R. Skelton and E. Ludington's Deliverance from a Frightful Storm at Sea

While sailing from Calcutta toward Siam via Burmah in October 1852, R. Skelton and E. Ludington encountered a severe storm that lasted several days, causing them to throw their cargo overboard to prevent sinking, eventually forcing them to return to Calcutta.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

Accordingly we sailed for Rangoon, at which we arrived after encountering a frightful storm for several days, which was near sinking us in the deep, throwing the most of our cargo overboard, and putting back to Calcutta again, and shipping the second time, on the 10th August, 1853. We arrived at Rangoon on the 20th, where we were kindly received by the officers of the 51st Regiment, and others, who treated us with much hospitality. We remained there until the 15th of September, when we took passage for Maulmain, where we arrived on the 17th. We remained there until the 24th, when we took passage for Singapore, where we arrived on the 3rd of October. We remained there until the 12th, when we took passage for Hong Kong, where we arrived on the 28th of October, 1853.