Mariners
Those souls possessed of hearts and minds
that are filled with a most unique and
particular spirit of adventure and courage
" ...who go down to the sea in ships"
Mariner's Hymn
"Eternal Father, Strong to Save"
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm
hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own
appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in
peril on the sea!
O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And
hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
And
calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For
those in peril on the sea!
Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon
the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for
wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power!
Our bretheren
shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect
them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns
of praise from land and sea.
Amen
Eternal Father
An Account of the Last Voyage
and Death of
Captain
Thomas Todd Smith
Master
Mariner
Commander of the Merchant Marine Vessel
The Brig Glaucus
Captain
Thomas Todd
Smith
Master Mariner
Master's Certificate Number 83.316
Born April,
1834
Isle of Arran, Buteshire, Scotland
the son of
George Smith,
Sr. and Janet Nisbet
of
Lamlash, Arranton, Buteshire, Scotland
Master in Command
of the
Merchant Marine Vessel,
The Brig "Glaucus"
of Port Number 10,
Greenock, Renfrewshire,
Scotland
Registration Number 1496
Registration Year 1858
Registered
Tonnage 226
Powered Under Sail
Owned by J. & W. Stewart,
Watt
Place, Greenock
The Brig
"Glaucus"
out of Greenock,
Renfrewshire,
departed from the Firth of Clyde,
bound for the North
Channel
to the North Atlantic Ocean,
enroute to
St. Johns,
Newfoundland,
Canada
Christmas
Day,
25 December, 1869
Secured in her hold was a cargo of
iron, and other goods, destined
for
St. Johns, Newfoundland.
On board the Brig "Glaucus" was a
ship's complement of thirteen men in all.
Of this crew, five were
Buteshire born,
including the Captain and two young men*
making their
maiden voyage as mariners.
One other was a Scotsman, from Ayrshire.
Ireland, Canada, Norway, and England were
represented by the balance of
their number.
Thomas Todd
Smith
aged 35 years
born Buteshire, Scotland
Ship's Master
Alexander
McMillan
aged 30 years
born
Arran, Buteshire
1st
Mate
Thomas
Stewart
aged 20 years
born Arran,
Buteshire
Bosun & 2nd
Mate
Alexander
Hamilton*
aged 25 years
born
Buteshire, Scotland
Carpenter &
Seaman
William
Leitch*
aged 22 years
born
Lamlash, Buteshire
Steward &
Seaman
Thomas
McMillan
aged 27 years
born
Belfast, Ireland
Cook &
Seaman
Christopher
Lawson
aged 24 years
born
Norway
Able Bodied
Seaman
William
Brown
aged 30 years
born
Norway
Able Bodied
Seaman
John
Underwood
aged 20 years
born
Gloucester, England
Able Bodied
Seaman
William
Thomson
aged 22 years
born
Gottenborg, Norway
Able Bodied
Seaman
Theodore
Wilson
aged 22 years
born
Windsor, Nova Scotia
Able Bodied
Seaman
William
Kirkland
aged 28 years
born
Ayrshire, Scotland
Able Bodied
Seaman
Joseph
Little
aged 20 years
born Isle of
Man, U.K.
Able Bodied
Seaman
Agreement and Account of Crew
Agreement Number 11675
Foreign-Going Ship
The Several Persons whose names are hereto
subscribed,
and whose descriptions are contained on the other side
or
sides, and of whom Four are engaged as Sailors,
hereby agree to serve on board the said Ship, in the
several capacities
expressed against their respective
Names, on a Voyage from Greenock to
St. Johns,
Newfoundland
and from thence if required to any
Port or Ports in the
Mediterranean Sea, Spain,
Portugal,
Brazil, West Indies, the United
States,
or any part of North or South
America, to and from
as freight or employment may offer for
the Ship and
until the return to a final Port of Discharge in the
United Kingdom. Going first if so required to any
Port or Ports
in Europe previous to final return to
the United Kingdom.
Term of Service not to exceed Twelve Months.
Scale of Provisions
to be
allowed and served
out to the Crew during the Voyage
in addition to the
daily issue of
Lime and Lemon Juice and Sugar
or any other
anti-scorbutics
in any case required by Law
Per Crew
Member
Sunday.....Bread 1 lb., Beef 1 1/2
lb., Flour 1/2 lb.
Monday.....Bread 1 lb., Beef 1 1/2 lb.
Tuesday.....Bread 1 lb., Pork 1 1/4 lb., Peas 1/3 pint
Wednesday.....Bread 1 lb., Beef 1 1/2 lb.
Thursday.....Bread 1 lb., Beef 1 1/2 lb., Flour 1/2 lb.
Friday.....Bread 1 lb., Pork 1 1/4 lb., Peas 1/3 pint
Saturday.....Bread 1 lb., Beef 1 1/2 lb.
In addition
Tea.....1 3/4 ozs. per week
Coffee.....3 1/3 ozs. per week
Sugar.....12 1/3 ozs. per week
Water.....3 qts. daily
By the Ship Master's directions...
Substitutes allowed at a proportionate rate
There shall be no Right to an allowance of Spirits
In Witness Whereof the said Parties have subscribed
their Names on the other Side or Sides hereof on the
days against the respective Signatures mentioned.
Signed at Greenock,
Thomas Todd Smith, Master,
on the 23rd day of December, 1869
6 February,
1870
North Atlantic Ocean
44 Days
out of Greenock
Latitude 50* 22' N
Longitude 43* 12'W
While taking
navigational
observations during a violent
winter gale in the North
Atlantic Ocean, "attended
by snow and hail squalls
and a high sea
running"
and "terrific winds",
"The Captain,
Thomas Todd
Smith
was washed over the
starboard quarter by the
backwash" of the
sea
"when She shipped a heavy
sea and filled the decks."
"The Mate
was washed over
but got hold of a strap and
held onto it until the
sea
was over, and the Able
Bodied Seaman at the helm
was nearly
washed away,
the sea going over his head
and covering
him."
Thomas Todd Smith
Master of the Vessel
The Brig Glaucus
Lost At Sea
Drowned
Aged 35
years and 10 months
His body was not recovered
Thomas is
commemorated
by a gravemarker in the
Smith family plot in
Lamlash,
Arranton, Buteshire
Scotland
* "It's where
the winds blow fresh and free
I know that I will lie content
The sea I
love my cemetery
The waves my only monument....."
The following few
short entries extracted from the
Official Log Book of the Brig "Glaucus"
and
written in the direct, cursory language of those
men responsible
for recording the log, tell both
an awesome and awful story.
Through
the words of the mariners caught up
in them, the mind's eye is given the
briefest
glimpse through a misted window, at desperate
and dreadful
moments in the lives of ancestors
now long years past.
This is a
true sea record of Mid Atlantic winter
gales, howling winds, heavy squalls
of rain,
hail and snow, a shifting cargo of iron in the
hold, torn and
tattered sails and shattered
equipment, all due to heavy seas washing
over
and flooding the ship and finally, in the
second to last log
entry provided, on
6 February, 1870, the death of the Master
of the
brig when he was swept overboard
by the sea and drowned.
The
remaining crew, despite their efforts,
were unable to rescue their Captain
or to
recover his remains. Heaving the cargo
of iron overboard, they
were finally able
to bring the ship around and make for
Greenock and
home.
After a voyage of 44 days, and near
the brink of total disaster
in their
attempt to sail for St. Johns through
horrific winter
storms, both the Glaucus
and her crew, battered and damaged,
made safe
harbour after 17 days
running before the wind.
23 February,
1870
Official Log of the Brig
Glaucus
January 2nd, 1870
Latitude 50* 58' 20" N
Longitude 19* 23' 30" W
Towards St. Johns,
Newfoundland
7 A.M.
Sprung the main topsail yard.
Called all
hands and unbent the topsail and
shortened sail.
Layed the ship to
under fore-and-aft canvas
to the Westward and set the main.
Topsail yard down.
The Carpenter and crew
engaged making a new
yard.
Signed
Alexander McMillan, 1st Mate
Thomas Stewart, 2nd
Mate
Alexander Hamilton, Carpenter
January 3rd, 1870
Latitude 50* 20' N
Longitude 19* 45' 30" W
Towards St. Johns, Newfoundland
P.M.
Strong gale from the N.W. attended with
heavy squalls.
The hands
engaged about the topsail yard.
2 P.M. The truss band of the foreyard
worked
loose causing damage to the mast.
Got it temporary secured and
fitted reeling
tackles for it.
4 P.M. Weather moderating
Signed
Alexander McMillan, 1st Mate,
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton, Carpenter
January 10th,
1870
Latitude 49* 9' N
Longitude 25* 28' W
Towards St. Johns,
Newfoundland
8.30 A.M.
Sent the main topsail yard aloft and bent
the
main topsail and set it close reefed.
Weather - Continuation
of gale.
Signed
Alexander McMillan, 1st Mate
Thomas Stewart,
2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton, Carpenter
January 20th,
1870
Latitude 50* 49' N
Longitude 35* 42' W
Towards St. Johns,
Newfoundland
A.M.
Sudden shift of wind from the North which
brought the ship by the lee and gave Her a
stern board.
William
Underwood, Able Seaman, at
the helm.
Could not hold Her to check and
wheel
struck him on the back of the hand
Injured him very much...and
parted
the chains.
Called all hands and got the rudder secured
and
rove a gin chain for wheel chains.
3 A.M. Braced round on the
starboard tack,
stowed the mainsail, reefed the foresail and
set
it.
4 A.M. Weather moderating
Signed
Alexander McMillan,
1st Mate
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton, Carpenter
January
31st, 1870
Latitude 50* 22' N
Longitude 43* 12' W
Towards St.
Johns, Newfoundland
P.M.
Moderate breeze.
Tiller band on
rudder worked
loose. Got it temporary secured.
2 P.M. Set the
topsails and reefed fore sail.
5 P.M. Wore ship to the Westward.
5.30 P.M. Cargo loose in the hold causing
great damage to ship and
cargo. Got the
cargo secured to the best advantage.
10 P.M. Wind
increasing.
Hauled down the main topmast staysail
and double
reefed the topsails.
11 P.M. Called all hands. Close reefed the
topsails and stowed the foresail.
A.M. Gale increasing.
2
A.M. Called all hands and stowed the fore
topsail.
Layed the ship
to, to the Southward.
4 A.M. Heavy gale attended with rain.
7
A.M. Strong gale with terrific squalls.
Called all hands and stowed
the main
topsail and set the balance. Reefed trisail.
The cargo
making a clean 'britch' from
one side of the hold to the other, the iron
causing great damage to the ship and cargo.
Signed
Alexander
McMillan, 1st mate
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton,
Carpenter
February 1st, 1870
Latitude 50* 38' N
Longitude 42* 8' W
P.M.
Recorded
February 2, 1870
Heavy gale from the
Westward.
Set the lee clew of the main topsail.
4 P.M. Gale
increasing.
6 P.M. Gale unabated.
A large quantity of cargo
shifted to leeward.
Caused a heavy list to port.
8 P.M. Ship
labouring heavy and shipping
large quantities of water.
Carried away part of bulwarks on the
port side.
10 P.M. Shipping heavy water.
Carried away the bulwarks on both
sides.
Tried to set the
close reefed main topsail.
While heaving the starboard sheet home with
the winch, the down haul parted and the
topsail ran to the masthead
carrying away
the sheets, all the gear and main lifts.
The main
top gallant sail, blowing out of
the gaskets, went all to pieces along
with
the main topsail.
Loosed the reefed foresail and set it
to
get the ship before the wind.
The fore tack parted and the ship
came
to the wind on the port side.
She took the sea, it making a
clean 'britch'
over her.
Got two hands and myself and secured the
foresail.
The sea carried away one of the chain plates
of the
port fore topmast backstay, the most
of the rails and bulwarks, strifed some
of the staunchions, and broke one on the
starboard side.
It stove the longboat and twisted her useless
and split the fore staysail
to pieces.
The cargo rolling from one side of the hold to
the
other and is causing great damage to ship
and cargo.
Daylight: All
hands clearing away the wreck
and pumping ship.
The sea, going
completely over her, the galley
washed out. No cooking done.
Washed away everything moveable from off
of the decks.
2 P.M.
Gale slightly moderated but a terrific
sea running.
Set the main
staysail and a staysail between
the main mast and quarter.
Hauled down
the fore topmast staysail.
8 P.M. Moderate clear weather.
A.M. Calm.
4 A.M. Light breeze from the S.E.
February 2nd,
1870
Latitude 50* 39' N
Longitude 41* 45' W
8 A.M.
Wore
the ship to the N. E.
Set the fore topsail.
9 A.M. Called all
hands and stowed the
fore topsail and layed the ship to on the
starboard tack under the main and after
staysails.
The watch
engaged securing the longboat
spare and reaving gear.
Pumps fully
attended to.
Signed
Alexander McMillan, 1st Mate
Thomas
Stewart, 2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton, Carpenter
Theodore Wilson, Able
Bodied Seaman
February 6th, 1870
Latitude 50* 37' N
Longitude 35* 30' W
Toward Greenock, Scotland
P.M.
Strong gale from the Northward,
attended
with snow and hail squalls and a high sea
running.
The ship laying to under two lower staysails.
The watch engaged
getting jackstraps on
main topsail yard and sundry jobs.
8 P.M.
Strong gale from the Northward
continues, attended with snow and hail
squalls.
A.M. Squalls with hail showers.
6 A.M. Weather
moderating.
Set the fore topsail and fore topmast
staysail and kept the
ship before the wind
steering E. by S.
9 A.M. Port fore topsail
sheet parted.
Called the crew up to get the sheet bent
and set the
topsail and close reefed it.
The fore topmast staysail tack parted.
Got
it secured and set, and set the
reefed foresail.
11.30 A.M. While
the Captain, Thomas
Todd Smith and Alexander McMillan,
Mate, were
taking navigational
observations, She shipped a heavy
sea and filled
the decks.
The backwash of the sea washed
Thomas Todd Smith
over the starboard quarter.
Alexander McMillan, Mate was
washed
away but got hold of
a strap and held onto it 'til the
sea was over.
Theodore Wilson, Able Bodied
Seaman, at the helm, was nearly
washed away, the sea going over
his head and covering him.
I
heard a Cry and asked the man
at the helm if he saw the Captain.
He said he did not and I was
feeling along for him in the
water on
the deck when Alexander
Hamilton, Carpenter, and William
Brown, Able
Bodied Seaman,
called out that the Captain was
overboard.
I
sprung up on the quarter and
I saw him hold his hand up.
Called
all hands and hove him
a life buoy and harness cask
belt.
I
sent a hand up into the rigging
to look out for him but could not
see
him.
The sea being too heavy at the time
to round the ship to,
and no after
canvass bent, could not offer him
any assistance.
Latitude 50* 22' N
Longitude 43* 12' W
Toward Greenock,
Scotland
Hauled up the foresail and fore
topsail and stowed them
and the
the fore topmast staysail.
Set the main staysail and braced the
after yards up on the port tack.
Lashed two hands at the helm and
the rest of the crew took to the rigging.
Watched a chance and
brought
the ship to on the port tack.
The wind N.N.W.
Set the staysail from the main mast to
the lee quarter.
Ship
behaving well.
No observations.
Pumps fully attended to.
Signed
Alexander McMillan, 1st Mate, Acting Master
Thomas Stewart,
2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton. Carpenter
William Brown, Able Bodied
Seaman
January 7th, 1870
Latitude 49* 15' N
Longitude 30* 57' 45" W
Toward
Greenock, Scotland
P.M.
Hove to on the port tack.
Strong
gale with a heavy sea running.
3 P.M. Wore ship to the Westward
4 P.M. Slightly moderating with a
terrific sea.
8 P.M. Cargo
shifting from one side
of the hold to the other.
9 P.M. Set the
main topmast staysail
to keep Her side down and the cargo
from
rolling.
A.M. Moderated. Breeze strong.
4 A.M. Continues
moderated and
breeze strong.
Ship rolling very much and
shifting
the cargo.
6 A.M. Called all hands.
Opened the main
hatch and threw
most of the iron cargo overboard for
the safety of the
ship and the remainder
of the cargo.
10 A.M. Secured the main
hatch.
The iron caused a great amount of
damage to ship and cargo.
10.30 A.M. Bent a main topsail and
set the fore topsail, staysail and
foresail.
Kept Away for the North Channel.
Signed
Alexander McMillan, 1st Mate, Acting Master
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Mate
Alexander Hamilton, Carpenter
Amen
"The Scotsman"
newspaper article
- page 2
24th February, 1870
CLYDE SHIPMASTER DROWNED - On Wednesday
morning the brig Glaucus, one of Messrs J. & W.
Stewart's Greenock and Newfoundland traders, put
back from sea, having lost the master, Captain
Thomas Todd Smith, aged thirty-one years,
unmarried, and a native of Arran. The Glaucus
has been about two months at sea, having sailed
from Greenock on the 22nd December for St. John's,
Newfoundland, when she encountered terrific
weather, and had to put about. She was running
back under bare poles, and without a stitch of
canvas set, at a speed of ten knots per hour, on the
6th inst., when a heavy sea swept over her and
filled her deck fore and aft. Captain Smith, who
at the time was standing on deck trying to take an
observation of the sun, was washed overboard. He
was last seen about fifty feet astern of the vessel,
floating in an erect position, his quadrant still being
in his hand. His oilcoat was evidently buoying him
up. No efforts could be made to save him, as to
have put the ship about in such a terrific sea would
have been certain destruction to all on board. The
Glaucus has lost her bulwarks, and had her long-
boat stove in. The mate, Mr M'Millan, brought
the vessel home. The deceased master was only
appointed to the Glaucus on this voyage, and for
many years sailed as mate - lately in the Lavinia,
and previously in the Demerara. The Favourite
Lass, anouther Newfoundland trader, which sailed
on the same day as the Glaucus, seems to have
suffered by the same gale, as we a few days ago
noticed that she had put back to Lisbon in distress.
Sea Fever
I
must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
The full rigged brig
is a vessel with two masts,
fore and main, both of which are square rigged.
The foremast is made in three spars and
square-rigged.
On the mainmast there is a standing gaff
to which is rigged a small fore-and-aft sail.
Brigs were used for both naval and mercantile
purposes. A number were used for whaling
and sealing, and certainly some for pirating.
As merchant vessels, they plied mostly
coastal trading routes, but oceanic voyages
were not an uncommon undertaking.
Square rigging requiring a large crew,
merchant brigs became uneconomical,
and in the 19th century they began to give
way to such fore-and-aft rigged vessels
as the schooner and the barque.
My
most sincere appreciation
for undertaking my research request
Paula Marshall
Maritime History
Archive
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. Johns, Newfoundland,
Canada A1C 5S7
http://www.mun.ca/mha/
This page
created and maintained by
Pat McCabe
gg grandniece of
Thomas Todd Smith
mccabe@istar.ca
Tartan Brig Background Design
©
G. Mark McCabe
Background Tartan
"Smith"
*
from a poem
"Last Wishes of a Seafaring Man"
by Dulcie Levene
"Sea Fever"
a poem by
John Masefield
To the Scots
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