Log: July 4, 1843.

Charles W. Morgan was sailing on her maiden voyage in the South Pacific off the coast of Chile.  The log entry for this day states, “Comcd with fine weather. The Starboard Watch on Liberty. took a Fiddle on Shore and had a regular Break down*. So Ends the 4th of July 1843.”

The 1951 Dictionary of Americanisms states that a breakdown is “a noisy, rollicking dance of rustic origin.”