192 fisherme:n's own book. 



Foundering of Schooner Almon Bird. 



Terrible Sufferings of Her Crew — Four of Them Die — Praiseworthy Self 

 Sacrifice of Cape Ann Fishermen. 



Sch. Almon Bird of Rockland, Me., for Alexandria, Va., loaded with plas- 

 ter, encountered a severe northeast gale off Monhegan, Sunday evening, 

 Jan. I, 1882. At two o'clock, Monday morning, the sea made a clean breach 

 over her. The vessel continued to ship heavy seas, all doing more or less 

 damage, and at seven o'clock, A. M., when about half way between Boon 

 Island and Thacher's Island, some thirty miles off shore, the after hatch 

 was stove in by a sea, and the vessel commenced to fill, and there was noth- 

 ing to do but to take to the boat and trust to the chances of being picked 

 up. One of the boats, containing the only pair of oars, had been washed 

 overboard. 



Her crew list was as follows : C. A. Packard, master, of Rockland, Me.j 

 William H. Harriman, first mate, of Prospect, Me.; Charles Chaples, second 

 mate, of Rockland, Me.; A. B. Henderson, steward, of Friendship, Me. 

 Seamen — Allen Small and Horace Small, brothers, of Deer Isle, Me.; Fred. 

 Hamilton and Patrick Hogan, of Rockland, Me. 



All were strong, able-bodied seamen, except Horace Small, who was a 

 frail lad of sixteen years, who had never been to sea in Winter time, and 

 who ran away from home to join his brother on this voyage. He had been 

 struck by a heavy sea, knocking him against a cask, breaking his wrist, 

 Mr. Harriman, the mate, was also injured in the groin while attempting to 

 save the oars. The hatchet was lost overboard in attempting to cut away 

 the jib-boom, and the axe shared the same fate while being used to cut away 

 the main rail to launch the boat, which was finally got afloat and hastily 

 manned, as the vessel was fast sinking. The injured lad was taken from 

 the forecastle and put into the boat, but he had no oil clothing, and there 

 was no time to get him properly dressed. A few bed clothes and an old 

 coat was thrown into the boat, and about a peck of hard bread in a small 

 barrel was put on board, with about a quart of rum and three or four quarts 

 of oatmeal. Water they had not, and they were without oars or tools except 

 a hand saw. In about ten minutes after taking to the boat the schooner 

 went to the bottom. 



Before leaving the sinking craft, the mate constructed a drogue, and after 

 taking to the boat the barrel containing the ship bread was stove up, and 

 with the staves and a new thwart which happened to be in the boat, some 

 rude paddles were improvised. The boat lay to the drogue Monday and 



