This is a beautiful vessel of 1300 tons register. She is 202 feet long between perpendiculars on deck, has 37 feet extreme breadth of beam and 24 feet depth of hold. She has a long, rakish, sharp bow, with slightly hollow lines, and a full figure of Aurora for a head, placed to correspond with the inclination of the cutwater. Her stern is oval in outline, and is finely ornamented with gilded carved work. She is sheathed with yellow metal, and is painted black outside; inside she is white, and the waterways blue, and her rack rail is covered with yellow metal fore and aft. Like other clippers, she has a topgallant forecastle, a large house for the crew and galley, but she has a half poop, with only a small house in front. This house is a porch to the cabins, which lead from it by a staircase, and at the landing is a large vestibule, which contains _ state-rooms, the pantry, a bathing room, and a bread-locker.
She has two beautiful cabins, wainscotted with satinwood, set off into gothic-arched panels, edged with mahogany, and having between them highly polished black walnut pilasters. The cornices, capitals, and corners of the beams are ornamented with flowered gilt-work. The after cabin has a beautiful crescent sofa aft, and forward a semicircular black walnut sideboard, with a marble slab, and over it a large oval mirror. The forward cabin in its after part has an oblong square mirror, and this and the one in the after cabin are both in a sliding panel, which can be lowered down, when it may be required for ventilation. The tables, settees, carpets, and other furniture are of the choicest workmanship, and are very costly. The state-rooms, like the cabins, are elegantly furnished, roomy, and admirably designed for comfort. Those who intend going to San Francisco, would do well to examine this beautiful ship and her splendid accommodations.
Of her materials and fastening we do not intend to say much, for, as far as we can see, she appears as well built as any ship need to be. Her lower masts commencing with the fore, are 79, 84, and 75½ feet long; topmasts, 42, 46, and 34 feet; lower yards, 66, 75, and 60, topsail yards, 53, 60, and 41½ feet square, and the other spars in proportion. She has a noble set of spars, is well rigged and looks beautifully aloft.
She is well found in boats and ground tackle, has Emerson's patent ventilators, Crane's self-acting chain stoppers, one of Allyn's patent capstans, a patent steering apparatus, and an iron tank of 5000 gallons capacity, and all the other improvements of the day.
This truly magnificent ship was built by Messrs. Hayden & Cudworth, is owned by Messrs. Magoun & Son, and is commanded by Capt. Otis Baker, Jr., and active and enterprising sailor.
She now lies at the south side of Lewis wharf, loading with despatch in Glidden & Williams' line of San Francisco clippers, and like the other ships of their line, will be ready on or before her advertised day of sailing, which is the 20th inst. In the mean time, we advise those who like to see a fine ship to call and inspect her.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.
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Copyright © 1999 Lars Bruzelius.