"I cannot understand why the ship would call at a port so far south of the US." Frank, your comment brings to mind something I studied in an American History course back a while. I believe you will find that there was a "triangle" of trade among the colonies and Britain, with finished/manufactured goods from Britain, rum, cigars and sorghum/molasses from the Carribean, and raw goods of all sorts from the American colonies. Don't quote me on that as I may have the details askew but that is the general idea. Boats carrying these goods were not on such a regular schedule that the opportunity to use a passenger-laden ship could be passed up. Passengers and trade cargo were both carried on these early ships. Sharon Carberry Connecticut