April 22, 188&.} 



FOREST AND STHfiAM, 



£3B 



In spots the chnnnel was not more than twenty feet wide and three 

 feet deep on th« last of the ebb. Once round Smith's Island, the ebb 

 lost its strength and the Coot let go her anchor, alter grounding, 

 having missed the best water, which runs close along the back of 

 the Island and also along the mainland, the shoals being in the 

 mMdle. This involved the unpleasant duty at midnight of shifting 

 ballast, carrying out an anchor and hauling the boat off at high 

 water, so as to be sure ot a start early next day when the tide would 

 be on the ebb. 



There Was an absolute calm at seven A. M., and the Coot sluggishly 

 drilled ont to sea on the tail end of the ebb. Off Smith's Point, the 

 anchor Was let go and a breeze whistled for. It came not. But in 

 due course of events it once more turned ebb. permitting the Coot to 

 resume her drift southward. Light airs finally assisted her round 

 the red can off Fleet's Point, and a few boards took her into Cockle's 

 Creek for the night. On the way down a youngster in a dilapidated 

 yawl boat Ironi a small schooner gave chase and ran alongside. 

 First he asked for a mess of meat. My stock had run down to a 

 remnant of bacon, so had to refuse him. Then he asked (or tabaceo. 

 Mine was out. Then he asked lor a loan of some shot. I had only 

 cartridges. 80 the bov took it out in admiring the yacht as "the 

 neatest thing he ever did see" and sculled back to his skipper empty 

 handed. The schooner never offered oysters in return, but took it 

 as a matter of course that I would fork over for the asking. In 

 Cockles Creek, there was a good deal of life. Oysters were the main- 

 stay of the population. Schooners had scores of canoes about them 

 and were hoisting in the coveted game by the bushel. Substantial 

 houses crowned the tops of the hillocks along the shores which 

 were quite picturesque here and there. Ugly and ill-smelling struc- 

 tures with stucks and kettles and platforms gave notice that vile 

 stenches would pervade the whole river reigon. as soon as the 

 menhaden fir-hery opens in spring. Nearly all the rivers and havens 

 south of the Wicomico suffer from like. pollution. There is a country 

 store alter the usual pattern on the north bank of the first branch 

 on the eastern shore of Coekle's Creek. This same brauch affords 

 affords pericct shelter and 14ft. of Water 



The next day and the forenoon following the Coot was compelled 

 to swing idly at her anchor on account of a dense fog. When 



it lifted the second afternoon, the yacht was among the first of a 

 fleet to clear on o light northerly airs. Around Fleet's Point these 

 forsook us entir«lv and an adverse tide made further progress im- 

 psS8iblo Meanwhile a heavy bank of clouds had risen in the south- 

 east and the sun was reduced to a red spot through the damp at- 

 mosphere. The skipper of a schooner at anchor was hailed to tell 

 me what day anil date it was, as I had lost my reckoning, having 

 been without any authentic sources for some time. He was sur- 

 prised to read the Coot's hailing port under her stern and still more 

 so to hear where she was bound. "This looks threatening up there. 

 It is no kind 01 weather to leave port." So I thought too, as th< sky 

 h id assumed a very ugly look, though not a breath was stirring. 

 The sweep was shipped and the Coot sculled into Mill Creek for a 

 change of scenery alter the abortive attempt of the day to make any 

 southings. It was well she lay in a snug berth, perfectly protected. 

 Ere midnight the gale swooped down with a great din. For nearly 

 sixty hours the music was kept tip in the rigging. Not until noon 

 three days after seeking the refuge, could the Coot poke her nose 

 outside to continue her voyage, and this under two reefs. The wind 

 fell away fast, and after passing the black buoy off Dammei'oii's 

 Marsh whole sail was made. Then a calm ensued and some honrs 

 were put in at drifting. 



Suddenly a Iresh breeze struck across the Chesapeake from N.E. 

 Filteeu niinutes later the Coot was rounded up and the second 

 cringle hauled down. The breeze was quartering and the boat tore 

 along in good fashion, lifting her hauuehes to the flowing sea which 

 was rapidly vising. Passed Divining Creek we flew with a boiling 

 wake, then hauled our wind a bit to weather the horizontal stripe 

 buoy marking the Bluff Point shoals. From here we squared away 

 dead before it and ran in for Little Bay. Until North Point was 

 rounded, there was a constant danger from jibing, as the boat rolled 

 and dipped her boom into the sea. Fetched round North Point and 

 stood in to I he Horsepen, picking a way between a maze ot stakes 

 and abandoned nets. Anchored in lilt. An invitation from the 

 burly skipper of a pungy. jumping in the middle of Little Bay, to 

 lie to his stern for the night was declined. The run lor the after- 

 noon was about fifteen miles. 



During the night the wind subsided, but piped up fresh again 

 upon getting underway next morning. Antepoison Creek is the 

 usual shelter sought at the head of Little Bay. A northwesterly 

 wind necessitated a few boards to weather North Point on the 

 passage ont. After jibing to port the Coot had it quartering down 

 to the light house on Rappahannock Spit. Seven leet can be carried 

 half way between the liuht house and the shore, but the red light off 

 Stingray Spit, across the river must be left to starboard. The Rap- 

 pahannock has the reputation of being a breezy and boisterous 

 river. More than one yacht has come to grief while crossing its 

 mouth in a northwester. The wind has a sweep of many miles and 

 the river is between three and four miles wide. As usual, the wind 

 has greater strength drawing out of the river than some distance out 

 in the Bay. When the Coot had opened Mosquito Point and quit 

 the protection of a weather shore, she found sea and wind in dead 

 earnest and I was ghnf that the two reefs of the night had not been 

 shaken out. The sea was abeam which made it very trying lor the 

 boat, as she wallowed heavily in the trough and shipped much 

 water in the weather roll. But after experiences in the Patapsco, 

 the rough passage across the Rappahannock was by comparison not 

 serious. Constant lulling to puffs worked the Coot out above tho 

 Stingray light, so that she had to be squared down river a bit. 

 Shaded the screw spile stmeture pretty close and swapped greetings 

 with the light house keeper who remarked it was a rough day and 

 watched the Coot's behavior intently. 



The entrance to Piankatank river is well buoyed and easily made 

 though in the dark a stranger would not be likely to give Stove 

 Point a wide enough berth. The usual anchorage is in Fishing Bay 

 around this long projecting tongue. The Piankatank has become 

 more or less celebrated on account ot some bold Amazons of the 

 oyster fleet who are said to have tripped anchor and sailed merrily 

 away from pursuit by a State governor in an armed vessel on the 

 lookout for infractions of the oyster laws which prohibit dredging 

 in Viginia waters. The river is pretty and invites the cruiser to 

 tarry in some of its numerous branches and attractive coves. It was 

 growing cold again, so the Coot was pushed south instead and ran 

 into Hill's Bay in search of the obscure entrance to Millford Haven. 

 The light house keeper, who had launched his boat from lofty davits 

 to give the «.'oot a brush, had, by cutting across lots, gained on nie 

 considerably, so I hove to for directions. He was bound into 

 Queen's Creek, but pointed out a schooner in the southwestern bight 

 of the bay as the object to steer for. Nothing but low sand being 

 visible ahead, the yacht's way was reduced by droppiug the peak 

 and half spilling" the sail, for the rate at which she was driving 

 before the gale was too great a risk in doubtful waters. A tongue of 

 sand overlaps the entrance to Millford so as to hide it until nearly 

 abreast. You then turn up, pass through a gut and suddenly open 

 up a miniature inland sea. Near the entrance is a lump with but 1 to 

 2tt. thereon It is marked by a brush. You may pass either side. 

 A short distance further is another and larger lump marked in the 

 same way. Plenty water on each side. Beyond that the Haven is 

 broad and deep with 10 to 16ft. and good holding ground. In the 

 lateral branches 7 to lOlt. can be found, the Haven itself is protection 

 enough for any boat. The Coot rounded up to leeward of some 

 schooners and stowed canvas in time to escape the rapidly increas- 

 ing cold, the thermometer being down to 28. 



The harbor affords plenty ot interest and to look at, as do all the 

 feeders 01 the Chesapeake. The population derives its support Ironi 

 the water and may be said to have its being afloat. Everybody has 

 a canoe (locally corrupted into kunner). The well-to-do,'and there 

 are plenty of them judging by the neat and even ornamental dwell- 

 ings ashore, hranch out into small buckeyes. sloop3, pungles or 

 schooners according to their aspirations. There is a constant 

 movement on the waters. Boats of all sorts passing and repassing, 

 either under sail and very smartly handled, or propelled by a paddle 

 with a graceful swing of the body, recalling the half indolent sway- 

 ing of the Venetian gondolier. The paddle in universal use in the 

 Chesapeake is a springy board of long triangular form. It is worked 

 in measured sweeps over the head of the stern post as a pry. the 

 boatman standing and facing aft. A very fair rate ot speed is 

 maintained. Oars and rowlocks are almost unknown in this world 

 of dugouts. You may meet the long gracefully hewn log miles away 

 from port with the crew placidly working the peculiar paddle in 

 preterence to pulling with oars. Broad shouldered Africans ot 

 Herculean mould can be seen, whose manner of working the blade 

 is the exemplification ot manly grace. C. P. K. 



NOTES FROM THE DELAWARE.— For the first time the Quaker 

 Ciiy Y r . C. will have a race for large schooners, as two. the Helen and" 

 Avelon, are now owned in Philadelphia, and will meet in the regatta 

 in June. The Helen, Mr. C. D. Middlnton, is 70ft. over all, 02ft. water 

 line. 21ft beam. 6fc. 5in. hold, and 5ft. draft. The Avelon is now- 

 building for Dr. W. H. Vallette, and is 70ft. over all, 59ft. waterline, 

 20ft. beam, 6ft. draft Both are modeled and built by Alonzo E. 

 Smith, of I lip. The sloop Venitzia has had a new overhang put on, 

 and Is now 59ft. 7in. over all, 53ft. 4in. waterline, ISft. 4in. beam, and 

 5ft. 4in. hold. A new sloop, Safe, over all, has been built at Trenton, 

 by Whitehead Bros , and Minerva has been altered aft. The Agile 

 has also been changed sinew last year. The sloop Carrie Z. has lately 

 been enrolled in the club; she is 33ft. 7in. overall, 30ft. UJin. water 

 line, 13ft. 4iu. beam, and 3ft. ll^in, hold. The sloop Cherie has had 

 a new keel and fastenings, with a larger mainsail. The Lu.'line will 

 come out with new sails and spars, and the Foam has reeeivea a 

 cennier 3ft. long. The prizes given bv the Q. C. Y, C. this year will 

 be compasses, logs, and similar articles, in place of the flags pre- 

 viously given. 



YACHTING IN NOBTH CAROLINA.— Wilmington, N. C, April 16. 

 — Wditor forest mid Stream: Your correspondent has just returned 

 from a visit to the Sound, eight miles from Wilmington, where he 

 found all of the fleet belonging to the Carolina Y. C. Great prepar- 

 ations are being made to have each yacht in perfect order when the 

 season opens. The yachts Mascotte, Idler, Vixen, Ripple, Lillian- 

 Florence, Loulie and Restless, are ready to be launched and look veiy 

 handsome. Tne others are undergoing repairs. The first meeting of 

 lhi< club will be held on the first Monday in May, when all the races 

 will be arranged and officers for the coming year elected. It is pro- 

 posed to extend an invitation to the Charleston fleet to visit this city, 

 and have a regatta on the Cape Fear River. There is great interest 

 manifested in these races, and the all-absorbing topic of conversation 

 is the yacht racing this season. It promises to be the most exciting 

 season ever had by the club. We hear of new boats being ordered 

 from Northern builders, which will add wonderfully to the interest in 

 the elub.-X. 



AT THE WHEEL.— Captain Joe Ellsworth will, of course, sail the 



Atlantic this season Captain George Cooley, of Red Bank, the ice 



boat sailor, and for some seasons captain of the schooner Cl\ tie, will 

 sail the Priscilla, the Clvtie being laid up. as her owner, Mr Anson 

 Phelps Stokes, will go abroad . . . .Captain M. V. B. Stone will probably 



sail General Pame's new yacht Captain Gibson, last season in the 



Priscilla, will handle Qraeie this year Captain George Pettuek is 



now fitting out Bedouin, and will sail her as usual . . Captain James 

 Mel'ormack, who has sailed Gracie for two seasons, since Cap'ain 

 Baker's death, will probably commaad the Crusader.... Captain Barr 

 will be out soon witn his crew to look after Clara . Captain Crocker, 



of the Puritan, will sail the Thetis and bhadow Captain Eldndge, 



formerly of the Yosemite, will sail the Vision, sloop, this year 



Captain Than Clock, so long known as the successful skipper of the 

 Mischief, will probably command the new schooner Avelon, of Phila- 

 delphia, 



YACHTING NOTES.— McMan us has completed a new suit of head- 

 sails for the Puritan and is busy with much other work. He is mak- 

 ing the sails tor Burgess's new schooner, a mainsail for Gen. Paine's 

 yacht, a full suii for Mr. Fay's yacht, one for George Lawley's sloop 

 Edna, for Mr. Ford's steam yacht, the yacht Windward, the schooner 

 Actea, Mr. Haskin's Louette, Mr, Driscoll's 25ft. catboat, Mr. Lom- 

 bard's catboat and the cutter building for the Neptune Club, for Mr. 

 Anderson's cutter, and has much repair work besides. .. It is reported 

 that Puritan will have her flush deck cut and a cockpit DUt in this 



season by Smith. Covers will be fitted for use in racing Harbinger, 



scnooner, the handsome little yacht designed two years since by Mr. 

 A. Cary -tnith, has been sold to Mr. H. B. Russell of Providence", R.I. 

 Mr. Burgess has also disposed of the sloops Countess and Ethel.... 

 Neptune Club.— This club is a fishing club only and not a yacht club. 

 They have, however, had a yacht built for the use of the members 

 by Thos. Eddy, of East Boston. This craft is 37ft. lOin. over all, 33ft. 

 on waterline. 13ft. beam, 6tt. deep, with a cabin 16ft. long. The mast 

 is 46ft.. heel to truck, and Sin. diameter, boom 37ft., gaff 20ft., bow- 

 sprit, outboard, 14ft. Sne is white outside with c ipper bottom, andt 



hardwood finish inside Zuiu. keel sloop, has been sold to Mr. C. P.. 



Pike, Jeffries Y. C At Driscoil's, Pottery Beach, Grepnpoint. Mr.. 



Keil's Little Joker, a 27ft. open racer, is ready for launching. She is- 

 lift, wide and 2ft. Sin. deep. The open boat Thetis, Mr. Fred Oakley,, 

 has received a new bowsprit and planksheer with general repairs- 

 Mr. Driscoll is also busy with a 23ft. open boat from Mr. Smith's; 

 design, for Mr. Win. Kent, Larchmont Y. C, and is repairing Mr.. 

 Haaermeyer's open boat . . Eugenia, the catboat, of Marolehead and! 



Beverly, will be lengthened and rigged as a sloop Gen. Butler now 



proposes to alter the America under Mr. Burgess' supervision. ..Rev. 

 W. H. H. Murray, of Adirondack fame, is about to have a 45ft. sloop 

 built for Lake Champlain, and cruises in inland waters. She will be 

 of lift, beam and 3£t. 4in. depth, with accommodations for twenty 

 men on a cruise, and will cost, finished in hard wood, $500. Who 

 has designed and who will build this wonderful craft, is not stated. 

 . . . .Vera, keel sloop, has been sold by F. J. Carter to Dr. J. B. Cool- 



idge Hull Y. C— The regatta committee have abolished the 6xb 



class, under 18ft. and have added a 4th class (20 and less than 22), tor 

 keels. The 4th class, centerboara boats, are 19 and under 22ft. ; the 5th 



class, under 19ft A race of the Musquito fleet will be sailed at ihe 



foot of O street, South Boston, on April 24 Dolphin, eat, of South: 



Boston, will be changed to a cutter rig.... Livonia, schooner, Mr. 

 Thos. Woods, was at Nassau, N. P., last month, bound for Bermuda. 



Fleetwing, schooner, was docked at South Brooklyn on April 16, 



for inspection. ...Sophia, steam yacht, now owned oy Mr. Augustus 

 Schermerhorn, will be known as the Empress. She will soon be 



ready at Greenport Isis, cuiter. Commodore Canfield, L. 1. Y 0., 



is laid up yet at Manning's — Meivina, sloop, K. Y C, has had 5,000 

 pounds of iron added to her keel — Elephant, sloop, is being thor- 

 oughly overhauled a Tebo's pier — Hoiden, sloop, has been sold to 



Mr. Allen, Red Bank, N.J Atalanta, schooner, is hauled out at 



City Island Leatha, schooner, has been sold to Mr. Nataau Ryer- 



son, who has named her Elsa ...A steam launch has been lately 

 built by Lennox, of Brooklyn, for Mr. Wilson, of Harlem, she is 

 51ft. long, 6ft. beam. 3ft. 9 in. draft, with an engine x 6J£, and 

 upright tubular boiler 44 ins. ^n '. high and 36 ins. diameter, 

 150 pounds working pressure. The composition wheel is 43 in. 

 diameter, 3 blades. . Mr. Lennox is also building two launches, 

 28ft. x 6 X 2ft. 6in., for Messrs. Wm. Young and Thos. Robert 

 White of Brooklyn.... Magnolia, steam yacht, was at Wil- 

 mington N. C. on April 11, with a broken shaft ... 

 Nautilus— This dory, which has lain m the Old South Church since 

 her trip across the Atlantic, has been taken to Bertram's yard to fit 



out for a cruise to the South. The Andrews Brothers will use her 



Radha, steam yacht, Mr. J. M. Seymour, will be fitted at once with a 



Kunstadter steering propellor Triton, schooner, will repair and fit 



out at Greenport, after wintenug at Manning's basin Resolute, 



schooner, is fitting out at Tebo's pier Speranza, schooner, rebuilt 



iast fall at City Island, is fitting ont at Essex, Conn. She will have a 



new suit of canvas Ruth, schooner, is fitting out at Noank 



Psyche, keel sloop, of New London, has been sold to M<\ Edward 



Winslow, of New York N01 a, schooner, formerly the Nellie G., has 



been sold to Mr. G. K. Brooks, of Boston, from which port she hails 



Amaryllis, catamaran, is at Lenox's yard for an overhauling 



Mamie, cutter, is at Frank Bates's, where she is receiving new 



spars and general repairs — Uncas, steam yacht, Mr. J. Buchanan 



Henry, is having a new engine and wheel put in at the same place 



Wanda, New Haven Y. O, is at Oyster Point, she will have a smaller 

 rig and less ballast than before — Wild DuckwiUbe painted white, 

 instead of black, and will have a new stern and bowsprit. Viola and; 



Wild Pigeon are fitting out at Stony Creek Ceres will have more, 



keel and a rail added. Happy Thought has had still more lead added, 

 to her keel . . . Fanny, sloop, is fitting out in her winter berth at Islip. 

 She will haul out for painting at Mumm's . . Huron has been hauled 



up at Smith's for more lead on her keel Widgeon, sloop, has beeni 



sold by Mr. John Dimon to Mr. L. W. Parker, of New Bedford 



Octopus, yawl, is fitting out and will be ready by May 1 with new sailsl 

 At Piepgrass's yard Mr Iselin's new yacht is planed and painted, her 

 ironwork is on, and she is ready for the water. Her mast and spars 

 are completed, and the sheer legs are in place to sten the former 



before she is launched. Plumbers and joiners are at work -below 



Gacie is now planked up and her new stern is about completed. The 

 planking is of yellow pine, and inside a new strake of ceiling 2J4x 

 12in. has been run, inside of which is a yellow pine clamp 4x6in. Tne 

 interior has been entirely removed, and nothing remains of the old 

 boat but the frames and the bottom planking. As soon as she is off 

 the ways the steam yacht Sappho will be hauled up for alterations. 



Agatha, Gen. Franklin's steam yacht, is now in frame, filling up" 



the lower floor of Smith's shop. Though a comparatively small 

 yacht, she will possess good sailing powers, being schooner-rigged 

 and with a deep body. The frame is of steamed oak, light and strong 

 in appearance. A novel point in the construction is the use of a back- 

 water knee for both sternpostand horntimber in one piece. Another 

 good idea is to be seen in the oak wale, which is %ia. thicker than 

 the upper streak about it, so that all the timbers are let into the wale 

 steaJying their heads anu stiff ening the frame.. .Puzzle, Mr. J. Lo- 

 rillard's yacht, is lying m the upper end of Water street, thehult being 

 painted, the three-bladed propeller in place, and the yacht ready tor 

 launching .. Keva, Mi-. Pierre Lorillard's new steam yacht, was 

 docked on Monday at the foot of Gouverneur street, and her two 

 wheels, each four-bladed, were put on, the scags were put in place, 

 and the rudders, of which there are two, were hung, she is about 

 completed ...Arab, sloop, Mr. M. D Lawton, was launched on Mon- 

 day at Mumm's yard. With her taunt spars, her outside weight was 



not sufficient to keep her on an even keel Gitana, schooner, Mr. 



v\ m. Weld, arrived in Boston on April 19, after an absence of exactly 

 three months. It is reported that she is improved hy the lengthening 

 of last fall. Smith will refit her at once and her summer rig will be 

 put on her. 



CUTTER MEN IN THE YACHT CLUBS.-The statement by the 

 London Field that the New York, Atlantic and Seawanhaka yacht 

 clubs had turned out of office all the cutter men, with ihe idea of 

 giving the American type of yacht "at least a fair show," is hardly 

 borne out by the facts. It is true that Elbridge T. Gerry, who suc- 

 ceeded James Gordon Bennett as commodore of the New York Y. C , 

 is not known as an advocate of the cutter, but neither was Mr. Ben- 

 nett. Both of these men prefer large and elegant yachts to any 

 other. A. Cass Canfield, the commodore of the Seawanhaka Club, is 

 well known as one of the most intelligent and consistent of cutter 

 men. He not only soils a eiuter, but he designed a most excellent, 

 one, his Isis. Tne Atlantic Y. C. never had more than the faintest 

 suspicion of cutter blood in it, and the question of cutter or sloop, 

 never entered into its politics. The only serious blow that cutter- 

 interests have received at yacht club elections recently was the elec-- 

 tion of F. C. Lawrence as vice-commodore of the Seawanhaka Club. 

 He is the owner of the sloop Vixen, and the fine qualities of his sloop* 

 have made him prejudiced in favor of this type. But Mr. Lawrence 

 has held office in the Seawanhaka Club before, and has never weaned 

 the organization from its ancient faith in the cutter. As a matter oC 

 fact, the question of type has had nothing to do with recent yaehfc 

 club elections. They have turned, unfortunately, on less sportsman- 

 like questions. — N. T. Tribune. 



SAN FRANCISCO. -On April 5, at a meeting at Irving Hall the 

 Corinthian Y C. was organized, with a roll of 25 members, and' the 

 following officers : Commodore W. C. Moody, President ; Commo- 

 dore R. B. Cnapman Vice-President ; George E. Billings, Recording 

 Secretary ; T. F. Tracy, Jr., Financial Secretary ; T. D. Spaulding, 

 Treasurer. The club is limited to yachts of 45ft. over all. Thei>> 

 opening sail will be on Decoration Day, and the first regatta on June. 

 19. Measures will be taksn at once to secure a club house and 

 anchorage. The club have been out in the Spray looking for a loca-. 

 tion, which will probably be at Lyford's Cove, three-quarters of a 

 mile below Tiburon Ferry. The proposed house will be 40x30£t The. 

 membership is now 45, and the fleet include* tne Dawn, Spray; 

 Ripple, Thetis, Lively, Fawn. Sea Nymph, Nellie and Neva. The 

 club flag is a red triangle containing a white star at the head and a. 

 white center stripe, bordered above and below by blue. The other 

 yachts are all out and in commission, and the season has fairly 

 opened. 



A FINE CUTTER FOR SALE. -Over a year ago Mr. J. Malcolm 

 Forbes ordered the cutter Bayadere from young Fife, and she wa3 

 shipped out here last spring. Since her completion she has laid idle, 

 her owner being interested in the Puritan, which he now owns 8nd 

 will sail this season. The Bayadere is offered for sale in consequence. 

 She is a fine little vessel of 45ft. loadline and 10ft. beam, very strongly 

 built and handsomely fitted inside. 



