Introduction
I hope, eventually, to have a full transcription of the 'Log' of The Anne and Maria here. This is years away, but I may have further 'extracts' available here before too long. 24 pages (the Chapter on George Thomas, 1781–1850) out of a total of 225 are below.
The text here is an OCR generated copy of the 1930s typewritten transcription of Welham's longhand by Alexander South Clarke (1886-1975). Errors are possible. I have converted his numbered footnote references into hyperlinks, but these are still tagged 'A.S.C.'. You may notice an archaism or two with them. Explicit page numbers are omitted from this transcription but, if you need to link to a specific one, then you can find ID attributes like "p123" throughout the HTML.
Colours on Welham's painting of the Anne & Maria have severely degraded due to storage conditions and overapplication to the reverse of an organic adhesive. A restoration attempt in Photoshop is less than painstaking, but his pen and ink sketch has been disturbed as little as possible.
March 2023
Frontispiece
Back at Rio de Janeiro
14 December 1801
After breakfast went on shore[1] with Mr Le Breton[2] and one of my Apprentices[3] shooting. We had ascended the Hills, and wanting to make a fire (the Hills being covered with wood) Mr Le Bretton undertook to get a light with some tow[4] and a little gunpowder, putting it into the pan of his gun.[5]
Not getting it to light readily, he came to me who was smoking a cigar, to touch the tow with it. I asked if there was much powder on the tow, he said, "no very little", but he was deceived by the spring of his powder horn being broken, by which means a much greater quantity of powder had escaped than he was aware of. The tow not igniting readily, I inadvertently put the cigar to my mouth to draw it while it was touching the tow.
The gunpowder exploded and blew a quantity of tow into my eyes, causing a white film over both of them so as to deprive me of sight, and attended with great agony. It was with the greatest difficulty I was got down to the boat, as the descent was very rocky. When on board the Doctor[6] took out seven pieces tow from my eyes, and said they looked as if seared with a hot iron.[7]
George Thomas
26th March 1802.
HAVING COMPLETED MY WATERING WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY,
at 10 A.M. went afishing among the rocks with hand lines. At 3
returned having caught upwards of 300 fish, a different sort,
mostly thick backs.
On the Island of Masa Fuero I met with George Thomas, who was bound an apprentice to me for seven years from Christ Church Hospital, London,[8] when I sailed in the Ship COMMERCE, May 1796. He was with me when my ship was taken in the Port of Pisco, May 2nd 1797, while going in for provisions, not knowing of the War. I shall here give his his story, as it will show what a good education will do on a good stock.
He was completed in Navigation at the School, Mapping, Lunar Observation, etc., and was of great use to me going out, as a check in working the Lunars. When we arrived in Lima, he was put into the Prison with the other English prisoners. He soon made himself known, first by being one of six that scaled the walls of their prison, and got down to Callao,[9] where they took the King's boat and pushed out to sea. Unfortunately they were pursued, and he was taken back to Lima with his companions, all tied to the tails of the Soldier's horses by cords. He was then punished with his companions, by being confined in the Prison of Martyrs, Callao, in which there was but a glimmering of light, a very long room with a small grate at the end, under the battlements. This grate they contrived to cut through the bars, so they got out, and over a 30 foot wall with a ditch, and came Up to Lima, entered the Prison, and wanted the Prisoners to join and cut a Ship out of the Port of Callao. But as none joined them, they returned to their Prison (called the Castle of Martyrs) and were soon after sent to be with the other Prisoners.
He now set up keeping school. He soon got a number of scholars, many of them he taught from ABC to Navigation, and qualified them for Mates of Vessels. It was pleasing to see how he managed great strapping fellows as a Master would do his schoolboys, and they respected and obeyed him. They all paid him a trifle out of their allowances. The Government allowed a Captain a dollar a day, Mates half a dollar, and the men a quarter of a dollar, to maintain them.
I now find him, after I have been to England and returned to this Coast, in a Seal-skin dress, on a small Island in the Pacific Ocean, with about 150 Americans and some few English sailors, left here by their respective Ships to catch Seals, and dry the skins for the China market. The Ships they belonged to, going to other Islands for the same purpose, or going on to Ports on the Main to dispose of contra
Coach & Horses Inn,
Ipswich, April 20th 1834
My dear Sir,
The happiness I have enjoyed on seeing you this day alive, so overpowered me at our meeting, that while you was present, and the Ladies in the same room, deprived me of uttering the deep rooted feelings of my heart, from the time I was bound apprentice to you in the Year 1796. The Ladies having now gone out for a walk, my conscience tells me, that probably I have parted from my second Father on this side of the grave, and the very thought after once more meeting after so long a period, rends my heart to pieces, hard as it is in other cases; permit me therefore my most beloved of Masters to offer unto you my most unbounded gratitude, and thanks for your Fatherly care, and attention to me, when left Fatherless and robbed of the very clothes on my back, driven as an outcast on the World, in a Foreign Country several thousand miles from Home. You, my dear Sir, as the only person under Heaven, who visited me in the Hospital of Bueno Vista, and with the small pittance with which you as supplied, you alone spared part of it, for the recovery of your unruly apprentice George. My feelings, my beloved Master, are to such a pitch, that I scarcely see what is written, from the tears which I cannot conquer while writing to you, the which, although a weakness, is a pleasure at this moment, as it gives me relief; you will therefore excuse all mistakes made under my present feelings. The only thing that I have about me at present, which I value is a pen-knife, as the pleasure of seeing you as not anticipated, you must therefore accept this as the only token at present of my eternal friendship, and the high estimation I always held of your abilities, kindness, generosity, and character as an Officer and Gentleman, and to assure you that those ideas have never been altered, and that
I shall always remain, My dear beloved master,
Most affectionately yours,
George Thomas,
Commander H.M. Brig INVESTIGATOR.
PS. A bedroom will always be ready for you, and good quarters whenever you come near London, at No.13 Broomfield Place, Deptford. God Bless you, and may you enjoy every happiness on this side of the grave, and should we never meet again, you will always have the prayers of your late apprentice George, on your behalf.
band goods. As many as 14 had been taken by the Spanish Cruizers or detained in Port, and sent to Lima, as my narrative will show. I offered to take George on board, but he requested me to let him remain, as he had an interest in the skins he had got, he had a good many dried, and hoped to make a good market of them in China. So I supplied him with clothes and other necessaries, and left him. He was of great assistance to me in getting my water off. I heard no more of George Thomas until April 20th, 1834, after I had been residing in Ipswich 16 years.[11] One Friday evening I had brought to me from the Coach and Horses Inn, the following card: -
G. THOMAS R.N.
Commanding H.M. Brig INVESTIGATOR
(wrote under) - "Apprentice to Capt Welham Clarke in 1796"
The bearer told me Capt Thomas had taken the Stowmarket coach from the above Inn, with his Wife to go and see his three Daugnters at School there, and would return on Sunday by the coach, and hoped I would meet him. I went on Sunday morning to the Coach and Horses Inn, and after waiting sometime, the Landlady came into the room with a young Midshipman, saying he was Capt Thomas' son. He told me the INVESTIGATOR lay outside Harwich harbour and that he had come up the river in the boat for his Father. The Stowmarket coach arrived but no Capt Thomas, but at half past eleven a Post Chaise drove up, and into the room came Capt Thomas, his Wife, three Daughters, and their Governess. I had left him 32 years back a young man about 18, I now saw a little grey headed old man, nearly as grey as myself. As soon as he saw me he sprang forward, and catching my hand, called out, "Oh! My dear, dear Old Master, have I found you at last?" The tears starting in his eyes, (as I am sure they did in mine). His wife, Daughters and the Governess stood amazed, I shall never forget their looks of astonishment. It was a most affecting scene, his eyes streaming with tears, and tears flowing down my cheeks, words cannot express our feelings. At last his words got utterance and he again exclaimed "My dear, dear Old Master, I cannot express how happy I am to see you once again" We sat down and he requested to hear my doings since I left him at Lima. This I having told him, I requested to hear his story.
He said :- "After you left me, the Viceroy[12] told us, as an Order was come from Spain, to liberate all Prisoners, we were at liberty to leave when we met with an opportunity."
He eventually got on board an American vessel bound to the Sandwich Islands (Ogu),[13] there he left the Ship, and went on board a Brig belonging to the Island manned with natives, but with an American Captain, bound to the Coast of Peru on a trading voyage. On that Coast he left her, and got on board an American Ship collecting Seal Skins for the China Market, and was left with several others on the Island of Masa Fuero, where I found him. I now requested to know how he got to England etc. He said that the Ship that had left him on the Island did not return, being detained for having contraband goods on board. So giving up hopes of her, he disposed of his Seal Skins and got on board an American vessel bound home, but calling at Buenos Ayres, where he left her, and then got into a country trading vessel that went to different parts of the River de la Plata. When in her, an expedition fitted out at the Cape of Good Hope, under the Command of Sir Home Popham,[14] arrived in the River, with troops on board to take Buenos Ayres. Sir Home took him on board his Ship finding he was well acquainted with the navigation of the River, and made him a Midshipman, to act as Pilot. He did not like to be a Midshipman and told Sir Home Popham he wanted to leave. Sir Home told him if he would remain, he would rate him as Master's Mate[15], so he remained, and after the taking of Buenos Ayres, he returned with Sir Home to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence to England, where the Ship being paid off, he went to London and to the Governor of Christ Church Hospital. This was in the year 1806, he having been ten year absent. The Governor asked him where I was. "What is become of your old Master?" He replied that he had seen me only once, that was in March 1802. He then related to them all his adventures, and they asked him what he intended to do. He told them he thought he could pass for a Master in the Navy, if they would help him as he must be a short time getting up his examinations. They gave him £18 and promised their interest.
After receiving this, he set about to qualify himself so as to pass for Master. This he succeeded in doing and was appointed to a Ship, and afterwards rose rapidly in the Navy, as in the year 1818, twelve years after passing, he was Master of a Three Decker that carried an Admiral's flag, and I understood him to say he was First Master of the Fleet. In the year 1818, the Board of Admiralty determined on having the Eastern Coast of England and Scotland, and the West Coast of Scotland, with sands, harbours, islands etc, surveyed. Mr George Thomas was sent for, and was offered the Command of the Survey, which he readily accepted. He was to begin at the mouth of the River Thames, and proceed round the West Coast of Scotland. He was to take one of the old Brigs of War, with men, boats and everything requisite, leaving Deptford in April and returning there in November, it not being prudent to remain at sea and on the Coast surveying, longer than that month. He had now been 16 years on the survey, and had got as far as the Orkney Islands, the North of Scotland.
It being now near one o'clock, (I began to fear my dear Daughter[16] would become alarmed, and so it was, she had been at her Uncle's[17] to enquire after me). I reluctantly took my leave, after giving him a Yesca[18] tube, steel, flints and some spun yesca; this was for him to light his cigar with when absent from the Ship in a boat, as he was frequently obliged to be surveying. When I gave him this, he said he did not want a token of remembrance, but it would afford him pleasure every time he struck a light. When I left him, I concluded after they had dined they would be off, as I knew it was past high water. I returned home, dressed, and went to church in the afternoon. Returning home, I found the following letter, with a surveying box and six pen knife blades, and a handle, to which all the blades would fit in.
Having read this, I immediately proceeded to the Common Quay hoping I might see him again, there to my great joy I found his boat with the crew. The Coxswain told me he expected the Captain every minute, and I soon saw him coming with his son, and after the the post-chaise with his wife, Daughters and their Governess. He was much pleased to see me again, and taking my arm, we walked to and fro for some time, his wife urging him to get into the boat as the tide would very soon be against them, but he took no heed. At last after taking leave of his Daughters, he reluctantly went towards the boat, his wife calling out - "Will you not see your Daughters into the chaise?" "No, no" said he "My old Master will see to that." In he and his wife got, and kept on waving his cap so long as I could see the boat.
There were a great many people on the Quay looking at us, and I observed an old woman much affected at the boat's departure. I enquired the reason, and she told me she had a Son one of the boat's crew. The Captain had been so kind as to let him come to see her, she added "my son says the Captain is such a good man, that he is beloved and respected by all the crew".
The year following Capt Thomas was again wind-bound, he came up in his boat and went to Stowmarket to see his Daughters and I saw him on his return for a short time. He had got another Ship with much better accommodation, she had been a Government Falmouth Packet. He had also under his command a Schooner, with a second surveying Master in her, to survey places where it was not prudent to go with the Ship. I took leave of him at the Wherry Quay, and have not seen him since, but his eldest Son came to Ipswich while the Ship was laid up at Deptford, and went to Stowmarket, then by particular request of his Father called on me. He was a fine young man, and told me he was one of his Father's Mates, had been 15 years in the Navy, and had passed for a Lieutenant. He hoped when the Queen was crowned, we should see his name in the promotions.[19] We looked frequently but did not see any Naval promotions at that time.
I could not help reflecting on the change, while waiting on the Quay. Capt Thomas in his Naval Uniform with Gold Epaulettes on his shoulders, and my boy George in a Seal-skin dress on the Island of Masa Fuero.