15

Another Yarmouth man who served British owners was Capt. J.F. Corning. In 1888 he was the master of the S.S. 'Baron Belhaven' of Ardrossan, Scotland. According to the photograph, this steamer was very well appointed: note the fancy woodwork and the stair rails in the picture of Capt. Corning, his children, the ships officers (both deck and engineers), the cook and the steward.

16

Capt. Isaac Webster of the four-masted barque 'Iranian'
1897
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

17

To prove that even captains could relax their dress at sea, Capt. Isaac Webster is shown in a photograph taken aboard the four-masted barque 'Iranian' while taking a sun sight in order to calculate his position. The Captain's informal attire, which includes a string belt and bare feet, suggests that he is perfectly at home. After five months at sea, on a voyage from Bayonne, New Jersey to Yokohama, Japan, Capt. Webster died shortly before the ship's arrival. The photograph was taken in 1896 or 1897 by Dr. Charles Webster who was aboard to recover from a broken leg.

18

Capt. J.W. McMullan
1871
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

19

The story of Captain James Walker McMullen (1821-1909) is an interesting one. At the age of 12 years he shipped as a cook in a small schooner, the 'Wasp', sailing from Yarmouth to Boston, New York, Saint John, and Halifax. He received his Master's Certificate in 1862. He was either master of, or part owner in, at least thirteen square-rigged vessels.

20

Capt. J.W. McMullan's Presentation Sextant
9 August 2005
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

21

In 1859 he was presented with a sextant. The wording of the presentation was:
   'Presented by Her Majesty's Government to Captain J. W. MacMullen of the Barque 'Queen of the Fleet' of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, in acknowledgement of the valuable services rendered by him to the passengers and crew of the Brigantine 'Princess' of Pictou, Nova Scotia, in a heavy gale and high seas on the 15th of September, 1859.'
   The Yarmouth County Museum now owns this sextant along with several other items which belonged to Capt. McMullen.
   Life at sea for the captains was very demanding. They had full responsibility for the vessel and for the lives of their crews. Occasionally they were required to render assistance to other vessels. Please read the two following incidences:

22

Brigantine 'Somerset' in a hurricane in November, 1876
1876
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

23

Capt. Gilbert Cook Haley (b. 1832) of the brigantine 'Somerset' (of Windsor, N.S.) fought a hurricane in the North Atlantic in November, 1876. The painting of the 'Somerset' in this storm shows the crew in the rigging with axes cutting away masts and yards to help stabilize the vessel. Also evident in the picture is the captain's wife sticking her head out of the cabin companionway and his daughter Hattie whom one of the crew is tying to the mast. The cabin was obviously full of water and not a safe place to be. All survived this storm

24

Illuminated address presented to Capt. David Cook
1849
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

25

Capt. David Cook of the 'Sarah' in 1849 rescued more than 350 passengers and crew of the American packet-ship 'Caleb Grimshaw' and took them, with a great deal of difficulty, to New York where he received the honour of the 'Freedom of the City' in a gold snuff-box along with a large illuminated address which outlined the story of the rescue in an ornately carved frame. This story, which is quite a tale, was told by Archibald MacMechan in 'Old Province Tales' published in Toronto in 1924.

26

Capt. Arthur Hilton
1950
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

27

Capt. Molly Kool
1939
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

28

Captain Molly Kool
1937
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia