"Cruise of the Nantucket Ships Asia and Alliance" Historic Nantucket article from the Nantucket Historical Association

Originally published in the Historic Nantucket, Vol 56, No. 1 (Winter 2007) p. 8-13

The Cruise of the Nantucket Ships Asia and Alliance:
In Consort to the Indian Ocean and the Coast of New Holland, Australia, 1791–94
By Rod Dickson

While researching the history of whaling on the coasts of New Holland, now Western Australia, in the days of the sailing whalers, I came across the microfilmed logbook of the Nantucket whaler/sealer Asia. Initially, I put it to one side, as I was concentrating my research on the south coast and Asia had touched the western shores. When I began to read and study the log in depth, however, I was amazed to find the amount of detail written by the logbook’s keeper, Sylvanus Crosby, second mate of the ship, and realized that this was indeed a journal of great importance to our maritime history.

As I transcribed the log, I kept wondering about the consort ship, Alliance, and her captain, Bartlett Coffin. Then, by chance, I discovered that the logbook of this ship was also extant, listed in the collection of the Cincinnati Public Library. On contacting the library and inquiring about the whereabouts of the log and if it could be copied, I was informed that it was not there and could not be located. I then found out that in the Nantucket Historical Association Research Library collection there was a microfilm version and that I could have a copy made and flown airmail across to me, here in Perth. So then I had copies of both logs at my disposal. Two logbooks and two keepers: Sylvanus Crosby, of Asia, and Andrew Pinkham, of Alliance, describing the voyage from two different perspectives on the same days.

Subsequent to my initial inquiry, the logbook of Alliance was rediscovered in Cincinnati, and is now on the International Register.

I must pay special thanks to Sylvia V. Metzinger, former Manager of Rare Books and Special Collections at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; and to Elizabeth Oldham, Research Associate at the Nantucket Historical Association Research Library.

On the morning of Thursday, September 29, 1791, the good ship Alliance lay alongside North Wharf at Sherburne, Nantucket Island, preparing for sea. At eleven o’clock the pilot came on board, and, with the wind at SW, Captain Bartlett Coffin gave the order to get under way. As the ship drew away from the wharf, the captain and his twenty-man crew waved their farewells, knowing that they would not see their homes or loved ones for a very long time. At noon the ship crossed the bar and came to anchor off Great Point, where lighters came alongside and discharged their cargoes of wood, water, and provisions into the holds of the ship, enough to last the men for a three-year cruise.

On the following day, Friday, September 30, the ship Asia,commanded by Elijah Coffin, Bartlett’s cousin, took on a pilot and sailed from North Wharf, crossed the bar, and anchored to take on provisions, wood, and water.

The two ships sailed in consort to the southeast, making their first landfall at the Canary Islands; from there, they sailed south to recruit at Cape de Verde, where they met up with cousins Jonathan Coffin and Brown Coffin, each commanding his own ship. Departing Boa Vista on November 10, Asia and Alliance crossed the Equator and made for their next waypoint, the island of Trinidada (Trinity) at latitude 20º south.

Taking their departure, both ships sailed southeast for the Cape of Good Hope, which they reached on January 20, 1792. After a week of taking on wood, water, and more livestock, the ships departed, bound for the Indian Ocean. Captain Bartlett Coffin soon discovered that the mainmast of Alliance was rotten in the cheeks and, after further inspection, decided to run into Saldanha Bay for repairs. [Cheeks are pieces of timber bolted to the masthead to help support the top mast.—Ed.]

The mast was stripped of standing and running rigging; the yards were lowered to the deck; the topgallant mast and topmast were lowered down; sheer legs were erected; and, with some extra hands from Asia, the mast was removed and repaired. In two days the operation was completed and the ships were ready for sea again. Sailing ESE, they reached St. Paul’s Island in the southern Indian Ocean only to find sealing gangs already at work, clubbing the animals to death for skins for the China market.

The captains conferred and decided to sail for the coast of New Holland, where, in and about Shark Bay, they hoped for better whaling than they had so far had. Thus far, the cruise had been very poor in the pocket and hardly a barrel of oil in the holds.

Reaching Shark Bay, they were disappointed to find a barren and desolate country, with no wood and no water, for both of which the ships were badly in need. On the second day of their stay, the cabin boy, while helping to furl the mizzen topsail, missed his hand-hold and fell from the top, breaking his arm badly and cracking his skull. “He was 16 years of age and his name was Uriah Bunker, son of Sylvanus Bunker of Nantucket.” [Uriah survived the fall.—Ed.] After a five-day stay in which they caught fish and birds and made a general exploration, they sailed for the Island of Java, which they reached on June 2, 1792, coming to anchor at Princes Island on June 10.

Filling the barrels with good fresh water, taking on boatloads of wood, and purchasing turtles and fruit from the natives, the crews rested up until called upon to sail again.

This part of the cruise led them southwest to the Cocos-Keeling Islands, where the boats went ashore and collected a full load of coconuts. Without anchoring, the ships carried on southwest bound for the Isle of France (Mauritius), arriving there on the 29th of July. After making inquiries of the local merchants as to the best whaling grounds in the area, they were advised to make for St. Mary’s Island on the northeast coast of Madagascar. It was here, while out after humpback whales, that the ships were attacked by natives in five large war canoes, the natives announcing their intentions by sounding their shell trumpets and landing on the beach directly opposite the ships with their muskets, one of which discharged.

The ships just managed to get their anchors to the bows, and with a most fortunate fair wind got clear of the land and away. Thwarted again in whaling, the ships returned to the Isle of France, where they anchored on October 4, 1792. It was here that two occurrences of some importance took place: the first concerns the smallpox epidemic that was ravaging the island.

Following are excerpts from the daily logbook entries transcribed day by day, ship by ship. Crosby, keeper on the Asia, frequently writes phonetically, while Pinkham, on Alliance, is obviously well read and more educated. [Some spelling and punctuation have been edited for clarity; unfamiliar nautical terms are described as in the Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. —Ed.]

Alliance Thursday, October 4th, 1792.

First part fresh gales at ESE.We stood W by N. At 2 pm we saw the Isle of France, bearing West and 7 leagues distance. At night we were within 3 leagues of the SE part of the Island. We lay by under a close reeft main topsail, headed to the northward and drift along shore. The weather looked moderate.We lay till one oclock then set in easey sail and stood along shore to the NW.

At 9 am the Pilot come on board. At 10 am we come to anchor in 12 fathoms with the best anchor. Sent down the topgallant yards and masts.Our Captain went on shore to report the ship lying out here by the buoys. In the afternoon the Pilot come off with a large boat and several negroes to help warp the ship in.

Alliance Friday, October 5th, 1792.

At 4 this morning we called all hands and streamed the hausers [hawsers], and went to work to warping in. The weather moderate. At night we were a third of the way up. We let go the best bower under foot and had a hauser out to a ship outside it. So ends. [Streaming is letting the aft anchor buoy drop into the sea to prevent the anchor cable from being fouled as it runs out. The “best bower” is the starboard bow anchor, one of the two largest anchors on a sailing vessel.—Ed.]

Asia Remarks on Fryday, October the 5 day, 1792

First part of this 24 hours begins with fine weather and a fresh breeze at ESE ... At 6 am a boat came on board and brought off our Poilote [Pilot] off and the Captain. Latter part, at 6 am gut under way in order to warp up the harbor.

Alliance Saturday,October 6th, 1792.

The fore part light gales.Got the ship up to her moorings, which was to two anchors which were berried [buried] ashore and were hard aground with the end of a cable out of each to our bow, and a hauser for our stern.For we were fast to our Consort,her being moored alongside of us. We hauld the ships together so as to pass from one to the other without a boat.We carryed all our boats on shore except one. The Small Pox is so bad here on shore that we knew we should unavoidably take it the natural way for we were not Inoculated. We concluded to all take by Inoculation, which we did. This day we had a Doctor from the shore and he put it into 20 of us, belonging half to our ship and half to the other This day ends with fine weather.

Asia Remarks on Saturday October the 6 Day 1792

First part of this 24 hours Begins with fine weather and still warping up.At 8 pm gut our ship up to the Landing Place and made fast to the Anker on Shore and git a little supper and then turned in.Latter part, fine weather, gut our cabells on shore and Mored our Ship solled [got our cables on shore and moored our ship solid]. At 10 am the Doctor came of and Nockolated Both our Cruese for the Small Pox. Is so breef that it is Emposable to Keep Clear from it. [The Oxford English Dictionary has breef as a variant spelling of brief, meaning “common, or prevalent, often used of epidemic diseases.” The OED remarks that the word is “much used by the uneducated in the interior of New England...when speaking of epidemic diseases.”—Ed.] It is so Breef that 129 died in one Day. There is one ship A Long Side of us that has got 2 or 3 down with it. There is a great many of our crue that has not had it, 10 of them and 10 of Alliance’s Crues, 20 in all. So ends this 24 hours and all well as yet on board. A smallpox epidemic was raging on the island, and, as Sylvanus states, “129 died in one day.” It is so prevalent that no one is spared except those who have already had the disease. Twenty members of the crews of Asia and Alliance, approximately half their complement, were in danger of becoming infected, so the captains got the doctor to come on board and inoculate them.

Alliance Sunday,October 7th, 1792

First part moderate trade winds. All of us who is under Inoculation took a Vomit. The Doctor payed us a visit to see how we fared. The weather inclines to be sultry. So ends.

Asia Remarks on Sunday October the 7 Day 1792

First part of this 24 hours Begins with a Lite Wind and Warm. Riged Awrnings over our Decks to make it Cool. The doctor Came on board to See the Small Pox folks and they took a Puke. So ends this 24 hours.

Alliance, Monday,October 8th, 1792

Begins with a moderate trade wind all these 24 hours. Captain Mick in the ship Award sailed for Bengal.Little or nothing to do except take on board a 12 inch cable of 120 fathoms. So ends this day.

Asia Remarks on Monday October the 8 Day 1792

First part of this Day Begins with fine weather. The Doctor Came on Board. Latter part, went on shore.We went on shore and Brought off a Cabell for the Alliance. At 2 oclock Captain Mick sailed for Bangall. So ends this Day.

AllianceTuesday,October 9th, 1792

The fore part of this day we took 25 casks of oil on deck and got it ready to go on shore.All of us who were under an inoculation took a potion of physic to work down which it did for certain. Mr Starbuck and myself went on shore and spoke for some cloths [purchased clothes for the coming voyage].

Asia Remarks on Tuesday October the 9 Day 1792

First part of this Day Begins with fine weather. Our people took a Potion of fisick. Employed in giting up 20 Cask of Oil out of the Alliance. Last part our Mate went on Shore. So ends this day all well on board.

Alliance Wednesday,October 10th, 1792

We landed 25 casks of oil the fore part of this day. The latter part of this day we had little or nothing to do.Had a turn of the wind to westward and some rain. So ends.

Asia Remarks on Wednesday October the 10 Day 1792

First part of this Day Begins with fine weather.Sent 23 Cask of oil from the Alliance.Went on Shore then went on Board of the Robert Morris, Captain Hay let us have 10 Bushels of Corn. Latter part thick weather. So ends this Day 1792.

Alliance Thursday,October 11th, 1792

First part, fine weather, we loosed all our sails and dryed them. All of us who were under an inoculation took a dose of cooling powders.We unbent our sails and stowed them away, all excepting the mizen and main topmast staysail. So ends.

Asia Remarks on Thursday October the 11 Day 1792

First part of this Day begins with fine weather.Got a Boat and Sent 26 Cask of oil on Shore. Latter part all well.

Alliance Friday,October 12th, 1792.

First part, those of us who were under an inoculation began to complain of the head aches and all other pains. The well people employed in fitting the rigging. So ends.

Asia Remarks on Fryday October the 12

Day First part of this 24 hours begins with fine weather. Our Small Pox people Begins to Cumplain. The well ones Employed them selves about fiting riging.Latter part,thare is great Cumplaint from the Sick. So ends.

Alliance Saturday,October 13th, 1792

The first part fine weather. The Simptoms are verry hard upon some of us, so as to cause us to faint. The well people had full employ to attend the sick. So ends. The Doctor visited us today.

Asia Remarks on Saturday October the 27 Day 1792

First part of this day begins with fine weather.We healed [heeled, or tipped] our ship and cleaned one Side. The Doctor come on board to See the Small Pox people and give them a fisick to take in the morning. So ends this day.

Asia Remarks on Sunday October the 28 Day 1792

First part of this day begins with fine weather. Our people taking fisick. This day received of Captain Elijah Coffin,Six Paper Dollars.All hands going on Shore. Spending there Money to git things for the Voyage.We are Bound to the Disolations [Kerguélen Islands]. So ends.

Alliance Sunday, October 28th, 1792.

This day all our people went on shore to buy what things they stood in need of and they all returned at night excepting James Robinson. When we came to examine his chest we found no cloths and how he got them on shore there is no one can give any account. So ends.

Asia Remarks on Monday October the 29 Day 1792.

The first part of this day begins with fine weather.We heald our Ship to Bootop her But the weather Being thick and Hazy the Botom did not Drye. And we let Her Lay all night upon a Heal. So ends this day. [Boot-topping: Covering the bottom of a vessel with a mixture of tallow, sulphur or lime, and rosin— partly as a deterrent against weed and barnacles and partly to give the bottom a smooth surface to reduce friction through the water when sailing.—Ed.]

Alliance Monday, October 29th, 1792.

All hands employed breaking up the fore hold.

Asia Remarks on Tuesday October the 30 Day 1792.

First part of this day begins with fine weather. We finished our Bootoping and begin to stow our Hole [fill the hold].We took 168 Bushels of Salt on to salt Skins.Gut up a Cask of Bread.So ends this 24 hours and all well except one.

Departing from Port Louis, the three vessels sailed south for the Desolation [Kerguélen] Islands, chosen after consulting with the merchants of Port Louis, who knew of the seals abounding in this island group. Captain Bartlett Coffin had a copy of the chart made by Captain Cook during his 1777 voyage, showing Christmas Harbor, the ship’s destination.

The ships arrived on December 17, 1792, but found Christmas Harbor a terrible anchorage and shifted to Port Washington, which they named. A tragedy occurred on the 9th of February 1793 when Captain Bartlett Coffin died on board Alliance after a serious illness. His body was carried ashore the next day and “at 4 oclock in the afternoon the body of our Honoured Captain was Committed to the Earth with all the Solemnity due on such a Melancholy Operation.” He was buried on the south shore of Port Washington. The logbook keeper and first mate, Andrew Pinkham, then took command of the vessel for the rest of the cruise. After killing and skinning more than a thousand elephant seals for their blubber, a quantity of fur seals for their skins, and some leopard seals for their meat, during a threemonth period, in which they were buffeted by heavy gales and squalls of sleet and snow and heavy rain, the ships sailed again for the Isle of France.

In early April 1793, Asia and Alliance warped into Port Louis, followed a week later by the schooner Hunter, which had called at the Island of Bourbon (today Reunion). The schooner they had picked up was sold for 21,000 livres ($2,100) along with most of their oil to the local merchants, and the captains purchased sugar and coffee for the American markets. Departing from the Isle of France, the two ships prepared for whaling again, and, with further information gleaned from other captains at Port Louis, headed for Delgoa Bay on the southeast coast of Africa, where they arrived and anchored on June 30, 1793, joining twelve other ships already there, most from Nantucket. As soon as the ships were moored, the crews began putting off with the boats and lancing whales.

When the time came to depart, Captain Elijah Coffin and Captain Andrew Pinkham decided to part ways and sail home to Nantucket independently; Alliance sailed directly and without calling at any port, arriving home on January 15, 1794. Asia, on the other hand, had a much more exciting voyage before arriving at her home port. She also bypassed the Cape of Good Hope and turned north up the Atlantic, passing St. Helena on October 29, 1793. Her next landfall was Ascension Island, reached on November 6. The log keeper aboard Asia, Sylvanus Crosby, has the habit of ending every day’s entry: “So ends this 24 hours and all well as to helth.” However, on this particular day, he notes:

Asia Remarks on Thursday November the 7 Day 1793

The first part of this 24 hours begins with fine weather and a fresh wind. Loard [lowered] down our boat and went on Shore A gunning. One boats crew employed Hoging the vessel. [The “hog” is a large brushlike device used to clean the ship’s bottom; it is made of twigs held between pieces of timber, attached to ropes and dragged along the hull.—Ed.] At 6 pm came on board with sum fowls and hoisted up our boat. Middle part, fine weather and a small traide [trade wind]. Latter part, fine weather and a fresh traide.One boats crew went on shore a gunning, the other employed on board a hoging. Sent down the topgallant yard and mended the sail. At 11 am Carryed the COOK on Shore and Buryed Him for the Scurvy, then come on board. So ends this 24 hours.

It is strange that Sylvanus Crosby reports day after day that “all are well on board as to helth,” and then, without feeling, states that the cook has died from the scurvy. This is a most debilitating disease and the sufferer can take days or weeks to finally succumb. It would have been impossible for the crew not to have known of the sickness on board.

Captain Coffin has now decided to sail home via the West Indies and makes his landfall at the island of Dominica on the 4th of December. By the 6th of December the ship was passing the Leeward Island group, where they saw a British frigate making for them. The frigate fired two shots across Asia’s bows, and, after arresting her, took her in tow into the port of Basse-Terre, St. Christopher (now St. Kitts). The Royal Navy frigate has been identified as HMS Favourite.

While Asia was at anchor at Basse-Terre, the succeeding ship’s cook also died of the dreaded scurvy and was taken ashore on 10 December and buried in a “deascent manner.” However, it was determined that this cook was not going to be left ashore in a strange place, so the crew went ashore the next evening, dug him up, and returned him to the ship!

12 December:We carryed the Cook on shore and buryed him for the Scurvy. Left one Man to Wate upon him.
13 December: At 5 pm finished [bending sails] and went on shore and Fetched off the old Cook.
14 December: Little or Nothing to do. Went on shore and Carryed the Old Cook and Buryed Him for the Scurvy and come on board. So ends.
15th December 1793 Went on shore and carryed a Pass to the Fort. At 6 pm Went and Fetched the Old Cook that was Buryed for the Scurvey and Hoisted up our boat.

Presumably, the poor old cook was finally buried at sea as the ship sailed, and there is no further mention of burying or exhuming. Crosby also provides no explanation for the number of burials.

After a number of incidents, the ship arrived at Le Mole St. Nicholas on the island of Haiti, and that is where Sylvanus Crosby ends his logbook entries. The ship and crew arrived at Nantucket in late February 1794.

Rod Dickson: Born in Melbourne,Australia, the author went to sea in the Merchant Navy in late 1955 and served on almost every type of vessel afloat, including a stint as mate on a motorized whale-chaser working out of Carnarvon on the northwest coast of Western Australia during the early 1960s.