arrived, all in good health. The cargo was soon discharged, all hands
paid, and I returned to my home.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Sinking of the Sloop First Consul.

About the first of September, 1842, two of my friends in New-York
purchased a Sloop called the First Consul, about twenty-five tons
burden, and gave me the charge of her with orders to employ her in any
trade I thought proper to earn a living in. I remained in the city some
weeks seeking employment for my vessel, but after many applications for
freights, without success, I found myself disappointed in my
calculations in obtaining business for her in the city. As a last
resort, I determined to proceed up the Hudson River as far as Rondout,
where I expected to procure some small freights of coal to deliver at
the neighboring villages on the river.

On the fifteenth of October I left New-York for Rondout, where I
obtained a freight of about thirty tons of coal to be delivered at
Poughkeepsie. We loaded and left for our port of destination, where we
discharged our cargo and agreed to return and take in another for the
same company. Finding the sloop proved leaky I proceeded home to
Catskill, where I procured a caulker and gave her some repairs, when we
returned to Rondout and took on board another cargo of coal. Supposing
the vessel to be perfectly tight in her upper works after the
overhauling she had received, we loaded her deep, in order to take a
full canal boat's cargo on board. After we had proceeded some distance
on our passage we discovered that the vessel leaked badly. We had light
baffling winds during the night, and tried the pump hourly. Finding we
could keep her free without very heavy fatigue, we apprehended no
serious danger, and soon arrived at the same wharf in Poughkeepsie where
we had landed our last cargo, and hauled into a small slip which I
considered a very safe harbor. I had one man on board with me, whom I
told we would get some breakfast, when we would go below and take a
short nap, as we had been on deck all night; after which would find the
owner of the coal and obtain leave to discharge the deck load that day,
although it was Sunday. We then retired into the cabin and laid down to
sleep, it being about eight o'clock in the morning. After laying about
two hours I was aroused by a loud cry, "Come out, come out, you are
sinking." I sprang upon my feet, determined to save my trunk and
clothing, which I was prevented from doing by a