The Ship "Staghound".

THE SHIP STAGHOUND. — The following extract of a letter from a young man, one of the crew of this ship, gives an excellent account of her passage, and it will be read with interest:

"The Staghound sailed from New York March 1st, and arrived at San Francisco July 4th, after a passage of 125 days. After leaving Sandy Hook the wind came out aft, and so continued for seven days. The first Wednesday out we made 340 miles, being but seven less than the greatest day's run of the previous voyage. On the 8th of March we were 1740 miles from Sandy Hook, in lat. 30 20 N. long. 40 31 W. On the 10th of March we were but 1570 miles from the line. This good run led us to expect very strong N.E. trades, but we experienced nothing but light winds and calms to the line, some days making only ten or fifteen miles. On the 27th day we crossed the Equator. We took the S.E. trades very light, south of the line, and held them for two weeks. April 8th, spoke the Dutch brig Charles Ross, and presume we were reported by her. On the 10th of April the wind close hauled, set sky sails, and went 12 knots. Head winds until April 19th, sent down light spars in order to prepare for Cape Horn weather; passed a dead sperm whale; soon after sprung the main top gallant yard, which we were unable to replace for two weeks, in consequence of the heavy weather, the ship under close reefed topsails. At the entrance of the Straits Le Maire, spoke the clipper ship Eastern States, the Captain of which imagined he could sail round us. Although she carried three more sails at the time than we did, we passed her. The following day at noon, she was out of sight astern of us. We then had light winds and calms until we got clear of the Cape, which we made in 64 days. We took the S.E. trades in lat. 22 32 S, and on the 31st of May we crossed the line again. On the 17th of June, the 108th day of our passage, we were in lat. 24 N, lon. 131 W, having had a head wind the previous 10 days. We arrived on the morning of July 4, but did not make fast to the wharf until the morning of the 5th."

The Boston Daily Atlas, August 16, 1852.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives | The Boston Daily Atlas. Search.