May 25, 1863

A Few Remarks upon Matters and things for the past few months1

Monday May 25th

When I shipped to the Solon a certain person said to me, “Duntlin you will curse the day that you ever went on board of that Bark Solon.”

“Why so,” I asked.

The answer was “Oh! because she is a smaller vessel than any you have ever been on.”

But now I can see where the warning was meant for. Had I known it in time I might have saved myself many hours of unhappiness. But now alas it is too late. I must bear up under all. God Grant the time may be short before the ship returns Home.

I am with a person as master of the ship that if he has any fault to find with me does not tell me of it but goes to his third officer2 and talks about it with him. And the third officer collects all the news he can and then goes to him with it. And as is generally the case he does not drop much by the way.

This Morning the weather was cloudy after breakfast I sent John Crowley3 out to mend the service4 on the Jib Stay. And put a worm5 on a batten. And resplice one of the main ropes. It began to rain a little but not much. However, I told Crowley to come in until the rain was done.

When the Third Mate came down from the mast-head. He told the Capt as the Third Mate he would not have any more such damn fool works as sending men out in the rain to work.

So I am blamed if I do not send men to work. And I am blamed if I do send them to work. So what in the hell am I to do. This is the way that things have been going on for the last 7 or 8 months. If it is not one thing it is another.

One time I am found fault with because I did not go on to some whales when some of them were under water. Another time he was furious when I went on or tried to go on some more. Because as he said there were some under water. I knew there were none under water where I was. But the whales were gallied6 because I had to go after them in a leaky boat. And she was near half full of water. And they heard it smashing about that time

I committed a capital crime but he has run the ship among whales twice. And gallied them once in the Boat, and the Third Mate crowded whales up and nothing said about that. So it is not what is done but the one that does it what gives offence. I wish sometimes that old Neptue had got us when we were off the islands.

Michelle’s Comment: Finding this long gap between Oct 1862 and May 1863 is disturbing. My great-great-grandfather John T Duntlin kept quiet for 7 months about his grievances by not putting pen to paper. I feel a sense of familial defensiveness that one of my ancestors was not duly appreciated. Reading his words, it is clear that Duntlin carried out his responsibilities with care, skill, and integrity, yet received blame instead of acknowledgment. The injustice he describes does not feel abstract or distant; it feels personal, as though a quiet wrong has echoed forward through generations. I am glad that he finally put in writing his confusion, frustration and regret.

1 Huge time gap. Duntlin last post for 1862 was Friday October 24, 1862 (page 30). There is a page 31 but after the heading “Ocean D. D. Baxter, Master” it is blank.

2 Third Mate was Benjamin White, age 27, from Worchester, MA

3 John Crowley (Crandley) Boatsteerer, NYC, age 18.

4 In seamanship, serving is the protective wrapping of tarred yarn or small line around a rope—especially a stay—to prevent chafe and water damage.

5 Worming is the process of filling the grooves between the strands of a rope with small line before serving it. This creates a smooth, compact surface and extends the rope’s life. “Putting a worm on a batten” indicates careful, skilled rigging work.

6 In whaling usage, to gall or gally whales means to disturb or alarm them—often by poor boat handling or running a vessel too close—causing them to sound or scatter before they can be taken. Gallied whales represented lost opportunity and profit, and accusations of galling were serious professional charges