An extreme clipper ship built in 1853 by James M. Hood, at Somerset, MA. Dimensions 144'/146'×29'×16'6" and tonnage 548 tons/560,69 tons. Was reported to have had the sharpest ends of any clipper at the time.
The clipper ship Mischief, of 500 tons burthen, is now loading at New York for San Francisco. She is 146 feet long, 29 broad and 16-½ deep, with a dead rise of 24 inches. She is said to have the sharpest ends ever put on a ship and her builder, Mr. J.M. Wood, of Somerset, Mass, fully anticipates her passage to San Francisco will be under 90 days. She will sail on about the 23d April. Her future position will be in Ogden & Hayne’s "Celestial Line" of San Francisco and China packets.
Daily Alta California.
The new clipper ship Mischief, for San Francisco, was anchored at Quarantine, New York, 20th May, waiting wind.
Daily Alta California, June 17, 1853.
Yesterday afternoon, between four and five o'clock, our harbor presented rather an extraordinary, and certainly a most imposing spectacle — the entrance of no less than fourteen vessels: three clipper ships, six ships and barks, and fice brigs and schooners. As the anchor of one was let go and she swung gracefully around with the tide, another and another were seen rounding the inner point of the Heads, keeping up a continuous line from North Point to the Gloden Gate.
To add to the liveliness of the scene, the fleet of river steamers left their berths at the same time, steaming gallantly by the vessels which were just coming to anchor.
The three clippers were the Grey Hound, Bonita and Mischief, the first 139 days from Baltimore, the second 140 days from Boston and the last 172 days from New York, via Valparaiso, 42 days. They have all, as will be seen, had long passages, owing to the same causes which have delayed all the vessels arriving this season — light or adverse winds and calms.
Daily Alta California.
Updated 2006-07-30 by Lars Bruzelius.
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