Iris, North America and Uncle
Toby
Saturday,
November 3, 1798, the Iris logbook states that “the Before Menchined Ships [the
North America and the Uncle Toby, are] in Company. It also mentions seeing the
Saddle Mountains and Cape Tebroor which appear to be Haitian landmarks.[1]
Sunday, November
4, 1798, the Iris logbook states “the Before Menchined Ships In Company…At 6
Saw the Land the S. E. End of Jam[a]ica Bore S.W.B.W. Distand 5 Legues:-- At 11
In top sails The Ship Uncle Toby Some Distance astaren”.
On November 4th
or 5th, but perhaps even as late at the 7th, 1798,[2] the
Uncle Toby, the North America and the Iris landed in Port Royal, Jamaica. The
Iris arrived with 414 slaves.[3]
Port Royal was located at the end of the Palisadoes sand spit at the mouth of
Kingston Harbor.[4] About
the same time, the Kitty, carrying 472 slaves from Calabar, also arrived. They
were the first British slave ships to arrive in Jamaica in over two months.[5]
Iris
Shortly after
arrival, Petter Petters of the Iris, also referred to as Peter Peters (32) ran.[6]
Iris, North America and Uncle
Toby
On November 7th,
Captain George Cannon of the Iris, Captain William Burke of the North America
and John Hill, a mariner on the Uncle Toby, visited the Court of Vice Admiralty
for Jamaica in the town of St. Jago de la Vega, also called Santiago de la
Vega, which is the capital of Jamaica.[7] John
Fraser, Commissioner of the Court, met with each of them. From Captain Cannon he
received: (a) 13 documents relating to the ship North America and its cargo and
a sworn statement that Cannon received the documents from Alexander Lindo, who
received them from a merchant in Kingston; and (b) information relating to the
Uncle Toby, including papers, writings and documents marked and numbered from 1
to 27, as well as three books marked A, B and C, and a sworn statement that
Cannon received the documents from the master and commissioners after their
arrival in Kingston. From each of Captain Burke and John Hill, Fraser took
sworn statements detailing information about their respective ship cargoes and the
circumstances surrounding the capture (or re-capture) of their ships.
Iris
On November 7,
1798, Charles Gelling (5) of the Iris was impressed. He was the fourth ranked
crewman on the Iris at the time.
North America and Iris
On November 8, 1798,
Theady McCarthy, the supercargo of the North America appeared before
Commissioner Fraser and made a detailed sworn statement about the capture, the
ship, the cargo and the owner of the cargo. Also, the following crewmen of the
Iris were impressed: George Kirkim (9), Patrick McVay (12), Barny Collins (14),
John Stimson (15), James Lanham (16), William Layton (18), William Gray (19),
Matthias Richardson, also referred to as Mathias Richardson (22), Antony Joseph
(25), James Savens (27), George Ledwith (28), Patrick Graham (31), John
Backhouse (34), Duncan McGloughlin (36) and John Sanith (37). The date must be an approximate date, or
perhaps the impressments happened over a number of days, as Lahnham, Gray and
Richardson all signed the Agency Agreement the next day on board the Iris.
Iris, North America and Uncle
Toby
One of the more
interesting documents that has been found was prepared by John Whitehorne
Lovesy on November 9, 1798. Lovesy went aboard the Iris at Kingston and got a
statement, that will be referred to as the “Agency Agreement,” signed by the entire crew of the Iris. Part of
the Agency Agreement is missing, but it appears that George Cannon and his crew
turned custody of the North America, the Uncle Toby and each of their cargoes, over
to Richard Lake, Abraham Alexandre Lindo and Richard Lake, Junior of Lindo,
Lake and Company, the merchants that were also responsible for selling the
slaves from the Iris. Portions of the statement are as follows: “Agents jointly
and severally to take into custody charge and keeping two certain ships or
vessels called the Uncle Toby and North America and the goods[,] wares[,]
merchandize and effects on board them taken and seized as good and lawful
prizes on the high seas by the said ship Iris and sent into the Harbour of
Kingston and also all such other ships or vessels[,] goods[,] wares and
merchandizes as shall or may hereafter be taken and captured by the said ship
Iris and sent into the said Island as good and lawful prize and the same to
prosecute in the Court of Vice Admiralty in this Island to Condemnation and the
same when Condemned by virtue of an order of the said court or otherwise as may
happen[,] to sell and dispose of to the best advantage by public sale or
otherwise and the monies to arrive therefrom to receive and after payment and
deduction therout for their care with trouble commissions at the rate of five
pounds percent for every hundred and of all costs charges and expenses…to pay[,]
apply and distribute in such way and manner as the said Court of Vice Admiralty
shall order[,] decree or direct[,] or in such other way and manner as may have
heretofore been agreed on or between us[,] or as is usual in the like cases…”
Lovesy then appeared before Commissioner Fraser on November 15th as
subscribing witness to the execution of the document, stating that “he was
present and did see the several persons within named severally sign [and] seal”
the document.
Iris
It is interesting to compare the
list of crew members in the Agency Agreement with the muster roll prepared by
Captain Cannon on June 19, 1799, when he was back in Liverpool. It is clear
that dates used on the muster roll were general or approximated, as they don’t
always match with contemporary documents. For example, if six crewmen ran or
were impressed in the course of a week or two, it appears that they were lumped
together on a specific date.
John Spencer (1),
the initial captain, died on August 30, 1798, and so was not on the Agency
Agreement.
George Cannon
(2), initially the first mate, was captain on the Agency Agreement.
Rich Scaristrick
(Richard Stasbrick on the muster roll) (3), started out as second mate and was
first mate at the time of the Agency Agreement. He died just two weeks later,
on November 23rd. He was probably one of the officers that boarded
the North America or the Uncle Toby on the journey to Port Royal.
Mahlon Stacy (4)
was probably the second mate and probably the other officer that boarded the
North America or the Uncle Toby on the journey to Port Royal. He completed the
voyage back to Liverpool.
Charles Gelling (5)
was impressed on November 7th, just two days before, and did not
sign the Agency Agreement.
Erick Ohrn
(Erick Ohm on the muster roll) (6), the Doctor, completed the voyage back to
Liverpool.
Richard Warbrick
(Ritchard Warbrick on the muster roll) (7), the Clerk, ran just 8 days later,
on December 17th.
Samuel Sander
(Samuel Landor on the muster roll) (8), was impressed three weeks later, on
December 1st.
George
Kirkim (9) was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did
not sign the Agency Agreement.
Thomas Lucas
(10), who signed by the mark, completed the voyage back to Liverpool.
John Pickering (11)
did not sign the Agency Agreement, but was not impressed until December 1st.
So the muster roll was either incorrect on the date of the impressment or
Pickering may not have been on the ship when the Agreement was signed.
Patrick McVay (12)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the
Agency Agreement.
Isaac Broom (Jac
Broom on the muster roll) (13) completed the voyage back to Liverpool.
Barney Collins (14)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, so he did not sign
the Agency Agreement.
John Stimson (15)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the
Agency Agreement.
James Lanham (16)
signed by the mark. The muster roll indicated he was impressed the day before,
on November 8th, so his impressment must have happened at a later
date.
John Emery (17) signed
the Agency Agreement, but the muster roll says he ran five days earlier, on November
4th, so he must have run at a later date.
William Layton (18)
ran the day before, on November 8th, so he did not sign the Agency
Agreement.
William Gray (19) signed the Agency
Agreement, but the muster roll indicated he was impressed the day before, on
November 8th. He must have been impressed at a later date.
Anthony (Anthony
Creeds on the muster roll) (20) signed by the mark and died two weeks later, on
November 23rd.
Thomas (Thomas
Shannon on the muster roll) (21) signed by the mark, but according to the
muster roll ran five days before, on November 4th, so he must have
run at a later time.
Mathias
Richardson (Matthias Richardson on the muster roll) (22) signed by the mark,
but the muster roll indicated he was impressed the day before, on November 8th.
He must have been impressed at a later date.
Mathias Fisher
(Mathew Fisher on the muster roll) (23) died
less than a week later, on November 15th.
Alex Manson
(Alexander Alanson on the muster roll) (24) signed the Agency Agreement, but
the muster roll indicates he ran five days before on November 4th.
He must have run at a later date.
Antony Joseph (25)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the
Agency Agreement.
William Charlton (26) signed by the
mark and died six days later, on November 15th.
James Savens (27)
ran the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the Agency
Agreement.
George Ledwith (28)
ran the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the Agency
Agreement.
Edward Murry (29)
did not sign the Agency Agreement, but the muster roll indicates he was not
impressed until November 20th. His impressments either happened
earlier or he may not have been on the ship at the time of the signing.
Owen Collins (Owen
Costons on the muster roll) (30) signed by the mark. He died a month later, on December
6th.
Patrick Graham (31)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the
Agency Agreement.
Peter Peters
(Petter Petters on the muster roll) (32) ran five days before, on November 4th,
and did not sign the Agency Agreement.
Thomas Gordon (33)
signed the Agency Agreement, but according to the muster roll he died two days
earlier, on November 7th. The muster roll date must have been
incorrect.
John Backhouse (34)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the
Agency Agreement.
Hendrick Farmor (35)
drowned on August 23, 1798 and did not sign the Agency Agreement.
Duncan
McGloughlin (36) was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and
did not sign the Agency Agreement.
John Sanith (37)
was impressed the day before, on November 8th, and did not sign the
Agency Agreement.
Jonathan
Howard (38) died a month later, on December 8th.
James Tomay (39) signed by the mark
and later ran, on November 28th.
Bourd Taylor (Taylor on the muster
roll) (40) completed the voyage back to Liverpool.
Gease Neoudth
signed the Agency Agreement but was not listed on the muster roll.
James Jameson
signed the Agency Agreement by the mark, but was not listed on the muster roll.
Sometime after
November 9, 1798, John Emery (17), Thomas Shannon (22) and Alexander Alanson,
also referred to as Alex Manson (24) ran. The muster roll says each of them ran
on November 4th, but they all signed the Agency Agreement on
November 9th.
Sometime after
November 9, 1798, Thomas Gordon (33) died. The muster roll says he died on
November 7, 1798, but he signed the Agency Agreement on November 9th.
[1] An
article by Sir Harry Johnston, titled “Haiti, The Home of Twin Republics” in
The National Geographic Magazine (July to December, 1920) found in Google Books
references the tallest point in Haiti, 8,920 foot Monte de la Selle, in the
Saddle Mountains.
[2]
The actual date of arrival is difficult to pin down. The Iris logbook is
silent. Several people were listed as running on the 4th, but some
that were listed signed the Agency Agreement on the 9th. This would
indicate a November 4th arrival as a general date to put for those
that ran shortly after arriving. John Hill, who correctly identified the
capture of the Uncle Toby on the 2nd, said it was the 5th. [What do
others say….]
[3]
The Slave Trade CD records 42,192 slaves being delivered in 1798. 13,826 of those were delivered to Kingston,
Jamaica. Other large slave destinations were Martinique (5,933), Demerara
(5,756), Barbados (2,622), St. Croix (2,593), Grenada (1,409), St. Vincent
(1,169), and Dominica (1,063).
[4]
Wikipedia, “Port Royal”. Disbursements were later made for piloting the North
America from Port Royal to Kingston.
[5]
House of Commons 1802, p. 31. A month
later, a succession of five British slave ships arrived within a week of each
other carrying another 2,009 slaves, and within the next two weeks after that,
two more ships including Captain Hugh Crow’s ship, the Will, from Bonny brought
in another 753 slaves.
[6] He
was listed as running on the 4th, but as indicated previously, this
was probably a general date for about the time they arrived.
[7] Today it
is known as Spanish Town. (Wikipedia, “Spanish Town”)
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