Letter Written by Capt. George Post to His First Wife, Harriet J. Post, Soon After Their First Child Wm. Henry Was Born

ON BOARD THE SHIP HANNIBAL OFF THE AZORES

July 15^th 1821

My dear wife,

           I received your kind letter by the Abigail, Capt. Green, the 21^st, and was pleased to hear that you and our little William and all our friends were well. We left the Land the 9^th of May with a fresh breeze at South. The 10^th had strong gales and rain with a heavy swell at SSE. Our boys a little seasick. The 11^th we had the wind at east with fog and rain until 13^th when we took the wind from the westward with rugged weather which continues for the most of the way to the islands which we made the 5^th of June all favored with health at present. Wm. Huntting has had the swellings in his throat but has got well of the last. He took his flannel off yesterday. We have not met with any success as yet, but I live in hopes that fortune will smile upon us. We are cruising off the Island yet and have some satisfaction if we cant get any whales by looking at the land once in a few days and viewing the handsome fields of grain which is growing even to the tops of the mountings and handsome country seats with vineyards and fruit trees around them and we can’t hardly look any way around us but that we see a sail cruising for sperm-whale. We have had the weather very rugged for this ten days and have cruised from Long. 34 west to the island of St. Michaels and have not seen a whale. We have heard of but three sperm-whales being got amongst 45 or 50 sail of vessels. Our faith is small but we live in hopes that fortune will smile upon us yet. I tell them once in a while that if we don’t have something to do pretty soon that I shall dry up and blow overboard. We have had a plenty of fish around us so we are not likely to starve. We caught some that resemble our sea-bass and I think are as good. I wish you could call and see how we live here in our little prison, although we have a wide world to rove in and bring our little boy with you a few hours. I want to see him very much. How does he do? Does he grow as fast as ever? I think I see him squirming in his mother’s lap. I wish that I could come and tend him a while and ease his ma of some of her care of him, but Providence has so ordered it that we should be parted for a while, but I hope there are many happy days for us to live together. Although the distance is great at present, He that made the ocean is able to protect us on the sea or on the land. I wish we could be thankful for the many favors He is bestowing upon us as we ought to do. Do be careful of your health and remember you have two to take care of instead of one for you know I am also as big a baby as your other is a little one. How does Cousin Mary do? I wish she could call and see us for a few hours. I think she would be pleased to see the cragged mountings with their peaks above the clouds, with small brooks of water tumbling over the rugged rocks. I think she calls ever once in a while to see how the babe grows and give him a short exercising and tell him when his papa’s coming home and he will be so big a boy if he lives that he won’t know him. If it wasn’t for hope, don’t know what we would do for hope keeps the heart whole. We saw a schooner straying the 11th of July. We are now off the Island of Flores the weather clear and calm and if the weather will permit we shall have land tomorrow and try to get our vegetables put away for the Cape. I am sorry that I have nothing worth writing. Give my love to parents and all our friends and excuse all errors. Kiss the babe for me.

May you live a happy pleasant life in this and the world to come is the wish of

Your Affectionate Husband,

George Post

Wm. Henry Post was born 16 March 1821, the first of five sons of Capt. George and Harriet Jessup Post. Harriet died in April 1830 at age 40 in childbirth after delivering the Post’s son, Nathan (1830-1912) | Courtesy Lizbeth Halsey White Files, Southampton Historical Museum Archives and Research Center