He with the utmost affability was equally ready to afford me any
information required, at the same time informing me I should find
"everything correct." The vessel I found was the Martaban of Maulmain,
Captain Pike, from Maulmain to Singapore, rice laden. I then requested
to see the ship's papers, which request was readily granted. Accordingly
the register, clearance bills of lading, and crew list, were speedily
produced and examined, not omitting the Master's certificate. These but
corroborated what I previously knew. Putting a few questions to the
Captain, and comparing his answers with the papers, I learned the
following facts--viz., that the barque was American built, that she had
been upwards of five months in Maulmain; that she had been transferred
on the 10th December, after the cargo was in, and on the day in which
she cleared, and only one day previous to her sailing; that the captain
had no certificate or bill of sale, nor, in fact, any papers respecting
the transfer on board; that he, the Captain, was an American, and had
commanded the barque previous to her transfer.
Taking the register up again and closely scrutinizing it, I observed
what had previously escaped my attention--viz., that the register, which
is a printed form, with spaces for written insertions, had been first
written with a lead pencil, and over that with ink. No professional
registrar or shipmaster would, I felt certain, have so prepared it.
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