I was born in Portland off Maine in the (year) 18 hundred and 18 of Poor but Respectable Parents. My father died when i was but two years of age. I had but one brother who was Left an infant at my mother’s breast.
At an early period of my Life i Comenced my Sea faring careers. My mother was maried again in 18 hundred and 24 and Lived a Life of perfect joy and tranquility until the year of 1800 and 33 when i had the missfortune to bring to her the Sad tidings and the death of her drownded husband who was Left a widow the Second time with Six Children. She had by my Step father one Son and 3 Lovly daughters, and i being eldest of the family went to Sea to help to Suport the Rest of the family.
My mother worked very hard to keepe her family to geather and Withe wat Little i Could do we managed to keep a Long quite well. My brother William Soon got able to bee Som help to mother. In 1836 my mother was maried the third time to her second husbands brother and has ever Since ben in Comfortable Circumstances.
I still folowed the Sea for 5 years and went several voyages. On one voyage to Norfolk in the Ship Aurora when myself and all the rest of the Crew Ran a way and i Entered in the States Servis for a 3 years Cruis. But my mother hearing where i was enterseeded and got my discharge.
I went a shore in Norfolk and Stopt a few days and then i Shiped in Bangor brig, Capt. Snow, bound to Burbadoes. And from thence Several other ports a mong the Windward islands. We had a very plesant voyage and Returned to bangor by the way of boston.
In six months i then went a few trips along shore with my step father and then shiped in the Schooner hypeira, Capt. Littlejohn, bound to Philedelphia. On our pasage home we was Cast a way on Nan tucket Sholes on the 15th of January in a snow storm where i sufered much from wet and cold. We was taken off of the wreck by a boston Schooner and caried to Nan Tucket. And we remained 18 days before we Could get of as the harbour was frose up. I Came to boston in the Same vessel that took us off from the wreck and then took a packet to portland.
I remaind at home a short time and then Shiped in the brig tariff bound to havanah with Capt. Crocket. On the first afternoon out we tried the pumps and from that time untill the 3rd day out when we hove too in a gale wich had ben for two days that we Left the pumps. After we had brough her too we sounded the pumps and found 8 foot of water in her hold.
(Page heading: In 1842 D Poor. The Life of David Poor of Portland)
She was Lying with her fore and main yard in the water and Labouring very heavy. The gale was ragin, the wind and Sea roaring and braking over us. We went to the pumps but all in vain. At 12 oclock that night a Sea boarded us and Caried a way our deck Load, Long boat and gally, and she piched a way the main topmast and fore topgalant and jib boom and cleard the Decks of every thing but our Selvs. The next day we got the wreck clear and persued on our voyage. We had a dredful passage of 34 days if i Remember Wright. During our time in havannah the mate ran a way from the ship. But too make a Long Story Short we Came to boston and from there to portland, and i was not Sorry when the voyage was up.
(Page heading: The life off David Poor at Sea In the Year 1842)
On another voyage to Richmond in virginny in the brig Albert henry, Capt. Cram, this was a fine voyage for a short one. After this voyage was over i went a fishing with my Step father and had fine times of it.
In another voyage to havannah in the brig Sublime, Capt. Smith, the first of our passage out was Rough and tedious. It was neer the isle off bermuda in a gale wich we had ben laying too for 10 days. On the 10th day at 12 PM as the Wind Shifted a Little a heavy Sea boarded us and took away our Stern boat and a part of the bullwarks and caried away the gally. That day the gale abated an we proseeded on our voyage. We returned back to boston and from thence to portland and had a very plesant voyage after all.
I then stoped at home the Rest part off the Sumer and in the fall i Shiped in the brig forest with Capt. blake bound to havannah. We Saild a day or too after Christmast and had a fine wind for a bout a weeke, and after that the Rest off our voyage was a blustering one, but we arived Safe in 28 days.
One night in a gale of wind Charles Hotchkins and my Self was Sending down the main top gallant yard when the brig was Lying too. I got one of my hands hurt in cleering the yard away.
We lay Some time in havannah before we discharged our cargo, and had some dificulty with mate. After we discharged and took in a cargo for portland we sailed one afternoon and had to Come to anchor again because it was to late to pas the Moro Castle. The watch was set and at 2 PM She parted the Chane. The Wind blowing very heavy from north. Calld all hands to make sail but had no Chance for there was no Sea Room.
I Ran forward and the mate and myself got the Starboard anchor clear whilst the Rest was hoisting the main topsail. I ran forward and helped the mate to cut a way the Sheete anchor but in Spite of all our effortes She went a Shore bow on. The Sea Run montains high and broke over every part of the Ship, but the tide fell and left her a ground So that She lay Still. The next day we got her of and went in to the harbor and discharged our Cargo and got the brig Repared, and went to Matanzes and took freight for new york. We had a very Rough passage but arived Safe into port.
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