A Film of an '~ble Handsome Lady"
The Quest for the Truth of the Ernestina/Morrissey by Richardo Lopes It was in May 1982 that we began our quest to produce a film on the schooner Ernestina, formerly the legendary Effie M. Morrissey. Spanning over a century, our documentary was to explore three periods in America's cultural and maritime history: The Gloucester schooner fishing era, the Arctic exploration era, and the Cape Verde Packet trade. And all of this came alive for us as we fo llowed the voyages of the Ernestina/Morrissey, a ninety year-old, two-masted Gloucesterman that endured rigorous service in each of these areas-service perilous enough to have destroyed her. Indeed, many of her sisters perished attempting the same voyaging she was involved in . Our quest was to take us far afield in the attempt to get at the old schooner's story. Gloucestermen , shipwrights, mariners, scientists, authors, historians, and devotees from as far away as Michigan , New Mexico, Newfoundland and the Cape Verde Islands come together in conjunction with rare and captivating archival films and photographs to unfurl this remarkable story. On a snowy December day in 1982 we had the honor of interviewing fifth-generation shipwright Dana Story. With historians Gordon Thomas and Joe Garland , and Nantucket's veteran sailorman and skrimshander Charlie Sayle, he helped us to enter into the seafaring world of Gloucester's finest , with expert guidance. Enter the Morriss ey, built in Essex , Massachusetts during the winter of 1893-94 by artisans with a sense of pride and a touch of genius. The late Gordon Thomas , historian of the breed , noted that she was one of the first new model Gloucestermen : " In the early 1890s, the change took place, and that brought inwell-Jimmy Connolly always called them the 'Able Handsome Ladies.' And they were the vessels that made Gloucester famous." For nearly twenty years, this sea-kindly schooner cut her way through gale force winds and thunderous raging seas, launching her daring crews into the North Atlantic to fish in small boats known as dories. "Life aboard these wooden ships was anything but romantic and anything but sentimental,' ' said Dana Story. " The life of the Gloucester fisherman probably was as hazardous as any occupation there ever was. A Gloucester fisherman lived in ever-present , constant danger oflosing his life, and hedid all this for a mere pittance." In the film's second segment the fishing schooner saga begins to pass from the American scene and the M orrissey enters into her next career, a fairly successful one in the Newfoundland coastal trade. SEA HISTORY, WINTER 1984-85
From 1915 to 1925 she freighted coal, timber, salt, and fish, but when freight rates dropped , her service became unprofitable and she was sold. In 1926 she was acquired by the great Arctic navigator Captain Bob Bartlett, a man who made Commander Robert E . Peary's attainment of the North Pole possible. For the next twenty years, Bartlett and his "l ittle schooner" carried men and young boys to explore, adventure, discover, and answer many of nature's mysteries. Amazingly, every Arctic expedition was documented on motion film, and when matched with the compelling interviews with former crewmen , naval officers , and apprentice seamen, the viewing is simply spectacular. In one of our scenes we see film footage of the Morrissey storming along with her bow shearing through roaring seas and her sailors climbing the rigging, as boiling white water surges across her deck. The camera pulls back and reveals a group of men and women watching the film in an oak paneled room at the Explorers' Club where a reunion was held for these people that sailed with the Captain nearly a half century ago. Many of them recounted compelling, charming, whimsical and perilous episodes from their days in the Arctic. We have recently returned from Newfoundland where we spoke with several of the Morrissey's regular crew, including Tim Youden , a ninety year-old seaman who first sailed in her in 1923, and Judge Rupert Bartlett, a nephew of the Skipper. Judge Bartlett recalled an incident trying to secure a polar bear cub for a zoo: " The trick was to hoist the cub from the water and place him into the cage on deck. We were all young , high-spirited men and carrying on, and this was a ser ious operation for the Skipper. .. because thi s cub was a valuable asset. So we were laughing and trying unsuccessfully to get the cub into the cage and finally the Skipper yelled , 'Rupert , cut out the buffoonery and get on with the work , he's only a littl e bear! '.. .You could feel the tension grow ing, and finally a red faced , highly indignant Skipper advanced for the bear. It clearly looked like he was going to lift the cub into the cage himself. Well, he came within range of the cub, and my gosh , the littl e fe llow lunged at the Skipper with those powerful claws, and by the grace of God, he missed hi s arm and tore his coat sleeve off. Well , I wish you had seen the Skipper's face! He looked around , gazed at the bear, and didn't say another word."
Captain Bartlett died in 1946, and so ended the Morrissey's Arctic career. She was sold to two brothers whose dream it was to sail her in the West Indies as commercial trader. Their dreams were soon dashed for she took on water during her first voyage and they returned to New
York with plans to sell her. A mysterious fire broke out in her galley while she was docked at the Flushing Boat Basin, and she sank as result of pumping water into her to quell the blaze. Incredible as it may seem, this was not the end for the ship. The sunken and scorched hull was raised and subsequently purchased and repaired by Henrique Mendes. Captain Mendes renamed her the Ernestina, after his daughter, and then entered the old work horse in the Cape Verde Packet trade. Charlie Sayle: "When vessels would get ten , twelve .. . fifteen years o ld , sometimes not that old , the crack skippers would want a new vessel. So they 'd be sold and there was always a demand in the Maritime Provinces and the Cape Verde Packet trade."
The Packet trade began during the 1890s and consisted of old sailing "crocks" that carried clothing, food and trade goods to and from the Cape Verde Islands . More important, they carried the Islanders who sought a new way of life in a new land . Islanders sought refuge from their land of droughts , famines , and the uncertainty of existence, while eastern New Englanders needed labor to work their cranberry bogs. Our story traces the immigration of Cape Verdeans, and develops the feelings of opportunity, adventure and the joys of reunion that gathered around the Ernestina. Her last Packet trip to the US was in 1965. Soon after, leaders of the National Society became interested in the schooner, and with the support of the Society and a groundswell of public interest, she was rebuilt in Cape Verde and sailed into New Bedford in August 1982 , a gift of the Cape Verde Republic. Cape Verdean Ambassador Jose Luis Fernandes Lopes observed , on this joyous occasion: "The people of Cape Verde are proud to offer the gift of permanence of the schooner Ernestina to the people of the United States of America. May she forever sail on the wi nds of hope, ever to remind us of the boundless poss ibilities of human understa nd ing and cooperation."
What a homecoming! In keeping with this spirit , we are continuing our quest to develop a documentary of the highest degree of excellence, and to all of you who have given your support and trust to this film project, we offer our deepest and sincere appreciation. w Mr. Lopes, a Trustee of the National Society, comes ofseafaring Cape Verdean ancestry. He is president of 11.Jyage Productions , who are producing the film on the Ernestina/Morrissey with the support of the National Society and other friends of the seafaring heritage. Contributions to complete the film are welcome!
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