Friday, January 25, 2008

Aboard the Brig Grey Hound


An 1816 Inventory of a Sailor’s Belongings
(This is an actual original inventory, taken in 1816. Following is an exact transcription of the inventory. Where questions marks are substituted, I was unable to decipher the writing.)
Inventory of Goods or Wearing Apparel belonging to W. Clarke Pratt, late Second Mate of Brig Grey Hound, who departed this Life 10th Nov. 1815 in Lat. 20 degrees 67" North, longitude 64 degrees 55" West, on a passage from Martinique towards Turks Islands.
Chest containing as follows
1 Black Broad Cloth Coat, 1 pr Ditto* pantaloons
1 course short blue jacket, 1 Ditto Vest
1 yellow Nankeen short jacket, 1 pr Ditto Pantaloons
1 cotton sheet, 2 Ditto Shirts, 1 pr duck trousers
1 black silk Handkerchief; 4 handkerchiefs of different kinds
2 thin vests, pillow case, 5 pr. yarn stockings
2 pr shoes, 2 pr yarn mittins
1 looking glass and shaving utensils
2 American Practical Navigators
1 account book, 1 writing Ditto
1 Printed Ship’s Journal, chart of the coast U.S.
10 charts of different parts, 1 slate
7 bottles pepper sauce, 35 fine tooth combs
Cash $18.80
Cut Money 13 pieces
1 clothes bag containing as follows
1 light coloured pea jacket, 2 pr woolen trousers
1 brown short jacket, 2 woolen vests
1 red flannel shirt, 1 coarse white Ditto
1 pair shoes, Ditto Boots
1 quadrant, 3 jars tamarinds
5 Hats, 1 bbl sugar said to belong to deceased
1 Dudley to be accountable for ??? broke
1 Fowl coop sold for $1.00
3 boxes of ??? - said to belong to the deceased
On the reverse, the words I can make out are:
This is ?????? to be a true copy in the Original
Inventory taken by Capt. ?????? on or at Turks Island.
(Signed) ???????????


NOTES: United States Watermark: oval surmounted with a crown; within the oval, a seated person holding a three-leafed branch in right hand; staff in left, and shield with cross near bottom.
One problem in identifying this ship is there were many, many sailing ships named "Greyhound." If I can determine the name of the captain, it may help identify the ship.
The position noted at the top of the page is in the Caribbean is approximately halfway between Martinique and Turks Island.
I have not been able to find a definition for "Dudley."

* The inventory uses a mark that looks like a handwritten capitol D for "ditto."
In this case, "black broad cloth."

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