Piers sent the following valuable info and here was my answer to him- I think Norma's post answers Sue's question! Making allowances, of course, for Sue's chap being a bit earlier in the century (presumably Crimean shirts post-dated the Crimean war). Chronometers for example would still been beyond the means of most masters c.1825. As I understand it, the ship's compasses were fixed to and were part of the vessel's equipment, but masters provided their own charts, sailing directions, sextant, barometer, and other navigational equipment, and this is borne out by the inventory of Capt. Nichol's possessions. In attaching the link to the photo of the sea chest, I should have said that that was a rather superior example. The late Captain Nicol's chests were of deal, which is rather less exotic than camphorwood, and many of the examples one finds in maritime antique shops or museums (try Googling "seaman's chest" and variations) are of deal or pine. Presumably as Captain Swain came from Nantucket, it would be likely that he acquired his first sea-chest from a chandler there and that it was made from a local wood. Pier- that is very interesting. I wonder if I can find some books on that at the BYU library. I got so interested in Nantucket, that I read 8 books on it, bought a few, and would love to go there, but can't. They say that if you are related to someone from Nantucket that you have millions of ancestors in this country. It is a fascinating place, and I suspect that he left due to the privations they always suffered as well as the fact that whaling was very dangerous. Just working for merchants would be much safer and apparently he had fascinating adventures all around the world. I found six of his letters, written from the West Indies, in the NYHistorical Society, while he was working in 1815-16 for Lynch and Amar, merchants in NYC. He is a dead ringer for Robert Burns, also, even though his ancestors go back to England. I don't think the link to the ship chest made it to the sight, and it is gorgeous- unless I just didn't see it there. I am also wondering about the difference in Brittish and American shipping. Sue

You're right, what he would actually take with him would depend on the type and length of voyages he was making. If Swain usually traded between NYC and the West Indies, he probably wouldn't need so many changes of clothes because the voyages weren't so long. Nicol, on the other hand, died on a voyage from London to India via the Cape of Good Hope which took over 3 months and could have taken longer. Given that fresh water was usually extremely limited (on British ships, the ration was usually 8 pints per man per day for all purposes, including steeping the salt off salted meat, cooking and washing up), it may explain why Nichol had so many of some types of clothing and so few of others. I would hazard a guess that trousers and towels (good thick British woollens no doubt) would have needed lots of water in laundering, and so they probably had to wait until the end of the voyage to be washed, whereas underwear and socks could be washed in a bowl with a little water once a week! As for the collars, of which the inventory notes Nichol had 54 of assorted types, he I would guess that he intended to wear each for a couple of days before it went into the wash bag to await the dhobi-wallah (washerman) in Bombay! I don't know how long it takes to sail between NY and the West Indies - a month maybe? Less? - but Captain Swain wouldn't have needed to stock up to the same extent. His list would probably have included similar things, but maybe not so many. If you want to have a better idea of what Swain took with him, you really need an inventory for a deceased master (or mate) from an American East Coast vessel on a similar type of voyage. This is a bit specialist of course! Have you tried Mystic Seaport http://www.mysticseaport.org/ ? Piers Pier- that is very interesting. I wonder if I can find some books on that at the BYU library. I got so interested in Nantucket, that I read 8 books on it, bought a few, and would love to go there, but can't. They say that if you are related to someone from Nantucket that you have millions of ancestors in this country. It is a fascinating place, and I suspect that he left due to the privations they always suffered as well as the fact that whaling was very dangerous. Just working for merchants would be much safer and apparently he had fascinating adventures all around the world. I found six of his letters, written from the West Indies, in the NYHistorical Society, while he was working in 1815-16 for Lynch and Amar, merchants in NYC. He is a dead ringer for Robert Burns, also, even though his ancestors go back to England. I don't think the link to the ship chest made it to the sight, and it is gorgeous- unless I just didn't see it there. I am also wondering about the difference in Brittish and American shipping. Sue ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message