9

OverviewVersionsHelp

Facsimile

Transcription

Status: Complete

and had a few weeks at home, then shipped again in
a big ship called the City of Montreal belonging to Glasgow
and Bound to Cardiff in Wales to load patent feul for
the West coast of South America to port called Callao
in Peru, and we was Just exactly five months on the
passage. As it was the dead of Winter of Cape Horn which
is in 56 ° South of the Equator, and we got driven to nearly
60° South with nothing but Westerly Gales. But eventually
we arrived in Callas, which is in 17° South of the Equator
and laid there discharging our cargo of patent feul, for two
months, as there was no wharfs for a ship to discharge her
cargo in those days. But discharged into Lighters, a very slow
process. But I may say that ships was never in such a hurry
in those days. Anyhow as soon as we was discharged, and
took in Ballast enough to stiffin her, we hove up our an-
chor. And sailed for the Chincha Islands, about a hundred
& ninety miles from Callao, to load Guana, where we
arrived in two days, and dropped our two Anchors right
between the South and Middle Islands. Now these Islands
belonged to Peru, which got a big source of revenu from
those Islands, as when you arrive there the peruvian
Government gives you ninety laying days and will not
give you Lighters to load you, before that time, unless
you like to Buy time at so many peruvian dollars per day
and if you are in a Hurry to get your ship away, you will
have to buy time, or else lay there for ninety days. So we
laid the ninety days as our captain was in no hurry. Now
the Guana on the middle Island was supposed to be eig-
hty feet deep, and worked by Chinamen, on the top of the
Island. And they send the Guana down long canvas
shutes into your Lighter, and the stench of it with
Amonia will bring the Blood from your nose and mouth
if you have not got a covering for your face when
the cloud comes down the shute. Anyhow we laid our
ninety days and got Eighteen Hundred tons into her.
and sailed again for Callao, as you have got to go back
to Callao before you can clear out at the customs. So we

Notes and Questions

Please sign in to write a note for this page

Bloodlines2Elders

Historically 'guano' was sourced from the Chincha Islands of Peru. Guano is fecal excrement from marine birds.