fishermen's memorial and record book. 153 



and comic songs, ad libitum. It was repeated with like success. 

 Then they pushed on to St. John, thence to Portland, where crowded 

 houses greeted them. The last concert was given in Gloucester, 

 Watson's birthplace. It was a bumper, and the towns-people knew 

 and recognized the talent which he manifested. 



Since then Prof. Watson has passed three seasons in Europe, where 

 he has had the benefit of the best masters. Ole Bull sought him 

 out, and he accepted an invitation to spend the summer at his home 

 in Norway. This distinguished violinist testified his appreciation of 

 Watson's talents, by presenting him with one of his most valued 

 instruments. The boy who gained his first instruction on board a 

 fishing-schooner, and rejoiced in the possession of a one-dollar 

 violin, has risen, step by step, until to-day he occupies a prominent 

 position among the musical celebrities of the country. IVIay he con- 

 tinue to prosper is our wish, as well as that of the fishermen from 

 whose rank he is proud to state he sprang, and among whom he 

 acknowledges to-day some of his most steadfast friends. 



Loss of the Schooner ''Neptune's Bride." — Two of 

 the Grew saved. — Eighteen hours on the Mast- 

 Head. — A Perilous Passage. 



Schooner " Neptune's Bride," as will be seen by the record, went 

 ashore at Malcomb's Ledge, Me., on the evening of September 22d, 

 1860. Twelve out of the fourteen of her crew met a watery grave. 

 The following are the full particulars of that night of peril : — 



The vessel struck the ledge at a little past nine o'clock in the even- 

 ing. It was quite foggj^, accompanied with rain, and the men had 

 all turned in except the watch on deck. She was jogging under a 

 foresail, and, as soon as she struck, the men below rushed on deck, 

 and made for the boat. Mr. Marsh, and George Norwood, seeing 

 that the boat was full, concluded to take their chances on the vessel. 

 The boat was soon swamped by the heavy sea, and the men took 

 refuge on the ledge. The two on the vessel could distinctly hear them 

 conversing, and they asked for a rope, as the ledge was a sunken one, 

 over which the tide rose, and they wished to regain the vessel. Two 

 attempts were made to get a rope to them, both proving unsuccessful. 



