1854 BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS LETTER RE CLIPPER SHIP NABOB

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Very interesting 3 pp. sailors letter from William R. T. Pitts dated Boston, Massachusetts, Feb 21 1854, to his cousin, Miss Mary W. Turpin, Care Henry R. Turpin, Canton, Fulton County, Illinois, with red Boston/ 3 cts/ 23 Feb postmark + matching "Paid" marking. Returning from a voyage to Turkey and the Middle East, Pitts just had signed aboard the brand new Clipper Ship NABOB. The letter reads, in part, as follows, [Pitts and his ship arrived in the] port which we left five long, weary months ago. We dropped anchor in Boston Harbor on Saturday 13 inst. ... having left Smyrna [Turkey] on 29 Nov last. Our passage was unusually long -- 75 days -- 60 days being an ordinary passage. This was owing to the very bad weather we experienced throughout the entire passage home ... gales, hurricanes, snowstorms and rain squalls. We were somewhat disabled by losing our jibboom, fore top-gallant mast, some of our sails, &c. Our ship was a very good sailer nevertheless, having beat every vessel that left Gibraltar with us ... I doubt very much whether you would recognize me now. Oh! Caesar! How changed am I? But the change is for the better, I assure you. Instead of pale cheeks, I have rosy ones (just like yours -- 'pon my soul, when I think of it, I am wishing that I could kiss you -- don't get mad). I have a full face [beard], too and am as stout and strong as the laziest of Berlin loafers ... What would you think, if on some pleasant day, you should see a blue jacket, blue pants, blue shirt, slippers, tarpaulin hat &c, with a salt[y] looking chap inside of them, coming toward the little house w you live in Illinois. Would you think it was no less a person than your tarry cousin, Will, or would you only look and wonder who it might be? It is not impossible that such a thing should occur in a year or so, by any means. Only keep both eyes open and mind that no Western swain changes your name (pardon me), for I shall enquire for Miss Mary Turpin, and for no one else! You will wonder that I should go to sea again, but I must say the truth, and tell you that ... when I am positively tired of being ashore, altho it has not been ten days since I first left my vessel. It would be different with me if I were among kindred and friends. Among such little charmers (don't get mad, it is not intended as flattery), as yourself. No, No! but in this city ... live Yankees of crime, debauchery and cold heartedness. I am not at home -- not content to remaining longer than I can ... for this reason I have shipped to brave the stormy billow and white crested wave. I shall sail from this port on Friday or Saturday next (this is Tuesday) for New Orleans in the large and splendid Clipper Ship NABOB. She is new, having never been to sea, carries 24 men and is of about 1,400 tons measurement. I have no doubt that I shall be in Orleans in 20 days from this and you will oblige me much, dear cousin, by writing to me the very day you receive this letter ... Recollect that a kiss is a boon that a sailor always claims of every pretty girl. Tfore you shall kiss Cousin Lucia for me very man times, and t should be any more of them about the house or farm, do the same with them for me, and it we ever meet again, I shall claim the debt with double interest ..." William Appleton & Co., and their successors Hooper & Co., owned the medium clipper NABOB, which was built by John Taylor of Chelsea MA, and was perhaps the best ship he ever built. NABOB had an interesting and varied sailing career. In 1855 she was hauling tea from London, England. NABOB left Boston on a California run on Jan 29 1856, and arrived at San Francisco, via Cape Horn, on May 21, a very respectable voyage of some 112 days. The year 1857 found her on the New York to China run, and in the summer of that year she made the fastest passage on record between either the U.S. or Europe to any port in China, covering a distance of 17,532 miles in an amazing 84 days, which is a daily average of 208.71 miles at a very respectable 8.65 miles per hour. NABOB was wrecked on the island of Luzon, P... read more

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