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Another one
editCaptain Israel Williams sailed from Salem harbor in 1798, in the ship Friendship, for Batavia, to find a market. His cargo consisted of the staples suited to the East India trade. When in latitude 22° 50' south, and longitude 21° 46' west, the ship's supply of water gave out. Captain Williams was thinking however. It was said that he was uncommunicative, even to his first officer, who often walked the quarter-deck with him.
Yes, he was meditating. A great responsibility rested upon him. Not only were the lives of his officers and crew in his hands, but a valuable ship and cargo as well.
The captain went to his cabin in a thoughtful frame of mind, not even noticing that the careless helmsman had luffed the ship up into the wind so that every sail was flapping. When the captain again made his appearance on-deck, he paced back and forth for a while, and then accosted his first officer as follows : "Get up one of the empty beef barrels from the hold, also one of the muskets and take the barrel out. I 'm going to try an experiment."[1]
- ^ Trow, Charles Edward. "Chapter XVI". The old shipmasters of Salem. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 178ff. OCLC 4669778.
Short of Fresh Water Causes Alarm — Captain Williams's Invention to Make Salt Water Fresh — His " Still " Described by him — Notes on his Voyage — In Shoal Water.
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