Martin Van Buren International Waters Passport
This document is a passport for sailing in international waters, often used for whaling or trading excursions. The document is giving permission to Owen Reynard, Master of the ship Lalla Rookh, to sail to the Pacfic on a whaling voyage from the port at New Bedford, MA. Reynard had just returned from the South Pacific and Indian Ocean on the Amethyst the same year, and wouldn’t be back until 1844. Reynard had mastered the Lalla Rookh on one other occasion This document also includes the signature of John Forsyth, Van Buren’s Secretary of State who also served under Andrew Jackson.
