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JOSEPH BATES  

Life of Joseph Bates  
An Autobiography  
Abridged and Edited by  
C. C. CRISLER  
AOVLNTIST  
HERITAGE CENTER  
James White Library  
UNIVERSITY  
REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSN.  
TAKOMA PARK, WASHINGTON, D. C.  
PEEKSKILL, N. Y. SOUTH BEND, IND.  
Printed in the U. S. A.


Copyright, 1927, by the  
Review and Herald Publishing Association  
All Rights Reserved  

Contents  
EDITOR'S PREFACE g  
EARLY YEARS AND FIRST SEA VOYAGE 13  
TALES OF ADVENTURE  
COLLISION WITH AN ICEBERG 23  
CAPTURED BY DANISH PRIVATEERS 27  
ENFORCED SERVICE IN THE BRITISH NAVY 31  
ON THE BLACK LIST 37  
A PRISONER OF WAR 41  
MONTHS OF SUSPENSE 45 
MUTINY ON THE HIGH SEAS 49  
SCUTTLING THE SHIP  
EFFORTS FOR FREEDOM FRUSTRATED 57 
IMMURED IN THE DUNGEONS OF DARTMOOR .... 63  
A SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGE 57  
LIBERTY AT LAST 7^  
HOMEWARD BOUND 75  
THE ILL-FATED SHIP " CRITERION " 33 
FIRST VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA 39  
A STORMY PASSAGE FROM SWEDEN GI 
IN THE TROUGH OF THE SEA 97  
SAFELY ANCHORED AT LAST ^QI  
ATTAINING A CAPTAINCY 107 
TRADING IN SOUTH AMERICA M 
NARROW ESCAPES ASHORE 115 
IN THE SOUTHERN  HEMISPHERE NG  
DOUBLING CAPE HORN ^3  
IN PERU 126  
WEIGHING ANCHOR FOR HOME 131 
THE INFLUENCE OF A POEM •


6  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
A FUNERAL AT SEA  
ALONG THE SOUTH AMERICAN COAST 142  
ENTERING UPON A NEW EXPERIENCE 147  
FOUNDING THE FIRST TEMPERANCE SOCIETY IN  
AMERICA  
A SHIP'S CREW WITHOUT INTOXICATING LIQUORS . . 157  
CHASED AND CAPTURED BY AN ARGENTINE PRIVATEER  161  
RETURNING HOME FROM MY FINAL VOYAGE • • 169  
ENTERING INTO THE PLEASURES OF LIFE ASHORE . . .173  
DISCOVERING AND INVESTIGATING  SOME GREAT  
TRUTHS 177  
ATTENDING CONFERENCES ON THE SECOND ADVENT . . 181  
UNITING WITH THE ADVENTIST PEOPLE 185  
SECOND ADVENT CAMP-MEETINGS 189  
IN THE SOUTH WITH THE MESSAGE 195 
ALONG THE SHORES OF CHESAPEAKE  BAY 199  
AT " THE THREE CORNERS " 204  
THE PASSING OF THE TIME IN 1843 211  
BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH . 215 
THE PROVIDENTIAL UNFOLDING OF SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS 220  

Illustrations  
Joseph Bates 2  
The " Charles W. Morgan " 12  
An Exciting Moment 16  
The Final Thrust 20  
Mountains of Floating Ice 22  
A Privateer 28  
H. M. S. " Galatea " on a Cruise 42  
The " Roanoke" 48  
Deck Scene on a Whaling Ship 56  
Dartmoor Prison 62  
The Waterfront at Fairhaven, Massachusetts  .... 78  
On the Rocks, with Decks Awash 82 
Whaling on the Atlantic Ocean 88  
A Page from a Ship's Log 92  
Heavily Laden and Homeward Bound %  
Whaling Barks Drying Their Sails 106  
Under Full Sail \\2  
Traveling in an Old-Time Stagecoach 116  
Rio de Janeiro  
Wrecked off Cape Horn 122  
A Brazilian Forest 143  
Temperance Pledge 152 
The Whaling Ship " C. A. Larsen " 156 
The Great Star Shower of Nov. 13, 1833 178  
William Miller /  
Elder James White and His Wife 188 
The Threefold Message 192 
Old Bridge Between Fairhaven and New Bedford . . .194  
Seventh-day Adventist Church at Washington, N. H. . 198  
The Prophecy of Daniel 8: 14 205 
The Farnsworth Homestead 207 
Copy of the Original 1843 Chart 210  
The Sanctuary in the Wilderness ........ 213  
The Ten Virgins ' ' 214  
Elder Bates's First Tract on the Sabbath Question 216 
Grave of Elder Joseph Bates ........ 224  
7


X!  
"THEIR DESIRED HAVEN"  '  
THEY that go down to the sea in ships, that do  
business in great waters; these see the works of the  
Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He cora-
mandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth 
up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, 
they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted 
because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger  
like a drunken  man, and are at their wit's end.  
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and  
He bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh 
the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.  
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He  
bringeth them unto their desired haven.  
O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness,  
and for His wonderful  works to the children of men!  
Psalm 107:23-31.  
Lr„„------  — J  
8  

Editor's  Preface  
DURING my boyhood days my beloved father presented  
me with a volume entitled, " Life of Joseph Bates." This 
was the third book I ever owned for myself. It had been  
written by Captain Joseph Bates originally as a series of  
articles for the young people's periodical known as The  
Youth's Instructor, during the years 1858 to 1863, and had  
been published in book form on the first " steam press of  
the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing  Association," in  
November, 1868. The copy that came into my hands was  
of the second edition, prepared by Elder James White and 
published in the fall of 1877, and first read by me in 1886,  
when I was nine years old. I have since reread it again  
and again. The stories Captain Bates told of his early life  
have never lost their charm. All through the years his  
autobiography has remained one of my most treasured pos- 
sessions.  
Three years ago I began an inquiry among friends to  
learn how many had read the " Life of Joseph Bates," and  
to my surprise I found that only a few had had this'privi- 
lege. Several had never heard of the book. Students in  
our schools have been unable to obtain it. For a third of 
a century it has been out of print. The volume is rarely '  
found even in large libraries.  
During the last year I have had occasion to make three  
long sea voyages, and have been carrying in my portfolio 
my copy of the autobiography of Captain Bates, in the 
hope of preparing it for republication in abridged form. 
These stories, which are chiefly of the sea, have thus been  
made ready anew while I have been journeying to and fro  
across the broad waters of the Pacific Ocean, and up and  
down the China and Inland Seas. The little volume has been 
brought into as brief a form as seems consistent with the 
preservation of the Captain's quaint and racy style.  
9


10  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Captain Bates closed his story with a brief account of  
the advent movement of William Miller's day, and of his  
uniting with others in an effort to find the light of Bible 
truth as related to the closing messages of the everlasting 
gospel now being proclaimed by the denomination known 
as Seventh-day Adventists. His story does not set forth in  
detail the important work he undertook and accomplished  
in preaching, in publishing, in founding churches, and in 
attending general meetings. Many of the incidents and  
providences connected with his later labors have been made  
familiar to us through the reminiscent and historical writ- 
ings of Elder J.N. Loughborough, and have been repeated 
in varying forms in " Origin and Progress of Seventh-day 
Adventists," " Story of the Advent Message," " Advent  
Stories," and " Publishing Department Story." I have 
finally decided not to attempt to add supplemental chapters  
to the story as told by the Captain himself, but to let his 
autobiography close just as he left it.  
At the time Captain Bates prepared his life-story for the  
press, late in the 60's, he had reached the venerable age of  
seventy-five; yet his heart was ever young, and he was 
" possessed of a strong and clear memory, an independent  
mind, a noble and courageous soul." " The life of Captain  
Joseph Bates was crowded with unselfish motives and noble  
actions," declares Elder James White in an introduction  
prepared for the 1877 edition of the autobiography. " That  
which makes his early history intensely interesting ... is  
the fact that he became a devoted follower of Christ, a 
thorough, practical reformer, and ripened into glorious  
manhood.  
" Captain Bates retired from the seas in the month of  
June,, 1828. He had acquired more than a competency. In  
physical appearance, his countenance was fair, his eye clear  
and mild, his figure erect and of fine proportions. He de- 
voted his time and means to moral reforms, and labored  
ardently and successfully in this way for about twelve years,  
when he became an Adventist. He soon entered the lectur- 
ing field, and labored as a speaker and writer, and era- 

EDITORS PREFACE  11  
ployed his means and energies in the cause of Bible truth 
and reform during the remainder of his life, following his  
retirement from the sea.  
"Elder Bates died in the eightieth year of his age, at  
Battle Creek, Michigan, U. S. A., March 19, 1872. On the  
21st his remains were taken to Monterey, Allegan County,  
Michigan, where they were interred on the following day in  
Poplar Hill Cemetery by the side of his wife."  
On the occasion of his death, some who had been his  
intimate associates paid a tribute of respect to their beloved  
friend, characterizing him in a published statement as " a  
great and good man, eminent for piety and Christian vir- 
tue; a pioneer in the third angel's message, always at his  
post of duty. . . . We miss him in our assemblies, in our  
churches, at our firesides; and while we deeply mourn his  
loss, we will remember his counsels, imitate his virtues, and  
endeavor to meet him in the kingdom of God."  
> C. C. CRISLER.  
Shanghai, China,  
July 15, 1926.


Early  Years  and  First  Sea  Voyage  
MY honored father and his forefathers were for many  
years residents in the town of Wareham, Plymouth County,  
State of Massachusetts. My mother was the daughter of  
Mr. Barnabas Nye, of the town of Sandwich, Barnstable  
County, both towns but a few hours' ride from  Plymouth  
Rock, the noted landing place of the Pilgrim Fathers.  
My father was a volunteer in the Revolutionary  War,  
and continued in the service of his country during its seven  
years' struggle. When General Lafayette revisited the  
United States in 1825, among the many who were pressing  
to shake hands with him at his reception-rooms in the  city  
of Boston, was my father. As he approached, the General  
recognized him, and grasped his hand, saying, "How do  
you do, my old friend, Captain Bates?"  
"Do you remember him?" was asked. 
His answer was something like this: " Certainly; he  
was under my immediate command in the American Army."  
After the war, my father married and settled in Roches- 
ter, an adjoining town, in Plymouth County, where I was  
born July 8, 1792. In the early part of 1793 we  moved  
to New Bedford, some seven miles distant, where my father  
entered into commercial business.  
During the war with England, in 1812, the town of New  
Bedford was divided, and the eastern part was called Fair- 
haven. This was my place of residence until I moved mv  
family to Michigan in May, 1858.  
In my schoolboy days my most ardent desire was to  
become a sailor. I used to think how gratified I should 
be if I could only get on board a ship that was going on  
a voyage of discovery round the world. I wanted to see  
how it looked on the opposite side. Whenever I thought of  
asking my father's consent to let me go to sea. mv courage  
failed me for fear he would say, No. When I would en- 
deavor to unburden my mind to my mother, she would try  
13


14  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
to dissuade me, and recommend some other occupation. At  
last I was permitted to go for a short trip by sea with  
my uncle to Boston, "to cure me;" but it had the oppo- 
site effect My parents then complied with my wishes.  
A new ship, called the "Fanny," of New Bedford, was  
about to sail for Europe; and Elias Terry, the commander,  
agreed with my father to take me on the voyage with him  
as cabin boy.  
In June, 1807, we sailed from New Bedford to take  
our cargo on board at New York City, for London, Eng- 
land. Our good ship was deeply laden with choice wheat  
in bulk, even into her hatchways. It was feared that she  
would sink under her heavy burden.  
On the eve of our departure, Mr. S. Eldridge, then our  
chief mate, was coming on board the ship in the dark night,  
a lighted lantern in his hand, when he fell from the plank  
into the river, between the ship and the wharf, where the  
tide was running from three to five miles an hour. Mr.  
Adams threw a coil of rope under the wharf at a venture;  
fortunately the chief mate caught it, and after some  
struggle he was hauled up onto the ship's deck. When he  
began to breathe freely, he lamented the loss of the new  
lantern. Said Mr. Adams, "Why, you have it in your  
hand' " If it had been a cannon ball it would most like y  
have carried him to the bottom; for drowning persons hold  
on with a deadly grasp to whatever is in their hands.  
We had a pleasant run across the Atlantic Ocean, in  
our passage up the British Channel, between France and  
England, we discovered a number of kegs floating on the 
top of the sea. The maintop sail was laid to mast, and a  
boat lowered with a crew, which soon returned to the ship  
deeply laden with gin and brandy. The duties on such arti-
cles were so high, from France to England, that smugglers  
could afford to lose a whole cargo sometimes, and yet make  
their business profitable. But if they were caught by the  
revenue cutters or warships, while thus defrauding their  
government through evasion of her revenue laws, the pen- 
alty about ruined them for life. For these reasons it oft- 

EARLY YEARS AND FIRST SEA VOYAGE  15  
times occurred in those years that smugglers, when ap- 
proached by government vessels, quickly fastened the kegs  
of liquor with ropes and buoys, and cast them overboard.  
Later, when all danger of interference was passed, they made  
diligent search for the cargo thrown overboard, with reason-
able certainty of finding it and taking it on board again to  
carry the rest of the way across the Channel.  
On our safe arrival at the London clock, the English  
officers who came  to inspect our cargo, on opening the  
hatches, expressed their surprise to see the clean and dry  
wheat, up into the hatchway, as fresh as when we left New  
York.  
Later, in preparation for our homeward voyage, we  
hauled out of the dock into the river Thames, and began 
filling our water casks with the river water that was passing  
us. During this process I thought, "How can a person  
drink such filthy water, mixed up as it is with the scum  
and filth from many vessels and from a great portion also  
of the city of London ? " I soon learned that after a few 
clays this muddy water, with its streaks of green, yellow,  
and red, flowing into our water casks, becomes settled and  
clear, unless stirred up from the bottom.  
Some four years after this, while in the Mediterranean  
Sea on a ship that had filled its water casks from the river  
Thames, we were emptying out our old stock of fresh  
water which had been bunged up tight for about two years;  
and on starting the bung and applying a lighted candle, we  
found the stream of water running from the bung would  
blaze up a foot high, like the burning of strong brandy. 
Before becoming stirred up from the bottom, some of tlie  
clear water was exhibited in glass tumblers among the offi- 
cers, and pronounced to be the purest and best of water,  
only about two years from London. I admit that it looked 
clear and tasted good, but from my former knowledge of 
its origin I confess I would a little rather have quenched  
my thirst from some of the pure springs of the Green  
Mountains in Vermont or the granite hills in New Hamp- 
shire.


Talcs  of  Adventure  
AMONG our passengers to New York was Mr. Lloyd, a  
serious-minded gentleman who was chief mate of a Phila- 
delphia ship detained in  London. On our voyage across the  
Atlantic he related to us a very singular incident that had 
occurred a few years previously, while he was a sailor from  
Philadelphia. He said he had never dared tell his mother  
or sisters of it. I will try to relate it in his own words.  
Said he:  
" I was lodging away from home one night in another  
part of the city, when the house was beset by the police.  
For fear of being identified with those who were disturbing  
the peace, I fled from my bed into the street with nothing  
but my nightshirt on, and finally secreted myself in the  
market place, while a friend who was with me went back  
to obtain my clothes.  
"About midnight a gang of men, passing through the  
market place, discovered me, and after a few inquiries as 
to who I was, they said, ' Drive this fellow on before us.'  
My pleading was in vain; they continued to keep me before  
them until we entered the cemetery, about two miles out of  
the city. We here came to a large flat stone with an iron  
hook in it. They placed in the hook a stout rope which 
they had brought with them, and by the aid of which they 
lifted the stone up. Thus was opened a family vault where  
a Jewish lady of distinction had been buried that day. The  
jewelry upon  her person was what they were after.  
"The exciting question now was, who would go down  
into the vault and get the jewels. Said one, ' Here is the  
fellow.' I begged and entreated them not to require me  
to commit so dreadful a deed. My entreaties were disre- 
garded; they crowded me down into the vault, ordering me  
to go and strip off her jewels. I began to plead again, but  
2 17


18  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
they gave me to understand that there was no alternative;  
I must either do this or stay where I was down in the vault.  
Almost dead with fear, I laid hold of the lady's hands,  
secured the jewels from her fingers, and passed them up  
to those above. As soon as they got hold of them, they  
dashed down the heavy flat stone slab and immediately ran  
away.  
" I felt overwhelmed at my hopeless condition, doomed  
to die a most horrible death, and fearing every moment  
that the corpse would lay hold of me. I listened to the  
rumbling sound of the footsteps of those robbers as they  
hastened away, until all was silent as death. The stone 
was above me, I could not move.  
" After a little I heard a distant rumbling of the ground,  
which continued to increase until I heard strange voices  
over the vault. I soon learned that this was another gang,  
most likely unknown to the first, and they were placing  
their rope to swing up the same stone slab.  
" I at once decided what to do to save myself. As the  
slab came up, I leaped out of the vault in my white night-
shirt. Horror-stricken, they all fled back toward the city, 
running with such speed that it was difficult for me to keep 
up behind them, and yet I feared if they were to stop, I  
should be discovered and taken. Before reaching the city,  
I had drawn some nearer to the two hinder ones, when  
one of them cried out to his companion, 'Patrick! Patrick!  
the old woman is close to our heels!' Onward they raced  
through the market and fled away from me, for I stopped  
here to hide myself. After a while my friend, having ob-
tained my clothes, found me, and I returned home."  
Among those with us on this homeward voyage was a  
good-looking man, about twenty years of age, who had come  
on board before we left New Bedford, Massachusetts, with 
our cargo of wheat for London. When he joined us, he  
stated that he had come from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  
to get passage to London, but that he had no means nor  
any way to pay his passage. He also stated that his only  
object in going to London was to obtain a certain book  

TALES OF ADVENTURE  19  
(the title of which I have forgotten) that could not be  
obtained at any other place. He finally shipped as a green,  
or new, hand before the mast.  
This was rather new among sailors, for a man having  
no desire to be a sailor, to be willing to endure the hard-
ships of a seven months' voyage with no other object than  
to get one book, and no certainty about that.  
On our arrival in London the captain advanced our  
book-loving friend some money, and before night he re- 
turned from the city rejoicing that he had found the book.  
I have often regretted that our acquaintance ended with that  
voyage; for I have thought, if his life was spared, he was 
destined to occupy some honorable position among men.  
On recovering from my seasickness, I began my sea  
journal, to keep the run of the ship and the daily occur-
rences of the voyage.  
One circumstance occurred on our homeward voyage,  
some eighteen days after departing from Land's End, Eng-
land, which I will here relate:  
In the morning (Sunday) a large shark was following  
us. A heavy piece of meat was fastened to a rope and  
thrown over the stern to tempt him to come up a little 
nearer, that we might fasten to him with a barbed iron 
made for such purposes; but no inducement of ours seemed  
to affect him. He maintained his position, where he could  
grasp whatever fell from either side of the ship.  
On such occasions the old stories about sharks are re- 
vived— how they swallow sailors alive, and at other times 
bite them in two, and swallow them at two mouthfuls. Sailors  
hear so much about them that more is attributed to their 
sagacity than really belongs to them. Sailors are generally  
brave and fearless men; they dare meet their fellows in 
almost any conflict, and face the raging storms of the  
sea; but the idea of being swallowed alive by a voracious  
shark that is silently following their ship, often causes their 
stout hearts to tremble.  
Toward evening of the day referred to, when we had  
ceased our fruitless efforts to draw the shark away from his


TALES OF ADVENTURE  21  
determined position astern of the ship, I ascended to the  
maintop-gallant  masthead, to ascertain if there was any  
vessel in sight, or anything to be seen but sky and water.  
On my way down, having reached about fifty feet from the  
deck and sixty from the water, I missed reaching the place  
which I designed grasping with my hand, and fell back-
ward, striking a rope in my fall, which prevented my being  
dashed upon the deck, but whirled me into the sea.  
As I came up on top of the waves, struggling and panting  
for breath, I saw at a glance that the ship, my only hope,  
was passing beyond my reach. With the encumbrance of  
my thick, heavy clothing, I exerted all my strength to follow.  
I saw that the captain, officers, and crew had rushed toward  
the ship's stern. The first officer hurled a coil of rope 
with all his strength, the end of which I caught with my 
hand, He cried out, " Hold on! " I did so, and they 
hauled me through the sea to the ship, and set my feet upon  
the deck.  
To the question if I was hurt, I answered, " No." Said  
another, "Where is the shark?" I began to tremble even  
as they had trembled while in anxious suspense they had  
watched me struggling  in the water; for in their hearts had  
been the fear that at any moment the shark would attack me.  
Most singular to say, the thought of the shark had never  
entered my mind while I was in the water.  
Walking over to the other side of the ship, I looked down  
into the water where shortly before I had been, and, behold,  
the shark was quietly gliding along his way with us, not far  
from the side of the vessel, seemingly unconscious of our  
gaze. And we did not disturb him in any way; for the  
sailors and passengers were all so glad that the cabin boy  
was rescued, not only from a watery grave, but from the 
shark's ferocious jaws, that they had no disposition to  
trouble him. He was soon missing, and we saw him no 
more. The wonder to all was, how he came to change his 
position to a place where he could neither see nor hear what  
was taking place on the other side or at the stern of the ship.


Collision  with  an  Iceberg  
PROCEEDING on another voyage from New York to Arch- 
angel, in Russia, about the middle of May, 1809, we dis-
covered one afternoon a number of islands of ice, many of 
them appearing hke large cities. This was an unmistakable  
sign that we were nearing the Banks of Newfoundland, about 
one thousand miles on the mariner's track from Boston to  
Liverpool. These large masses, or islands, of ice are driven  
by wind and current from the icebound regions of the North,  
and finally reach the shallower water known as the Banks of  
Newfoundland, where at a depth of about three hundred  
feet the heavy icebergs strike bottom, and there hang, a  
menace to every passing vessel. In some seasons the ice-
bergs are from two to three months dissolving and tumbling 
to pieces; and as they thus become smaller, they no longer 
touch bottom, but float, and are driven onward over the  
shallow places of the Newfoundland Banks into the fathom- 
less depths of the ocean beyond, and are soon dissolved in  
the warmer sea water.  
A strong westerly gale was wafting us rapidly along our  
course, and as night set in we were past the cluster of ice- 
bergs we had first seen. Soon the fog became so dense that  
it was impossible to see ten feet before us. About this time,  
while one W. Palmer was steering the ship, he overheard  
the chief mate expostulating  with the captain, desiring him to  
round the ship to and lay by until morning light. The cap- 
tain decided that we were past all the ice, and said the ship  
must continue to run, and that we should have a good look-
out [watchman] ahead.  
Midnight came, and we were relieved from our post by  
the captain's watch, to retire below for four hours* In about  
an hour from this we were aroused by the dreadful cry  
from the helmsman, " An island of ice! " The next moment  
came the terrible crash! When I recovered..consciousness  
23


24  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
from the blow 1 received by being tossed from one side of  
the forecastle to  the other, I found myself clinched by  
Palmer. The rest of the watch had made their escape on  
deck, and had shut down the scuttle.  
After several unsuccessful attempts to find the ladder to  
reach the scuttle, Palmer and I gave up in despair. We 
placed our arms around each other's neck, expecting to  
die. Amid the creaking and rending of the ship with her  
grappled foe, we could once in a while hear the screams and  
cries of some of our wretched companions on the deck above  
us, begging God for mercy, which only augmented our des- 
perate feelings. Thoughts came rushing that seemed to  
choke, and for a few moments made it impossible for us to 
give utterance to our feelings.  
Oh, the dreadful thought! — here to yield up my account  
and die, and sink with the wrecked ship to the bottom of the  
ocean, so far from home and friends, without the least 
preparation for or hope of heaven and eternal life! Oh, the  
terrible thought that I might be numbered with lost sinners,  
and forever banished from the presence of the Lord! It  
seemed that something must give way to vent my feelings  
of unutterable anguish.  
In this agonizing moment the scuttle was thrown open  
with the cry, " Is there any one below ?" In a moment we  
were both on deck. I stood surveying our position, the  
ship's bow partly under a shelf of ice, everything gone but  
her stem, all her square sails filled with the wind, and a  
heavy sea rushing her onward in closer contact with her un- 
yielding antagonist. Without some immediate change, it  
was evident that our destiny and hers would be sealed in 
a few minutes.  
With some difficulty I made my way to the quarter-deck,  
where the captain and second mate were on their knees  
begging God for mercy. The chief mate with as many a» 
could rally around him, was making fruitless efforts to  
hoist the longboat [lifeboat], which, had it been launched,  
could not have been kept for two minutes from dashing  
against the ice.  

COLLISION WITH AN ICEBERG  25  
Amid the crash and cries my attention was arrested by  
the captain's crying out, " What are you going to do with 
me, Palmer ?"  
Said Palmer, " I am going to heave you overboard! " 
" For God's sake let me alone," the captain pleaded;  
" for we shall all be in eternity in less than five minutes!"  
Said Palmer, with a fearful oath, " I don't care for that;  
you have been the cause of all this! It will be some satis- 
faction to me to see you go first! "  
I laid fast hold of him, and entreated him to let go of  
the captain and go with me to try the pump. He readily  
yielded to my request, and to our utter astonishment the  
pump sucked! This unexpected good news arrested the 
attention of the chief mate, who immediately turned from  
his fruitless labor, and after a moment's survey of the ship's  
perilous position, cried out with a stentorian shout, " Let 
go the topgallant and the topsail halyards! Let go the tacks 
and sheets! Haul up the courses! Clew down and clew  
up the topsails! "  
Perhaps orders were never obeyed in a more prompt  
and instantaneous  manner. The wind thrown out of the  
sails relieved the ship immediately, and like a lever sliding  
from under a rock, she broke away from her disastrous  
position, and settled down upon an even keel broadside to  
the ice.  
We now saw that our strongly built and gallant ship  
was a wreck forward of her foremast, and that mast, to all  
appearances, about to go too; but what we most feared  
was the ship's yards and mast coming in contact with the  
ice, in which case the heavy sea on her other side would  
rush over her deck, and sink us in a few moments. While  
anxiously waiting for this, we saw that the sea which passed  
by our stern bounded against the western side of the ice,  
and rushed back impetuously against the ship, and thus pre- 
vented her coming in contact with the ice, and also moved 
her onward toward the southern extremity of the island,  
which was so high that we failed to see the top of it from the  
masthead.


52  LIFE OF JOSEPH' BATES  
In this state of suspense we were unable to devise any  
way for our escape, other than that which God in His provi-
dence was manifesting  to us, as just described. About  
four o'clock in the morning, while all hands were engaged  
in clearing away the wreck, a shout was raised, " Yonder is  
the eastern horizon, and it's daylight! " This was indication 
enough that we were just passing from the western side,  
beyond the southern extremity of the ice, where the ship's 
course could be changed by human skill.  
" Hard up your helm," cried the captain, " and keep the  
ship before the wind! Secure the foremast! Clear away  
the wreck!"  
Suffice it to say that fourteen days brought us safely into  
the river Shannon, in Ireland, where we refitted for our  
Russian voyage.  
" They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business  
in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and His  
wonders in the deep. . . . Their soul is melted because of  
trouble. . . . Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,  
and He bringeth them out of their distresses. . . . O that  
men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His  
wonderful works to the children of men." Ps. 107:23-31.  
Dear friends, whatever be your calling here, " seek ye  
first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness"  (Matt.  
6: 33), and get your feet planted on board the gospel ship.  
The Owner of this majestic, homeward-bound vessel shows  
the utmost care for every mariner on board, even to the num-
bering of the hairs of his head. He not only pays the high-
est wages, but has promised every one who faithfully  per- 
forms his duty an exceeding great reward. That all the  
perils of this voyage may be passed in safety, He has com-
manded His holy ones (see Heb. 1: 14) to attend and watch  
over this precious company, who fail not to see through all 
the mists and fogs, and give warning of all the dangers in 
the pathway. Moreover, He has invested his dear Son with  
all power, and given Him for a Commander and skilful Pilot,  
to convey this good ship and her company into her destined 
haven.  

Captured  by  Danish  Privateers  
AFTER repairing in Ireland the damages that had been  
done our ship by the collision with an iceberg, we sailed  
again on our Russian voyage, and in a few clays we fell in  
with and joined an English convoy of two  or three hundred  
sail of merchant vessels, bound for the Baltic Sea, and con- 
voyed by British ships of war as a protection from enemies.  
On reaching a difficult place called the " Mooner Passage,"  
a violent gale overtook us, which, in spite of our efforts,  
was driving us on to a dismal, shelterless shore. With the  
increasing fury of the gale and the darkness of the night, 
our condition became more and more alarming, until finally  
our commodore hoisted the " lighted lantern," a signal for  
all the fleet to anchor without delay.  
The long-wished-for  morning at length came, and re- 
vealed to us our alarming position. All that were provided 
with cables were contending with the boisterous seas driven 
against us by the furious gale. It seemed almost a miracle  
to us that our cables and anchors still held. While watching  
one after another as their cables parted and the ships were 
drifting toward the rocks to be dashed in pieces, our own  
cable broke! With all haste we crowded what sail we dared  
on the ship, and she being a fast sailer, we found by the next  
day that we had gained some distance in the offing. Here  
a council was called, which decided that we should make  
sail from the convoy and take a lone chance through the  
sound by the coast of Denmark.  
Not many hours after this, while we were congratulating  
ourselves respecting our narrow escape from shipwreck and  
for being out of reach of the commodore's guns, we saw  
two suspicious-looking  vessels endeavoring to cut us off from  
the shore. Their cannon balls soon began to fall around "us,  
and it became advisable for us to round to and let them come  
27


28  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
aboard. They proved to be two Danish privateers,* which  
captured and took us to Copenhagen, where ship and cargo  
were finally condemned, in accordance with Napoleon Bona- 
parte's decrees, because of our intercourse with the English.  
In the course of a few weeks we were all called to the  
courthouse to give testimony respecting our voyage. Pre- 
vious to this, our supercargo and part owner had promised  
A PRIVATEER  
(From an old print)  
us a handsome reward if we would testify that our voyage  
was direct from New York to Copenhagen, and that we  
had had no intercourse with the English. To this proposition  
we were not all agreed.  
We were finally examined separately, my turn coming  
first. I suppose they first called me into court because I  
was the only youth among the sailors. One of the three  
judges asked me in English if I understood the nature of an  
oath. After answering in the affirmative, I was bidden look  
at a box near by (about fifteen inches long and eight inches  
high), and the judge said, "That box contains a machine  
•According to the Century Dictionary, a privateer is " an armed vessel  
owned and officered by private persons, but acting under a  commission  from  
the state usually  called letters of marque."  

CAPTURED BY DANISH PRIVATEERS  29  
to cut off the two forefingers and thumb of every one who  
swears falsely here. Now," said he, " hold up your two fore- 
fingers and thumb on your right hand." In this manner I was  
sworn to tell the truth.  
Regardless of any consideration, I testified to the facts  
concerning our voyage. Afterward, when we were per- 
mitted to go aboard, it was clear enough that the " little box "  
had brought out the truthful testimony from all; namely, 
that we had been wrecked by running against an island of 
ice fourteen days from New York; and that we had refitted  
in Ireland, after which we had joined the British convoy,  
and had been captured by the privateers.  
After this experience of testifying before the judge,  
some of our crew, as they were returning from a walk 
where they had been viewing the prison, said that some of 
the prisoners thrust their hands through the gratings to 
show, that they had lost the two forefingers and thumb of  
their right hand. They were a crew of Dutchmen who  
had likewise been taken, and had sworn falsely. We felt 
thankful for another narrow escape by telling the truth.  
" We want the truth on every point,  
We want it, too, to practise by."  
With the condemnation of our ship and cargo and the  
loss of our wages, ended our Russian voyage. Thus we were  
left in company with a strange people who had stripped us 
of all but our clothing. But before winter set in, I obtained 
a berth on board a Danish brig bound to Pillau, in Prussia,  
where we arrived after a passage both tedious and perilous,  
our vessel leaking so badly that it was with difficulty we 
kept her from sinking until we reached the wharf. In this 
extremity I obtained a berth on an American brig from  
Russia, bound for Belfast, Ireland.  
Our voyage from Prussia to Ireland was replete with  
trials and suffering. It was a winter passage down the  
Baltic Sea, and through the winding passages of the High- 
lands of Scotland, under a cruel, drunken, parsimonious 
captain, who denied us enough of the most common food


52  
LIFE OF JOSEPH' BATES  
allowed to sailors. And when, through his neglect to fur-
nish even this, we were in a famishing condition and almost  
exhausted with pumping to keep us from sinking, he would  
swear and threaten us with severer usage if we  failed to  
comply with his wishes. Finally, after putting in at an  
island and obtaining a fresh supply of provisions, we sailed 
again for Belfast, Ireland, where the voyage ended. From 
thence two of us crossed the Irish Channel to Liverpool, to  
seek a voyage to America.  
A few days after our arrival, a British " press gang "  
fan officer and twelve men) entered our boarding house  
in the evening, and asked to what country we belonged.  
We produced our American protections [passports], which 
proved us to be citizens of the United States. But pro- 
tections and arguments would not satisfy them. They seized  
and dragged us to the " rendezvous," a place of close confine-
ment. In the morning we were examined before a naval  
lieutenant, and ordered to join the British navy. To pre-
vent our escape, four stout men seized us, and thus, led 
by a lieutenant with drawn sword, who went before us, we 
were conducted through the middle of one of the principal  
streets of Liverpool like condemned criminals ordered to  
the gallows.  
When we reached the riverside, a well-manned boat was  
in readiness, and conveyed us on board the " Princess," of 
the royal navy. After a rigid scrutiny, we were confined 
in the prison-room on the lower deck, with about sixty others 
who claimed to be Americans, but who nevertheless had been  
impressed in like manner as ourselves.  
This eventful loss of freedom occurred April 27, 1810.  

Enforced  Service  in  the  British  
Navy  
ON board the British naval vessel " Princess," one feeling  
seemed to pervade the minds of all who claimed to be 
Americans, namely, that we had been unlawfully seized  
without any provocation on our part; hence, any way by  
which we could regain our liberty would be justifiable.  
In a few days the greater portion of the officers and crew  
took one of their number on shore to be buried. It was then  
suggested by some that this was a favorable time for us to  
break the iron bars and bolts in the porthole, and make our 
escape -bv swimming in the strong current that was rushing  
by us.  
In breaking the bars we succeeded beyond our expecta- 
tion ; but when we were all ready to cast ourselves overboard  
one after another, the boats came alongside with the officers,  
and our open place was discovered. For this, they began  
by taking one after another and whipping them on their naked 
backs in a most inhuman manner. This dreadful work-
was in progress for several hours, and ceased about nine 
o'clock at night, the officers intending to finish next day.  
But they did not have time to carry out their cruel work; for  
orders were given to transship us all on board a frigate near 
by, that was weighing her anchors to put to sea.  
In a few days we came to Plymouth, where we were re- 
examined, and all such as were pronounced in good con- 
dition for service in the British navy were transferred to  
one .of their largest stationary ships, called the " Saint-
Salvadore del Mondo." On this monstrous floating castle  
were fifteen hundred persons in the same condition as  
myself.  
Here, while I was in conversation with a young man from  
Massachusetts, we agreed to try to make our escape if we  
31


66  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
perished in the attempt. We prepared  a rope, and closely  
watched the soldiers and sailors on guard till they were being  
relieved from their posts at midnight. We then raised the  
" hanging  port" about eighteen inches, and put the " tackle  
fall" into the hands of a friend in the secret, to lower it  
down when we, were beyond the reach of the musket balls.  
Our rope and blanket, about thirty feet long, reached the 
water. Forbes, my companion,  whispered, " Will you fol- 
low?" I replied, " Yes."  
By the time he reached the water, I was slipping down  
after him, when the alarm ran through  the ship, " Man  
overboard! " Our friend dropped  the " port" for fear of  
being detected, which left me exposed to the fire of the  
sentinels. But I was soon in the water, and swam to a  
hiding place under the " accommodation  ladder" by the  
time the boats were manned with lanterns  to hunt us.  
We watched for an opportunity  to take an opposite  
direction from our pursuers,  who were repeatedly hailed  
from the ship to know if they had found any one. We had  
about three miles to swim. We wore our clothes, except  
our jackets and shoes, which we had fastened on the back 
of our necks to screen us from a chance shot from the ship.  
An officer with men and lanterns descended the accommo- 
dation ladder, and sliding his hand over the " slat," he  
touched my hand, and immediately shouted, " Here is one of 
them! Come out of that, you sir! Here is another!  Come  
out, you sir! "  
We swam around to them, and were drawn upon the  
stage.  
" Who are you ? " demanded  the officer.  
" An American."  
" How dare you undertake  to swim away from the ship ?  
Did you not know that you were liable to be shot? "  
I answered that I was not a subject of King George,  
and had done this to gain my liberty.  
"Bring them up here!" was the order from the ship.  
After another examination,  we were put into close con- 
finement with a number of criminals awaiting punishment.  

ENFORCED SERVICE IN THE BRITISH NAVY 33  
After some thirty hours of close confinement,  I was  
separated from my friend, and hurried away with about one 
hundred fifty sailors (all strangers to me), to join His  
Majesty's ship, " Rodney,"  of seventy-four  guns, whose  
crew numbered  about seven hundred men. As soon as we  
had passed our muster on the quarter-deck  of the " Rodney,"  
all were permitted to go below and get their dinners —  
but Bates.  
Commander Bolton handed  the first lieutenant a paper,  
on reading which he looked at me and muttered, " Scoundrel." 
All the boats' crews, amounting  to more than one hundred  
men, were immediately assembled on the quarter-deck.  
Said Captain Bolton, " Do you see that fellow ?" 
" Yes, sir." 
"If you ever allow him to get into one of your boats, I  
will flog every one of the boat's crew. Do you under-
stand me ?"  
" Yes, sir; yes, sir," was the reply.  
" Then go down to your dinners; and you may, too, sir."  
I now began to learn something  of the nature of my  
punishment  for attempting in a quiet and peaceful manner  
to quit His Majesty's service. In the commanding  officer's  
view this seemed to amount to an unpardonable  crime, and  
one never to be forgotten.  In a few hours the " Rodney,"  
under a cloud of sail, was leaving old Plymouth  in the dis- 
tance, and steering for the French coast to make war with 
the Frenchmen.  
" Hope deferred maketh the heart sick;" my hope of  
freedom from this oppressive  state seemed to wane from  
my view like the land we were leaving in the distance.  
As our final destination was to join the British squadron  
in the Gulf of Lyons, in the Mediterranean  Sea, we made  
a stop at Cadiz, in Spain. Here the French troops of  
Napoleon  Bonaparte were bombarding  the city and the Brit- 
ish and Spanish ships of war in the harbor. The boats  
comprised a part of the Spanish fleet that had finally escaped  
from the Battle of Trafalgar,  under Lord Nelson, in 1805,  
and were now to be refitted by their ally, the English, and  

32


34  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
to sail for Port Mahon in the Mediterranean.  Unexpectedly,  
I was one of fifty selected to refit and man one of them,  
the " Apollo."  
A few days after passing  the Straits of Gibraltar, we  
encountered a most violent gale, called a " levanter," common 
in those seas, which caused our ship to labor so excessively  
that it was with the utmost exertion at the pumps that we  
kept her from sinking. We were finally favored  to return  
to Gibraltar and refit.  
A number of Spanish officers with their families still  
belonged to the ship. It was wonderful  and strange to us  
to see how tenaciously these people hung around their images, 
surrounded  with burning  wax candles, as if the images could  
save them in this perilous hour, when nothing short of our  
continual labor at the pumps prevented  the ship from sinking  
with us all.  
After refitting at Gibraltar, we sailed again and arrived  
safely at Minorca,  the harbor  of the island of Port Mahon.  
Here I, with two others, made another attempt to regain my  
liberty, by inducing a native to take us to land in his market  
boat.  
While endeavoring  to escape the vigilance of our pursuers  
after we stepped out of the Spaniard's  market boat, away  
beyond the city at the base of a rocky mountain  we dis- 
covered a wooden door which opened into a subterranean  
passage. Away in the distance it appeared quite light, and 
as we ventured  down along the passage, we came to a large  
open space, where the light was shining through a small hole  
wrought from  the top of the mountain  down through  the  
dome. The subterranean  passage continued on in a winding  
direction, which we attempted to explore as far as we dared.  
For want of light we returned  to the center, from which we  
discovered yet other passages. Upon exploring these, we  
found them running  so far into the darkness that we dared  
not continue, but came back to the lighted passageway  by  
which we had first entered.  
The stone of this mountain is a kind of sandstone,  much  
harder than chalk, called "holystone,"  which is abundant  

ENFORCED SERVICE IN THE BRITISH NAVY  35  
on the island, and is made use of by the British squadron  to  
scour, or holystone, the decks of ships every morning, to 
make them white and clean.  
Afterward we were told that this mountain  had been  
excavated in past ages for the purpose  of sheltering  a be- 
sieged army. In the central light place was a large house 
chiseled out of the rock, with doorway  and window frames,  
designed undoubtedly  for the officers of the besieged, and  
as a rallying place of the army.  
After a close survey of this wonderful  place, we be- 
came satisfied that we had now found a secure retreat from 
our pursuers, where we could breathe and talk aloud with- 
out fear of being heard or seized by any of the subjects of  
King George III. But alas! our joy soon vanished when  
we thought of the fact that there was nothing for us to eat.  
When we ventured to a farmhouse  to seek for bread, the  
people eyed us with suspicion. We feared they would seize  
us, and hand us over to our pursuers, so we avoided them.  
After two days and nights of fruitless labor to escape  
from the island by boat or otherwise, or from those who  
were well paid for apprehending  deserters, we deemed it  
best to venture back to the ship. Our voluntary  return was  
finally accepted as evidence that we did not design to desert  
from the service of King George 111. Thus we escaped  
being publicly whipped.  
Our crew was now taken back to Gibraltar to join the  
" Rodney,"  our own ship, which had just arrived in charge  
of another Spanish line-of-battle  ship for Port Mahon. In  
company with our Spanish escort, we sailed about eighty miles  
on our way to Malaga, where we discovered the combined 
armies of the English and Spanish in close engagement  with  
the French army on the seaboard.  
Our ship was soon moored broadside to the shore. As  
the orders for furling the sails were not promptly obeyed, 
by reason of the Frenchmen's  shot from the fort, all hands  
were ordered aloft, and there remained exposed to the 
enemy's shot until the sails were furled.  This was done  
out of anger. While in this condition, a single well-directed


52  
LIFE OF JOSEPH' BATES  
shot might have killed a score, but fortunately none were  
struck.  
Our thirty-two-pound balls made dreadful havoc for a  
little while in the enemy's ranks. Nevertheless, they soon 
managed to bring our allies between us, and thereby checked 
our firing. The engagement closed at sunset.  
After disposing of the dead and washing their blood from  
the decks, we sailed away with our Spanish consort for Port  
Mahon. Just before reaching there, another levanter came  
on so suddenly that it was with much difficulty that we could 
manage our newly built ship. Our Spanish consort, unpre- 
pared for such a violent gale, was dashed to pieces on the 
island of Sardinia, and nearly every one of the crew perished.  
After the gale we joined the British fleet, consisting of  
about thirty line-of-battle ships, carrying from eighty to one  
hundred thirty guns each, besides frigates and sloops of 
war. Our work was to blockade a much larger fleet of  
French men-of-war, mostly in the harbor of Toulon. With  
these we occasionally had skirmishes  or running fights. The  
French squadron was not prepared, neither disposed, to  
meet the English fleet in battle.  
To improve our mental faculties when we had a few  
leisure moments from ship duty and naval tactics, we were  
furnished with a library of two choice books for every ten  
men. We had seventy of these libraries in all. The first  
book was an abridgment of the life of Lord Nelson, calcu-
lated to inspire the mind to deeds of valor, and to teach the  
most summary way of disposing of an unyielding enemy.  
This, one of the ten men could read, when he had leisure,  
during the last six days of each week. The second was a  
small Church of England prayer book, for special use about  
one hour on Sunday, the first day of the week.  

On the  Black  List  
THE winter rendezvous of the Mediterranean British  
squadron was in the isle of Minorca, harbor of Port Mahon. 
After the middle of the seventh month, sailing is dangerous.  
(See St. Paul's testimony. Acts 27:9, 10.)  
In the mild seasons, the sailor's uniform was white duck  
frock and trousers and a straw hat. The discipline was to  
muster all hands at nine o'clock in the morning, and if our  
clothes were reported soiled or unclean, we were doomed to  
have our names put on the " black list," and were required  
to do all kinds of scouring and filthy work, in addition to our  
stated duty, thus depriving us of our allotted time for rest  
and sleep in the morning watch below. There was no pun- 
ishment more dreaded and disgraceful than this, to which 
we were daily liable.  
If sufficient changes of clothes had been allowed us, and  
sufficient  time to wash and dry them, it would have been a  
great pleasure, and also a benefit to us, to have appeared 
daily with unsoiled white suits on, notwithstanding  the dirty  
work we had  to perform. I do  not remember ever being  
allowed more than three suits at one time to make changes, 
and then we had only one day in the week to clean them,  
namely, about two hours before daylight once a week, at 
which time all hands (about seven hundred) were called on  
the upper decks to wash and scrub clothes. Not more than 
three quarters of these could be accommodated at a time; 
but no matter, when daylight came, at the expiration of the 
two hours, we were ordered to hang all washed clothes on the  
clothesline immediately.  
Some would say, " I have not been able to  get water c.  
a place to wash mine yet."  
" I can't help that! Clear out your clothes, and begin  
to holystone and wash the decks."  
37


38  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Orders were most strict, that whoever should be found  
drying his clothes at any other than this time in the wash 
day, should be punished.  
To avoid detection and punishment, I have scrubbed my  
trousers early in the morning, and put them on and dried 
them. Not liking this method, I ventured at one time to  
hang up my wet trousers in a concealed place behind the 
maintop sail; but the sail was ordered to be furled in a hurry,  
and the lieutenant discovered them. The maintop men  
(about fifty) were immediately ordered from their dinner  
hour to appear on the quarter-deck.  
" All here, sir," said the underofficer who mustered us.  
" Very well, whose trousers are those found hanging in  
the maintop ?"  
I stepped forward from the ranks and said, " They are  
mine, sir."  
"Yours, are they? you !" and when he had  
finished cursing me, he asked me how they came there.  
" I hung them there to dry, sir."  
" You , see how I will hang you, directly. Go  
down to your dinner, the rest of you," said he, " and call 
the chief boatswain's mate up here."  
Up he came in great haste from his dinner.  
" Have you got a rope's end in your pocket ?"  
He began to feel, and said, " No, sir." 
" Then away down below directly and get one, and give  
that fellow there one of the floggings he ever had."  
" Yes, sir, bear a hand."  
Thus far I had escaped all his threats of punishment,  
from my first introduction into the ship. I had often applied  
for more clothes to enable me  to muster with a  clean suit,  
but had been refused. I expected now, according to his  
threats, that he would wreak his vengeance on me by having  
the flesh cut off my back for attempting to have a clean suit,  
when he knew I could not have it without venturing some 
way as I had done.  
While thoughts of the injustice of this matter were  
rapidly pasing through my mind, he cried out, " Where is that  

ON THE BLACK LIST  39  
fellow with the rope ? why don't he hurry up here ?" At  
this instant the man was heard rushing up from below. The 
lieutenant stopped short and turned to me, saying, "If you 
don't want one of the floggings you ever had, do 
you run!"  
I looked at him to see if he was in earnest. The under- 
officer, who seemed to feel the injustice of my case, re-
peated, " Run!"  
The lieutenant cried to the man with the rope, " Give  
it to him! "  
" Aye, aye, sir! "  
1 bounded forward, and by the time he reached the head  
of the ship, I was over the bow, getting a position to receive  
him down near the water, on the ship's bobstays. He saw  
at a glance it would require his utmost skill to perform his 
pleasing task there. He therefore commanded me to come  
up to him. " No," I said, " if you want me, come here."  
in this position, I was tempted by the devil, the enemy  
of all righteousness, to seek a summary redress of my griev- 
ances; namely, if he followed me and persisted in inflicting  
on me the threatened punishment,  to grasp him and plunge  
into the water. Of the many that stood above looking on,  
none spoke to me, that I remember, but my pursuer. To 
the best of my memory, I remained in this position more  
than an hour. To the wonder of myself and others, the  
lieutenant issued no orders respecting me, neither questioned  
me afterward, only the next morning I learned that I was 
to be numbered with the black-list men for about six months. 
Thanks to the Father of all mercies for delivering me from  
premeditated destruction by His overruling providence in 
that trying hour.  
Ships belonging to the blockading squadron in the Med- 
iterranean Sea were generally relieved and returned to Eng-
land at the expiration of three years; then the sailors were 
paid their wages, and twenty-four hours' liberty was given  
them to spend their money on shore. As the " Rodney " 
was now on her third year out, my strong hope of freedom  
would often cheer me while looking forward to that one


40  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
day's liberty, in which I was resolved to put forth every  
energy of my being to gain my freedom.  
About this time the fleet encountered a dreadful storm  
in the Gulf of Lyons. For a while it was doubted whether  
any of us would ever see the rising of another sun. Those  
huge ships would rise like mountains on the top of the  
combing sea, and suddenly tumble again into the trough  
with such a dreadful crash that it seemed almost impossible  
they could ever rise again. They became unmanageable, and  
the mariners were at their wits' end. (See the psalmist's 
description. Ps. 107: 23-30.)  
On our arrival at Port Mahon, in the island of Minorca,  
ten ships were reported much damaged. The " Rodney " was  
so badly damaged that the commander was ordered to get 
her ready to proceed to England. Joyful sound to us all!  
" Homeward bound! Twenty-four hours' liberty! " was  
the joyous word. All hearts were glad.  
One evening after dark, just before the "Rodney's"  
departure for England, about fifty of us were called out by  
name and ordered to get our baggage ready and get into the  
boats.  
" What's the matter ? Where are we going ?"  
" On board the ' Swiftshore,' 74." 
" What, that ship that has just arrived for a three years'  
station? "  
" Yes." 
A sad disappointment, indeed; but what was still worse,  
I began to learn that I was doomed to drag out a miserable  
existence in the British navy. Once more I was among  
strangers, but well known as one who had attempted to 
escape from the service of King George III.  

A Prisoner  of  War  
THE " Swiftshore " was soon under way for her station  
off Toulon. A few days after we sailed, a friend of my  
father's arrived from the United States, bringing documents  
to prove my citizenship, and a demand for my release from  
the British government.  
One of the most prominent causes of our war with Eng- 
land in 1812, was her impressment for service in the British  
navy, of American seamen on sea or land, wherever they  
could be found. This was denied by one political party in 
the United States. The British government also continued 
to deny the fact, and they also continued to regard the pass- 
ports, or protections, of American citizens as of but little  
importance. Such proofs of American citizenship were re- 
quired by them as were not very readily obtainable; hence  
their continued acts of aggression until the war.  
An additional act was, that after they captured American  
seamen and set them at work on British naval vessels, they  
insisted that all letters written by these Americans should 
be examined by the first lieutenant before leaving the British  
ship. By accident I found one of mine torn and  thrown  
aside, and thus I learned the impossibility  of letting my  
parents know even that I was among the living.  
At the time I was impressed into the British service, I  
had with me as genuine a United States Government pro-
tection [passport] as could be obtained from the official  
collector of the Government customhouse at New York;  
nevertheless, notwithstanding  this official document plainly  
declared and attested to my American citizenship, I was 
passed off for an Irishman, because an Irish officer declared  
that my parents lived in Belfast, Ireland.  
Previous to the War of 1812, one of my letters reached  
my father. He wrote to the President of , the United States,  
41


42  LIFE OF1 JOSEPH  BATES  
Mr. James Madison, presenting him with the facts in my  
case, and for proof of his own citizenship referred him to  
the archives in the War Department for his commissions  
returned and deposited there after his services closed with  
the Revolutionary War. The President's reply and docu- 
ments were satisfactory. General Brooks, then governor 
of Massachusetts, who was intimately acquainted with my 
O. W. Brit-rly  
H. M. S. " GALATEA  " ON A CRUISE  
In such a vessel, used as a prison  ship, the author  spent many months.  
father as a captain under his immediate command in the  
Revolutionary War, added to the foregoing another strong  
document.  
Capt. C. Delano, townsman and friend of my father,  
preparing for a voyage to Minorca in the Mediterranean,  
generously offered his services as bearer of the above-named  
documents, and so sanguine was he that no other proof would  
be required, that he really expected to bring me with him on  
his return voyage.  
On his arrival at Port Mahon, he was rejoiced to learn  
that the " Rodney," 74, was in port. As he approached the  

A PRISONER  OF WAR  43  
" Rodney " in his boat, he was asked what he wanted. He  
said he wished to see a young man by the name of  
Joseph Bates. The lieutenant forbade his coming alongside.  
Finally, one of the underofficers, a friend of mine, informed 
him that I had been transferred to the " Swiftshore," 74,  
and that she had sailed to join the British fleet off Toulon.  
Captain Delano then presented my documents to the  
United States consul, who transmitted them to Sir Edward  
Pelew, the commander in chief of the squadron. On the  
arrival of the mail, I received a letter from Captain Delano,  
informing me of his arrival and visit to the " Rodney," his  
disappointment, and what he had done, and of the anxiety  
of my parents. I think this was the first intelligence I had  
received from home for over three years.  
I was told that the captain had sent for me to see him  
on the quarter-deck. I saw that he was surrounded by signal  
men and officers, replying by signal flags to the admiral's  
ship, which was^some distance from us.  
Said the captain, " Is your name Joseph Bates? "  
" Yes, sir."  
" Are you an American ? "  
" Yes, sir."  
" To what part of America do you belong?" 
" New Bedford, in Massachusetts, sir."  
Said he, " The admiral is inquiring to know if you are  
on board this. ship. He will probably send for you," or  
something of the like import. " You may go below."  
The news spread throughout the ship that Bates was  an  
American, and his Government had demanded his release, 
and the commander in chief was signalizing  our ship about it.  
" What a lucky fellow he is! " they said.  
Weeks and months rolled away, however, bringing  
nothing but anxious suspense and uncertainty in my case, 
till at length I received another letter from Captain Delano,  
informing me that my case was still hanging in uncertainty.  
It was probable that war had begun, and as he was obliged  
to leave, he advised me, if I could not obtain an honorable  
discharge, to become a prisoner of war.


66  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
It was now the fall of 1812. On our arrival at Port  
Mahon to winter, the British consul sent me what money  
I then needed, saying that it was Captain Delano's request that  
he should furnish me with money and clothing to meet my  
needs. Owing to sickness in the fleet, it was ordered that  
each ship's company should have twenty-four hours' liberty  
on shore. I improved this opportunity to call at the offices 
of the British and American consuls. The former furnished 
me with some more money. The latter said that the admiral  
had done nothing in my case, and now it was too late, for 
it was ascertained that war was declared between the United  
States and Great Britain.  
There were about two hundred Americans on board the  
ships in our squadron, and twenty-two on board the " Swift- 
shore." We had ventured several times to say what we 
ought to do, but the result appeared to some very doubtful.  
At last six of us united and walked to the quarter-deck with  
our hats in hand, and thus addressed the first lieutenant:  
" We understand, sir, that war has begun between Great  
Britain and the United States, and we do not wish to be  
found fighting against our own country; therefore it is our  
wish to become prisoners of war."  
" Go below," said he.  
At the dinner hour all the Americans were ordered be- 
tween the pumps, and not permitted to associate with the  
crew. Our scanty allowance was ordered to be reduced one 
third, and no strong drink. This we felt we could endure,  
and were not a little comforted that we had made one ef- 
fectual change, and the next would most likely free us from  
the British navy.  
From our ship the work spread, until about all the Amer- 
icans in the fleet became prisoners of war. During eight  
dreary months we were thus retained, and frequently called  
upon the quarter-deck, where we were harangued, and urged 
to enter the British navy. I had already suffered for thirty  
months an unwilling subject; 1 was therefore fully decided  
not to listen to any proposal they could make.  

Months of  Suspense  
A FEW months after our becoming prisoners of war, our  
lookout ships appeared off the harbor, and signalized that the  
French fleet (which we were attempting to blockade) were  
all out and making the best of their way down the Mediter- 
ranean. With this startling information, orders were im-
mediately issued for the squadron to be ready to go in pursuit 
of them at an early hour in the morning. The most of the 
night was spent in preparing for this unexpected onset. The 
prisoners were invited to assist. I alone refused to aid or  
assist in any way whatever, it being unjustifiable  except when  
forced to do so.  
In the morning the whole fleet was sailing out of the  
harbor in line of battle. Gunners were ordered to double-shot  
the guns and clear away for action. The first lieutenant was 
passing by where I stood reading the " Life of Nelson"  
(one of the library books).  
" Take up that hammock, sir, and carry it on deck,"  
said he.  
I looked up from the book and said, " It's not mine, sir."  
" Take it up."  
" It's not mine, sir."  
He cursed me for a scoundrel, snatched the book from  
me, and dashed it out of the gun port, and struck me down  
with his fist.  
As soon as I got up, he said, " Take that hammock up  
on deck."  
" I shall not do it, sir. I am a prisoner of war, and hope  
you will treat me as such."  
"Yes, you scoundrel, I will! " "Here!" said he  
to two underofficers, "take that hammock and lash it onto  
that fellow's back, and make him walk the poop deck twenty- 
four hours."  
45


46  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
And because I put my hands on them to keep them from  
doing so, and requested them to let me alone, he became 
outrageous, and cried out, " Master-at-arms! take this fellow  
into the gunroom and put him double legs in irons! "  
" That you can do, sir," said I, " but I shall not work."  
" When we come into action, I'll have you lashed up in  
the main rigging for a target for the Frenchmen to fire at! "  
" That you can do, sir, but I hope you will remember that  
I am a prisoner of war!"  
Another volley of oaths and imprecations followed, with  
an inquiry why the master-at-arms did not hurry up with the  
irons. The poor old man was so dismayed and confused that  
he could not find them.  
The lieutenant then changed his mind, and ordered him  
to come up and make me a close prisoner in the gunroom, and  
not allow me to come near any one, nor even to speak with 
one of my countrymen.  
With this he hurried up on the upper gun deck, where  
orders were given to throw all the hammocks and bags into 
the ship's hold, break down all cabin and berth partitions, 
break up and throw overboard all the cow and sheep pens, 
and clear the deck fore and aft for action. Every ship was  
now in its station for battle, rushing across the Mediterranean  
for the Turkish shore, watching to see and grapple with their  
deadly foe.  
When all the preparations were made for battle, one of  
my countrymen, in the absence of the master-at-arms, ven-
tured to speak with me through the musket gratings of the 
gunroom, to warn me of the perilous position I should be  
placed in when the French fleet hove in sight, unless I sub-
mitted and acknowledged myself ready to take my former  
station (second captain of one of the big guns on the fore-
castle), and fight the Frenchmen, as he and the rest of my  
countrymen were about to do. I endeavored to show him  
how unjustifiable and inconsistent such a  course would be  
for us as prisoners of war, and assured him that my mind  
was fully and clearly settled to adhere to our status and rights  

MONTHS OF SUSPENSE  47  
as American prisoners of war, notwithstanding  the perilous  
position I was to be placed in.  
In the course of a few hours, after the lieutenant had  
finished his arrangements for battle, he came down to my  
prison-room. " Well, sir," said he, " will you take up a  
hammock when you are ordered again ? "  
I replied that I would take up one for any gentleman in  
the ship.  
" You  would, ha?"  
" Yes, sir."  
Without inquiring who I considered gentlemen, ne ordered  
me released. My countrymen were somewhat surprised to 
see me so soon a prisoner at large.  
The first lieutenant is next in command to the captain,  
and presides over all the duties of the ship during the day, 
and keeps no watch, whereas all other officers do. As we  
had not yet seen the French fleet, the first lieutenant was  
aware that my case would have to be reported to the captain;  
in which case if I, as an acknowledged prisoner of war, be-
longing to the United States, were allowed, to answer for  
myself, his unlawful, abusive, and ungentlemanly  conduct  
would come to the captain's knowledge; hence his willingness  
to release mc.  
The British fleet continued their course across the Med- 
iterranean for the Turkish coast, until they were satisfied 
that the French fleet was not to the west of them. They then 
steered north and east (to meet them), until we arrived off 
the harbor of Toulon, where we saw them all snugly moored  
and dismantled in their old winter quarters, their officers and 
crew undoubtedly highly gratified that the ruse they had  
practised had so well effected their design; namely, to start  
the British squadron out of their snug winter quarters to 
hunt for them over the Mediterranean Sea. They had re- 
mantled, and sailed out of their harbor, and chased our few 
lookout ships a distance down the Mediterranean, and then, 
unperceived by them, returned and dismantled again.


Mutiny  on  the  High  Seas  
AFTER the naval officers had retained us as prisoners of  
war for about eight months, we. with others who continued  
to refuse all solicitation to rejoin the British service, were 
sent to Gibraltar, and thence to England, and finally locked  
up on board an old sheer-hulk, called the " Crown Princen."  
formerly a Danish 74-gun ship, a few miles below Chatham  
dockyard, and seventy miles from London. Here were many 
others of like description, many of them containing prisoners.  
Here about seven hundred prisoners were crowded between  
two decks, and locked up every night, on a scanty allowance  
of food and in crowded quarters.  
Cut off from all intercourse except floating news, a plan  
was devised to obtain a newspaper, which often relieved us  
in our anxious desponding moments, although we had to feel  
the pressing claims of hunger for it. The plan was this:  
One day in each week we were allowed salt fish; this we  
sold to the contractor for cash, which we paid to one of our  
enemies to smuggle us in one of the weekly journals from  
London. This being common stock, good readers were chosen  
to stand in an elevated position and read aloud. It was often 
interesting and amusing to see the rush to hear every word 
of American news, several voices crying out. " Read that  
over again, we could not hear it distinctly;"  and the same  
from another and another quarter. Good news from home  
often cheered us more than our scanty allowance of food.  
If more means had been required for the paper, I believe  
another portion of our daily allowance would have been freely 
offered rather than give it up.  
Our daily allowance of bread consisted of coarse brown  
loaves from the bakery, served out every morning. At the  
beginning of the severe cold weather, a quantity of ship bis- 
cuit was deposited on board for our use in case the weather 
or ice should prevent the soft bread from coming daily. In


50  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
the spring, our first lieutenant or commander ordered the  
biscuit to be served out to the prisoners, and directed that  
one quarter of the daily allowance should be deducted, be- 
cause nine ounces of biscuits were equal to twelve ounces  
of soft bread. We utterly refused to receive the biscuit, or  
hard bread, unless he would allow us as many ounces as he 
had of the soft. At the close of the day he wished to know- 
again if we would receive the bread on his terms.  
" No! no! "  
" Then I will keep you below until you comply."  
Hatchways unlocked again in the morning. " Will you  
come up for vour bread ? "  
"No!"  
At noon again, " Will you have your meat that is cooked  
for you ? "  
" No!"  " Will you come up for your water?"  
" No; we will have nothing from you until you serve us  
our full allowance of bread."  
To make us comply, they had closed our portholes, thus  
depriving us of light and fresh air. Our president had also  
been called up and conferred with (we had a president and  
committee of twelve chosen, as we found it necessary to keep  
some kind of order). He told the commander that the pris- 
oners would not yield.  
By this time, hunger and the want of water, and espe- 
cially the lack of fresh air. had thrown us into a state of  
feverish excitement. Some appeared almost savage; others  
endeavored to bear it as well as they could. The president  
was called for again. After a while the port where he  
messed was thrown open, and two officers from the hatch- 
way came down on the lower deck and passed to his table,  
inquiring for the president's trunk.  
"What do you want with it?" said his friends. 
" The commander has sent us for it."  
"What for?"  " He is going to send him on board the next prison ship."  
" Do you drop it! He shall not have it! "  

MUTINY ON THF. HIGH SEAS  51  
By this time the officers became alarmed for their safety,  
and attempted to make their escape up the ladder to the  
hatchway. A number of the prisoners, who seemed fired  
with desperation, stopped them, and declared on the peril  
of their lives that they should go no farther until the presi- 
dent was permitted to come down. Other portholes were 
now thrown open, and the commander appeared at one of  
them, demanding the release of his officers.  
" When you release our president, we will release your  
officers," was the reply from within.  
" If you do not release them," said the commander. " I  
will open these ports [all of them grated with heavy bars  
of iron] and fire in upon you."  
" Fire away! " was the cry from within; " we may as well  
die this way  as by famine; but, mark, if you kill one prisoner,  
we will have two for one as long as they last."  
His officers now began to beg him most pitifully not to  
jire, " for if you do," said they, " they will kill us; they stand 
here around us with their knives open, declaring if we stir  
one foot they will take our lives."  
The president, being permitted to come to the port, begged  
lus countrymen to shed no blood on his account, for he did  
not desire to remain on board the ship anv longer, and he  
entreated that for his sake the officers be released.  
Double-plank bulkheads at each end of our prison-rooms,  
with musket holes in them to fire in upon us if necessary, sep- 
arated us from the officers, sailors, and soldiers. Again we 
were asked if we would receive our allowance of bread.  
'.No! " Some threats were thrown out bv the prisoners  
that the commander would hear from us before morning.  
About ten o'clock at night, when all were quiet but the  
guard and watch on deck, a torchlight was made by setting  
some soap grease on fire in tin pans. By the aid of this  
light, a heavy oak stanchion was taken down, which served  
us for a battering-ram. Then, with our large, empty tin 
water cans for drums, and tin pails, kettles, pans, and pots  
with spoons for drumsticks, and whatever would make a 
stunning noise, the torchlights and battering-ram moved


52  LIFE OF JOSEPH' BATES  
onward to the after bulkhead that separated us from the  
commander and his officers, soldiers, and their families.  
For a few moments the ram was applied with power, anc  
so successfully that consternation seized the sleepers, and 
they fled, crying for help, declaring that the prisoners were  
breaking through upon them. Without stopping for them  
to rally and fire in upon us, a rush was made for the forward  
bulkhead, where a portion of the ship's company, with their  
families, lived. The application of the battering-ram was  
quite as successful here, so that all our enemies were now  
as wide awake as their hungry, starving prisoners, devising  
the best means for their defense.  
Here our torchlights  went out, leaving us in total darkness  
in the midst of our so far successful operations. We grouped  
together in huddles, to sleep, if our enemies would allow us,  
until another day should dawn to enable us to use our little  
remaining strength in obtaining, if possible, our full allowance  
of bread and water.  
The welcome fresh air and morning light came suddenly  
upon us by an order from the commander to open our port- 
holes, unbar the hatchways, and call the prisoners up to get  
their bread In a few minutes it was clearly understood that  
our enemies had capitulated by yielding to our terms, and  
were now ready to make peace by serving us with our tull  
allowance of bread. .  
While one from each mess of ten was up getting the  
three days' allowance of brown loaves, others were at the tank  
filling their tin cans with water, so that in a short time a great  
and wonderful change had taken place among us. On most  
amicable terms of peace with all our keepers, grouped m  
messes of ten, with three days' allowance of bread and cans  
filled with water, we ate and drank, laughed and shouted im- 
moderately over our great feast and our vanquished foe.  
The wonder was that we did not kill ourselves with over- 
eating and drinking. .  
The commissary, on hearing of the state of things, sent  
orders from the shore to the commander to serve out out- 
bread forthwith.  

Scuttling  the  Ship  
OUR keepers were in the habit of examining the inside of  
our prison every evening, before we were ordered up to be 
counted down, to ascertain whether we were cutting through  
the ship to gain our liberty. We observed that they seldom  
stopped at a certain place on the lower deck, but passed it  
with a slight examination. On examining this place, a number 
of us decided to cut a hole here if we could effect it without  
detection by the soldier who was stationed but a few inches  
above where we must come  out and yet have room above  
water.  
Having nothing better than a common table knife fitted  
with teeth, after some time we sawed out a heavy three-inch  
oak plank, which afterward served us successfully for a cover 
when our keepers were approaching. We now began to  
demolish a very heavy oak timber, splinter by splinter. Even  
this had to be done with great caution, that the soldier might  
not hear us on the outside. While one was at work in his  
turn, others were watching, that our keepers might not ap- 
proach and find the hole uncovered. About forty were en- 
gaged in this work. Before the heavy timber was splintered  
out. one of our number obtained the cook's iron poker. This  
was a great help in prying off small splinters around the  
heavy iron bolts.  
In this way, after laboring between thirty and forty days,  
we reached the copper on the ship's bottom, two to three  
feet from the top of our cover, at an angle of about twenty- 
five degrees downward. By working the poker through the  
copper on the upper side of the hole, we learned to our joy  
that it came out beneath the stage where the soldier stood. 
Then on opening the lower side of the hole, the water flowed  
in some, but not in sufficient quantities to sink the ship for 
some time, unless by change of wind and weather she became  
more unsteady in her motion, and rolled the hole under water,  
53


100  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
in which case we should doubtless have been left to share 
her fate. The commander had, before this, stated that if 
by any means the ship caught fire from our lights in the 
night, he would throw the keys of our hatchways overboard,  
and leave the ship and us to burn and perish together. Hence  
we had chosen officers to extinguish  every light at 10 P. M.  
Sunday afternoon, while I was at work in my turn, enlarg- 
ing the hole in the copper, a shout of hundreds of voices from 
the outside so alarmed me for fear that we were  discovered,  
that in my hurry to cover up the hole the poker slipped from  
my hands through the hole into the sea. The hole covered, 
we made our way with the rushing crowd up the long stair- 
way to the upper deck, to learn the cause of the shouting.  
The circumstances were these:  
Another ship like our own, containing American prisoners,  
was moored about one eighth of a mile from us. People from 
the country, in their boats, were visiting  the prison ships,  
as was their custom on Sundays, to see what American pris- 
oners looked like. Soldiers with loaded muskets, about twenty  
feet apart, on the lower and upper stages outside the ship,  
were guarding the prisoners' escape. One of the country- 
men's boats, rowed by one man, lay fastened to the lower  
stage, at the foot of the main gangway ladder, where one of  
these soldiers was on guard.  
A tall, athletic Narraganset Indian, who, like the rest  
of his countrymen, was ready to risk his life for liberty,  
caught sight of the boat, and watching the English officers  
who were walking the quarter-deck, as they turned their backs 
to walk aft, bolted down the gangway ladder, clinched the  
soldier, musket and all, and crowded him under the thwarts,  
cleared the boat, grasped the two oars, and with the man  
(who most likely would have shot him before he could have  
cleared himself) under his feet, he shaped his course for  
the opposite, unguarded shore, about two miles distant!  
The soldiers, seeing their comrade, with all his ammuni- 
tion, snatched from his post and stowed away in such a sum- 
mary manner, and moving out of their sight like a streak over 
the water by the giant power of this North American Indian,  

SCUTTLING THE SHIP  55  
were either so stunned with amazement at the scene, or it may  
be with fear of another Indian after them, that they failed  
to hit him with their shots. Well-manned boats, with sailors  
and soldiers, were soon dashing after him, firing and halloo- 
ing to bring him to; all of which seemed only to animate  
and nerve him to ply his oars with Herculean strength.  
When his fellow prisoners saw him moving away from  
his pursuers in such a giantlike manner, they shouted and gave 
him three cheers. The prisoners on board our ship followed  
with three more. This was the noise which I had heard while  
working at the hole. The officers were so exasperated at  
this that they declared if we did not cease this cheering and  
noise they would lock us down below. We therefore stifled  
our voices, that we might be permitted to see the poor Indian  
make his escape.  
Before reaching the shore, his pursuers gained on  him  
so that they shot him in his arm (we were told), which made  
it difficult to ply the oar; nevertheless, he reached the shore,  
sprang from the boat, and cleared himself from all his pur- 
suers, and was soon out of reach of their musket balls. Rising 
to our sight upon an inclined plane, he rushed on, bounding  
over hedges and ditches like a chased deer, and without doubt 
would have been out of sight of his pursuers in a few hours, 
and gained his liberty, had not the people in the country  
rushed upon him from various quarters, and delivered him  
up to his pursuers, who brought him back, and for some days 
locked him up in the dungeon. Poor Indian! he deserved  
a better fate.


Efforts  for  Freedom  Frustrated  
THE prisoners now understood that the hole was com- 
pleted, and a great many were preparing to make their  
escape. The committee men decided that those who had  
labored to cut the hole should have the privilege of going 
first. They also selected four judicious and careful men,  
who could not swim, to take charge of the hole, and help  
out all who wished to go.  
With some difficulty we at length obtained some tarred  
canvas, with which we made ourselves small bags, just large  
enough to hold our jacket, shirt, and shoes; then we fastened  
a stout string, about ten feet long, to the end, and in the other 
end made a loop to pass around the neck. With hat and  
trousers on, and bag in one hand, and the other fast hold  
of our fellow, we took our rank and file for a desperate  
effort for liberty. At the given signal (10 r. M.), every light  
was extinguished,  and the men bound for liberty were in  
their stations.  
Soldiers, with loaded muskets, as already described, were  
on guard all around the ship, above and below. Our landing 
place, if we reached it, was about half a mile distant, with  
a continuous line of soldiers just above high-water mark.  
The heads of those who passed out would come only a few 
inches from the soldiers' feet, that is, with a grating stage  
between.  
A company of good singers stationed themselves at the  
after porthole where the soldier stood that was next to the 
one over the hole. Their interesting  sailor and war songs  
took the attention of the two soldiers to some extent, and a  
glass of strong drink now and then drew them to the port- 
hole, while those inside made believe drink. While this was 
working, the committee were putting the prisoners through,  
feet foremost, and as their bag-string began to draw, they  
57


58  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
slipped that out also, being thus assured that they were  
shaping, their course for the shore.  
In the meantime, when the ship's bell was struck, denoting  
the lapse of another half hour, the soldier's loud cry would  
resound, " All's well! " The soldier that troubled us the 
most would take his station over the hole and shout, " All's 
well! " Then when he stepped forward to hear the sailors'  
song, the committee would put a few more through, and he  
would step back and cry again, " All's well! " It surely was 
most cheering to our friends while struggling  for liberty in the  
watery element, to hear behind and before them the peace- 
and-safety cry, " All's well! "  
Midnight came; the watch was changed, the cheering  
music had ceased. The stillness that reigned without and  
within retarded our work. At length it was whispered along 
the ranks that the few who had passed out during the stillness  
had caused great uneasiness among the soldiers, and they  
judged it best for no more to attempt to leave for fear of  
detection. It was also near daylight, and we might better  
retire quietly ta our hammocks.  
Edmond Allen and myself, of New Bedford, covenanted  
to go and keep together. We had kept hold of each other 
during the night, and had advanced near the hole when it was  
thought best for no more to go. In the morning the cover  
was off, and Allen was  among the missing. The committee  
reported seventeen, and Allen made eighteen who had passed  
out during the night.  
The prisoners were greatly elated over the night's suc- 
cessful movement, and took measures to keep the hole undis-
covered for another attempt at 10 P. M. the next night.  
We were confined between two decks, with no communi- 
cation after we were counted down at night and locked up.  
During the day some tools were obtained, and a scuttle was  
cut through the upper deck, and covered up, undiscovered.  
Word was then circulated among the prisoners to go up  
from the upper deck as soon as the soldiers ordered the  
prisoners up to be counted down for the night. But those  
on the lower deck were to move tardily, so that those on the  

EFFORTS FOR FREEDOM FRUSTRATED  59  
upper deck might be counted down before the lower deck  
was cleared. This was done, and eighteen that had just been  
counted, slipped through the scuttle unperceived by the sol-
diers, mingled with the crowd up the lower-deck ladder,  
and were counted over again. At 10 p. M. the lights were  
again extinguished,  and the ranks formed for another attempt  
to escape.  
On taking our station at 10 p. M., it was whispered  
along our ranks that two men not of our number were wait-
ing at the hole, insisting that they go first or they would raise  
a cry and prevent any one from going. They had been 
drinking, and would not be reasoned with. It was finally  
settled to let them go. The first was put through very quietly, 
saying to his drunken companion, "I will hold onto the  
•ship's rudder rings until you come." The second man, not  
being much of a swimmer, sank like a log, and rose up  
under the stage, splashing and struggling  for life. Said the  
soldier to his next companion, " Here's a porpoise."  
" Put your bayonet into him," replied he.  
" I will," said the first, " if he comes up again."  
By this time we were all listening with almost breathless  
attention, fearing our chance for liberty was about gone.  
Up he came again. We heard the rush and then the cry,  
" Don't kill me! I'm a prisoner."  
" Prisoner ? prisoner ? where did you come from? " 
" Out of a hole in the ship."  
The soldier cried, " Here's a prisoner overboard! Pris- 
oners are getting out of the ship! "  
" Prisoners are getting out of the ship! " was the quick  
response of all the watchmen.  
All hands came rushing on the deck. In a few moments  
our vigilant commander came running from his bed fran- 
tically inquiring, "Where?" and hearing the sound outside  
he rushed down the accommodation ladder, crying out, " How  
many have gone?" One of the prisoners, who felt disposed 
to quicken our chief captain's speed, put his face to the  
grating hole, and cried out, " About forty. I guess."


60  LIFE OF JOSEPH HATES  
In quick succession, the night signals of distress brought  
well-manned boats to pick them up.  
" Where shall we pull? "  
" Here, there, all around.''  
" Do you find any ? " 
" No, sir; no, sir."  
Orders were now given to land a body of men, and sur- 
round Gelingham forest, where they supposed the " forty " 
must have escaped, explore it in the morning, and take them  
on board. We were much amused to see what full credit 
the commander gave to the prisoner's " guess."  
After making these arrangements, they got the drowning  
man on deck, and demanded of him to state the facts; but  
he was so far gone with the large draughts of salt water 
which he had swallowed, somewhat mixed up with his rum, 
and the dreadful fear of being harpooned with a soldier's  
bayonet, that he failed to satisfy them, only that there was  
a hole in the ship, from which he passed out. One of the  
boats at length found it, pushed a long iron rod inside, and  
remained there watching until morning.  
When we were permitted to go on deck in the morning,  
poor Johnson was lying tied to a stake floating in the water  
near the beach. All that we could learn was, that the string  
of his bag was fast around his left wrist, below which his  
hand was nearly cut off. Some of his friends knew that  
he had a sharp knife in the pocket of his pants, which was  
missing when he was found near the shore. Fastening his  
bag on his wrist instead of his neck, was doubtless a great  
hindrance to his getting away from the boats. In attempting 
to cut this string, we supposed he cut his wrist, and thus bled  
to death by the time he reached the shore.  
We were kept on deck all day, without food, mustered b\  
name, and strictly examined to see if we answered to our 
original descriptions. When it was clearly ascertained that  
eighteen living men had escaped the night previous to the  
discovery of the hole, and the full number of prisoners  
still reported on board, the British officers were arrested for  

EFFORTS FOR FREEDOM FRUSTRATED  '61  
making a false report, but released again on our president's  
declaring how the affair was managed.  
The following day the king's carpenters from Chatham  
were sent on board with their tools and a heavy stick of  
timber to plug up the hole. While they were busy cutting  
and pounding, some of the prisoners picked up a few of their  
loose tools and began to cut another hole, equally good, on the 
opposite side of the ship, and finished it before the carpenters  
had closed up the other. The soldiers outside ascribed the 
noise to the king's carpenters.  
That night a number of us stationed ourselves at this  
hole to watch for an opportunity to escape, and remained 
there until about four o'clock in the morning. The copper  
having been cut off in a great hurry, ragged and sharp 
points were left. To prevent these points from mangling  
our flesh, we fastened a woolen blanket to the lower side 
to slip out on. Besides the vigilant guard, a boat was pulling 
around the ship during the night, with one man in the center,  
sounding the side of the ship, under the lower stage, with  
a long iron rod. The rod continued to strike on each side  
of the hole during the night, but failed to find the place.  
Before daylight one of our number ventured to slip out,  
just after the boat passed, to ascertain whether the night was 
light, or dark enough to escape detection by swimming astern  
of the ship before the boat could get around. After pulling  
him in, he said the night was clear, and he could see a great  
distance on the water. We therefore concluded to wait  
until the following night.  
By negligence of our committee, the blanket was left with  
the end floating in the water. This was discovered by the  
boatmen soon after daylight. " Here's another hole on this  
side of the ship! " and in came the iron rod. blasting all our  
hopes of escape from this quarter. To repair these damages, 
a portion of food was deducted from our daily allowance,  
and continued to be withheld for some time.


Courtesy "  Literary Digest "  
DARTMOOR  PRISON, ENGLAND  
" A dreary waste, some fifteen miles inland from old Plymouth  harbor."  

DARTMOOR PRISON AT THE TIME OP THE "MASSACRE"  
The prison wall was one mile in circumference. Among the points alphabetically  
indicated are these: A-Water Fountain;  B-Agent's House: C-Doctor's House;  
D-Store Houses; E-Guard House; F-Hospital;  G-Barracks; H-Market Square;  
l-Railing  and Gates leading to Prison; J-Holes for Burying the Dead; K-Guard- 
Houses; L-Cachot or Black-Hole;  N-Bake Houses; Q-Turnkey's  House; R-Cap- 
tain's House; S-Prisoner  In Full-Dress;  T-John Falan Escaping; U-Digging  Out;  
V-Captain Shortland, Commanding Officer; 1-7-Prisons;  8-Cooking Houses.  

M.  
L  
€  
62  

Immured  in  the  Dungeons  of  
Dartmoor  
OUR boasting commander began to be sorely troubled for  
the safety of himself and his family. It seemed almost cer-
tain that these audacious, daring Yankees would yet sink  
their prison ships if they did not gain their liberty. 1 was 
told that he declared he would sooner take charge of six  
thousand French prisoners than six hundred Yankees.  
After all their search for the eighteen who had escaped,  
a letter came from London, directed to the commander of  
the " Crown Princen " prison ship, informing him of the 
happy escape of every one of them, and of their safe arrival,  
seventy miles, at the city of London; and that it would be  
useless for him to trouble himself about them, for they  
were on the eve of sailing on a foreign voyage. They gave 
him to understand that they should rfemember his unkind  
treatment.  
From this, the British government began to talk of send- 
ing us all to Dartmoor prison, a dreary waste some fifteen  
miles inland from old Plymouth harbor, where we should  
find some trouble in getting outside the massive walls and  
dungeons that were so strongly fortified.  
In 1814 the American prisoners continued to pour in  
from Halifax, from the West India Islands, and from other  
parts of the world. Their state was miserable, indeed, for 
want of proper and decent clothing, especially the soldiers.  
It was distressing to see them in their tattered rags, many  
of them having their dirty woolen blankets wrapped around  
them to shield them from the cold storms. Statements were 
sent to the United States, which at length aroused the gov- 
ernment to take measures to provide their prisoners with  
suitable clothing.  
63


66  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Mr. Beasley, acting agent for the United States in  
London, was empowered to attend to this matter for his  
suffering countrymen. He sent a London Jew with his 
boxes of ready-made or basted clothing, and a stripling of 
a clerk to deal them out to us according to his judgment; so  
that some who were not needy were supplied with a whole  
suit, while others who were much in want were turned away.  
The prisoners remonstrated with Mr. Beasley by letter, but 
he justified his agent, and paid little or no attention to our  
grievances.  
After I had remained a prisoner of war over a year, the  
British government paid us our small pittance of wages,  
which enabled me to furnish myself with clothing and some 
extra food as long as the money lasted. My father was  
favored with an opportunity to send to an agent in London  
to furnish me with means from time to time. The agent  
sent me $20, which sum was most gladly received. Soon  
after this, the American prisoners were sent off to Dartmoor,  
and I heard no more from him.  
It was in the summer of 1814 that we were sent in large  
drafts (groups) by sea to Plymouth, and thence to Dartmoor.  
Soon we numbered, as we were told, 6,000. The double  
stone walls, about fourteen feet high, broad enough for 
hundreds of soldiers to walk on guard, formed a half moon, 
with three separate yards containing seven massive stone 
buildings, capable of holding from 1,500 to 1,800  men each.  
The center building was appropriated to colored prisoners.  
These buildings stood on the slope of a hill, fronting the  
east, affording us a prospect of the rising sun; but the sun  
was shut out from our view long before sunset. A large 
number of similar buildings lay above us on the west, sepa-
rated by heavy iron palings, and occupied for barracks, store,  
and dwelling-houses  for our keepers, and a hospital. On  
these three sides one of the most dreary wastes, studded with  
ledges of rocks and low shrubs, met our view as far as the  
eye could reach. Surely it was rightly named Dartmoor.  
The prisons were three-story buildings, with a flight of  
stone steps at each end, open in the center. There was one  

IMMURED IN THE DUNGEONS OF DARTMOOR 65  
iron-grated porthole in each gable end. We were guarded  
by 600 soldiers; in the morning we were counted out, and  
at sunset we were driven in. It was quite a sight, when the  
sun shone, to see those who desired to keep  themselves decent,  
seated in groups about the yard, clearing their blankets and 
beds from vermin.  
On hearing of the arrival of a fresh contingent, the  
prisoners would crowd up to the gates, and make a lane for  
all to pass through; and as they passed, some of them would  
recognize their friends.  
"Halloo, Sam! Where did you come from?"  
" Marblehead." 
" Any more left?" 
" No; I was the last one." 
In this way many were recognized. It was often stated  
that nearly all the Marblehead sailors were prisoners.  
During the winter, Agent Beasley's men appeared again  
to supply us with clothing, which was done much more to  
our satisfaction this time.  
Religious meetings were held in the colored prison nearly  
every Sunday, and some of the prisoners professed to be con- 
verted, and were baptized in a small pool of water in the yard.  
This pool was ordinarily used by the soldiers in washing their  
clothes. The source of the water supply in the pool was a  
reservoir on the hill.  
December, 1814, brought us the cheering intelligence that  
a treaty of peace between the United States and Great  
Britain had been signed by the plenipotentiaries at Ghent, on  
the Continent of Europe. Those who were never doomed  
to imprisonment  in dark and dreary Dartmoor can appreciate  
nothing respecting our feelings. Yet we were held in sus- 
pense while a frigate was dispatched across the ocean to obtain  
President Madison's signature. In February, 1815, the 
frigate returned with the treaty ratified. Shoutings of rap- 
turous joy rang through our gloomy dungeons, such as most 
likely will never be heard there again. What! about to be  
liberated, go to our native country, and gather around the  
5


66  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
paternal fireside once more ? Yes; this hope was in us, and 
it seemed sometimes as if we were almost there.  
It was supposed that there were about two hundred of  
us in Dartmoor who had come from the British navy. This 
was a tacit acknowledgment, on their part, of our im-
pressment. Some of these had served the British govern- 
ment thus as virtual slaves on naval vessels for from twenty 
to thirty years. As we had not taken up arms against Great  
Britain, we sent up a respectful petition to the British Parlia-
ment, asking a mitigation  of our sufferings  or an honorable  
release. This was strongly objected to by the noble lords, 
on the ground that they had trained us in their naval tactics, 
and if we were liberated before the close of the war, we  
would, as a matter of course, enter the United States Navy, 
and teach them how we learned to fight. That, said they,  
would be putting sticks into our hands, wherewith to break 
their heads.  

A Subterranean  Passage  
ABOUT this time [early in 1815] the prisoners in one of  
the prisons began the Herculean task of opening a subter-
ranean passage to the outside of the prison walls, to obtain  
their liberty. To accomplish this, one of the large, heavy  
flagging stones on the ground floor was raised, and the work  
begun of scratching the dirt into small bags, and packing it  
snugly away under the flight of stone steps which reached  
up to the third loft, planked up on the back side. To effect 
this, one of the planks had to be removed, but was carefully  
replaced, and also the flagging stone, before morning, subject  
to the critical inspection of the turnkeys after all the prisoners 
were counted out.  
The length of the passage from under the foundation  
of the prison to the first wall across the prison yard (as  
nearly as I can remember) was about one hundred feet;  
from there to the outer wall was about twenty feet more.  
These walls, we were told, were fourteen feet high, and two  
feet below the surface of the ground, and were broad  
enough for the soldiers on guard to pass and repass on  
the top.  
A friend of mine, Capt. L. Wood, of Fairhaven, Massa- 
chusetts, who lived in this prison, and with whom I had  
frequent intercourse, informed me about the work, and of  
how difficult it was to enter that stifling hole after they had  
progressed some distance, and return with a small bag of  
dirt. Said he, " Their faces are almost black, and they are  
nearly exhausted for want of air," but still another would 
rush in, and presently return with a full bag. In this manner  
they continued their night work, undiscovered, until they 
reached and dug under the foundation of the first and second,  
or outer, walls. Many now prepared themselves with knives  
and such deadly weapons as they could defend themselves  
67


68  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
with, determined to fight their way, at the risk of their  
lives, to the seacoast, and seize upon the first vessel or boats 
and steer for the coast of France.  
Before they broke the ground outside of the outer wall  
for as many as desired to pass out, one following the other  
in the darkness of the night, one of the prisoners, being  
acquainted with their proceedings, informed on them. Sud- 
denly armed soldiers and officers came into the prison yard 
with their informer in their midst, who pointed to the place.  
over the dark passage, which they soon broke in, and thus  
in a few moments it was filled with stones and dirt from 
the stone-paved yard, and the traitor carefully conveyed out  
under guard for fear the prisoners would seize him and tear  
him in pieces. The governor gave him his liberty, and we 
heard no more about him.  
On the arrival of the frigate from the United States,  
bringing the ratified treaty of peace between us and Great  
Britain, we learned that Mr. Beasley had resumed his func- 
tions as United States consul in London, and was instructed 
by our Government to procure suitable ships to convey the  
American prisoners from England to the United States.  
After we had waited for a considerable length of time, Mr.  
Beasley was addressed in behalf of the Dartmoor prisoners,  
to know why the ships did not come. His reply was very  
unsatisfactory. Again we expressed our surprise at his  
seeming neglect of us, when nearly two months had expired 
since the treaty of peace was ratified, and no relaxation of 
our sufferings. His reply was far from relieving us. At  
length the prisoners became so exasperated at his wilful 
neglect of them, that they erected a gallows in the prison 
yard, and hung and then burned Mr. Beasley. in effigy. As  
the English periodicals began to herald this matter, Mr.  
Beasley woke up and expostulated with us for daring to  
take such liberties with his character. We gave him to  
understand that he was instructed to relieve and release us  
from imprisonment, and we were still waiting for the event.  
Our governor, who bore a commission as post captain in  
the British navy, also undertook to take advantage of us, by  

A SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGE  69  
ordering that the prisoners consume the hard ship bread that  
had been stored for them in the winter in case soft bread  
could not be procured. This was not objected to, provided  
they would give us as many ounces of hard bread as we  
had been receiving of the soft bread. This, Governor Short-
land objected to, and said we should not have so much by  
one third. This was what the commander of the prison ship  
had attempted to do with us the year before, and failed. We  
unhesitatingly  objected to Governor Shortland's proposals.  
He said we should have that or none. We claimed our full  
allowance or none. We continued thus two days without  
bread, all the while facing an ominous threat that, if we did  
not yield, our water would be withheld also.  
It was now the 4th of April, 1815. Governor Shortland  
left that day on a visit for a few days, thinking that probably  
by the time he returned we would be hungry enough to accede 
to his terms. But before sunset, the time fixed for turning 
us in to be locked up for another dismal night, a great por- 
tion of the prisoners were becoming so exasperated with 
their downtrodden and starving condition that when the sol- 
diers and turnkeys came to order us in to be locked up, we  
refused to obey until they gave us our bread.  
" Go into your prisons ! " they cried.  
"<No, we will not until we get our bread! " 
Soldiers were called to arms, and with their colonel and  
second in command, were arranged above the iron gateway,  
overlooking the great public square containing the hospital  
and storehouses where our bread was stored. On the lower  
side of this square was another iron fence and locked-up iron  
gateway, which was the line of demarcation between us and  
our keepers. Here was a narrow passageway about ten feet 
wide and thirty long, where all the prisoners, when out  
of their prisons, were continually passing and repassing into  
yards Nos. 1, 4, and 7, containing the seven prison houses  
prepared to accommodate about ten thousand prisoners.  
As darkness came on, the excitement had become general  
on both sides, and the narrow passageway was so crowded  
that it was difficult to pass. The pressure at length became


52  
LIFE OF JOSEPH' BATES  
so heavy that the lock of the great folding gateway broke,  
and the'gates flew open. In a few moments the prisoners,  
unarmed and without any preconcerted plan, were treading 
on forbidden ground, filling up the public square, and crowd- 
ing up to the great iron gateway on the opposite side of the  
square, on the other side of which stood the colonel in com- 
mand, with his regiment of armed soldiers, commanding the 
prisoners to retire or he would fire upon them.  
" Fire away! " cried the prisoners, as they crowded in  
front of the soldiers; " we would as lief die by sword as by  
famine."  
The colonel, still more unwilling to fire, wished to know  
what we wanted.  
" We want our bread, sir." 
" Well, retire quietly to your respective prisons, and  
something shall be done about it."  
" No,  sir, we will not leave until we get our full allow- 
ance of bread."  
The colonel ordered the contractor to serve the prisoners  
with their full allowance of soft bread. About nine in the 
evening the various messes had all received their bread. The  
prisoners then quietly entered their respective prisons, and  
began satiating their appetite on the coarse brown loaves and  
cold water, commending in the highest terms the cool, cou- 
rageous, and gentlemanly manner in which the colonel had 
received us and granted our request.  

Liberty  at  Last  
ABOUT three weeks after this, the long-looked-for  news  
came; namely, that a cartel (ship) had arrived in Plymouth  
for a draft of prisoners. As I was among the first on the  
prisoners' list at this time, I was called up and mustered out  
with a draft of about two hundred fifty.  
We were liberated from the Dartmoor prison on the  
morning of the 27th of April, 1815, just five years to a day  
from the time I was impressed in Liverpool. I had spent  
about two years and a half in actual service in the British 
navy, and two and a half as a prisoner of war. The western  
gate of our dreary place of confinement was at length thrown 
open, and the soldiers were ordered to march out with the 
prisoners.  
As we ascended the heights of Dartmoor, we turned to  
look back on that dark and massive pile of stone buildings 
where we had suffered so many privations, and then forward  
to the western horizon, which could now for the first time 
since our confinement be seen stretching away in the distance  
toward our native country, where were our paternal homes  
and dear friends.  
Our mingled emotions of oppressive bondage on the one  
hand, and unbounded liberty on the other, were more easily  
felt than described. Wearing an old pair of worn-out shoes,  
I stooped to relash them on my feet, and felt myself competent  
to perform what to us in our weak state was a tedious jour-
ney. But the joyful feelings of liberty, and the pleasing  
anticipation of soon greeting our dear friends, though an 
ocean of three thousand miles in width divided us, cheered 
us onward to the city of old Plymouth. The people stared at  
us, and no marvel, for I presume they had never seen so 
motley a company of men pass through their city before.  
Boats were waiting, and before night we were embarked  
on board the cartel. This was an English merchant ship  
71


72  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
of 400 tons' burden, called the " Mary Ann," of London,  
commanded by Captain Carr, with temporary berths between  
decks to accommodate about two hundred eighty persons.  
Some officers who had been on parole joined us at Plymouth,  
which swelled our number to two hundred eighty.  
Our berths on board the cartel were much crowded to- 
gether, and were prepared with a narrow passageway, just  
wide enough to admit of our passing up on deck and down,  
rank and file. The next morning we weighed anchor, and 
passed out of the harbor under a cloud of sail, with a fair  
wind. Very soon we took our departure from old England, 
and were glad enough to find ourselves on the wide ocean, and  
steering westward.  
Nothing worthy of note occurred on board until we  
reached the eastern edge of the celebrated Banks of New- 
foundland, except our meeting with the little sea larks (sea  
gulls) which came fluttering  in our wake, seemingly over- 
joyed to find another ship and her company on the ocean,  
from which they could obtain their daily allowance of food.  
1 low they rest in the night, if they do at all, is the marvel!  
Sailors call them " Mother Carey's chickens," perhaps in 
honor of a good old lady by that name for her kind care of 
and sympathy toward poor sailors.  
When a few days out, we learned from the captain that  
Mr. Beasley, our consul at London, had chartered this ship  
to land us at City Point (a long distance up the James River,  
Virginia), and load with tobacco for London. We considered  
this a cruel and unwarrantable act of Mr. Beasley's, for only  
about six of our number would be accommodated, while the  
rest would have to travel hundreds of miles to reach their 
homes in New York and New England, if they could beg 
their way. We expostulated with the captain, but he declared  
he would not deviate from his charter to land us at any other  
place. The freed prisoners declared, on the other hand, that  
his ship should never carry us to City Point; whereupon 
arrangements were soon made among us in a private manner,  
in case of a revolution in our floating castle, who the captain  
and officers should be.  

LIBERTY AT LAST  73  
As we approached the eastern edge of the Banks oi  
Newfoundland, about two thirds of the distance across the  
Atlantic Ocean, I found we were  in the place where I was  
shipwrecked by the ice several years before, as related in  
a previous chapter. As this perilous place became the topic  
of conversation, we learned that a number among us had  
experienced like difficulties in passing over these banks in  
the spring season of the year.  
Captain Carr said he had made fifteen voyages to New- 
foundland, and had never seen any ice, and he did not  
believe there was any in our way. In the afternoon we saw  
a large patch of sheet ice. We asked the captain what he 
called that. He acknowledged that it was ice. As the night  
set in, the wind increased to a gale from the east. Captain 
Carr, unmindful of all that had been said to him respecting  
the danger of ice in our track, still kept the ship scudding  
before the gale under a close-reefed maintop sail and fore- 
sails, determined to have his own way rather than lay by  
until morning, as suggested by some of the prisoners. Some 
thirty of us, unwilling to trust to the captain's judgment,  
took our position on the bow and bowsprit of the ship to look  
out for ice.  
At midnight the ship was driving furiously before the  
gale and storm, evidently without any hope of our having  
time to avoid ice if we should see it, and in danger of being  
dashed in pieces without a moment's warning. We also felt  
a marked change in the air.  
In this dilemma we decided to take the ship from the  
captain and heave her to. We found him at the quarter-deck, 
conning the ship (seaman's language for guiding or directing 
a vessel by orders to the steersman). We briefly stated our 
dangerous position, and told him that about three hundred 
souls were at the mercy of his will; and now, if he did not 
round his ship to, zve would do it for him. Seeing our deter- 
mination to act in this matter immediately, he cried out to his  
crew, " Round in the larboard main brace! Put the helm 
astarboard! " This laid the maintop sail to the mast, and let  
the ship come by the wind.


114  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
This being done, the onward progress of the ship was  
stayed until the dawn of the morning, which showed us how  
narrowly we had escaped with our lives. Large islands of  
ice lay right in our track, and if we had continued to run 
before the gale, we should have been in the midst of them,  
in imminent danger of being dashed in pieces.  
The wilfulness of Captain Carr was now evident to all,  
and the course we pursued in requiring him to heave the ship  
to was justifiable. And after the ship was again turned on  
her onward course, and passing these huge islands of ice, we  
were all stirred to watch until we had passed the Banks and  
were again safe in the fathomless ocean.  These bodies of ice  
had the appearance of large cities in the distance, and had 
it not been for our forethought, would in all probability have 
been the cause of our immediate destruction.  

Homeward  Bound  
A LARGE majority of us were satisfied that this was the  
best time to take the ship from the captain and proceed to  
New York or Boston, whence we could more readily reach  
our homes; for we had decided and declared, as before stated  
to Captain Carr, that his ship should never take us to City  
Point, Virginia, where his charter required him to land us. 
Having passed beyond all danger from ice, the most difficult  
point for us to decide was, which of the two ports we should  
steer for, if we took the ship.  
Suddenly and unexpectedly, one of our company placed  
himself amidship upon the main hatchway, and with a sten- 
torian voice cried out, " All you that are for New York go 
on the starboard side of the ship, and all that are for Boston  
go on the larboard side!" Sides were immediately taken,  
when it was declared that the greatest number were on the 
starboard side; hence the ship was bound for New York.  
Captain Carr stood near by the man at the wheel, gazing  
at this unlooked-for and strange movement, when suddenly 
one of our number took the wheel from the helmsman.  
Captain Carr demanded that he should leave it immediately,  
and ordered his man to take the helm again. A number of 
us urged our friend to keep the helm, assuring him that we 
would protect him.  
At this Captain Carr became very much enraged, saying  
what he would do with us if he had a crew able to cope with 
us. But he saw that resistance was vain; we had taken 
possession of the helm, and the ship therefore would no  
longer be steered by his direction. Seeing what was done,  
he called us a "rabble," " roughally" etc., for taking his  
ship from him on the high seas, and wished to know what we  
were going to do with her, and who was to be the captain.  
Captain Conner, of Philadelphia, was lifted up by those  
who stood near him, and placed with his feet on the head  
75


100  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
of the capstan (a cylinder four feet high, with levers to 
weigh the anchors, etc.).  
" There is our captain ! " cried the multitude.  
Said Captain Carr, " Are you going to take charge of mv  
ship, Captain Connor ? "  
" No, sir," was the reply.  
" Yes, you shall! " was the unanimous cry.  
" I don't want anything to do with her," said Captain  
Connor.  
" You shall," was the loud cry, " or we will throw you  
overboard!"  
"You hear what they say, Captain Carr.  What shall  
I do?"  
" Take her, take her, Captain Conner," said the English  
commander.  
This being settled, Captain Carr began to call us hard  
names again. Some who stood near him advised him to 
cease and get down into his cabin as soon as possible, out of  
the way of danger. He did so, and order was soon restored.  
Captain Conner took charge of the ship, and named three  
officers for mates. A number of us volunteered as sailors to  
man the ship, and we were divided into three watches, that 
every advantage might be taken to urge our ship onward for  
the port of New York under all the sail she could bear.  
Captain Carr and crew had their liberty, and were treated  
kindly; but they were not allowed to interfere with the  
sailing of the ship. He declared that if the vessel ever arrived  
in the States, he would have us all arraigned before the  
United States court for taking his ship from him on the high  
seas. The idea of being deprived of our liberty and ar-
raigned before our country for trial on our arrival, troubled 
us some; nevertheless we were resolved to keep charge until  
we arrived.  
A ship was seen bearing down toward us, with American  
colors flying. We hoisted English colors. It was a rare  
sight to see one of our own country's ships, with the Stars 
and Stripes floating at her peak. As she came riding tri- 
umphantly within speaking distance, the cry was given,  

HOMEWARD BOUND  77  
" What ship is that ? Where are you from and where  
bound to ? "  
" From the United States, bound to Europe. What ship  
is that?"  
" The ' Mary Ann,' of London, a cartel with discharged  
American prisoners from Dartmoor, England, bound to the 
United States."  
A few more inquiries, and as each filled away for its on- 
ward voyage, we gave them three loud cheers, so glad were  
we to see the face of some one from our native country afloat  
on the wide ocean.  
About ten days after the time we took the ship, we saw  
the land looming in the distance before us. As we drew near  
the coast, we learned to our great joy that it was Block Island,  
Rhode Island, about forty miles from our home. Sailboats  
were now pushing out from the land to get the first oppor- 
tunity to pilot us in.  
Some of our number thought this would be a rare chance  
for them to go on shore in their boats, and so got up their  
hammocks and bags, waiting to jump aboard when they should  
come along. A heavy squall was now rising out of the north-
west, so the topsails were clewed down, and many hands 
were on the yards reefing them.  
As the boats came sheering up to our side, the men  
on the topsail yards cried out, " Don't you come here! for  
we have got the plague on board! "  
The men who were in waiting for them declared we  
had nothing of the kind, and bade them come alongside.  
A multitude of voices from the topsail yards were again  
saying, " Yes, we have got the plague on board, too! Don't  
come here! "  
The boats immediately hauled their wind and steered  
for the land. Nothing that we had would induce one of them  
to come on board, for they knew that a bare report of their 
doing so would subject them to a tedious quarantine.  
The " plague " we had on board was this: We were  
expecting that Captain Carr would (as he had threatened) 
have us arraigned before the United States Circuit Court


HOMEWARD BOUND  79  
for piracy on the high seas. Therefore we were unwilling  
to part with any of our number until we learned more about  
the matter, and could all scatter at one time.  
The wind died away during the night, and the next  
morning we perceived that a heavy swell and current were 
setting us in between the east end of Long Island and Block 
Island into Long Island Sound. We now concluded that  
if we could get a pilot, we would pass up the Sound to New  
York. From some one of the many fishing smacks in sight  
we hoped to find one.  
At length, one of the smacks was induced to come along- 
side. In less than five minutes she was taken possession  
of, while the captain and crew retreated away to the stern 
in amazement at the strange work that was going on. We  
judged that nearly one hundred of our company began.throw- 
ing their bags and hammocks on board of her, and them- 
selves after them in quick succession. They then cast off  
from the ship, gave us three cheers, and bore away for 
Newport, Rhode Island, before we could learn their object.  
They had no idea of being brought to trial by Captain Can- 
tor piracy on the high seas.  
As the wind was now unfavorable to proceed to New  
York, we concluded to go to New London, Connecticut, at  
which port we arrived the next forenoon, and  anchored off  
the wharf before the town, six weeks from Plymouth, in  
England. A great number of us now crowded aloft for 
the purpose of furling all the sails at the same time. We  
then stood on our feet on the yards, and gave three cheers 
to the gazing multitude on the wharfs in New London. In  
a few moments more, boatloads of our joyous company, with 
their bags and hammocks, were crowding for the shore, leav- 
ing their captured ship and Captain Carr to find his way  
thence for his load of tobacco at City Point, Virginia, as 
best he could, or even to find us in the next twenty^four hours, 
if he still felt disposed to prosecute us for our so-called  
piratical proceedings on the ocean. Doubtless he was so 
wonderfully relieved at the departure of so rebellious a


80  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
group of passengers, that he had no particular desire to  
come into collision with them again.  
The good people on the land seemed as glad to see and  
welcome us on shore as Captain Carr was to get rid of us.  
But neither party was half as glad as we were. It seemed  
almost too much to believe that we were actually on our  
own native soil once more as freemen,— free from British  
warships and their gloomy, dismal prisons.  
After our joyful feelings in a measure subsided, we were  
inquiring our ways home. Within twenty-four hours a great  
portion of our company took passage in a packet for New  
York City. Four of us, without money, but by fair prom- 
ises, chartered a fishing smack at two dollars a head, to  
carry twenty-two of us around Cape Cod to Boston, Massa- 
chusetts. This placed us beyond the reach of Captain Carr,  
or ever hearing from him again.  
The purser of the cartel had allowed each of us about  
a week's amount of provision at the time we disembarked,  
so we might have sufficient to last us until we could reach 
our homes. We were highly favored with good weather, and 
arrived in Boston the third day from New London, when  
we sold our remaining stock of provisions for enough to  
pay our passage money. A friend and neighbor of my  
father's (Capt. T. Nye), being in Boston on business,  
lent me $30 on my father's account, which enabled me to 
purchase some decent clothing in which to appear among  
mv friends. .  
' The next evening, June 14  or 15, 1815, I had the inde- 
scribable pleasure of being at my parental home (Fairhaven,  
Massachusetts), surrounded by mother, brothers, sisters, and  
friends, all overjoyed to see me once more in the family circle, •  
and all of'them exceedingly anxious to hear a relation of my  
sufferings and trials during the six years and' three months- 
that -I had been absent from them; for my position on board  
the British warships, and in prison, for the past five years,  
rendered it extremely difficult, as I have before shown, for 
any of my letters to reach them.  

HOMEWARD BOUND  81  
It was well known that for my six and a quarter years  
of suffering and labor I had nothing to show but a few old. 
worn garments, and a little canvas bag which I have had no  
use for since I was prevented from swimming away from  
the prison ship in 1814. The relation of my experience  
caused the tears to flow so freely around me that we changed 
the subject for the time being.  
My father had been told by those who thought they  
knew, that if ever I did return home, I would be like other  
drunken man-o'-war sailors. He was away from home on 
business when I arrived, but returned in a few days. Our 
meeting quite overcame him. At length he recovered and  
asked me if I had injured my constitution.  
" No, father," I replied, " I became disgusted with the  
intemperate habits of the people I was associated with. I 
have no particular desire for strong drink," or words to this  
effect, which very much relieved his mind.  
During my sojourn at home at this time, I renewed my  
acquaintance with my present companion in life, which had 
begun at an early age.  
HOMEWARD BOUND  
" OUT on an ocean all boundless we ride  
We' re homeward bound, homeward bound.  
Tossed on the waves of a rough, restless tide,  
We're homeward bound, homeward bound.  
Far from the safe, quiet harbor we've rode, 
Seeking our Father's celestial abode, 
Promise of which on us each is bestowed,  
We' re homeward bound, homeward bound."  
6


ON THE ROCKS,  WITH UKUKS  AYYAOH  
The ill-fated " Criterion " went ashore, and those on board abandoned  her  
in time to save their lives.  

The Ill-Fated  Ship  "Criterion"  
A FEW weeks after my return, an old schoolmate of mine  
arrived at New Bedford in a new ship, and engaged me for 
his second mate on a voyage to Europe. We proceeded first 
to Alexandria, D. C., where we loaded for Bremen. We 
returned to Alexandria in the summer of 1816.  
In the fall of 1816 I again sailed from Alexandria as chief  
mate of the brig " Criterion," of and for Boston, Massachu-
setts. There we loaded and sailed for Baltimore, where 
we discharged our cargo, and loaded again, and sailed for  
New Orleans in January, 1817. In this month began one of  
the severest winters known for many years.  
As we sailed out of the harbor and down the river in the  
afternoon, we saw the ice forming around us so fast that  
we were in danger of being seriously injured by it. As we  
came to the mouth, or entrance, of the river, the pilot gave 
orders to prepare to anchor until daylight. The captain and  
I objected, and endeavored to persuade him to keep on and  
get out of the way of the ice. But he judged otherwise, and  
anchored in the Chesapeake, at the mouth of the Patapsco  
River, sixteen miles below Baltimore. The tide was so low  
that we grounded on the bank. In this situation the ice cut 
through our plank before the rise of the tide. All hands 
were hard at work from early in the morning, carrying out  
anchors and heaving the " Criterion " over the bank.  
At flood tide we concluded we  could sail over the bank  
if we could save our anchor. While we were getting the  
anchor up with the longboat, the tide turned, and the ice  
began to press so heavily upon us that we dropped it again  
and made our way to the vessel. As we came on the lee side, 
and were in the act of reaching to get hold of the vessel, the  
ice suddenly broke away from where it had been held for  
a few moments on the windward side, and crowded us awav  
from her into a narrow space of clear water, which was  
83


84  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
made by the breaking of the ice against her broadside, and 
passing by her bow and stern.  
By the time we got our oars out to pull up to the vessel,  
we had drifted several rods to leeward, and the clear space  
of water was so narrowed that the oars lapped  over on the  
ice, rendering them useless. We then laid hold of the broken 
edge of the ice to haul her up, but the ice broke in our  
hands so fast that we could not hold her.  
The captain and pilot were doing what they could by  
thrusting oars, ropes, and various floating things toward  
us, but we drifted as fast as the things did, so that in a few  
moments we were completely inclosed in a vast field of ice 
that was hurrying us away from our vessel down the Chesa- 
peake Bay as fast as the ebb tide and a strong northwest  
gale could move us.  
We were all thinly clad in our working clothes, and had  
but little room to move about to keep ourselves from freez- 
ing. We had now been in the boat from about two o'clock  
in the afternoon. At the going down of the sun we looked 
every way to learn how we should direct our course if the  
sea should break up the ice that bound us.  
We judged ourselves from twelve to fifteen miles dis- 
tant from our vessel, as she was waning from our view. The  
distant shores to leeward appeared unapproachable on ac- 
count of ice. The prospect of deliverance before another  
day seemed hopeless, even if any one of us should survive  
the bitter cold night before us. A few scattered lights to  
windward on the western shore .of Maryland, some seven  
or eight miles distant, still gave us a ray of hope, though 
they were at the time unapproachable.  
About nine o'clock in the evening the ice began to break  
away from us, and soon left us in the open sea. We manned  
our oars, and pulled for one of the lights on the windward  
shore, all of which were extinguished  in a few hours.  
"After about six hours' incessant rowing against the wind  
and sea, the boat struck the bottom, about an eighth of a  
mile from the shore, so loaded with ice that had been made  
from the wash of the sea, both outside and in, that she filled  

THE ILL-FATED  SHIP " CRITERION "  85  
with water soon after we left her, and froze up, leaving her  
gunwale level with the ice.  
The second mate waded through the water and ice to the  
shore to look for a house, while we were preparing to secure  
the boat. He soon returned with the joyful news that there  
was one not far off, and the family were making a fire for us. 
It was now three o'clock in the morning, and we had been  
about thirteen hours in the boat, with hardly any cessation  
from laboring and stirring about to keep from freezing, ex- 
cept the last fifteen or twenty minutes.  
I now requested all to get out of the boat. The acute  
pain on getting into the water, which was about three feet 
deep, was indescribable, while the frost that was in us was  
coming to the surface of our bodies. I called again to get 
out of the boat, when I saw that Tom, my best man, was at 
the side of the boat so fast asleep, or dying with the frost,  
that I could not wake him. I hauled him out of the boat into  
the water, keeping his head up until he cried out, " Where  
ami?" and got hold of the boat.  
One I saw was still in the boat. " Stone," said I, " why  
don't you get out of the boat?" " I will," said he, "as  
soon as I get my shoes and stockings off! " He was so be-
wildered he was not aware that his feet (as well as those of  
all the rest of us) had been soaking in water and ice all night.  
We got him out, and all of us started together. By the time  
we had broken our way through the newly made ice to the  
shore, we were so benumbed that we could not crawl up the  
cliff. I directed the sailors to follow the shore to the first 
opening, and 1 would come along with Stone as soon as I  
could get his shoes on.  
On entering the house, I perceived there was a great fire,  
and the men were lying with their feet to it, writhing in agony  
from the acute pain in their swollen limbs. I requested them  
to remove from the fire. As in the good providence of God  
we were now all in a place of safety, and I was relieved from  
my almost overwhelming anxiety and suspense, I moved to 
the opposite corner of the room, and sank down with ex- 
haustion. As soon as I was relieved by our kind host and


86  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
his companion, feeling still faint, I got out of the house onto  
the deep snow, where it seemed to me I could hardly survive  
the excruciating pain which was racking my whole frame,  
and especially my head, caused by the frost coming out of  
my body. Thus the Lord delivered and saved me. Thanks  
to His name.  
By keeping away from the hot fire until the Irost was  
out of my body, I was the only one who escaped having  
frozen limbs and protracted sickness. Many years after this  
I fell in with Tom in South America. He told me how 
much he had suffered, and was still suffering, since that  
perilous night.  
Captain Merica and his companion (for this was the  
name of our kind friends) provided us with a warm meal,  
and very kindly welcomed us to their home and table. After  
sunrise, by the aid of a glass, we saw that the " Criterion " 
was afloat, drifting in the ice down the bay toward us, show- 
ing a signal of distress — colors flying half-mast. It was  
not possible, however, for any human being to approach her  
while she was in the floating ice. We expected she was in 
a sinking condition, as she was cut through with the ice before  
we were separated from her.  
As the " Criterion" passed within four miles of the  
shore where we were, we could see the captain and pilot  
pacing the deck, watching to see what would be their destiny.  
We hoisted a signal on the cliff, but they appeared not to  
notice it. We saw that the " Criterion " was careened over  
to starboard, which kept the holes made by the ice on her  
larboard side out of the water. Before night the " Criterion "  
passed by us again, drifting up the bay with the flood tide, 
and so she continued to drift about for two days, until 111  
a violent northeast snowstorm she was driven to her final  destination and burying place.  
When the storm abated, with the aid of a spyglass we  
saw the " Criterion " lying on Love Point, on the east side  
of the Chesapeake Bay, distant about twelve miles. As  
there was no communication  with the sufferers only by way  
of Baltimore, and thence around the head of the bay, across  

THE ILL-FATED SHIP " CRITERION  "  87  
the Susquehanna, I decided to proceed to Baltimore, and 
inform the consignees and shippers of her situation. Cap-
tain Merica said it was about thirty miles distant, and a good  
part of the way through the woods, and over bad roads,  
especially then, as the snow was about one foot deep. Said  
he, "If you decide to go, I will lend you my horse." Said 
his companion, " I will lend you a dollar for your expenses."  
After a fatiguing  journey from morning until nine in  
the evening, I reached Baltimore. The consignees furnished  
me with money to pay our board on shore as long as we were 
obliged to stay, and orders to merchants in Annapolis for  
cables and anchors, if we needed them, to get the " Criterion " 
afloat again.  
Some two weeks from the time we were separated from  
the " Criterion," the weather moderated and became more 
mild, and the drifting ice much broken. Captain Merica,  
with some of his slaves, assisted us to cut our boat out of  
the ice and repair her. With our crew somewhat recovered,  
and two stout slaves of Captain Merica's, we ran our boat  
on the ice until we broke through into deep water, and climbed  
into her. Then with our oars and borrowed sail we steered 
through the broken ice toward the " Criterion."  
As we drew near her, we saw that she was heeled in  
toward the shore, and a strong current was hurrying us past  
her into a dangerous place, unless we could get hold of a  
rope to hold us.  
We hailed, but no one answered. I said to the men,  
" Shout loud enough to be heard! " The two slaves, fearing  
we were in danger of being fastened in the ice, set up such 
a hideous noise that the cook showed his head at the upper,  
or weather, side, and disappeared immediately. We caught  
a hanging rope as we were passing her bow, which held  
us safely. The captain and pilot, in consternation, came  
rushing toward us, as I leaped on the deck of the " Criterion "  
to meet them.  
" Why," said Captain Coffin, as we grasped each other's  
hands, " where did you come from, Mr. Bates? "  
" From the western shore of  Maryland." I replied.


114  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
" Why," said he, " I expected all of you were at the  
bottom of Chesapeake Bay! I buried you that night you  
passed out of our sight, not supposing it possible for you 
to live through the night."  
The " Criterion " had parted her cables and lost her anchor  
in the violent storm that drove her to the shore. Her cargo  
was yet undamaged. The captain and pilot consented for 
me to take part of the crew and return to the city of Annap- 
olis, to procure cables and anchors. This we accomplished, 
but were prevented from returning for several days, on ac- 
count of another driving storm, in which the " Criterion "  
bilged and filled with water, and those on board abandoned  
her in time to save their lives.  
During the winter, with a gang of hired slaves (our men  
were on the sick list), we saved nearly all the cargo, but in 
a damaged state. The men who were chosen to survey the  
" Criterion" judged there was 170 tons of ice on her hull  
and rigging, caused by the sea rushing over her and freezing  
solid. After stripping her, in the spring, she was sold  
for $20!  
WHALING ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN  
After " catching " the whale,  the sailors haul it alongside the ship. " The  
blubber is minced into small pieces and thrown into large iron try-pots to be  
tried out."  

First Voyage  to  South  America  
I RETURNED to Baltimore and began another voyage as  
chief mate of the brig " Frances F. Johnson," of Baltimore,  
for South America. Our crew were all black men, the cap- 
tain's peculiar choice. I often regretted that we two were  
the only white men on board, for we were sometimes placed 
in peculiar circumstances, in consequence of being in the  
minority.  
With the exception of some dry goods, we disposed  
of most of our cargo in Maranham and Para. The last-
mentioned place lies about one hundred miles up from the  
mouth of the Amazon River, the mouth of the river being 
on the equator. Here we took in a return cargo for 
Baltimore.  
On our home-ward voyage we stopped at the French island  
of Martinique. After taking our place among the shipping 
near the shore, and remaining a few days, the captain and I 
were unexpectedly ordered on board by the commodore, who 
reprimanded us because we had failed to comply with a  
trifling point in his orders, for which he ordered us to leave 
the place in the morning.  
We considered this ungenerous and severe, and without  
precedent; but we obeyed, and had but scarcely cleared our- 
selves from the island when a dreadful hurricane occurred  
(which is common in the West Indies about the autumnal  
equinox), causing such devastation among the shipping and  
seamen that in a few hours a hundred vessels were dashed 
in pieces at their moorings, and sank with their crews on  
board. Others were driven to sea in a helpless condition,  
leaving but two vessels saved in the harbor in the morning I  
It was with much difficulty  that we cleared ourselves from  
the island during the day, because of the sudden changes of  
the wind to almost every quarter of the compass. We were  
pretty well satisfied that a violent storm was at hand, and  
made what preparations we deemed necessary to meet it.  
89


114  
LIFE  OF JOSEPH BATES  
We fortunately escaped the most violent part of it. with but 
little damage, and arrived safely at St. Domingo.  
A sloop from New York City came in a few days, the  
captain of which stated what I have already related respecting  
the storm and disaster at Martinique. Said he:  
" We arrived off the harbor of Martinique at the begin- 
ning of the hurricane, and as we were driven at the mercy  
of the storm, in the darkness of the night, while we were  
endeavoring to hold ourselves to the deck around our boat,  
which was lying bottom upward, strongly lashed to ringbolts  
in the deck, she was taken by the violence of the wind from  
our midst, and not one of us knew when, or how, or where  
she had gone."  
The miracle to them was that they survived the storm;  
but still more wonderful, to us, was that we, while attending  
to our lawful business, should in such an unexpected and  
unprecedented manner be driven from the place where none 
but the omniscient eye of Jehovah could tell of the terrible  
destruction that in a few hours was to come upon those we  
left behind. Surely, through His saving mercy and provi- 
dential care, we were hurried out of that harbor just in  
time to be left still numbered among the living.  
" God moves in a mysterious way.  
His wonders to perform."  
Captain Sylvester here gave me the command of the  
" F. F. Johnson," .to proceed to Baltimore with the home 
cargo, while he remained in St. Domingo to dispose of the  
balance of the outward cargo.  
At the time of sailing I was sick, and fearing my disease  
was the yellow fever, I had my bed brought up on the quarter- 
deck, and remained exposed to the open air by day and by  
night, and soon recovered my health.  
We arrived safely in Baltimore the beginning of January,  
1818. From there I returned to my father's, in Fairhaven, 
Massachusetts, having been absent from home about two 
vears and a half. February 15, 1818, I was united in 
marriage to Miss Prudence M. Nye, daughter of Capt.  
Obed Nye.  

A Stormy  Passage  from  Sweden  
Six weeks subsequent to my marriage, I sailed on another  
voyage as chief mate of the ship " Frances," Captain Hitch,  
of New Bedford, taking command of the vessel. We pro-
ceeded to Baltimore, Maryland, where we loaded with tobacco  
for Bremen, in Europe. Thence we proceeded to Gottenborg,  
in Sweden, where we loaded again with bar iron for New  
Bedford, Massachusetts.  
As Captain Hitch was part owner of the ship, with the  
prospect of making a few thousand dollars with a cargo of  
iron, he loaded the ship very deep, but did not seem to appre-
hend any particular danger until in the North Sea we en- 
countered a violent storm. Our heavy cargo of iron, and the  
prevailing westerly gales, caused our ship to labor so in- 
cessantly that she began to leak very freely. We got up about  
twenty tons of iron and secured it on the upper deck. This  
eased her laboring some, but still the westerly gales prevailed, 
and we gained westward but slowly.  
At length Captain Hitch said, " We must come on an  
allowance of water," and asked how much I thought we  
could begin with. I answered, " Two quarts a day."  
" Two quarts of water a day! " said he, " why, I never  
drank two quarts of water a day in my life. I drink two 
cups of coffee in the morning, and two cups of tea at night,  
and two or three glasses of grog during the day [temperance  
societies were not known then] , and that is about all I drink.  
1 have been following the sea for about thirty years, and  
never yet have been put on an allowance."  
I had not been so fortunate, but had been on an allowance  
of food five years, and several months on a short allowance  
of water. I said to Captain Hitch, " The very idea of being  
on an allowance of water will increase your desire for more."  
Well, he knew nothing about that, but said, " We will wait  
a little longer, for I don't believe I ever  drank two quarts  
a day."  
91


/w  
JS&J9}  
Courtesy The Marine Research Society  
A PAGE FROM THE LOG OF THE SHIP " FRANCES," OF NEW BEDFORD,  
WHALING OFF JAPAN IN 1845  
92  

A STORMY PASSAGE FROM SWEDEN  93  
As we were still hindered in our progress, and the ship  
was increasing her leak, Captain Hitch said, "It is your  
morning watch tomorrow; I think you had better begin to  
measure out the water, and fasten up the water casks."  
" Very well, sir," said I, " but how much shall I measure  
for each man ? "  
" Well, begin with two quarts."  
This was done, and the captain's two quarts were taken  
to the cabin.  
As I was walking the deck about seven o'clock in the  
evening, the after hatchway being open, I heard Captain  
Hitch in the dark say in a loud whisper, " Lem! you got any  
water ? (Lemuel was a nephew of Captain Hitch, and messed 
in the steerage.)  
" Yes, sir."  
" Give me a drink, will you ? "  
In a few moments I heard the captain gurgling the water  
down out of Lem's bottle, as if he was very thirsty, and yet 
it was twelve hours since his two quarts had been meas-
ured out.  
At the breakfast table next morning I inquired, " Captain  
Hitch, how did you make out for water last night?" He  
smiled, and acknowledged he was mistaken. " The thought  
of being on an allowance, as you said, makes one feel thirsty.  
I never tried it before."  
After encountering another heavy gale, Captain Hitch  
became seriously alarmed, fearing the " Frances " was too  
deeply laden to cross the Atlantic in safety. A council was 
held, which decided to relieve the ship of part of her burden 
by casting the twenty tons of iron, overboard. In a few hours  
this work was accomplished, and the long bars of iron were 
gliding swiftly to their resting place some five or more miles 
below us, into what the sailors call " Davy Jones's Locker."  
Twenty tons more were taken on deck. This change  
relieved the ship very perceptibly, and enabled her to make  
better progress. But still the captain was fearful of carrying  
a press of sail for fear her leak would increase and carry  
us all down to the bottom.


94  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Our stock of provisions getting low. we came on a stated  
allowance of beef and bread, our small stores being about 
exhausted. We all began to feel anxious to get to our des- 
tined haven. At length the winds favored us, and we were  
making rapid progress. The last three days the wind had  
been increasing from the southeast, and according to our  
reckoning, if it continued, we should reach New Bedford in  
three days more, making the passage in seventy days from  
Gottenborg.  
In this we were sadly disappointed, for by the third day  
at midnight the gale had increased to a dreadful height. The  
raging elements seemed to set at defiance every living creature  
that moved above the surface of the sea. In all my experience  
I had never witnessed such portentous signs in the heavens  
of a dreadful, devastating storm. The sea had risen to such 
an awful height that it seemed sometimes it would rush over  
our mastheads before our heavy-laden ship would rise to  
receive its towering, foaming top; and then the howling,  
raging wind above it, straining every stitch of sail we dared  
show, would dash us headlong again into the awful gulf 
below. All the canvas we dared show was a close-reefed  
maintop sail and reefed foresail. We needed more to hurry  
the ship off before the foaming sea, but were in great fear 
that the heavy gusts of wind would wrench them from the  
boltropes, and leave us in the power of the next sea, to be  
overwhelmed and sunk with our iron cargo to the bottom  
of the sea.  
We charged the watch that were going below not to lay  
off any of their clothing, but be ready at a moment's warning.  
We considered ourselves in the eastern edge of the Gulf  
Stream* one of the most dreaded places for continual storms  
* The Gulf Stream is caused by a large body of water issuing from the  
Gulf of Mexico, and flowing northeasterly from the southeast point of the 
coast of Florida. In some places it passes close to the land, widening as it  
flows onward by our northern coast, then branching off toward the Banks 
of Newfoundland.  Here it is sometimes several hundred miles in width,  
narrowing and widening as it is influenced  by the heavy winds. This current  
sweeps along our southern coast, sometimes at the rate of three miles an  
hour. In passing from or approaching the coast of the United states  
mariners always find the water much warmer in this stream than on either 
side of it. The weather is also changeable and tempestuous, such as is not  
found elsewhere.  

A STORMY PASSAGE FROM SWEDEN  95  
on the American coast, or any other coast in the world. Cross  
it somewhere we must, to reach our home.  
I entered the cabin for a moment to inform Captain  
Hitch of the increasing storm. He was unwilling to see it,  
but said, " Mr. Bates, keep the ship dead before the sea! "  
That was our only hope. Our tiller had been broken off 
within four feet of the rudderhead, a short time previously 
by a violent sea that struck us on the bow. We had spliced 
it, and now with tiller ropes and relieving tackles it required  
four experienced men. with our utmost skill in conning them,  
to manage the helm, to keep the ship running directly before 
the foaming, mountainous seas. Our continual work was  
something like the following:  
" Starboard your helm ! "  
" Starboard, sir." was the reply.  
" Steady, here comes another dreadful sea! " 
" Steady," was the reply.  
" How do we head now ? "  
" Northwest," was the reply. 
" Steady, keep her head just so. That was well done! "  
If the ship had not answered her helm as she did, it  
appeared that the fearful sea would have rushed over our  
quarter, and swept us all by the board.  
" Port your helm! here comes another on the larboard  
side! Steady now, the sea is square on our stern," etc.  
With the dawn of the morning the rain came down upon  
us in such torrents that it was with much difficulty that we  
could see the shape of the sea until it was rushing upon us.  
This rain was ominous of a change more dreadful (if pos- 
sible) than our present situation. My short experience had  
taught me that the Gulf Stream was more dangerous for navi-
gators on this account than any other navigable sea.


Cardinell-Vincent Co., San Francisco  
HEAVILY LADEN AND HOMEWARD  BOUND  
" She wallowed along until midnight  between these tumbling seas, trembling,  
wrenching, and groaning,  with her heavy iron load and precious  living souls,"  
96  

In the  Trough  of  the  Sea  
IN the midst of the great storm the wind suddenly changed  
to the opposite quarter, between seven and eight o'clock in 
the morning, and our sails were struck against the mast. The  
simultaneous cry was uttered, " The ship's aback! "  
" Hard aport your helm! Quick! quick! " 
It seemed as if I touched the deck but twice in going  
thirty feet to the mainmast, where the weather forebraces  
were belayed. I whirled them from the pins, and shouted, 
" All hands on deck in a moment! "  
Descending from the top of the sea, the ship answered  
her helm; her  head paid off to the northeast. The foresail  
filled again, or we should inevitably have gone down stern  
foremost, from the overpowering rush of the next sea. The  
wind came furiously from the west for a few moments, and 
suddenly died away, leaving us in a dead calm.  
" Lash your helm to the starboard! Call the captain, one  
of you! Clew up the maintop sail! Haul up the foresail!  
All hands aloft now, and furl the maintop sail. Make haste,  
men, and secure it to the yard as fast as you can! "  
The ship was now unmanageable. The sea was on our  
lee beam, and seemed as if it would either run over our  
mastheads or roll us bottom upward to windward. As the  
captain came up from the cabin and saw our situation, he  
cried out, " Oh, my grief!" and for a while was silent.  
The ship was now writhing and wrenching like a person  
in agony. Her tumbling in such a tumultuous  and violent  
manner made it very difficult for the men to get aloft. Before  
they reached the topsail yard, the wind came rushing upon 
us like a tornado, from the west-southwest. This was what  
we feared, and why we hurried to save our storm sails if  
we could.  
It was some time before the men could secure the sails.  
When this was done, and the ship pumped after a manner,  
7 97


98  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
the crew were all clustered on the quarter-deck, except Lem- 
uel T. and George H., the captain's nephew and son. who, by  
the captain's orders, were fastened below for fear they would  
be swept from the deck; also one passenger. Said the 
captain, "Cook, can you pray with us?" The cook knelt  
down where he could secure himself, the rest of us holding 
on upon our feet, and prayed most fervently for  God to  
protect and save us from the dreadful, raging storm.  
This was the first prayer I had ever heard uttered in a  
storm upon the ocean. Sinners as we were. I believed the  
prayer in our behalf was heard by Him whose ear is not 
closed to the distressed mariner's cry; for the Scriptures  
testify that " He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,  
which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the  
heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted  
because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a 
drunken man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto 
the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their  
distresses." Ps. 107: 25-28.  
We seemed to be placed in the very position the psalmist  
speaks of. After we had done all we could to save our  
lives from the raging elements of the past night, until our  
ship was rendered unmanageable, our sails secured and the 
helm lashed alee, then we were at our " wit's end," and prayed 
to the Lord for help. We secured ourselves to the mizzen  
rigging and quarter-deck, there in deep contemplation and  
utter silence to await the issue of our case.  
Captain Hitch doubtless felt that he had neglected his  
duty in not commending us to God daily during our long  
voyage; and now in this perilous hour, when we were at  
our " wits' end," his confidence failed him. He and the cook- 
were the only professors of religion on board. They both 
belonged to the Close Communion Baptist Church, in New  
Bedford, Massachusetts. The cook was the only colored  
man on board. I have always believed that the Lord specially  
regarded his prayer.  
Once only during the voyage I heard the captain pray.  
I had become almost exhausted from extreme labor in some  

IN THE TROUGH OF THE SEA  99  
of the storms I have mentioned, and was losing two hours  
of my evening watch to get some rest, when I overheard  
Captain Hitch, in a dark part of the cabin, praying the Lord  
to raise me to health and strength. In saying this I mean  
no disrespect to Captain Hitch, for he was a gentlemanly,  
good-hearted man, and treated his officers and men with  
kindness and respect.  
After the cook's prayer I secured myself to the weather  
foremost mizzen shroud to watch the furious, raging storm.  
Captain Hitch was next behind me, the second mate and  
crew all ranged along the weather side of the quarter-deck, 
waiting in silence the decision of our case. The wind was so  
unabating in its fury that it would whirl the top of the con-
tending seas over us, and drench us like pouring rain from 
the clouds. The labor  of the ship seemed to be more than  
she could long endure. The marvel was that she had held 
together so long. It seemed sometimes, when she was rush-
ing from the top of some of those mountain seas, broadside  
foremost, that she would either turn clear over or rush down  
with such impetuosity that she never would rise again.  
After a while the sea became furious from the west, and  
the two seas would rush together like enemies contending  
for victory. We had remained in silence about three hours,  
and I said, " Our ship can stand this but a little longer."  
" So I think," replied the captain.  
I said, " It appears to me that our only hope is to loose  
the wings of the foresail, and drive her between these two  
seas on a northeast course."  
" Let us try it." said Captain Hitch.  
Soon our good old ship was making her way through  
between these two tumbling mountains, being most severely 
buffeted, first on the right and then on the left. And when 
our hearts would almost sink for fear of her being over-
whelmed, she would seem to rise again above it all. and shake  
herself as if some unseen hand were guiding her from be-
neath; and with her two little outstretched wings filled to  
overflowing with the howling, raging wind, she would seem 
to move onward again with more than mortal energy.


100  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Thus she wallowed along until midnight between these  
tumbling seas, trembling, wrenching, and groaning, with her  
heavy iron load and precious living souls that she was  
laboring to preserve, in answer to the poor negro sailor's  
prayer that had passed from her upper deck, away from 
the distracting hurricane and dreadful storm, to the peaceful  
mansions of the Governor of heaven and earth and seas.  
My wife was visiting one of our relatives a few miles  
distant from home, when a Methodist minister called to visit 
the family. He asked why she appeared so sober. He was  
told that the ship her husband sailed in was out of time, and 
much fear was entertained for the ship's safety, and particu- 
larly at that time, as there was a violent, raging storm. Said  
the minister, " I want to pray for that ship's company." His  
prayer was so fervent, and made so deep an impression on 
my wife, that she noted down the time. When the ship came  
home, her log book was examined, which proved it was the  
same storm.  

Safely  Anchored  at  Last  
ABOUT midnight, as the wind had veered to the north  
and west, and the furious sea from that quarter had become  
very dangerous, and was continuing  to subdue and overpower  
the sea that had been so dangerous from the southeast we  
deemed it for our safety still to bear away and head the ship 
on to the southeast sea, and drive her from the irregular,  
furious cross sea that was raging from the west. In a few  
moments followed a  dead calm for about fifteen minutes,  
rendering the ship unmanageable; and then came a raging  
hurricane from the west-southwest,  veering round by the  
north to the east, our course being northeast between the  
seas; then east and southeast, south and southwest. In this  
manner, in about four days, we ran three quarters of the way  
round the compass, some hundreds of miles farther from  
home than we were at the height of the storm.  
This was the most peculiar and trying storm in all my  
experience; neither have I read of the like in its nature and  
duration. The marvel with us was that our good old ship had  
weathered this most trying time. Her leak, however, had 
increased to twelve thousand strokes of the pump in twenty- 
four hours.  
Again, by a unanimous decision, we launched another  
twenty tons of our iron cargo into the sea. We endeavored  
to steer for a southern port, but the westerly winds continued 
to check our progress westward. Winter had now fairly  
begun, and our provisions and water were getting so low that  
we were about to reduce our allowance, while our constant 
labor at the pumps was also reducing our strength. We saw  
vessels occasionally, but at too great a distance to approach  
them. We made an extra effort, and sailed for one until 
nightfall, and then, to induce her to approach us, rigged a  
spar over our stern, on which we fastened a barrel of tar,  
ADVENTIST 101  
HERITAGE center  
Jimw Whit* Library  
ANDREWS UNIVERSITY


102  LIFE  OF JOSEPH BATES  
and fired it, to make them believe we were on fire, and so  
induce them to come to our relief; but to no purpose.  
Soon after this, when things began to look more dubious,  
just at the close of a gale of wind, about midnight, we saw 
a vessel directly ahead steering toward us. She soon an- 
swered our signal by hoisting her " lanthorn," and soon we  
met within speaking distance.  
" Where are you from? " we asked.  
" New York," was the reply.  
" Where are you bound? " 
" South America."  
" Can you spare us some provisions? "  
" Yes, as much as you want; I am loaded with them."  
" Lay by us, and we will send our boat."  
" Very well."  
Captain Hitch's heart began to fail him as we started  
to clear away our small boat. Said he, " The swell is so  
high the boat will be swamped, and I dare not have you go,  
Mr. Bates. To lose some of the crew now would be very  
discouraging, and how could the ship be saved in her leaky,  
sinking condition ? "  
" But, Captain Hitch, we are in want of provisions, and  
can now get a supply."  
He still declared himself unwilling to command any one  
to attempt it. Said 1, " Allow me, then, to call for volun- 
teers." He continued irresolute.  
Fearing we should miss this opportunity, 1 inquired,  
" Who among you will volunteer to go with me in the boat? "  
" I will go for one, sir." " I will go," " And I will go,"  
said others.  
" That will do," said I, " three are enough."  
In a few moments we were almost out of sight of our  
ship, steering for the signal light. One sea boarded us, and  
about half filled the boat. With one man bailing out the water  
and the other two at the oars, we reached the brig. On  
account of the rough sea we could carry but a few barrels of  
bread and flour. 1 gave the captain a draft on our owners in  
New Bedford.  

SAFELY ANCHORED AT LAST  103  
" Your name is Bates," said he; " are you related to  
Dr. Bates, of Barre, Massachusetts? "  
" He is my brother." 
" Well, I am his near neighbor; I left there a few weeks  
ago. Don't you want some more ? "  
" No, sir. Only if you will fill away and tow us to the  
windward of our ship, we will be much obliged."  
This done, we reached the ship in safety, and soon had  
our supply of bread and flour safely landed on deck. Our  
boat was stowed away, and each vessel filled away on its  
course.  
Captain Hitch was almost overjoyed at our safe return  
with a supply of provisions to carry us into port. The  
westerly winds, however, prevailed, and our ship's bottom 
had become so foul with a mass of grass and barnacles that  
she moved very slowly. We prepared a scraper, with which 
we were enabled in a calm to scrape some of it off. Bushels  
of barnacles as large as thimbles, and green grass two feet  
long, would rise under our stern as we hauled the scraper 
under her bottom, all of which had accumulated during our  
voyage.  
Again we met with a vessel from the West Indies, which  
supplied us with three casks of water; after which a ship  
from Portland supplied us with potatoes from her cargo.  
These were very acceptable, not only for a change of diet,  
but also to check the scurvy, which is common with seamen  
who are obliged to subsist on salted provisions, in a few  
weeks we obtained another short supply, and were animated 
with the hope of reaching some port on the coast in a few  
days. But our buoyant hopes would sink again with the  
increasing westerly gales, and we would wish that we had  
taken a larger supply of provisions. Thus we continued to  
toil on, gaining sometimes a considerable distance westward,  
and then in one gale losing almost as much distance as we  
had gained in a week before.  
Three times after this we obtained a supply of what could  
be spared from different vessels we met, making in all seven  
different times. And it had become a common saying with


102  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
us, that at the very time we needed relief, it came. Wicked 
as we still were, we could but acknowledge the hand of a  
merciful God in it all.  
Finally, we began to despair, contending with the almost  
continual westerly winds in our disabled condition, and  
called all hands in council,* to determine whether, in our 
perilous position, to preserve our lives we should change  
the voyage and run for a port in distress. It was decided  
unanimously  that we bear up for the West Indies.  
We had a successful run and passage to St. Thomas, one  
of the Virgin Islands in the West Indies belonging to Den- 
mark. We arrived thankful to God for preserving and sus- 
taining us through the perilous scenes we had experienced.  
Even when our ship was safely anchored and our sails all  
furled, for a while we could scarcely realize that we were  
safe in harbor. Careening our ship to clean the bottom, we  
found a great quantity of green grass, from two to three feet  
long, and large barnacles on the bottom.  
Upon completion of repairs and refitting, we sailed for  
New Bedford, Massachusetts. En route we met a very 
tempestuous storm in the Gulf Stream, off Cape Hatteras.  
In about three weeks from St. Thomas we saw Block  
Island. In the morning we were about twenty-five miles  
from New Bedford, when the wind came out ahead from  
the north in a strong gale, threatening to drive us off our  
soundings. We clinched our cables around the mast and  
cleared our anchors, determined to make a desperate effort  
and try the strength of our cables in deep water, rather than  
be blown off the coast. Then with what sail the ship could  
bear we began to ply her head to windward for a harbor 
in Vineyard Sound.  
The sea and spray rushed upon us and froze on the sails  
and rigging, so that before we tacked, which was often, we  
had to break off the ice from our sails, tacks, and sheets, with  
* When a deviation from a policy of insurance is made in a vessel's voyage,  
it is required to be done by the majority or whole crew in council, that they 
do so for the preservation of lives, or vessel and cargo; this transaction being  
recorded in the daily journal, or log book, of said vessel, that the owners may  
lawfully recover their insurance, if a loss occurs after deviation.  

SAFELY ANCHORED AT LAST  104  
handspikes. In this way we gained about ten miles to 
windward during the day, and anchored in Tarpaulin Cove,  
about fifteen miles from New Bedford.  
Our signal was seen from the observatory in New Bed- 
ford just as we were passing into the cove. When our  
anchor reached the bottom, the poor, half-frozen crew were  
so overjoyed that they gave three cheers for a safe harbor. 
After two days the gale abated, and we made sail and  
anchored in the harbor of New Bedford, Feb. 20, 1819,  
nearly six months from Gottenborg. So far as I have any 
knowledge of ship sailing, this was one of the most provi- 
dential and singular passages from Europe to America, in  
its nature and duration, that is on record.  
This voyage, including also our passage to the West  
Indies, could in ordinary weather be performed by our ship,  
when in good sailing trim, in less than sixty days.  
Our friends were almost as glad to see us as we were  
to get safely home. The contrast between the almost con- 
tinual clanking of pumps to keep our ship afloat, and the  
howling winter storms with which we had to contend, and  
the good cheering fireside, surrounded by wives, children,  
and friends, was great indeed, and cheered us exceedingly.  
We thought we  were thankful to God for thus preserving  
our lives. This was the third time I had returned home 
during ten years.  
" The Old Frances," as she was called, apparently ready  
to slide into a watery grave, was soon thoroughly repaired  
and fitted for the whaling business, which she successfully  
pursued in the Pacific and Indian Oceans for many years.


Courtesy The Marine Research Society 
WHALING BARKS DRYING THEIR SAILS AT A NEW BEDFORD  WHARF  

Attaining  a  Captaincy  
AFTER a pleasant season of a few months at home with  
my family, I sailed again for Alexandria, D. C., and shipped  
as chief mate on board the ship " New Jersey," of Alexandria, 
with D. Howland as commander. We proceeded up James  
River near Richmond, Virginia, to load for Europe, but went  
from there to Norfolk, Virginia, where we finally loaded and  
sailed for Bermuda.  
On our arrival at Bermuda, our ship drew so much water  
that it became necessary for us to anchor in open sea, and  
wait for a smooth time and fair wind to sail into the harbor. 
The captain and pilot went on shore, expecting to return, but 
were prevented on account of a violent gale and storm which  
came on soon after they reached the shore, and which placed  
us in a trying and perilous situation for nearly two days.  
As the gale increased, we veered out almost all our cable,  
reserving enough to freshen the chafe at the bow, which was 
very frequent. But contrary to all our fearful forebodings,  
and the fears of those on shore who were filled with anxiety  
for our safety, especially our captain and pilot, our brow- 
beaten ship was seen at the dawn of the second morning still  
contending with her unyielding foe, holding to her well- 
bedded anchors by her long, straightened cables, which had  
been fully tested during the violent storm which had now  
begun to abate. As the sea went down, the captain and pilot  
returned, and the ship was gotten under way and safely  
anchored in the harbor, and we discharged our cargo.  
We sailed from Bermuda to Turk's Island for a cargo of  
rock salt. Here we moored our ship about a quarter of a  
mile from the shore, our anchor in forty fathoms, or 240  
feet, of water, ready to ship our cables and put to sea at  
any moment of danger from change of wind or weather; and  
when the weather settled again, to return and finish loading.  
107


108  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
In a few days we received from the natives, by their slaves,  
12,000 bushels of salt, which they handed us out of their  
boats by the half bushel in their salt sacks.  
The sea around this island abounds with small shells of  
all colors, many of which are obtained by expert swimmers,  
who dive for them in deep water. We returned to Alex- 
andria, D. C., in the winter of 1820, where our voyage ended.  
Before the cargo of the " New Jersey " was discharged,  
I was offered the command of the ship " Talbot," of Salem,  
Massachusetts, then loading in Alexandria for Liverpool. 
In a few weeks we were again out of Chesapeake Bay, de- 
parting from Cape Henry across the Atlantic Ocean.  
Soon after leaving the land, a violent gale and storm  
overtook us in the Gulf Stream, attended by awful thunder 
and vivid streaks of lightning.  The heavy, dark clouds,  
seeming but just above our mastheads, kept us enshrouded 
in almost impenetrable darkness, as the night closed around  
us. Our minds were relieved only by the repeated sheets of  
streaming fire that lit up our pathway, and showed us for an 
instant that there was no other ship directly ahead of us,  
and also the shape of the rushing seas before which we were  
scudding with what sail the ship could bear, crossing with  
all speed this dreaded, dismal, dark stream of warm water that  
stretches itself from the Gulf of Mexico to Nantucket shoals 
on our Atlantic coast. Whether the storm abated in the  
stream we crossed, we could not say, but we found very 
different weather on the eastern side of it.  
In a few weeks we arrived at Liverpool, the commercial  
city where ten years before I had been  unjustly and inhumanly  
seized, stripped of my right of citizenship,  and transferred  
to the naval service of King George III, without limitation  
of time.  
During these ten years a great change had taken place  
with the potentates and subjects of civilized Europe. The  
' dreadful convulsions of nations had in a great measure sub- 
sided' first by the peace between the United States and  
Great Britain, granting to the former "free trade and  
sailors' rights," secured in a few months after the great  

ATTAINING A CAPTAINCY  109  
decisive Battle of Waterloo in 1815; secondly, by what had 
been unheard of before,— a conclave of the rulers of the  
great powers of Europe, united to keep the peace of the  
world. (Predicted in olden times by the great Sovereign  
Ruler of the universe. See Rev. 7:1.)  
During these ten years my circumstances also had  
materially changed. Press gangs and war prisons were things 
of the past, so that I enjoyed the freedom of the city of  
Liverpool in common with my countrymen.  
As we were about loading with return cargo of Liver- 
pool salt for Alexandria, a man dressed in blue jacket  
and trousers, with a rattan whip in his hand, approached me  
with, " Please your honor, do you wish to hire a ' lumper'  
to shovel in your salt ?"  
" No," I replied, " I do not want you." 
" Why, your honor, I am acquainted with the business,  
and take such jobs."  
I again refused to employ him, and said, " I know you."  
He asked where I had known him. 
Said I, " Did you belong to His Majesty's ship,' Rodney,'  
of 74 guns, stationed in the Mediterranean in the years  
1810-12?"  
He replied in the affirmative.  
" I knew you there," said I; "do you remember me ?"  
" No, your honor. Were you one of the lieutenants? or  
what office did you fill, or were you one of the officers of the 
American merchant ship we detained ? "  
" Neither of these," I replied. But from the many ques- 
tions I asked him, he was satisfied that I knew him. We had 
eaten at the same table for about eighteen months. This 
man was the ship's corporal, or constable, in the watch  
opposite from me, and was captain of those unfortunates  
called " black list men," subjected to perform the scavenger  
work of the ship, and also to scour the brass, copper, and iron,  
where and whenever it was  called for. In this work he  
appeared delighted to honor the king. The rattan in his  
hand looked to me like the same one that he used to switch  
about some of those unfortunate men.


114  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Without gratifying his curiosity as to who I was, I  
learned from him the whereabouts of many of the officers  
and crew, for a great many of whom I felt a .strong attach-
ment.  
I employed two sturdy-looking  Irishmen to shovel our  
salt out of the salt scows into the ballast port (a hole in 
the ship's side). While progressing in their work I saw  
them leaning over their shovels. Said I, "What is the 
matter?"  " Matter enough, sir; your men don't shovel it away as  
fast as we shovel it in! "  
Seven or eight men were shoveling it away from them  
into the ship's hold.  
Said I, " What is the matter, men? Are you not able to  
shovel the salt away as fast as these two men shovel it in?"  
They replied they were not.  
Said one of the Irishmen who were listening at the ballast  
port, " If we had as much meat to eat as you, we would give  
you as much again salt."  
"Why," said one of my sailors, who seemed much  
troubled about this, " don't you have any meat ? " _  
" No," said they, " we have not had any this fortnight. 
" What do you eat, then?" said the sailor.  
" Potatoes, sure," was the reply.  
My sailors were then living on all the varieties that good  
boarding houses afforded in Liverpool. Many are of the  
opinion that meat imparts superior strength to the laboring  
class. Here, then, was one proof to the contrary.  
On our homeward passage, we had prevailing westerly  
winds, and arrived safely in Alexandria. D. C., in the fall  
of 1820. As no business offered for the ship, I returned to  
my family in New England, having been absent about six-
teen months.  

Trading  in  South  America  
EARLY in the spring of 1821 I sailed again for Alexandria,  
taking charge of the " Talbot," to perform a voyage to South  
America. The bulk of our cargo was flour. ' My position  
was more responsible now than before; for the whole cargo,  
as well as the ship, was now confided to me for sales and  
returns. My compensation for services on this voyage was  
more than doubled. My brother F. was my chief mate. 
We cleared for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.  
After a few hours' sail from Alexandria, with a fair wind,  
we passed ex-President Washington's  plantation at Mount  
Vernon. Sailors say it was customary with some commanders  
to lower their topmast sails as a token of respect when they 
passed his silent tomb.  
About one hundred fifty miles from Washington, the  
variegated and pleasant scenery of the Potomac was passed, 
and we entered Chesapeake Bay. We had an experienced  
and skilful pilot; but his thirst for strong drink, requiring 
the steward to fix him gin toddy and brandy sling so fre- 
quently, awakened our fears for the safe navigation of the 
ship, so that we deemed it necessary to put him on an allow- 
ance of three glasses of grog per day, until he had piloted  
the ship outside the capes of Virginia.  
From the capes of Virginia we shaped our course east  
southerly for the Cape Verde Islands fas is usual) to meet 
the northeast trade winds to carry us clear of the northeast  
promontory of Brazil, or South America, down to the equator,  
where we meet the trade winds coming more. southerly, In 
running down these northeast trades, one is struck with the  
brilliant pathway the ship keeps rolling up in her onward  
course during the darkness of the night. The light is so  
brilliant from the phosphorescence, that I have been tempted 
to read by it at the midnight hour, bv holding my book open  
111


UNDER FULL SAIL  
"From the capes of Virginia we shaped our  course east southerly for the  
Cape Verde Islands.  
Farther south we meet with a species of slender fish  
about a foot long, furnished with little wings. Suddenly a  
large school of them rise out of the sea, wheel sometimes  
clear round, and then drop into their element again. The  
cause of this as seen sometimes, is a dolphin, with all the  
colors of the'rainbow, darting like a streak of light in pur- 
suit of his prey that have eluded his grasp by rising out ot  

100 LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
facing the shining track. Were it not for the continual  
caving and tumbling of the sea to fill up the chasm under the  
stern of the ship, which blends the letters in the book, one  
could read common print by it in the darkest night.  

TRADING IN SOUTH AMERICA  113  
their element and taking an opposite course. In the night 
they frequently fly on board the ship, affording the mariner  
a delicious breakfast.  
On our arrival off the capacious harbor and city of Rio  
de Janeiro, we were struck with admiration while viewing 
the antique, cloud-capped, ragged mountains, and especially 
the towering Sugar Loaf that forms one side of the entrance 
to the harbor. Here we disposed of a large portion of our  
cargo, and then sailed for Montevideo, at the entrance to the  
river La Plata. A few days before our arrival, we en- 
countered a terrific gale and storm, at the close of which we  
were drifting onto a rock-bound, uninhabited part of the  
coast. The  wind died away to a dead calm, the sea and cur- 
rent setting us on toward the rocks. Our only resort was to  
clinch our cables and drop our anchors. Fortunately for us,  
they held the ship. After about thirty hours' anxious sus-
pense, the wind began to rise again from the sea. We raised  
our anchors, and before midnight considered ourselves out of 
danger from that quarter.  
Soon we arrived at Montevideo, disposed of the balance  
of our cargo, and returned again to Rio de Janeiro. I in- 
vested our funds in hides and coffee, and cleared and sailed  
for Bahia, or St. Salvador. On the Abrolhos Banks we  
fell in with the ship " Balena," Captain Gardiner, of New  
Bedford, trying out a sperm whale which had  been harpooned  
the day before. Captain Gardiner was recently from New  
Bedford, on a whaling voyage in the Pacific Ocean.  
After getting these huge monsters of the deep alongside  
the ship, with sharp spades fitted on long poles they chop  
off their heads, and with their long-handled ladles dip out 
the purest and best oil, called " head matter." Some of these  
heads yield twenty barrels of this rich product, which sells 
sometimes for $50 a  barrel. Then with their great iron  
blubber hooks hooked into a strip of the blubber, to which the 
huge winding tackles are fastened, with the fall at the end 
of the windlass, the sailors heave it round while the spade 
men are cutting the strip down to the flesh. As the strip of  
blubber rises, the whale's carcass rolls over until the blubber  
8


114  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
is all on board the ship. The carcass is then turned adrift,  
and soon devoured by sharks.  
The blubber is minced into small pieces, and thrown into  
large iron try-pots to be tried out. When the scraps are  
browned, they throw them under the try-pot for fuel. The  
hot oil is then put into casks, cooled, coopered, and stowed  
away for market. While this work is progressing, the cook  
and steward (if the captain thinks best) are at work at the  
flour barrels, rolling out bushels of doughnuts, which are soon  
cooked in the scalding oil as a general treat for all hands.  
Sailors call this having a good " tuck out."  
Captain Gardiner furnished me with recent news from  
home, and left letters with me for the States. In a few 
days I arrived at Bahia, and from there sailed for Alex-
andria, D. C.  
While on our passage home, I was seriously convicted  
in regard to an egregious error which I had committed in 
allowing myself, as I had done for more than a year, to  
drink ardent spirits, after I had practised entire abstinence 
because I had become disgusted with its debasing and de- 
moralizing effects, and was well satisfied that drinking men 
were daily ruining themselves, and moving with rapid strides  
to drunkards' graves. Although I had taken measures to  
secure myself from the drunkard's path by not allowing  
myself in any case whatever to drink more than one glass 
of ardent spirits a day, which I strictly adhered to, yet the  
strong desire for that one glass, when coming to the dinner  
hour (the usual time for it), was stronger than my appetite  
for food, and I became alarmed for myself. While reflecting  
about this matter, I solemnly resolved that I would never  
drink another glass of ardent spirits while I lived. It is now 
about forty-six years since that important era in the history  
of my life, and I have no knowledge of ever violating that vow.  
only in using a little for medicinal purposes. This circum- 
stance gave a new spring to mv whole being, and made  
me feel like a free man.  

Narrow  Escapes  Ashore  
WE had a pleasant passage from Bahia to the capes of  
Virginia, and arrived in Alexandria about the last of Novem- 
ber, 1821. A letter was awaiting me here from my wife,  
announcing the death of our only son.  
Mr. Gardner, the owner of the "Talbot," was so well  
pleased with her profitable voyage that he purchased a fast- 
sailing brig and an assorted cargo, in Baltimore, for me to  
proceed on a trading voyage to the Pacific Ocean, while the  
" Talbot " remained in Alexandria to undergo some necessary  
repairs.  
While preparations were being made for our contem- 
plated voyage, I took passage in the mail stage from Bal-
timore to Massachusetts  to visit my family. We left  
Baltimore on Wednesday, and arrived in Fairhaven, Mas- 
sachusetts, on first-day evening, after a tedious ride of over  
four days, stopping nowhere only for a change of horses and  
a hasty meal, until we reached Rhode Island.  
While passing through Connecticut in the night, the  
horses took fright and sheered on the side of a bank, upsetting  
the stage. A very heavy man on the seat with me held to  
the strap until it gave way, and he fell upon me, crushing me 
through the side of the stage upon the frozen ground. If the  
driver had not leaped upon the bank as the stage was falling,  
and stopped his horses, we must have been killed. I rode on  
until I reached home, but it was several weeks before I fully  
recovered.  
After remaining with my family a few weeks, I left them  
to return to Baltimore. As we were entering Philadelphia,  
about midnight, in a close winter coach having but one door  
and containing seven men as passengers, in passing over a 
deep gully the straps of the driver's seat gave way, and the  
two drivers fell under the wheels, unknown to us who were  
snugly wrapped up inside.  
115


NARROW ESCAPES ASHORE  117  
I asked why the horses were going with such speed.  
" Let them go," said another, " I like to go fast." I was  
not so well satisfied, but threw off my cloak, got the door  
open, and hallooed to the driver; but receiving no answer and 
perceiving that the horses were going at full speed down 
Third Street, I reached around forward, and found that the 
drivers were gone, and the lines trailing after the horses. 
I threw the step down, stepped out on it (perhaps a foot from  
the ground), and watched for an opportunity to jump on a  
snow bank; but the horses kept on the pavement where the  
snow was worn off. The passengers from behind were  
urging me to jump, as they wished to follow before the  
stage was dashed in pieces.  
Finally, putting forth all my strength, I sprang forward  
with the going of the stage, and just saw the hind wheels  
clearing my body as I pitched upon my head. How many 
times I tumbled before I stopped I cannot tell. I found I  
had gashed the top of my head, from which the blood was  
fast flowing. I heard the stage rattling furiously away  
down the street. By the aid of the moonlight I found my 
hat, and followed on after the stage.  
I soon came to Mr. Gardner, my owner's son, who was  
in company with me from Boston. In his fright he had  
jumped squarely out of the stage, and was seriously injured. 
After getting him under a doctor's care, I started to learn 
the fate of the other five and our baggage. I met the horses 
with a driver, returning with the stage broken down on the 
wheels. Four other passengers had followed our example,  
and were not much injured. The last man out was very  
heavy, and after the carriage left the pavement he had  
jumped out on the sand, and was uninjured.  
The horses ran to the river and turned suddenly under  
a low shed, crushing the stage upon the wheels, which would  
in all probability have killed every passenger who had dared  
to remain. We learned in the morning that the drivers had 
just escaped with their lives, the stage wheels crushing the  
fingers of one and taking a hat from the other's head. Aftei  
a few days we were able to proceed, and arrived in Baltimore


In the  Southern  Hemisphere  
SOON after my return to Baltimore, I was placed in com- 
mand of the brig " Chatsworth," with an assorted cargo 
suitable for our contemplated voyage, with unlimited power  
to continue trading as long as I could find business profitable.  
Firearms and ammunition  were also furnished to defend our- 
selves in case of piracy or mutiny. My brother F. was still  
my chief mate. We cleared for South America and  the  
Pacific Ocean, and sailed from Baltimore Jan. 22, 1822. In  
a few weeks we were passing Cape Verde Islands, bendin«-
our course for the southern ocean.  
In the vicinity of the equator, in moderate weather and  
calms, we meet with a singular species of fish (more numer-
ous than in higher latitudes), furnished with something  
analogous to oars and sails. Naturalists sometimes call 
them " Nautilus." They are a kind of shellfish.  Using their  
long legs for oars to steady them, they rise and swell out  
above the water from four to six inches in length, and about 
the same in height, resembling a little ship under full white  
sail. They sail and sheer round about the ship, fall flat on  
the sea, as if they were upset by a squall of wind, rise erect  
again, and glide ahead with their accustomed speed, seem- 
ingly to show the mariner that they, too, are ships, and how  
they can outsail him. But as soon as the wind rises, their  
courage fails; they take in all sail, and hide under water 
until another calm. Sailors call them "Portuguese men- 
of-war."  
About the 20th of March we arrived and anchored in  
the harbor of Rio de Janeiro. Finding no demand for -the 
whole of our cargo, we sailed again for the river La Plata.  
As we approached the northern entrance of the river, in the  
stillness  of the night, although some three miles from the  
shore, we could distinctly hear the sea dogs (seals) growling  
119


120  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
and barking from the sand beach, where they had come up 
out of the sea to regale themselves.  
The next day we anchored off Montevideo  to inquire  
into the state of the markets,  and soon learned that our cargo  
was much wanted up the river at Buenos Aires. In navi-
gating this, to us, new and narrow  channel in the night, with- 
out a pilot, we got onto the bottom, and were obliged to lighten  
our vessel by throwing some of the cargo into the sea before  
she would float into the channel again. On our arrival  at the  
city of Buenos Aires, our cargo sold immediately at a great  
profit.  
While lying at Buenos Aires, at the head of ship navi- 
gation, a heavy " norther  " blew all the water out of the river  
for many leagues. It was singular  to see officers and crews  
of ships passing from one to another, and to the city, on  
hard, dry bottom, where but the day before their ships were  
floating and swinging to their anchors in fifteen feet of water.  
But it was dangerous  to travel many miles, for the dying  
away of the wind, or a change of wind at the mouth of the  
river, would rush the water back like the roaring  of a cataract,  
and float the ships in quick time to swing again at their  
anchors.  
Until the suppression of the Inquisition in 1820, no religion  
but the Roman Catholic was tolerated in Buenos Aires. It 
was singular  to notice, as we had frequent opportunity  to do,  
with what superstitious awe the mass of the inhabitants  
regarded  the ceremonies of their priests, especially the ad- 
ministering of the sacrament to the dying. The ringing of  
a small table bell in the street announces the coming of the  
" Host," generally in the following  order: A little in advance  
of the priest may be seen a black boy making  a ding-dong  
sound with this little bell; and sometimes two soldiers, one 
on each side of the priest, with their muskets shouldered,  with  
fixed bayonets to enforce the church order for every knee to 
bow at the passing of the Host, or subject themselves to the  
point of the soldier's bayonet.  
I was told that an Englishman,  refusing to bend his knee  
when the Host was passing him, was stabbed with the sol- 

IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE  121  
dier's bayonet. Persons on horseback dismount and kneel 
with men, women, and children in the streets, and at the  
threshold of their dwelling-houses,  groceries, and grogshops,  
while the Host (or the priest) is passing with the wafer and  
the wine. We foreigners  could stand at the four corners  
and witness the coming of the Host, and pass another way  
before they reached us.  
Some thirty miles below the city of Buenos Aires is a  
good harbor  for shipping,  called Ensenado.  To this place I  
repaired with the " Chatsworth,"  and prepared  her for a  
winter's voyage around  Cape Horn.  
THE NAUTILUS  
THIS is the ship of pearl, which, poets feign.  
Sails the unshadowed  main,—  
The venturous  bark that flings  
On the sweet summer wind its purpled wings  
In gulfs enchanted.  
— Holmes.


" Doubling  " Cape  Horn  
DURING our stay at Ensenado,  near Buenos Aires, the  
numerous arrivals of cargo boats from the United States  
overstocked the market, and opened the way for me to pur- 
chase a cargo for the Pacific on reasonable terms. The  
" Chatsworth  " was now loaded and cleared for Lima, Peru.  
As I had resolved on my previous voyage  never again  
to use ardent spirits, except for medicinal purposes, so now,  
on leaving Buenos Aires, I also resolved that I would never  
drink another glass of wine. In this work of reform I found 
myself entirely alone, and exposed to the jeering remarks of 
those with whom I afterward  became associated, especially  
when I declined drinking with them. Yet after all their  
comments, that it was not improper  or dangerous  to drink  
moderately,  etc., they were constrained  to admit that my  
course was perfectly safe.  
Passing from the Northern into the Southern Hemisphere,  
one is struck with the  remarkable  change in the starry heavens.'  
Before reaching  the equator, the North Star is apparently  
setting in the northern  horizon, and a great portion of the  
well-known  stars in the Northern  Hemisphere are receding  
from the mariner's  view. But this loss is supplied by the  
splendid, new, and varied scenery in the southern heavens,  
as one sails onward toward  the southern polar regions.  
Here, away in the southwestern  heavens, in the track of  
the Milky Way, every starlight night, can be  seen two small,  
stationary white clouds, called by the sailors the Magellanic  
clouds. Ferguson  says, " By the aid of the telescope they  
appear to be a mixture of small clouds and stars." But the 
most remarkable  of all the cloudy stars, he says, " is that in  
the middle of Orion's Sword, where seven stars (three of  
which are very close together) seem to shine through  a cloud.  
It looks like a gap in the sky, through  which one may see, as  
123


124  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
it were, a part of a much brighter  region. Although most  
of these spaces are but a few minutes of a degree in breadth,  
yet since they are among the fixed stars, they must be spaces  
larger than the space occupied by our solar system; and in 
which there seems to be a perpetual, uninterrupted day  
among numberless worlds which no human art can discover  
This gap, or place, in the sky is undoubtedly  the same  
that is spoken of in the Scriptures. (See John 1:51;  
Rev. 19:11.) The center of this constellation  (Orion) is  
midway between the poles of the heavens, and directly over  
the equator, and comes to the meridian  about the 23d of Jan- 
uary, at nine o'clock in the evening. Inspiration  testifies that  
" the worlds were framed by the word of God." Heb. 11:3.  
" He hangeth the earth upon nothing."  " By His Spirit He  
hath garnished  the heavens."  Job 26: 7, 13.  
On our passage from Buenos Aires to Cape Horn, we  
arrived in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands, between 300  
and 400 miles northeast of the cape. Here we endeavored  
to make harbor during a storm, by beating up into Falkland  
Sound, but the increasing  gale obliged us to bear up and  
continue our southern course. On arriving  off Cape Horn,  
we met with prevailing  westerly gales, and for about thirty  
days during July and August, the coldest and most stormy  
season of the year, we had to contend with floating  islands  
of ice from the polar regions, and had much difficulty  and  
hardship in trying (as sailors say) to " double " Cape Horn.  
We were finally enabled to double the cape and shape  
our course for the island of Juan Fernandez,  1,400 miles  
north of us. The westerly winds were now in our favor, so  
that in a few days our climate changed,  and we were passing  
along in sight of this far-famed  island, once the whole world  
to Robinson Crusoe.  
After sailing north for 2,600 miles from the stormy cape,  
we could distinctly see the towering  mountains  of Peru,  
though we were eighty miles distant from the coast. Passing  
onward,  we cast anchor  in the spacious bay of Callao, about  
six miles west of the celebrated city of Lima.  

" DOUBLING " CAPE HORN  125  
North American produce was in good  demand. Some of  
my first sales of flour brought over $70 a barrel. A few  
cargoes arriving  soon after us, reduced the price to $30.  
Here  I chartered  the " Chatsworth " to a Spanish merchant  
for a voyage to Pisco, Peru, 100 miles farther south, with  
the privilege of disposing of my cargo and returning  with his.  
Soon after our arrival  here, the chief mate and two of  
the men went up to the village, some distance from the harbor,  
to procure beef and vegetables for dinner. The men soon  
returned with the statement that the patriot soldiers had de-
scended from the mountains and besieged the village, pillaging 
the stores where some of our cargo was exposed for sale,  
and had driven the mate out on one side of the village to shoot  
him; also declaring that they were coming down to take our 
vessel and dispose of me, because of the Spanish merchant 
we had brought there from Lima.  
The mate soon appeared on the beach. After the boat  
brought him on board,  he said that the soldiers, on learning  
that he was the mate of the " Chatsworth,"  drove him to one  
side of the village to shoot him. On arriving  at the place,  
one of the soldiers persuaded the others not to kill him. They  
then concluded to let him go, but beat him unmercifully  with  
their swords. We made preparations  to defend ourselves,  
but our enemies thought best not to expose themselves within  
reach of our cannon balls. Notwithstanding  our opposing  
foes, who continued to threaten us, we disposed of all our  
cargo here at better prices than were offered at Callao, and  
returned to Callao with the Spanish merchant's  cargo.


In Peru  
AT Callao we took on board a number of passengers to  
land in Truxillo, in latitude 8° south. Here we sold the  
" Chatsworth  " for $10,000 to a Spanish  merchant, $7,000  
of which was in lumps and pieces of platapena  and virgin  
silver, to be paid here. As this and all gold and silver coin  
was prohibited  from exportation  by the Peruvian  govern- 
ment, various measures were invented by foreigners  and their  
merchants to convey their specie on board their vessels. As  
my agreement  was that the silver should be delivered to me  
outside of the breakers on board the " Chatsworth,"  when  
the time arrived for me to leave for Lima. I asked how this  
money was to be delivered.  
Said the merchant.  " It will come off to you about mid- 
night tonight."  
"But how?" said I. 
" We will send it to you by some Indians " (aborigines).  
I asked if the money was to be counted out to me before  
I left the shore, that I might identify the same, and the num- 
ber of pieces as per invoice rendered,  when brought  off to me.  
The merchant replied that he had put the amount of  
silver specified in the invoice, into the hands of .several In- 
dians many weeks before, subject to his order.  
Said I, " What did they do with it ?" 
" Oh, they buried it in the ground somewhere." 
" Do you know where ?"  
" No."  
" What security have you from them that they will keep  
it for you? "  
" None," said he. 
" How do you know that they will deliver it all to me  
tonight?"  
Said he, " I have employed them a great while, and put  
into their hands thousands  of dollars in this way, and paid  
126  

IN PERU  127  
them well for their labor when they delivered what I in- 
trusted them with, and there has never been any failure on  
their part, and I fear none. They are the most honest people 
in the world, particularly  where they live separate by them- 
selves."  
The  "Chatsworth"  lay about two miles from shore.  
The  breakers inshore  of us were too dangerous  for ships'  
boats to pass. The government  used a large boat manned  
with sixteen oars, by Indians trained for the business; and 
when occasion required her to pass out to the shipping,  or  
return through  these dangerous  breakers of the sea, another  
company of Indians standing  on the shore, as soon as the boat  
approached  the breakers on her way out, and they discovered  
the sea rising to break over her, would raise a hideous yell. 
The boatmen would instantly head their boat for the breakers,  
and take a position with their oars to obey the helmsman's 
orders to keep the boat headed directly to the sea, while she  
was being violently tossed by the breakers; and then they  
would pull for life to clear the sand bar before another  sea  
came. When the boat was returning, and they heard the 
watchmen's  yell, the helmsman  would steer the boat square  
before the rolling breakers, the oarsmen pulling with all their  
strength. After two or three struggles, the danger  was  
passed. The watchmen on the shore would raise a mighty,  
joyous shout, joined bv the boatmen, announcing  to all  
around, " All's well! "  
The  people here, and in other places on the coast, have  
another kind of boats they call caballos, or Spanish " horses,"  
on which they ride as people do on horseback. These  
" horses" are made of the common tall flags, or rushes, 
securely lashed together, about ten feet long, the large part  
about two feet in diameter, and tapering to two inches at the  
small end. This end they turn up like the head of a boat, to  
stand prominently  out of the water as the boat cuts through  
the sea. The large part is to ride on.  
None but those that are well trained can ride this kind  
of " horses," or keep them right side up but a few moments 
at a time. The people, especially the Indians, move through


128  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
the water in a masterly manner,  much faster than with a  
common boat. They use a double paddle, or a paddle with  
a blade fitted at each end, and are seated as on horseback. It  
was interesting to see them paddle on each side alternately  
for the breakers, and when about to pass them, lie down on  
their "horses"  while the breakers washed over them, and  
then paddle clear before the next one came. I was told that  
these " horses " are of great importance on some parts of  
the coast, where the breakers will not admit a ship's boat to 
approach.  Communications  and dispatches are made through  
the medium of these caballos.  
The  Indians who were to convey the platapena  to us had  
to pass through this dangerous  place in the dark night, while  
their watchmen  on the shore were awaiting  in suspense and  
deep anxiety their safe return. When we set the watch at  
night, I requested my brother, the chief mate, to be on deck  
until midnight, and if he saw any one floating on the water,  
approaching  us, to call me up.  
About midnight  he called me, saying, " There are two men  
alongside, sitting in the water! "  
We lowered empty water buckets and a lighted lantern.  
Then the Indians unfastened  the bags of silver-that  were  
securely hung underneath  their caballos, and placed them in  
the buckets for us to haul up on deck. When all was safely 
aboard, they seemed very much pleased at the accomplish- 
ment of the job.  
It appeared  to me at that season of the night almost an  
impossibility for them to pass through  those dangerous  
breakers. We gave them some refreshment  as they sat on  
their water-horses;  for they dared not leave them. Soon  
they moved away as fast as possible to relieve their waiting  
comrades on the shore, and to receive the compensation  that  
their employer had promised  them. As their employer  had  
declared, every particle was delivered to me as per invoice.  
I now delivered up the " Chatsworth " to the purchaser,  
took leave of my officers and crew, my brother succeeding 
me in the command of the " Chatsworth,"  the second officer  
succeeding him as chief mate, to remain in the employ of the  

IN PERU  129  
new owners  to trade in the Pacific Ocean. I then took pas- 
sage to Lima on board a Peruvian  schooner.  
I was aware that I was risking much in the hands of  
this stranger and his crew, who might think that the large  
amount of money placed in their hands was of more value  
to them than my life; but I had no other means of conveyance  
to Lima. I endeavored  to manifest no fear nor lack of con- 
fidence in him as a gentleman,  but watched him very closely,  
and endeavored  to keep the run of his vessel and the course  
steered.  
We anchored  in Callao Bay, after a passage of seven days.  
Here he refused to deliver to me the $7,000 in silver which  
I had placed in his care until our arrival in Callao, alleging  
that the government  of Peru did not allow him to deliver it  
to me. This he well understood  when I placed it in his  
care to deliver to me on our arrival at Callao. He also knew  
that if he reported any specie on board belonging to a for- 
eigner, no matter how honestly he came by it, the government 
would seize it for their own use. As the matter stood, he  
• would neither let me have it nor let the government  know  
there was any silver on board his vessel. He then im-
mediately cleared for another  country, weighed his anchor,  
and proceeded to sea.  
I soon learned of his dishonest and wicked intentions. I  
was at that time on board a New Bedford whaleship,  and saw  
him under way. Captain H. manned his whaleboat,  and we  
soon overtook him. He still refused to deliver the silver  
to me, until he saw that resistance was vain. He then verv  
reluctantly allowed me to receive it, and continued on his  
voyage. We transferred  the silver to the United States ship  
" Franklin,"  74, Commodore  Stewart commanding,  on deposit  
until we were ready for sea, as other Americans had to do.  
for safe-keeping.  
Mr. Swinegar,  our Peruvian  merchant, gave a large dinner  
party to the captains and supercargoes  of the American  
vessels, and a number  of the officers of the American squad- 
ron. February 22, in honor  of General Washington's  birth- 
day. As I was the only person at the table who had decided  
9


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
not to drink wine or strong drink because of its intoxicating 
qualities, Mr. Swinegar  stated to some of his friends with  
him at the table that he would influence me to drink wine  
with him. He filled his glass and challenged me to drink 
a glass of wine with him. I responded  by filling my glass  
with water! He refused to drink unless I filled mine with 
wine. I said, " Mr. Swinegar,  I cannot do so, for I have  
fully decided never to drink wine."  
By this time the company were all looking at us. Mr.  
Swinegar still waited for me to fill my glass with wine. Sev- 
eral urged me to comply with his request. One of the lieu- 
tenants of the squadron,  some distance down the table, said,  
" Bates, surely you will not object to taking a glass of wine 
with Mr. Swinegar."  I replied that I could not do it. I felt  
embarrassed and sorry that such a cheerful company  should  
be so intent on my drinking  a glass of wine as almost to  
forget the good dinner that was before them. Mr. Swinegar, 
seeing that I would not be prevailed on to drink wine, pressed 
me no further.  
At that time my deep convictions with respect to smoking  
cigars enabled me to decide also that from that evening I  
would ^never smoke another  cigar, or smoke tobacco in  
any form. This victory raised my feelings and elevated my  
mind above the fog of tobacco smoke, which had to a con- 
siderable extent beclouded my mind, and freed me from an  
idol which I had learned  among sailors to worship.  

Weighing Anchor  for  Home  
1 HAD now been on the Pacific Ocean about fourteen  
months, and was closing my business and preparing  to  
return to the United States. The ship " Candace," Capt.  
F. Burtody, was about to sail for Boston, Massachusetts, in 
which ship I engaged  my passage.  
Captain Burtody  and I mutually agreed, when the " Can- 
dace " weighed her anchor,  that we would from that hour  
cease chewing tobacco.  
About the last week in November, 1823, all hands were  
called to weigh anchor.  None but those who experience  
these feelings can tell the thrill that fills every soul, from the  
captain to the cabin boy, when the order is given, " Weigh  
anchor for home." New life, with energy and strength, seems 
to actuate all on board. The hardy sailors clinch their  
handspikes, the windlass begins to roll and bring the watery  
cable on deck. The gallant ship, seemingly  participating  
with her joyous crew, advances  step by step to her anchor,  
until the officer cries out, " Hold! the cable is apeak! "  
The  topsails are now loosed, sheeted home, and hoisted  
to the masthead, and the yards are braced to cant the ship's 
head out of the harbor.  The windlass is now manned again.  
The ship is soon up with her anchor. A few more turns  
of the windlass, and the anchor breaks its hold, and the 
gallant ship is free. The anchor is up and swung to the cat- 
head. and the ship's sails fill with the freshening gale. The 
sailors cry, " We are homeward  bound! "  
The  feelings of the sailors still left in the harbor are  
something like these: " That ship has weighed anchor, and  
is standing out of the harbor, bound for home. Success to 
them. I wish we were going, too." No matter how many 
seas there are to pass, or how many storms to meet, or how  
far from home, the joyous  feeling still vibrates in every  
131


132  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
heart, " Home, home, sweet home. Our anchor's weighed  
for home! "  
Our good ship now lay by with her maintop sail to the  
mast, until the boat came alongside  from the commodore  
with our specie and silver, which Captain Burtody and I  
had gained by trading. When this was all safely on board,  
all sail was made on the ship. It was now night, and we  
were passing our last landmark  (St. Lorenzo), and putting  
out for a long voyage of 8,500 miles. The steward reported  
supper ready.  
" Here goes my tobacco, Bates," said Captain Burtody,  
taking it from his mouth and casting it overboard.  
" And here goes mine, too," said I, and that was the last  
that has ever polluted my lips.  
But Captain Burtody failed to overcome,  and labored hard  
with me to keep him company.  I was now free from all  
distilled spirits, wine, and tobacco. Step by step I had gained  
this victory. How much more like a human being I felt  
when I had gained the mastery in these things and overcome  
them all!  
At this time I was also making great efforts to conquer  
another crying sin, which I had learned of sailors. That was  
the habit of using profane  language. My father had been  
a praying  man from the time I had any knowledge  of him.  
My mother embraced religion when I was about twelve years 
old. I never dared, even after I was married, to speak 
irreverently  of God in the presence of my father. As he had  
endeavored  to train me in the way I should go, I knew the  
way, but the checkered scenes of the previous sixteen years  
of my life had thrown  me from the track which I was en- 
deavoring  now to regain.  
On our voyage  from Cape Horn into the Pacific, I had  
tried hard to break myself of the evil habit of swearing, and  
had said to my brother that he must not swear nor allow the  
sailors to do so, for I should not permit it. As I had plenty  
of leisure now, I read much of my time, and very often, es- 
pecially on Sundays,  many chapters in the Bible. By so  

WEIGHING ANCHOR FOR HOME  133  
doing I concluded  that I was making myself a. tolerably good  
Christian.  
Our good ship continued to gain onward,  and on reaching  
Cape Horn we encountered a driving  storm; but the wind  
was fair to go eastward,  so in forty-eight  hours we were  
safely around the Horn in the South Atlantic Ocean, steer- 
ing northward  for home. As we approached  the equator,  
some of the well-known  stars in the Northern  Hemisphere  
began to make their appearance  — particularly  the Pointers,  
which always direct the wandering  mariner  to the North  
Star. As our good " Candace " still continued  to urge her  
way from the southern ocean to the equator, the Pointers  
indicated that the North Star was at the northern  horizon.  
The night was clear, and the watch on deck were all  
awaiting the appearance of the North Star. At length it was  
seen just breaking from the mist of the northern  horizon,  
apparently four or five feet above the surface of the ocean.  
The first sight of this star, so well known  to the mariners,  
ascending from the southern ocean, is often more cheering 
to their hearts than twenty-four  hours of fair wind. If we  
had no way to ascertain our latitude by nautical instruments, 
we should know by the appearance  of this star that we were  
at least 120 miles north of the equator.  
As our good " Queen Candace " advanced  in her onward  
course into the northern  ocean, staggering  under the fresh- 
ening gale from the northeast trades, our hearts were cheered  
night after night on seeing the very same star rising higher  
and still higher in the northern  heavens,  an unmistakable sign  
that we were rapidly advancing  northward,  nearer and still  
nearer home.  
At length, after the passing of many days and the coming  
of winter in the Northern  Hemisphere, the joyful cry was  
raised, " Land, ho! " It proved to be Block Island, in the 
State of Rhode Island. Joyful sight, indeed, to see our  
own native land, within forty miles of home, looming in 
the distance.^ Yes; to see any land after watching  sky and  
water for three long months, is a welcome relief.


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
A pilot boat appeared.  "Where are you from?"  was  
asked of us.  
" Pacific Ocean," we replied.  
" Whither  are you bound? "  
" To Boston."  
" Will you take a pilot through the Vineyard Sound ?  
It's always the safest way in the winter season."  
" Yes; come alongside."  
In a few minutes more the pilot had full charge of the  
ship, bearing down for the Vineyard  Sound. And now we  
plied the pilot with questions. " What's the news in the  
States, pilot?" we asked.  
" What's the news from Europe?  "  
" What's the state of the world ? " 
"Who's to be our next President?"  
Hardly waiting for an answer, we continued:  " Have  vou any newspapers ? "  
" Yes," was the response; " but they are not the latest."  
" No matter; they will be new to us; it's a long time since  
we heard anything  from the land of the living."  
The wind favored us, and we were soon passing around  
Cape Cod into Massachusetts  Bay, and the next day we  
anchored off the city of Boston, about the 20th of February,  
1824, after a passage of three months from Callao Bay. Our  
voyage had been a very profitable  one.  
' Fifty-five  miles by stage, and I was once more at home.  
A little blue-eyed girl of sixteen months, whom I.had never  
seen, was waiting with her mother to greet me and welcome 
me once more to our comfortable  and joyous fireside. As  
I had been absent from home over two years, I remained  at  
Fairhaven for some months to enjoy the society of my  
family and friends.  

The Influence  of  a  Poem  
AFTER the passing of a few months, during  which 1  
remained with my family at my home in Fairhaven, Massa- 
chusetts, I arranged  to go on another voyage to South  
America-or  to any other part of the world where I could  
engage in profitable trade. A new brig was now launched,  
rigged, and fitted to our liking. She was christened the 
"Empress," of New Bedford. Part of an assorted cargo  
, was received on board in New Bedford. From there we  
sailed about the 15th of August, 1824, for Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, to finish our lading with flour for Rio de Janeiro and 
a market.  
After finishing our lading in Richmond,  we passed down  
James River and anchored  in Hampton Roads, to procure our  
armament  in Norfolk. Finding no cannon mounted,  we  
proceeded on our voyage without one. It is not so necessary 
now for merchantmen  to carry guns as it was then, on  
account of piratical vessels. September 5 we discharged  our  
pilot off Cape Henry lighthouse, and shaped our course east  
southerly, to meet the northeast trades.  
From the time I resolved to drink no more wine (in  
1822), I had occasionally drunk beer and cider, but now, on  
weighing anchor from Hampton Roads, I decided from 
henceforth to drink neither ale, porter, beer, nor cider of any  
description. My prospect for making this a profitable  and  
successful voyage was more flattering  than my last, for I  
now owned part of the " Empress " and her cargo, and had  
the confidence of my partners to sell and purchase cargoes  
as often as it should prove to our advantage,  and to use mv  
judgment about going to what part of the world I pleased.  
But with all these many advantages  to get riches, I felt  
sad and homesick. I had provided  myself with a number of  
what I called interesting books to read in my leisure hours.  
My wife thought  there were more novels and romances  than  
were necessary. In packing my trunk of books, she placed  
135


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
a pocket New Testament, unknown to me, on the top of  
them. On opening this trunk to find some books to interest 
me, I took up the New Testament, and found at the opening 
page the following poem by Mrs. Hemans,  placed there to  
arrest my attention:  
" THE HOUR OF DEATH  
" Leaves have their time to fall,  
And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath,  
And stars to set — but all,  
Thou hast all seasons for thine own, 0 Death!  
" Day is for mortal care,  
Eve for glad meetings round the joyous hearth,  
Night, for the dreams of sleep, the voice of prayer,  
But all for thee, thou mightiest of the earth.  
" Youth and the opening rose  
May look like things too glorious for decay,  
And smile at thee; but thou art not of those  
That wait the ripened bloom to seize their prey.  
" We know when moons shall wane,  
When summer birds from far shall cross the sea,  
When autumn's hue shall tinge the golden grain,  
But who shall teach us when to look for thee ?  
" Is it when spring's first gale  
Comes forth to whisper where the violets lie ?  
Is it when roses in our path grow pale ?  
They have one season — all are ours to die!  
" Thou art where billows foam,  
Thou art where music melts upon the air;  
Thou art around us in our peaceful home,  
And the world calls us forth — and thou art there."  
These lines seriously arrested my attention. I read them  
again and again. My interest for reading novels and ro- 
mances ceased from that hour. Among the many books, I  
selected Doddridge's " Rise and Progress of Religion in the  
Soul." This and the Bible now interested me more than all  
other books.  

A Funeral  at  Sea  
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTOPHERSON, of Norway, one of my  
crew, was taken down sick soon after our departure from  
Cape Henry. Nothing in our medicine chest availed to re- 
lieve him. His case appeared more and more doubtful. The  
first verse  of " The Hour of Death," particularly the fourth  
line, was almost continually in my mind:  
" Thou hast all seasons for thine own, 0 Death! "  
I longed to be a Christian, but the pride of my heart and  
the vain allurements of the wicked world still held me with  
a mighty grasp. I suffered intensely in my mind before I 
decided to pray. It seemed as if I had delayed too long.  
I was also afraid that my officers and men would learn that  
I was under conviction. Furthermore, I had no secret place  
in which to pray. When I looked back on some of the in- 
cidents in my past life, how God had interposed His  arm  
to save me when death was staring me in the face again and 
again, and how soon I had forgotten all His mercies, I felt 
that I must yield.  
Finally I decided to try the strength of prayer, and con- 
fess all my sins. I opened the run scuttle under the dining- 
table, where I prepared a place so that I might be out of  
the sight of my officers, if they should have occasion to enter  
the) cabin during my prayer season.  
The first time I bowed the knee here in prayer, it seemed  
to me that the hair on my head was standing out straight for  
presuming to open my  mouth in prayer to the great and holy  
God. But I determined to persevere until I found pardon  
and peace for my troubled mind. I had no Christian friend  
at hand to tell me how, or how long, I must be convicted  
before conversion. But  I remembered when I was a lad,  
during the great reformation of 1807 in New Bedford and  
Fairhaven, of hearing the converts, when relating their ex- 
137


138  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
perience, say that they had been sorrowing  for sin two and  
three weeks, when the Lord spoke peace to their minds. It  
seemed to me that my case would be something similar.  
A fortnight passed, and no light beamed on my mind.  
One week more, and still my mind was like the troubled sea.  
About this time I was walking the deck in the night, and was  
strongly tempted to jump overboard  and put an end to my- 
self. I thought this was a temptation of the devil, and im- 
mediately left the deck, and did not allow myself to go out 
of my cabin again until the morning.  
Christopher  was very sick, and failing. It occurred to  
me that if he should die, I should be doubly earnest about  
my salvation. I now removed him into the cabin, and placed  
him in a berth next my own, where I could give him more  
attention, and charged the officers as they waited upon him  
during their night watch to call me if they saw any change  
in him.  
I awoke in the morning  soon after daylight. My first  
thought was, How is Christopher  ? I reached over his berth  
and placed my hand on his forehead; it felt cold. He was  
dead. I called the officer of the morning watch, " Why, Mr.  
Haffards! " said I, " Christopher  is dead! Why did you fail  
to call me ? "  
Said Mr. Haffards,  " I was down to him about half an  
hour ago, and gave him his medicine, and saw no alteration 
then."  
Poor Christopher was now laid out on the quarter-deck,  
and finally sewed up in a hammock with a heavy bag of  
sand at his feet. After we had settled on the time to bury  
him, I was most seriously troubled in relation to my duty.  
I felt that I was a sinner in the sight of God, and dare not  
attempt to pray in public. And yet I could not consent to  
plunge the poor fellow into the ocean without some religious 
ceremony over him. While I was debating in my mind what  
I should do, the steward asked me if I would not like to have  
a Church of England  Prayer Book.  
" Yes," said I, " have you got one? "  
" Yes, sir."  

A FUNERAL AT SEA  139  
" Bring it to me, will you? "  
It was just the book I wanted, for when I was in the  
British service I had heard the ship's clerk read prayers  out  
of such a book when our sailors were buried. But this was 
the first burial at sea that had occurred under my command.  
I opened the book and found a suitable prayer  for the  
occasion. A plank was prepared, with one end over the side 
of the vessel. On this his body was laid, with his feet to- 
ward the sea, so that by raising the other end of the plank the 
body would slide into the ocean feet foremost. All 'but  
the helmsman  stood around  poor Christopher, to take their  
final leave of him, and commit his body to the deep as soon  
as the order should be given.  
The  idea of attempting to perform  religious service over  
the dead while in an unconverted  state troubled me much.  
I had requested the chief mate to call me when he had made  
the preparation;  meanwhile, I retired below.  
When the officer reported all ready, I came up trembling,  
with the book open in my hand. The crew respectfully un- 
covered their heads. As I began to read, my voice faltered,  
and I was so unmanned  I found it difficult to read distinctly.  
I felt, indeed, that I was a sinner before God. When I  
finished the last sentence, I waved my hand  to tip the plank,  
and turned toward the cabin. As I passed down the gang- 
way, I heard poor Christopher  plunge into the sea. I passed  
down into my praying  place, and vented my feelings in prayer  
for the forgiveness  of all my sins, and those of the poor  
fellow who was sinking lower and lower beneath the rolling  
waves.  
This was the 30th of September, twenty-six days from  
the capes of Virginia. From that time I felt a sinking into  
the will of God, resolving henceforward  to renounce  the un- 
fruitful works of the enemy, and seek carefully for eternal  
life. I believe now that all my sins were forgiven  about that  
time. Then I also made the following  covenant with God,  
which I found in Doddridge's  " Rise and Progress of Religion  
in the Soul: "


138  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
"A SOLEMN COVENANT WITH GOD  
" Eternal and ever-blessed God: I desire to present my- 
self before Thee with the deepest humiliation and abasement  
of soul. Sensible how unworthy  such a sinful worm is to  
appear before the Holy Majesty of heaven, the King of  
kings and Lord of lords, ... I come therefore acknowledg- 
ing myself to have been a great offender. Smiting on my 
breast and saying with the humble publican, ' God be merci- 
ful to me a sinner,'... this day do I with the utmost solemnity  
surrender myself to Thee. I renounce all former lords that  
have had dominion over me, and I consecrate to Thee all  
that I am and all that I have. ... Use me, 0 Lord, I beseech 
Thee, as an instrument  of Thy service, number me among  
Thy peculiar people. Let me be washed in the blood of Thy 
dear Son, to whom, with Thee, O Father, be everlasting- 
praises ascribed by all the millions who are thus saved by 
Thee. Amen."  
Done on board the brig " Empress," of New Bedford,  
at sea, October 4, 1824, in latitude 90° 50' north, and  
longitude 34° 50' west, bound to Brazil. 
Jos. BATES, JR.  
I wish that I could always have the resignation  to the  
will of God that I felt the morning that I signed this covenant. 
Yet I could not believe then, nor for many months after this, 
that I had any other feelings than a deep conviction  of sin.  
I am satisfied that I have not always regarded this covenant  
in the solemn light in which I now understand  it. But I am  
very glad I made it, and that God has still spared my life, to 
allow me yet to do all that I therein covenanted  to do.  
After signing this covenant, I had a remarkable dream  
respecting some communications  from the post office. One  
appeared to be a written roll of paper, the other a long letter 
commencing  with spaces as follows:  
EXAMINE! EXAMINE! EXAMINE!  
EXPERIENCE! EXPERIENCE! EXPERIENCE!  
YOURSELF ! YOURSELF ! YOURSELF !  

A FUNERAL AT SEA  141  
Then followed  a long letter beginning with religious in- 
struction, closely written, of which I read a few lines, when  
I awoke. I then wrote it on paper and filed it with other  
papers, but it is now missing. There was much more which  
I have forgotten, but I believe the dream, thus peculiarly set  
forth on paper, was to convince me that my sins were for- 
given. But I failed to see it then, because I had conceived  
that God would manifest Himself in such a manner that I  
should never doubt my conversion afterward.  I had not then  
learned the simplicity of God's gracious  work on the sinner's  
heart.


Along  the  South  American  Coast  
IT would have been a great relief to me if I could have  
been released from the heavy responsibilities of my trading  
voyage, considering  how my mind was at that time exercised  
concerning  spiritual things. But our voyage continued,  and  
we arrived at Pernambuco,  northeastern  Brazil, Oct. 30, 1824.  
Pernambuco  is situated on the border of the sea. On ap- 
proaching it from the ocean, it presents a commanding  and  
beautiful appearance;  but ships have to anchor  in the open  
sea some distance from land, and on account of a heavy surf,  
it is difficult to get ashore.  
In Pernambuco  we found the state of commerce very  
far from prosperous;  but we were in the best market for  
selling, and therefore  disposed of our cargo.  
I was much disappointed  in Pernambuco  in not finding  
there any member of a Protestant church with whom I might  
converse; but the state of my mind was such that I was  
fully resolved to persevere for a full and free salvation.  
Captain Barrett, from Nantucket, Massachusetts, arrived  
at this port soon after we did. Concluding  to sell here also,  
he sent his boat off to bring his wife on shore. As the boat 
with Mrs. Barrett was drawing  in to the shore, quite a number  
of us assembled near the landing place with Captain Barrett 
to receive her. A number of black slaves were also waiting,  
whose business it was to wade out to the boats and shoulder  
freight and passengers, and if possible, bear them safely  
through the breakers to the landing. The fare through the 
breakers for a passenger, without stumbling, was one rial,  
or twelve and one-half cents.  
It was soon decided who should have the honor of bring- 
ing the American lady through the breakers. Captain Barrett  
requested his wife to seat herself upon the shoulder of the  
black man who was now waiting for her. This was a mode  
142  

ALONG THE SOUTH AMERICAN COAST 143  
of traveling that Mrs. Barrett was entirely unacquainted  
with; besides, she was very doubtful whether the man could  
pass the breakers without being overwhelmed  in the surf.  
Therefore she hesitated, and was silent. Captain Barrett and  
his friends urged, declaring there was no other mode of con- 
veyance. Finally she seated herself upon his shoulder and  
grasped him by the head with both hands, when he steadily 
and manfully  bore her in safety to the arms of her husband,  
while his comrades raised a joyous shout in commendation 
of the sturdy and manful  manner in which he had performed  
the act of landing  the North American  lady.  
Here, also, as in other places, I was assailed by my asso- 
ciates for refusing to drink wine or intoxicating drinks with 
them, especially wine at the dinner table, which was a very  
common practice in South  America. I will give one instance:  
A large company  of us were dining with the American  
consul, Mr. Bennet. His lady at the head of the table filled 
her glass, and said, " Captain Bates, shall I have the pleasure  
of a glass of wine with you?"  
I responded,  and filled my glass with water. Mrs. Bennet  
declined, unless I would fill my glass with wine. She was  
aware from our previous  acquaintance that I did not drink- 
wine, but she felt disposed to induce me to disregard  mv  
former resolutions.  
As our waiting position attracted the attention of the  
company, one of them said, " Why, Mr. Bates, do you refuse 
to drink Mrs. Bennet's health in a glass of wine ?"  
I replied that I did not drink wine on any occasion, and  
begged Mrs. Bennet to accept my offer. She readily con- 
descended, and drank my health in the glass of wine, and I 
hers in a glass of water.  
The  topic of conversation  now turned on wine drinking  
and my course in relation to it. Some concluded  that a glass  
of wine would not injure any one. True, but the person who  
drank one glass would be likely to drink  another, and another,  
until there was no hope of reform. Said one, " I wish I  
could do as Captain Bates does; I should be much better off." 
Another supposed that I was a reformed  drunkard.  Surely


144  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
there was no harm in drinking  moderately.  I endeavored  
to convince them that the better way was not to use it at all.  
On another occasion a captain said to me, "You are like 
old Mr. , of Nantucket; he wouldn't  drink sweetened  
water! "  
After a stay of six weeks, having disposed of the greater  
part of our cargo in Pernambuco,  we sailed on another  voyage  
to St. Catherine's,  in latitude 27° 30' south. Care, and a  
press of business, I perceived, had in some measure deprived  
me of the spiritual enjoyment I possessed on my arrival at  
Pernambuco.  I had more leisure just now to search the  
Scriptures, and read other books on the subject of religion.  
I here began a diary of my views and feelings, which  
was a great help to me. This I forwarded  to my wife as  
often as I wrote to her. These sheets were bound up in a  
roll and laid by, and have not been read for about thirty-five  
years. I suppose that this was one of the rolls of paper  
which I saw in the peculiar dream I had relative to my ex- 
perience on my outward  passage. I thought  what a great  
privilege it would be to have just one professed Christian to  
compare my views and feelings with on this all-absorbing 
theme, or to be in a prayer meeting for an hour or so, that  
I might vent the feelings that were pent up within me.  
We arrived  at St. Catherine's about the 1st of January,  
1825, where we purchased a cargo of farina for the northern  
coast of Brazil. The farina of Brazil is first cultivated very  
much like the Carolina  sweet potato, and resembles it, only  
being much longer. It matures in from nine, to eighteen  
months, if not destroyed  by frost, and is called by the Bra- 
zilians "mandioca."  The people manufacture  it into flour  
in their sheds or shanties as follows:  
A cow, harnessed  at the end of a shaft, and traveling  in  
a circle, moves a wheel banded with copper, having holes  
pierced through  it like a grater. A man with his tub of  
scraped mandioca  presses it  end foremost against the whirling  
grater, which grinds it to pomace, piece after piece. This  
pomace is then placed in a machine like a cheese press, and  
all the juice pressed out. Then the pomace is  thrown  into  

ALONG THE SOUTH AMERICAN COAST 145  
large shallow iron pans over a heated furnace,  where in  
about twenty minutes, two or three bushels are dried. When 
taken out, this is ready for market, and is known as " farina," 
or Brazilian flour. I have been told that it keeps good for 
as long a period as three years.  
The usual way of preparing  it for the table is merely  
to scald it with hot soup in plates, and pass it around  for  
bread. The poorer classes and slaves gather it up with the  
ends of their fingers, and throw it into their mouths by the  
half-ounce,  washing it down with water. Since the years  
when I was trading in Brazil, much of it has been imported 
into the United States and other lands, and retailed at the 
stores.  
On my arrival at Pernambuco,  farina was in good de- 
mand, but the government  would not allow me to enter be- 
cause it was unlawful  for foreign vessels to trade coastwise.  
In a few days a message came overland from a president of  
one of the northern  provinces, inviting me to come to the port  
of Paraiba and dispose of my cargo.  Here I sold my whole  
cargo at an advanced  price, the government  purchasing  a  
large share of it for the troops.  
As the drouth continued and my vessel was a fast sailer,  
the president granted  me permission to import another cargo  
forthwith, and gave me a letter of introduction  to the presi- 
dent of St. Catherine's to help me onward.  
On my arrival  at St. Catherine's the merchants,  learning  
about the demand for breadstuffs  in the north, endeavored  
to prevent me from buying until they were ready to dispatch  
vessels of their own. After a few weeks' detention in this  
way, I employed an interpreter  and proceeded in our boat  
some distance up the coast. Leaving our boat to return  
and come for us the next day, we went up into the mountains  
to purchase farina from the farmers. On some farms we  
found it by the roomful,  bedroom or sitting-room,  just as  
they had places to stow it from the rain, for use and for  
sale. Some of their rooms were packed full with this article.  
The merchants  in St. Catherine's,  hearing of our success  
in purchasing  produce of the farmers and towing it to our  
10


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
vessel in boats, tried hard to prejudice them against us.  
But our silver "patacks"  of 40, 80, and 120 cent pieces,  
with which we paid them for their farina at the highest  
market price, were far superior to their barter traffic and  
proffered advice.  
The first night I spent on the mountain was a trying,  
sleepless one. I had two heavy bags of silver, and night had 
overtaken us at a house where we had made a purchase,  to  
be delivered in the morning.  I said to the man, through  my  
interpreter, " Here are two bags of silver we have with us 
to buy farina; I want you to keep them safe for us until the 
morning."  
" Oh, yes! " he replied, and stowed them away in a case. 
At bedtime I was shown into a little dark room by  
myself. I raised no objections, knowing  that I should fare  
no better, after the confidence I had reposed in him in placing  
my money in his hands. After praying,  I lay down, not  
to sleep, but to think of my unsafe position, and listen to the  
conversation of the stranger  and my interpreter,  which con- 
tinued until a late hour, but a few words of which I could 
understand.  
My information  respecting the treacherous  character of  
this people proved  to be without foundation,  respecting this  
stranger at least, for when the morning came and we were  
prepared to pay him for his farina, he manifested strong  
feelings of gratitude for the confidence we had placed in him.  
This opened the way for us to trade with his neighbors.  

Entering  upon  a  New  Experience  
IN my intercourse with this people, who were all Catholics,  
I found no one to converse with on the subject of religion.  
I often thought what a privilege it would be to meet with  
one Protestant  Christian, and how delighted I should be to  
spend an hour in an assembly of praying Christians, or hear  
another's  voice in prayer besides my own. I felt such a  
strong desire for some place of retirement to free my soul  
and give utterance to my pent-up  feelings, that it seemed to  
me if I could get into the dense forest I should, in a measure,  
he relieved.  
A way soon opened before me. With my Bible for my  
companion,  I passed out of the city and followed  the seashore  
until I found an opening  into the thick forest, into which  
I entered. Here I enjoyed freedom  in prayer beyond any- 
thing I had ever experienced  before. IT was indeed a  
heavenlv place in Christ Jesus. When my business would  
permit. I used to spend the afternoon  away somewhere  in  
the forest; and sometimes, for fear of reptiles, I used to  
ascend a large tree, and fix myself securely in the branches,  
where I enjoyed most precious seasons in reading the Scrip- 
tures, singing, praying,  and praising the Lord. His pre- 
cious truth seemed the ioy of my soul, and yet, strange as  
it may seem. I did not then believe my sins were forgiven  ;  
but I rejoiced that I was still under conviction. When the  
time came that I could go again. I felt that I had made much  
dependence on being there, and I do not remember of ever 
returning  without a special blessing. Oh! how dark it would  
seem, on returning to the hum and crowd of the people, after  
such precious seasons!  
We now cleared for St. Catherine's,  and sailed with an- 
other cargo, and on our arrival in Paraiba  we learned that the  
famine still prevailed.  The authorities,  learning that we were  
147


148 LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
handing out some of our provisions  to feed the starving poor,  
opened their prison doors to allow their prisoners  to come  
also and beg from us. Being unauthorized  by my owners  
Courtesy Pan-American  Union, Washington,  D. C.  
A BRAZILIAN  FOREST. DENSE  WITH UNDERGROWTH  
" With my Bible for my companion,  I passed out of the city and followed  
the seashore until I found an opening into the thick forest, into which i 
entered."  
to give away their property  in this way, I felt reluctant to  
do it; but I esteemed it a privilege on my own account, for a 
while, to feed these poor, starving,  and almost naked creatures.  

ENTERING UPON A NEW EXPERIENCE  149  
who lingered about our landing  place as if it was their only  
hope from starvation.  I did not count them, but I think there  
were sometimes more than fifty receiving farina at a time.  
The way they ate it out of their calabashes, as they received  
it from our boat's crew, was evidence of their starving state.  
About this time Captains J. and G. Broughton,  of Marble- 
head, Massachusetts, arrived in Paraiba.  They were the first  
professed Protestant Christians that I had known since leav- 
ing the United States. With Capt. G. Broughton  I enjoyed  
sweet intercourse during  the few days of our acquaintance.  
It was truly a refreshing  season. From the time I made a  
covenant with God, I had been in the habit of spending  all  
my time before breakfast in prayer,  reading the Bible, and  
meditation. This I have since learned  to be the best way to  
begin the day.  
August, 1825, we sailed from Paraiba on our fourth  
voyage. Our trading trips up and down the Brazilian coast  
during the next few months netted us a fair profit. We 
invested our funds in hides and skins, and sailed for New  
York. After a pleasant and prosperous  passage of thirty  
days, with the exception of cold, freezing storms on our coast, 
we arrived at the quarantine  ground  several miles below the  
city of New York about the last of March, 1826. As we had  
no sickness on board, I was allowed the privilege on Sunday  
of taking my crew with me to hear service at the Dutch  
Reformed church. This was the first religious assembly I  
had met with since I covenanted  to serve God, and I enjoyed  
it much. It seemed good to be there.  
In a few days we were relieved from quarantine, and I  
was made glad in meeting my companion  and sister in New  
York. My brother F. took my place on board the " Em- 
press " for another  South American voyage, and I left for  
Fairhaven,  to enjoy for a season the society of my family  
and friends, after an absence of twenty months.  
One of my old acquaintances came in to bid me welcome  
home again, and very kindly inquired how long it was since  
I entertained a hope, or was converted. I replied that I never  
had been converted. She was a good Christian, and seemed 
very much disappointed  at my reply.


150  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
My wife had before this endeavored  to encourage me  
to believe that God for Christ's sake had forgiven  me.  
1 begged her not to deceive me in such an important matter  
as this. She said that she did not wish to do so, but was satis- 
fied from my letters and diary during  my absence that if  
she was ever converted,  I was. I replied that it seemed  
to me that 1 should be fully convinced  of my conversion  
before I could rejoice in it.  
I had fully resolved, on my return home, that I would  
erect the family altar. Satan tried hard to hold me back  
in various ways, but 1 resolved to begin as soon as we had  
breakfast. At this point one of my former associates, who  
was very much opposed to experimental  religion, called to  
see me. At first, 1 felt some misgivings, but conscience and 
duty prevailed.  I opened the Bible and read a chapter, and  
knelt with my family  and commended  ourselves and friend  
to the Lord. He looked very sober and soon withdrew.  
After this victory I do not remember ever experiencing  any  
such hindrance  again. If I had yielded here, I am satisfied  
that I should have had more to overcome if I had attempted  
to pray in like manner again.  
I now had the privilege of religious meetings and Christian  
friends, and also a weekly prayer  meeting at my own house.  
Elder H., a Congregational  minister and particular friend  
of my parents, invited me to attend an interesting revival  
of religion then in progress in Taunton, about twenty miles  
distant. After I had related to him my past experience, as 
we were drawing  near to Taunton, I requested Elder H. not  
to call on me to speak in meeting, for 1 had no experience in  
that part of the work.  
In the evening I attended what was called an " inquiry  
meeting " of the converts and those under conviction of sin.  
The pastor of the Congregational  church, and Elder H.,  
began by inquiring into the state of their minds, and asking  
the converts to state what the Lord had done for them. As  
this was the first meeting of the kind in my experience, I  
listened with an unusual degree of interest and attention,  
to learn how all these persons had been converted  in so short  

ENTERING UPON A NEW EXPERIENCE  151  
a time. The simple story of what the Lord had done for them  
when they felt convicted of sin, and were weighed down with  
a load of'guilt  and shame, and how they went to the Lord  
with all their burden and confessed their wrongs,  and the  
various ways in which they found relief,—some in secret  
prayer, some in the meeting, and others at home; how God  
spoke peace to their troubled souls; also the various states of  
their feelings when their burdens left them,—all seemed 
plain to me. There was such a similarity in this to my ex- 
perience that I said to myself, " This is the operation  of the  
Spirit of God on the heart through  Jesus Christ."  
After listening awhile to these simple testimonies, it  
appeared to me that I understood  the same language, and 1  
began to reason, and ask myself, " Is this conversion  from  
sin? Is this really it? Then I have experienced the same."  
" My heart was hot within me." Oh, how I wished Elder  
H. would ask me to speak, that I might tell what the Lord 
had done for me!  
For something like eighteen months I had been unwilling  
to believe that the Lord had forgiven my sins, because I had 
been looking  for some evidence or manifestation of His  
power (I did not know how or in what manner),  which would  
convince me beyond a doubt. My limited views of conver-
sion, and my strong desire not to be deceived in this important  
matter, caused me to overlook  the simple manner in which  
God graciously  condescends to pardon the guilty, pleading  
sinner.  
After meeting, my tongue was loosed to praise God for  
what He had done for me so many months before. From 
this time, all doubts and darkness  respecting my conversion  
and acceptance with God passed away  like the morning  dew;  
and peace like a river for weeks and months occupied my 
heart and mind. I could now give a reason of the hope 
within me, and say with the apostle, " We know that we have 
passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."  
" Old things are passed aWay; behold, all things are become  
new." 1 John 3: 14; 2 Cor. 5: 17.


Founding  the  First  Temperance  
Society  in  America  
DURING the spring of the year 182/ we were blessed  
with a revival of religion at Fairhaven, especially in the 
Christian Church. At this season my mind was more or less  
exercised in regard to uniting with some denomination of  
Christians. My companion had been a member of the Chris- 
tian Church several years previous to our marriage. By  
attending with her, after our marriage, when I was at home,  
I had become acquainted somewhat with their views of the  
Bible. They took the Scriptures for their only rule of  
faith and practice, renouncing all creeds.  
My parents, with  all their converted children thus far,  
were members of long standing in the Congregational  
Church, and anxiously hoped that we also would unite with  
them. But they embraced some points in their faith which  
I could not understand.  
Our perplexity in this matter led me to make my duty a  
special subject of prayer, particularly in relation to baptism;  
after which, in opening the Bible, my eyes rested on the  
twenty-seventh psalm. When I had finished the  last verse,  
I said, " Lord, I will! If I wait on Thee according to Thy  
word, I must be immersed — buried with Christ in baptism."  
Col. 2: 12. God strengthened my heart and set me free from  
that moment, and my duty was perfectly clear. His promise  
was sweet and powerful. In a few days I was immersed  
and joined the Christian Church.  
The same day, while we were changing our clothes, I  
solicited Elder M., who baptized me, to assist me in raising  
a temperance society. As my mind was now free with respect 
to this last duty, I was forcibly impressed with the impor-
tance of uniting my energies with others, to check, if possible, 
the increasing ravages of intemperance. Since I had ceased  
153


154  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
to use intoxicating  drinks, I was constrained  to look upon  
it as one of the most important steps I had ever taken. Hence,  
1 ardently desired the same blessing for those around me.  
Elder M. was the first person whom I asked to aid me in  
this enterprise. Failing with him, I moved out alone, and 
presented my paper for subscribers. Elder G., the Congre- 
gational minister, his two deacons, and a few of the prin- 
cipal men of the place, cheerfully and readily subscribed their  
names, twelve or thirteen in number, and forthwith  the Fair- 
haven Temperance Society was organized.  
The majority of our little number had been sea captains,  
and had seen much of the debasing influence exerted by  
ardent spirits among its users, abroad and at home. They  
seemed the more ready, therefore,  to give their names and  
influence to check this monster vice. Elder G. exclaimed,  
" Why, Captain Bates, this is just what I have been wanting  
to see!" The meeting was organized  by choosing  Capt.  
Stephen Merihew president, and Mr. Charles Drew secretary.  
Pending the discussion in adopting the constitution, it  
was voted that we pledge ourselves to abstain from the use  
of ardent spirits as a beverage. Having no precedent before  
us, it was voted that rum, gin, brandy, and whisky were  
ardent spirits. Wine, beer, and cider were so freely used  
as beverages that the majority of our members were then  
unwilling to have them in the list. Some doubts arose with 
the minority whether we should be able to sustain the spirit  
of our constitution  without abstaining from all intoxicating  
beverages.  
Inquiry was then made whether there were any tem- 
perance societies then known. A statement was made that  
certain individuals  in Boston had recently agreed together  
that instead of purchasing  their liquor in small quantities at  
the stores, they would get it by the keg, and drink it in their 
own houses. This association  was called the " Keg Society."  
If any temperance societies had ever been organized  previous  
to the one at Fairhaven,  we were unacquainted  with the fact.  
A short time after our organization,  one of our number  
was reported to have violated his pledge. This he denied.  

FOUNDING THE FIRST TEMPERANCE SOCIETY 155  
" But you were intoxicated,"  said we. He declared that he  
had not drunk anything  but cider, and that was allowed.  
(We were told that his wife said she would a great deal  
rather he would drink brandy, for when he got drunk on cider  
he was as ugly again.) During the trial of this member,  
he continued to declare that he had not violated the letter  
of the constitution, but it was evident to the society that he 
had violated the intent and spirit of it, which he was unwilling  
to admit, nor would he even promise to reform. He was  
therefore expelled.  
The  society here saw the necessity of amending  the con- 
stitution by striking out the words "ardent spirits," and  
inserting m their place " all intoxicating  drinks,"  or something- 
else that would sustain and aid the cause. From this a reform  
was introduced,  which finally resulted in the disuse of all  
intoxicating drinks, except for medicinal purposes. This 
reform gave us the name of " Teetotalers."  
Before this, our temperance society had become exceed- 
ingly popular.  Our meeting houses in their turn were  
crowded with all classes to hear lectures on the subject; and 
converts, both male and female, by scores cheerfully  pledged  
themselves to the temperance  constitution. Many of the  
citizens of New Bedford  who came to hear, also united with  
us. A society was organized  in their town and also in other  
places.  
Arrangements  were soon made, and a Bristol County  
Temperance Society was organized,  and the Massachusetts  
State Temperance Society soon followed. Temperance  
papers, tracts, and lectures multiplied throughout  the land,  
and opposition began to rage like the rolling sea, causing  
the tide of temperance  to ebb awhile. Then came the " Cold  
Water Army " of little children  from four years and upward  
commingling  their simple little songs in praise of water —  
pure, cold water — no beverage like unmingled cold water.  
I heir sweet, stirring appeals, especially when assembled in  
their society meetings, seemed to give a new impetus to the  
cause, and rearouse their parents to the work of total ab-
stinence from all intoxicating  drinks.


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A Ship's  Crew  Without  Intoxicating  
Liquors  
IN the midst of our temperance labors, my brother F.  
arrived from South America on the " Empress."  She was  
soon loaded again with an assorted cargo under my command,  
and cleared for South  America. We sailed from  New Bed- 
ford on the morning  of Aug. 9, 1827. I found it much more  
trying to part with my family and friends this time than  
ever before.  
Our pilot now left us with a strong breeze wafting  us  
out once more into the boisterous ocean for a long voyage. 
As usual. our anchors were stowed away, and everything  was  
secured in case we should  be overtaken by a storm. As the  
night set in, on taking our departure  from Gay Head Light,  
distant about fifteen miles, all hands were called aft on the 
quarter-deck.  All but one were strangers to me, as they  
had come from Boston the day before. I read our names  
and agreement  to perform this voyage, from the shipping  
papers, and requested their attention while I stated the rules  
and regulations  which I wished to be observed during our  
voyage.  
I spoke to them of the importance  of cultivating  kind  
feelings toward each other while we were alone on the ocean,  
during our contemplated voyage. I stated that I had fre- 
quently seen bitter feelings and continued  hatred arise on  
shipboard by not calling the men by their proper names.  
Said I, "Here is the name of William Jones; now let it  
be remembered while we are performing  this voyage that  
we all call his name William. Here is John Robinson; call  
him John. Here is James Stubbs; cail him James. We  
shall not allow any Bills, or Jacks, or Jims to be called here."  
In like manner I read all their names, with those of the first  
and second mates, and requested them always to address one  
157


158  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
another in a respectful manner,  and to call themselves by their  
proper names; and if the officers addressed them otherwise,  
I wished it reported to me.  
Another rule was, that I should allow no swearing during  
the voyage.  Said William Dunn, " I have always had that  
privilege, sir."  
" Well," said I, " you cannot have it here," and quoted  
the third commandment,  and was endeavoring  to show how  
wicked it was to swear, when he said, " I can't help it, sir! "  
I replied, " Then I will help you to help it." 
He began to reason about it, and said, "When  I am  
called up in the night to reef topsails in bad weather, and 
things don't go right, I swear before I think of it."  
Said I to him, "If you do so here, I will tell you what  
I will do with you; I will call you down and send you below,  
and let your shipmates do your duty for you."  
Dunn saw that such a course would disgrace him, and he  
said, " I will try, sir."  
Another rule was, that we should allow no washing nor  
mending clothes on Sundays. I said to the crew, " I have  
a good assortment of books and papers which you may  
have access to every Sunday.  I shall also endeavor  to instruct  
you, that we may keep that day holy unto the Lord. You  
shall have every Saturday  afternoon  to wash and mend your  
clothes, both at sea and in harbor, and I shall expect you to  
appear every Sunday  morning with clean clothes. When we  
arrive in port, you may have the same Saturday  afternoon  
in your turn to go on shore and see the place, and get what 
you wish, if you return on board at night sober; for we shall  
observe the Sabbath on board in port, and not grant any 
liberty on shore Sunday."  *  
At this, Dunn remarked  again, " That's the sailor's priv- 
ilege, and I have always had the liberty of going on shore  
Sundays, and—"  
"I know that very well," said I. interrupting  him. "but  
I cannot give you that liberty," and endeavored  to show the  
* This was nearly  twenty years prior  to the time Capt. Joseph Bates  
learned of and began  the observance  of the true seventh-day  Sabbath.  

CREW WITHOUT INTOXICATING  LIQUORS  159  
crew how wrong it was to violate God's holy day, and how  
much better they would enjoy themselves in reading and 
improving  their minds than in joining in all the wickedness  
that sailors were in the habit of indulging  in at a foreign  
port on that day. 6  
"Another  thing I want to tell you is, that we have no  
liquor, or intoxicating  drinks, on board."  
"I am glad of that!" said John R. Perhaps this was  
the first voyage  he had ever sailed without it.  
Said I, " We have one junk bottle of brandy, and also one  
of gin, in the medicine chest; this I shall administer to you  
like the other medicine, when I think you need it. This is all  
the liquor we have on board, and all that I intend shall be on  
board this vessel during our voyage;  and I here strictly forbid  
any of you to bring anything  of the kind on board when you  
have liberty to go on shore in foreign ports. And I would  
that I could persuade you never to drink it when on shore  
When you are called to do duty during your watch below, we  
shall expect you to come up readily and cheerfully, and you  
shall retire again as soon as the work is performed,  and  
also have your forenoon watch below. If you adhere to these 
rules, and behave yourselves  like men, you shall be kindly  
treated, and our voyage will prove a pleasant one."  
I then knelt down and commended  ourselves to the great  
God, whose tejider mercies are over all the works of His  
hands, to protect and guide us on our way over the ocean  
to our destined port.  
. The nex* morning,  all but the man at the helm were invited  
into the cabin to join with us in our morning  prayer. We  
told them that this would be our practice morning and eve- 
ning, and we should be pleased to have them all with us, that  
we might pray with and for them. Also, to further encourage  
the crew to read and inform  their minds, we proposed  to issue  
a paper twice a week, namely, Tuesday and Friday mornings  
during the voyage. Before sailing, I had prepared a stock of 
books, with the latest newspapers, also the last volume of  
an interesting religious weekly paper, published in Boston,  
called Zioris Herald. We began our issue with the first


160  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
number of the volume, requiring the return of the last num-
ber before issuing the next; this we placed under the volume,  
to be given out again at the end of six months.  
The  novel idea of a semi-weekly  paper at sea interested  
the crew very much, and when the first number came forth  
again, and they began to reread the volume, I heard nothing  
said with regard to their ever having seen it before. Their  
interest in the paper continued throughout  the entire voyage.  
During their forenoon watch below, I used frequently to  
walk forward,  unobserved,  and listen to hear some one of  
them reading aloud from their morning  paper, and their  
remarks thereon.  
On Sundays,  when the weather was suitable, we had re- 
ligious worship on the quarter-deck,  otherwise in the cabin,  
when we generally read some good  selected sermon, and a  
passage from the'Bible. When in port we could not have  
their whole attention on Sunday, as when at sea. It some-
times seemed hard for them to be deprived  of the privilege  
of going ashore  with other ship companies  that were passing  
us for that purpose. But we enjoyed peace and quietness,  
while they were rioting in folly and drunkenness.  
After a few weeks it was truly gratifying  to see them  
selecting their books from our little library on Sunday  morn- 
ing, and reading  them, and also their Bibles, to inform their  
minds —it was so different from their former  course on  
shipboard. They also appeared  cheerful and willing to obey  
when called upon, and so continued.  
After a passage of forty-seven  days, we arrived in safety  
at Paraiba,  on the east coast of South America.  From there  
we continued our voyage  to Bahia, or San Salvador,  where  
we arrived  the 5th of October. Finding no sale for our  
cargo, we cleared for St. Catherine's.  
The  night before our arrival at Bahia, we were fired upon  
and detained by a Buenos Aires privateer. The captain pre- 
tended to believe that I was loaded with muskets and powder  
for his enemy, the Brazilians. After satisfying himself to  
the contrary,  he released us.  

Chased and  Captured  by  an  
Argentine  Privateer  
ON arriving  at St. Catherine's, we landed, sold our cargo,  
and loaded again with rice and farina, and sailed for Rio de  
Janeiro. Several days after we left St. Catherine's,  a strange  
sail was discovered at a distance on our weather-quarter,  
bearing toward  us early in the morning.  She soon began  
firing guns, but we paid little attention to her, and were stand- 
ing on our course under a very light breeze. The Sugar  Loaf  
and other high mountains  at the entrance of the harbor  of Rio  
de Janeiro were now looming in the distance, eighty miles  
ahead of us.  
We saw that the strange sail was gaining on us very fast,  
and by the aid of the spyglass discovered that she was sweep- 
ing with long oars and firing occasionally.  We hoisted the  
Stars and Stripes, and soon discovered that she was a brig  
with the Buenos Aires flag at her peak.  
We had eight gentlemen passengers on board, six of  
them Brazilian merchants, going to Rio de Janeiro to in- 
crease their stock of goods. They were exceedingly agitated 
on learning that their enemy was approaching.  I said to  
them, " If you think it best I will crowd on all sail, and if  
the breezes freshen up soon, we can outsail them; but if not,  
they will sweep down upon us, and in case they overtake us!  
you will fare hard. I have no fear of them myself, while 
under the American flag. But if we heave to for them, they  
will cease their firing and treat you more kindly. I will do 
either of which you shall choose among  yourselves."  
They soon decided that we might better heave to and  
let them come up with us. We did so, and calmly awaited  
the approach  of the enemy.  
" 161


162  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
In the course of an hour they rounded  to, broadside to  
us, and cried out, " Brig ahoy! Halloo! Lower your boat  
down, sir, and come aboard here immediately! "  
" Yes, sir." 
They cried again, " Do you bear a hand about it, sir, and  
bring your papers with you! "  
" Yes, sir."  
I directed the second mate to take charge of the boat, to  
keep her from being stove while alongside  the privateer.  On  
reaching the deck I was met by two ruffianly  looking men  
with their brace of pistols, and the captain, standing in the  
cabin gangway,  who said, "Why didn't you heave to, sir.  
when I fired at you? I have a good mind to blow your brains  
out here! " followed up with a volley of blasphemous  im- 
precations.  
I replied, " I am in your hands, sir; you can do as you  
please," and then added, " I hove my vessel to as soon as 1  
ascertained who you were; " and pointing to our flying colors.  
I remarked,  " That is the American flag, and I hope you will  
respect it."  
Then came another  volley of oaths with a threat that he  
would sink my vessel, and he cried out, " Go away aft, there,  
sir, on the quarter-deck!  " Here he took my papers.  
When I got aft, I saw that my whole crew were with  
me. I said, " Mr. Bowne, why did you not stay in the boat? "  
" Why, sir, they ordered us all on deck after you, and put  
in a crew of their own; yonder they go on board the ' Em- >»  
press. . f  
The privateer master then inquired, "Captain, whats  
your cargo ?"  
" Rice and farina,"  was the reply.  
" You have got ammunition  for the enemy under your  
farina."  
" No, sir; I have no such thing in my cargo. You have  
my invoice and bills of lading."  
He said he knew I was aiding the Brazilians, and that  
he would carry me down to Montevideo  as a prize.  
Said I, "If you do, I shall find friends there."  

CAPTURED BY AN ARGENTINE PRIVATEER 163  
" Why," said he, " have you ever been there ?"  
" Yes," I replied.  
Said he, " I will burn your vessel up, and sink her to the  
bottom; " and he hailed his officer and ordered him to take  
off the hatchways and sound her with rods to the bottom of 
the hold.  
Their crew now came alongside with our boat to discharge  
their plunder. Said I, " Captain, are you going to plunder 
my vessel ?"  
" Yes," he answered, " I promised  these men plunder if  
they would pull with the sweeps and overtake you."  
My remonstrance  only made him curse and swear about  
what he would do to us.  
My papers and letters were then spread out on the  
quarter-deck.  I asked him what he wanted with my private  
papers and letters. He answered that he wanted to find out 
my correspondence  with his enemy, the Brazilians. Said I.  
" You have my wife's letters there from the United States."  
Said he, " You may have them, and your private prop- 
erty."  
The boat was unloading  her plunder again, and I said,  
" Your men have just passed in my spyglass;  will you let me  
have it ?"  
" No," said he, " I promised them plunder if they would  
overtake you, and I cannot stop them."  
While examining the invoice, he suddenly asked, " Where  
is your money?"  
I replied, " You have my papers with the invoice of my  
cargo; if you find any account of money, take it,"  
He then ordered  his officers to make thorough  search for  
it on board. Not finding any, they told the steward they  
would hang him if he did not tell where the captain's  money  
was. He declared that he had no knowledge  of any. Our  
money was in silver coin; no one knew where it was but  
myself. I had stowed it away in bags where I had but 
little fear of pirates' finding  it.  
This captain was English, with a mixed, savage-looking  
crew, apparently  ready for any kind of murderous  work.


581  
LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Two or three times he had his vessel steered so near ours  
that I feared they would get foul of each other and be  
wrecked, or go down; and because I spoke by way of caution,  
he poured his abusive epithets on me unrestrained. After an  
hour or so his excitement began to subside, when he invited 
me to go down into the cabin with him and take a glass of  
grog.  
" Thank you, sir," said I, " I don't drink any."  
Well, he did, and down he went for a few moments to  
swallow another deadly dram.  
I said to the Brazilian merchants just before he came  
up with us, " Say nothing to me about your money; secure  
it the best way you can. I shall undoubtedly  be questioned  
about it, and if I know nothing of it, I can say so." They 
gave their gold watches to the sailors, who kept them upon  
their persons out of sight. I was afterward told that they  
threw a quantity of their gold doubloons into the cook's  
"coppers," where the beef and pork were boiling in salt  
water for our dinner. These merchants were well stocked  
with summer suits and linen, which the greedy fellows laid 
hold of, stripping them all off except their shirts and panta- 
loons.  
After a while the insatiate crew that were ransacking our  
vessel for money, feeling the gnawings of hunger,  seized upon  
the beef and pork that were cooking in the boilers. It seemed  
that a merciful Providence checked them from discovering  
the golden treasure at the bottom of the coppers; for if they  
had discovered it, they would have suspected there was more  
of the same in other places, and most probably some of us  
would have been hanged or shot before the search ended.  
During this abusive detention of seven or. eight hours, or  
from eleven in the forenoon until sundown, my boat's crew  
and I were crowded into a standing position away aft on the  
quarter deck, with nothing to eat. Late in the afternoon the  
Brazilian merchants were brought on board the privateer  
as prisoners of war, and ordered to stand forward of the  
gangway on the lee side, or, as sailors term it, " in the lee  
scuppers." Poor fellows, they looked most pitiful. Their  

CAPTURED BY AN ARGENTINE PRIVATEER 165  
prospects seemed very dark and dubious. I had heard of 
their saying, or talking among themselves, soon after we  
sailed from St. Catherine's, because of our praying with them  
and our sailors morning and evening, that there would be no 
danger, that they would have a safe passage to Rio de Janeiro.  
Their faith was now being tested. There they stood, with  
their eyes fastened on the captain of the privateer and our  
little company.  
A little before sundown the captain ordered all his men  
on board from the " Empress." As our boat returned with 
them, he said to me, " You may now take your papers and  
boat and go on board your vessel."  
" Thank you, sir," I replied.  
" Will you let the passengers go with me ? "  
" No! " said he, " they are my prisoners."  
" I know  that, sir; but I shall be greatly obliged to you  
if you will let me have them."  
He said he wished me to understand that he knew his  
own business. I was at liberty to go on board when I pleased, 
but I should not have his prisoners. My men had gone into  
the boat, and were waiting for me.  
These poor fellows did not understand English, but it  
was clearly manifest from their agonizing, agitated looks  
that they knew their fate was being settled. Everything to 
them seemed to hang on a few moments. I appealed to his  
English and humane feelings respecting their treatment of  
prisoners not found in arms against them, and said  to him,  
" These men have behaved like gentlemen on board my  
vessel; they paid me $50 each for their passage before I left  
St. Catherine's; they were quietly prosecuting their indi- 
vidual business. In point of worldly interest I shall gain  
nothing, as I am already paid; but I want to fulfil my en- 
gagement with them, and land them safe in Rio de Janeiro.  
They have never injured you, and they will be  in your way  
here. Now, captain, why will you not let me have them ? "  
" Take them," said he in a subdued tone. 
" Thank you, sir, for your kindness."


166  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
The way these men passed over that vessel's side into  
our boat, when we pointed them to her, was pretty clear  
proof that they understood  all we had been saying concern- 
ing them. The captain then endeavored  to apologize  for his  
unkind treatment to me. 1 bade him good-by,  and at the  
setting of the sun we were once more all on board the  
" Empress."  
Here we found things in great confusion;  our longboat  
unstowed, hatches all thrown off, leaving the cargo exposed  
to the first sea that should come on her decks. Passengers  
and crew worked  diligently to put the " Empress " in sailing  
trim, and as night closed upon us we were out of reach of the 
privateer's guns, under a good wholesale breeze, and the pas- 
sengers were congratulating  one another on their safe deliver- 
ance from a cruel death.  
When order was restored, we assembled as usual in thv  
cabin to thank the Lord for His daily mercies, and especially  
for His manifest interference in delivering us from the power  
of that reckless crew of pirates on the high seas. Thanks to  
His holy name! The sailors delivered the passengers their  
watches, and whatever  else they had given them for safe  
keeping. Their doubloons were also safe in the coppers. The 
enemy had got none of their money; but they ransacked  their  
trunks, and left them in a rather sad plight to meet their  
friends.  
The afternoon  of the next day we anchored  in the harbor  
of Rio de Janeiro. When the report of the matter reached 
the city, the government  dispatched a frigate in pursuit of  
the privateer, but they did not find her.  
As the customhouse  authorities declined granting  me lib- 
erty to sell my cargo in Rio de Janeiro, we cleared and sailed  
again for St. Catherine's.  On our arrival there, the president  
of the province, having just received a communication  from  
the province of Rio Grande  for two cargoes of farina for  
the troops in the south, granted  me the first privilege, and  
gave me a letter to the authorities of Rio Grande. Thus  
prepared, we sailed again, and arrived at the bar of Rio 
Grande on the last day of the year 1827.  

CAPTURED BY AN ARGENTINE PRIVATEER 163  
While in the port of Rio Grande we held meetings on  
board our vessel every Sunday;  but none of our neighbors,  
who were anchored  near by and around  us, came to unite  
with us, as they preferred  to spend their leisure hours on  
shore. Their men returned  in the evening, generally in a  
turbulent and riotous condition. Our temperance  and re- 
ligious principles on shipboard  were new, and, of course,  
objectionable to all around  us; but still they were constrained  
to admit that we enjoyed peace and quiet on board our ves- 
sel that they in general were strangers to, especially on Sunday  
nights.  
After some detention we sold our cargo to the govern- 
ment, and invested the most of our funds in dry hides, and  
cleared for St. Catherine's. After sailing about eight miles  
from our anchorage  to the lighthouse at the entrance of the  
harbor, we were compelled to anchor  for the night, and  
wait for daylight  and a fair wind to pass safely over the  
sand bars.  
On receiving my account current from Mr. Carroll, the  
Brazilian merchant whom I employed to transact my foreign  
business, I ran it over without discovering  any error. But  
still it seemed to me that I had received more cash in bal- 
ance than was my due. But many other things then neces- 
sarily occupied my mind (as is usual on weighing anchor  
to proceed on a voyage),  until we were obliged to anchor  
near the lighthouse.  I then discovered that the merchant had  
balanced the account wrong,  in my favor. This, of course,  
was no fault of mine; but he had paid me over my due $500  
in gold doubloons.  Only one way was now open for me to  
communicate with him, and that was by sending my boat.  
Our unsafe position near the sandbars  and breakers  
seemed to demand that not only our boat, but also our crew,  
should be at hand in case our anchors should fail to hold us  
during the night. But the money was not mine, and I felt 
that I should not be blessed of the Lord if I attempted to 
proceed on my voyage without an exertion on my part to pay  
it over. My vessel might never be heard from again, neither  
Mr. Carroll's money; then, of course, the fault would be


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
charged to me. I therefore dispatched my boat with the  
following letter:  
" MR. CARROLL .  
" DEAR SIR : Since I parted with you, I have been won- 
dering how I came by so much money. Once I overhauled  
the accounts and concluded they were right. This evening, 
being more collected and free from care, and not satisfied,  
I have again spread them before me and made a memoran- 
dum of sales and purchases, which led me to discover the 
error — $500.34. I have been devising the best way to get  
this money safe to you; as it is now late, and a prospect of 
a fair wind early in the morning, I have concluded to send my  
boat. To double the diligence of my men, I have promised  
them 960 reis each. I do not know of any other way that  
would be safe. JOSEPH BATES.  
" Brig ' Empress,' at the bar off Rio Grande,  
March 8, 1828."  
By the blessing of God our boat returned in safety, with  
the thanks of the merchant, in time for us to put to sea early  
in the morning, with a fair wind. We were prospered with 
a safe voyage to St. Catherine's, where we finished our lading  
with hides and coffee, and cleared for New York.  

Returning  Home  from  My  Final  
Voyage  
OUR passage home was pleasant and prosperous. We  
were cheered once more with the well-known North Star as 
we advanced a little way north of the equator, out of the  
South Atlantic Ocean. After passing the northeastern  
extremity of South America, as we steered away northwest, 
we soon came under the quickening influence of the northeast  
and east trade winds, which wafted us onward toward our  
home and friends, sometimes at the rate of 200 miles  in  
twenty-four hours.  Sailors reckon their days as astronomers  
do, from noon to noon. Every night, on the appearance of 
the North Star, her ascension in the Northern Hemisphere 
was very perceptible, and also encouraging, proving our  
onward course northward.  
During our homeward-bound passage, our crew seemed  
more thoughtful  and attentive to the religious instructions  
we were endeavoring to impart to them. It was evident that 
the Spirit of the Lord was at work among us. James S.  
gave good evidence of a thorough conversion to God, and was  
very happy during our voyage home. Religion seemed to be  
his whole theme. One night in his watch on deck, while  
relating to me his experience, he said, " Don't you remember  
the first night out on our voyage from home, when you had  
all hands called aft on the quarter-deck, and gave them rules  
for the voyage ? "  
" Yes," I replied. 
" Well, sir, I was then at the helm, and when you finished  
and knelt down on the quarter-deck and prayed with us, if 
at that time you had taken up a handspike and knocked me 
down at the helm, I should not have felt worse; for I had 
never seen such a thing before."  
169


170  LIFE OF JOSEPH  BATES  
Thomas B. also professed conversion at that time. 
A heavy gale troubled us some, but the good Lord de- 
livered us from its overwhelming  influence, and soon after- 
ward we arrived safely in the harbor of New York City.  
The first news from home was that my honored  father  
had died some six weeks before my arrival. This was a  
trying providence  for which I was not prepared.  He had  
lived nearly seventy-nine  years, and I had always found  
him in his place at the head of the family  after my long  
voyages, and it seemed to me that I had not one serious  
thought but that I should see him there again if I lived 
to return home.  
While in the city I had the pleasure of attending an eve- 
ning Bethel prayer  meeting on board a ship lying at the  
wharf. I enjoyed it very much. Such meetings were then  
in their infancy, but since that time it is common  enough  
to see the Bethel flag on Sunday  morning on board the ships  
for meeting, on both the east and the north side of the river,  
for the benefit of sailors and young men who are often wan- 
dering about the city without home or friends. Many,  
doubtless, have been saved from ruin by the efforts of those  
engaged in these benevolent institutions, while other home- 
less ones, who have not had such influences to restrain them,  
have been driven to deeds of desperation,  or have yielded  
to feelings of despair. The trying experience of my early  
days had made me familiar with such scenes.  
On one of my previous voyages I had prevailed on a  
young man to accompany  me to his home in Massachusetts.  
And while I was in the city this time, as I was passing 
through  the park, among many others whom I saw was a  
young man seated in the shade, looking very melancholy, 
quite similar to the one just mentioned, and not far from  
the same place. I seated myself beside him, and asked him  
why he appeared  so melancholy.  
At first he hesitated, but soon began to inform  me that  
he was in a destitute state, having nothing  to do and nowhere  
to go. He said his brother had employed  him in his apothe- 
cary store in the city, but he had recently failed and broken  

RETURNING  HOME  FROM MY FINAL VOYAGE  171  
up, and left the city, and that now he was without home  
and friends. I asked him where his parents lived.  
He replied, " In Massachusetts.  My father is a Congre- 
gationalist preacher, near Boston."  
I invited him to go on board my vessel, be one of my  
crew, and I would land him within sixty miles of his home.  
He readily accepted my offer, and on our arrival  in New  
Bedford, Massachusetts, his father came for him, and ex- 
pressed much gratitude to me for his safe return and the  
privilege of again meeting his son.  
On our arrival in New York, my crew, with one exception,  
chose to remain on board and discharge the cargo, and not  
have their discharge, as was customary  on arriving  from a  
foreign port. They preferred,  also, to continue in their sta- 
tions until we arrived in New Bedford, where the " Em- 
press " was to proceed, to fit out for another voyage. After  
discharging  our cargo, we sailed, and arrived  in New Bedford  
about the 20th of June, 1828 —twenty-one  years from the  
time I sailed thence on my first European  voyage, in the  
capacity of cabin boy.  
Some of my men inquired when I was going on another  
voyage, and expressed a wish to wait for me, and also their 
satisfaction with the last as being their best voyage. It was  
some satisfaction to me to know that seamen were susceptible  
of moral reform on the ocean (as proved in this instance) 
as well as on the land; and I believe that such reforms  can  
generally be accomplished  if the officers are ready and willing  
to enter into it.  
When at the beginning  of our last voyage I had made  
the announcement  that there was no intoxicating  liquor on  
board, excepting that which pertained to the medicine chest, 
one man had shouted that he was "glad  of it," this lone  
voice on the ocean in behalf of this work of reform, had  
cheered me. I believe the man was deeply affected, and I  
cannot recollect that he used intoxicating  liquor in any way  
while under my command.  
That which had been regarded as so necessary an article  
to stimulate the sailor in the performance  of his duty, proved


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
not only unnecessary, but the withholding  of it was shown  
to be a great blessing in our case.  
Some time after this voyage, I was in company  with a  
shipowner  of New Bedford, who was personally  interested  
in fitting out his own ships and storing them with provisions, 
liquors, and all the necessaries for long voyages. We had  
been agitating the importance  of reform in strong drink, when  
he observed, " I understand,  Captain  Bates, that you per- 
formed your last voyage without the use of ardent spirits."  
" Yes, sir," I replied.  
Said he, " Yours is the first temperance  vessel I have  
ever heard of."  
My brother F. now took command  of the " Empress," and  
sailed again for South America, being fitted out to perform  
the voyage  on the principles of temperance, as on her former  
voyage. During  my last voyage  I had reflected much on the  
enjoyments of social life with my family and friends, of  
which I had deprived myself for so many years; and I 
desired to be more exclusively engaged  in bettering my  
condition, and that of those with whom I should be called 
to associate, on the subject of religion and moral reform.  

Entering  into  the  Pleasures  of  Life  
Ashore  
MY seafaring  life was now finished. I once more es- 
teemed it a great privilege to unite with my brethren in the  
Christian Church. I also gladly re-engaged  in the temper- 
ance reform with my former associates, who had been pro-
gressing in the work during my absence.  
My father  in his last will requested that I should unite  
with my mother in the settlement of his estate. Before the  
year came round,  my mother was also removed by death.  
I now turned my attention to farming, and began to improve  
a small farm which my father had bequeathed to me. 
Through the aid of an agricultural  weekly, called the New  
England Farmer, and with some of my ready cash, I soon 
made some perceptible alterations on the farm, but with 
little or no income.  
My companion  had often said that she wished I had  
some way to sustain my family that would allow me to live  
at home. I promised  her that when I had gained a com- 
petency by following the sea, then I would relinquish the  
business and stay on shore. When asked what I considered 
a competency,  I answered, " Ten thousand  dollars." After  
tasting the sweets of the Christian's hope, I found it much  
easier, with all the opening  prospects before me, to say  
where I would stop in this business, if the Lord prospered  me.  
I now enjoyed the privilege of reading some of the  
periodicals of the times, especially those on religion and  
morals. The sailors' wants were beginning to be agitated 
through a periodical called the Sailor's Magazine. A few  
friends of the cause came together, and we organized the  
Fairhaven Seaman's  Friend Society. A little pamphlet called  
" The Missionary Herald," advocating  the cause of foreign  
173


174  LIFE OF JOSEPH  BATES  
missions, also enlisted my feelings, and engaged my attention  
to some extent. My intercourse with what the " Herald "  
called the heathen, enabled me to see more clearly their moral  
and religious wants. I also became much interested in the  
work of the American Tract Society, which was organized in 
Boston, Massachusetts, in the year 1814, and was embracing  
all the evangelical  denominations  in the United States. I  
read with pleasure, and helped to circulate, many of their 
tracts on religious subjects and temperance reform.  
Up to 1832, the Christian Church in Fairhaven,  with  
which I had united, had occupied a rented hall, and they now  
began to feel the need of having a house of worship  of their  
own in a more convenient  place. Four of the brethren united  
and built one, which was called the Washington  Street  
Christian meeting house. Soon after it was finished and  
dedicated, we opened a series of religious meetings, in which  
the Lord graciously answered our prayers, and poured  out  
His Spirit upon us, and many souls were converted. The  
other churches became zealously affected,  and the work of  
God spread throughout  the village. For many weeks in  
succession the church bells were ringing,  morning, after- 
noon, and evening,  for preaching  and social meetings. It  
was thought  by those who spoke of it that the whole popula- 
tion of the unconverted  were under the deep movings  of God's  
Holy Spirit.  
Our village had been blessed with several revivals before,  
but I was away from home, except during  two, the last of  
which I have just mentioned.  The first one was in the year  
1807, when the people were immersed in the love and pleas- 
ures of the world and the pride of life. The work was won-
derful to them, and altogether unexpected.  
Although we had a stated ministry and regular  preaching,  
it was ascertained  that there were but two family altars in  
the place, — at Mr. J.'s and at my father's. I remember that  
I felt deeply interested in that work, and loved to attend  
their prayer meetings; and I have often thought that the  
Lord at that time forgave my sins, but I, like too many other  
youth, neglected to tell my feelings to my parents or any  

THE PLEASURES  OF LIFE ASHORE  175  
one, feeling that religion was for older ones than myself;  
and before the revival wholly subsided, my mind was occupied  
in preparing  for my first European  voyage.  
From the year 1824, when I made my covenant with God.  
I had lived up to the principles of total abstinence from all  
intoxicating  drinks, but had continued the use of tea and  
coffee, without much conviction about their poisonous  and  
stimulating effects, for about seven years longer. With my 
small stock of knowledge on the subject, I was unwilling to  
be fairly convicted that these stimulants had any effect on  
me, until on a social visit with my wife at one of our neigh-
bor's, where tea was served somewhat stronger  than we  
usually drank it. It had such an effect on my whole system  
that I could not rest nor sleep until after midnight. I then 
became fully satisfied (and have never seen cause to change 
my belief since) that it was the tea I drank  which so affected  
me. I became convinced of its intoxicating  qualities, and  
from that time discarded  the use of it.  
Soon after this, on the same principle, I discarded the use  
of coffee, with the result that in the later years of my life  
my health has been better and my mind clearer than when  
using these beverages.  
I sold my place of residence in the year 1831, and was  
occupied much of the time in 1832 in locating my dwelling 
house and outbuildings on my little farm, and was also asso-
ciated with three of my Christian friends in building the  
Washington Street meeting house.  
In 1831 it was stated that 3,000 temperance societies had  
been organized  in the United States, with 300,000 members.  
(See " Haskell's Chronological  View of the World," p. 247.)  
Thus in four years — or from 1827 to 1831—temperance 
societies had progressed  from our small beginning  in Fair- 
haven. Many ships were also adopting the temperance  
reform.  
About the close of 1831, and early in 1832, antislavery  
societies began to be organized  again in the United States,  
advocating  immediate emancipation.  As the work pro- 
gressed, antislavery  advocates were maltreated and mobbed


176  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
in many places where they attempted to organize or hold 
meetings to plead for the poor, oppressed slaves in our land.  
It was during these times that I began to feel the im- 
portance of taking a decided stand on the side of the op- 
pressed. My labor in the cause of temperance had caused 
a pretty thorough  sifting of my friends, and I felt that I  
had no more that I wished to part with; but duty was clear 
that I could not be a consistent Christian if I stood on the  
side of the oppressor,  for God was not there. Neither could  
I claim His promises if I stood on neutral ground.  Hence,  
my only alternative was to plead for the slave, and thus  
I decided.  
After finishing  the buildings on my farm, I undertook  
the work of raising mulberry trees to obtain their foliage to  
feed the silkworms,  designing to enter into the culture of  
silk. I had erected a schoolhouse on my place, in which I  
designed to have a manual-labor  school for youth. I intended  
to employ them a certain portion of the time to gather the  
mulberry foliage, and attend to the feeding of the silkworms, 
and as the work advanced, other branches of the business  
also, such as reeling and preparing  the silk for market. By  
an examination  of the works of able writers on the subject, I  
was satisfied that silk could be produced to advantage  in  
New England  as well as in Europe.  
While my trees were maturing, we raised and fed the  
silkworms two or three seasons on a small scale, which satis-
fied me that by attention and care the business could be made 
profitable. Many who began the business about the time I 
did, entered into the speculation  and excitement about raising  
the Chinese multicaulis tree for sale, which enriched  some,  
disappointed  many, and caused a failure, because silk culture  
could not be made a money-making  business in its infancy.  
I was endeavoring  to raise my trees first, before entering  
upon the business, and had many trees which had begun  
to bear fruit, and my third orchard  in a thriving  condition,  
designing, if I lived, to attend to that business only.  

Discovering  and  Investigating  Some  
Great Truths  
ON the night of Nov. 13, 1833, a wonderful  phenomenon  
occurred in the heavens, which caused consternation  and  
dismay among the people, namely, the stars falling from 
heaven! Many watchmen  in the cities, and sailors in their  
night watches on the ocean, together with those that were  
up, and their friends whom they called up to witness the ex- 
hibition of the falling stars, were now relating what they  
had witnessed, as were also the newspapers of the times.  
Prof. Denison Olmsted, of Yale College, says:  
" The extent of the shower of 1833 was such as to cover  
no inconsiderable  part of the earth's surface, from the middle  
of the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west; and  
from the northern  coast of South America to undefined re- 
gions among the British possessions on the north, the ex- 
hibition was visible, and everywhere  presented nearly the  
same appearance.  Those who were so fortunate  as to witness  
the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning  of Nov. 13,  
1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks  
that 1ms ever been seen since the creation of the world."  
In connection with these portentous  signs in the heavens,  
moral reform  was working  its way like leaven throughout  
the United States. It seemed that some unseen agency was  
assisting those who were struggling in the uphill work of 
opposing the masses, while they were soliciting and enlisting 
the energies and sympathies of men, women,  and children to  
help stay the tide of intemperance  and slavery which, to all  
human appearance,  if not stayed, would demoralize  and  
debase us below the moral standard  of all the civilized nations  
of the earth, before the then rising generation  should pass  
from the stage of action.  
12 177


THE GREAT STAR SHOWER OF NOVEMBER  13, 1833  
« From the middle of the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific  
the northern coast of South America to undefined regions among the British possession  
on the north, thfl exhibition was visible,"  
178  

DISCOVERING AND INVESTIGATING GREAT TRUTHS 179  
What appeared  to be most inexplicable in.moving  forward  
this work, was to see ministers whose Christian characters  
were before unsullied in the community, pleading  in favor  
of slavery, upholding  rum drinking  and rum selling, and  
keeping a large majority  of their churches and congregations  
under their influence. Others were mute, waiting to see how 
their friends would decide. Some there were, however, who 
took a noble stand in the work of reform.  
Moral reform societies were multiplied in various  places,  
as were also peace societies, having for their object the aboli- 
tion of war. They proposed  to settle all disputes or diffi- 
culties of importance  by reference to a Congress  of Nations.  
In the fall of 1839, while engaged in my orchard,  Elder  
R., an acquaintance of mine, and a preacher in the Christian  
connection, called upon me, and inquired if I would  like to  
go to New Bedford, about two miles distant, that evening, 
and hear him preach on the second coming of Christ. I asked  
Elder R. if he thought he could show or prove anything  about  
the Saviour's  coming. He answered  that he thought he  
could. He stated that the North Christian meeting house in  
New Bedford was offered him, in which to give a course of  
five lectures on that subject. I promised to go with him, but  
I was very much surprised to learn that any one could show  
anything about the time of the Saviour's  second coming.  
A little previous to this, while spending an evening in  
a social company  of friends, Elder H. stated that he had  
heard that there was a Mr. Miller preaching  in the State of  
New York that the Lord Jesus Christ was coming about the  
year 1843. I believe this was the first time I had ever heard 
the subject mentioned. It appeared so impossible that I at-
tempted to raise an objection, but was told that he brought  
a great deal of Scripture  to prove it. But when I heard  
Elder R. present the Scripture  testimony on the subject in  
his first lecture, I was deeply interested, as was also my  
companion.  
After meeting, we rode some distance toward  home, ab- 
sorbed in this important  subject, when I broke the silence by  
saying, " That is the truth! ". My companion replied, " Oh,


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
you are so sanguine always!" I argued that Elder R. had  
made it very clear to my mind, but we would hear further.  
The meetings continued with crowded congregations and in- 
creasing interest to the close, and I felt that my mind was  
much enlightened on this important subject.  
I now obtained William Miller's book of nineteen lectures,  
which I read with deep interest, especially his argument on 
the prophetic periods of Daniel's vision, which heretofore,  
when I read the Bible in course, had appeared to me so  
intricate, and had led me to wonder what importance there 
could be attached to those clays connected with this pictorial  
prophecy of chapters 7 and 8. But I now began to learn that 
those days were so many years, and those years were to close  
about 1843, when, according to Mr. Miller's view of the 
prophecies, Christ would personally appear the second time.  
With my limited views of the subject of the second  
advent, I saw that if Mr. Miller was correct respecting the  
soon coming of the Saviour, then the most important point 
in his theory was to learn where to begin to reckon Daniel's 
prophetic periods, and trace them to their termination. The  
first issue in pamphlet form by Mr. Miller is dated 1832.  
His first lectures in Boston, Massachusetts, in the Chardon  
Street and Marlborough chapels, were in the winter of 1840.  
This opened the way for Elder Joshua V. Himes, of Boston, 
to issue, as editor, the first periodical published on the second 
advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, called the 
Signs of the Times, in Boston, Massachusetts, March, 1840.  
As Elder Himes was as destitute of means as any other  
minister who at that time boldly preached and advocated the  
necessity of moral reform, and was expressing an anxious  
desire to get up a paper on the subject of the second advent, 
an aged sea captain from the State of Maine, being present,  
handed him a silver dollar. " With this one dollar," said  
Elder Himes, " we began to publish the Signs of the Times."  

Attending  Conferences  on  the  
Second  Advent  
THE Signs of the Times, of Boston, Massachusetts, Sept.  
1 and 15, 1840, published a call for a general conference on  
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying:  
" The undersigned, believers in the second coming and  
kingdom of the Messiah at hand, cordially unite in the call  
for a General Conference of our brethren of the United  
States, and elsewhere, who are also looking for the advent  
near, to meet at Boston, Massachusetts, Wednesday, Oct. 14,  
1840, at 10 A. M.„ to continue two days, or as long as  
may then be found best. The object of the Conference will 
not be to form a new organization in the faith of Christ, nor  
to assail others of our brethren who differ with us in regard  
to the period and manner of the advent, but to  discuss the  
whole subject faithfully and fairly, in the exercise of that  
spirit of Christ, in which it will be safe to meet Him im- 
mediately at the judgment seat.  
" WILLIAM MILLER, DAVID MILLARD  
HENRY DANA WARD, L. D. FLEMING,  
HENRY JONES, JOSEPH BATES, 
HENRY PLUMER, CHAS. F. STEVENS  
JOHN TRUAR, p. R. RUSSELL) 
JOSIAH LITCH, ISAIAH SEAVY,  
JOSHUA P. ATWOOD, TIMOTHY COLE,  
DANIEL MERRILL, J. V. HIMES."  
In accordance with the call, the General Conference con- 
vened in Chardon Street chapel, Boston, Massachusetts,  
Oct. 14, 1840, and continued two days with increasing inter- 
est, at the close of which the communion of the Lord's supper 
was administered to about two hundred communicants of 
different denominations. Many of them were from remote  
distances.  
181


182  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
WILLIAM MILLER  
From this Conference, an address of 150 pages, in pam- 
phlet form, was circulated in the United States and foreign 
lands. Elder Joshua V. Himes entered into this work ap- 
parently with all the zeal of Joshua of old, in his preaching  

CONFERENCES ON THE SECOND ADVENT  183  
and editorial work, in circulating all the light which could  
be elicited from every quarter on the subject of the second  
advent of the Saviour.  
In March, 1841, Brother Miller began a course of lec- 
tures in the Washington Street meeting house, in Fairhaven,  
Massachusetts. I thought if he could be obtained to lecture  
on the second coming of Christ to my friends and neighbors,  
I would willingly give my seat in the meeting house to others, 
if the house should be crowded. I had been reading his lec- 
tures, and supposed I understood the most he would preach.  
But after hearing his first lecture, I felt that I could not be  
denied the privilege of hearing the whole course, for his  
preaching was deeply interesting, and very far in advance of  
his written lectures.  
The house was crowded so that a great portion could not  
be seated, and yet all was quiet and still as night. It seemed  
as if the people were hearing for themselves. I believe they  
did then. Passing around among them the day after the  
lecture, one would hear another inquiring of his neighbor,  
" WTere you at the meeting last night ?"  
" Yes."  
" Did you ever hear such preaching before? "  
" No."  
" What do you think of his doctrine? "  
Many called on Brother Miller to converse with him  
relative to the doctrine he taught, and seemed highly pleased  
with his prompt and ready quotations of Scripture in reply. 
Elders Himes and Cole accompanied him to Fairhaven. His  
week's labor with us seemed to work a very apparent change  
among the people.  
His next course of lectures began the next week in the  
North Christian meeting house in the city of New Bedford, 
about two miles distant. It was supposed that here he had  
about fifteen hundred hearers, the number that the house  
would accommodate at one time. A large portion of the aris- 
tocracy and ministers were in attendance. No such religious  
excitement for the time was ever heard of there. The in- 
terest seemed deep and widespread.


184  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
At the close of the last meeting, Brother Miller affection- 
ately addressed the ministers, and exhorted them to faith- 
fulness in their responsible work. He said, " I have been  
preaching to you people on the soon coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, as I understand it from the Scriptures," and 
added that, if they thought he was right, it was highly impor- 
tant that they should teach it to their respective congregations.  
But if he was wrong, he much desired to be set right, and 
expressed a strong desire to meet with them before he left 
the place, and examine the subject with them. The Baptist 
minister proposed the vestry of his church, in William Street, 
at nine o'clock the next morning.  
I was not a minister then, but I had a strong desire to  
attend this meeting, to learn how the ministers received the  
second advent doctrine. By request, a number of lay mem-
bers, with myself, were permitted to attend. When the meet- 
ing opened in the morning, I counted twenty-two ministers 
present, belonging to the place and within a circle of a few  
miles around the city, and about forty lay members. After 
the meeting was organized, Brother Miller proposed that 
they begin with the prophecy of Daniel, and requested the  
reader of the Scriptures to begin with the second chapter.  
Occasionally Brother Miller would request the reader to  
pause, and then ask the ministers how they understood what  
had just been read. At first they looked upon one another  
in silence, seemingly unwilling to expose their ignorance in  
this matter, or to see who would reply. After some time,  
one of the learned ministers replied, " We believe it as you  
do, sir." " Well," said Brother Miller, " if you are all agreed  
on this point, we will proceed." No other one replied. The  
reader proceeded until another question. All was silent  
again until the same learned minister answered, " We believe  
this as you do, sir." And thus they professed to believe with 
him to the end of the chapter. It  was truly cheering to see  
how all these ministers of the various denominations were 
admitting and believing the doctrine of the second advent.  
The second General Conference of second advent be- 
lievers was  held in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, June  
15-17, 1841.  

Uniting  with  the  Adventist  
People  
OPPOSITION from various quarters was now manifested,  
nevertheless the movement was daily increasing. In October,  
1841, the third conference was held, in Portland, Maine,  
which gave a new impulse to the cause in that section of the  
country. Conferences were held in other places during the 
winter, particularly in New York City, Connecticut, New 
Hampshire, and Vermont. Early in the spring of this year 
Elders Himes and Fitch held a conference in Providence,  
Rhode Island. Here I became acquainted with Brother Fitch. 
His clear expositions of the prophecies relative to the second  
coming of our Lord were listened to with deep interest. His 
preaching, in connection with that of Elder Himes, deeply  
affected the hearts of the people, and a great many professed  
strong faith in the near coming of the Lord.  
It was truly wonderful how fast professed Christians  
could believe the evidences of  the near coming of the Lord  
from the teaching of the Bible and history, and then dis- 
believe on no better authority than a sneer, a laugh, or a 
" How do you know ? Nobody knows anything about it."  
Some of my brethren of the Washington Street Christian  
Church also began to wane in their advent faith, and would 
say to me sometimes at the close of our social meetings, 
" Brother Bates, we wish you would not say so much about  
the second coming of Christ."  
"Why," I would say, " don't you believe it is as true  
now as it was when Brother Miller preached it here last year,  
and you believed it ? "  
" Well, we believe Christ is coming, but no one knows  
when. Brother Miller taught that it would be about 1843,  
but we don't think so. We like to hear you exhort and pray,  
but we don't like to hear you say so much about the second  
coming of Christ, and the time."  
185


186  LIFE OF  JOSEPH BATES  
About this time the church elected a pastor, which was  
a source of deep trial to those who were more deeply inter- 
ested in the advent movement. Several of these interested  
ones sought and obtained their dismission. I continued in 
deep trial on this point for several weeks, hoping for some  
change for the better. I besought the Lord for light in this  
matter, and that which was granted me was quietly to with-
draw and be free. I did so, and notified the trustees of the  
meeting house that I was ready to dispose of my interest  
in the premises. They declined my offer, which  left me at  
liberty to dispose of it publicly,  which I did at quite a sacri- 
fice. I was now relieved from about twelve years' responsi- 
bilities and care, in aiding to build up and sustain a free 
church, who took the Bible for their only rule of faith and  
practice.  
Four of us, members of the church, had united and built  
the meeting house at a cost of over $9,000, nearly three quar- 
ters of which belonged to us at the time I withdrew. Some of  
my good friends who were engaged in the temperance and  
abolition cause, came to know why I could  not attend their  
stated meetings as formerly, and argued that my belief in  
the coming of the Saviour should make me more ardent in  
endeavoring to suppress these growing evils.  
My reply was, that in embracing the doctrine of the second  
coming of the Saviour, I found enough to engage my whole  
time in getting ready for such an event, and aiding others 
to do the same, and that all who embraced this doctrine would  
and must necessarily be advocates of temperance and the  
abolition of slavery; and those who opposed the doctrine of  
the second advent could not be very effective laborers in  
moral reform. And further, I could not see duty in leaving  
such a great work to labor single-handed as we had done,  
when so much more could be accomplished in working at the  
fountainhead, making us every way right as w^e should be 
for the coming of the Lord.  
In May, 1842, a  General Conference was convened in  
Boston, Massachusetts. At the opening of this meeting.  
Brethren Charles Fitch and Apollos Hale, of Haverhill, pre- 

UNIT1NG WITH THE ADVENTIST PEOPLE  187  
sented the pictorial prophecies of Daniel and John, which  
they had painted on cloth, with the prophetic numbers, show- 
ing their fulfilment. Brother Fitch, in explaining from his  
chart before the conference, said that while examining these  
prophecies, he had thought if he could get out something of  
the kind as here presented, it would simplify the subject, and  
make it much easier for him to present to an audience.  
Here was more light in our pathway. These brethren  
had been doing what the Lord had shown Habakkuk in his 
vision 2,468 years before, saying, " Write the vision, and 
make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 
For the vision is yet for an appointed time." Hab. 2:2, 3.  
After some discussion on the subject, it was voted unani- 
mously to have 300 charts similar to this one lithographed,  
which was soon accomplished. They were called " The  
'43 Charts."  
This was a very important conference. A camp-meeting  
was now appointed to convene the last week in June, at East 
Kingston, New Hampshire, where an immense multitude  
assembled to hear the glad tidings of the soon coming of our  
blessed Lord. I had not the pleasure of attending this meet-
ing, but heard most stirring reports of what was accom- 
plished there. Camp-meetings and conferences were now 
being multiplied throughout the Middle and Northern States,  
and Canada, and the messengers were proclaiming, in the  
language of the message, " The hour of His judgment is  
come!"


Second Advent  Camp-Meetings  
DURING the month of August, 1842, a second advent  
camp-meeting was held in Littleton, Massachusetts. This  
was the first camp-meeting I had ever attended. It was quite  
a novel thing to see such a variety of tents pitched around 
the ministers' stand, among the tall, shady trees. At the open- 
ing of the meeting, we learned that those who occupied them 
were families from the various towns in the vicinity of the  
camp and the city of Lowell, who were interested in the  
advent doctrine.  
The subject of the prophecies connected with the second  
coming of our blessed Lord and Saviour, was the theme of  
ministers and people. All, except a mob who came to break 
up the meeting, seemed deeply interested; and these, after 
becoming acquainted with the nature of the meeting,  ceased  
to trouble us, and peace, harmony, and love prevailed during  
the entire meeting.  
In September following, another camp-meeting was held  
in the southern part  of Massachusetts in the town of  
Taunton, in a beautiful grove of tall pines by the railroad be- 
tween Boston and New Bedford. This meeting was one  
of deep interest to the advent movement, and opened the  
way for tens of thousands to hear the proclamation of a  
coming Saviour. The cars, passing to and from these cities 
twice a day, landed the people in crowds on the camp- 
ground. A large number of ministers were in attendance.  
Elder Josiah Litch took the lead in this meeting, which  
continued for about a week. The preaching was clear, and 
was accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit in mighty  
measure.  
At one of our morning prayer meetings, as the invitation  
was given for those to come forward who wished to be  
prayed for, among the mourners it was said there were about  
thirty ministers who prostrated themselves, some of them  
189


190  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
on tlieir faces, beseeching God for mercy and a preparation  
to meet their coming Lord!  
On Sunday  it was judged there were ten thousand  people  
on the camp-ground.  The clear, weighty, and solemn preach- 
ing of the second coming of Christ, and the fervent prayers 
and animated singing of the new second advent hymns, ac- 
companied by the Spirit of the living God, sent such thrills  
through  the camp that many were shouting aloud for joy.  
While the committee were moving around  in the congre- 
gation, receiving contributions  to defray the expenses of the  
meeting, some of the sisters began to take out their earrings  
and strip off their finger rings and other jewelry, an example  
followed by many others, and all were thrown into the con- 
tribution.  
From this circumstance a report was circulated abroad  
that the Taunton camp-meeting  had taken up in their col- 
lection about three flour barrels full of jewelry! The com- 
mittee of arrangements,  anticipating  some wrong report about  
this matter, dispatched one of their number on the first train  
to New Bedford, instructing  him to sell all the jewelry for  
cash. He did so, and returned with seven dollars! We con- 
sidered this about six times less than what it should have sold  
for, the whole of which would have filled a pint measure.  
This was in keeping with many other false reports of  
second advent meetings which were retailed about the world  
for facts. This meeting was a very important one, and it  
opened the way for hundreds  of meetings in the various towns  
and villages in that region of country.  
In about four weeks another camp-meeting  was held three  
miles back of the city of Salem, Massachusetts. For interest  
and numbers, this surpassed any meeting that I had ever 
attended. Elder Joshua V. Himes had charge, and pitched  
his big tent there, which was said to hold about seven thousand  
people. On approaching  this meeting from the city of  
Salem, the main streets, crossroads,  lanes, and paths were  
crowded with teams and carriages  loaded with people, besides  
the jam of foot passengers, all crowding through  the thick,  
smothering dust to the camp-ground.  

SECOND ADVENT CAMP-MEETINGS  191  
Here in the large stone-walled  pasture ground, inter- 
spersed with high, ragged  rocks, clumps of bushes, and strag- 
gling trees, bounded by woods on two sides and water on  
another, with the city of Salem in the distance in another 
direction, were pitched the numerous  tents for the great  
meeting. The big tent loomed above them all like a light-
house, pointing  to the looked-for  harbor of the mariner, in- 
viting the pressing multitude to enter and listen to the mes- 
sengers of God proclaiming  with stentorian voices the second  
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
The  preaching  was on the great leading doctrines of the  
second advent. Ministers and people listened with profound  
attention, desiring to know if these things were so, and what  
to do to fit them for that day. The ministers present who 
preached were Elders Himes, Litch, Fitch, Hale, Plumer,  
Cole, and others. So anxious were the people to hear on  
this great subject, that those who could not be accommodated 
in the big tent could be seen in the distance congregated  under  
trees, listening to selected ministers explaining  from the '43  
chart fastened to the trees.  
When the preaching  meetings closed, prayer  meetings and  
praying circles for the unconverted  began in the tents. The  
evenings were more especially devoted to this part of the 
work. Anxious ones who became fully convinced by listening 
to the truth, sought and found relief in these praying  circles.  
Sometimes after listening to the united, earnest prayers, the 
shout of victory would follow, and then the rush to the tents  
to learn who was converted,  and to hear them tell what Jesus  
had done for them, and how they loved His appearing.  And  
those who wished to see the onward progress of this work of  
God, could join with the groups of men and women with  
their selected ministers passing down to the water-bound  side  
of the camp, and there, in accordance  with their faith, and  
in obedience to Him who had set them free from sin, see 
them buried with Him by baptism, and while returning  on  
their way rejoicing, meet others going to be buried in like  
manner.


190 LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Brother Miller, with others, was attending  conferences  
and camp-meetings  in other States, and his engagements  were  
such that he could not see it duty to be at any of these meet- 
ings in Massachusetts which I have mentioned.  Elder Cole,  
while speaking of his last meeting, on the preachers'  stand,  
said, " Last evening I preached in the meeting house in Meri- 
deth, New Hampshire, to a crowded house, and the people 
were so absorbed in the subject of the coming of Christ that  
THE THREEFOLD MESSAGE  
" The everlasting  gospel ... to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and  
people." Rev. 14:6.  
they remained  on their knees after I had closed the meeting,  
so that I had to pick my way out by stepping over them,  
to be out of the meeting in time to secure my passage to the  
Salem camp-meeting;  and when I got out of the house, the  
people in the yard were also on their knees, and thus I passed 
on, obliged to leave them."  
On Sunday, it was judged there  were fifteen thousand  
people in the camp. Here Brother Fitch took leave of his  
brethren and started for the West, to spread the glad tidings  
of a coming Saviour.  Two brethren in the ministry also  
started about this time to preach the second advent of Christ  
in England.  

SECOND ADVENT CAMP-MEETINGS  192  
This meeting gave an impetus to the cause that was wide- 
spread and lasting. When the camp broke up, a multitude  
from thence repaired to the Salem station to secure their  
passage for Boston and vicinity. Some accident occurring 
to the trains from Newburyport  detained us in the Salem  
station for about two hours. Here our company  began sing- 
ing advent hymns, and became so animated and deeply en- 
gaged that the people of the city came out in crowds, and  
seemed to listen with breathless attention until the train came  
and changed the scene.  
Elder S. Hawley, a Congregationalist  preacher who con- 
fessed faith in the advent doctrine about this time, was  
invited to preach on the subject in the city of Salem on  
Sunday. On attending to his appointment  a few weeks  
afterward,  he reported that the excitement there on this  
subject was intense. It was judged that he had seven thou- 
sand hearers.  
Second advent publications  were now multiplying,  and  
through the daily journals  it was astonishing to learn with  
what rapidity this glorious doctrine was being proclaimed 
throughout  the length and breadth of the Union and the  
Canadas. The people in the various States, counties, towns,  
cities, and villages, were all being aroused  to hear the glad  
tidings.  
Elder E. R. Pinney, of New York, in his exposition  of  
Matthew 24, says: " As early as 1842, second advent publica- 
tions had been sent to every missionary station in Europe.  
Asia, Africa, America, and both sides of the Rocky Moun- 
tains."  
As no work of God had ever aroused the nations of the  
earth in such a powerful  and sudden manner since the first  
advent of the Saviour and the day of Pentecost, the evidence  
was powerful  and prevailing  that this work was the fulfilling  
of the prophecy of the angel flying " in the midst of heaven, 
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell  
on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,  and tongue,  
and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give  
glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come."  
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In the  South  with  the  Message  
As Mr. Miller had always stated the time for the coming  
of the Lord to be about the year 1843, he was now pressed  
to state the point of time more definitely. He said that ac-
cording to the best evidence he could gather, he believed the  
Lord would come " sometime between the 21st of March  
1843, and March 21, 1844." Before the close of this mem- 
orable year, conferences were appointed  to be held by Breth- 
ren Miller, Himes, and others in the cities of New York,  
Philadelphia,  Baltimore, and Washington,  to give the last  
warning, and if possible wake up and warn the household of 
Caesar. It was a season of thrilling interest to all who truly  
loved the second advent doctrine.  
About this time I sold my place of residence, including  
the greater portion of my real estate, paid up all my debts, 
so that I could say once more that I owed " no man anything."  
For some time I had been looking and waiting for an  
open way to go down South into the slave-holding  States with  
the message. I was aware that slaveholders  in the South  
were rejecting the doctrine of the second advent, and but  
a few months before had ordered  Brethren Storrs and Brown  
from the city of Norfolk,  Virginia; and I was told that if  
I went South,  the slaveholders would kill me for being an  
abolitionist. I saw there was some danger, but imperative 
duty and a desire to benefit them and unburden my own soul, 
overbalanced  all such obstacles.  
Brother H. S. Gurney,  now living in Memphis, Michigan,  
said he would accompany  me as far as Philadelphia.  The  
steamer on which we took passage from Massachusetts  had  
much difficulty in getting through the floating  sheet ice on  
the last end of her passage, through  Long Island Sound  and  
Hurl Gate, to the city of New York.  
In Philadelphia  we attended some of the crowded meet- 
ings of Brother Miller and others. It was truly wonderful  
195


196  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
to see the multitudes of people gathered to hear him preach  
the coming of the Lord.  
Brother Gurney  now concluded  to accompany  me South.  
We reached the city of Annapolis,  Maryland,  by way of  
Washington, and crossed the Chesapeake Bay through  the  
ice to the central part of Kent Island, on which I had been 
cast away some twenty-seven  winters before. At the tavern  
we found the people assembled for town meeting. The  
trustees of two meeting houses who were present, were un- 
willing to open their doors for us, and intimated the danger 
of preaching the doctrine of Christ's coming among the slaves.  
We applied to the tavern keeper for his house. He replied  
that we could have it as soon as the town meeting closed.  
We then made an appointment  before them, that preach- 
ing on the second advent would be held in the tavern  the  
next afternoon,  at a given hour.  
Said the keeper of the tavern, " Is your name Joseph  
Bates?"  
I answered, " Yes."  
He said that he remembered my visiting his father's  
house when he was a small boy, and informed  me that his  
mother and family were in another  room, and would be glad  
to see me. His mother said she thought she knew me when  
I first came to the house.  
The notice of our meeting soon spread over the island,  
and the people came to hear, and soon became deeply inter- 
ested about the coming of the Lord. Our meetings continued  
here, I think, for five successive afternoons.  The mud was  
so deep, on account of a sudden thaw, that we held no 
evening meetings. The tavern was a temperance house, and 
accommodated  us much better than any other place we could  
have found in the vicinity.  
At the beginning of our last afternoon  meeting, a brother  
who had become deeply interested in the cause, called Brother  
Gurney and myself aside to inform us that there was a com-
pany about two miles off at a rum store, preparing  to come  
and take us. We assured him that we were not much  

IN THE SOUTH WITH THE MESSAGE  197  
troubled about it, and urged him to go into the meeting with 
us and leave the matter in their hands.  
The people seemed so earnest to hear that my anxiety  
increased to make the subject as clear as I could for them, 
so that the idea of being taken from the meeting had entirely  
passed from my mind. But before I had time to sit down,  
a man who was at the meeting for the first time, whom I knew  
to be a Methodist class leader, and one of the trustees who  
refused us the use of their meeting house, arose and began  
denouncing  the advent doctrine in a violent manner, saying  
that he could destroy or put down the whole of it in ten  
minutes.  
I remained standing, and replied, " We will hear you." 
In a few moments he seemed to be lost in his arguments,  
and began to talk about riding us on a rail.  
I said, "We are all ready for that, sir. If you will  
put a saddle on it, we would rather ride than walk."  
This caused such a sensation in the meeting that the  
man seemed to be at a loss to know which way to look for 
his friends.  
I then said to him, " You must not think that we have  
come six hundred miles through the ice and snow, at our  
own expense, to lecture to you, without first sitting down  
and counting the cost. And now, if the Lord has no more  
for us to do, we had as lief lie at the bottom of Chesapeake  
Bay as anywhere  else until the Lord comes. But if He  
has any more work for us to do, you can't touch us! "  
One Dr. Harper arose and said, " Kent, you know better!  
This man has been giving us the truth, and reading it out  
of the Bible, and I believe it! " In a few minutes more Mr.  
Kent shook me heartily by the hand and said, " Bates, come  
and see us! "  
I thanked  him, and said my work was so pressing I did  
not think I should have time; but I would come if I could.  
But we had time to visit only those who had become deeply  
interested, and wished us to meet with them in their pray- 
ing circles.


184 LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
At the close of our meeting we stated that we had the  
means, and were prepared to defray  all the expenses of the  
meeting cheerfully, unless some of them wished to share 
with us. They decided that they would defray the expenses  
of the meeting, and not allow us to pay one cent.  
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AT WASHINGTON,  N. H.  
In this graveyard are buried some of the early pioneers of the advent message.  

Along  the  Shores  of  Chesapeake  
Bay  
ON leaving Kent Island we passed along the east side  
of the Chesapeake  Bay to the county town of Centerville,  
Maryland,  about thirty miles distant, where we had sent an ap- 
pointment to hold meetings. We chose to walk, that we might  
have a better opportunity  to converse with the slaves and  
others, and furnish them with tracts which we had with us.  
On reaching Centerville we inquired for a Mr., Harper.  
On arriving  at his store we presented our introductory  letter,  
and were introduced  to Judge Hopper, who was engaged  
in writing. A number of men and boys came crowding into 
the store, apparently  full of expectation, when one of them  
began to question us respecting our views, and soon came  
to the point that Christ could not come now, because the  
gospel had not been preached to all the world. I replied  
that it had been preached  to every creature. When he  
showed his unwillingness  to believe, I asked for a Bible,  
and read the following:  " If ye continue in the faith grounded  
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the  
gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to  
every creature which is under heaven." Col. 1:23.  
Said the man, " Where are you going to preach ?"  
Judge Hopper said, " In the new meeting house."  
" Well," said he, " I will come and hear you."  
Mr. Harper invited us and the judge to tea, and to spend  
the evening. The judge had a great many questions to ask  
us respecting our faith, and about ten o'clock insisted on our  
going home with him to spend the night. Before reaching  
his house, which was about a mile out of town, he said,  
" Mr. Bates, I understand  that you are an abolitionist, and  
have come here to get away our slaves."  
199


200  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Said I, " Yes, judge, i am an abolitionist, and have come  
to get your slaves, and you too! As to getting your slaves  
from you, we have no such intention; for if you should  
give us all you have (and I was informed  he owned quite a  
number), we should not know what to do with them. We 
teach that Christ is coming, and we want you all saved."  
He appeared  satisfied and pleased with our reply, and in  
a few moments more we were introduced  to his family. The  
judge and Mr. Harper were the principal owners in a new 
meeting house just erected. These two friends stated that 
their meeting house was free for us to occupy. We began  
meetings there the next forenoon  with a large congregation.  
Judge Hopper invited us to make his house our home during  
our series of meetings.  
Our meetings in Centerville continued about three days  
with much interest. Many became deeply interested to hear  
for the first time about the coming of the Lord. Judge  
Hopper was very attentive, and admitted that he was almost  
persuaded of the correctness of our position. We were told 
that one of his slaves was deeply convicted, and professed  
to have been converted during our meetings.  
The  second day of our labors the judge arrived at his  
house before us, and was engaged  reading his paper, which  
had come by the last mail. It was the Baltimore Patriot. 
When we came in, he said, " Do you know who these were ? "  
and began reading in substance as follows:  
"Two men who came up in a vessel from Kent Island,  
were in our office, and related a circumstance respecting two  
Millerites that were recently there, preaching  about Christ's  
second coming and the end of the world. When threatened 
with riding on a rail, they replied that they were all ready,  
and if they would put a saddle on the rail, it would be better  
to ride than to walk! " The editor added that " the crush 
of matter and the Wreck of worlds would be nothing  to  
such men."  
We replied that such an occurrence did take place when  
we were on the island a short time previous, and that prob- 
ably we were the persons alluded  to. He laughed  heartily,  

ALONG THE SHORES  OF CHESAPEAKE  BAY 201  
and pressed us to relate the circumstance  while his family  
were gathering  to the dinner table.  
He then inquired which way we were going. We stated  
that we should like to go to the next county seat northeast.  
He gave us a letter of introduction  to a friend of his a  
lawyer, who had charge of the courthouse  in his absence,  
telling him to open the house for us to hold meetings in  
while we stayed. We arranged our appointments  for five  
meetings, and sent them to the lawyer to publish, as he  
was also editor of their village paper.  
The name of this town was Chester, I believe, distant  
about twenty-five  miles. One of our interested hearers sent  
his private carriage to convey us on our way. We were  
walking just before we came to the village, and met a man  
on foot, seemingly in great haste, who stopped and inquired  
if we were the two Millerites who were going to preach in  
that place! We answered in the affirmative.  " Well," said  
he, " I  have traveled  thirteen miles this morning  to see you! "  
As he stood gazing on us, I said, " How do we look ?"  
Said he, "You look like other men." His curiosity being  
gratified, we passed on and saw him no more.  
On arriving at the tavern for dinner, the tavern keeper  
slipped the village paper into the hand of Brother Gurney,  
for him to read the notice of the Miller meeting, supposing  
that we were the strangers expected. The notice closed by  
hoping that " the old women would  not be frightened at  
these men's preaching  about the end of the world."  
After dinner  we called to see the lawyer at his office,  
where we were entertained  for hours listening to his skep- 
tical views about the second advent, and answering his 
numerous questions. He was very punctual at all our meet-
ings, and became so deeply convinced of the truth that he was  
as much alarmed about his preparation  for the coming of the  
Lord as the old women he was so troubled about.  
The people came out to hear, and listened attentively,  
particularly the slaves, who had to stand at the back of the  
white congregation  and wait until they had all passed out.


202  LIFE OF JOSEPH  BATES  
This gave us a good opportunity  to speak with them. So we  
asked them if they heard what was said.  
" Yes, massa, ebery word." 
" Do you believe ? " 
" Yes, massa, believe it all."  
" Don't you want some tracts ? " 
" Yes, massa." 
" Can you read? "  
" No, massa; but young missus or massa's son will read  
for us."  
In this way we distributed a good number of tracts, with  
which we had furnished  ourselves from Elder Himes in  
Philadelphia.  They seemed delighted with the advent  
hymns. They heard Brother Gurney  sing the hymn, " I'm  
a pilgrim and I'm a stranger."  One of the colored men  
came to our lodgings to beg one of the printed copies.  
Brother Gurney had but one. Said he, " I'll give you a  
quarter of a dollar for it." Probably that was all the money  
the poor fellow had. He lingered as though  he could not  
be denied. Brother Gurney then copied it for him, which 
pleased him very much.  
When we closed the meeting, the white people remained  
seated and silent. The poor slaves stood behind, gazing and  
waiting for their superiors to move first. There sat the  
lawyer who had so faithfully  warned the old women not  
to be scared about the preaching of the end of the world. He, 
and one or two others, had been taking notes of our subject.  
We sang an advent hymn, and exhorted them to get ready  
for the coming of the Lord, and dismissed them again.  
Still they remained silent and immovable.  Brother  
Gurney exhorted them faithfully,  but they appeared  as if  
they had not the least desire to leave the place. We felt fully  
satisfied that God was operating  by His Holy Spirit. We  
then sang another hymn, and dismissed them, and they began  
slowly and silently to retire.  
We waited to have some conversation  with the colored  
people. They said they understood,  and seemed much af- 
fected. When we came out of the courthouse,  the people  

ALOMG THE SHORES  OF CHESAPEAKE  BAY 203  
stood in groups almost silent. We passed along by them,  
bidding them good-by.  The lawyer and the principal  of the  
academy were watching for us, and walked with us to the 
hotel. Both of them were powerfully  convicted, and appar- 
ently subdued. The teacher had argued with us several times 
to prove that this movement was all a delusion, but now he 
began to confess. The lawyer seemed now to ask questions  
for himself, and was so intent on the subject that he detained  
us in conversation  at the side of the hotel until we were  
compelled by the cold to go in by the fire. We exhorted  
him to confess all his sins, and give his heart to the Lord.  
The principal of the academy  said, " Now, brethren, I  
want you to go with me to my room,  where we will have a  
good fire. I want to talk more about this work."  He there  
confessed how skeptical he had been, and the opposition  he  
had manifested, and how he had attended the meetings and 
taken notes on purpose  to refute the doctrine. " But," said  
he, " I believe it all now. I believe, with you, that Christ is  
coming."  
We labored and prayed with him until after midnight.  
We were told next morning that some of the inhabitants  
were so powerfully  convicted that they had not been in bed  
during the night. Two men who were staying at the hotel,  
said they had come thirty miles on horseback to attend the  
meetings.  
While here the way opened for a series of meetings  
thirteen miles northward,  at a place called The Three Cor- 
ners. We were told that we had better not go, for the tavern 
keeper was a rank Universalist, and would oppose us.


At "The  Three  Corners"  
ON our arrival  at the place called The Three Corners,  
we feared from its appearance  we should have but few  
hearers. An academy,  a tavern, and a Methodist meeting  
house in the distance, with a few scattered dwellings, were  
about all there was to be seen. Our appointment  was out  
for a meeting that evening. The Methodist trustees refused  
us the use of their house. We finally obtained the academy  
for our evening meeting, and put up at the Universalist  
tavern, kept by a Mr. Dunbar.  
The Methodist preacher on the circuit said to us, " I held  
a meeting in the academy last first day, and had but eighteen  
hearers. I suppose your doctrine will call out a few more."  
Imagine our surprise at the hour of meeting to find the  
house crowded, so that a great portion of the congregation 
were perched on top of the seats, looking over each other's 
heads. We found a place finally to hang up our chart.  
Brother Gurney began to sing one of the favorite  advent  
hymns, which stilled them into silence, and the meeting 
continued with deep interest to the close.  
We then stated our wish to hold four meetings more, and  
to begin the next afternoon,  but we had no place open for us.  
After waiting a moment, our landlord said, " Gentlemen, 
appoint your meeting at my house."  
I hesitated, doubting  whether it would be proper  to ap- 
point an advent meeting where liquor was vended and drunk  
without restraint. As no other person spoke, I made the  
appointment for the next afternoon  at Mr. Dunbar's tavern!  
I believe it was two o'clock.  
After getting to the tavern, Mr. Dunbar came in, followed  
by a number of ladies, saying, " Gentlemen, these ladies have 
come to hear you sing more of your new hymns. They are 
delighted with the singing, and interested in your doctrine."  
204


206  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
After breakfast the next morning  our host began in a  
very gentlemanly manner to show the inconsistent views of  
professed Christians, and the beauties of the doctrine of  
Universalism. In order to relieve us both from long argu- 
ments, we told him we had nothing to do with the Universalist 
doctrine. We had come there to preach the coming of Christ, 
and we wanted him and his neighbors to get ready. Our con- 
versation closed here, and he went out.  
After a while he came home, saying, " Well, gentlemen,  
the Methodist meeting house is open for you to lecture in.  
The trustees have had some feeling about refusing  you the  
use of their house. It is now ready for your meeting this  
afternoon.  I did not believe they would let you hold your  
meetings in my house."  
Soon after our meeting opened  in the afternoon,  a well- 
dressed, intelligent-looking  man entered and seated himself  
near the center of the house, and while I was explaining a  
passage of scripture from the book of Revelation, he looked  
at me earnestly and shook his head. I said to the audience.  
" Here is.a gentleman shaking his head. He doesn't believe."  
Before I had finished my discourse, as I was quoting another 
passage from the same source, he repeated the operation.  
I said, " This gentleman is shaking his head again. He does  
not believe." His countenance  changed, and he appeared  
confused.  
As Brother Gurney and I came down from the pulpit  
after closing the meeting, he pressed his way through  the  
crowd and took my hand, saying, " I want you to go home  
with me tonight."  
I thanked him and said, " I would with pleasure, but I  
have a friend here."  
Said he, " I want him to go, too, and I want you should  
bring that chart [pointing  to it] with you."  
Another man pressed us to ride home with him, some  
two miles, to supper. Said this gentleman, " I'll go, too."  
He did so.  
In the evening our congregation  was larger and very  
attentive. After meeting, our new friend, Mr. Hurt, took  

AT " THE THREE CORNERS '  207  
us into his coach with his wife. Soon after we started, he  
asked his wife if she remembered the dream that he had 
told her. She said, " Yes." " Well," said he, " these are 
the two angels that I saw." Here he began to relate his  
dream. The following, in substance, is all I now remember:  
Just previous  to our coming to the place, he dreamed of  
being in company  with two angels that were declaring  good  
THE CYRUS K. FARNSWORTH  HOMESTEAD,  AT WASHINGTON,  N. H.  
In this home, about one mile from  the Seventh-day  Adventist church,  Joseph  
Bates learned the Sabbath truth.  
news, and he remembered particularly  how they looked.  
" Then," said he, " when you spoke about my shaking  my  
head the second time, I looked again. I thought I had seen  
you. Here my dream came to me, and I knew by your  
countenances that you were the two persons, and more espe-
cially you, because of that mole on your right cheek, which  
I saw in my dream."  
He stepped out and opened his gate, and I thought,  
Surely we shall be at the house soon. After a while we  
learned from him that it was three miles from his front  
gate to his house! His plantation  was large, and he had a  
great number of slaves. He was a man of leisure, and had  
learned from some author peculiar  notions about the book of  
Revelation. This was why he shook his head at my appli-


208  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
cation, because of the opposite views. He and his wife 
entertained us a good part of the night, and until time for  
meeting the next afternoon, asking questions about the doc-
trine of the advent, the chart, etc.  
When Mr. Hurt's carriage was ready, he apologized for  
his remissness in not asking us to address his servants  
(slaves). I felt relieved at this, as I would rather speak to  
them in the mixed congregation. But as we were getting 
into the coach, he said to his hostler, who was holding the 
reins, " Do you tell all hands to come to meeting this evening."  
"Yes, massa." 
" Don't you forget — ALL OF THEM." 
" No, massa." 
This was cheering to us. We wanted them to hear with  
their master.  
The preceptor of  the academy, and Mr. Dunbar, the land- 
lord, were the two leading Universalists in that section of the 
country. Both of them had now become interested in this  
new doctrine. The preceptor closed his school to attend the  
last afternoon meeting, and came in with three great books  
under his arm, expecting, I suppose, to confound us in some 
of our expositions of the prophecies by quotations from the 
dead languages. He appealed to his books but once, and  
failing to prove his point, said no more. From their appear- 
ance, I was satisfied that he and  Mr. Dunbar were deeply  
convicted of the truth. As he was lugging home  his books  
after meeting, I said in passing him, " What do you think 
of the subject now? " Said he, " I will give up."  
In the evening the gallery was crowded with colored  
people; unquestionably the majority of them were Mr.  
Hurt's slaves. They listened with marked attention. Any- 
thing that would work deliverance from perpetual bondage  
was good news to them. The congregation appeared re- 
markably willing to hear.  
At the close of the meeting we stated that our appointment  
had gone forward to Elktown, twenty-five miles north, for  
us to meet with the people the next evening, and we wished  
to engage one of their teams to carry us. Mr. Hurt cour- 

AT " THE THREE CORNERS "  209  
teously offered to see us there in his private  carriage, and  
engaged us to tarry with him for the night.  
While we were waiting for the  carriage after meeting,  
Mr. Dunbar came to us privately to ask if this doctrine was  
preached in the North, and also in England, and if this was 
the way Mr. Miller presented it.  
We answered that it was, only that Mr. Miller set it  
forth in a superior manner, and in far clearer light than  
we had ability to do. He walked about, seemingly in deep  
distress.  
Mr. Hurt now rode up, and we passed on with him. He  
seemed much troubled while he related the experience of him-
self and his wife, and how he had refused to be a class leader  
among the Methodists, and regretted that they could not be 
baptized.  
On our way in the morning we stopped at the tavern, and  
when we came out of our room with our baggage to settle out- 
fare, Mr. Dunbar and the preceptor sat in the barroom with  
their Bibles open, listening to Mr. Hurt's dream concerning 
us, and his faith in the advent doctrine. Mr. Dunbar and the  
preceptor said they saw the truth as never before, and im-
portuned us to stay and continue our meetings. We replied 
that our previous appointment at Elktown required us to 
be there that evening. They then pressed us to return, but  
as our arrangements were still farther north, we could not 
comply with their request.  
14


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' We found a place ... to hang up our chart, , . . and the meeting continued  
with deep interest to the close."  

COPY OF THE ORIGINAL 1843 CHART  

The Passing  of  the  Time  in  1843  
FROM The Three Corners Mr. Hurt took us in his carriage  
to Elktown, introducing us and the message to his friends on 
the way. In Elktown also he exerted himself to open the  
way for our meetings. When parting with us, after we had 
prayed with him, he said, " I would give all I possess if I  
could feel as I believe you do in this work." We heard no  
more from him.  
We held five meetings in the courthouse in Elktown.  
Some professed to believe, and were anxious to hear further,  
if we could have stayed with them longer.  
From Elktown we took the cars to Philadelphia, and  
thence to New York City. Here we met Mr. Miller, who 
had just returned from Washington, D. C., where he had 
been to give a course of lectures. At New York we took  
passage on board a Long Island steamer for Fall River,  
Massachusetts.  
In the evening, after passing Hurl Gate, we hung up the  
chart in the center of the passengers' cabin, and by the time  
we had sung a hymn, a large company had collected, who  
began to inquire about the pictures on the chart. We replied 
that if they would be quietly seated, we would endeavor to  
explain. After a while they declared themselves ready to  
hear, and listened attentively for some time, until we were  
interrupted by an increasing heavy gale from the east, which 
caused our boat to bear up for a harbor. In consequence of  
the violence of the gale, the route of the boat was changed,  
and the passengers were landed on the Connecticut shore,  
and proceeded in the cars to Boston. The subject of the  
advent of the Saviour was resumed on board the cars, and 
continued to be agitated until we separated at the passenger  
station in Boston.  
211


212 LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
Before the passing of the time, we visited some of the  
islands belonging to Massachusetts and Rhode Island, namely,  
Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Block Island. Of the  
ten or twelve thousand inhabitants on these islands, many pro- 
fessed to believe, and united in the advent movement.  
As we came down to the spring of 1844, and approached  
the long-looked-for time published by Mr. Miller and others,  
for the closing up of the prophetic periods of Daniel's vision  
and the coming of our Lord and Saviour, the work became  
more and more exciting. Probably nothing since the flood,  
in the days of Noah, has ever equaled it.  
The most important point then to settle was where in  
the history of the world the 2300 days began. It was finally  
settled that 457 years before Christ was the only reliable time.  
Thus the sum of 457 years before Christ, and 1843 full years 
after Christ, made just 2300 full and complete years.  
Scripture testimony was also clear that every year began  
with the new moon in the spring, just fourteen days before  
the yearly Passover. (See Ex. 12:1-6; 13:3, 4.) It was  
therefore settled that the 17th day of April, 1844, Roman  
time, was the close of the year 1843, Bible time.  
The passing of this time was the first disappointment in  
the advent movement. Those who felt the burden of the 
message were left in deep trial and anguish of spirit. They  
were surrounded by those who were exulting with joy because  
of the failure of their calculation.  
In this trying time the Scriptures were searched diligently,  
to ascertain, if possible, the cause of the disappointment. In  
the prophecy of Habakkuk were found a few points relative  
to the vision, which had never been particularly examined  
before. It reads thus: " The vision is yet for an appointed  
time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, 
wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."  
Hab. 2:3.  
At this period it was said that there were some fifty thou- 
sand believers in this movement in the United States and the  
Canadas, who never, until the passing of the time, had realized 
or understood that there was a tarrying or waiting time in  

THE PASSING OF THE TIME 213  
the vision. This, and other scriptures of like import, en- 
couraged the tried ones to hold on with unyielding faith. 
They were often attacked by their opponents with, " What 
are you going to do now your time is past ? You know  you  
set the time for Christ to come at the termination of the  
2300 days of Daniel's vision. Your time is now past, and  
He has not come; now why don't you confess your mistake,  
and give it all up ? "  
They would answer,  " Because the Lord said, ' Wait  
for it.'"  
"Wait for what?"  
" The vision."  
" How long?" 
" He did not say; but He did say,' WAIT FOR IT ; BECAUSE  
IT WILL SURELY COME.' Give it up, did you say? We  
dare not!"  
" Why?" 
" Because the command of the Lord to His confiding and  
disappointed people, at this particular point of the second  
advent movement, was to WAIT."  
THE SANCTUARY IN THE WILDERNESS  
Type of the sanctuary in heaven  
)


"Behold,  the  Bridegroom  Cometh"  
THE first work of the advent body in their disappointment  
was to re-examine  the 2300 days of Daniel's vision. But  
they were unable to discover any error in their calculation.  
It was still evident and clear that it required every day of  
457 years before Christ, and also every day of 1843 years  
after Christ, to complete the 2300 years of the vision. It  
was also clear that the year must correspond  and terminate  
with the Jewish sacred year.  
At this important crisis the " Advent Shield " was pub- 
lished, reviewing  all the past movement, especially the p. o- 
phetic periods, showing that we had followed them down  
correctly. We quote from pages 86, 87 :  
" We look upon the proclamation  which has been made,  
as being the cry of the angel who proclaimed,  f The hour of  
His judgment is come.' Rev. 14:6, 7. It is  a sound which  
is to reach all nations; it is the proclamation  of ' the ever- 
lasting gospel,' or 'this gospel of the kingdom.' In one  
shape or other this cry has gone abroad through  the earth,  
wherever human  beings are found, and we have had oppor- 
tunity to hear of the fact."  
Joseph Wolfe, D. D., according  to his journals, between  
the years 1821 and 1845, proclaimed  the Lord's speedy- 
advent, in Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia,  Persia, Georgia,  
throughout  the Ottoman  Empire, in Greece, Arabia, Tur- 
kestan, Hindustan,  in Holland, Scotland,  and Ireland, at  
Constantinople, Jerusalem, St. Helena, and in New York City  
to all denominations."—  Voice of the Church, pp. 343, 344.  
From the foregoing  historical facts, the unbiased reader  
will not fail to see with what wonderful  speed the glorious  
doctrine of the second advent of our Lord and Saviour  
spread throughout  the whole habitable globe. Those who  
were engaged in this most solemn work were some of the  
. 215


' "TBS  
SEVENTH DAI SABBATH,  
~ PERPETUAL SIGN.  
JjPOM THE BEGfl«i«<«»Gt TO THE gNTEHlKa JHTO TOE  
GATES Or THE HOLT CITY.  
ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDANT.  
BY JOSEPH BATES.  
< I ,, , M m '' T $ W tp >,„t as  
!' - ^ ' 1 ' ' ' 1 < • >« u : • .  
K  
Oitrw jji,*** Afr „;,. *  
Am  
.'(1 by some, that bee,.  
M*®bih» in the wjtd«ruess, wenflgried i.. .  
I.; • .X xsn therefore ktri. instituted for the Jtw«.  
ELDER BATES'S FIRST TRACT ON THE SABBATH QUESTION  
216  

"BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH " 217  
honest and faithful from ail the churches. Said the " Advent 
Shield," pages 92, 93:  
" No cause of a moral or religious character, probably,  
ever made so rapid advances as the cause of adventism. Its  
votaries have usually been the most humble, pious, devoted  
members of ,the different churches. . . . Never have a set  
of men labored more faithfully and zealously in the cause of  
God, or with purer motives. But their work is with the 
Lord, and their record on high."  
While in this tarrying, waiting position, searching and  
praying for light on the track of prophecy, it was further 
seen that our  Lord had given the parable of the ten virgins  
(Matt. 25:1-13) to illustrate the advent movement. In  
answer to the question, " What shall be the sign of Thy  
coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3) our  
Lord pointed out some of the most important events with  
which the Christian church was to be connected from the  
time of His first to His second advent, such as the destruction 
of Jerusalem in A. D. 70, following which was the great tribu-
lation of the Christian church for more than sixteen hundred  
years, under  pagan and papal Rome. Then the darkening of  
the sun in 1780, and the falling of the stars in 1833. Then  
followed the proclamation of His second coming in His king- 
dom, closing with a description of two classes of Adventists.  
" Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten  
virgins which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the 
bridegroom," etc. The words " kingdom of heaven " un-
doubtedly refer to the same portion of the living church which 
the Lord pointed out in Matthew 24: 45-51, who continue in 
their history with the same proclamation of His second 
coming. And all the way to verse 13, in every important 
move they make, their history is likened, or compared, to the 
history of the ten virgins in the parable, namely, the tarrying 
of the vision, the tarrying of the bridegroom, the midnight  
cry, " Behold, the bridegroom cometh," etc.  
Soon after the tarrying of the vision of 2300 days, the  
second angel's message began to be proclaimed. (See Rev.  
14:8.) While moving on in this message into the summer


218  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
of 1844, the definite time for the close of the vision began 
to be taught. But the leading ministers opposed it.  
A camp-meeting was appointed to convene in Exeter,  
New Hampshire, on the 12th of August. On my way there  
in the cars, something like the following was several times  
very forcibly presented to my mind: " You are going to  
have new light here, something that will give a new impetus  
to the work."  
On my arrival there, I passed around among the many  
tents to learn if there was any new light. I was asked if  
I was going to the Exeter tent, and was told that they had  
new light there. I was soon seated among them, listening to  
what they called " the midnight cry." This was new light,  
sure enough. It was the very next move in advent history  
(if we moved at all), wherein advent history could be fitly  
compared to that of the  ten virgins in the parable. Matt.  
25:6. It worked like leaven throughout the whole camp.  
And when that meeting closed, the granite hills of New  
Hampshire were ringing with the mighty cry, " Behold, the 
Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him."  
As the loaded wagons, stages, and railroad cars rolled  
away through the different States, cities, and villages of New  
England, the cry was still resounding, " Behold, the Bride- 
groom cometh! " Christ, our blessed Lord, is coming on the  
tenth day of the seventh month! Get ready! get ready! !  
After an absence of five days, I returned home to Fair- 
haven in season for an evening meeting. My brethren were  
slow to believe our report respecting the new light. They 
believed they were right thus far, but the midnight cry was  
a strange doctrine to connect with advent history. Sunday  
morning I attended the advent meeting in New Bedford, 
some two miles distant. Brother Hutchinson, from Canada,  
was preaching. He appeared much confused, and sat down, 
saying, " I can't preach."  
Elder E. Macomber, who had returned with me from  
the camp-meeting, was in the desk with him. He arose, ap- 
parently much excited, saying, " Oh! I wish I could tell you  

" BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH " 219  
what I have seen and heard, but I cannot," and down he 
sat also.  
I then arose from my seat in the congregation, saying,  
" I can! " and never do I remember of having such free- 
dom and flow of words in all my religious experience. Words 
came like flowing water. As I sat down, a sister came to  
me across the hall, saying, " Brother Bates, I want you to 
preach that same discourse to us this afternoon."  
Brother Hutchinson was now relieved from all his stam- 
mering, and said, "If what Brother Bates has said is true,  
1 don't wonder he thought my preaching was like car- 
penters' chips."  
When the meeting closed the next evening, stammering- 
tongues were loosed and the cry was sounding, " Behold, the  
Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!" Arrange- 
ments were quickly made for meetings, to spread the glad 
tidings all around.


The Providential  Unfolding  of  
Scriptural  Truths  
The Launching of a Great Movement  
ON August 22, 1844, a paper was issued, called the  
Midnight Cry, setting forth all the points in the types, with  
the calculations showing that the definite time for the ending 
of the vision of 2300 days would be on the tenth day of 
the seventh month, 1844. Following this, at a camp-meeting 
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Elder J. V. Himes and several  
of the leading Adventist ministers pressed their objections  
respecting the genuineness of the midnight cry. But before  
the meeting closed they were returning to their stations, and 
a few days later, the Advent Herald was heralding their con- 
fessions, and telling how all their objections were removed,  
and their faith in the cry steadfast and unwavering.  
We have not space here to present the arguments by which  
the midnight cry was sustained, but so convincing and power- 
ful were they that all opposition was swept before them, and  
with amazing rapidity the sound was heralded throughout 
the land, and the poor, discouraged souls who had " slumbered  
and slept" " while the Bridegroom tarried," were awakened  
from their apathy and discouragement, and "arose and  
trimmed their lamps " to go forth and " meet the Bride- 
groom." All hearts were united in the work, and all seemed  
in earnest to make a thorough preparation for the coming  
of Christ, which they believed to be so  near. Thousands  
were running to and fro, giving the cry, and scattering books 
and papers containing the message.  
But another sad disappointment awaited the watching  
ones. Shortly before the definite day the traveling brethren  
returned to their homes, the papers were suspended, and all 
were waiting in ardent expectation for the coming of their  
Lord and Saviour.  
220  

PROVIDENTIAL UNFOLDING OF SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS 221  
The day passed, and another twenty-four hours followed,  
but deliverance did not come. Hope sank and courage died 
within them, for so confident had they been in the correctness  
of the calculations that they could find no encouragement in  
a re-examination of the time. They felt nothing could be  
brought to extend the days beyond the tenth day of the sev- 
enth month, 1844, nor has there been to this day, notwith- 
standing the  many efforts of those who are continually fixing  
upon some definite time for the coming of Christ.  
The effect of this disappointment can be realized only by  
those who experienced it. Advent believers were then thor-
oughly tested, with various results. Some turned away and  
gave up the faith, while a large majority continued to teach 
and urge that the days were not ended. Still another class  
believed that the days had ended, and that duty would soon  
be made plain. All, excepting this latter class, virtually re-
jected their former experience, and in consequence were 
left in darkness relative to the true position and work for the  
advent people.  
Those who still held fast to their belief that the time was  
right, and had really passed, now turned their attention to  
an examination of their position. It soon became apparent  
that the mistake was not in the time, but in the event to take 
place at the end of the period. The prophecy declared, 
" Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall  
the sanctuary be cleansed." We had been teaching that the 
sanctuary was the earth, and that its cleansing was its puri- 
fication by fire at the second advent of Christ. In this was  
our mistake, for, upon a careful examination, we were  
unable to discover anything in the Bible to sustain such a  
position. Light began to shine upon the Word of God as 
never before, and by its aid a clear and well-defined position 
was obtained on the subject of the sanctuary and its cleansing,  
by means of which we were enabled to explain satisfactorily 
the passing of the time, and the disappointment following,  
to the great encouragement of those who held fast to the  
message as bemg of God.


222  LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
We were also greatly cheered and strengthened  by the  
light which we received on the subject of the three angels' 
messages of Revelation 14:6-12. We fully believed that 
we had been giving the first of these, " Fear God, and give 
glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment  is come; " that  
the proclamation  of definite time, that mighty movement  
which roused the world and created such a general and wide- 
spread interest in the advent doctrine, was a perfect ful-
filment of that message. After the passing of the time, our 
eyes were opened to the fact that two other messages were  
to follow before the coming of Christ,— the second angel, 
announcing  the fall of Babylon; and the third, giving a most  
solemn warning against false worship, and presenting the  
commandments  of God and the faith of Jesus.  
In close connection with the giving of the first message,  
we became convinced  that the fall of Babylon indicated the  
moral fall from the favor of God of the nominal  churches  
which rejected the light from heaven, and shut out from their  
places of worship  and from  their hearts the doctrine of the  
advent, because they had no love for it, and did not desire  
it to be true.  
The first and second messages being given, attention  was  
now turned to the third, and an examination  as to its nature  
and claims was instituted. As before remarked,  it contains  
a most solemn warning  against the worship of the beast and  
his image, and presents to notice the commandments  of God  
and the faith of Jesus. By the expression, " commandments  
of God," we understand  the moral law of ten commandments,  
which has been recognized  by the church in all ages as binding  
upon mankind,  and containing  those moral precepts which  
regulate our duty to God and to our fellow men. This being  
made the burden of a special message just before the coming  
of Christ, coupled with such a solemn warning,  renders it  
apparent  that the church must be remiss in the matter, and  
that some gross error in regard to the commandments  of God  
must lie at their door.  
A careful examination  of the practice of the church re- 
veals the fact that the fourth  commandment  is not observed  

PROVIDENTIAL UNFOLDING  OF SCRIPTURAL  TRUTHS 223  
— as it enjoins the observance of the seventh day of the week  
•as the Sabbath, while almost all the Christian world have  
been keeping the first day. Hence the necessity of a reform  
in this matter. Before Christ comes, His people must observe  
all of God's commandments,  and thus be prepared  for trans- 
lation.  
As these facts were presented to the attention of those  
who had been giving the two former messages, those who were 
moving in the counsel of God and recognized  His hand in  
the work thus far, and in the disappointment,  as being of  
itself a fulfilment  of prophecy,  gladly embraced this truth,  
and began keeping the Sabbath of the Lord. Although  at  
first the light on this subject was not one-tenth  part as clear  
as it is at the present time, the humble children of God were  
ready to receive and walk in it.  
From that time the progress of the work has been  
steadily onward.  Rising in comparative  obscurity, rejected  
by many who had gladly embraced the first and second mes- 
sages, presented at first by but few preachers, struggling  
along in want and poverty, contending  with the opposition  
of many and the prejudices of all, it has gradually  and steadily- 
worked its way upward,  under the blessing of God, until it  
now stands on a firm foundation,  presenting  a connected chain  
of argument and a bold front of truth, which commend it  
to the consideration  of the candid and thoughtful  wherever  
the message is preached.  
It is now [in 1868] twenty-three  years since we began  
keeping the Sabbath of the Lord, which time we have endeav- 
ored to teach it to others, both in private and by public labors,  
by the fireside and from  the sacred desk. We have presented  
this and kindred truths in New England, many of the West- 
ern States, and the Canadas, and our labors have been blessed  
by seeing scores and hundreds  turn from the traditions of  
men to the observance of all of God's commandments.  
In closing this work, I desire to express my gratitude  
to God that I am permitted to bear a humble part in this  
great work; and while my past life has been a checkered and  
eventful one, it is my earnest desire to spend the remainder


611 LIFE OF JOSEPH BATES  
of my days in the service of God, and for the advancement 
of His truth, that I may have a place in His soon-coming 
kingdom.  And that reader and writer may meet in that happy- 
home of the saints, is my most earnest prayer.  
GRAVE OF ELDER JOSEPH BATES, AT MONTEREY, MICH.  
" Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. . . . Yea, saith the  
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors: and their works do follow  
them." Rev. 14:13.