Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/391



DOCUMENTARY 383

days. We are in Lat. 18-6 min. South and 22-53 min. West.

As time and paper have failed me quite I must now close my letter and wish you all goodbye. I shall write every oppor- tunity and I will give you time to read one before you get another. I want to see Erasmus very much. You must make him some jacket and trowsers and send him to school so that he can go around Cape Horn when I get to be the Capt. of a whale ship. So fare you well. This from Borther E. Wright. Give my best compliments to all enquiring friends. Addressed,

To Mr. Samuel Wright, Saybrook

in Connecticut. Written on back,

II.

Rec'd 10th Dec., 1822.

South Pacific, Feb. 10th, 1823.

On board Ship Enterprise in Lat. 01-40 South, Longitude 120 West. Dear Brother:

Being now among the number who survive the pale nations of the dead and in good health, I take this opportunity, although very unexpected, of writing a few lines to acquaint you how and where I am, hoping at the same time that this may find you in health and prosperity.

Last night at 8 spoke the Ship Equator, Capt. B., of Nan- tucket, with 1500 bis. & wanting 30 more to fill up. She spoke a few days since the Ship Henry, of N Haven ; all well, 1800 bis., and Ship Planter of N. F., 1700 bis. Some scurvey on board. Wm. Griffis, of Killings worth, is dead. After cruising one season on the coast of Japan they returned to the coast of California and went into Francisco Bay to wood and water, where he was killed. The circumstance, as near as I could learn, was this : GrifHs, with some others, had the scurvey and lived ashore in a tent. They set him on shore just at night