Sad news at sea
The following story is based upon a real life account written by Forrest Frank based upon a story by Captain Henry NicholsonThese appeared in the Scarborough Daily Post in 1920 as part of the 'Sea Dogs' stories by Forrest Frank.
We arrived at Monte Video during the night time, and at daylight a tug came alongside and told me that the master of one of our firm's steamers had died the day before at Buenos Ayres. After getting pratique, two telegrams arrived from owners in London - one for me and one for the chief engineer. Mine was only of an ordinary character, but presently the engineer came along with evident trouble in his face, and after some hesitation said: "I am afraid this telegram is for you." It was an announcement of the death of my wife, which the owner had cared not to send me directly, but had kindly sent to the engineer for him to communicate, and which event had occurred on the very day I had felt the impulse, but was unable to write.
We had now been out from England 22 months, and were ordered to New Orleans. Coming from shore, I found the crew crowded in the cabin demanding their discharge. This was what no master could tolerate, and feeling raw with the news I had just received, I drove them out, and murder could have been done if they had not gone on the instant and returned to duty. We turned our cargo out in satisfaction condition at New Orleans, and were ordered to Pensacola to load rails for Rio de Janeiro. After discharging at Rio, we went to Port of Spain for orders in balast, getting instructions to load coal at Norfolk (Virginia) for the place we had just left. We had a quick turn at Norfolk, with fine passage back, and a sharp discharge, and then proceeded to Buenos Ayres, where we took pilot and went up river to Rosario and St Nicholas, to load for Antwerp. We arrived at Antwerp in the middle of December, after a voyage of two years of two years and four months. I asked for relief, got Christmas, 1912, at home, and then asked for a voyage ashore, which request was granted.
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