E-Newsletter | June 12, 2020
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View of Cape Frio off the coast of Brazil near Rio de Janeiro from the Journal of the Euphrasia by Charles Wellington Davis.
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Sailing for Gold: Davis journal does not put a shine on 17,000-mile journey.
Gold rush fever was in the minds of many New Englanders in the late 1840s and by 1849, nine ships and companies of men, stirred by the lust for gold, left from Cape Ann headed for San Francisco.
In nearby Newburyport, 16 men from the Rockport Granite Mining Company boarded the ship
Euphrasia
for a 149-day voyage of approximately 17,000 miles around Cape Horn to California. Only one of the men in the company, George Cram, is reported as having sent home $1,000 in gold dust shortly after he arrived at the mines.
The
Euphrasia
carried 131 passengers and 18 men from Newburyport. According to the Newburyport
Daily Herald
, the ship was cleared for departure on Saturday, November 10, 1849. The master, and part owner, was Captain Charles Buntin. According to the ship's log kept by Thomas Sherman, Jr., he was not a man well loved by his crew.
Although many on board were seeking wealth in gold, a passenger from Newburyport was in pursuit of another kind of fortune. Twenty-three-year-old
Charles Wellington Davis,
was a young architect in Boston, and was sailing to California to set up a new practice with his brother in southern California. When he died in 1897, he was one of the state's most esteemed architects.
Our interest in Davis is his journal, now in the museum's collection, that chronicles the arduous journey endured by all aboard. Poor living conditions, inedible food, storms at sea and unrest among crew and passengers are relayed in vivid detail.
- November 21, 1849 “We are about 1,700 miles from home. A great many of the passengers are farther from home than we ever were before.”
- February 6, 1850 “For dinner we had duff [plum duff is a dense flour pudding often boiled or steamed in salt water]. It was so mean and heavy we could not eat it. We each of us armed ourselves with a piece of duff and went on deck and when Chase the steward came out of the cabin, we stormed him with it, and then told him we would haul him across the windlass if he did not do better.”
Davis does take the opportunity to comment on sightings of whales and porpoises, albatross, sea turtles and other marine life. The journal is also lushly illustrated with coastal views of South America. The
Euphrasia
docked in Rio de Janeiro on January 19,1850, according to the Newburyport
Daily Herald
.
- January 31, 1850 “Saw a number of albatrosses. One of the sailors caught one of them with a hook and line and had him cooked for their supper. He measured 9 ft 7 in from tip to top of the wings.”
By March, the ship had rounded the Horn and was making its way from Valparaiso to its final destination. Davis recounts the drama of the discovery of a stowaway who managed to come aboard in Valparaiso.
The
Daily Herald's
Shipping Journal records the
Euphrasia's
progress through the Pacific. She sailed from Valparaiso on March 20.
- March 26, 1850 “About 9 o’clock a strange man by the name of Charles Rud made his appearance on deck. Our mate went to him and asked him what he was here for. He said he did not know of any better way of getting up to San Francisco than this way, and so he had stowed himself away…the mate told him to…earn his bread by working. He said he would willingly.”
The
Euphrasia
finally docked in San Francisco in May -- none too soon for those on board, as by that time there was great unrest.
- April 5, 1850 “One of the passengers went in to the cabin and stole a chicken and brought it down between decks. The first steward chased him round, but they passed it round and each one took a bite and when the steward got it there was nothing left but the bones.”
- April 15, 1850 “Today the passengers are all in an uproar about the living [conditions]. Great talk about prosecuting the Captain.”
There is no record of which we are aware for the return voyage. One only hopes that it went better for Captain Buntin. The last entry in the Shipping Journal was that the Captain and his ship set sail from San Francisco to his home port of Newburyport on July 17, 1850.
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A Garden Tour by any other Name is Just as Sweet
"COVID-19 has impacted how we will deliver the Museum of Old Newbury's 41st Annual Garden Tour, but it can't dampen our enthusiasm," explains 2020 tour co-chair,
Sherry Evans.
Even with social distancing mandates relaxing, many folks are still leery of large crowds and gatherings.
Susan Edwards,
executive director of the museum, explains, "We thought long and hard on the best way to share the beautiful gardens of this year's participants. When we realized the internet could work, four owners stepped forward to give us access."
All segments will be offered free of charge and available to anyone with access to the internet. Follow us on social media (
Facebook
,
Twitter
&
Instagram
) or visit our
website
on the dates noted to watch.
Transforming a primarily sensory event into a digital experience is challenging, but we hope viewers will enjoy it. Each segment will feature a combination of photographic stills and videos.
Bill Hallet,
the voice of radio, will serve as host, explaining the images provided by professional photographers,
Bob Watts
and
Dan Fionte.
Colleen Turner Secino,
director of each segment, shares, "We were able to gather content using minimal volunteers, while limiting potential exposure and with supreme concern for proper social distancing directives and the safety of all involved."
Each garden will be filmed during peak bloom. The first installment will feature a lush garden in Rowley with a particular appreciation for composting; the second two Newburyport properties will highlight backyard retreats; and the final installment will take us from garden-to-table.
We will be back next year! Save the date for the
42nd Annual Museum of Old Newbury Garden Tour: Saturday & Sunday, June 12 & 13, 2021!
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"Yeat Yeat, Don't Tell Me!" Zoom in Today at Noon
Author, preservationist and all-around great gal,
Bethany Groff Dorau,
joins hosts,
Jack Santos,
Custom House Maritime Museum, and
Colleen Turner Secino,
Museum of Old Newbury, to talk all things Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Historic New England and the general Newbury area.
Today, Friday, June 12, 2020 @ 12:00 p.m. Zoom in
here
.
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Something is Always Cooking at the Museum
Wild Rice Chicken Salad
Served warm or cold, Museum of Old Newbury Board Member,
Emily Hoffman,
offers up a winner here.
1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup sliced scallion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 head leafy lettuce
Dressing
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Whisk oil into vinegar and add remaining dressing ingredients. Set aside. Bring salted water to a boil. Add rice and simmer 45 minutes. Drain and cool. Mix chicken, scallions and celery with cooled rice. Toss with dressing. Place lettuce leaves on plate. Spread chicken mixture over lettuce. Sprinkle with almonds. Serves 4.
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ICYMI: Puzzle Me This...Still Waiting for Her Ship to Come In
This figurehead, known locally as the
Landlocked Lady,
has been attributed to Joseph Wilson (1779-1857), who lived with his family at 12 Strong Street, Newburyport.
When completed, the figurehead was not purchased for a Newburyport ship, but was placed over the door of Wilson’s shop at 8 Strong Street where it served as an advertising emblem for many years.
Wilson was a sought after wood carver who produced figureheads for many of the city’s ships, as well as other decorative carvings for homes of Newburyport residents. The large statues adorning Timothy Dexter’s home are also attributed to Wilson.
Click on the image above to begin.
(*ICYMI: In Case You Missed It)
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During this difficult period of COVID-19, we rely on your support more than ever. We are working to reschedule many of the programs that we have had to postpone, as well as develop new, online programs for you to enjoy and keep us connected. We hope, if you are able, that you will consider a
donation
to the museum. Thank you for your continued support.
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Museum of Old Newbury
98 High Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-462-2681
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