227. [U.S. Navy]. Log of the brig “Surf”, 174 pages (8.25 x 13.5 in.; 210 x 343 mm.), marbleized covers. The “Surf” was built at the Carleton Norwood and Company shipyard in Rockport, Maine. The entries are from 1857-1859, beginning on 12 February 1857, during a voyage from Rio de Janeiro to New York. Boards rubbed; minor spotting on some pages; front cover is loose but book is internally sound.

Naval Archive - Log of the brig “Surf,” a merchant ship, just prior to the Civil War, detailing voyages along the Atlantic coast, to Cuba and New Orleans.

William McIntire is the ship’s Master. The “Surf” then travels from New York to Cienfuegos (southern coast of Cuba) to Turks Island (southeast of the Bahamas, north of Hispaniola) to New York to Salem to Camden in September 1857. The next two pages have no entries but have pencil drawings of ships including an ironclad flying the British Union Jack. The next pages are headed “Journal on Board Brig Surf from Camden towards New Orleans John Mcintire Master” (January-February 1858) with a notation “Brig Surf in Mississipi River” (March). The “Surf” then sailed from New Orleans to Boston to Camden to Charleston (S.C.) to Baltimore to Portland (Me.) to Rockport (home port) to Wilmington (N.C.) to Boston to Rockport to New Orleans to Boston to Rockport to Charleston to Providence (R.I.) to Rockport to Charleston to Boston to Rockport to Charleston to New Orleans, which was the last entry 8 November 1859. There are pencil doodles on many pages and drawings of two pigs on one page and pencil rubbings of horses on another page. The brig “Surf” was involved in an incident in the Civil War and on 28 January 1862, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Maine Congressman Samuel C. Fessenden presented a “petition of Carleton Norwood and Company praying indemnity for seizure of the brig Surf.” 

By comparing the handwriting, the Log was kept by at least three different shipmates, some darkly penned, some lightly penned. Most entries track the weather and record the speed of the ship by the hour, occasionally noting significant events and the sighting of other vessels. Excerpts: “the Ship Crystal packet boat come onboard of us. She is from the Sandwich islands 75 days out bond to New Bedford,” “there are 24 hours and deck breeze and fine weather all hands employed pinning discharging Cargo and Clearing up the hold for taken cargo,” “finished taking in the homeward cargo consisting of 9525 Bushels of Salt in bulk and 4 Pakgs of old copper hoops,” “Brig Surf in Mississipi River…Comes in thick of fogg wind ESE and moderate 9 A.M. Breaks up in the river thick outside all day as far as I could see ends same Man forward seemed better so he said was mending clothes A.M. 1/2 4 P.M. was sitting on forecastle whittling fell over and died in about 10 minutes time sent on board Brig O C Clarey for Capt Philbrook to come on board and Capt Cables Brig Joseph they came layed him out & went on shore to get a coffin made could git none was informed could bury him on stake Isle below here close to the light house borrowed a spade to dig a grave for him…Francis Antonio was a native of the Western Islands Aged about 36 Years…went to the S. W. pass light house fogg so thick could not find the way to stake Island got a Man from the Light to show us where we could fin suitable place to bury him, took us to the N.W. of the light house on the opposite side of the Bayou about 3/4 mile on a small Island where others were buried there we dug him a grave and buried him in silence under some brushes set two pieces of Boards at the foot and head of the grave are at the head was an imitation of a cross and returned to our vessels in sadness for we could feel otherwise than sad that has lost friends…”
$2,000 - $3,000