I am looking for news of a certain ship, and I have encountered some language I don't understand. newspaper reports of ship news seem to have the same format [ e.g. Schooner Ceres, Tarbox, cleared...][ schr Ceres, Wheldon arrived ..] . I'm guessing that the word after the ship name is the Captain's name. Is that right? How common was it to have three different captains within two months - or to have Capt. A followed by capts. B & C and then back to Captain A? this one has me confused: "10feb 1827 - eliz city - arrived 3rd schooner ceres  Pearson, 20 days from mobile, in ballast" does 'in ballast' mean that there was no cargo? "24 feb 1827 Elizabeth City cleared, 20th schooner Ceres, Wheldon, for guadeloupe, slaves and shingles by A. Forbes, jr"is A Forbes, jr the guy who is shipping the slaves and shingles, or is he the guy to whom they are delivered, or something else? lastly - I'm guessing that ships could have the same name as another ship?[ I have two reports of schooner ceres sinking - decades apart...] Thank you.