Description:

Schooner "Dolphin" Damaged in Possible Hurricane En Route to Martinique: "blowing very hard in violent gusts with rain thunder & Lightning"

A 2pp manuscript document prepared by a notary public in Saint-Pierre, Martinique on December 19, 1795, signed by three officers and sailors of the schooner "Dolphin" from Charleston, South Carolina. Neatly inscribed in secretarial script on both sides of a legal-sized leaf of cream laid paper with an enormous watermark measuring 3.5" x 5.5" alone. Expected wear including paper folds. Lightly toned, and with a reversible pencil inscription from a former collector found verso, else near fine. 7.875" x 13."

The schooner "Dolphin," captained by one Benjamin Holmes, had left Charleston, South Carolina on November 27, 1795 en route for Saint-Pierre, Martinique, a town and commune in the French-controlled Lesser Antilles. The "Dolphin" limped into port on December 19, 1795, heavily damaged after possibly encountering a mid-ocean hurricane in early December.

The journey from Charleston to Saint-Pierre would cover about 1,700 miles of open water during the end of prime hurricane season (June 1 - November 31). Just fifteen years before, between October 10-16, 1780, the Great Hurricane of 1780 had ravaged Barbados, Saint Lucia, Martinique, and the eastern side of Hispaniola. The deadliest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean caused a 25-foot storm surge in Martinique which destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre and killed approximately 9,000 people, or about half of the storm's no doubt grossly underestimated 22,000 casualties.

Undertaking a journey during this part of the year thus entailed significant danger. Samuel Lynch, in his capacity as "Notary of Public and Tabellion" (tabellion being an archaic term used in the English-speaking world in the 17th and 18th centuries, meaning an official scribe) recorded the testimony of Captain Benjamin Holmes, Mate William Nichols, and Sailor John Pettingale of the schooner "Dolphin." The ship's contingent recounted how a violent storm in the Atlantic Ocean, possibly a hurricane, had caused the ship to take on water, rendering her completely unseaworthy upon her eventual arrival in the Windward Islands three weeks later. The record was drawn up for insurance purposes.

In part:

"That is to Say That They the said Benjamin Holmes William Nichols and James Pettingale in their different capacities as above recited sailed on board the said Schooner Dolphin from Charlestown Bar in the United States of American upon the twenty seventh day of November One thousand seven hundred + ninety five with a Cargo for St Pierre Mtque at which time said Schooner was tight staunch + strong as well above water as below had her Cargo properly stowed and was in every other respect well appointed for said Voyage which was pursued without any material occurrence intervening until [] of December in Latitude 24:48 Longd. 45:30 West blowing very hard in violent gusts with rain thunder & Lightning the said Vessel labouring much in consequence if its Violence and find She made a great deal of water brought her, and on the ninth the weather moderating made sail, from which time the said Vessel continued to make a great deal of water, and on Saturday the 19th December arrived at the Port of St Pierre in the above Island where having an immediate Survey upon the said Vessel and she was found in so Bad Condition as to be entirely unfit for 'sea…'"

Even if the ship did not founder in the storm, the subsequent water damage could have destroyed its all-important cargo. The contents of the "Dolphin" were never disclosed, but we can speculate that it could have contained such staples as meat, grain, and liquor, but also furniture, clothing, luxury goods, and plantation equipment essentials, such as sugar mill wheels, as these were commonly traded in the Caribbean during this time. On its return trip back home, the "Dolphin" might have been scheduled to bring back cotton, indigo, sugar, or coffee.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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