIES OF OBEDMACY
"The weather still dry. No rain since the 20th of last month (June). . .Strong westerly winds yesterday and today and a hot sun. 1 he dust flies in the streets like a snow storm. Many people sickly with a relax, especially the children. The upland grass is parched; the cows and other creatures are much pinched. The corn now begins to wither; the oats and other grains are dyeing in the milk."
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But nature came to the rescue with showers on August 2 to the 9th, and the Diary reported: "The late rain has livened up the corn, so now it appears likely there will be about half the usual crop, perhaps 8 bushels to the acre. . .The grass has grown remarkably since the rain; the earth that was a brown color before the rain is now of a lively green."
(to be continued.)
